Trojans Falter in Second Half Against No. 25 Aggies

LITTLE ROCK – The Little Rock women's basketball team held a halftime lead over No. 25 Texas A&M, but the Aggies came out firing in the third quarter and used a 16-0 run to pull away for a 55-37 victory at the Jack Stephens Center on Wednesday night.
 
Texas A&M (4-0) scored those 16 consecutive points in an eight-minute stretch, keeping Little Rock (1-4) to just two baskets in the whole quarter. The Trojans led 23-21 when the run began for Texas A&M, and an Anna Hurlburt jumper finally ended the run with the Aggies ahead 37-25.
 
Kaitlyn Pratt was Little Rock's top scorer and rebounder, finishing with 16 points and eight boards while also tying a career high with eight made free throws. Monique Townson was the team's next-highest scorer with 8 points.
 
The night started off much more promising for the Trojans, though, as Little Rock led 11-8 after the first quarter and held the Aggies without a made field goal for the first nine minutes of the game. The Trojans had four different players score in the quarter including a late 3-pointer from Townson to give the team the edge heading into the second.
 
The Trojans took that narrow edge into halftime, scoring 10 points in the second quarter including six on free throws from Pratt. Their defense remained very strong, holding Texas A&M to 12 points in the period for a halftime lead of 21-20. Those 20 points were the fewest the Aggies had scored in a half all season.
 
Kiara Scott entered the game late for her first career home appearance and made her first career basket, a 3-pointer.
 
Little Rock returns to the Jack Stephens Center for its next game, taking on Saint Louis on Saturday at 3 p.m. in a rematch of last year's WNIT First Round matchup.