Spring Break
Loss to Arizona State ends Aggie women's run in Sweet 16
By: Michael Teague
Issue date: 3/30/09 Section: Sports
The Texas A&M's women's basketball team gave up a season-high 84 points Sunday in its loss to Arizona State in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
"Tremendous job by Arizona State, that's the story today," said A&M Head Coach Gary Blair. "They executed and were the better basketball team today. I think that if they play at that level, then they can give Connecticut a good run."
In the first two games of the NCAA Tournament, the Aggies' pressure defense held its opponents to a combined 87 points. The Aggies' previous season-high for points allowed was 72 against Baylor in the Big 12 Championship.
"If a team is going to shoot 62 percent on us, there aren't too many times you can win a ballgame," Blair said. "What they did on the offensive end with execution - kids stepped up and made plays. That's what you do at this level."
The No. 6-seeded Sun Devils threw an array of players at the Aggies and finished with 26 points from the bench, including 14 from senior Lauren Lacey. A&M senior Danielle Gant said the depth of Arizona State wore the team down in the second half.
"We're a team that has a quiet confidence," said Arizona State Head Coach Charli Turner Thorne. "We believe in ourselves. We can outwork teams. We're a great basketball team."
After forcing 62 turnovers against Evansville and Minnesota in the first two rounds, A&M was held to 17 points off of 18 Arizona State turnovers.
The Sun Devils' depth and size inside dominated the post and out-rebounded the Aggies 27-17. Junior Kayli Murphy led Arizona State in rebounds with six.
Playing 39 minutes, junior Tanisha Smith led the Aggies with 19 points. She was 9-for-14 from the floor and also led the team with four steals.
Offensively, A&M excelled, shooting more than 48 percent from the field and finishing with three players scoring in double-digits. In the last game of their collegiate careers, seniors Gant and Takia Starks scored 18 and 13 points, respectively.
Arizona State senior Briann January scored a team-high 22 points, was eight-for-10 from the field, and made all six of her free throws. January got started early, scoring eight of the Sun Devils' first 17 points. "January is every bit as good as we thought and even better offensively," Blair said.
A&M finished the 2008-2009 season with a 27-8 record and were 11-5 in Big 12 play. The Aggies finished in fourth place in the conference and lost in the championship game of the Big 12 Tournament. A&M received a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and for the third time in school history made a trip to the Sweet 16.
"It was a great ride, but we're not finished yet," Blair said. "We got good kids coming back. We're going back to the drawing board and we'll start over again and we'll be right back here next year."
"Tremendous job by Arizona State, that's the story today," said A&M Head Coach Gary Blair. "They executed and were the better basketball team today. I think that if they play at that level, then they can give Connecticut a good run."
In the first two games of the NCAA Tournament, the Aggies' pressure defense held its opponents to a combined 87 points. The Aggies' previous season-high for points allowed was 72 against Baylor in the Big 12 Championship.
"If a team is going to shoot 62 percent on us, there aren't too many times you can win a ballgame," Blair said. "What they did on the offensive end with execution - kids stepped up and made plays. That's what you do at this level."
The No. 6-seeded Sun Devils threw an array of players at the Aggies and finished with 26 points from the bench, including 14 from senior Lauren Lacey. A&M senior Danielle Gant said the depth of Arizona State wore the team down in the second half.
"We're a team that has a quiet confidence," said Arizona State Head Coach Charli Turner Thorne. "We believe in ourselves. We can outwork teams. We're a great basketball team."
After forcing 62 turnovers against Evansville and Minnesota in the first two rounds, A&M was held to 17 points off of 18 Arizona State turnovers.
The Sun Devils' depth and size inside dominated the post and out-rebounded the Aggies 27-17. Junior Kayli Murphy led Arizona State in rebounds with six.
Playing 39 minutes, junior Tanisha Smith led the Aggies with 19 points. She was 9-for-14 from the floor and also led the team with four steals.
Offensively, A&M excelled, shooting more than 48 percent from the field and finishing with three players scoring in double-digits. In the last game of their collegiate careers, seniors Gant and Takia Starks scored 18 and 13 points, respectively.
Arizona State senior Briann January scored a team-high 22 points, was eight-for-10 from the field, and made all six of her free throws. January got started early, scoring eight of the Sun Devils' first 17 points. "January is every bit as good as we thought and even better offensively," Blair said.
A&M finished the 2008-2009 season with a 27-8 record and were 11-5 in Big 12 play. The Aggies finished in fourth place in the conference and lost in the championship game of the Big 12 Tournament. A&M received a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and for the third time in school history made a trip to the Sweet 16.
"It was a great ride, but we're not finished yet," Blair said. "We got good kids coming back. We're going back to the drawing board and we'll start over again and we'll be right back here next year."
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