Aggies Top Kansas State in SEC/Big 12 Challenge

Saturday, January 30

Manhattan, Kan.

11:00 AM

Texas A&M

8-7,2-6SEC

Kansas State

5-13,1-8Big 12

Texas A&M

Kansas St.

Photo by: Scott Weaver/K-State Athletics

Jan 30, 2021 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box: Texas A&M 68, Kansas State 61

By: Evan Roberts, Texas A&M Athletics Communications

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) Jay Jay Chandler and Savion Flagg scored 14 points each and Texas A&M withstood a 3-point barrage from Kansas State's Nijel Pack in the second half to win 68-61 on Saturday, the Aggies' first win at Manhattan.

Pack, a freshman point guard playing in his second game after missing four because of COVID-19 protocols, made eight 3-pointers, going 7 of 9 from the arc in the second half on his way to a career-high 26 points. His only two-point field goal, a floater with 2:12 left, put the Wildcats (5-13) up three. But Kansas State struggled thereafter with Texas A&M's pressure and was outscored 13-3.

Chandler had four 3-pointers and Flagg a game-high eight rebounds for the Aggies (8-7), who snapped a three-game losing streak and bounced back from a 78-66 loss to LSU in which they didn't score over the final 8:20. Emanuel Miller added 12 points and Andre Gordon 10. Texas A&M had been 0-10 at Bramlage Coliseum.

After a lackluster first half, Kansas State shot 50% in the final 20 minutes but the difference was at the foul line where the Aggies went 18 of 20, including 11 of 11 for their final points. The Aggies made 22 of 26 free throws overall to 5 of 9 for the Wildcats.

Pack had five assists and three steals. Mike McGuirl finished with 10 points and six assists for the Wildcats, who lost their eighth straight, all in January, their first winless January since going 0-7 in 1996-97. They were coming off a 107-59 loss to No. 2 Baylor, the worst loss in school history.

Texas A&M led by 10 in the first half before Pack hit a 3-pointer to start a 12-3 Kansas State run that ended with McGuirl's 3-pointer and the Wildcats trailing 24-23 at the break.

Coach Buzz Williams Postgame Zoom

Emanuel Miller & Savion Flagg Postgame Zoom

Texas A&M Men's Basketball Postgame Notes
Texas A&M 68, Kansas State 61
Bramlage Coliseum (Manhattan, Kansas)

RECORDS & SERIES NOTES

Texas A&M topped Kansas State, 68-61, in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge on Saturday.
The win was the first for the Aggies in Manhattan.
The Wildcats lead the all-time series, 18-10.

TEAM NOTES

With the game tied with 1:39 remaining, the Aggies closed out the game going 11-of-11 from the free-throw line. Texas A&M finished the game 22-for-26 from the charity stripe for a season-high 88.6 percent.
Texas A&M had four players (Jay Jay Chandler, Savion Flagg, Andre Gordon, Emanuel Miller) score in double figures for the first time since March 4, 2020, at Auburn.
Texas A&M's offense had single digit turnovers (9) for the second consecutive game.
The Aggies held Kansas State to 32.1 percent shooting (9-28) in the first half, marking the fifth time this season the Maroon & White have held their opponent to under 35 percent in a half.
The Aggie bench outscored Kansas State, 32-12.
Texas A&M used the starting lineup combination of Jonathan Aku, Jay Jay Chandler, Andre Gordon, Emanuel Miller and Jaxson Robinson (1-0) for the first time this season.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

Seniors Jay Jay Chandler and Savion Flagg led the offense with 14 points each. Chandler has scored in double figures in four of the last five games, and has made nine 3-pointers in the last two.
Flagg hauled in a team-high eight rebounds, all of which came in the second half. Flagg's 14-point performance was the fourth time he has scored 10-or-more this season.
Emanuel Miller registered 12 points and five rebounds and was 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. Miller has scored in double figures in 11 of the 14 games he has played this year.
Andre Gordon added 10 points and was 7-of-8 from the charity stripe. The Sidney, Ohio, native dished out a team-high three assists and had zero turnovers.
Buzz Williams is 24-21 in his career at Texas A&M and 277-176 in his 14 seasons as a head coach.

