KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Three consecutive years.
Three consecutive Texas-Kansas matchups in the finals of the Big 12 tournament. Kansas backed up its side of the arrangement by beating Texas A&M 77-71 after Texas smoked Oklahoma in the early game.
Continue reading "Big shocker -- Kansas, Texas to meet in finals" »
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Russell Robinson made a sweeping lay-in to push Kansas' lead to four points, and Beau Muhlbach missed a 3-point attempt for the Aggies.
Add in a couple of Brandon Rush free throws, and the Jayhawks will move on to meet Texas in the Big 12 tournament finals for the third consecutive year.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- With 1:20 left to go, KU is leading 73-66 over Texas A&M.
The Aggies have the ball, and both teams are in the single bonus.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Courtesy of Beau Muhlbach's 3-pointer, Texas A&M now trails Kansas by just two points.
With 5:13 to go, KU 65, A&M 63.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- If you watch any highlight shows tonight, there's a good chance you'll get to see Bryan Davis' 3-pointer.
The 6-foot-9 forward grabbed the ball at the left elbow with time on the shot clock was expiring. In one swift -- well, as swift as a big dude can be -- move, Davis wheeled, threw the ball baseball-style toward the goal.
The ball banked off the glass and went in, bringing Texas A&M fans and Kansas fans alike to their feet.
With 6:38 left, Kansas 63, A&M 57.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- On the strength of a 9-0 run, Kansas now has a seven-point lead less than 5 minutes into the second half.
The Jayhawks created three consecutive turnovers from A&M and converted all three into points.
With 15:47 left, KU 46, A&M 39.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A few minutes ago, Kansas guard Mario Chalmers had to leave the game after turning his right ankle on a break-away layup.
Chalmers returned to the game, but only for a couple plays before coming right back out. The absence seems to heavily favor Texas A&M.
The Aggies finished out the first half on a 7-0 run to tie the game.
Kansas' Brandon Rush and A&M's Dominique Kirk each have eight points, to lead all scorers, and A&M's Chinemulu Elonu has seven points and four rebounds.
At halftime: Kansas 34, A&M 34.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas apparently didn't want Texas A&M center DeAndre Jordan playing much.
On four of the last five possessions, the Jayhawks have gone right at the big man. Eventually, KU accomplished it's goal, getting Jordan whistled for his third foul.
With 4:52 left in the first, KU 28, A&M 22.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas freshman Cole Aldrich came to Lawrence under high expectations.
Aldrice, a former McDonald's All-America, continues to show glimpses of what fans want to see. The 6-foot-11 center has six points and a pair of rebounds so far against Texas A&M.
His last two points came on an alley-oop slam from Russell Robinson.
Certainly Aldrich's playing time will continue to increase as older players such as Darrell Arthur, Darnell Jackson and Sasha Kaun move on, and from the looks of what he's done at times this year, KU fans probably won't be dissapointed.
With 7:29 left, Kansas 23, A&M 20.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Long-time TV and radio commentator Fred White was just introduced during the last media timeout.
White, who has been serving with the ESPN crews for the past several years, is retiring at the end of this season.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas big man Darrell Arthur headed to the bench after getting called for his second foul of the game.
Depending on how Sasha Kaun, Darnell Jackson and Cole Aldrich play here, we might not see him for the rest of the half.
Granted, if this place stays as loud as it was after a Brandon Rush break-away dunk, the Jayhawks might not need him.
With 10:33 to go, Kansas 19, Texas A&M 16.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- At the first media timeout, Texas A&M holds an early lead over second-seeded Kansas.
The Aggies have utilized strong inside play on both ends, and the Jayhawks have yet to get going.
With 15:50 left in the first, A&M 9, KU 5.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Dominique Carter wanted to ensure Texas A&M's spot in the NCAA tournament.
The Texas A&M senior score 19 points, including two huge 3-pointers in the second half, to push the Aggies past the No. 3 seeded Kansas State Wildcats 63-60.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas State got two attempts, one to win the game and one to send it to overtime.
Both failed.
A&M won 63-60 at the Sprint Center and will advance to play Kansas in the semifinals Saturday.
Kansas State's Jacob Pullen missed a 3-pointer as time expired, ending the game.
The Wildcats' first try came after they got the rebound off a missed A&M shot attempt and called timeout with 20 seconds left to set up a winning shot attempt. Michael Beasley's layup attempt bounced off the rim, and A&M's Josh Carter hit two free throws to make it a 3-point game.
