Texas A&M
19-7, 10-5
Oklahoma
18-9, 10-5
Aggies Drop 64-55 Contest at Oklahoma
Feb 21, 2012 | Women's Basketball
NORMAN, Okla. - Despite 12 points by Sydney Carter and 11 by Tyra White, No. 14/11 Texas A&M women's basketball team fell 64-55 at Oklahoma on Tuesday evening.
With the win, the Sooners (18-9, 10-5) snapped A&M's six-game winning streak against OU and tied the Aggies for second place in the Big 12 Conference standings.
Adaora Elonu and Adrienne Pratcher added 9 points each for the Aggies (19-7, 10-5).
Having won only three games all-time in Norman, A&M was down 30-33 at the half. The Sooners came out of the locker room and used a 13-4 run to extend their lead to 46-34 with 15:51 remaining.
The Aggies held Oklahoma without a field goal for the following 8 minutes and went on a 9-1 run to make it a 3-point game, 47-44, with just over 8 minutes to play. The Aggies, however, would get no closer.
Texas A&M shot just 28.6 percent (18 of 63) from the floor. For the game, there were 10 lead changes and seven ties, most of which occurred early in the contest.
Aaron Ellenberg led the Sooners with 23 points and Morgan Hook added 19.
The Aggies return home Saturday, Feb. 25 for a 7 p.m. contest against Texas Tech. The A&M seniors, Carter, White, Elonu, Kelsey Assarian and Skylar Collins will be honored on Senior Night.
POSTGAME NOTES
TEAM NOTES
- For the 14th time this season, Texas A&M used the starting lineup of Alexia Standish, Sydney Carter, Tyra White, Adaora Elonu and Kelsey Bone...The Aggies are 10-4 with this starting lineup.
- A&M falls to 19-27 in the all-time series against Oklahoma. The Aggies have still won six of the last seven meetings between the two schools.
- The Aggies are 3-17 when playing on the road in Norman.
- A&M's bench outscored the Sooners 16-4 and held the edge in second chance points 12-1.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- White has now started in 84 straight games, a streak that started on Jan. 4, 2010 against Lamar.
- White scored in double figures for the 21st time this season and Carter for the 15th time.
- With one of three steals against OU, Carter (192 career steals) from moved into the top 10 all-time at A&M. She is now in A&M's career top 10 in assists (8th), 3-point field goals made (5th), and free throw percentage (1st).
- Karla Gilbert grabbed a career-high nine rebounds.
POSTGAME QUOTES
A&M HEAD COACH GARY BLAIR
Opening Statement
With the shots that they had they should have shot 60 percent. Even when we went to zone in the second half, that was more or less a matchup and hope they miss defense. Here's the thing, OU went and got the offensive boards and that really destroys a defensive when you make the hustle plays that Oklahoma can make.
We were lucky to be in this ball game at half. We had both post players (Bone and Elonu) with two fouls, but all of a sudden you have to protect in the second half. I really thought this team was ready to finally play a great road game against a good team. We're both struggling to find what it's going to take to be Cinderella in March. I'm 2-7 in this building, but her team played a lot harder tonight and made the plays. Give them credit.
It just wasn't a good night, but I love Oklahoma's intensity. They hit the shot clock shots when they had to or they got the loose balls when they had to. Oklahoma deserved to win it.
On what he expects of A&M going into the tournament
To play harder and smarter and together. We play as individuals too much. We're not getting the transition game we used to. You look at our fast break points all through the year and it's not happening. We had 0 fast break points tonight.
On A&M's Sydney Carter
Carter is having to be too much of a go-to player. She is a complement player. She's a go-to defensive player, but she's a compliment player on offense. I can't have her shooting 15 times in a ball game.
SENIOR GUARD SYDNEY CARTER
On A&M's performance
We need to take it upon ourselves and get in the gym and hit these shots. We missed layups, open jumpers. We took a couple of contested shots tonight, but I think we stopped ourselves. We just didn't make the shots. It was a lack of focus and we didn't get it done on the defensive end either.
On Tyra White going 2 of 16 from the floor
It definitely hurts us because night in and night out we need her to score. We need her offensive rebounds and put backs. I think she's one of the best 3-guards in the league that does that. We've been counting on her jump shots all year, but this was one of those night that some else like myself needed to step up and hit some of those shots. We all (Carter, Bone, White and Elonu) just have to step up. If we're not all in double digits it's hard for us to win games.
