SCOUTING THE AGGIES Texas A&M finished the 2016-17 season with a 22-12 overall record and a 9-7 mark in the SEC. The Aggies reached the SEC Tournament semifinals and were selected as an at-large team into the NCAA Tournament, where, as the No. 5 seed, they defeated Penn, 63-61, in the First Round before falling to No. 4 seed UCLA in the Second Round.
The Aggies return their two leading scorers from the 2016-17 campaign, including Danni Williams who paced Texas A&M with 16.6 points per game. Khaalia Hillman returns for her senior season after averaging 16.4 points per contest a year ago.
Junior Anriel Howard returns as the Aggies’ leading rebounder from a year ago. Howard averaged a double-double, pulling down 10.4 rebounds per night while scoring 10.2 points per contest.
TOP PERFORMERS Houston: Dorian Branch led the Cougars in the contest with a career-best 17 points while also matching a career-high with two assists. Angela Harris added 14 points, four rebounds and three assists, while Jasmyne Harris contributed 12 points, five boards and matched a career-best with five assists. Junior Serithia Hawkins led the Cougars on the glass with eight rebounds while adding 10 points.
NEWS AND NOTES
- With eight rebounds in the contest, junior Serithia Hawkins now has 470 boards in her career. Hawkins passed Stephanie Edwards (468; 1989-93) and is currently tied with Arlene Brown (1987-91) for 21st on the all-time Houston rebounding list. - Three Cougars made their Houston debut in the contest including Myyah West who earned her first career start and scored four points with four rebounds. Octavia Barnes contributed six points and three boards, while freshman Julia Blackshell-Fair scored two points, pulled down three rebounds and collected her first-career assist.
