COLLEGE STATION, Texas — A career-high 22 points, including a pair of late buckets, by freshman Sydney Bowles led Texas A&M to a 77-70 victory over the Vanderbilt Commodores in Wednesday’s SEC Tournament first round action inside Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
Bowles hit 8-of-17 from the field, including a career-high six 3-point field goals. Her biggest basket came with just under two minutes remaining in the game when she hit a 3-pointer to stop a 14-0 run which had cut A&M’s comfortable lead down to a precarious 69-66. Bowles made a layup with 1:21 left to keep the Aggies out front by six points.
The All-SEC Freshman Team selection scored 11 of her points in the fourth quarter, making 4-of-6 from the field, including 3-of-5 from long range.
Three other Aggies logged 12 points, including Sahara Jones, Jada Malone and Aaliah Patty. Jones had two key free throws in the waning seconds. Malone’s dozen points matched a career high as she made 6-of-7 from the field. Patty recorded a double-double, leading the team with 11 points and five assists.
The Aggies opened a 7-2 lead at the 6:52 mark of the first quarter. The teams seesawed for the next five minutes with three lead changes and two ties. Texas A&M carried a 21-16 advantage into the first break with Jones hitting a jumper at 1:11 and Tineya Hylton sinking a 3-pointer with :35 seconds remaining in the period.
The Maroon & White stretched the margin to double digits early in the second stanza with a 10-2 run in the first two minutes, inflating A&M’s cushion to 31-18. Vanderbilt used an 11-2 run to salt the deficit to 35-31 at the 1:46 mark. Jones stemmed the tide with a 3-pointer and a pair of late Janiah Barker free throws put the Aggies up 40-33 at the intermission.
The trio of Bowles, Jones and Malone had eight points apiece in the first half. Patty pulled down six rebounds and the Maroon & White had 10 assists on their 15 buckets, paced by McKinzie Green with three.
After Vanderbilt cut the deficit to 42-38 at the 8:03 mark of the third quarter, Malone keyed an 8-0 run with a layup and jumper in the paint as A&M led 50-38 at the midway point of the period. The ‘Dores were unable to shave the deficit to single digits again in the third quarter and two Patty layups put A&M up 61-47 at the last break.
Bowles’ 3-pointers at 9:18 and 7:55 gave the Maroon & White their largest lead of the game at 17 points before the flurry of Commodore baskets.
Up Next
The Aggies play No. 5-seed Mississippi State in Thursday’s second round. The game starts 25 minutes after the 11 a.m. contest between Arkansas and Missouri.
POSTGAME NOTES
RECORDS & SERIES NOTES
Texas A&M improved to 8-19 on the season.
The Aggies’ overall record against Vanderbilt moves to 10-6 and the Maroon & White avenged their 88-79 regular-season loss on Jan. 29.
Texas A&M improved to 12-9 at the SEC Tournament.
Joni Taylor’s career record advances to 148-94 all-time and to 8-19 in her first season with the Aggies.
Coach Taylor improved to 6-7 at the SEC Tournament, including 1-0 at Texas A&M.
TEAM NOTES
The Aggies owned a 34-26 edge rebounds, including 8-6 in offensive rebounds and 26-20 in defensive rebounds.
The Maroon & White had 20+ assists in a game for the first time since Feb. 10, 2022, versus Vanderbilt.
Texas A&M owned a 38-26 edge in second-chance points., including 20-10 in the second half.
The Aggies hit 51.7% (30-of-58) from the field, their third best shooting effort of the season, including 55.6% (15-of-27) in the second half.
Texas A&M utilized a starting lineup of Sydney Bowles, Kay Kay Green, Sahara Jones, Jada Malone and Aaliyah Patty for the fourth time this season (2-2).
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Sydney Bowles
Logged her first career 20-plus point game with 22 on 8-of-17 from the field, including 6-of-12 from 3-point range.
Recorded double digits in the scoring column for the 13th time this season.
Drained a career-high six 3-point field goals.
Became the first Aggie to nail six-or-more triples since Jordan Nixon hit six against Northwestern (Nov. 27)
Added two assists and two steals.
Sahara Jones
Registered 12 points, four rebounds, one block and one assist.
Recorded double digits in the scoring column for the 11th time this season and the 13th time in her career.
Jada Malone
Equaled a career high with 12 points, hitting 6-of-7 from the field.
Matched a career high with 2 blocks and added three rebounds and one assist.
Recorded double digits in the scoring column for fifth time this season.
Aaliyah Patty
Recorded her fourth double-double of the season and the 15th of her career with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Paced team with 11 rebounds and five assists.
Recorded double digits in the scoring column for the 10th time this season and the 49th time in her career.
Logged double digits in rebounding for the ninth time this season and the 22nd time in her career.
Led team in rebounding for the 16th time this season and the 44th time in her career.
Led team in assists for the fifth time this season and the seventh time in her career.
