Pitts' 5 triples fuel comeback as A&M prevails over Kentucky in OT, 73-64

Press conference video courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics.

The Maroon & White’s resiliency was handed its biggest test of the year.

Texas A&M (13-9, 3-7) seemed destined to suffer its eighth SEC loss after heading into halftime with a 12-point deficit having more turnovers (12) than made field goals (8).

But Destiny Pitts’ five 3-pointers revitalized an otherwise disjointed Aggie offense to complete the team’s biggest comeback of the year, emerging with a 73-64 overtime win at Kentucky on Sunday afternoon.

“It’s called find the hot hand, and we found Destiny,” head coach Gary Blair said.

Pitts registered her second consecutive double-double on a season-best 20 points and ten rebounds alongside six assists. Qadashah Hoppie and Jordan Nixon joined Pitts in double-digits, scoring with 17 and 16, respectively.

A&M’s defense cornered the Wildcats into a season-high 24 turnovers. The Aggies also held Kentucky guard Rhyne Howard — the SEC’s leading scorer — without a basket in the second and third quarters.

With Kentucky unable to find a spark sans Howard’s production, the Aggies rushed to a 15-4 run, spearheaded by a pair of treys from Hoppie and Pitts to regain their first lead of the game since the eight-minute mark in the first.

Howard soon found a rhythm and opened the fourth quarter with a quick 3-pointer to push Kentucky back to a five-point advantage.

Nixon answered immediately, connecting on a 3-pointer with Pitts soon following with a triple of her own to recapture the lead.

The Wildcats prevented the Aggies from running away after forcing A&M into foul trouble and taking advantage of free throws in the final stretches of regulation.

With Texas A&M down 55-53, Sydnee Roby connected on hook deep inside the paint to tie the game.

Kentucky inbounded to Howard after a timeout with five seconds remaining, and a tight Aggie defense forced Howard into a long 3-pointer through a double-team that fell short as the game headed to overtime.

Pitts ultimately solidified A&M’s comeback with 1:53 remaining in OT, sinking her fifth 3-pointer of the game to distance themselves with a seven-point lead.

The Aggies never looked back.

“We wanted to turn it around because we have never lost this much in our lives, ever,” Pitts said. “It’s also a little bit extra to make sure we send [Gary Blair] out the right way.”

With two straight wins, the Maroon & White return to Reed Arena on Thursday for a rescheduled contest against Vanderbilt.