GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Interstat) — Texas A&M built an early lead and withstood Florida’s fourth-quarter push to earn a 74-66 women’s basketball victory Thursday night at the O’Connell Center. The Aggies led by 10 after a 26-point first quarter and maintained a multi-possession advantage for most of the night. Ny’Ceara Pryor led Texas A&M with 18 points and 12 assists. Fatmata Janneh added a game-high 22 points. Laila Reynolds scored 21 points for Florida, and Liv McGill added 16. The Gators cut the deficit to four late but could not complete the comeback. Texas A&M improved to 8-4 overall, while Florida fell to 12-6.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Interstat) — In a Southeastern Conference clash defined by defensive pressure and a decisive third-quarter surge, the Texas A&M women’s basketball team secured a critical 74-66 road victory over Florida on Thursday night at the O’Connell Center. The Aggies, improving to 8-4 overall, snapped a two-game conference skid by leveraging a stifling defensive performance and a dominant inside game. The Gators, who entered the contest as heavy favorites according to advanced metrics, fell to 12-6 despite a strong second-half push. The game’s pivotal sequence arrived in the third quarter. Texas A&M, which had built a 39-29 halftime lead on the strength of a 26-point first quarter, saw Florida mount a serious challenge. The Gators opened the second half with an 8-2 run, fueled by a three-pointer from Liv McGill and a layup from Me’Arah O’Neal, trimming the deficit to just four points. The Aggies’ response was immediate and emphatic. Sparked by their defense, they embarked on a 9-0 run to re-establish control. The stretch was highlighted by a steal and layup from Fatmata Janneh, who completed a three-point play, and a tip-in from Janneh on the next possession. The run pushed the lead back to 13 points and Florida never came within single digits again until the final minute of play. Texas A&M’s victory was anchored in the paint and on the defensive end. The Aggies outscored Florida 38-26 inside and converted 17 points off 17 Gator turnovers, compared to just 10 points off turnovers for the home team. Despite shooting just 4 of 19 from three-point range, Texas A&M’s efficiency on two-point attempts and a 20-of-28 performance from the free-throw line proved sufficient. Ny’Ceara Pryor, the 5-foot-3 guard from Baltimore, orchestrated the Aggies’ attack with a masterful floor game. She finished with 18 points and 12 assists, consistently breaking down Florida’s defense and creating opportunities for her teammates. Her backcourt partner, Salese Blow of Murphy, Texas, added 8 points and relentless defensive energy. The Aggies’ interior presence was powered by Fatmata Janneh. The 6-foot-1 forward from London, England, dominated with a game-high 22 points on efficient shooting, repeatedly scoring at the rim and grabbing key rebounds. Pien Steenbergen of Berlicum, Netherlands, provided a vital spark off the bench with 8 points, including two first-quarter three-pointers that helped build the early lead. Florida was led by Laila Reynolds, the 6-foot-1 guard from Prince George’s County, Maryland, who scored 21 points. McGill, from Minneapolis, contributed 16 points and 5 assists, while O’Neal of Houston tallied 15 points and a block. The Gators struggled with Texas A&M’s physicality, shooting just 21 of 59 from the field and committing two more turnovers than assists as a team. The Aggies set the tone from the opening tip, racing to a 10-point lead after the first quarter behind Janneh’s early scoring and active team defense. While Florida matched them in the second quarter, the Aggies’ third-quarter counterpunch ultimately decided the contest. Florida made a late rally in the final minutes, closing to within six points after a three-pointer from O’Neal with 12 seconds remaining, but Texas A&M sealed the game at the free-throw line. Texas A&M will look to build on this conference road win when they host Vanderbilt on Sunday. Florida, meanwhile, aims to regroup as they travel to face Auburn, also on Sunday.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Interstat) — The Florida Gators look to rebound from a tough loss to South Carolina when they host the Texas A&M Aggies in a Southeastern Conference women’s basketball matchup Thursday night at the O’Connell Center. Florida (12-5, 0-2 SEC) enters on a two-game skid, falling to the Gamecocks 74-63 on Sunday after a 76-65 loss at Tennessee on Jan. 1. The Gators’ offense will run through guard Liv McGill, who is averaging 20.3 points and 5.6 assists over her last six games. She scored 32 points in the loss to the Lady Vols. Texas A&M (7-4, 0-1) is also seeking its first conference win after dropping its SEC opener 64-56 in overtime at Georgia on Sunday. The Aggies are led by forward Fatmata Janneh, who dominated the Bulldogs with 18 points and 17 rebounds. Over her last four games, Janneh is averaging 15.8 points and 9.5 rebounds. The Aggies have struggled offensively against power conference opponents, failing to reach 65 points in losses to Georgia, Oklahoma and West Virginia this season. They will need a strong performance from Janneh and center Lauren Ware, who had 14 points and 11 rebounds against Georgia, to challenge a Florida defense allowing 66.2 points per game. Florida holds a notable edge in the early season, boasting a stronger record and a more potent scoring attack, averaging 72.2 points to Texas A&M’s 66.5. The Gators have won seven of their last nine games overall. This contest begins a critical stretch for both teams as they navigate the early SEC schedule. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. EST.