Aggies into SEC Quarterfinals with 79-72 Win over Bulldogs

GREENVILLE, S.C.  – Texas A&M became the lowest seeded team to reach the quarterfinals of the SEC Women's Basketball Tournament when they dispatched the Mississippi State Bulldogs, 79-72, in Thursday's second round game inside Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
 
The No. 13-seed Aggies drained 64.7% (11-of-17) from 3-point range and they hit on 51.7% (30-of-58) for the second-consecutive game – tied for their third-best shooting effort of the season.
 
Texas A&M committed a season-low 10 turnovers and had an SEC Tournament program-best 23 assists on its 30 buckets, including six assists by Kay Kay Green and four apiece by McKinzie Green, Sahara Jones and Tineya Hylton.
 
On the heels of her career-high 22-point performance Wednesday, Sydney Bowles paced the Aggies with 19 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field, equaling her career high with six 3-point field goals.
 
Aaliyah Patty set an A&M SEC Tournament record with a career-high five blocked shots. She added 15 points and six rebounds.
 
Jada Malone equaled a career-high with her second straight 12-point effort. She also chalked up six rebounds, one block and one steal.
 
In addition to her four assists, Jones added nine points and five rebounds. Hylton logged eight points, three rebounds and two steals.
 
Patty and Malone scored eight and six points, respectively, to keep the Aggies in the fray in the first quarter. Mississippi State mounted a 10-point lead with 3:27 remaining in the period, but Patty hit her second 3-pointer of the game and Malone converted on a layup to bookend a late run as Ol' Sarge's charges shaved the gap to 25-19 at the break.
 
Texas A&M clamped down on defense midway through the first half, holding Mississippi State without a point for 9:01. The Aggies went on a 19-0 run over the span, staking claim to a 35-25 advantage with a 3-point field goal by Kay Kay Green at the 2:37 mark of the second quarter. After the Bulldogs scored their only five points of the quarter, Janiah Barker converted layup in the waning seconds and A&M led 37-30 at the intermission.
 
The five points for the Bulldogs, equaled their lowest quarter tally of the season.
 
Texas A&M stretched the lead back out to nine points with a Bowles 3-point field goal at the 6:06 mark of the third quarter, but MSU needed just 1:01 to salt the lead back down to 44-41 at the midway point of the period. The teams traded short scoring bursts for the remainder of the period, but Hyton made two layups in the last :13 seconds to give Ol' Sarge's charges a 62-53 edge at the last break.
 
The Bulldogs would not go quietly, cutting the deficit to three points at 73-70 with 2:01 remaining in the contest, but McKinzie Green hit one of her biggest baskets of the season, sinking a 3-point field goal at the 1:17 mark to put the Aggies ahead 76-70. Bowles hit a free throw with 0:34 on the clock and Malone converted a layup in the waning moments to put a lid on the win.
 
Up Next
The Aggies play No. 4-seed Ole Miss in Friday's quarterfinal round. The game starts 25 minutes after the 11 a.m. contest between Arkansas and South Carolina.



 
POSTGAME NOTES
RECORDS & SERIES NOTES

• Texas A&M improved to 9-19 on the season.
• The Aggies improved to 6-11 all-time against the Bulldogs, including 1-2 at the SEC Tournament.
• Texas A&M improved to 13-9 at the SEC Tournament.
• The Aggies won multiple games at the SEC Tournament for the first time since 2018 and the fourth time overall.
• Joni Taylor's career record advances to 149-94 all-time and to 9-19 in her first season with the Aggies.
• Coach Taylor improved to 7-7 at the SEC Tournament, including 2-0 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.
• 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 for the second-consecutive agme – matching their third best shooting effort of the season.
• Texas A&M hit 57.7% (15-of-26) from the field in the second half, including 69.2% (9-of-13) in the third quarter.
• The Aggies drained 64.7% (11-of-17) from 3-point range, including 75.0% (6-of-8) in the second half.
• Texas A&M held Mississippi State 9:01 without a point from 1:18 in the first quarter until 2:17 in the second quarter.
• The Aggies held Mississippi State to five points in the second quarter, equaling the Bulldogs' lowest tally of the season (vs. UGA – Jan. 29).
• Mississippi State's five points in the second quarter was the lowest for an A&M opponent in any period this season – previous low six in the third quarter against Florida (Jan. 1).
• Texas A&M utilized a starting lineup of Sydney Bowles, Kay Kay Green, Sahara Jones, Jada Malone and Aaliyah Patty for the fifth time this season (3-2).

 
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Sydney Bowles

• Logged 19 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field, including 6-of-8 from 3-point range.
• Recorded double digits in the scoring column for the 14^th time this season.
• Hit six 3-point field goals for the second-consecutive game to match her career high.
• Added two assists and two steals.
• Led A&M in scoring for the ninth time this season.
• Averaging 18.3 points over the last three games, hitting 16-of-28 (57.1%) from 3-point range.

Kay Kay Green

• Tallied six assists, five points, two steals and two rebounds.
• Paced team in assists for the 15^th time this season.

Jada Malone

• Equaled a career high with 12 points, hitting 6-of-10 from the field.
• Tallied a career-high three assists.
• Recorded double digits in the scoring column for sixth time this season.
• Added six rebounds to lead the team for the fifth time this season and the sixth time in her career.

Aaliyah Patty

• Registered 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range.
• Set a Texas A&M SEC Tournament record and equaled a career-high with five blocked shots.
• Recorded double digits in the scoring column for the 11^th time this season and the 50^th time in her career.
• Grabbed six boards to lead team in rebounding for the 17^th time this season and the 45^th time in her career.

 
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