Aggies Battle No. 12 Kentucky in Front of Record Crowd

(Source: Craig Bisacre/Texas A&M Athletics)

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Sahvir Wheeler scored 12 points to lead a balanced scoring attack and No. 12 Kentucky used a strong second half to outlast Texas A&M 64-58 on Wednesday night.

The victory extends Kentucky’s winning streak to four games and snaps an eight-game winning streak for Texas A&M (15-3, 4-1 SEC).

The Aggies were dominant early and led by as many as 13 in front of a record crowd of 14,036, but the Kentucky (15-3, 5-1) chipped away at the lead before going on top midway through the second half and holding on for the win.

The win was No. 799 for coach John Calipari.

Tyrece Radford made a layup for the Aggies to cut the lead to 2 with less than three minutes remaining. Both teams committed turnovers before Jacob Toppin made 1 of 2 free throws to push Kentucky’s lead to 61-58 with about 90 seconds to go.

The Aggies had two chances to tie it after that, but Radford and Hassan Diarra both missed 3-pointers and Texas A&M was forced to intentionally foul with 10 seconds to go.

Davion Mintz made 1 of 2 free throws to extend it to 62-58 and Oscar Tshiebwe made two free throws after another Aggie 3-point miss to secure the victory.

Tshiebwe added eight points and 14 rebounds for Kentucky and Mintz had 10 points and eight rebounds.

Toppin scored the first four points of an 8-1 run that gave Kentucky its first lead of the game with nine minutes left. Kellan Grady missed a 3-pointer but got the rebound and finished with a layup to put the Wildcats on top 49-48.

A dunk by Henry Coleman tied it later in the second half, but Kentucky scored the next four points to make it 58-54 with five minutes to play.

Coleman led A&M with 17 points and was the only Aggie who scored in double figures.

Kentucky scored the first five points of the second half, with a 3 from Wheeler, to tie it. But the Aggies used a 6-1 run aided by three turnovers by the Wildcats to make it 41-36 with about 16 minutes to go.

Texas A&M was up 35-30 at halftime.

Texas A&M Men’s Basketball Postgame Notes
Kentucky 64, Texas A&M 58
Reed Arena (Bryan-College Station, Texas)

RECORDS & SERIES NOTES

  • Texas A&M fell to No. 12 Kentucky, 64-58, inside Reed Arena on Wednesday night to move to 15-3 overall and 4-1 in SEC play.
  • Tonight’s attendance of 14,036 was the most in Reed Arena history.

TEAM NOTES

  • Texas A&M held Kentucky scoreless for 3:24 during the first half as they went on a 6-0 scoring run.
  • Later in the half, Kentucky went on another scoring drought that lasted 3:58. Texas A&M capitalized with a 9-0 run over 2:13, going 4-4 on field goals.
  • The Aggie bench outscored the Wildcats, 27-24, and has led the opposition in scoring for 17 consecutive games this season.
  • Texas A&M outscored Kentucky in the paint, 42-26.
  • The Aggies used the starting lineup of Marcus Williams, Ethan Henderson, Henry Coleman III, Andre Gordon and Tyrece Radford for the sixth time this season (5-1).

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

  • Henry Coleman III led the Aggies in scoring with 17 points and hauled in eight rebounds. In SEC play, Coleman is averaging 18.0 points on 68.5% shooting. He tops the team in rebounding at 6.4.
  • Aaron Cash led A&M and set a new career high with 11 rebounds. His 11 boards are the most by an Aggie this season.
  • Quenton Jackson led the Maroon & White with four assists.
  • Ethan Henderson recorded two assists, tying his career high.

UP NEXT
Texas A&M takes on Arkansas on Saturday at Bud Walton Arena at 7:30 p.m.

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