Sunday, February 5
College Station
1:00 PM
Texas A&M
66
vs
61
Auburn
Photo by: Russell James/Texas A&M Athletics
Women's Basketball Picks Up Seventh Straight Home Win, Beats Auburn 66-61
Feb 05, 2017 | Women's Basketball
COLLEGE STATION- Texas A&M picked up its seventh straight home win, defeating Auburn 66-61 in a women's basketball game at Reed Arena. Danni Williams led the Aggies with 25 points.
The Aggies (17-6, 7-3 SEC) led for the final 7:32, taking the lead on a Williams jumper. Williams would strike again with a 3-pointer to extend the lead to four, and another jumper when Auburn (15-9, 5-5 SEC) closed the deficit to just a point in the final two minutes.
Neither team led by more than nine points during the entire game.
Texas A&M out-rebounded Auburn 49-28, led by Khaalia Hillsman with 15 boards and Anriel Howard with 10 rebounds, leading to a 23-8 advantage on second-chance points.
In addition to her 15 rebounds, Hillsman had 17 points for her second straight double-double. Taylor Cooper also reached double figures with 10 points.
The Aggies return to action on Thursday, February 9 at 7 p.m. to host Alabama.
QUICKIE NOTES
Postgame Quotes
Texas A&M Head Coach Gary Blair
Opening Statement…
"We were really prepared for this game. It didn't look like it in the first half; it looked like it when we first started, but the whole key to let them in was our eleven turnovers in the first half. They shot 62 percent. Third quarter we tightened it up a lot, but every time we scored they'd be right back in the ballgame so we never could get any separation. Give Auburn credit for what they were able to do in the second quarter."
On Texas A&M's performance...
"It was not a good shooting night for us, but we made the tough shots. The shot right before half was huge. Danni (Williams) got loose in the third quarter and then got to the free throw line, which she has to do. Things start going wrong, and all of a sudden Danni misses two free throws and (Taylor) Cooper misses a wide-open layup by herself. This team fights back. We only turned it over four times in the second half. Curtyce (Knox) only had one. We dominated the boards, though, and that's what won the ballgame."
On junior center Khaalia Hillsman…
"Khaalia is the most improved player in this league for what she's doing. There's not another player that can play 40 minutes a game, and she knows she has to. She's doing a great job. What she's got to do is get off to a better start and learn how to pin the ball. We worked on it all week, and we had that emphasis against their zone of getting the ball in and still getting everyone else to get their shots."
Texas A&M junior center Khaalia Hillsman
On Texas A&M's offensive rebounding…
"We weren't making shots, and they weren't making shots. We started the game off blocking out, but I really think it was a lack of offense for both teams at the beginning because we were both missing such easy shots."
Texas A&M sophomore guard Danni Williams
On picking up play in the second half…
"First half we were just kind of rushing ourselves, and then we were taking our time. It took us too long to even get Curtyce and I to pass it back to each other. They were cutting everything off down the court, so I think we were worried if we crossed half court we were going to get trapped. Then in the second half we calmed down, and Curtyce is the best point guard in the SEC so she can handle it."
On her shooting today…
"I haven't shot very well the last several games, and I didn't start off shooting well this game, but my teammates believe in me so much. Curtyce is in my ear telling me to keep shooting, and that really helps my confidence. I have their trust, and when the ball is skipped to me I'm ready to shoot. It's my job, and I like having to take those hard shots."
Auburn Head Coach Williams-Flournoy
Opening Statement…
"I thought our ladies played hard. It was actually just a very good game and Texas A&M hit some big shots. We hit some shots, I think we needed to get a few more step on stops and find Danni [Williams] a little quicker."
On Texas A&M cutting down on turnovers in second half…
"Gary's [Blair] a great coach. He's going to figure out a press offense so that they don't turn the ball over and [Curtyce] Knox did a very good job of handling the pressure."
On lack of size and giving up 20 offensive rebounds…
"I don't know if really offensive rebounding is a thing about lack of size. Offensive rebounding is effort. I mean [Anriel] Howard, she [isn't] big. She just goes and gets it. She just wants that offensive rebound. Offensive rebounds is effort just like defensive rebound is effort. You've got to find people and box them out."
On Katie Frerking…
"Katie's a good player. She's that stretch forward that's hard to guard. She can put it on the floor and attack the basket. She can shoot the three and she just played extremely well tonight."
The Aggies (17-6, 7-3 SEC) led for the final 7:32, taking the lead on a Williams jumper. Williams would strike again with a 3-pointer to extend the lead to four, and another jumper when Auburn (15-9, 5-5 SEC) closed the deficit to just a point in the final two minutes.
Neither team led by more than nine points during the entire game.