UP NEXT
Texas A&M returns to the friendly confines of Reed Arena for a 7:30 p.m. matchup Wednesday against Vanderbilt. The game can be seen on SEC Network.

Postgame Quotes
Texas A&M Head Coach Buzz Williams
On the way they played in the last two minutes of today's game…
"I think the number one thing is that it speaks to the character of the kids. I think it speaks to how their parents raised them. January hasn't been the easiest of months for those guys and for them to be able to close the month out in the fashion that they did, there were multiple opportunities when things weren't going our way and they continued to stand their ground and that's what gave us a chance. I think a lot of it is some of the things we talk about each time that we visit. It's only the second game but the first back-to-back games we had we had single digit turnovers. That is ginormous for our team. We got beat on the glass by LSU by two, but we had 15 rebounds that led to 16 points. Today we beat them on the glass and nine rebounds that turned into eight points. Those two things are huge, but to have an opportunity to get fouled and the opportunity to get an offensive rebound, that can only occur if you don't turn it over. Our turnover rate continues to decline in the last two games and that gives us a chance. I thought there were a lot of individual plays where you saw guys being the best version of who they can be. I think that is contagious and I think when things weren't going perfectly, we stood our ground and were able to execute and continue on to the next play. I am very happy for our guys."

On the pressure down the stretch…
"The stuff we do in the front court, there is different ways behind the press that we make adjustments. The front part stays the same. The good thing for us when we are doing right, maybe it eats up six seconds, maybe it eats up eight seconds. Then with a methodical team that needs to get the ball back to the point guard to initiate offense, maybe it buys us another two seconds, sometimes three. Now they are trying to initiate offense at 19 seconds on the clock. It shortens the playbook they are able to choose from. I think that was big for us today."

On the feeling of getting a win today…
"I'm really happy for our guys, they are good kids. We need to get better in 4,212 different ways. They are beginning to be accepting of whatever way we are trying to improve that particular day and that speaks to who they are. We aren't the best team, I am not the best coach, we don't have the best roster, but I do think there is a skill in how hard you play. I do think they you can count the spirit in which you compete. Over the last seven days we have seen some of that. If we are only going to be excited on the result than that is foolish on my part as the leader. I think that when you get a result based on how narrow the lane is and what we have been working on and what correlates to winning for them to have our second road win, I think that is really good."

Sophomore Forward Emanuel Miller
On hitting their last 18 free throws…
"That just speaks to the work we are putting in practice. We haven't been getting to the foul line as much in conference play but it's great to get back to our style of play in this Big 12 Challenge. It's just amazing."

On the idea of being more aggressive around the basket…
"I just go in with the same mentality every game and put myself in the best possible situation to help the team. The team comes first in every circumstance and every situation. If I need to be more aggressive, I am going to do that. If I need to be more of a passer, I am going to do that. I'll do anything possible so I can help the team."

On scoring in double-digits…
"It's just the impact we can put on the game. It puts more of a threat on the opposing team. Savion [Flagg] is a great player, Jay Jay [Chandler] has been stepping up big time. You just see all the players stepping up and like I said it's not what you see today it's what's been happening in practice this week with our individual workouts. A lot of guys are getting extra shots after practice and before practice, whenever we can. Its translating to the game, kudos to the whole team and the whole bench. It's great seeing them all out there."

Senior Guard/Forward Savion Flagg
On the pressure affecting them in the last four to five minutes of the game…
"I feel like us continuously pushing the basketball to the rim, our guards getting the ball on the rim and giving us opportunity to get second shots. From myself, Kevin [Marfo] and Eman [Miller], we did a really good job of giving ourself second chance points and putting pressure on the rim. I think we hit our last free throws, we converted when we got fouled so that's a good thing."

On controlling Nijel Pack…
"They ran some really good plays. They are a well-coached team to give him the ball. We got lost a couple of times but that is on the players. Just not following our rules like we are supposed to. He got open a couple times, we lost him. We were over helping, I think. He capitalized on our little mistakes defensively. That's on the players."

On today's struggle to make layups…
"I would say we just have to focus more. Eyes make layups, we just have to focus more when we get to the paint. We are getting there at will whenever we want to, so I would say we just have to lock in more and pay attention and finish layups at the rim."