LOS ANGELES, CALIF. — The USC women's basketball team fought through 17 lead changes and 13 ties in an epic battle against No. 19 Texas A&M tonight at the Galen Center, but it was one last bucket from the Aggies' prolific freshman Chennedy Carter that sealed the Trojans' first loss of the season. USC had snagged a one-point lead with 19 seconds left, but Carter landed the go-ahead bucket for the visitors and the Trojans' attempt at a game-winner was just off the mark. Texas A&M's 75-74 win over the host Trojans put USC at 8-1 overall on the year, while the No. 19 Aggies improved to 9-2.

Carter finished up with a Texas A&M program-record 46 points on the night, joined by teammate Danni Williams in double figures with 11 points. USC, meanwhile, had four Trojans hit double digits, led by Sadie Edwards' 20 points and 18 from Kristen Simon. Minyon Moore finished up with 17 points along with five assists, and Aliyah Mazyck scored 14 for the Trojan cause. USC, which led 30-29 at halftime, shot 40.9 percent from the floor in the game. Texas A&M shot 41.5 percent and was 16-of-24 from the free-throw line. USC was 14-of-16 from the stripe and wound up outrebounded 45-34 by the Aggies.

The Trojans and Aggies battled through eight lead changes and five ties in the first half of action, with USC hitting at a 41-percent clip from the floor. Texas A&M shot 26 percent from the floor but benefited from several trips to the free-throw line. TAMU hit 9-of-14 from the stripe to keep pace with the Trojans. Chennedy Carter had 18 of the Aggies' 29 first-half points, while USC spread the wealth better to help the Trojans hold a 30-29 lead at the break. 

In the third quarter, USC manufactured a 7-0 run to craft the Trojans' largest lead of the game. Kristen Simon started the surge with a jumper and then Aliyah Mazyck converted a three-point play for the Trojan cause. Next, Jordan Adams nabbed a steal to set USC off on a slick fast break, where Sadie Edwards and Minyon Moore popped the ball back and forth for a fine finish from Moore to take USC ahead 50-43 in the final minute of the third. 

That margin would get carved down in the fourth, however, as Texas A&M turned a 50-45 USC lead at the end of the third into a 60-54 Aggie advantage with 5:37 to go. And yet, the Trojans were undeterred. USC chiseled away at that deficit and sneaked back into the lead as Aliyah Mazyck scored four straight points for USC before Minyon Moore edged USC ahead 65-64 with 3:03 to go. The game would lock up even twice more down the stretch, with Moore taking it to the hoop to snarl the score at 68-68 with 1:20 remaining. Texas A&M's Carter continued to be a force to reckon with, striking down a three-point play and the netting another bucket for a 73-68 Aggie lead with 30 ticks to go. And yet USC still wouldn't go away. Sadie Edwards drained a three quickly to make it a two-point game, and then Moore forced a Texas A&M turnover to take back the ball for the Trojans with 24 seconds left. Again, Edwards landed a clutch three, pushing USC ahead 74-73 with 19 seconds to go. A&M's trusty Carter dropped the go-ahead bucket for the Aggies with 10 seconds left to steal back the lead, and USC was unable to come up with the winner in the remaining time.

The USC women now turn to a trip to Texas for action at the UTRGV Holiday Classic Dec. 19 and 20. The Trojans face Middle Tennessee at 4:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday (Dec. 19) and then take on host UTRGV at 7 p.m. CT on Wednesday (Dec. 20) before breaking for the holidays.