Aggies pull away late to knock off Pitt
ST. THOMAS, Virgin Islands — Jordan Nixon and Destiny Pitts scored 12 points, Kayla Wells added 10 points and No. 23 Texas A&M used a late run to pull away for a 57-46 win over Pittsburgh on Thursday night at the Paradise Jam.
Wells and Pitts made backto-back three-pointers and Nixon added a jumper and a three-pointer before Pitts hit two free throws to cap a 13-1 run over the final 4 minutes.
Maliyah Johnson finished with nine points and eight rebounds for Texas A&M (5-0).
The Aggies have won a program record 21 consecutive non-conference games, dating to a loss against Florida State on Dec. 1, 2019.
Dayshanette Harris led Pitt (4-1) with 16 points and Liatu King scored 10 points and grabbed a career-high 19 rebounds.
Texas A&M, which went into the game shooting 48.1% from three-point range — No. 1 nationally — and averaging 89.0 points per game, shot just 29% (21 of 72) from the floor, including 6 of 19 (31,6%) from behind the arc. The Aggies, however, made 4 of 6 overall and 3 of 4 from three-point range down the stretch.
Pitt made just one field goal and went 3 of 6 from the free-throw line over the final 6 minutes.
NO. 5 N.C. STATE 78, NO. 2 MARYLAND 60
NASSAU, Bahamas — Elissa Cunane scored 20 points, making eight of her nine shots from the field, to help No. 5 North Carolina State run past second-ranked Maryland at the Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship tournament.
Diamond Johnson added 17 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals for the Wolfpack.
N.C. State (5-1) went right at the Terrapins, with the 6-5 Cunane dominating the inside and Johnson controlling the outside. Maryland (6-1) trailed 11-9 with 4 minutes left in the first quarter before N.C. State scored 11 of the final 14 points to close the period and take command of the game.
Angel Reese scored a career-high 24 points to lead Maryland.
NO. 7 STANFORD 69, NO. 4 INDIANA 66
NASSAU, Bahamas — Cameron Brink had 21 points, 22 rebounds and 5 blocks to help Stanford edge Indiana.
Brink, who set a career high on the boards, also added five assists for the Cardinal (4-1) and made one of two free throws with 6.8 seconds left to make it a three-point game.
Indiana (4-1) had one last chance, but Ali Patberg’s three-pointer was off the mark. She had 19 points to lead Indiana.
NO. 9 ARIZONA 48, VANDERBILT 46
ST. THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS — Shaina Pellington hit an off-balance layup at the buzzer to lift Arizona past pesky Vanderbilt in the Virgin Islands Paradise Jam tournament.
With the game tied at 46, Arizona put the ball in Pellington’s hands. She drove from the left wing and her scoop layup dropped in just before the horn sounded, setting off a celebration under the Wildcats’ basket.
Sam Thomas had 13 points and Ariyah Copeland 11 points for the Wildcats (50), who survived an upset attempt by the Commodores (3-3).
NO. 6 BAYLOR 86, FORDHAM 45
CANCUN, Mexico — NaLyssa Smith had 19 points and 15 rebounds, Jordan Lewis added 15 points with six assists and No. 6 Baylor rallied in the second half to beat Fordham at the Cancun Challenge.
Sarah Andrews and Ja’Mee Asberry each scored 10 points for Baylor (4-1). Smith was 8 of 16 from the floor. Queen Egbo was 0 for 9 from the floor but grabbed eight boards.
Kendell Heremaia scored all 14 of her points in the first half for Fordham (3-2). She left the game with an apparent knee injury with 8:20 left in the fourth.
BYU 61,
NO. 17 FLORIDA STATE 54
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Shaylee Gonzales scored 24 points, including three clutch free throws in the final 42 seconds, and BYU knocked off the No. 17-ranked Florida State at the St. Pete Showcase.
The 24 points matched Gonzales season high, and she also had a season-high five steals as BYU swiped the ball a season-best 14 times, scoring 25 points off as many Florida State turnovers.
The Cougars (6-0) had their own rough stretch with turnovers, losing the ball on three consecutive possessions as the Seminoles (4-1) cut an 13-point gap down to 58-54 with 1:45 remaining.
Maria Albiero scored 10 for BYU, Lauren Gustin added six points and 11 rebounds.
Sammie Puisis led Florida State with 16 points, hitting four of eight threepoint shots. Morgan Jones added 12 points and 10 rebounds.
NO. 22 WEST VIRGINIA 65, PURDUE 57
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Kirsten Deans scored 12 points with six assists, 10 of 11 Mountaineers scored and West Virginia held off a tough challenge from Purdue at the St. Pete Showcase.
Purdue, under former Seattle Storm guard and two-time NAIA coach of the year Katie Gearlds, stayed within eight points of West Virginia for most of the game and drained 10 three-pointers to remain a threat.
A’riana Gray scored 10 for West Virginia (4-0) and Madisen Smith, Jasmine Carson and Samuel each scored eight. West Virginia outscored Purdue 42-16 in the paint.