Tyler Davis added 11 points as 11 players scored for A&M (4-0), which shot 49 percent (31 of 63). A&M found most of its success in the paint, outscoring Asheville 38-14.
Bulldogs head coach Nick McDevitt attributed the Aggies’ success down low partially to having “so much size at every position” while adding that “in order to beat a Top 25 caliber team, you have to play better than we did.”
Dwayne Sutton had 14 points and a game-high 12 rebounds for Asheville. Dylan Smith also scored 14 points.
A&M senior guard Alex Caruso attributed Sutton’s success on the boards to “not paying attention to the scouting report,” adding “obviously we aren’t perfect, but (the win is) a stride in the right direction.”
The Aggies led by as many 29 and never trailed on Saturday. Outside of second-chance points (16-10), A&M held the advantage in every major statistical category.
Kennedy believed his team wore down the Bulldogs (1-3) in the second half, as A&M outscored Asheville 42-24 in the final 20 minutes. Asheville turned the ball over 19 times in front of a Reed Arena crowd of 5,557, allowing A&M to convert the mistakes into 22 points.
Both squads now turn their attention to tournament play. Asheville joins part of an eight-team field in the Great Alaska Shootout while Texas A&M travels to the Bahamas to participate in the Battle 4 Atlantis.
Jalen Jones, a senior, will be eligible to play in the Battle 4 Atlantis for Texas A&M after completing his four-game suspension. Head coach Billy Kennedy was asked what, if anything, would be changing with Jones’ return to the lineup.
“We will see who gives us the best chance to win on Wednesday,” Kennedy said in regards to starting Jones or Trocha-Morelos next week against Texas. “We have a number of guys who can start so it really doesn’t matter who starts for us, it’s about winning the game. We didn’t have him the last four games and we missed him at times, but we have some other guys. He’s just going to make us stronger.”
Long Island, Bahamas, native Tavario Miller, who scored four points and pulled down seven rebounds in Saturday’s win, claimed his mother gave him a “rough estimate” of 50 friends and family members who will be on site to support Miller and the Aggies next week in the Battle 4 Atlantis.
RECORDS & SERIES NOTES
- Texas A&M won its fourth consecutive game to tip off the 2015-16 campaign Saturday inside Reed Arena, defeating UNC Asheville 75-47.
- A&M has now started 4-0 in two of the last three seasons under Billy Kennedy (A&M began the 2013-14 campaign 6-0).
- The Aggies now lead the all-time series with the Bulldogs, 1-0.
TEAM NOTES
- The victory gave the Aggies their fourth consecutive win of more than 25 points, marking the first time the program has accomplished the feat since Dec. 1-9, 1975.
- The Aggies held Asheville to just 47 points in the contest, a season-low allowed by Texas A&M … The scoring total is the lowest by an A&M opponent since a 63-46 win over UTPA on Jan. 4, 2014.
- Texas A&M committed a season-low nine turnovers, while forcing 19 UNC Ashville give-a-ways … The disparity led to a 22-3 Aggie advantage in points off turnovers.
- The Aggies owned a 33-23 lead at intermission.
- Texas A&M took complete control with a 20-5 second half run that featured the Aggie defense holding UNC Asheville held to just one field goal from 14:42 to 6:27.
- Texas A&M used the starting lineup combination of Anthony Collins, Alex Caruso, Danuel House, Tonny Trocha-Morelos and Tyler Davis for the fourth time this season (4-0).
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Sophomore center Tonny Trocha-Morelos fell just short of his first career double-double, pulling down a personal-best nine rebounds while scoring 12 points … Trocha-Moreles has reached double-digit points in each game this season.
- Senior guard Danuel House also reached double digits in scoring for the fourth straight contest to begin the season, notching 12 points … House has posted 10 or more points in 29 of 35 games played the last two seasons at A&M.
- Tyler Davis was also in double-digit scoring for the fourth time in as many games in his young career, hitting 4-of-6 from the field to push his season shooting total to 80 percent (20-of-25).
- Texas A&M head coach Billy Kennedy improved to 75-61 in his fifth season at Texas A&M and 286-240 in 18 seasons as head coach.
UP NEXT
- The Aggies are island bound as they travel to the Bahamas to take part in the 2015 Battle4Atlantis, Nov. 25-27 … Texas A&M will open the competition against arch-rival Texas on Wednesday at 6 p.m. (CT) with the contest will be televised by AXS TV.
