Texas A&M
7-0,0-0SEC
Sam Houston State
2-2,0-0Southland
Women Remain Unbeaten with 99-69 Win over Sam Houston
Dec 15, 2020 | Women's Basketball
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) - Aaliyah Wilson is 100% recovered from a serious knee injury that sidelined the senior guard during her sophomore year.
Wilson scored 17 points, and No. 10 Texas A&M rolled past Sam Houston State for a 99-69 victory on Tuesday.
The Aggies (7-0) shot 59.7% from the field and had five players score in double figures. N'dea Jones had 15 points and eight rebounds, and Ciera Johnson finished with 12 points. Kayla Wells scored 11 points, and Jordan Nixon had 10.
Wilson was 8 for 10 from the field. The senior guard also had four rebounds, four assists and two steals.
''She's playing extremely well,'' Texas A&M coach Gary Blair said. ''She's going to start getting more and more attention put on her. But Wilson just does her thing. In transition, she shares the ball on the break. She's just playing well.''
Wilson, a transfer from Arkansas, was playing well two years ago when she tore an ACL early in the season. She worked her way back into shape last year as the sixth man and now she's coming into her own.
''I just want to be able to help my team and help us compete for a championship,'' Wilson said. ''I've just able to get in that mindset, just knowing I needed to do whatever it took, especially this summer to get to that point. I guess, I just went out there and did it and it shows. And it feels good to be fully healthy.''
Wilson scored in double figures for the sixth straight game. She is shooting 52% (39 of 75) from the field.
''Aaliyah is a hard worker, everyone knows that,'' Wells said. ''I know she deserves this shot, to be doing as well as she's doing, because she's worked so hard.''
Faith Cook scored 12 points for Sam Houston State (2-2), which hit 13 of 25 3-pointers.
The Bearkats, who hadn't played in 11 days, had 27 turnovers.
Texas A&M led 55-36 after its highest scoring first half of the season. Then it opened it opened the third quarter with a 12-0 run.
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POSTGAME NOTES
RECORDS & SERIES NOTES
- Texas A&M climbs to 7-0 following Tuesday's victory, the best mark to start a regular season since A&M's 11-game win streak to open 2014-15. Sam Houston State falls to 2-2 with the loss.
- The Maroon & White extends its win streak against the Bearkats to 13 straight, a pattern dating back to the 1980-81 season. A&M leads the all-time series 23-3 with a flawless 13-0 record in Aggieland.
- A&M's performance against non-conference opponents has been stellar thus far, winning 12-consecutive games against teams outside the Southeastern Conference.
TEAM NOTES
- Texas A&M set a season high in scoring as a team, dropping 99 points on .597 shooting from the field. The previous team high of 93 points was set in the win at then-No. 19 DePaul.
- All five starters in the Maroon & White scored in double figures for the second time this season, with the first occurrence a mere two-and-a-half weeks ago in the win over then-No. 19 DePaul.
- The Aggie defense held the Bearkats to .403 shooting from the field, forcing 27 turnovers with 15 steals and seven blocks.
- Post scoring told a telling story on Tuesday afternoon, as A&M dominated Sam Houston State down low, outscoring the Bearkats 50-18 in the paint.
- Through the use of four ball-handling guards, Texas A&M tied its season high with 23 assists on 37 made baskets.
- The turnover battle greatly favored the Aggies, as A&M forced 27 turnovers while only surrendering 14.
- Texas A&M featured a starting lineup of Aaliyah Wilson, Jordan Nixon, Kayla Wells, N'dea Jones and Ciera Johnson for the seventh straight game.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Aaliyah Wilson accepted a big role in the Aggie offense on Tuesday, finishing with 17 points, four rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals on the defensive end. Her four assists set a new season high in the category.
- The Muskogee, Oklahoma, native scored in double figures for the sixth straight game, recording 10 points in the first half of play. She finished with a season-high .800 shooting percentage.
- Wilson finished with an astonishing plus-43 plus/minus in only 22 minutes of game time, pacing the Aggies on both ends of the court.
- N'dea Jones opened the game with a steal and a score, finishing with 15 points on 5-8 shooting with eight rebounds, an assist and a steal.
- The Lawrenceville, Georgia, native has scored in double figures in six games this season and 35 times in her career.
- Ciera Johnson scored in double figures for the fourth time this season, finishing with 12 points on 5-9 from the field.
- The Duncanville, Texas, native added a season high in both assists (three) and steals (three), while contributing three rebounds and a block.
