January 21, 2006
Morenike Atunrase scored 15 points to lead Texas A&M over Missouri, 72-52, in Big 12 Conference play Saturday at Reed Arena in front of 3,558.
The win was the first for A&M over Missouri in three games as the Aggies improve to 15-4 overall and to 4-2 in the league. Missouri falls to 14-4 overall and to 4-2 in the Big 12.
It marked the 13th straight win for the Aggies at home which is the longest active streak in the league.
A 22-4 run over a six minute stretch in the second half changed the game for the Aggies. Atunrase scored nine points in the run including a three-pointer to give A&M a 52-33 lead.
The Aggies managed 34 points off of the Tigers?â„¢ season-high 30 turnovers in the game. Many of the Aggies points off turnovers were a result of a press.
?We feel like we can press at home because of our depth and our fans,? A&M coach Gary Blair said. ?We got a few easy baskets off the press tonight.?
Erica Roy had a season-high 13 points and seven rebounds for the Aggies while Takia Starks added 12 points. A?â„¢Quonesia Franklin recorded eight points and seven assists.
?E-Roy (Roy) was the star of the game,? Blair said. ?She gave us all of our energy tonight.?
A&M won the rebounding battle, 47-37. La Toya Micheaux had a season-high 11 rebounds while Patrice Reado added 10 rebounds. It was Reado?â„¢s second straight game with a season-best seven defensive boards.
?Give the kids credit, we had 23 offensive boards,? Blair said. ?We were flying to the glass. Our crowd really motivated us.?
The Aggies held Missouri?â„¢s leading scorer LaToya Bond to a season-low six points. She fouled out with 11 minutes to play. It was her first game not to score double-digits this season.
?Bond getting into foul trouble was huge,? Blair said.
Missouri was paced by C?â„¢stelle N?â„¢Garsanet?â„¢s 13 points and eight rebounds and by EeTisha Riddle?â„¢s 10 points and four blocks.
It took the Aggies three minutes to record their first points in the game as they missed their first five shots. Erica Roy tied the game at 2-2 with a layup.
Missouri started with a 6-2 run while the Aggies struggled to shoot the ball early only connecting on one of their first 10 attempts.
Midway through the half, the Aggies put together a 12-3 run to take an 18-12 lead.
The Tigers answered with back-to-back three pointers by Carlynn Savant and Riddle to tie the game at 18-18 on their way to a 15-6 run and a 27-24 lead. N?â„¢Garsanet added six points during the run.
A six point run by the Aggies to close the half gave them a 30-27 lead at the break.
A&M will play at Colorado on Tuesday at 8 p.m. (central) in at Coors Event Center in Boulder, Colo.
NOTES?-Erica Roy was selected as the State Farm Player of the Game. More than 40 former A&M players and coaches were in attendance for a reunion weekend. Blair said a pre-game speech by former coach Lynn Hickey to the current players was great motivation for his team. After shooting 2-of-15 from three-point range in the last game against Baylor, A&M was 2-of-2 against Missouri. Atunrase, Micheaux, Roy and Tamea Scales combined for 39 points after going scoreless at Baylor.