Texas A&M out-rebounded Auburn 49-28, led by Khaalia Hillsman with 15 boards and Anriel Howard with 10 rebounds, leading to a 23-8 advantage on second-chance points.
In addition to her 15 rebounds, Hillsman had 17 points for her second straight double-double. Taylor Cooper also reached double figures with 10 points.
The Aggies return to action on Thursday, February 9 at 7 p.m. to host Alabama.
QUICKIE NOTES
- The Aggies improve to 17-6 on the season and 7-3 in SEC play. Auburn drops to 15-9 overall and 5-5 in the SEC
- Texas A&M has won seven straight home games, and is 11-1 at home this season. The Aggies are 145-5 against unranked teams at home since February 2005.
- Khaalia Hillsman had her second straight double-double and her 11th of the season
- She has scored 10+ points in all 23 games this season
- She had 10+ rebounds for the second straight game and 11th time this season
- Hillsman had 15+ rebounds for the second straight game
- Danni Williams scored 20+ points for the eighth time this season.
- She scored in double figures for the 13th straight game and 22nd time in 23 games this season
- She had a career-high eight rebounds
- Curtyce Knox moved past Lisa Branch's 1993-94 season (214 assists) for fourth place on the Texas A&M single-season assist list. Knox has 216 assists this season.
- Taylor Cooper scored in double figures for the fifth time this season
- Anriel Howard had 10+ rebounds for the fourth straight game and the 17th time this season
- Texas A&M is 34-1 when leading or tied after three quarters in the two seasons of the four quarter format.
- Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair is 326-135 in 14 seasons at Texas A&M and 734-198 overall in his Hall of Fame career
- Blair has won 106 SEC games, the most of any active coach
Postgame Quotes
Texas A&M Head Coach Gary Blair
Opening Statement…
"We were really prepared for this game. It didn't look like it in the first half; it looked like it when we first started, but the whole key to let them in was our eleven turnovers in the first half. They shot 62 percent. Third quarter we tightened it up a lot, but every time we scored they'd be right back in the ballgame so we never could get any separation. Give Auburn credit for what they were able to do in the second quarter."
On Texas A&M's performance...
"It was not a good shooting night for us, but we made the tough shots. The shot right before half was huge. Danni (Williams) got loose in the third quarter and then got to the free throw line, which she has to do. Things start going wrong, and all of a sudden Danni misses two free throws and (Taylor) Cooper misses a wide-open layup by herself. This team fights back. We only turned it over four times in the second half. Curtyce (Knox) only had one. We dominated the boards, though, and that's what won the ballgame."
On junior center Khaalia Hillsman…
"Khaalia is the most improved player in this league for what she's doing. There's not another player that can play 40 minutes a game, and she knows she has to. She's doing a great job. What she's got to do is get off to a better start and learn how to pin the ball. We worked on it all week, and we had that emphasis against their zone of getting the ball in and still getting everyone else to get their shots."
Texas A&M junior center Khaalia Hillsman
On Texas A&M's offensive rebounding…
"We weren't making shots, and they weren't making shots. We started the game off blocking out, but I really think it was a lack of offense for both teams at the beginning because we were both missing such easy shots."
Texas A&M sophomore guard Danni Williams
On picking up play in the second half…
"First half we were just kind of rushing ourselves, and then we were taking our time. It took us too long to even get Curtyce and I to pass it back to each other. They were cutting everything off down the court, so I think we were worried if we crossed half court we were going to get trapped. Then in the second half we calmed down, and Curtyce is the best point guard in the SEC so she can handle it."
On her shooting today…
"I haven't shot very well the last several games, and I didn't start off shooting well this game, but my teammates believe in me so much. Curtyce is in my ear telling me to keep shooting, and that really helps my confidence. I have their trust, and when the ball is skipped to me I'm ready to shoot. It's my job, and I like having to take those hard shots."
Auburn Head Coach Williams-Flournoy
Opening Statement…
"I thought our ladies played hard. It was actually just a very good game and Texas A&M hit some big shots. We hit some shots, I think we needed to get a few more step on stops and find Danni [Williams] a little quicker."
On Texas A&M cutting down on turnovers in second half…
"Gary's [Blair] a great coach. He's going to figure out a press offense so that they don't turn the ball over and [Curtyce] Knox did a very good job of handling the pressure."
On lack of size and giving up 20 offensive rebounds…
"I don't know if really offensive rebounding is a thing about lack of size. Offensive rebounding is effort. I mean [Anriel] Howard, she [isn't] big. She just goes and gets it. She just wants that offensive rebound. Offensive rebounds is effort just like defensive rebound is effort. You've got to find people and box them out."
On Katie Frerking…
"Katie's a good player. She's that stretch forward that's hard to guard. She can put it on the floor and attack the basket. She can shoot the three and she just played extremely well tonight."
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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