COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP)– Jalen Jones scored 22 points to help No. 18 Texas A&M beat Florida Gulf Coast 75-65 on Wednesday night.
Danuel House added 15 points for the Aggies (7-1). Texas A&M had only 10 turnovers to 21 for Florida Gulf Coast, and outscored the Eagles 21-5 on points off turnovers.
Christian Terrell led Florida Gulf Coast (4-4) with 14 points.
Aggies guard Alex Caruso scored all seven of his points in a 50-second-span in the second half. He grabbed an offensive rebound following D.J. Hogg’s missed 3-point attempt and quickly put the ball in over several players. Caruso stole Reggie Reid’s pass near midcourt and dunked for the loudest roar of the night, then grabbed an offensive rebound and put it back for a score and a three-point play.
Texas A&M Basketball
Postgame Notes
#18 Texas A&M 75, FGCU 65
Dec. 2, 2015 ? Reed Arena
RECORDS & SERIES NOTES
? No. 18 Texas A&M improved to 7-1 on the season with a 75-65 win over FGCU Wednesday night at Reed Arena … The win was A&M’s sixth victory by 10 or more points in eight games this year.
? The Aggies are 5-0 at Reed Arena this season and 131-13 all-time inside the facility against non-conference opponents.
? The meeting was the first between the schools on the hardwood, leaving A&M with a 1-0 advantage in the series.
TEAM NOTES
? The Aggies tied a season high with 12 steals in the contest, forcing 21 FGCU turnovers which led to a 21-5 A&M advantage in points off turnovers.
? Texas A&M received a team effort on the offensive end with six players finishing with seven or more points.
? Texas A&M used the starting lineup combination of Anthony Collins, Alex Caruso, DJ Hogg, Jalen Jones and Tonny Trocha-Morelos for the first time this season (1-0).
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
? Senior Jalen Jones made his first start of the season and recorded his fifth 20-point game at Texas A&M … The Dallas native was 7-for-11 for 19 points during the opening period en route to finishing 8-of-14 from the floor … Jones added a team-high seven rebounds.
? Jones’ 19 first-half points were the most by an Aggie in an opening stanza since Elston Tuner’s 22 against Ole Miss on Feb. 13, 2013.
? Fellow senior Danuel House shook off a sluggish first half that saw him score only two points to record 13 points after halftime … House was 9-of-10 from the free throw line in the contest.
? Senior Anthony Collins enjoyed a solid all-around game, finishing with a season-best nine assists against only two turnovers while adding a game-high three steals.
? Texas A&M head coach Billy Kennedy improved to 78-62 in his fifth season at Texas A&M and 289-241 in 18 seasons as head coach.
UP NEXT
? The Aggies will travel to Tempe, Ariz., to face Arizona State on Saturday … The game will be televised by ESPN2 and tip off at 9:30 p.m. (CT).