In their first SEC road game, the Auburn Tigers suffered their second conference loss to Texas A&M. The new year is off to a rough start for the Tigers as the Aggies served them a 66-44 loss as Texas A&M remained undefeated at home (10-0).
“I thought we got open shots, but we passed them up,” said head coach Johnnie Harris. “They hedge hard on the on-ball screens, and we were coming off and getting to the paint, but then we would pass it out. We just did not execute our game plan.”
Auburn went 15-for-49 (31%) from the field, 1-for-9 (11%) beyond the arc and 13-for-21 (62%) at the free-throw line, while Texas A&M went 25-for-57 (44%) for field goals, 1-for-8 (13%) from three-point range and 15-for-23 (65%) on free throws.
Auburn struggled to find the back of the net, with only six players getting on the board and only one scoring over double digits. Turnovers were a problem for both teams, but A&M capitalized on Auburn’s 17 turnovers – leading to 15 Aggies points.
The Aggies’ defense held the Tigers to 20 points in the first half and 24 in the second. Texas A&M dominated the rebounds with 43 compared to Auburn’s 29.
“I think it was a confidence thing,” Harris said. “(Texas A&M is) big, they gave us a different look. They’re big, aggressive and athletic. They cover up so well. They have a lot of experience in there, and that really affected us. Their point guard did a really good job managing the game.”
Honesty Scott-Grayson carried the Tigers on her back, scoring 15 points. JaMya Mingo-Young was one point away from double digits but added three assists and eight rebounds, both of which led the team, to her nine points.
Taylen Collins and Mar’shaun Bostic helped the veterans with each of their eight points. Collins also contributed six rebounds and a block, and Bostic added two assists and one steal.
The Tigers continue on the road to Oxford, Mississippi, to take on the Ole Miss Rebels on Thursday, Jan. 11. Fans can tune in on SEC Network+ at 6:30 p.m. CST on Thursday.
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Caitlyn Griffin is a sophomore from Huntsville, Alabama, majoring in journalism. She started with The Plainsman in fall 2022.
Twitter: @caitlyngrif99