- Jordan Nixon managed the primary ball handling duties against Sam Houston State, ending with 10 points, three assists, two rebounds and a steal in 20 minutes of action.
- Kayla Wells put in work as an all-around team player against the Bearkats, dropping 12 points, three rebounds and two assists with a pair of steals.
- Destiny Pitts provided a strong perimeter scoring threat off the bench, finishing with seven points on 3-6 shooting, sinking a 3-point basket in her seventh-consecutive game.
- Ella Tofaeono notched an all-around performance in her seven minutes of game action, scoring on all three shot attempts to finish with seven points, five rebounds, an assist and a block.
- Alexis Morris was a sparkplug off the bench against Sam Houston State, electrifying the A&M lineup with five points, three assists, two steals and two rebounds in eight minutes.
- McKinzie Green scored six points on five attempts in the backup point guard role, adding an assist.
- Sahara Jones scored a career-high four points in the game, also contributing two rebounds, one block and a steal in 14 minutes off the bench.
- Maliyah Johnson secured a new career-high in scoring as well, finishing with four points, a career-high three steals and two rebounds in 11 minutes.
- Anna Dreimane contributed eight minutes of playing time, finishing with a commanding three blocks with one assist and a steal.
UP NEXT
The No. 10 Texas A&M women's basketball team remains in Aggieland through the end of the week, as the Aggies prepare to play host to the Rice Owls on Sunday, Dec. 20, with tipoff slated for 2 p.m.
POSTGAME QUOTES
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach Gary Blair
Opening Statement…
"We came out firing very well. We were good in transition early, but late in the game I wasn't that impressed with us. I was trying to keep it to a tight rotation there in the third quarter, and then it became time to play all 14 kids as we got further into the game. I thought we missed some point-blank shots we possibly could have had, but when you look at the shooting percentage we did really well. We had 30 free throw attempts. Our players have to get better when their defender's hands are to the sky. We need to work on using our pivot foot and going up strong to get the right angle. Everyone could do a better job on that, but when we ran our offense, we were getting good looks. I thought we shared the ball well. This is the time of the year where you want to play your bench and save some legs to get ready for an undefeated Rice team coming in here on Sunday."
On Aaliyah Wilson's dominant season thus far…
"Aaliyah is playing extremely well. But she's going to start getting more and more attention placed on her. This team that we played today was doing a good job at disrupting us by not letting the point guard get it back. [Aaliyah] Wilson does a great job in transition and shares the ball on the break, she's just playing well. I've got a lot of players playing well right now, but I have to see some consistency. The rotation is going to really slow down in the next ball game."
On preparing for Southeastern Conference play…
"We expect a lot of very good teams year-in and year-out, in every sport. That's what the SEC is all about. This league produces All-Americans, Olympians, great players and great people. We can't wait for the challenge when we get into league play. Tennessee is coming in for our first game on New Year's Eve. Every day we have a chance to get better, either in the film room, practice court or in individual work. Some of us need to work a little bit more individually to start hitting the shots they're going to get out of our offense. We need to know what to do when the opponent takes something away."
Senior Guard Aaliyah Wilson
On her personal improvements and health…
"It comes down to knowing that I need to be at full health to help my team compete for a championship. That also translates to me having a good season. I was in the mindset of knowing that I needed to do whatever it took, especially this summer, to get back to full strength. I guess I just went out there and did it. Obviously, the work shows, and it feels good to be fully healthy again."
On the team's offensive performance and depth…
"I don't think this year it will be a question of if we can score or not. I think it's obvious that we can do that. Our formula for success is going to be figuring out how to compete while stopping other teams from putting up points. Coach [Bob] Starkey wasn't the happiest with us defensively today. So, being able to turn the page and find a way of competing through every possession. That will be our true formula for success this year."
Senior Guard Kayla Wells
On Aaliyah Wilson's development this year…
"She spent the whole summer down here, only going home for a few days. She spent time rehabbing with Sheri [Walters] working hard on getting her knee right and getting back to where she wants to be. Aaliyah is a hard worker, everyone knows that. I know that she deserves this shot and deserves to be doing as well as she is doing from the work she puts in."
On her offensive performance and early changes today…
"I've just been in my head a lot. The coaches have helped me by encouraging me and letting me know that they believe in me. Even when I get that early charge call, I am still going to drive the ball to the basket. I can't be scared to drive the ball from one charge. I just need to get myself out of the mindset of being timid from one call. But I also know I have to play smarter to help the team win."
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