Photo by Matt Sachs, TexAgs
Texas A&M Basketball
Texas A&M falls against sharp-shooting Vanderbilt, 77-60
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The road to a Southeastern Conference basketball championship is supposed to be bumpy, but it was absolutely treacherous for Texas A&M on Thursday night.
The eighth-ranked Aggies (18-4, 7-2 SEC), who had a chance to enhance their lead in the SEC race, ran into a major road block against torrid-shooting Vanderbilt and suffered a 77-60 loss at Memorial Gymnasium.
It was the Aggies’ lowest point total since falling 67-54 at Arizona State on Dec. 5.
A&M will try to bounce back on Saturday against South Carolina at Reed Arena.
Vanderbilt, which had lost two of its last three games, drilled 13 three-point shots (four of which were buzzer-beaters), out-rebounded A&M 38-31 and completely handcuffed Jalen Jones and Danuel House, who combined to hit just 3 of 21 shots.
Jones managed to sink just 1 of 13 shots while finding little opportunity inside against Vanderbilt 7-footer Damian Jones.
House managed just 10 points, while Tonny Trocha-Morelos came off the bench to lead the Aggies with 13 and Alex Caruso had 10.
Forward Jeff Roberson scored a career-high 20 points to lead Vanderbilt (13-9, 5-4). Wade Baldwin IV added 17, Luke Kornet had 14 and Damian James had 13 with 10 rebounds.
“This was more about Vanderbilt just being ready to play,” A&M coach Billy Kennedy said. “I’ve known Kevin (Stallings) a long time. I’ve got a good friend who says when Kevin Stallings’ back is against the wall it’s not a good time to play him. You’ve got to give them credit. They were just outstanding tonight.”
But they lost their first three SEC games and had fallen to Texas last Saturday.
However, in this game they played like the team they were projected to be.
“Sometimes when your minds are clear it allows you to play better,” Stallings said. “Maybe there were some clearing of minds and clearing of hearts this week. We played like a basketball team that was hungry, we played like a basketball team that was together and we played like a basketball team that really, really cared.
“There was no magic closed-door meeting. Just maybe some guys that refocused and gave themselves to their teammates.”
The Aggies were hoping to give themselves some breathing room in the SEC race. A win would have allowed the Aggies to maintain a game lead over LSU (14-8, 7-2) and get more distance from Kentucky and South Carolina, who were both upset earlier this week.
But the Aggies have never won at Memorial Gym and from the outset it was clear their problems there would continue.
Vanderbilt hit six of its first seven shots — two shot clock-beating three-pointers by Luke Kornet – to take an early 14-1 lead.
The Aggies rallied with some three-point marksmanship of their own. They hit four 3-pointers in a 16-5 run, including Admon Gilder’s triple from the corner for a 26-23 lead with 9:13 left in the half.
The lead was short-lived, however.
A&M managed just one field goal – a D.J. Hogg three-pointer – over the final six-and-a-half minutes.
Meanwhile, Vandy regained its long-range accuracy and hit four three-pointers as it closed the half with a 16-5 run. Wade Baldwin drilled a three from the top-of-the-key just before the buzzer as Vandy took a 40-33 lead at halftime.
The Commodores hit seven three-pointers in the half, scored eight points off A&M turnovers and out-rebounded the Aggies 20-16.
The second half wasn’t much different.
Vanderbilt scored on four of its first five possessions, while A&M converted only one of its first nine shots of the half.
Consequently, the Commodores opened a 53-35 lead on Baldwin’s three-pointer with 14:52 remaining.
The Aggies made a couple of mild comeback attempts, but Vanderbilt always turned them away.
A&M pulled within 59-48 on a House free throw at the 9:31 mark. However, Kornet and Riley LaChance answered with back-to-back three-pointers.
Gilder converted a three-point play with three-and-a-half minutes remaining to bring the Aggies within 68-58. But Baldwin and LaChance scored consecutive layups to squelch that rally.
“We never felt like we were out of the game,” Kennedy said. “But we were not in the game. Every time we tried to make a run they made a play offensively or defensively.”
