Men's Basketball Tops Missouri for Second Straight SEC Win

Saturday, January 20

College Station

3 p.m.

Texas A&M

Missouri

Photo by: Thomas Campbell/Texas A&M Athletics

Jan 20, 2018 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Final Stats (PDF)Tix: Tue 1/30 vs Ark Tix: Sat 2/3 vs SC Highlights Photos

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Texas A&M, once ranked No. 5 nationally to start Southeastern Conference play, believes it's finally back on track following its second consecutive league victory.

"It's good to get back to the way we're capable of playing on the defensive end and taking care of the ball offensively," A&M coach Billy Kennedy said following the Aggies' 60-49 victory over Missouri on Saturday.

Tonny Trocha-Morelos scored a season-high 14 points and the Aggies (13-6, 2-5) continued a tedious recovery from an 0-5 start in SEC play in which they dropped out of the rankings along the way.

"We lost five straight and to come back with two straight wins shows we really care, and that we really want to prove to everybody that we want to win this," Trocha-Morelos said.

On Saturday both teams shot poorly from the field, as A&M converted 39.1 percent (25 of 64) of its shots and Missouri made 27.8 percent (15 of 54) of its attempts.

Missouri was held to season lows in points and shooting percentage, in the Tigers' seventh straight loss to A&M. The Aggies led 29-20 at halftime and were aided in the second half by two rare swishes from the right baseline by the senior center Trocha-Morelos, along with his 15-foot jumper from the free-throw line that put the game out of reach at 58-46 with 1:38 remaining.

"It was the tough, physical game that we expected," said Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin, pointing out A&M's early SEC troubles were primarily because of injuries. "They have a very talented team."

No one from the Tigers (13-6, 3-3) scored in double digits, as Jordan Geist, Jeremiah Tilmon and Jordan Barnett scored nine points each. Both teams struggled from the 3-point line, with A&M making 3 of 17 (17.6 percent) and Missouri 4 of 18 (22.2 percent).

A&M center Tyler Davis was the only player with double-digit rebounds with 14 and he also collected a game-high three blocks.

No better support around the country other than Aggie Students & Fans???? @ReedRowdies Thank yall???? pic.twitter.com/kTC0nRQ1gF
— Savion Flagg (@__hvmble) January 21, 2018

Welcome to TD's block party! ??#DoMore #12thMan pic.twitter.com/iIuIvLM34G
— Texas A&M Basketball (@aggiembk) January 21, 2018

Big game from Lil' Starks @teedino_

1??1?? pts, 2?? assists in 24 minutes. #DoMore #12thMan pic.twitter.com/WGih7aQRUg
— Texas A&M Basketball (@aggiembk) January 21, 2018

Defense ?? Offense.

The Tyler rejection leads to the high percentage shot from @rob_williamsIII #DoMore #12thMan pic.twitter.com/2D74RZtadE
— Texas A&M Basketball (@aggiembk) January 20, 2018

Texas A&M Basketball Postgame Notes
Texas A&M 60, Missouri 49
Jan. 20, 2018 - Reed Arena (College Station, Texas)

RECORDS / SERIES NOTES

Texas A&M won its second straight contest on Saturday, defeating Missouri, 60-49, in front of 11,704 fans at Reed Arena … A&M is now 13-6 on the season with a 2-5 mark in SEC play.
The win was the Aggies' seventh straight over the Tigers, leaving the all-time series at 18-16 in favor of Texas A&M.

TEAM NOTES

The Aggie defense had one of its best days this season, giving up a season-low 49 points on just 15 made field goals while the Tigers shot a season-low 27.8 percent (15-54) from the floor … the 49 points was also a season-low for the Tigers offensively.
Texas A&M turned the ball over a season-low four times against Missouri while forcing eight turnovers by the Tigers that led to eight points … the Tigers' two steals were the fewest by a Texas A&M opponent this season.
The Aggies took a nine point lead into the locker room, outshooting the Tigers in the first 20 minutes 30.6 percent to 25.9 percent while corralling six more rebounds in the opening stanza.
Four Aggies reached double-figure scoring on the day, while the Tigers' team failed to have anyone reach 10 points against the stingy Texas A&M defense.
Texas A&M's big men combined to have a big afternoon, combining for 38 points leading to a 32-22 A&M lead for points in the paint.
Texas A&M donned throwback uniforms to honor the 1969 Aggie squad which captured the Southwest Conference Championship.
A&M used the starting lineup combination of Duane Wilson, Admon Gilder, DJ Hogg, Robert Williams and Tyler Davis for the sixth time this season (5-1).

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

Senior Tonny Trocha-Morelos paced the Texas A&M offense with 14 points against Missouri … The center led the Aggies in scoring for the first time this season and sixth time in his career. The Bogota, Columbia native, pitched in four rebounds, an assist and a steal in 24 minutes of action.
Junior Tyler Davis posted his 13th career (sixth this season) double-double, scoring 11 points and posting a game-high 14 rebounds which moved him into sole possession of 16th on Texas A&M career rebound list, passing Carroll Broussard (596, 1959-62) ... Davis (603) became just the 15th player in Texas A&M history to record 600 career rebounds.
Rookie TJ Starks enjoyed one of his best performances of the season, notching 11 points with two assists and no turnovers in 24 minutes.
Sophomore forward Robert Williams fell just one board short of a double-double, ending play with 13 points and nine rebounds.
Aggie head coach Billy Kennedy improved to 128-91 during his seven-year tenure at Texas A&M and 339-270 in 20 seasons as a head coach.

