Texas A&M Cruises Past South Carolina, 83-60

Saturday, February 3

College Station

1 p.m.

Texas A&M

4-615-8; SEC

South Carolina

13-10, 4-6SEC

South Carolina

Texas A&M

Photo by: Spencer Gnauck/Texas A&M Athletics

Feb 03, 2018 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Texas A&M 83, South Carolina 60 - Final Stats (PDF)Photos Highlights

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) -- Junior guard Admon Gilder scored 15 points and Texas A&M dominated South Carolina from the start, winning 83-60 on Saturday in Reed Arena.

The Aggies (15-8, 4-6 Southeastern Conference) led 49-27 at half, in shooting 63 percent (17 of 27) from the field in the first 20 minutes. The Gamecocks (13-10, 4-6) shot 21.1 percent (8 of 38) in the same span, as A&M blasted to the 22-point lead. A&M finished 29 of 55 from the field, good for 53 percent.

Justin Minaya scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the Gamecocks.

A&M sophomore forward Robert Williams collected five blocks, to go with 11 points, and the Aggies' 11 total blocks were one shy of the team record of 12 set in 2013 against Mississippi State. A&M dominated South Carolina in points in the paint (40 to 18) and on the fast break (17-4).

.@__hvmble (7p, 3r, 3a) puts the ? on the w ??#DoMore #12thMan pic.twitter.com/wi1n3TE53y
— Texas A&M Basketball (@aggiembk) February 3, 2018

Block party! ??

Team's 1??1?? blocks today ties a season high (11/24 v Pepperdine) & ties the mark for 2??nd most in a game in program history.#DoMore #12thMan pic.twitter.com/LpuuQmFjIK
— Texas A&M Basketball (@aggiembk) February 3, 2018

Starks provided the spark ? @teedino_ got us going w/ 7?? of our first 1??1?? pts. #DoMore #12thMan pic.twitter.com/PNXoMhFpd0
— Texas A&M Basketball (@aggiembk) February 3, 2018

Texas A&M Basketball Postgame Notes
Texas A&M 83, South Carolina 60 Feb. 3, 2018
Reed Arena (College Station, Texas)

RECORDS / SERIES NOTES

Texas A&M extended its home winnings streak to four games on Saturday at Reed Arena with an 83-60 victory over South Carolina … the Aggies' season ledger now stands at 15-8 with a 4-6 mark in SEC play.
The all-time series between the schools now stands at 4-3 in favor of the Aggies.

TEAM NOTES

Texas A&M tied a season-high with 11 blocks, falling one short of tying the program record of 12 swats set against Mississippi Valley State on Nov. 11, 2013.
The Aggies dominated in transition by scoring 17 fast-break points while holding the Gamecocks to four.
A&M controlled inside on both ends throughout the game, putting up 40 points in the paint while allowing South Carolina just 18.
The Maroon & White offense spread the ball with 11 different Aggies making it into the scoring column, including four in double-figure points … the team logged assists on 20-of-26 made field goals.
The 23-point margin of victory was the Aggies' largest in SEC play since beating LSU, 90-60, Feb. 11, 2017.
Texas A&M took a 49-27 lead into the intermission after scoring its most points in a half against a SEC opponent this season.
Saturday was Legacy Day at Reed Arena as the Aggie Basketball program welcomed back 48 former lettermen who were honored on the court halftime … Additionally, the Aggies featured throwback uniforms against the Gamecocks, honoring the 1969 Aggie squad which captured the Southwest Conference Championship.
A&M used the starting lineup combination of TJ Starks, Admon Gilder, DJ Hogg, Robert Williams and Tyler Davis for the third time this season (2-1).

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

Sophomore Robert Williams set a season high with five blocked shots while also contributing nine rebounds and 11 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting … the Oil City, La., native is shooting 75.0 percent from the floor (39-of-52) and averaging 14.5 points over his last six games.
Junior guard Admon Gilder dropped a team-high 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting … the Dallas native tied a season-high with three steals and added three assists in the win.
Junior center Tyler Davis reached double figures in scoring for the sixth straight game, finishing with 12 points.
Graduate transfer Duane Wilson paced the Aggies in assists with six and contributed a pair of steals in 18 minutes off the bench.
Aggie head coach Billy Kennedy improved to 130-93 during his seven-year tenure at Texas A&M and 341-272 in 20 seasons as a head coach.

