Aggie Men Fall in Orlando Invitational Finale

(Source: Mary Holt)
(Source: Mary Holt)

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) Landon Taliaferro scored a career-high 34 points and Taj Benning made six free throws in the final 16 seconds Sunday to help Fairfield hold off Texas A&M 67-62 in the seventh-place game of the Orlando Invitational.

Taliaferro made 12 of 18 shots, including a school-record 10 3-pointers in 15 attempts for the Stags (2-6), who lost to Southern California and Davidson in their other two games in the eight-team tournament at Disney World.

Texas A&M (3-4) trimmed a 61-52 deficit to three with consecutive 3-pointers from Savion Flagg, but the Aggies guard missed a potential game-tying trey before Benning closed it out from the line for Fairfield.

Flagg finished with 17 points. Quenton Jackson had 15 and Wendell Mitchell added 14 for Texas A&M, which led 29-25 at halftime.

Vincent Eze had 10 points and 13 rebounds for Fairfield. Benning missed 5 of 6 shots from the field before going 6 for 6 from the foul line in the closing seconds to finish with eight points.


RECORDS & SERIES NOTES

  • Texas A&M fell to 3-4 on the season following a 67-62 loss to Fairfield Sunday at the Orlando Invitational.
  • The Aggies are now 1-1 all-time against Fairfield.

TEAM NOTES

  • The Aggies held a 29-25 lead at halftime after shooting 40% from the floor and made five three-point field goals.
  • Texas A&M shot 83.3% (15-18) from the free-throw line, the highest mark this season.
  • The Maroon & White hit a season-high nine three-pointers.
  • The Aggies used the starting lineup of Savion FlaggQuenton JacksonWendell MitchellMark French and Josh Nebo for the third time this season (0-3).

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

  • Savion Flagg led the Aggies with 17 points, marking the third time he has scored at least 10 points this season and 25th of his career. At the Orlando Invitational, the Alvin, Texas, native averaged a team-high 12.7 points.
  • Flagg nailed five three-pointers, marking a new season high.
  • Quenton Jackson scored a season-high 15 points on 4-8 shooting. The Los Angeles native also dished out five assists, a new season high.
  • Wendell Mitchell tallied 14 points. Mitchell was a perfect 6-6 from the free throw line, the most he has made all season.
  • Josh Nebo recorded his 228th career block and is the NCAA’s active career leader.
  • Jay Jay Chandler recorded a season-high four assists.
  • Buzz Williams is 3-4 in his first season at Texas A&M and 256-159 in his 13 seasons as a head coach.

UP NEXT

  • The Aggies square off against Texas in the Lone Star Showdown at the state-of-the-art Dickies Arena in Fort Worth Sunday at 2 p.m.

Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics

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