GREENVILLE, S.C. – A career-high 22 points, including a pair of late buckets, by freshman Sydney Bowles led Texas A&M to a 77-70 victory over the Vanderbilt Commodores in Wednesday's SEC Tournament first round action inside Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
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Bowles hit 8-of-17 from the field, including a career-high six 3-point field goals. Her biggest basket came with just under two minutes remaining in the game when she hit a 3-pointer to stop a 14-0 run which had cut A&M's comfortable lead down to a precarious 69-66. Bowles made a layup with 1:21 left to keep the Aggies out front by six points.
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The All-SEC Freshman Team selection scored 11 of her points in the fourth quarter, making 4-of-6 from the field, including 3-of-5 from long range.
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Three other Aggies logged 12 points, including Sahara Jones, Jada Malone and Aaliah Patty. Jones had two key free throws in the waning seconds. Malone's dozen points matched a career high as she made 6-of-7 from the field. Patty recorded a double-double, leading the team with 11 points and five assists.
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The Aggies opened a 7-2 lead at the 6:52 mark of the first quarter. The teams seesawed for the next five minutes with three lead changes and two ties. Texas A&M carried a 21-16 advantage into the first break with Jones hitting a jumper at 1:11 and Tineya Hylton sinking a 3-pointer with :35 seconds remaining in the period.
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The Maroon & White stretched the margin to double digits early in the second stanza with a 10-2 run in the first two minutes, inflating A&M's cushion to 31-18. Vanderbilt used an 11-2 run to salt the deficit to 35-31 at the 1:46 mark. Jones stemmed the tide with a 3-pointer and a pair of late Janiah Barker free throws put the Aggies up 40-33 at the intermission.
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The trio of Bowles, Jones and Malone had eight points apiece in the first half. Patty pulled down six rebounds and the Maroon & White had 10 assists on their 15 buckets, paced by McKinzie Green with three.
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After Vanderbilt cut the deficit to 42-38 at the 8:03 mark of the third quarter, Malone keyed an 8-0 run with a layup and jumper in the paint as A&M led 50-38 at the midway point of the period. The 'Dores were unable to shave the deficit to single digits again in the third quarter and two Patty layups put A&M up 61-47 at the last break.
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Bowles' 3-pointers at 9:18 and 7:55 gave the Maroon & White their largest lead of the game at 17 points before the flurry of Commodore baskets.
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Up Next
The Aggies play No. 5-seed Mississippi State in Thursday's second round. The game starts 25 minutes after the 11 a.m. contest between Arkansas and Missouri.
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POSTGAME NOTES
RECORDS & SERIES NOTES
TEAM NOTES
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Sydney Bowles
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Bowles hit 8-of-17 from the field, including a career-high six 3-point field goals. Her biggest basket came with just under two minutes remaining in the game when she hit a 3-pointer to stop a 14-0 run which had cut A&M's comfortable lead down to a precarious 69-66. Bowles made a layup with 1:21 left to keep the Aggies out front by six points.
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The All-SEC Freshman Team selection scored 11 of her points in the fourth quarter, making 4-of-6 from the field, including 3-of-5 from long range.
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Three other Aggies logged 12 points, including Sahara Jones, Jada Malone and Aaliah Patty. Jones had two key free throws in the waning seconds. Malone's dozen points matched a career high as she made 6-of-7 from the field. Patty recorded a double-double, leading the team with 11 points and five assists.
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The Aggies opened a 7-2 lead at the 6:52 mark of the first quarter. The teams seesawed for the next five minutes with three lead changes and two ties. Texas A&M carried a 21-16 advantage into the first break with Jones hitting a jumper at 1:11 and Tineya Hylton sinking a 3-pointer with :35 seconds remaining in the period.
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The Maroon & White stretched the margin to double digits early in the second stanza with a 10-2 run in the first two minutes, inflating A&M's cushion to 31-18. Vanderbilt used an 11-2 run to salt the deficit to 35-31 at the 1:46 mark. Jones stemmed the tide with a 3-pointer and a pair of late Janiah Barker free throws put the Aggies up 40-33 at the intermission.
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The trio of Bowles, Jones and Malone had eight points apiece in the first half. Patty pulled down six rebounds and the Maroon & White had 10 assists on their 15 buckets, paced by McKinzie Green with three.
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After Vanderbilt cut the deficit to 42-38 at the 8:03 mark of the third quarter, Malone keyed an 8-0 run with a layup and jumper in the paint as A&M led 50-38 at the midway point of the period. The 'Dores were unable to shave the deficit to single digits again in the third quarter and two Patty layups put A&M up 61-47 at the last break.
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Bowles' 3-pointers at 9:18 and 7:55 gave the Maroon & White their largest lead of the game at 17 points before the flurry of Commodore baskets.
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Up Next
The Aggies play No. 5-seed Mississippi State in Thursday's second round. The game starts 25 minutes after the 11 a.m. contest between Arkansas and Missouri.
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POSTGAME NOTES
RECORDS & SERIES NOTES
- Texas A&M improved to 8-19 on the season.
- The Aggies' overall record against Vanderbilt moves to 10-6 and the Maroon & White avenged their 88-79 regular-season loss on Jan. 29.
- Texas A&M improved to 12-9 at the SEC Tournament.
- Joni Taylor's career record advances to 148-94 all-time and to 8-19 in her first season with the Aggies.
- Coach Taylor improved to 6-7 at the SEC Tournament, including 1-0 at Texas A&M.
TEAM NOTES
- The Aggies owned a 34-26 edge rebounds, including 8-6 in offensive rebounds and 26-20 in defensive rebounds.
- The Maroon & White had 20+ assists in a game for the first time since Feb. 10, 2022, versus Vanderbilt.
- Texas A&M owned a 38-26 edge in second-chance points., including 20-10 in the second half.
- The Aggies hit 51.7% (30-of-58) from the field, their third best shooting effort of the season, including 55.6% (15-of-27) in the second half.
- Texas A&M utilized a starting lineup of Sydney Bowles, Kay Kay Green, Sahara Jones, Jada Malone and Aaliyah Patty for the fourth time this season (2-2).
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Sydney Bowles
- Logged her first career 20-plus point game with 22 on 8-of-17 from the field, including 6-of-12 from 3-point range.
- Recorded double digits in the scoring column for the 13th time this season.
- Drained a career-high six 3-point field goals.
- Became the first Aggie to nail six-or-more triples since Jordan Nixon hit six against Northwestern (Nov. 27)
- Added two assists and two steals.
- Registered 12 points, four rebounds, one block and one assist.
- Recorded double digits in the scoring column for the 11th time this season and the 13th time in her career.
- Equaled a career high with 12 points, hitting 6-of-7 from the field.
- Matched a career high with 2 blocks and added three rebounds and one assist.
- Recorded double digits in the scoring column for fifth time this season.
- Recorded her fourth double-double of the season and the 15th of her career with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
- Paced team with 11 rebounds and five assists.
- Recorded double digits in the scoring column for the 10th time this season and the 49th time in her career.
- Logged double digits in rebounding for the ninth time this season and the 22nd time in her career.
- Led team in rebounding for the 16th time this season and the 44th time in her career.
- Led team in assists for the fifth time this season and the seventh time in her career.
Follow the Aggies
Visit for more information on Texas A&M women's basketball. Fans can keep up to date with the A&M women's basketball team on Facebook, Instagram, and on Twitter by following @AggieWBB.