NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Scotty Pippen Jr. scored 24 points and Vanderbilt finished strong to defeat Texas A&M 72-67 on Saturday.
Jordan Wright added 15 points and Liam Robbins scored 14 for the Commodores (14-12, 6-8 Southeastern Conference).
Texas A&M’s Tyrece Radford scored the last five points in a 9-0 run that turned a 50-45 deficit into a four-point lead midway through the second half. There were a couple of lead changes before Robbins made a pair of free throws then a jumper that gave the Commodores a 64-61 lead, setting up a final three minutes in which Vanderbilt scored six of the game’s last eight points.
Wright made a layup for a 70-67 lead with 26 seconds remaining and after a missed 3-pointer by Texas A&M (16-11, 5-9), Vanderbilt closed it out at the free-throw line.
SEC Sixth Man of the Year candidate Quenton Jackson, who leads the Aggies in scoring at 13.4 ppg, scored 23 points. Hassan Diarra scored 13, and Radford was the only starter in double figures with 12. The A&M bench outscored the starters 50-17.
Vanderbilt led for most of the first half, but Diarra scored the last five points for Texas A&M to keep the Aggies close. Vanderbilt led 28-27 at halftime. Texas A&M’s starters scored only eight points in the first half.
Texas A&M Men’s Basketball Postgame Notes
Vanderbilt 72, Texas A&M 67
Memorial Gymnasium (Nashville, Tenn.)
RECORDS & SERIES NOTES
- Texas A&M fell to Vanderbilt, 72-67, Saturday night to move to 16-11 (5-9 SEC) on the year.
TEAM NOTES
- Vanderbilt led 37-27 with 16:28 remaining in the game, but the Aggies went on a 15-5 over the next 4:16 to tie the game. A&M took its first lead in the second half, 52-50, on a Tyrece Radford 3-pointer with 9:43 left.
- The Aggie defense recorded 13 steals, marking the second-highest total in SEC play and the eighth game in conference play A&M has had 10-or-more.
- Texas A&M’s bench outscored Vanderbilt, 50-10.
- A&M registered 12 assists, marking the 12th game in conference play that A&M has had 10-or-more.
- The Aggies used the starting lineup of Javonte Brown, Henry Coleman III, Andre Gordon, Tyrece Radford and Marcus Williams for the eighth time this season (6-2).
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Quenton Jackson led the team with 23 points, 21 of which came in the second half. It was the third game this season Jackson has had at least 20 and sixth of his career. His 23-point performance marked the ninth straight game he has scored in double figures.
- Hassan Diarra added 13 points and six rebounds. His six boards were the second-most in his career and his 13 points were the most he has had in conference play this season.
- Tyrece Radford registered 12 points, and has scored in double figures in five of the last six games.
UP NEXT
The Aggies are back in action Tuesday as they host the Georgia Bulldogs at 6 p.m. inside Reed Arena. The game can be seen on ESPNU.