UP NEXT

Texas A&M is back on the road next week for a mid-week clash with No. 11 Auburn that will be televised by ESPN2 ... the Aggies and Tigers will square off inside Auburn Arena on Wednesday at 8 p.m.

Texas A&M Basketball Postgame Quotes
Texas A&M 83, South Carolina 60
Feb. 3, 2018 | Reed Arena (College Station, Texas)

TEXAS A&M HEAD COACH BILLY KENNEDY
Opening Statement… "Makes a big differences when the guys are healthy and feel good about their bodies, especially when you are playing against a good physical team like South Carolina. Proud of our guys playing both ends of the floor. We were in attack mode from the beginning of the game and that was a big key."

On the guys motivating the floor… "I thought we did a good job of playing physical without fouling especially in the first half. Tyler did a good job against (Chris) Silva when on the free throw line. Rob was a beast in the first 15 minutes of the game, seems like he got every rebound and was in every play."

On what they did well… "We played each possession with a sense of urgency. We didn't really give anything up, we did some little things well that we haven't done consistently since the beginning of the year. I thought Duane Wilson was showing some experience and some defensive aggression that we haven't seen. Everyone we played gave us something positive."

On the team's play… "This is the best we have played since the beginning of the year. TJ Starks is playing [well] and making better decisions, especially in this first half. I think it is just coming together and starting to grow as a team"

TEXAS A&M JUNIOR GUARD Admon Gilder
On everyone being back and healthy… "It felt how it was at the beginning of the year. Everybody is going out there and playing hard. That's what one thing we put our hats on, we go out there and play defense together and our offense was on because we have a variety of people out there that can score. We came out with some urgency and played as a team."

On playing with urgency… "Coach emphasized that we needed to play with urgency today. I think we know when we do a great job, just hitting first and once we hit, we kept our foot on them and we just came out today and did a great job. Coach told us to play hard and to hold 40 minutes and I just think we hit first and did what needed to be done."

On first half… "We did a great job getting the ball early, scoring and then transition. We have two great posts that can score at any given time down low. Just being able to get out quicker and just being able to play straight up ball with each other. Open shots from DJ, me transitioning, TJ Starks playing really well and playing with confidence."

TEXAS A&M SOPHOMORE FORWARD Robert Williams
On playing vs really good players down low… "Over this past week coach said that there big were going to be physical and they were going to outwork us, so we took offense to that."

On his mid-range jumper… "If they give it to me, it depends on the situation we got make sure and deliver. If they give it to me I'm going to take it and it's good to feel my shot go in a couple of times. "

SOUTH CAROLINA HEAD COACH FRANK MARTIN
Opening Statement... "They got their team together again and that nucleus from heaven, they're real good, there's a reason they were top five in the country. There's a reason why they were picked to win the league. They are a really good team. We didn't have the fight that we needed to be able to overcome such a good basketball team. For us to be good we got to have an unbelievable resolve defensively and offensively. We have to be able to score the paint and that is what gives us a chance to win and we had neither today, we had no resolve to fight their talent. "

On the bigs on both sides of the field… "Chris [Silva] tried to score, he shot a jump hook and hit Tyler Davis right in the chest with the ball, so I don't know why he's so inept in trying to score. Give their guys credit though, Tyler and Robert Williams are real good in there. Maik Kotsar had the opportunity to get shots early, just that he wouldn't shoot the ball. He got in the spot where we ask him to be and shoot it, he passed up opportunities. None of our other bigs did much but try and fight in post positioning. They took it to us simple as that."

On defense giving up 80 points... "We were bad on some rotations, we are young. We were bad today. Over 23 games we have been top 25 in the country defensively. Then, last game we didn't play as well as we were capable of playing. Today we had no resolve and if we don't have resolve against these guys, they got there whole team together with their experience and talent."