Heater hits five as Joni Taylor & Co. surge into the postseason

Game #25: Texas A&M 66, Ole Miss 58
Records: Texas A&M (14-11, 7-9), Ole Miss (21-10, 8-8)
Box Score

The Aggies have taken down Ole Miss in Oxford.

Texas A&M (14-11, 7-9 SEC) went into enemy territory and defeated the No. 19 Rebels (21-10, 8-8 SEC) on Sunday, 66-58.

The Aggies might have been late to the party this season, but it is better late than never, as they have absolutely arrived.

A&M’s fifth straight win capped off the regular season by earning another road victory vs. a ranked opponent. Sunday’s is the Aggies’ highest-ranked win of the season.

With their postseason hopes hanging in the balance for much of the past month, they capitalized on a valuable Quadrant 1 opportunity in hostile territory.

The Maroon & White set the tone early, opening the game on a 15-5 run. The Aggies made their first five shots and shot 69 percent in the first quarter while holding Ole Miss to just 29 percent.

Belle Chapa, TexAgs

Ny’Ceara Pryor reached double digits in 24 of Texas A&M’s 25 regular-season games.

Ny’Ceara Pryor led the Aggies with 16 points, finishing a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line while adding six assists and two steals. Though her double-double streak ended, her impact did not.

Fatmata Janneh recorded another double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, and she knocked down three 3-pointers, continuing her strong stretch of play.

Similar to the Mississippi State game, Salese Blow made a major impact once again as she notched 11 points for the team and shot 80 percent from the floor.

Unlike Thursday’s win over the Magnolia State’s other SEC school, the Aggies won the rebounding battle against Ole Miss.

They also had 18 free-throw opportunities to the Rebels’ nine. A&M shot 48 percent from the floor compared to the home team’s 32 percent and finished with more blocks and made 3-pointers.

Ole Miss didn’t fade away easily, though.

The Rebels cut a 10-point deficit to two within a minute-and-a-half into the second quarter.

However, every time they were threatened, the Aggies answered. A&M pushed its lead back to as many as 13 and held the lead tightly when the game got to within two.

Top-10 WNBA Draft prospect Cotie McMahon made her impact on the game with 19 points and nine rebounds.

Ole Miss is an NCAA tournament team. The Rebels are projected as a No. 5 seed in Charlie Creme’s latest bracketology, and now the Aggies have shown they can compete with tournament teams.

Heading into the SEC Tournament and playing their best basketball, this team is dangerous. The Aggies not only played a tournament team on Sunday, but never trailed in the matchup.

With the regular season complete, the Aggies turn their focus to the SEC Women's Basketball Tournament, which begins Wednesday, March 4, in Greenville, S.C.

Still on the NCAA Tournament bubble, A&M strengthened its resume on Sunday, but additional wins in Greenville will likely be required to secure a spot in the field of 68.

If the past five games are any indication, the Aggies are entering March as a team no one wants to face.