A&M Knocks Off Vanderbilt on Senior Day

Saturday, March 2

College Station

5 p.m.

Texas A&M

13-15,6-10SEC

Vanderbilt

9-20, 0-16SEC

Vanderbilt

Texas A&M

Mar 02, 2019 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Final Stats (PDF)Christian Mekowulu Postgame Savion Flagg Postgame Photos

By: Texas A&M Athletics Communications

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) -- Savion Flagg scored a game-high 22 points as Texas A&M defeated Vanderbilt 64-57 on Saturday in Reed Arena.

The Aggies (13-15, 6-10 Southeastern) have won five of their last seven league games, while the Commodores (9-20, 0-16) have lost 17 consecutive games, including 16 in the SEC.

The Aggies led 55-53 with 3:06 remaining when Christian Mekowulu made one-of-two free throws to give A&M a three-point lead. Vanderbilt's Yanni Wetzell quickly responded with a dunk with 2:48 left.

Undaunted, Flagg scored the next two baskets on layups to push A&M to an insurmountable 60-55 lead with 1:28 remaining. Mekowulu added 19 points for the Aggies and Flagg and Mekowulu each grabbed 12 rebounds, the game high.

Wetzell led the Commodores with 15 points. Vanderbilt took an 11-0 lead a little more than three minutes into the game. The Aggies never led in the first half but managed to slice the Commodores' lead to one on two occasions a few minutes prior to halftime.

Mekowulu missed all five of his free-throw attempts in the first half but rebounded to make 5 of 6 in the second half.

Texas A&M Basketball Postgame Notes
Texas A&M 64, Vanderbilt 57
Reed Arena (College Station, Texas)

ABOUT THE GAME

The Aggies moved to 13-15 on the year, 6-10 in SEC play after topping Vanderbilt, 64-57, Saturday evening.
It was a slow start for A&M as Vanderbilt pulled away early, but Jay Jay Chandler drew two charges with under 10 minutes remaining in the first half that helped spark at 9-0 run for the Aggies.
A&M got back within four at the break, 29-25, but Christian Mekowulu quickly erased the deficit as he scored the first four points of the new half.
A three from Savion Flagg just over three minutes into the second half gave the Aggies their first lead of the game, and despite Vanderbilt staying within two possession much of the way, A&M never trailed again.

TEAM NOTES

The Aggies outscored Vanderbilt in the paint and won the rebounding battle, 45-36.
A&M picked up the Senior Day win, honoring Frank Byers, Chris Collins, Admon Gilder and Christian Mekowulu prior to the game, as well as student managers Paul Clary, Bonner Garrison and Danny Walters.
The Aggies used the starting lineup of Chris Collins, Wendell Mitchell, Brandon Mahan, Savion Flagg and Christian Mekowulu for the sixth time this season (5-2).

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

Sophomore Savion Flagg led the Aggies in scoring and rebounding for the fourth time in the last five games after a 22-point, 12-rebound effort against the Commodores. This was his fourth double-double of the season.
Graduate student Christian Mekowulu recorded his third double-double of the season with 19 points and 12 rebounds in the victory.
Junior Wendell Mitchell reached double figures for the eighth time in the last nine games as he added 13 points.
Billy Kennedy is now 150-113 in his eight-year tenure at Texas A&M and 361-292 in his 21 seasons as a head coach.

UP NEXT
The Aggies will remain at home for their final regular season game of the year at Reed as they host South Carolina on Tuesday, March 5. Tip is set for 6 p.m. and tickets can be purchased here.

POSTGAME QUOTES
Head Coach Billy Kennedy

Opening Statement
"It wasn't pretty, but I liked our determination and effort. They fought like they didn't want to lose. Christian [Mekowulu] and Savion [Flagg] were big factors on the glass and played with physicality."

On Christian's free throw…
"He is the kid that lives on the free throw line at practice. He shoots a lot of free throws every day and he works at it. I knew he would get it going. I am just thankful he was able to get his confidence back in the second half to make those free throws."

On what changed from first eight minutes of game…
"I think when we brought [Mark] French in and got [Wendell Mitchell] off the ball a little bit it helped us out. It is hard for [Wendell] to get good opportunities to score. As soon as he got the ball in his hands, they were guarding him. Then Chris Collins did a great job defensively in the last five minutes of the game and I thought that was a big key."

On how important it is to get this top 10 finish in the league…
"It is really important if you don't have to play the first day obviously since it is just such a long run to win that many games in a row to give yourself a chance to have some success in the tournament. South Carolina is coming here Tuesday, and everyone is fighting to win games and to be there."

Sophomore Guard/Forward Savion Flagg

On taking it to the basket when they got within one…
"With TJ Starks being out, a lot of people have to get in the paint because he did that almost every play whenever he wanted to. Just getting in the paint and creating, the shots were open, so I just took them and they went in."

On if they came out flat…
"I believe so, I believe we came out flat. It's just lack of being locked in and they were hitting shots. We were turning the ball over and they were getting easy buckets in transition, got a couple and-ones, and us not executing right on the offensive end. They went one-upping us and we just kept fighting and came back."

On if it's on his mind when playing a team that hasn't won a SEC game…
"Not at all, we approach every team with the same respect. We don't really look at their record, but we know that they are a dangerous team, just knowing that they are fighting not to be the last team in the conference. Just coming out we know that they are going to give us their best shot. We look at every team the same."

Graduate Student Christian Mekowulu
On taking a lot of charges…
"Definitely I think it helped us, we took a couple of charges, and it got us going. We got a couple stops and got to run the offense. That definitely switched the momentum of the game."