Texas A&M makes basket in final minute to defeat Gamecocks
In a defensive struggle that came down to the last shot of the game, No. 15 South Carolina fell to No. 14 Texas A&M 50-48 on Sunday in Colonial Life Arena.
Both teams struggled on offense throughout the contest, as USC made just 28.1 percent of its field goal attempts while the Aggies shot 35 percent from the field. Free throws hurt both squads as well, as neither team exceeded 50 percent from the line.
“We had plenty of opportunities to open the game up,” women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley said. “I thought we took some outside shots. Maybe we should have dribbled it to the basket a little bit.”
Senior guard Ieasia Walker led all scorers with 16 points on a season-high 20 shot attempts and grabbed five rebounds on the day. Walker experienced her own troubles shooting the ball, as she missed 12 attempts from the field. The most critical miss came with just seconds left in the game with a chance to win.
“I think we just have to focus more,” Walker said. “Although they were big, I think we weren’t concentrated enough on making [shots]. We were just worried about their height bothering us.”
Walker’s performance in the contest came against her former roommate, Aggie junior Kelsey Bone. A highly touted recruit coming out of high school, Bone signed on to play for Staley and the Gamecocks but transferred to Texas A&M to be closer to home after one year with the team.
“It was the same; we just prepared for the team,” Walker said. “[Bone] played a great game; she looks really good. It was nice to play against her again.”
Bone registered a double-double, scoring 13 points and matching her season high with 15 rebounds. As it has throughout the season, the opponent’s size put South Carolina at a disadvantage. Staley has urged her players to avoid becoming overwhelmed by the height of the other team and continue to play their game.
“We changed up a lot of our shots and kind of expected it to be hit or expected for the shot to be blocked,” sophomore forward Aleighsa Welch said. “That’s just one thing we have to move forward from because it’s nothing new. We’re going to be the smaller team with 95 percent of the teams that we play.”
Even with the low-scoring affair, the crowd at Colonial Life Arena was a major factor in the contest. Because the women’s team was playing right after the men’s squad, many fans chose to watch both teams play, giving the Gamecocks a larger-than-average crowd.
“I was extremely pleased when I walked through the tunnel,” Staley said. “I was happy that we had some people stay and watch our game. They definitely created an advantage and a great atmosphere for us. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get the win for them.”
With the season winding down and only two home games left on the year, Staley said the loss has not hurt her confidence in her team.
“My hat goes off to them; they did a good job and put themselves in a position to win the game,” Staley said. “But my girls are my girls. They did an excellent job today.”