Texas A&M
11-7, 2-4
Oklahoma
12-6, 2-4
Aggies Top Sooners in OT, 81-75
Jan 21, 2012 | Men's Basketball
Turner made a 3-pointer that tied it with 40 seconds left in regulation and had another 3 and four free throws in overtime to help the Aggies beat the Sooners for the fifth straight time.
Texas A&M (11-7, 2-4 Big 12) led by one with about 3 1/2 minutes left in overtime when Turner hit a 3-pointer to push the lead to 71-67. The teams exchanged baskets before Romero Osby made two free throws to get Oklahoma (12-6, 2-4) within 73-71 with 90 seconds remaining in OT.
The Aggies made seven free throws, capped by four from Turner to make it 80-71 and hold on for the win.
TEXAS A&M POSTGAME NOTES
Team
- The Aggies scored 81 points, their highest total since the second game of the year (vs Southern).
- Texas A&M won its first overtime game of the season.
- The Aggies have now won a school-record five in a row over Oklahoma.
- A&M's 15 assists were a high in Big 12 play this year.
- The Aggies scored 34 points in the first half, matching their highest output in the first half in Big 12 play this season.
- OU held a 16-4 rebounding edge with about 8 minutes left in the first half ... the Aggies out-rebounded the Sooners for the game, 36-35.
- A&M finished the game 12-of-22 from the line ... the Aggies were 1-of-8 from the charity stripe to begin the game, and finished 11-of-14 the rest of the way.
- A&M's 7 three pointers matched a Big 12 season high.
- The Aggies were the only one of the five home teams in the Big 12 to win on Saturday.
Individual
- Elston Turner set a new career high with 23 points and matched a career best with 4 assists.
- Dash Harris tied his career high with 14 points (is a season high as well).
- Keith Davis matched a season high in points (4) and a career high in rebounds (9).
- David Loubeau's 16 points were his second-highest output of the season.
TEXAS A&M POSTGAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH BILLY KENNEDY
Opening statement
First of all, we're very thankful we got a great win for our student body and our crowd, which were tremendous. I thought our seniors, Dash and David Loubeau really stepped up for us in the second half. It was a good team win.
On the team's play after Khris left the game
I thought we were more defined offensively, we knew we wanted to go to Elston, Naji had good looks. We had more balance. We've played without him before, and hopefully we can get him back, and I haven't gotten terrible news on his leg.
On Elston Turner's play
Elston was tremendous. I thought Dash did a really good job of finding him and getting him opportunities to score. He drove the ball at times, did a good job of post reading, and made some big shots down the stretch.
On emphasizing rebounding in the second half
No question. Really the first 6 or 7 minutes, they hurt us on the offensive glass. We got on them in a lot of different ways and fortunately it registered in the second half.
On getting big games from Harris and Elstons Turner
I thought we maxed out. We competed for 45 minutes. And both of those guys have to play that many minutes for us. It was good to have Naji step up and we'll have to rely on a couple of other guys if we don't have Khris next week.
On Elston Turner's three pointer late in regulation
We ran a set play to give Elston a three, and they didn't give up on the play. I thought our guys trusted our teammates and each other and our system and executed a lot better on the floor.
On getting the ball to the right people in overtime
That's the key, the right people were shooting the free throws. Dash, a senior, stepped up and made some good free throws when we needed them.
On rebounding off of missed free throws
I thought in a free throw situation, Ray and Keith Davis were aggressive and went after boards. We competed on every level, which is what
On the students and crowd
It's amazing with the student body and how much of a difference they can make. The 12th Man or the 6th Man, we needed it today.
Can you talk about how this win affects you going into your next games
Hopefully it gives us confidence in our system. Confidence in that if we execute and listen that we can have some success. We have such a small margin for error, that we can't make mistakes.
On what the team needs going into a Monday game versus Kansas
We need more than a repeat performance. KU is a power in our conference, and we have to be able to control the ball and handle ourselves well.
