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Tennessee Lady Vols basketball vs. Texas A&M: Scouting report, score prediction

cora hall, knoxville news sentinel
·3 min read

Lady Vols basketball is on a roll to start SEC play.

Tennessee (12-6, 4-0 SEC) is on a five-game winning streak after beating Vanderbilt on the road Sunday. The Lady Vols will face Texas A&M (5-9, 0-4) on Thursday (9 p.m. ET, SEC Network) at Reed Arena in College Station, Texas.

Here's what you need to know about the matchup:

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Aggies are playing extremely shorthanded

Texas A&M hasn't had more than eight players for a game since Dec. 6 and freshman star Janiah Barker hasn't played since Nov. 30 against Kansas.

Barker is unlikely to play Thursday due to a fractured bone in her shooting wrist. Without her 12.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, the Aggies have struggled.

Texas A&M only had seven players suit up for its last two matchups. Sophomore Tineya Hylton has not played since Dec. 6, senior Sydnee Roby has not played since Nov. 30 and junior Sahara Jones hasn't played in the last two games.

Texas A&M offense struggling in SEC

The Aggies' four SEC losses haven't been pretty.

Texas A&M is averaging 38.5 points in conference play, and it was held to fewer than 40 points in three of the four losses. The Aggies' defense has held every team under its season average, however, and they faced top SEC teams like South Carolina, LSU and Ole Miss – all of which are undefeated. Texas A&M drew its closest result in a seven-point loss to Florida.

Texas A&M's Kay Kay Green (4) drives around LSU guard Flau'jae Johnson (4) during an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, in Baton Rouge, La. (Hilary Scheinuk/The Advocate via AP)
Texas A&M's Kay Kay Green (4) drives around LSU guard Flau'jae Johnson (4) during an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, in Baton Rouge, La. (Hilary Scheinuk/The Advocate via AP)

But the defensive effort of holding opponents to 58.4 points per game hasn't led to wins because the Aggies are shooting 36.3% from the field and 25.3% from 3-point range.

Aaliyah Patty leads Texas A&M in scoring in SEC play with nine points per game. Jada Malone is next, averaging six points per SEC game.

Tennessee needs to start putting teams away

The Lady Vols have won every SEC game by double digits – but all of them came down to the final minutes of the game.

Rickea Jackson of Tennessee attempts a basket while being guarded by Sacha Washington of Vanderbilt during their game at Vanderbilt’s Memorial Gym Sunday, January 8, 2023.
Rickea Jackson of Tennessee attempts a basket while being guarded by Sacha Washington of Vanderbilt during their game at Vanderbilt’s Memorial Gym Sunday, January 8, 2023.

Alabama made a fourth-quarter push, Mississippi State was in the game the whole fourth quarter and Vanderbilt cut Tennessee's lead to eight points in the fourth Sunday. The Lady Vols keep finding ways to win, but Thursday is an opportunity to get a dominant win.

It starts with defense. Tennessee has no issues scoring in SEC play and is averaging 82.5 points. But it has given up more than 70 points to Alabama and Vanderbilt because both teams outscored Tennessee in the fourth quarter.

The Lady Vols can't get in the habit of letting teams stick around, or it will come back to bite them.

Lady Vols score prediction

Tennessee 82, Texas A&M 41: The Lady Vols have almost every advantage possible going into Thursday's game, they just need to execute. Tennessee won't overlook any teams and should dominate its fifth SEC matchup to stay undefeated in conference play.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Scouting report for Tennessee Lady Vols basketball vs. Texas A&M