COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The confidence the Washington women's basketball team built to start the season eroded in the face of Texas A&M's full-court pressure.

A&M roared back from a 13-point deficit to overwhelm the Huskies, 79-65, Sunday afternoon before 2,132 at Reed Arena.

Washington (5-2) had punctuated a stretch of playing four 2005 NCAA tournament teams in five games with a stirring 81-74 loss at defending national champion Baylor on Friday night. The Huskies figured to have an easier time against A&M (3-2), which was picked fifth out of six teams in the preseason in the Big 12 Conference's South Division.

The Huskies hit a trio of three-pointers for a 9-0 start and led 20-7 before A&M's quickness changed the game's complexion.

"They got the pressure going," Washington coach June Daugherty said. "And it definitely bothered us a little bit. ... We weren't able to get up [to] speed and [play] up-tempo like we've been able to do."

Washington had only nine fast-break points, while A&M scored 32 points in the paint, 14 off offensive rebounds.

"We knew what they were going to do," said A&M forward Morenike Atunrase, who had 21 points. "We got their film, and all of us went down to Baylor and even watched the game."

A&M hit four of its last five shots in the first half and had a 39-37 lead at the break. The Aggies continued to shoot well in the second half, hitting 17 of 31.

"We changed up the defense three different times, [so] credit them," Daugherty said. "They were hot after the first 10 minutes."

A three-pointer by freshman Takia Starks with 13:26 left pushed A&M's lead to 54-43, and Washington never got within single digits the rest of the way.

Washington junior guard Cameo Hicks, the team's leading scorer at 17.3 points per game, was held to a season-low seven.

"They had great pressure," Hicks said. "I was just a little cold today. You can't make any excuses, but sometimes your shot just doesn't fall."

Kayla Burt and Andrea Plouffe led the Huskies with 13 points each.

Washington now returns home for four straight games, starting with Michigan on Friday. It will open the Pac-10 season against California on Dec. 20.

"We found out a lot about our team," Daugherty said. "Whether it was Alabama, Florida or down here in Texas. [Now,] it's just how we use it. That's what's most important."

Box score



WASHINGTON 5-2
min		fgm-a	ftm-a	or-t	a	pf	pts

Florence	22	0-1	1-2	0-1	3	4	1
Hicks	22	3-9	0-0	2-5	1	2	7
Banks	16	3-9	1-1	4-5	5	3	7
Plouffe	20	5-10	1-1	2-4	0	1	13
O'Neill	27	2-3	1-4	1-3	2	1	7
Bell	15	3-4	0-0	1-2	3	3	6
Craddock	6	0-2	0-0	1-1	0	1	0
Watson	19	2-7	4-5	0-3	0	2	8
Schelly	1	0-0	0-1	1-1	0	0	0
McNeill	1	0-1	1-2	1-2	0	0	1
Castro	9	0-1	0-0	0-0	3	0	0
Burt	22	5-7	0-0	0-1	1	4	13
Jones	1	0-1	0-0	0-0	0	0	0
O'Hara	19	0-1	2-2	1-2	1	3	2
	200	23-56	11-18	17-35	19	24	65

Percentages: FG .411, FT .611. Three-point goals: 8-14, (Florence 0-1, Hicks 1-2, Banks 0-2, Plouffe 2-2, O'Neill 2-2, Watson 0-1, Burt 3-4). Team rebounds: 5. Blocks: 4, (Plouffe 2, O'Neill, O'Hara). Turnovers: 20, (Florence 3, Hicks, Banks 3, Plouffe 2, O'Neill 2, Craddock 2, Watson 2, Castro 2, Burt 2, O'Hara). Steals: 3, (Hicks, Banks, Plouffe).



TEXAS A&M 3-2
min		fgm-a	ftm-a	or-t	a	pf	pts

Starks	33	10-17	2-2	0-1	4	3	25
Roy	32	1-1	0-0	0-6	2	1	2
Atunrase	32	6-15	9-13	1-3	6	3	21
Scales	17	4-7	0-0	4-7	1	1	8
Zimova	3	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0
Toran	4	0-0	0-0	0-1	1	0	0
Franklin	11	1-2	0-0	1-1	2	3	2
Gulley	1	0-0	0-0	0-1	0	0	0
Micheaux	3	0-1	1-2	1-1	0	3	1
Wilks	1	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0
Pounds	1	0-1	0-0	0-0	0	0	0
Reado	29	4-9	3-4	5-9	0	2	11
Gant	33	4-5	1-2	1-3	5	2	9
	200	30-58	16-23	15-36	21	18	79

Percentages: FG .517, FT .696. Three-point goals: 3-9, (Starks 3-6, Atunrase 0-1, Franklin 0-1, Pounds 0-1). Team rebounds: 3. Blocks: 5, (Atunrase 3, Reado, Gant). Turnovers: 15, (Starks 3, Roy, Atunrase 2, Scales, Zimova, Toran, Franklin 4, Pounds, Gant). Steals: 6, (Scales 2, Reado 2, Gant 2).


Washington	37	28	—	65
Texas A&M	39	40	—	79

Attendance: 2,132. Officials: R-Gator Parrish; U1-John Fullilove; U2-Carla Fountain.

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