DALLAS (AP) - Texas A&M’s Danielle Adams wishes things were different.
But when talking about her performances in the Aggies’ three losses to Baylor this season, there’s really only one way to put it.
“I’ve been playing bad against them the first three times,” she said. “I’ve been taking bad shots and just rushing my shots and just allowing them to play good defense on me.”
Adams is averaging almost 23 points for Texas A&M, but fewer than 12 points against the Lady Bears. She has shot almost 49 percent this season, but managed to make just 12 of 50 shots (24 percent) when playing Baylor.
The senior knows she’ll have to do much more in her last shot at Baylor in Tuesday’s regional final with a trip to the Final Four on the line.
“I’ve got to get really prepared and get my mind right for this game,” she said. “It’s our last chance. We’re here to make history and go to a Final Four. Hopefully we get over that hump and beat them.”
Adams was the most dominant player in the Big 12 this season next to Baylor’s Brittney Griner. The Texas A&M star led the Big 12 in scoring and was the only player to have a 40-point game in the regular season.
Fellow senior Sydney Colson said Adams hasn’t been herself against the Lady Bears and that she needs to play with a renewed sense of urgency on Tuesday.
“It’s not that she’s not capable,” Colson said. “We all know she’s capable of going off and scoring in bunches. She just has to get it in her head that they can’t stop her, no matter who they’re throwing at her.”
Adams’ below average work on offense could have something to do with the energy she has to put into guarding Griner. At 6 feet 1, she’s 7 inches shorter than Griner, but uses her weight advantage to make it difficult for Griner to post up.
The Aggies limited Griner to 17 points in their first meeting this season, but she scored 26 in round two and 31 in the Big 12 championship game.
“I’m just trying to keep her from scoring 40 points or whatever,” Adams said. “So it does catch up with me on offense at times, but I’ve just got to keep my mind focused on not rushing and not doing anything stupid and just taking good shots.”
Adams is one of the rare post players who can also step back and make 3-pointers. She has made 41 this season, but just like the rest of her shots, the 3s haven’t fallen against the Lady Bears. She’s 1 of 11 in the three losses.
“Danielle needs to have a little bit of everything, to just not settle for the 3-point shot,” Texas A&M coach Gary Blair said. “Go inside the lane, get yourself to the free throw line where Griner can’t do a damn thing about that.”
Blair would certainly like to see Adams score more against Baylor, but knows they’ll probably need a big game from more than one player to get past the Bears.
“To win we have to have balanced scoring,” he said. “We do not need Danielle Adams to shoot 28 times against Baylor. We need (Adaora) Elonu to light it up just like the kid in the second half did and knocked down a couple of 3s with some nice screens inside to get her some open looks.”
Adams’ teammates don’t doubt that she can come through for them on Tuesday. Colson, the point guard, took time during a film session on Monday to point out a few things that might help her succeed against Baylor.
“I’m completely confident in her and I think (Tuesday) will be a kind of game against Baylor that nobody’s seen her play,” Colson said.
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