Texas A&M
(2-2)
Hawai'i
(3-2)
Aggie Women Fall to Hawaii at Buzzer
Nov 27, 2005 | Women's Basketball
November 27, 2005
Hawaii?™s Amy Sanders scored at the buzzer to beat Texas A&M, 68-66, for third place in the Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic Sunday in women?™s basketball at the Stan Sheriff Center.
A&M?™s A?™Quonesia Franklin tied the game, 66-66, with a three-pointer with 16 seconds to play. Following a timeout, Hawaii?™s Cassidy Chretein missed a jumper and Sanders was there for the put back for the game winner as time expired.
?We didn?™t block out on the backside,? A&M coach Gary Blair said. ?(Sanders) got it and threw it up and it went in as the buzzer went off.?
The Aggies finished the tournament with a 1-2 record to even its season mark to 2-2. Hawaii improved to 3-2 overall.
?Bottom line is we have to become a smarter basketball team,? Blair said. ?We learned a lot, but I?™m tired of learning through losing.?
After A&M led by as many as 13 points in the first half, the Aggies extended their 38-33 halftime lead to 47-37 early in the second half after solid free throw shooting of 6-of-9.
However, a nine minute field goal shooting drought haunted the Aggies in the second half. A&M was 7-of-31 (22 percent) shooting from the field in the second half.
During the drought, Hawaii battled back and took its first lead, 48-47, as Chretein grabbed a rebound and drove the length of the court for a bucket to cap an 11-0 run with 12:21 remaining in the game.
A&M missed 15 straight shots before drought was stopped with a bucket by Danielle Gant at the 10:29 mark giving A&M the lead back, 49-48.
The lead changed hands 10 more times the remaining of the game. Hawaii?™s largest lead was five points, 62-57, with 5:16 to play.
The Aggies were paced by Morenike Atunrase?™s 19 points and by Tamea Scales?™ second-double-double of the season as she tallied 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Hawaii was led by Sanders?™ 14 points and Chretein?™s 13 points. The Rainbow Wahine shot 51 percent from the field for the game while A&M shot 34 percent.
A&M jumped out to a 13-0 lead over the first three minutes of the game connecting on six of its first seven attempts while Hawaii committed four turnovers and missed three shots.
But, Hawaii took advantage of some easy buckets inside to close the gap to 17-12 with 13:31 to play in the first half.
A&M?™s Takia Starks drained a pair of shots late in the half to give A&M a 38-30 lead before Sanders drained a three-pointer with 25 seconds to play.
Sanders scored 10 points in the first half while A&M was led by Atunrase with 13 points.
The Aggies will host Washington next Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at Reed Arena.
NOTES-- Scales was named the State Farm Player of the Game. Starks received her first start of the season as she filled in for an injured Erica Roy.
