COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Daisa Alexander scored 15 points, but No. 16 Texas A&M pulled away in the fourth quarter for an 84-54 win Sunday afternoon at Reed Arena.
The Tigers kept things within striking distance for much of the second and third quarters, but an 11-2 run to open the fourth quarter put the game out of reach for Auburn.
"They were just hitting shots," Auburn head coach Terri Williams-Flournoy said. "(Carter) and (Wells) were in double figures at halftime. We knew they were 3-point shooters, we knew they could score. We didn't do a very good job of covering (Johnson) on the inside. It's a game of runs, but at the end of the day, you've got to make defensive stops. We just didn't make enough defensive stops."
Alexander's 15 point led the Tigers. Unique Thompson added 11 points and 8 rebounds, and Erin Howard had 9 points and 4 rebounds.
Texas A&M shot 57.8 percent for the game (37-64) and hit 8-of-15 3-pointers (57.1%). The Aggies also controlled the glass, out-rebounding the Tigers 43-21. Auburn shot 38.6 percent for the game.
The Aggies led 25-11 after 10 minutes, shooting 65 percent in the first quarter. But Auburn answered with a strong second quarter, shooting 53.3 percent and outscoring the Aggies 21-19 to get back within 12 at the half at 44-32. The Tigers got within 8 points late in the second quarter, but the Aggies continued their hot shooting and made a pair of shots in the final minute. Thompson had nine points and seven rebounds in the opening half.
A&M continued its hot shooting in the second half, and Auburn could get no closer than the 12-point halftime margin. The Aggies further pulled away with an 11-2 run to open the fourth quarter.
Chennedy Carter led Texas A&M with 23 points, and Kayla Wells added 13.
The Tigers play their final road game of the 2019-20 regular season Thursday when they travel to Columbia, Mo., to face Missouri. Game time is 7 p.m. CT at Mizzou Arena.