Ags shake off sleepy start in Elementary School Day win over Tarleton
Game #2: Texas A&M 79, Tarleton 64
Records: Texas A&M (2-0, 0-0), Tarleton (2-2, 0-0)
Box Score
With cheers a little higher-pitched than usual inside Reed Arena, Texas A&M (2-0) turned a Thursday matinee into recess in a 79-64 win over Tarleton on Elementary School Day.
Just like a good recess, there was plenty of yelling, early chaos and lots of smiles from children walking back into school.
The Aggies overcame an 11-point deficit to defeat the Texans by 15.
“Didn't start the way we needed to,” head coach Joni Taylor said. “For us, it's shuffling things around, figuring out who can get going and how they were guarding us.
“We were too soft, I thought, in the beginning, defensively. When we finally bowed our backs and got some stops, it got us going offensively.”
Trailing 20-9 in the second quarter, Lauren Ware and Salese Blow answered the call, providing 16 of the Aggies' 21 second-quarter points. The Ags sped away from there after an initial scare from Tarleton.
The Texans' seven first-half triples buried the Aggies, but unlike years past, A&M had the tools to dig itself out of a hole. Shooting a 56 percent clip in the first frame, Tarleton raced out to 20 first-quarter points.
“First timeout we had, (Taylor) was like ‘Wake up! Wake up!’” Ware said. “She knew we weren't starting off how we were supposed to.”
Buckets were falling early and often for the Texans, but A&M struggled just from at free-throw line, shooting 4-for-12 at one point. Just like any old argument on the playground, it worked itself out. A&M shot 74 percent from the line in the second half.
As Tarleton's game eventually slowed, Blow provided A&M's charge to close out the half with 10 straight points.
“(Blow) is somebody who is really talented, so we are not shocked at what she does offensively,” Taylor said. “Salase plays to be perfect, so our challenge to her is that it's not perfection you are chasing. It's your best every single day.”
From there, two additional Aggies surged into double figures alongside Ware and Blow. Ny'Ceara Pryor and Janae Kent gave the Aggies more offense with 22 points combined. A&M held its lead despite a consistent push from the visitors.
The Aggies fed off the energy supplied by the elementary school students inside Reed Arena.
“It was really fun,” Blow said of the 7,851 in attendance. “It warms my heart to see. I already love kids, but to see them have fun in this type of atmosphere makes me happy.”
With a trip to Kansas State on the horizon, Taylor views it as a teaching opportunity, as stiffer competition is on the way.
“We will have a lot to show on film tomorrow because if we go in any way and play this way against Kansas State, we will get beat,” Taylor said.
Reed Arena may have felt like recess on Thursday afternoon, but the Aggies know a serious test is up ahead.
