WBB: A&M blows by UTEP, 74-58, in final non-conference test

Another night, another double-digit blowout for the Texas A&M women’s basketball team.

On Thursday, the Aggies defeated the UTEP Miners 74-58 in front of 4,052 fans at Reed Arena. With the result, UTEP – the third most successful program in Texas since the 2007-2008 season – falls to 10-2 on the year while A&M improves to 10-4.

As usual at the friendly confines of Reed Arena this season, the Aggies jumped out to a decent sized first half lead and proceeded to keep their distance through the second half. In this one, A&M used a 16-2 lead to eventually take a 42-24 advantage to the locker room at the half.

After the break, the Aggies would grow their lead to as many as 26 on a layup by senior center Karla Gilbert with 13:01 left in the game.

UTEP would claw their way back within 13 points with just over four minutes remaining, but A&M withstood the late Miner push and was able to record their tenth and final victory of the nonconference season.

Once again, leading the Aggies was sophomore forward Courtney Williams who scored a game high 21 points. The Houston product also picked up seven rebounds and five assists in her third straight game with 20+ points.

Also of note was the performance of sophomore guard Courtney Walker who poured in 18 and Gilbert who added 12 and six rebounds in the winning effort.

With the non-conference season in their rearview mirror, A&M now turns their attention to the grind that is the SEC. In their first conference game of the 2013-2014 season, the Aggies host the Alabama Crimson Tide who are in the process of breaking in first-year head coach Kristy Curry.

Curry, a former A&M assistant from 1994-1996, spent the last seven years as head coach of the Texas Tech Lady Raiders before taking the job in Tuscaloosa last May.