Texas A&M
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (11/06/2026) — Texas A&M's women's basketball team opened the 2026 season with a commanding 90-63 victory over the LSU New Orleans Privateers at Reed Arena on Friday night, turning a relentless first-quarter surge and a staggering turnover advantage into a wire-to-wire statement win in front of 2,187 fans.
How It Happened
Texas A&M took control immediately. Emerald Parker opened the scoring with a tip-in layup 81 seconds into the contest, and the Aggies never relinquished the lead. Pien Steenbergen found her range from deep twice in the first quarter — including a 25-foot strike with just two seconds remaining — capping a surge that sent Texas A&M into the second quarter ahead 24-9.
LSU New Orleans briefly threatened, with Tajenae Gooden drilling a three-pointer at 2:53 of the first to trim the deficit to five at 14-9. The Aggies answered immediately. Kailyn Gilbert connected from 24 feet moments later, sparking a 12-0 Texas A&M run that pushed the advantage to 26-11 and effectively settled the competitive question.
The second quarter brought more of the same. Kaniya Boyd buried a three-pointer off a Gilbert assist to push the lead to 18, and by halftime Texas A&M held a commanding 44-22 edge. LSU New Orleans had shot 46% from the floor in stretches but could not overcome a turnover differential that ballooned throughout the first half.
The Privateers mounted a spirited third-quarter rally. Jadaya Branch connected from 23 feet at 6:12 to slice the gap to 11 at 46-35, and Rhian Comery followed with a tip-in layup 27 seconds later to sustain the energy at 49-37. LSU New Orleans entered the final period trailing 64-48 — still within range, but needing a perfect fourth quarter.
Texas A&M closed it out with authority. Rieyan DeSouze buried back-to-back three-pointers in the fourth — both off Gilbert assists — to push the lead past 20. Chaney Spencer added another from long range at 2:43 to make it 86-55, and the Aggies eased to the final 90-63 margin as Comery's layup with 39 seconds remaining accounted for the game's last basket.
Turning Point
The 12-0 Texas A&M run bridging the first and second quarters — stretching the lead from 17-9 to 26-11 — proved insurmountable. Gilbert's three-pointer at 2:37 of the opening period ignited the stretch, and the Aggies finished the frame on a prolonged burst that LSU New Orleans could never fully reverse. The Privateers' 28 turnovers compounded the challenge; Texas A&M converted those possessions into easy transition opportunities and kept the scoreboard moving in ways that steadily widened the gap beyond practical recovery.
Star of the Game
Emerald Parker led all scorers with 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds, bringing relentless activity around the basket from opening tip to final buzzer. Her tip-in to start the game set the tone for an evening defined by opportunistic interior play. Kailyn Gilbert was equally indispensable — 19 points, six rebounds, and eight assists — serving as the engine of Texas A&M's offense and consistently finding open shooters in rhythm. The pair combined for 41 of Texas A&M's 90 points and created matchup problems LSU New Orleans could not solve collectively.
What It Means
For Texas A&M, the Reed Arena performance delivered a sharp early-season statement. The Aggies shot 45% from the floor, distributed 20 assists, and committed just 12 turnovers — a crisp execution on both ends that reflects a team with multiple offensive layers. Steenbergen and DeSouze connecting from deep while Parker and Gilbert dominated from mid-range signals genuine versatility that will make the Aggies difficult to defend as conference play approaches.
For LSU New Orleans, the 28 turnovers — more than double Texas A&M's total — will demand immediate attention. Rhian Comery's double-double (17 points, 12 rebounds) and Gooden's seven assists demonstrated real individual brightness, and the Privateers' 46% shooting efficiency when they did generate clean looks offers a foundation to build on. Ball security will be the central focus heading forward; the turnover gap of 16 on the night was ultimately the defining stat of the evening.
