Texas A&M
8-6, 0-3SEC
South Carolina
12-3, 2-0SEC
Hogg's 25 Not Enough, Aggies Suffer 11-Point Loss at South Carolina
Jan 07, 2017 | Men's Basketball
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)-- Duane Notice had 19 points off four 3-pointers and South Carolina used a late 14-2 run to pull away from Texas A&M 79-68 on Saturday.
The Gamecocks (12-3) improved to 2-0 in Southeastern Conference play for the second straight season - and just the fourth time in 26 seasons in the league.
Sindarius Thornwell had 16 points, 11 of them coming after Texas A&M (8-6) took its final lead, 59-58, on Tonny Trocha-Morelos' jumper with 6:58 remaining. Thornwell ignited the decisive run with a basket on the next possession that put South Carolina ahead to stay. Notice followed with a 3-point play and Thornwell had two more baskets. By the time PJ Dozier hit a 3-pointer from the left corner, the Gamecocks were ahead 72-61.
D.J. Hogg tied his career high with 25 points to lead Texas A&M, which fell to 0-3 in SEC play for the first time in its five league seasons. Hogg had seven 3-pointers, topping his career best of five last accomplished against St. Francis (Pa.) in December.
Rakym Felder scored 19 points and Chris Silva 15 for South Carolina.
For Thornwell, it was his second straight stellar performance since returning from a six-game suspension. He had 19 points, 11 rebounds, six steals and three blocks in South Carolina's win at Georgia this past Wednesday.
Texas A&M Basketball
Postgame Notes
South Carolina 79, Texas A&M 68
Jan. 7, 2017 - Colonial Life Arena (Columbia, S.C.)
RECORDS & SERIES NOTES
- Texas A&M dropped its third straight contest on Saturday afternoon at Colonial Life Arena, falling to South Carolina 79-68 … The Aggies' season record fell to 8-6 with an 0-3 SEC mark.
- The all-time series between the schools is now tied at 3-3.
TEAM NOTES
- Texas A&M shot a solid 52.9 percent (27-of-51) and made a season-high 11 3-point baskets (11-of-19), but was plagued by a season-high tying 25 turnovers
- The Aggies took a 38-36 lead into the intermission after DJ Hogg banked in a 3-point basket as the first period's clock expired.
- Texas A&M used the starting lineup combination of Admon Gilder, Chris Collins, DJ Hogg, Robert Williams and Tyler Davis for the first time this season (0-1).
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Sophomore DJ Hogg tied a career high with 25 points, converting 9-of-13 shots from the field with a 7-of-9 ledger from 3-point range … The Plano, Texas, native was a perfect 5-of-5 from the field with four 3-point baskets during the opening period to lead all scorers at halftime with 14 points … Hogg's seven 3-point baskets were a career-best, topping his previous high-water mark of five.
- The starting assignment was the first for rookie Robert Williams, who notched his second career double-double by contributing 12 points and a personal-best 14 rebounds … Williams, who played a season-high 31 minutes, also blocked two shots to extend his blocked shot streak to 14 games as well as bringing his team-leading blocked shots total to 35.
- Sophomore Tyler Davis contributed 10 points to reach double-digit scoring for the 31st time in 50 career games.
- Texas A&M head coach Billy Kennedy fell to 107-76 in his sixth season at Texas A&M and 318-255 in 19 seasons as head coach.
UP NEXT
- Texas A&M returns home to Reed Arena where it will host LSU on Wednesday, Jan. 11, in a 7:30 p.m. contest ... The game is slated to be broadcast on SEC Network.
