Auburn claimed its first-ever victory over Texas A&M 65-55 to snap a three-game losing streak in a back-and-forth defensive battle Thursday night.
The game started with a solid offensive first quarter, with both teams converting at least half of their shot attempts and eight of the Tigers' 18 points coming from Kharyssa Richardson.
The defense quickly began to shine for both teams, with the Tigers buckling down on defense in the second and third quarters, holding the Aggies to just 8-of-27 from the field during that span.
“They were making them run their offense way out, and so we were pressuring the ball we were denying one pass away. We were fronting in the post, and we had good help side,” said head coach Johnnie Harris. “When you're doing all of those things, and everybody's clicking, which we were it's just hard to deal with.”
On top of limiting the field goals made by the Aggies, the Tigers were able to win the turnover battle forcing 29 to A&M’s 22. Turnovers were not the only defensive stat that Auburn dominated as it doubled the amount of steals of A&M, posting 12 to the Aggies' 6.
The offense featured four different Tigers in double figures, with Aicha Coulibaly leading the way with 18 points, an additional nine rebounds and one assist on 8-of-11 shooting.
“I mean, I still have a lot of work to do. I’ve had a lot of 18-point games. I feel I could do better,” said Coulibaly.
One of the double-figure scorers tonight, Sania Wells, played a crucial role in securing the victory. The Tigers exploded for 24 points in the fourth quarter, primarily due to Wells' free throw shooting. Free throws were an area the team struggled with, shooting just 42.8% from the line going 6-of-14 in the first three quarters.
Wells shot 10-for-10 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter, helping the Tigers' offense push past the Aggies.
“I expect that from Sania, you know. She knows I have confidence in her,” said Harris. “I felt like when we got under five, and we were up, I knew that she has that experience running our team, holding the ball, and getting a good shot every time.”
Auburn has squared off against Texas A&M on 16 different occasions in the past, but until this game, it had yet to win a single time.
“To hear that we've never beat them. Like in Auburn, history is crazy," Wells said. "For it to be a first, I'm just proud to be a part of the team that did it."
In the loss, A&M’s Janiah Baker provided a spark for the Aggies, scoring a team-high 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting, an additional seven rebounds and one assist in 26 minutes off the bench.
The win places Auburn at 10th in the SEC standings with a record of 4-9 in conference play and 14-11 overall. Meanwhile, the Aggies remain in last place sporting a 1-12 conference record and 6-17 overall.
Next, the Tigers will begin a two-game road trip, visiting Tennessee on Sunday, Feb. 16 at 11 a.m. CST in Thompson-Boling Arena. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2 as the Tigers look to upset a third-place Tennessee (19-9, 11-2 SEC).
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Craig Noyes is a junior from Kensington, Maryland, majoring in journalism. He joined The Plainsman in January 2023.
Twitter: @craignoyes58
