No. 13 Texas A&M women top No. 23 Missouri 81-77 in OT
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Chelsea Jennings scored 22 points, Courtney Walker scored 10 of Texas A&M's 16 points in overtime and the No. 13 Aggies held off No. 23 Missouri 81-77 Thursday night.
With under a minute left in overtime, Texas A&M worked the clock down but Walker missed a jumper. Jennings grabbed the offensive rebound, was fouled and made both free throws with 28.8 seconds left for a 78-75 lead.
Jordan Frericks made a nice backdoor cut on an inbound pass and hit the layup to cut it to 78-77 with 27 seconds left. Texas A&M broke the press, and Walker was fouled with 12.1 seconds left and made both free throws for a three-point lead.
Texas A&M opted to foul with five seconds left. Lindsey Cunningham missed both free throws and the Aggies secured the rebound, adding a clinching free throw.
Walker and Jordan Jones each scored 20 points for Texas A&M (14-5, 4-2 SEC). It was Jones' second career 20-plus game and Walker's 27th.
Walker made three free throws with 8.4 seconds left in regulation to force overtime.
"Walker had two points at the half but we had to stick with her," Texas A&M coach Gary Blair said. "Sometimes your shot just isn't falling. She was shooting against a lot of size all night and it was hard for her to get space. But in the end she hit those free throws down the stretch. That's tough."
Frericks led Missouri (15-4, 2-4) with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Cierra Porter added 20 and 10.
"We are fortunate to get a win," Blair said. "They are a good ball club and life on the road is tough. Their point guard Frericks killed us in the first half. It was just a great basketball game."
Missouri, which trailed by as many as 15 points, went on a 14-0 to take a 60-58 lead with just under two minutes left. Porter's layup made it 65-62 with 17 seconds left before Walker's three free throws.
"I think A&M is just a really good team, a veteran team," Missouri coach Robin Pingeton said. "We have some young kids, there's a learning curve there, and they are in the SEC, night in and night out it's a good, tough ball game."
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2021-22 Southeastern Conference Standings
TEAM | CONF | GB | OVR |
---|---|---|---|
South Carolina | 15-1 | - | 29-2 |
LSU | 13-3 | 2 | 25-5 |
Tennessee | 11-5 | 4 | 23-8 |
Ole Miss | 10-6 | 5 | 23-8 |
Florida | 10-6 | 5 | 21-10 |
Georgia | 9-7 | 6 | 20-9 |
Kentucky | 8-8 | 7 | 19-11 |
Missouri | 7-9 | 8 | 18-12 |
Arkansas | 7-9 | 8 | 18-13 |
Alabama | 6-10 | 9 | 17-13 |
Mississippi State | 6-10 | 9 | 15-14 |
Texas A&M | 4-12 | 11 | 14-15 |
Vanderbilt | 4-12 | 11 | 14-18 |
Auburn | 2-14 | 13 | 10-18 |