The Smiles Are Bigger in Texas – Lady Aggies Take Title

The Little Team That Could now can call itself a Texas-sized champion.

Despite receiving a No. 2 seed in the NCAA women’s tournament, Texas A&M was viewed as one of the least likely teams to hoist the championship trophy in a Final Four full of marquee names and legendary coaches.

Yet in Tuesday’s 76-70 victory over Notre Dame, the Aggies defied expectations to win their first NCAA championship, and seemed to thrive when coming from behind rather than when holding a lead.

Danielle Adams scored 22 of her 30 points in a back-and-forth second half, fighting her way through the paint to carry the team on her broad shoulders.

“I wouldn’t let my team lose,” said Adams, the Aggies’ first All-American, whose 30 points were the second-most in championship game history. “They’ve been doing everything for me, so I decided to take them on my back.”

Instead of playing on a neutral court, A&M won a national championship game that became a road contest. The Conseco Fieldhouse crowd was mostly adorned in green apparel, rooting for the home state Fighting Irish.

And that’s just how the Aggies like it. They battled the odds and won, just as they did against Baylor in the regional final after losing to the Lady Bears three times during the season.

 “Everybody saw how tough our kids are,” said A&M assistant coach Vic Shaefer, whose nickname is “the Secretary of Defense.” “We had written on the board ‘perseverance’ and ‘toughness.’

“That’s who our kids are.”