JUNIOR GUARD ELSTON TURNER
On Dash's play
It makes it so much easier because we're out and pushing the tempo and not playing the other team's game. When we get the other team uncomfortable and Dash finding people and getting into the lane, and doing what he does best.
Did you know that play was for you late in regulation?
Initially, yes. The play was set up for me, they did a great job defending it. So I went behind Dash and the defender didn't see me and I was open.
How big is this win?
It's a big win, big momentum. With Khris out and him getting hurt, it wasa great all around team win. We can carry it with us on Monday and the next games to come, we'll see a lot of difference in us.
Were things difficult to adjust to with Khris out?
A little. With Khris, we're missing possibly 20 points a game. We need more people to step up and we're missing and all-conference potentially NBA player. Just making sure everyone steps up and knows their roles helps a lot.
On the crowd's presence
The crowd was great tonight. We had a lot of students come support us. When it's sold out like that, it's one of the best environments in college basketball. We felt like we kind of owed them that game as well. Having them come support us and get a great win, it's amazing.
How big is this going into Kansas?
It's big. Every single game is the biggest game. Monday is no different, paying against a Top-10 team at their place on national television- doesn't get any bigger than that. We feel like we can go in there and beat them, we've said it time and time again, it's time to prove it.
SENIOR GUARD DASH HARRIS
On the team's mentality in overtime
We just wanted to attack in overtime. We worked extremely hard in preseason, conditioning and even in practice to this day. Playing the extra 5 minutes doesn't get to us. If we attack then maybe they'll fall down. Coach said you want to score the first poses
On making free throws in overtime
Just that extra focus, knowing we need this win. That's where some of those games we lost come back to help us. Knowing we need this win that bad. It sits on your mind, and our guys did a good job of stepping up and making some big shots.
How big was this win?
It was real big. It shows how much heart our team has. To start off conference the way we have and to battle like we did. Going down, coming back and finishing a game in overtime. It shows the character of this team and how good we can be.
OKLAHOMA POSTGAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH LON KRUGER
Opening statement
Just a good basketball game, a tough one to lose. I thought our guys did a lot of things well enough to win. But still didn't do some things well enough to win. Congratulations to A&M, they did what they needed to and came up with the win.
On A&M's rebounding off of missed free throws
It happened four or five times, and obviously in an overtime game, it's pretty critical. We'll have to get back and work on that part of our game.
On Romero Osby's play
Romero did a good job, he was aggressive, attacking, and obviously when a guy is going like that, the opponent is going to do some things to make it more difficult from him.
On A&M's play after Middleton went out
I didn't notice anything different. I thought Hibbert came in and did a nice job, Turner hit some big jobs for them, Harris was more aggressive.
What didn't the team do to close out the game?
Generally, we didn't keep them from shooting it well and rebounding, lose balls on their boards in a critical time in the second half when we got a little bit of a lead. Those are things you have to do to increase that margin there
How difficult was this one to lose?
Real tough, real tough to have a game in position when you have a chance to win a road game. Those are hard losses. Real tough- the guys are very disappointed, coaching staff is disappointed. But now we have to go and learn from it.
JUNIOR FORWARD ROMERO OSBY
On not being able to finish the game out in regulation
We couldn't close it out. We did some good things, but rebounding and giving up the ball- it's hard to win games when you do that late in the game.
On the team's mentality going into overtime
I don't think anything changed mentally. We just had to go out there and execute and try to win a game on the road.
JUNIOR FORWARD STEVEN PLEDGER
On losing the lead late in regulation
We were in position to win the game, but we couldn't get enough stops or rebounds to pull it out.
On the last shot of regulation
I felt like I beat my man on the first dribble. I knew I was going to get around to get the fadeaway jumper, and I knew the defender was going to help also. Just didn't go down.
.png&width=84&height=84&quality=100&type=webp)