K-State is the lone favorite to lose today.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- K-State has been doing everything right for the past two minutes.
Rebounding, shooting, playing defense hustling to loose balls, you name it. This crowd is louder than during any time of the Kansas-Nebraska game. It's clear the KSU fans want to lock up a good NCAA tournament bid.
With 3:49 left, K-State 57, A&M 56.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Thursday night, several Texas A&M players talked about how eager they were to play tonight's game.
They were demolished by K-State when the teams met in January. It also appears they want a chance at getting back at Kansas, too.
Led by back-to-back 3-pointers by Dominique Kirk, the Aggies have expanded their lead back to seven points.
With 7:25 left, A&M 55, K-State 48.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The natives were getting restless, booing at practically every call and getting highly frustrated with Kansas State. They don't want to be the only higher seed to fall today here at the Big 12 tournament.
It took all of a minute for all of that to change. Kansas State is still trailing by five, but considering they were looking at a double-digit disadvantage, they'll surely take it.
With 11:42 left, Texas A&M 47, K-State 42.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- We all know Michael Beasley can score. Duh.
But on one Texas A&M possession, the 6-foot-10 frosh blocked two shots. The first came right at my spot on press row, and I had one of the best views of the mid-air collision between K-State's Bill Walker and A&M's Josh Carter.
With 16:43 left, A&M 40, K-State 35.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The back and forth between K-State and Texas A&M appears to be starting.
A&M led by as many as six, the Wildcats led by two and now the Aggies are up five again.
KSU's Michael Beasley has 14 points, and A&M's Dominique Kirk has 12.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The back and forth between K-State and Texas A&M appears to be starting.
A&M led by as many as six, the Wildcats led by two and now the Aggies are up five again.
KSU's Michael Beasley has 14 points, and A&M's Dominique Kirk has 12.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Just in case any of you were wonder if K-State and soon-to-be No. 1 pick Michael Beasley lost anything during his five days between games.
Nope.
In 13 minutes, the 6-foot-10 stopover has 13 points.
With 6 minutes left in the first, K-State 28, Texas A&M 26.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- On Darren Kent's 3-pointer, Kansas State has tied the game 26-26 with 7:41 left in the first half.
Momentum, and certainly a semi-hometown crowd, are on the Wildcats' side.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Third-seeded Kansas State appears to be having the same type of early problems Kansas did with Nebraska in the previous game.
The Wildcats trounced Texas A&M in January in Manhattan. So far tonight, the Aggies are controlling this one.
With 11:44 left in the opening half, Texas A&M 18, Kansas State 14.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Texas A&M coach Mark Turgeon said on multiple occasions he didn't want to make any excuses for his team's less-than-stellar performance in the Aggies' 60-47 victory over Iowa State.
But given the circumstances, it's hard not to give this team some slack for struggling against the 11th-seeded Cyclones.
Turgeon announced after his team's game that Sandra Sloan, the mother of guard Donald Sloan, died early Thursday morning. Additionally, starting forward DeAndre Jordan is still in the hospital after suffering what was originally diagnosed as food poisoning.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- While there is technically still a few seconds left in the Texas A&M-Iowa State game, this one is, for all intents and purposes, over.
With 36.1 seconds left, A&M 56, ISU 47.
Wrap-up post to follow.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Twice tonight, Iowa State fans have made it a point to mock Texas A&M's long-standing yell leader traditional chants and dance.
The first time was sort of humorous, as it was just an older ISU fan doing it by himself. The second time, the Cyclone band started in, doing the "Hokey Pokey."
No, it's not that I'm an A&M fan or any kind of stuck-up. It's just that I'm pretty sure those five yell leaders, the ones who all look like they could pick up and throw my Grand Am, could take your entire band, trombones and all.
Just something to think about.
Oh, and with 2:07 left, A&M 50, Iowa State 40.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Texas A&M has struggled to put away Iowa State, but it looks like we might finally have a game in the Big 12 tournament not decided in the last minute of play.
With 3:23 left, A&M 48, Iowa State 37.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Texas A&M forward Joseph Jones isn't exactly putting together a mind-blowing stat line tonight against Iowa State.
But he's been key defensively, helping the Aggies guard mid-range jumpers, as well as around the basket. However, Jones will spend some time on the bench with five points and four rebounds after picking up a silly foul after Iowa State had already grabbed a defensive rebound.
