Texas A&M
.png&width=60&height=60&type=webp)
KANSAS
Kansas 83, Texas A&M 73
Jan 25, 2006 | Men's Basketball
January 25, 2006
Russell Robinson had a career-high 24 points to help Kansas remain perfect against Texas A&M with an 83-73 win over the Aggies on Wednesday night.
The Jayhawks are 11-0 all-time against Texas A&M.
Kansas opened the second half with a 16-0 run, thanks to eight points from Robinson and sloppy play by the Aggies. Kansas (12-6, 3-2 Big 12) erased a two-point halftime deficit and had built a 47-33 lead before Texas A&M finally scored five minutes into the half.
Texas A&M's offense in that span featured blocked shots, misses from right under the basket and a slew of turnovers.
The Aggies got hot from 3-point range, hitting two straight and got within 54-50, but Kansas scored eight straight points and put the game out of reach.
The Jayhawks' great free throw shooting down the stretch kept them comfortably ahead. Kansas was at the line often, making 33-of-44 free throws.
Robinson, a sophomore whose previous career-high was 13 points, made 12-of-13 free throws for Kansas. Freshman Brandon Rush added 22 points and Mario Chalmers had 15.
Acie Law led Texas A&M with 17 points and Joseph Jones added 15. Despite leading the team in scoring, Jones and Law shot poorly, combining to make just 8 of 22 shots. Marlon Pompey added 15 for the Aggies.
Texas A&M (12-5, 2-4) led by as many as seven points in the first half, despite getting just three from Jones. They led 33-31 at halftime. Darnell Jackson kept Kansas in it early, and had 11 first-half points, including two rim-rocking dunks.
The Aggies shot 48 percent in the first half but struggled after halftime, making just 9-of-29 shots for 31 percent.
The contest was a reunion for Kansas coach Bill Self and Aggies coach Billy Gillispie. Gillispie worked with Self as an assistant at Tulsa from 1997-2000 and then accompanied him to Illinois.
The Jayhawks are the only Big 12 opponent that Texas A&M has not beaten since league play began.
Postgame Quotes
KANSAS HEAD COACH BILL SELF: "It was a long game. We played great at the start of the second half.We were fortunate that they missed shots, but I thought that we defended them well. It was a good atmosphere. It could have been a great atmosphere if A&M had gotten the lead in the second half. Fortunatley they were not able to make that happen. We do have a young team. We should be 3-0 on the road. We showed enough poise at key times to put us in position to win. We were trying to get it inside. We did a bad job of passing it to the post in the first half. In the second half we made more effort to get it inside. Our big guys are not dominant but at least they are a presence. Our big guys played well. We went to the zone in the second half because they got in the bonus early. We have a lot of respect for Joseph Jones and I knew that Billy (Gillispie) would keep them feeding the ball inside. We had to slow Jones down. He still got to the line a lot, but he would have scored 25 points if we stayed in man-to-man. We played defense on Acie Law poorly in the first three minutes. He scored seven quick points. We were fortunate that he did not get involved in the beginning of the second half. When we went zone it took away the paint from him. When you scout A&M you focus on Jones and Law for sure. They are hard to guard. They have one inside and one outside. A&M has two guys to go to and balance behind them. They kicked our butts early on the boards. I knew the way Billy coaches and we had to play tough."
TEXAS A&M HEAD COACH BILLY GILLISPIE: "Got a good whipping tonight. They played harder than us. They played much, much, much smarter than us. Give them all the credit. We took a lot of steps backwards tonight. They did what they had to do. We gave up a lot of layups, either in transition or because of mental lapse. We don't have enough margin for error to do that. They executed, played with discipline, they played hard, they got to the basket, they did what they were coached to do. They have good players, and I can see why they are getting better in a hurry. We made so many mental mistakes I cannot count them. We got whipped in every phase of the game. That is embarassing as a coach. That is my fault. Our guys are going to try hard, they have a lot of try in them. We have to play smarter to win games and go on to the next level. Kansas did what they had to do to win. You cannot give up easy baskets. They made us pay. Give them credit. It is my fault we lost. If we make mental mistakes it is my fault. I have to coach them better."
Texas A&M Postgame Notes
- A&M has lost two straight at home after opening the year with 11 consecutive home wins. The Aggies are 28-5 at home in two years under Billy Gillispie.
- Kansas shot 54.8 percent from the field, second highest by an A&M opponent this season. Oklahoma State made 57.1 percent. In 48 games with Billy Gillispie as head coach, only three opponents have made better than 48 percent.
- Kansas made 33-of-44 free throws, highs for makes and attempts for any team in Big 12 play this year and highs for an A&M opponent this season.
- A&M's 31 fouls were their second most of the year (33 vs. Tulane).
- A&M has trailed by double-figures in just four games -- 14 to Texas Tech, 14 at Kansas State, 10 at Iowa State and 14 to Kansas. The Aggies rallied to beat Texas Tech and Iowa State and tied Kansas State in the final minute. A&M trimmed KU's lead to 54-50 midway through the season-half but couldn't hold off the Jayhawks.
- Acie Law scored 17 points. Law has scored in double figures in 16 of 17 games. He scored 8 in just 8 minutes against Grambling before leaving the game early with a concussion.
- Eddie Smith tied his career high with four steals (Savannah State).
- Josh Carter scored 15 points, tying for his second-highest total of the season. He made 4-of-9 three-pointers, his fourth game with at least three treys.
Kansas Postgame Notes
- Kansas used the starting lineup of freshmen Brandon Rush, Mario Chalmers and Julian Wright and sophomores Sasha Kaun and Russell Robinson for the first time this season.
- Freshman forward Julian Wright made his first career start.
- KU's 12 rebounds in the first half marked the fewest in a single stanza since the Jayhawks grabbed 12 boards against Oklahoma State on Feb. 27, 2005.
- Sophomore guard Russell Robinson scored a career-high 24 points tonight. His previous career best was 13, which he posted against Nebraska on Saturday. He has scored in double figures in four straight games and six times this season.
- Robinson's 12-for-13 from the charity stripe marked a KU individual season best.
- Sophomore forward Darnell Jackson logged a career-high 26 minutes and scored in double-digits (12) for the second consecutive game and fourth time this season in his nine contests.
- Freshman guard Brandon Rush posted his fourth 20-point effort this season, which leads the Big 12.
- Freshman guard Mario Chalmers' perfect 8-of-8 from the line was his season-best.
- KU's 33 free throws made and 44 attempts at the charity stripe marked the most by a Jayhawk squad since Jan. 6, 1997 when it made 33 on 47 tries against Texas at home.
- The Jayhawks have shot 50 percent or better (54.8 tonight) in seven of their last nine games.
- KU has held every opponent to under 50 percent shooting and outrebounded 12 foes this season.
- KU's 83 points marked a Texas A&M opponent season-high.
