Texas A&M
19-7, 10-4SEC
South Carolina
13-13, 4-10SEC
House Shoots Men's Basketball to 19th Win of Season
Feb 21, 2015 | Men's Basketball
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Danuel House tied his career high with 25 points off seven 3-pointers to lead Texas A&M a step closer to the NCAA tournament with a 62-52 victory at South Carolina on Saturday.
House was 7-of-11 from long distance as the Aggies (19-7, 10-4 Southeastern Conference) reached 10 SEC victories for the first time since entering the league three seasons ago. Their overall victories are the most in coach Billy Kennedy's four seasons and get their first chance to reach 20 wins -- Texas A&M hadn't accomplished that since going 24-9 in 2010-11, also the date of its last NCAA appearance -- when they face No. 18 Arkansas on Tuesday night.
South Carolina (13-13, 4-10) cut Texas A&M's 13-point lead to five twice in the second half, but could get no closer.
Michael Carrera led the Gamecocks with 17 points.
Jalen Jones added 12 points for the Aggies.
House had 17 of his points in the first half. He struggled to find his shot after the break, but came up big at the right times.
The Gamecocks whittled the lead down to 41-36 on Duane Notice's jumper with 9:21 left. Then House drilled a 3 from the right corner. South Carolina was again within five points, 47-42, on Sindarius Thornwell's 3 with 5:26 left. And again House answered with a long-distance shot to restore the lead.
House tied the career high in points he accomplished in Texas A&M's 70-64, double overtime loss to Kentucky on Jan. 10.
Texas A&M won its third straight and fourth in its past five games.
The Gamecocks had come off a win at Georgia last Tuesday night and had hoped to win consecutive games since its seven-game victory streak ended with the start of SEC play.
It was House and the Aggies who struck fast and often from long range.
House, the Houston transfer, hit two 3-pointers and scored eight points as Texas A&M opened a 12-2 lead less than seven minutes in.
After the Gamecocks cut things to 14-11, the Aggies were at it again with House, Alex Caruso and Peyton Allen each making long-distance baskets.
House added two more 3s in the last 90 seconds to send Texas A&M up 34-21 at the break.
The Aggies had 10 baskets the first 20 minutes, eight of them from behind the arc.
While Texas A&M soared, the Gamecocks floundered from the field as they shot just 29 percent.
South Carolina's leading scorer on the season, Thornwell, picked up two early fouls and played less than three minutes of the opening half.
The Gamecocks had just nine active players with guard Marcus Stroman out again with a throat infection and Demetrius Henryand Shamiek Sheppard suspended for the remainder of the regular season.
TEAM RECORDS & SERIES NOTES
● Texas A&M improved to 19-7 on the season and 10-4 in SEC play after the 62-52 win over South Carolina at Colonial Life Arena Saturday afternoon … The 19 wins are the most in a season by Texas A&M under head coach Billy Kennedy, topping a pair of 18-win campaigns each of the last two years.
● A&M is now 5-2 on the road in conference play this season, having now notched victories at Auburn, LSU, Missouri, South Carolina and Tennessee.
● The all-time series between the Aggies and Gamecocks now stands at 3-1 in favor of A&M.
TEAM NOTES
● The Aggies made 10 3-point baskets in the contest (10-for-21, 47.6 percent), their second most in a game this season behind only 11 against Youngstown State on Dec. 13 … in total, A&M made only 17 field goals in the contest, with 10 coming from beyond the 3-point arc.
● A&M jumped out on the Gamecocks early, beginning the game on 12-2 run … South Carolina pulled to within three points at 14-11 but the Aggies closed the half on 17-10 run to own a 34-21 halftime advantage.
● From the free throw line, A&M was 18-of-25 (72 percent).
● The Aggies used the starting lineup combination of Alex Caruso, Jordan Green, Danuel House, Jalen Jones and Kourtney Roberson for the 17th time this season (13-4).
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
● Junior guard Danuel House fell just one 3-pointer shy of the single game Texas A&M record, going 7-of-11 from long distance .… the Fresno, Texas, native hit the 20-point mark for the second consecutive game and the sixth overall time this year, tying a season-high with 25 points.
● Junior forward Jalen Jones also reached double-digit scoring, finishing with 12 points to go along with eight rebounds.
● Senior forward Kourtney Roberson came close to posting his second straight double-double, pulling down a team-high 10 rebounds while scoring eight points.
● A&M head coach Billy Kennedy is now 69-56 in his fourth season at Texas A&M and 280-235 in 17 years as a head coach.
UP NEXT
● The Aggies' two-game road swing continues as they travel to Fayetteville's Bud Walton Arena to face No. 18 Arkansas on Tuesday at 8 p.m. .... ESPN will carry the game.
Team Stats
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