Aggie Basketball Game #2:
Dayton (1-0) vs. Texas A&M (1-0)
Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014 · 9:30 a.m. (CT)
Coliseo Roberto Clemente (10,000)
San Juan, Puerto Rico
TV: ESPNU (For more info - AggieAthletics.com/TV)
Alvero Martin, Play-by-Play
Darrin Horn, Commentary
RADIO: Texas A&M Radio Network
Dave South, Play-by-Play
Mike Caruso, Commentary
Local: WTAW-AM 1620 (College Station/Bryan)
LIVE AUDIO/STATS: AggieAthletics.com
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COLLEGE STATION – The Texas A&M men's basketball team will get an early season test this week when it travels to San Juan, P.R., for the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. The eight-team event gets underway Thursday when the Aggies face Dayton at 9:30 a.m. (CT) inside Coliseo Roberto Clemente.
The contest will be nationally televised on ESPNU with Alvero Martin calling the play-by-play and Darrin Horn providing color commentary. Additionally, radio coverage will be provided on the Aggie Sports Network which can be heard locally in the Bryan/College Station area on WTAW (1620 AM).
The Aggies (1-0) officially opened their 2014-15 campaign last Friday by notching an impressive 109-68 victory over Northwestern State at Reed Arena. The contest stood out as the first time the Aggies have hit the century mark in points since putting up 110 in a five-overtime loss to Baylor on Jan. 2, 2008, as well as the first time the Aggies hit triple digits on the scoreboard in a non-overtime game since Dec. 8, 2007, against Texas State.
Balanced scoring was the Aggies' calling card during the victory as seven Texas A&M players reached double-digit points with junior forwards Jalen Jones and Antwan Space leading the way with 16 points apiece.
The contest also saw the A&M debut of seven players including rookie Peyton Allen. The Springfield, Ill., native highlighted the group of newcomers by drawing the opening night start and hitting four 3-point baskets to contribute 12 points.
The Flyers (1-0), meanwhile, also started the season on a positive note as they picked up a 76-52 win over Alabama A&M in Dayton, Ohio, last Friday. Dayton returns 10 players from last season's Elite Eight squad and is led by fourth-year head coach Archie Miller.
Dayton was picked third in the Atlantic-10 Conference preseason poll with senior guard Jordan Sibert (first team) and junior forward Dyshawn Pierre (second team) representing the Flyers on the preseason all-conference team.
The winner of Thursday's Texas A&M-Dayton contest will face the victor of the College of Charleston and Connecticut game on Friday at 1:30 p.m. (CT) after the two losing teams square off at 11 a.m. (CT).
QUICK HITS
• The Aggies hit the road for the first time this season as they travel to San Juan, P.R., for the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, which will take place at Coliseo Roberto Clemente Nov. 20-23.
• Texas A&M and Dayton kick start the event on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. (CT) with the winner moving on to face the winner of Connecticut-College of Charleston.
• During their season-opening win over Northwestern State, the Aggies featured a balanced scoring attack that saw seven players (Jalen Jones-16, Antwan Space-16, Tavario Miller-15, Peyton Allen-12, Avery Johnson-10 and Kourtney Roberson-10) hit double-digits in points.
• Additionally, the Aggies displayed great passing and ball movement against the Demons as A&M dished out 26 assists on 42 made field goals while committing only 13 turnovers ... Junior Alex Caruso led the way with a game-high eight assists and no turnovers, while senior Jordan Green was credited with seven dimes without a turnover.
• Seven players (Peyton Allen, Juan Aparicio, Chris Collins, Avery Johnson Jr., Jalen Jones, Alex Robinson and Ramon White) made their A&M debut in the season-opener ... the group combined for 42 points 14 rebounds and seven assists.
• Rookie Peyton Allen hit four 3-pointers in eight long-range attempts against the Demons.
SERIES HISTORY VS. DAYTON (DAYTON LEADS 1-0)
• Thursday marks the second time the Aggies & Flyers have squared off on the hardwood ... Dayton holds a 1-0 lead in the all-time series.
• The lone meeting in the series took place Dec. 21, 1999, when the Aggies, led by then-head coach Melvin Watkins, dropped an 81-68 decision at Dayton.
• A&M head coach Billy Kennedy has never faced the Flyers during his career as a head coach, nor has Dayton head coach Archie Miller played against the Aggies as a head coach.
• Kennedy has, however, faced Dayton as an assistant during the 2005-06 season while working at the University of Miami ... The Flyers earned a 58-42 win over the Hurricanes in South Florida.
• Additionally, Miller has faced A&M as an Ohio State assistant in 2007-08 when the Aggies earned a 70-47 win over the Buckeyes during the NIT Season Tip-Off at Madison Square Garden.
UP NEXT
During Friday's second round, Texas A&M will face either College of Charleston or defending National Champion Connecticut while the losers of the opening day will square off ... after an off day on Saturday, the tournament concludes Sunday.
AGGIES HIT THE CENTURY MARK FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE `08
The 109-point outburst during the season opener against Northwestern State not only turned heads but it also gave the Texas A&M men's basketball program its first 100-point game since the 2007-08 campaign.
It was the first time the Aggies have hit the century mark since scoring 110 points in a five-overtime loss to Baylor on Jan. 2, 2008, as well as the first time the Aggies hit triple digits on the scoreboard in a non-overtime game since Dec. 8, 2007, against Texas State.
Overall, it marked the 53rd time the Aggies have scored 100 points or more in program history and the ninth time they have done it at Reed Arena.