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Wells scores 14 to lead No. 7 A&M to 54-41 win over LSU

Wells scores 14 to lead No. 7 A&M to 54-41 win over LSU

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Kayla Wells scored 14 points and No. 7 Texas A&M overcame a slow start with strong defense late to beat LSU 54-41 on Thursday night.

The Aggies (17-1, 8-1 Southeastern Conference) have won five in a row since LSU (8-8, 6-4) handed them their only loss, in overtime on Jan. 14.

Khayla Pointer scored 12 points to lead LSU, which scored its fewest points of the season.

Texas A&M led by two after three quarters and scored the first 10 points of the fourth to push its lead to 49-37 with about six minutes left. Aaliyah Wilson and Destiny Pitts got things going in that stretch, making back-to-back 3s.

The Tigers finally got on the board in the fourth when Faustine Aifuwa made a free throw with 4 1/2 minutes to go. LSU had six turnovers and missed 10 shots before Pointer made the team’s only field goal of the period, a 3 with 29 seconds left.

The Tigers were up by as many as 10 in the first half and had a nine-point lead early in the third quarter after a layup by Awa Trasi. The Aggies then used a 10-4 run, with six points from Wells, to get within 33-31 with about four minutes left in the quarter.

The Tigers were without coach Nikki Fargas for the second straight game because of COVID-19 contact tracing issues related to an external media obligation. Assistant coach Charlene Thomas-Swinson filled in for her.

BIG PICTURE

The Aggies will need to play a lot better on Sunday if they expect to beat No. 16 Arkansas.

UP NEXT

LSU: The Tigers host Florida next Thursday night.

Texas A&M: The Aggies had their Feb. 14 game against Arkansas moved up to Sunday after their scheduled game against No. 18 Tennessee was postponed because of the Volunteers' coronavirus issues.

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More AP women's basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25