Spring Break
Aggies fall to Sooners in first home loss of 2008-2009
No. 6 Oklahoma defeats A&M, 69-63
By: Patrick Hayslip
Issue date: 12/8/08 Section: Sports
The Texas A&M men's basketball team suffered its first home defeat in 2008-2009, losing 69-63 to No. 6 Oklahoma on Saturday.
The Sooners led the entire game but a late 3-pointer by junior guard Donald Sloan brought the Aggies to within two, 59-57.
"I always think we are going to win," said senior guard Josh Carter. "I don't look at the score if we are down nine to nothing or fourteen to nothing, there is still time. So whenever [Sloan] cut it to two, I thought we were really going to win."
However Sooners guard Austin Johnson hit a 3-pointer to stretch Oklahoma's lead to 62-57. Late free throws by Johnson and sophomore forward Blake Griffin put the Aggies' hopes of a comeback out of reach.
"We didn't rotate the right way," said A&M Head Coach Mark Turgeon. "They did a good job of recognizing a hot player with their best player on one side and we didn't rotate quickly enough. The kid was hot, and he made it."
Carter led the Aggies with 17 points while shooting three of five from 3-point range. Sophomore guard B.J. Holmes had 11 points off the bench while juniors Bryan Davis and Derrick Roland and Sloan scored eight points each.
Oklahoma opened the game with a 9-0 run that stretched to a 19-6 lead. A&M went on an 8-2 run and closed the half trailing Oklahoma by five points at 30-25.
"We were walking on what I like to call eggshells at the start," Turgeon said. "I thought we were really nervous and I don't know why; maybe it was the Blake Griffin deal."
Griffin, Oklahoma's leading scorer with an average of more than 22 points a game and almost 14 rebounds a game, was limited to 16 points and six rebounds against the Aggies, but Turgeon said Griffin meant more to their team by just being out on the floor.
"If you double him or don't double him, he makes you pay because he is so smart," Turgeon said.
Griffin was hampered by foul trouble but Oklahoma responded when Griffin was on the bench.
The Sooners led the entire game but a late 3-pointer by junior guard Donald Sloan brought the Aggies to within two, 59-57.
"I always think we are going to win," said senior guard Josh Carter. "I don't look at the score if we are down nine to nothing or fourteen to nothing, there is still time. So whenever [Sloan] cut it to two, I thought we were really going to win."
However Sooners guard Austin Johnson hit a 3-pointer to stretch Oklahoma's lead to 62-57. Late free throws by Johnson and sophomore forward Blake Griffin put the Aggies' hopes of a comeback out of reach.
"We didn't rotate the right way," said A&M Head Coach Mark Turgeon. "They did a good job of recognizing a hot player with their best player on one side and we didn't rotate quickly enough. The kid was hot, and he made it."
Carter led the Aggies with 17 points while shooting three of five from 3-point range. Sophomore guard B.J. Holmes had 11 points off the bench while juniors Bryan Davis and Derrick Roland and Sloan scored eight points each.
Oklahoma opened the game with a 9-0 run that stretched to a 19-6 lead. A&M went on an 8-2 run and closed the half trailing Oklahoma by five points at 30-25.
"We were walking on what I like to call eggshells at the start," Turgeon said. "I thought we were really nervous and I don't know why; maybe it was the Blake Griffin deal."
Griffin, Oklahoma's leading scorer with an average of more than 22 points a game and almost 14 rebounds a game, was limited to 16 points and six rebounds against the Aggies, but Turgeon said Griffin meant more to their team by just being out on the floor.
"If you double him or don't double him, he makes you pay because he is so smart," Turgeon said.
Griffin was hampered by foul trouble but Oklahoma responded when Griffin was on the bench.
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