With 8:56 left, A&M 40, ISU 33.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Iowa State, after baskets on three of its last four possessions, has put a shot of HGH into its shooting percentage, which now stands at 27 percent.
The buckets have helped the Cyclones climb to within six points, and after an offensive foul called on Texas A&M's Elonu Chinemulu, ISU has the ball.
With 11:56 left, Texas A&M 37, Iowa State 31.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- What's worse? The fact that Iowa State shot 21 percent (8-of-38) through 3-plus minutes of the second half?
Or is it the fact the Cyclones trail Texas A&M by just six points?
With 15:33 left, Texas A&M 29, Iowa State 23.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Iowa State's entire first half could be defined in a 30-second span just moments ago.
The microcosm included four Cyclone shots, all within three feet of the basket.
All four of them hit rim and bounced out.
Continue reading "Oklahoma, your record is safe ... barely" »
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- New rule for teams in the Big 12 basketball tournament: No watching a game in part or its entirety when your team is about to play.
Case in point, Iowa State's Wesley Johnson just hit a beautiful 3-point and the ISU fans went nuts. But they were almost doing it out of relief. Even after Johnson's make, the Cyclones are just 5-of-24 from the field. That's 21 percent for those of you without calculators.
With 6:30 left in the first half: Texas A&M 14, Iowa State 12.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The post-game news conferences from the Nebraska-Missouri game ran a bit late, so let me get you up to speed.
With 11:33 left, Texas A&M is up 10-7 on 11th-seeded Iowa State.
Aggies forward/center Joseph Jones leads all scorers with four points; teammate Donald sloan has already grabbed three rebounds. For Iowa State, Craig Brackins is leading the way with three points and a pair of rebounds.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- The Aggies lift the Lonestar Showdown Trophy after dominating the Longhorns, 80-63.
Both sides talked about how important the start was, when the Aggies jumped out to a 31-10 lead. D.J. Augustin seemed really disappointed and Rick Barnes said his team's defense was the difference.
Mark Turgeon showed his appreciation for the amazing crowd, and talked about how much the Aggies have grown up in the last three games. He said he was confident they are making the turn.
That's it and that's all. The Aggies dominate the Longhorns at Reed Arena, 80-63. The next game for A&M is Saturday at home against Oklahoma, and next for the Longhorns is Saturday at home against Baylor.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- The last seconds tick off the clock in Aggieland as the Aggies pull off the upset. Barnes had his players foul a few times in the closing minutes, but the Aggies had built an insurmountable lead. Josh Carter lead the Aggies with 19 and Dexter Pittman and D.J. Augustin paced the Longhorns with 14.
Quotes to come.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- This hotly contested rivalry game is near completion, and the Aggies are maintaining control with a 73-56 lead. The Longhorns have nailed some 3-pointers to stay close, but the Aggies have weathered the storms nicely.
Josh Carter is leading the way for A&M with a quiet 18. A&M has been getting DeAndre Jordan involved on the offensive end, and whenever he touches it, the fans get really excited. The 12th Man has maintained the noise all game. It looks like A&M has it wrapped up with under three minutes remaining and a solid cushion.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Wow, Alexis Wangamene was just ejected from the game for committing a flagrant foul. He elbowed DeAndre Jordan in a loose ball situation, and the referee wasted no time tossing him from the game. He left to an earful from the 12th Man.
After the long deadball, the Aggies nailed a few shots and forced Barnes to take another timeout. This place is rocking, and the 13,555 attendance I mentioned earlier was a record by a few hundred. I get the feeling the Aggies have taken control with 7 minutes remaining. 67-54, Aggies.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Texas A&M is maintaining a comfortable lead at 55-40, but there is a feeling that Texas is not done yet. The Aggies had a chance to really seize control a minute ago after a score on offense and forcing a turnover on the end, but a bad pass led to an easy Texas score. The Longhorns still need Augustin to step up if they want to mount a comeback. 12 minutes left, and the Aggies lead.
Attendance was 13,555, well over capacity.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- The Longhorns and Aggies look out of sync to start the second half. Texas has outscored A&M, 5-2, but A.J. Abrams just fired an airball. Neither team has seized control but the Aggies maintain a 15-point lead at 48-33.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Almost everything went right for Texas A&M in the first half, and almost everything went wrong for Texas. The raucous crowd here at Reed Arena never got out of it, fed by a barrage of three-pointers by the Aggies and some exciting dunks to finish up. The Aggies are shooting 64 percent from the floor and 75 percent from behind the arc. They were making everything.
