The Bears (20-2, 7-2 Big 12) were up by four points with 5 minutes left before A&M used a 9-3 run capped by a short jump shot by David Loubeau to take a 60-58 lead with 29 seconds remaining.
Jackson's second 3 of the game put the Bears on top before A&M's Elston Turner missed a 3-pointer forcing the Aggies (12-9, 3-6) to foul.
Jackson missed his first free throw attempt, but was fouled again after the rebound and made the insurance shots.
Loubeau had 16 points for Texas A&M, which was without two starters. Ray Turner scored 13 points and added 11 rebounds.
Texas A&M returns to action on Saturday when the Aggies head to Manhattan to face Kansas State (15-6, 4-5) at Bramlage Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. and the game will be televised by the Big 12 Network (CW Texas locally in Bryan/College Station).
TEXAS A&M POSTGAME NOTES
Team
- Texas A&M used the starting lineup of Elston Turner, Naji Hibbert, Daniel Alexander, David Loubeau and Keith Davis for the first time this year.
- Wednesday marked the fourth top-10 opponent the Aggies have faced this season in Big 12 play, matching a school record.
- A&M recorded a season-low 7 turnovers to go along with 16 assists.
- The crowd of 9,309 was a season high and included a season-best student crowd of 3,157.
Individual
- Ray Turner posted his fourth double double of the season (and of his career), 13 points and 11 rebounds.
- Daniel Alexander scored a career-high 12 points.
- The start was the first of Alexander's career, a redshirt-freshman.
- Naji Hibbert matched a career high with 4 assists.
POSTGAME QUOTES
A&M Head Coach Billy Kennedy
I'm really proud of our team, fans, students, and the effort we gave today. I thought we outplayed Baylor in a lot of ways. But they're a very good team. You have to give Jackson a lot of credit for making a big shot to win the game. But they have a lot of options and we made them use them.
On Elston's play, what kept him at bay?
I thought Elston had some good looks. Playing him at the one kept him at bay. Pierre Jackson's ball pressure in the second half gave us problems, and that was a key point in the game.
Was that play with 9 seconds the designed play?
No, it's not what we were looking for. He was concerned about fouling, they had a foul to give. He took a shot, we had no timeouts left. We tried to get him isolated at the top. Pierre got the same shot at the top of the key, and he made it.
On David Loubeau's play
Offensively, he was much more aggressive the second half. We wanted him to take the ball at guys and not settle for jumpshots. At the end he executed and did what we wanted him to do and did a good job of getting the big two point lead.
On Daniel Alexander being a big boost for this team
He's just brought great energy to practice and on the defensive end. He's really a good shooter, he's settled down. He's matured a lot the last couple of weeks. It's been a big lift to us as a team.
On Ray Turner's play
Yeah, he made a couple of outside shots, but he got the ball around the basket and was aggressive. Hopefully he'll continue to be more consistent. We maxed out in a lot of areas, we just played a really good ball team.
On Baylor's depth and talent
It's very difficult offensively and defensively. We played Daniel at the three today, he's only played the three one day in practice this year. I'm really proud of our guys, they were in a tough situation.
On A&M's defensive play
That's what we want to hang our hat on. I thought Keith Davis, Jordan Green and those guys were really effective on hedging ball screens. When we were aggressive up front, it was a really good force. I think both teams were really tired, and they had a little more depth than us.
Can you move on from this?
I hope so, I try to tell our guys you have to put this behind us and prepare for tomorrow. You keep doing the right things off and on the court, good things are going to happen. We're going into a tough place to win in Manhattan this week, so we have to be ready.
Junior Forward Ray Turner
You had one of your best games, what did you do out there?
Going out there, playing hard, playing with toughness and having the will to win.
On offensive rebounding
Just trying to get myself in the best position I could, when they run the zone, there's always a chance to get an offensive rebound and I just tell myself when they run the zone to crash the board.
On Baylor being out of its game plan
I think they were. We definitely knew we had them out of their game. We just had to come back and make sure we were doing what the right things on the offensive end.
What do you take from this game, how do you move forward?
Just build from here, we lost the game tonight. It was a tough game, now we can't let it bring us down for the next game. We just move on form here and try to get the next one.
Freshman Forward Daniel Alexander
On the play with 9 seconds left to Elston
Well you know, if we're trying to score at the very end, we're probably to go to Elston. I think he was trying to draw that foul, and whether he got it or not I couldn't tell you. I think that's what he was doing, and he's highly capable of making that shot and we trust him.
On playing against Baylor's bigs, and working against Baylor's defense
Anytime inside, our bigs did a fantastic job of taking it at them time and time again. Loubeau, Keith and Ray did an awesome job there. I think we stretched their defense out, and when you make them guard you at the perimeter, you make that one on one in the post.
On the game being so close
I don't think any of us thought we had it sealed, that's why it hurt so much when they hit that last shot. We definitely put ourselves in a position to win, that's why the loss is hard. Everyone played hard all the way until the end and they just made that last shot.
Was this your best defensive game as a team?
Yeah I think for a stretch we were playing next to perfect defense. Taking away what they normally like to do, which is getting it down low to the post. They have a talented team which is really big down low. We tried to take that away and their shooters away. We put ourselves in a position to win, we had a few mental lapses, but for the most part, we did well defensively.
Baylor Head Coach Scott Drew
Opening statement
I thought it was another classic A&M Baylor rivalry game, I was glad the nation got a chance to see how good our games have been in the past. I really credit Coach Kennedy and A&M I know they have some injuries and they came out and fought. I'm proud of our guys, when you have a lead and the crowd gets involved, and you lose the lead, to be able to come back shows a lot about this team.
Does Pierre have some gene that makes him good in late game situation?
I don't know, but if we could clone it or duplicate it, we would inject it into a lot of people. I think the bigger the moment or the play, the better he is. You either got it or you don't, and he's got it.
On Baylor being proficient in close games
I think if you look over the last four or five years, the trend has been we've been pretty good in late games. The reason is it comes down to leadership and as we're bringing in younger players, the upperclassmen tell them what's expected and prepare them for late game situations.
On A&M coming back
I think credit them because first of all, they were defensively getting stops. We shot 31 percent. Our two games against A&M have been two of our worst outputs offensively and that's a direct connection of Coach Kennedy and the defense he instills. To compound it, we were pretty bad on defense. If you're struggling on one in, you have to pick it up on the other.
On limiting Elston Turner
I think we just really tried to make every one of his shots difficult. With a player like that you can just do your best to hope it's not going in. Tonight it wasn't going in.
Quincy Acy
On playing in College Station
It's a lot of fun, the crowd is real into it, they play 100 percent. Coming into this environment and coming out with a win, it shows a lot about this team.
What does it show about this team that you were down and then came back?
It shows we need to get better first of all. It shows our will to come back, we always practice these situations in practice, and coach prepares us, so we were prepared for the game.
On A&M fighting with players out with injuries
They're two of their better players. They showed heart trying to defend their home court-- that shows a lot about them and their coach.
Perry Jones III
On the team being in a position to win the Big 12
The team has kept a chance of doing something it hasn't; of possibly winning the big 12. We're trying to get better and trying to do their best can to win every road game and definitely defend the home court.
Pierre Jackson
What was A&M doing defensively to come back?
We were just settling for jumpshots, Coach got after us in the huddle. Their defense was alright, but we were just settling for jumpshots.
On the big three-pointer to go ahead at the end of the game
Coach called it for me, and tried to get a shot up. I missed my previous three wide-open, but my teammates told me that I was going to make it and I did.
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