Texas A&M
1-3
Minnesota
3-0
Aggies Unable to Get By Minnesota in Vancouver
Nov 19, 2018 | Men's Basketball
VANCOUVER, B.C. (AP) -- The experience of Minnesota outlasted the inexperience of Texas A&M in the closing minutes even if baskets were not coming easy. Or at all.
Jordan Murphy scored 14 points, Amir Coffey added 12 points, and Minnesota hit 10 of 14 free throws in the closing minutes to hold off Texas A&M 69-64 on Sunday night in the Vancouver Shootout.
The Golden Gophers (3-0) watched a 14-point first-half lead disappear, but made enough free-throw attempts late to get the victory despite going the final four minutes without a basket. Texas A&M led 64-63, but had four straight empty possessions, missing a pair of long 3-pointers late in the shot clock and committing a pair of turnovers.
The Gophers capitalized on the mistakes at the free-throw line, making six attempts in the final two minutes to hold off the Aggies. Dupree McBrayer added 10 points for the Gophers.
Brandon Mahan scored a career-high 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting and helped ignite Texas A&M's rally, but the Aggies (1-3) lost their third straight and faltered in the closing minutes. Mahan had 14 total points on the season through three games.
Christian Mekowulu added 16 points and TJ Starks had 11 for the Aggies. It was a far better showing for the Aggies than their last game against Gonzaga when they were blown out.
"We thought we had good momentum going down the stretch but we struggled scoring the last three, four minutes," Texas A&M coach Billy Kennedy said. "We didn't get good shots or run good offense and you have to give Minnesota credit. I thought they showed a little more poise down the stretch than we did."
Minnesota led by as many as 14 in the first half, only to let Texas A&M slowly chip away. The Aggies pulled within 41-36 early in the second half on Mahan's corner 3-pointer, but Minnesota built the lead back to 11 after Murphy's first basket of the second half for a 51-40 lead with 11 minutes left.
That's when the Aggies got hot, running off 12 of the next 16 points and closing within 55-52 on Isiah Jasey's dunk. Matz Stockman scored for Minnesota on a rebound putback, but the Aggies scored six straight capped by Mahan's dunk to pull even at 57-all with 5:50 left. Mahan followed with his second 3-pointer and Texas A&M had its first lead since the opening minute of the game.
Daniel Oturu's rebound basket with 4:09 left ended Minnesota's three-minute scoring drought and was the final field goal for the Gophers. Murphy, Coffey and McBrayer all took turns hitting free throws to seal it while Texas A&M struggled to get good looks.
Texas A&M Basketball Postgame Notes
Minnesota 69, Texas A&M 64
Nov. 18, 2018 | Vancouver Convention Centre (Vancouver, B.C.)
ABOUT THE GAME
- The Aggies moved to 1-3 on the season after falling to Minnesota, 69-64, in their first game at the Vancouver Showcase Sunday night.
- Texas A&M used a 14-2 run just inside the midway point in the second half to take its first lead since the opening minutes. The Aggies were up three with just over five to play.
- Five ties and five lead changes closed out the game, with Minnesota keeping the edge.
TEAM NOTES
- The Aggies have seen at least three players score in double figures in all four games this season.
- Texas A&M used the starting lineup combination of Jay Jay Chandler, Savion Flagg, TJ Starks, Brandon Mahan and Christian Mekowulu for the second time this season. The Aggies have a 0-2 record with this lineup.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Sophomore Brandon Mahan led Texas A&M with a season-high 17 points, scoring his entire total in the second half.
- Senior Christian Mekowulu also sent a new season best with 16 points on the night, his first double-digit scoring game in Maroon & White.
- Sophomore Isiah Jasey sparked the run for the Aggies with a big block on the defensive end and a dunk on the other end of the floor with just inside eight minutes remaining.
- Billy Kennedy is now 138-101 in his eight-year tenure at Texas A&M, 349-280 in his 21 seasons as a head coach.
UP NEXT
- The Aggies will remain in Vancouver to wrap up play at the Showcase as they take on Washington on Tuesday, Nov. 20 at 10:30 p.m. CT.