On the other end, Texas' D.J. Augustin was shut down effectively by Donald Sloan and Derrick Roland. That kept the Longhorn's offense from sustaining any consistent attack, although they made a good run with about eight minutes remaining. Texas shot only 30 percent from the floor and Augustin scored only four.
Halftime is about to wrap up on the first edition of the 2008 Lonestar Showdown, and A&M is winning big, 46-28.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- With about a minute left in the first half, Chinemelu Elonu made a big rebound for A&M, and converted a three-point play. That really got the crowd here at Reed Arena into the game.
The next possession, freshman DeAndre Jordan drove the baseline for a thunderous dunk and this place erupted. He also made a three-point play out of it and the Aggies close the half with six quick points and a giant momentum boost. The 12th Man gave them a rousing send-off to the locker room.
At the half, A&M is dominating 46-28.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Good damage control by Rick Barnes and the Longhorns, but the Aggies seemed to have regained some composure, as Donald Sloan buries a three-pointer.
The Aggies are ahead because they were doing a good job of shutting down Augustin, but the last few possessions he has gotten penetration and created for himself or his teammates. If he can continue to be a factor, Texas will not be out of it for long. Three minutes until halftime, 38-26 A&M.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- The long television timeout was just what Texas needed. The Longhorns got a quick layup, two three-pointers and forced two Aggie turnovers out of the break. The score is now 31-18 as Turgeon calls a quick timeout to get things under control for A&M.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- With the game getting out of hand at 24-7, the Longhorns showed some frustration as Dexter Pittman picked up a technical foul after a held ball. That gave the Aggies two free throws and the ball. Barnes is furious with the referees, and the Aggie fans are loving it. Another three-pointer by Josh Carter makes it 29-7. The Aggies are on fire, hitting 83 percent from behind the arc. 29-7 A&M, with more to come.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Smart timeout by Rick Barnes, with the game getting out of hand early. But little has changed. The Aggies are hitting everything in sight, shooting 58 percent, and Damion James has done the only scoring for the Horns.
An unexpected matchup is taking place, with Donald Sloan guarding D.J. Augustin. It's working, though, as Augustin has not gotten anything going.
Another timeout as the Aggies commit their fourth foul. 19-5, A&M with more to come.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- The Longhorns have offered no answer to the inside presence of A&M. The Aggies have had an easy layup on almost every possession so far and have converted. When the Longhorns double-team, the Aggies have open three-pointers outside.
On the offensive end, Texas looks disjointed, committing a few turnovers. Connor Atchley has two fouls already. Texas needs a timeout, because the crowd is really into it. First timeout of the game, A&M leads 14-2.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- The Aggie War Hymn has been sung, and the starting lineups have been announced:
No. 23 Texas A&M Aggies (16-4, 2-3)
G-Dominique Kirk
G-Donald Sloan
F-Josh Carter
F-Joseph Jones
C-Bryan Davis
No. 10 Texas Longhorns (16-3, 3-1)
G-D.J. Augustin
G-A.J. Abrams
G-Justin Mason
F-Connor Atchley
F-Damion James
As expected, Reed Arena is bursting at the seems, and it is very loud. The house is full of white shirts, which were offered free on every seat at the beginning of the game.
Texas A&M wins the opening tip. And a quick three-pointer by Dominique Kirk. 3-0 A&M.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Electricity is in the air with about 15 minutes left until tip-off at Reed Arena. Both teams have taken their warm-up shots and headed back to the lockers. Aggies were cheered, Longhorns were hissed, as is tradition here in Aggieland.
The upper and lower tanks are somewhat slow filling up, but there is some time before tip. And both sides of the student section are packed from top to bottom. It is going to be loud in this arena if the game remains close. A&M just took the floor. First game update coming next, keep following.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- The Lonestar Showdown Rivalry will be renewed again tonight in Aggieland as No. 23 Texas A&M hosts the No. 10 Texas Longhorns. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. ET. The Reed Arena staff just opened the doors to the students and there is a mad scramble in the student section to procure the best possible seats for this heated rivalry.