Postgame Quotes
Texas A&M 75, UNC Asheville 47
Nov. 21, 2015 | Reed Arena
TEXAS A&M HEAD COACH BILLY KENNEDY
On Texas A&M’s performance…
“Really proud of the way our guys played defensively today. This team [UNC Asheville] played well against Tennessee. They were organized. They played really hard and scrappy. I thought they did a good job disrupting us some in the first half. Our guys kept their poise, we started to get the ball inside and get to the free throw line a little more in the second half. I thought we wore them down physically.”
On Jalen Jones returning…
“We’ll see who gives us the best chance to win on Wednesday. We have a number of guys who can start for us. It really doesn’t matter who starts for us. It’s about winning the game, staying together and leaning on each other. We didn’t have him the last four games and we missed him at times. That’s just going to make us stronger for what we’re trying to do at the end of the year.”
On the versatility of Texas A&M…
“That’s the beauty of our team. We’ve got a lot of different lineups and a lot of different guys we can play at different times. I think our freshmen are coming along nice. I like the fact that we only had nine turnovers today. We forced 19. We didn’t rely on the 3-point line when we made so many the last few games. Today we came in and won a different way.”
On the upcoming tournament…
“We’ll find out a whole lot in these next three games. We’re playing much better teams and much better players on a neutral floor, not at home. That will be the first road game for us. Physically, we’re healthy and mentally, I think our team is strong. We’ll be excited to play, I know that much.”
TEXAS A&M SENIOR ALEX CARUSO
On playing with a different style…
“I think it’s good for us, we needed this to play against a team that was more disciplined than the previous three. All due respect to the previous three teams we played, this one was a little more. Their players were more disciplined. They ran their stuff, they got back and transitioned, they really limited us getting open shots on the break. It is another dimension we had to work on, since we haven’t been able to do that in live scrimmages or over in Europe. It was good for us to show that we can sit down at a half-court game just as well as we can run and gun with anybody.”
On the first section of season being over…
“We have just solidified all the things that some of us older guys have talked to the media about before the season started. We are going to be a deep talented team. We are going to have guys that can score. We are going to be big inside and we have had two players Tavario [Miller] and Tonny Trocha-Morelos that have improved vastly and they are going to help us a lot. Just to be able to say those things and actually back them up with how we are playing is a real confidence boost for us. I know we are a confident group, like I said we are super deep and talented in that depth. Going forward is just another step, we are gaining confidence. I think especially because this is a different style of play. We knew we could run, and we knew when we make 3s that it’s going to be tough to play with us because have so much skill and talent. I think today was really good in my eyes and gives me confidence that we are going to be able to play with anybody, half-court game or full court. Obviously, we are not perfect but it’s a stride in the right direction.”
TEXAS A&M JUNIOR TAVARIO MILLER
On playing with a different style…
“Good to show that we can get up and run. I think the reason why we we’re able to get out and run, they were really good at the back board tonight as you can see if you look at the stat sheet. I don’t know if we beat them by double digits or not. It’s even rebounds so we couldn’t start a fast break without getting to the rebound. That’s why it wasn’t a fast paced game, but having the ability to be able to slow the game down and go down a set up offensive was really good as well as being able to get out and run to transition.”
On the first four games…
“We like showing that we have the ability to run offense when coach draws it up all the time without a huddle, just showing that we can get up and execute coach’s orders. Also, showing people that we can play fast but throughout the years we really played slow compared to how we are playing this year. I think that’s really good for us.”
UNC ASHEVILLE HEAD COACH NICK MCDEVITT
On UNC Asheville’s performance…
“I thought they played well and in order to beat a top-25 caliber team you have to play better than we did. I didn’t think we had to play perfect, but I thought we had to play really, really well and we weren’t able to do that tonight. Going forward we have to do a better job of taking care of the ball.”
On Texas A&M’s size…
“I think they have so much size at every position. You look at [Alex] Caruso at 6’5″ at shooting guard, and a 6’7″ wing and two 6′ 10″ bigs to start the game. They provide a lot of length on the floor, so there aren’t clear driving lanes. You just can’t keep the ball stagnant and attack length and athleticism like they had.”
On UNC Asheville’s rebounding…
“I just talked to the team about that. Going into the game we said two of the big things would be transition defense and being able to rebound with them. I think we gave up our first transition bucket in the second half. Usually you don’t congratulate your team for holding a team to 75, but we held them to 25 under their average. I was happy with the way we limited their transition points and rebounded the ball with them.”