Lawton, OK - Huge performances from redshirt sophomore
Kaycee Groves and junior
Shelby Ray along with its patented intense defense, fueled the Texas A&M - Kingsville women's basketball team to its fifth straight win as the Javelinas dismantled Cameron, 68-51.
TAMUK held the Aggies to just six fourth quarter points, pulling away for its firth double-digit win since January 11th. For the fifth straight game, not only did the team come away with a win, but it also held its opponent to under 53 points and below 40% shooting from the field. The win moves the team to 15-8 overall and 11-6 in Lone Star Conference play.
"Cameron is a tough matchup for us and they are certainly not what their record shows," Head Coach
Michael Madrid said. "They can shoot it and score inside and it's a pick-your-poison type situation. I thought we were extremely sloppy with the ball in the first half. Second half, we looked like the Javelinas. We played loose and guarded the ball with more intensity."
Groves finished with a career-high 12 rebounds to go along with 17 points, securing her first career double-double. She also added three assists and two steals while shooting 6-of-12 from the floor. Ray had a team-high 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting as well as three boards, four steals, and a block. Junior
Aina Maynou joined them in double figures with 11 and dropped a game-high five dimes with zero turnovers.
"Shelby and Kaycee are both talented in their own ways and a tough matchup," Madrid said. "I love watching any of our players have success and today was their time. Proud of them and the team."
Though Kingsville took an early lead thanks to a hot start from Maynou and Groves, Cameron seemed to have an answer for every Javelina bucket and kept the game close deep into the second half. As the fourth quarter began, however, TAMUK clicked on both ends of the floor. While shooting 8-of-12 from the floor in the final ten minutes, the Javelinas also held the Aggies to just 2-of-10 shooting with four turnovers. A 14-0 run opened the quarter, including a personal 8-0 run from Ray, putting Cameron in the rear view for good.
"We finally put a second half together," Madrid said. "We have been a good first-half team and we found something that worked offensively but, more importantly, made good decisions with the ball and making shots certainly helps."
The team is playing some of its best ball of the year heading into a pair of ranked matchups next weekend as it has rematches with Texas Woman's and UT - Tyler this Thursday and Saturday.