The eighth-ranked Aggies (18-4, 7-2 SEC), who had a chance to enhance their lead in the SEC race, ran into a major road block against torrid-shooting Vanderbilt and suffered a 77-60 loss at Memorial Gymnasium.
It was the Aggies’ lowest point total since falling 67-54 at Arizona State on Dec. 5.
A&M will try to bounce back on Saturday against South Carolina at Reed Arena.
Vanderbilt, which had lost two of its last three games, drilled 13 three-point shots (four of which were buzzer-beaters), out-rebounded A&M 38-31 and completely handcuffed Jalen Jones and Danuel House, who combined to hit just 3 of 21 shots.
Jones managed to sink just 1 of 13 shots while finding little opportunity inside against Vanderbilt 7-footer Damian Jones.
House managed just 10 points, while Tonny Trocha-Morelos came off the bench to lead the Aggies with 13 and Alex Caruso had 10.
Forward Jeff Roberson scored a career-high 20 points to lead Vanderbilt (13-9, 5-4). Wade Baldwin IV added 17, Luke Kornet had 14 and Damian James had 13 with 10 rebounds.
“This was more about Vanderbilt just being ready to play,” A&M coach Billy Kennedy said. “I’ve known Kevin (Stallings) a long time. I’ve got a good friend who says when Kevin Stallings’ back is against the wall it’s not a good time to play him. You’ve got to give them credit. They were just outstanding tonight.”
We never felt like we were out of the game. But we were not in the game. Every time we tried to make a run they made a play offensively or defensively.
{"Module":"quote","Alignment":"left","Quote":"We never felt like we were out of the game. But we were not in the game. Every time we tried to make a run they made a play offensively or defensively.","Author":"Billy Kennedy"}
The Commodores were expected to be outstanding this season. They were picked second in a preseason SEC poll and were ranked as high as 16th in November.But they lost their first three SEC games and had fallen to Texas last Saturday.
However, in this game they played like the team they were projected to be.
“Sometimes when your minds are clear it allows you to play better,” Stallings said. “Maybe there were some clearing of minds and clearing of hearts this week. We played like a basketball team that was hungry, we played like a basketball team that was together and we played like a basketball team that really, really cared.
“There was no magic closed-door meeting. Just maybe some guys that refocused and gave themselves to their teammates.”
The Aggies were hoping to give themselves some breathing room in the SEC race. A win would have allowed the Aggies to maintain a game lead over LSU (14-8, 7-2) and get more distance from Kentucky and South Carolina, who were both upset earlier this week.
But the Aggies have never won at Memorial Gym and from the outset it was clear their problems there would continue.
Vanderbilt hit six of its first seven shots — two shot clock-beating three-pointers by Luke Kornet – to take an early 14-1 lead.
The Aggies rallied with some three-point marksmanship of their own. They hit four 3-pointers in a 16-5 run, including Admon Gilder’s triple from the corner for a 26-23 lead with 9:13 left in the half.
The lead was short-lived, however.
A&M managed just one field goal – a D.J. Hogg three-pointer – over the final six-and-a-half minutes.
Meanwhile, Vandy regained its long-range accuracy and hit four three-pointers as it closed the half with a 16-5 run. Wade Baldwin drilled a three from the top-of-the-key just before the buzzer as Vandy took a 40-33 lead at halftime.
The Commodores hit seven three-pointers in the half, scored eight points off A&M turnovers and out-rebounded the Aggies 20-16.
The second half wasn’t much different.
Vanderbilt scored on four of its first five possessions, while A&M converted only one of its first nine shots of the half.
Consequently, the Commodores opened a 53-35 lead on Baldwin’s three-pointer with 14:52 remaining.
The Aggies made a couple of mild comeback attempts, but Vanderbilt always turned them away.
A&M pulled within 59-48 on a House free throw at the 9:31 mark. However, Kornet and Riley LaChance answered with back-to-back three-pointers.
Gilder converted a three-point play with three-and-a-half minutes remaining to bring the Aggies within 68-58. But Baldwin and LaChance scored consecutive layups to squelch that rally.
“We never felt like we were out of the game,” Kennedy said. “But we were not in the game. Every time we tried to make a run they made a play offensively or defensively.”
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