Dec. 1, 2002
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Toccara Williams matched her career-best with 22 points as she led Texas A&M over Santa Clara 73-51 for the championship in the Whataburger Aggie Classic Sunday at Reed Arena.
The Aggies improve to 2-1 overall while Santa Clara evens its mark to 2-2.
"This was a great win against a very good team," A&M coach Peggie Gillom said. "We were a little weary of them coming in this weekend.
"I thought we came out with a lot of intensity. We had the get up and go and we played as a team. This was a good win for us."
A&M used a pair of steals and converted those into baskets to start the game with a 5-0 lead, but Santa Clara answered with a pair of three point baskets enroute to a 10-0 run of its own.
The Aggies fought back with a three-pointer from Mindy Garrison to eventually tie the game at 12. Using the momentum, the Aggies then compiled a 13-0 run to take a 20-12 advantage with 11:18 to play in the first.
Then, Santa Clara's Tammy Annas drained seven straight points to help the Broncos pull within one point, 26-25 at the 6:11 mark.
A&M continued the fast paced affair with a 12-0 run to extend its lead to 38-25 over the final six minutes of the half.
Williams and Sabrina Mitchell paced the Aggies in the first half with 10 points each. Williams also added 7 first half rebounds.
A spirited Aggies' squad continued its scoring run on Santa Clara by draining the first 10 points of the second half enroute to a 21-point lead, 48-25.
The Broncos ended the Aggies' 22-point scoring run and the Brocos' own 10 minute drought over two halves with a basket at the 15:27 mark.
The Aggies, however, continued their stellar play by extending their lead to as much as 25 points.
Mitchell finished with a career-best 15 points while matching her career-best in rebounds with 7. Williams posted a career-high 22 points, and 9 rebounds. Three other Aggies, Janae Derrick, Garrison, and Lynn Classen each posted nine points.
Santa Clara was paced by Annas' 20 points and 11 rebounds. Sophomore Quinn Thomas added 12 points and six rebounds, while senior Kendra Rhea pulled down nine rebounds and sophomore Kayla Huss notched eight assists, one short of her career high.
The Broncos return to the mission campus and will open up the home season against Fresno State. SCU first-year head coach Michelle Bento will face her alma mater in a game slated for Wednesday, December 4 at 7 p.m. at the Leavey Center.
