Dominant lead evaporates as Aggies score just one point in the fourth quarter, allowing Georgia to snatch a hard-fought overtime victory.
Texas A&M had Georgia on the ropes for 30 minutes Sunday in Athens. Then the fourth quarter happened, and it turned a statement road win into a gut-punch 64-56 overtime loss at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Georgia.
The Aggies (7-4, 0-2 SEC) controlled the game early, building a double-digit lead with sharp execution, physical rebounding, and a defense that had Georgia looking rattled.
But Texas A&M managed just one point in the entire fourth quarter, opening the door for the Lady Bulldogs (15-1, 1-1 SEC) to storm back, force overtime at 54-54, and finish the job in the extra period.
Despite the loss, Texas A&M got monster production from its frontcourt.
Fatmata Janneh was a force all afternoon, leading the Aggies with 18 points and 17 rebounds. Lauren Ware added another double-double with 14 points and 11 boards, and Ny'Ceara Pryor filled the stat sheet with 12 points, seven assists, five steals, and four rebounds in a high-energy performance that helped Texas A&M grab control early.
Pryor scored seven of Texas A&M's first nine points, Ware swatted three shots in the opening minutes, and a Pryor three forced Georgia into an early timeout as the Aggies ripped off a 9-0 run.
Texas A&M maintained the pressure and ended the first quarter up 20-8, shooting 50 percent from the field while holding Georgia to 23.5 percent and 0-for-7 from deep.
The second quarter kept the same script. Texas A&M dictated pace, won the paint, and stacked the lead. The Aggies went into halftime up 37-22, a 15-point advantage fueled by Ware and Janneh combining for 24 first-half points.
Pryor was everywhere in the opening 20 minutes, piling up nine points, five assists, and four steals as Texas A&M looked in complete control.
Georgia finally swung back in the third, trimming the deficit as the Aggies' offense crumbled. Texas A&M still led 53-44 after three, and Janneh secured her fifth straight double-double along the way, but the warning signs were there ... empty possessions, missed opportunities to land a knockout, and Georgia's confidence rising.
Then came the collapse.
Texas A&M was held to one point in the fourth quarter, and Georgia's comeback turned the final minutes into a grind. Neither team scored over the last three minutes of regulation, and both squads coughed up three turnovers in that span, but Georgia had already done the damage by wiping out the lead and forcing overtime tied at 54-54.
In the extra session, Georgia finished stronger and pulled away, outscoring the Aggies 10-2 in overtime to win 64-56.
Texas A&M now continues its road trip with a Thursday night matchup at Florida on Jan. 8 at 6 p.m. CT. The Aggies showed they can dominate a good team, but until they can finish one, SEC play is going to stay unforgiving.