Texas A&M
2-1
USC
3-0
Men's Basketball Falls to USC
Nov 18, 2016 | Men's Basketball
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) -- Chimezie Metu scored 14 points and Jordan McLaughlin added 13 as Southern California wiped out a late deficit to defeat Texas A&M 65-63 on Friday night.
The Aggies (2-1) led 63-60 with 58 seconds remaining when the Trojans (3-0) closed with a flourish. Bennie Boatwright made two free throws with 45 seconds remaining to tighten the gap to 63-62. A&M's JC Hampton then drove the lane and missed a short jump shot, and Boatwright missed a 3-point attempt on the ensuing possession. But McLaughlin grabbed the offensive rebound, and Metu followed with a dunk to lift the Trojans to a 64-63 lead they wouldn't relinquish.
Hampton then dribbled the ball up court with 17 seconds left, but De'Anthony Melton stole the ball from behind, and Admon Gilder fouled Melton when he drove to the basket with 11 seconds left. Melton made his first free throw but missed his second, and A&M guard D.J. Hogg's 3-point attempt from the top of the key missed the mark at the buzzer.
Hogg led the Aggies with 17 points, and Tonny Trocha-Morelos added 15.
USC's Elijah Stewart had 11points and 11 rebounds and Metu grabbed 10 boards.
Texas A&M Basketball Postgame Notes
USC 65, Texas A&M 63
Nov. 18, 2016 - Reed Arena
RECORDS & SERIES NOTES
- The Aggies dropped their first game of the season Friday night at Reed Arena, falling to USC 65-63.
- The loss stops a streak of 12 consecutive non-conference wins over high-major opponents at Reed Arena for Texas A&M. The last time A&M lost to a high-major opponent at home in non-league play was Dec. 8, 2001, when it fell to Miami.
TEAM NOTES
- Neither team shot well in the contest, with the Aggies making just 24-of-63 shots (38.1 percent) and the Trojans converting 24-of-67 (35.8 percent).
- Texas A&M held the largest lead of the game at 10 points (20-10) with 8:16 to play in the first half. In the second half, both teams had as much as a seven-point lead.
- The Trojans ended the first half on an 8-1 run to take a 31-29 lead into the intermission.
- Texas A&M used the starting lineup combination of JC Hampton, Admon Gilder, DJ Hogg, Tonny Trocha-Morelos and Tyler Davis for the third time this season (2-1).
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Sophomore DJ Hogg tied his career high with five 3-point baskets, finishing with a game-high 17 points, just three shy of his career high of 20 points.
- Joining Hogg in double-digit scoring was junior Tonny Trocha-Morelos (15 points) and freshman Robert Williams (11).
- Texas A&M head coach Billy Kennedy fell to 101-71 in his sixth season at Texas A&M and 312-250 in 19 seasons as head coach.
UP NEXT
- The Aggies are West Coast bound as they travel to California for the 2016 Wooden Legacy. Texas A&M will face CSUN (Cal State Northridge) in the event's opening round on Thursday at 1 p.m. (CT) before returning to the court Friday for a matchup against New Mexico or Virginia Tech.
- The first two days of the event will take place at Cal State Fullerton's Titan Gym before the site of competition flips to Anaheim's Honda Center for the final day of the tournament (Sunday, Nov. 27).
- On the opposite side of the bracket from the Aggies is Dayton, Nebraska, Portland and UCLA.