Texas (16-3, 3-1) comes in on a three-game winning streak, having just dismantled Texas Tech. Their probably starters are:
Point guard- D.J. Augustin
Guard- A.J. Abrams
Guard- Justin Mason
Forward- Connor Atchley
Center- Damion James
The leader of the Longhorns is D.J. Augustin, one of the top point guards in the country. He is scoring 20.9 points a game and dishes 6 assists a game. The offense runs through him. One of the players Texas head coach Rick Barnes expected to make an impact is Justin Mason, a sophomore who has made his presence known and worked his way into the starting lineup.
The Aggies (16-4, 2-3) had a difficult start to their Big 12 schedule, losing three straight. But they just defeated Oklahoma State in a difficult road game and head coach Mark Turgeon said he has been pleased with his team's two latest performances. He said he feels the offense is coming around. They will start
Point guard- Dominique Kirk
Guard- Donald Sloan
Forward- Josh Carter
Forward- Joseph Jones
Center- Bryan Davis
An important player for the Aggies will be Kirk. He is the senior leader and scores 8.2 a game, but Turgeon said he's expecting him to expand his offensive role. He plays the point and will be guarding Augustin, a tough job. Davis, who scores 8.4 a game, has been the MVP of the Aggies on the young season. With his strong play recently and the struggles of freshman DeAndre Jordan, he has worked his way into a starting role. The inside performance of the Aggies, who are bigger than the Longhorns, will be the key to the game.
Approaching game time and Reed Arena is filling up. More to come.
MANHATTAN, KAN. -- The last time Kansas State beat a Top 10 opponent, there was no follow-up energy.
It was March 6, 2004, when the Wildcats took out then-No. 10 Texas at home, only to lose it's next game -- the first round of that year's Big 12 tournament -- to Iowa State. That loss ended the season, and erased the memories of a quality victory that essentially did nothing but guarantee a non-losing season.
MANHATTAN, KAN. -- It's official here in Manhattan, as K-State has improved to 12-4 overall and 2-0 in the Big 12 with a 75-54 win over No. 10 Texas A&M.
K-State's talented freshman 1-2 punch of Michael Beasly (21 points) and Bill Walker (19) were too much for A&M.
The Aggies drop to 15-3 and 1-2, and have now lost consecutive games for the first time this season.
Wrap-up post to follow.
MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Despite three first-half fouls and a less-than-stellar shooting effort for most of the game, K-State freshman Michael Beasley is breaking out against the Aggies.
On back-to-back possessions, Beasley has scored.
Following two more breakaway baskets, K-State now leads, 64-46, and appears poised to move to 7-0 all-time against Texas A&M at Bramlage Coliseum.
MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Frank Martin has decided Bill Walker had enough rest.
Walker, who was leading all scorers with 15 points but also had three fouls, just re-entered the game with 10 minutes remaining after a couple on the bench.
He responded by nailing a three-pointer to give K-State a 52-41 lead and ignite an already over-the-top crowd.
MANHATTAN, KAN. -- K-State's fans gave coach Frank Martin's team enough reason to be up for this game.
The Wildcats are certainly returning the favor so far.
Courtesy of more stingy defense, K-State is up 46-40 on the Aggies with 10:37 to go and the ball coming out of the current timeout.
MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Add another K-State player to the list of the endangered starters.
Freshman forward Bill Walker -- who did not have a foul during the first half -- has been called for three during the opening 6 minutes of the second half. Walker leads all scorers with 15 points, and K-State coach Frank Martin has just taken him out of the game.
MANHATTAN, KAN. -- At the first TV timeout of the second half, K-State and Texas A&M is starting see some foul trouble.
While neither team has recorded 10 fouls, three Aggies and two K-State starters have already been hit with at least two personal fouls. The list inlcudes three apiece for K-State's Michael Beasley and A&M's Bryan Davis.
K-State reserve Darren Kent was also just whistled for his second foul.
With 15:55 to go, it's K-State 39, Texas A&M 36.
MANHATTAN, KAN. -- During the next three months, college basketball fans will continue to get look after look at K-State freshman Michael Beasley.
NBA teams are drooling over the next big thing, and Wildcat fans are drooling at what he's doing in K-State purple. And sure, there are the fantastic dunks, the activeness underneath both baskets and an immeasurable ability to seem to be in the right place at the right time more often than not.
MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Texas A&M didn't put itself among the best teams in the country for nothing.
