COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Destiny Pitts scored a season-high 18 points, and No. 6 Texas A&M used a good performance at the foul line late to hold on for an 80-70 win over No. 16 Tennessee in Southeastern Conference women's basketball Sunday afternoon.
It's the seventh straight victory for the Aggies (19-1, 10-1), who improved to 8-0 against ranked opponents this season.
Texas A&M was up by two points late in the fourth quarter when Pitts was fouled on a 3-point attempt and sank all three free throws to make it 73-68. Jordan Nixon made two free throws after an offensive foul by Rennia Davis before a basket by Davis cut the lead to five with less than a minute to go.
Nixon made two more free throws after the Lady Volunteers (12-5, 6-3) fouled her with 37 seconds remaining. Davis missed a 3-pointer on the other end, and Nixon was fouled two more times in the final seconds and was 3-for-4 at the line to secure the win.
The score was 15-all after the first quarter and tied at 32 at halftime before the Aggies went to the fourth up 51-49. Texas A&M made 25 free throws in the game, while Tennessee made just 11.
"We played well throughout the game," Tennessee coach Kellie Harper said. "Unfortunately there in that quarter, we just put them on the free-throw line too many times, and we didn't get there enough, and that was the difference in the ballgame."
Davis had 25 points to lead Tennessee (12-5, 6-3) after missing the team's last game - she did not travel for the 71-56 loss Thursday at Kentucky due to the SEC's COVID-19 protocols - Rae Burrell added 18 points, Tamari Key had 10 each in points and rebounds and Kasiyahna Kushkituah had 10 rebounds and eight points. Jordan Horston's seven assists for the Lady Vols were a game high.
Texas A&M's Nixon finished with 15 points, Kayla Wells and Aaliyah Wilson added 13 each and Ciera Johnson scored 10 with four blocks.
The game was originally scheduled for Dec. 31 but was postponed twice because of COVID-19 protocol, and the Lady Vols faced another challenge in their bid to play their next game as scheduled Tuesday night at Mississippi State.
Harper said their travel plans were up in the air because of a winter storm that affected both Texas and Mississippi. The Lady Vols were taking a bus to Houston, which is about 100 miles from College Station, after Sunday's game with plans to fly directly to Mississippi, but she wasn't sure if they'd be able to get out of Texas.
"It's an absolute mess," Harper said of the weather. "I don't think we can even get in anywhere near Mississippi State right now. I'm really not sure what the outcome of this trip will be."