Aggie Women Hope to Build on Arkansas Win vs. Kentucky

Texas A&M seeking its first winning streak since it started the season 9-0, a streak that ended on Dec. 1

Texas A&M took a big step in beating Arkansas on Thursday evening. The next step is to beat Kentucky at 11 a.m. on Sunday in Lexington.

If the Aggies (12-9, 2-7 in SEC) can do that, it would give them their first winning streak of any kind since Dec. 1. That day, after a win over Little Rock, the Aggies had started the season 9-0. Since then, the Aggies are 3-9.

That victory over Arkansas snapped a three-game losing streak, and it was fueled by Kayla Wells’ career-high 30 points. The Aggies won, 77-64, but as a team, they only shot 35.9 percent.

If there’s been a consistent issue for the Aggies in SEC play, it’s been their overall shooting. Despite having four players that average double figures this season, the Aggies are shooting 38.3 percent from the floor and 32.1 percent from the 3-point line in SEC play. That’s down from their overall season totals of 42.1 and 39.1, respectively.

Wells boosted her overall season average to 16.3 points with her career game. Jordan Nixon averages 11.5 points, Destiny Pitts 10.7, and Qadashah Hoppie 10.3. But head coach Gary Blair is still hoping for more from Nixon, who has seen her scoring average fall to 7.4 points in conference play. Aaliyah Patty remains the Aggies’ most consistent rebounder at 6.6 per game.

Kentucky (9-9, 2-6) boasts the conference’s leading scorer in Rhyne Howard, who averages 20.4 points. Three other Wildcats average double figures — Dre’una Edwards (15.5), Jada Walker (10.7), and Robyn Benton (10.4). Howard and Edwards combined for about 15 rebounds per game, posing a unique defensive challenge for the Aggies.

The Wildcats, at one point this season were in the AP Top 25. Kentucky opened its SEC action with an upset of Georgia on Jan. 2. But since then, like the Aggies, the Wildcats have struggled in the SEC. The Wildcats have lost six of their last seven, with their only other win coming against Auburn on Jan. 25. The Tigers are also the Aggies’ only other SEC win.

After Kentucky, the Aggies host Vanderbilt on Thursday at 7 p.m. in a game rescheduled from Dec. 30, when Vandy went on a COVID-19 pause. After that, the Aggies will wade into a final stretch that features four ranked teams among their final five opponents — No. 15 LSU, No. 25 Ole Miss, No. 1 South Carolina, and No. 14 Georgia.

USA Today Sports

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.