UP NEXT

The Aggies are back on the road Tuesday when they travel across the Sabine River to Baton Rouge where Texas A&M will face LSU inside the Maravich Center ... The game will tip off at 8 p.m. (CT) and be televised on ESPNU.

Texas A&M Basketball Postgame Quotes
Texas A&M 60, Missouri 49
Jan. 20, 2018 - Reed Arena (College Station, Texas)

TEXAS A&M HEAD COACH BILLY KENNEDY
Opening Statement… "It's good to get back to playing the way we are capable of playing on the defensive end and taking care of the ball offensively. It was really a good team win against a good Missouri team."

On backing up Tuesday's win… "Last game was more relief. It is hard to enjoy a game that you thought you had won. We had to rely on getting a bounce. Fortunately, we had a good bounce. It kind of took some pressure off, so we tried to come in here and play a little more aggressive on both ends of the floor. I thought we played the game the right way, and that is how we want to play on both ends. The chemistry was good today. They have to be ready in case their number is called. To win in this league you can't just win the same way every night."

On Tonny Trocha-Morelos and TJ Starks... "Tonny's been really good in practice. He is playing like a senior. He is talking on defense and doing a lot of things besides making shots. He made shots yesterday, so I thought he would play well today. We decided to go with TJ Starks because we just needed to get more of an offensive punch. His attitude has been good, and he has been coachable in practice.He's done some good things and is really talented. I thought he was a big key in controlling the pace all game. His decision making is the best he's had since he's been here. We wanted to give him an opportunity and he was ready to play. The one thing TJ does is he can get to the rim and is a threat to score. We could really use the scoring. It was good to have TJ play as well as he did. Tonny stepped up and TJ stepped up, and they made us a better team today. That was big."

On the depth of the team… "Look at the minutes and how they are spread out. We didn't have anybody playing 30+ minutes. We can play nine guys and get quality minutes, and they give us something. I thought our shot selection was better. We just played like a more disciplined team. I think it helps our starters when those guys play less minutes and we get quality play off the bench. I thought Savion Flagg made some nice plays for us. I think it helps having all of our guys, and guys knowing what their role is. We have a deep team, and we have a talented team."

TEXAS A&M SENIOR CENTER Tonny Trocha-Morelos
On preparing for the game… "First of all, we have to congratulate our coaches. They did a really good job with the scouting report and getting us ready for this game. They told us every single detail of what they were going to do, and we were just ready. We were ready in practice this morning and yesterday by talking and asking questions. It showed in the game today. The defense did a good job, and that's how we won the game."

On his performance… "I feel that everything I shoot I am going to make. Coach Kennedy has seen me shooting after practice, so he had confidence in me, and today it was going in. He kept telling me to keep shooting until I miss. That's how a relationship works. He trusts and believes in me, so I have to believe in myself too. This is my senior year, so it's experience I guess. I let the game come to me instead of me doing my own stuff. I have to have confidence in myself to be able to play the way I did. It was just part of the game, confidence."

On getting a dominant win… "It means a lot to us and our character. We lost five straight games, so to come out with two straight wins shows that we really care, and that we really want to prove to everybody that we really want to win this. I am so proud of my team for not giving up after five straight losses, and coming out of last Tuesday with a win and coming today the way we did. It just shows that these guys are unselfish and want to do great stuff."

TEXAS A&M FRESHMAN GUARD TJ Starks
On being confident coming off the bench after the past two games… "Yes, just because I was ready for the moment. In and out of the gym day and night, so I felt like this was my time to step up in a big situation. I just want to thank Coach Kennedy for believing in me. Next play. Next play mentality. The coach obviously believed it wasn't my time at the moment and that today was the best situation for me, so I just took full advantage of it. I appreciate him for it. It was normal procedure. He just said TJ get in the game, and once he saw I was feeling the vibe, he was just like we are going to go with him."

On getting a second win… "It is all part of God's plan. We just have to be patient and stick to the course and stick to the game plan. We need to listen to our coaches and stay determined day in and day out in practice. We just need to go hard, and I believe that we will start something new again, and that we are just beginning."

MISSOURI HEAD COACH CUONZO MARTIN
Opening Statement... "It's a physical game liked we expected. They played hard and physical, they are a talented team. Tyler Davis is as good as advertised, he scores it down low, good feel for the game, he has really improved his game. He's always a guy who I thought that even in high school he would score and his ability to pass, find guys, face up make a shot, and put the ball on the floor when he needs to. It was a good learning experience for our guys."

On limiting Kassius Robertson... "You always have to give credit to the team, I thought they did a good job. They made us take tough shots, they made him put the ball on the floor and corral him to there bigs. I thought they did a good job contesting his shots and making him bounce it."

On TJ Starks and Tonny Trocha-Morelos… "(TJ) played well, any time you come off the bench and play at that level. He played like a star, really played very well. He drove the ball, he has a strong frame. He made shots and made plays. The first two threes (Tonny) made were on us because again there was somebody that needed to be given up especially when Tyler was on the floor he has to make his shot, our guards were stunning, but he made a couple shots. He made some plays, that's part of this it's Division 1 basketball.He is a senior, and he made some shots."