The Aggies have a rounded-out lineup that includes at least seven players who could start. In any game, opponents have to be looking in multiple directions.
MANHATTAN, KAN. -- K-State looks like it's already made some adjustments to Texas A&M's inside attack.
The Wildcats just held A&M scoreless for approximately 4 minutes without a score. K-State's presence has been an instant credit to much more physical, gang-style approach.
MANHATTAN, KAN. -- It didn't take long to figure out what Texas A&M was planning on doing today.
The Aggies have jumped out to a 11-3 lead here at Bramlage, and most of Texas A&M's damage has come from the paint. Specifically, coach Mark Turgeon's team is going at K-State's "other" talented freshman, 6-foot-6 forward Bill Walker.
Three of the Aggies' early baskets have come against Walker down low. And as if the play itself wasn't enough, Texas A&M sophomore Bryan Davis already made it a point to get in Walker's ear early, too.
On the other side of the court, Walker, who is averaging 15.8 points and 6.5 rebounds a game, has K-State's only after the first five minutes.
MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Funny what happens when you leave the Midwest for a few years. I've seen a number of basketball games here at Kansas State.
But never -- including two games against archrival Kansas -- have I seen and heard out of Bramlage Coliseum what I already have today.
NEW YORK -- Mark Turgeon came to New York City this week and got exactly what he wanted.
The Aggies are going home as winners of the 2007 NIT Season Tip-off after demolishing Ohio State, 70-47, and the Buckeyes never had a shot in this one after failing to score for the first 12 minutes of the second half. That drought was due to some quality defense from Mark Turgeon's squad, along with some poor shooting from the Buckeyes, who shot a lowly 24.6 percent from the game. And in looking at OSU's shooting after halftime, it's even uglier, with Thad Matta's team making just 5 of 28 shots for a pathetic 17.9 percent in the second half. Three-point shooting wasn't much better with OSU, shooting the ball from deep at a 19-percent clip.
Here's the All Tournament Team that was announced following the Aggies' championship win:
Donte Green - Syracuse
Kosta Koufos - Ohio State
Jamar Butler - Ohio State
DeAndre Jordan - Texas A&M
Joseph Jones - Texas A&M*
*named Most Outstanding Player
I'll have some more commentary on both games in Hang Time, so make sure to check there for more tournament coverage, but until then, here are some key points from tonight's championship game:
-For as poorly as Ohio State played and shot the ball from the perimeter, senior point guard Jamar Butler led all scorers with 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting. The Lima, Ohio, native was clearly the one bright spot for the Buckeyes, playing a well-rounded game with three assists, three rebounds and three steals in 32 minutes of action.
-Kosta Koufos was the other Buckeye to score in double figures with 10, but the freshman from Canton, Ohio, never looked comfortable going up against the powerful frontcourt that Texas A&M possesses with both center DeAndre Jordan and forward Joseph Jones.
-The Aggies had four scorers in double figures for the game, with sophomore Derrick Roland topping the state sheet at 15 points. The 6-foot-4 guard really started to light it up in the second half, finishing 6-of-8 from the floor and 3-of-4 from three despite only playing 16-plus minutes tonight.
-Jordan and Jones were two of the other double-digit scorers for Texas A&M, as each scored 10 and 11, respectively, but managed to be even bigger factors on the glasses with 15 rebounds between the two. The Aggies really controlled the boards all night long, outrebounding the Buckeyes, 47-32, for the game.
-Freshman forward Nathan Walkup, a top 150 recruit from the Class of 2007, had a solid game for A&M, contributing 11 points on 3-of-5 shooting from three in just 13-plus minutes.
NEW YORK -- Texas A&M has put it on cruise control here at the Garden, as it looks like Thad Matta and Ohio State have conceded this one, bringing in reserves like Dallas Lauderdale, P.J. Hill, Eric Wallace and Matt Terwilliger.
Mark Turgeon's team is up by 30 with three minutes to go in this one, and the Aggies can celebrate all the way back to College Station, Texas, after beating two quality teams in Washington and Ohio State on the big stage of New York City.
NEW YORK -- Despite being up by 16 with 11 minutes left to go, no one in particular has really stood out for No. 16 Texas A&M in tonight's championship game against unranked Ohio State.
Freshman forward Nathan, though, has started to found his groove from the three-point line along with Derrick Roland as the Aggies have run up on the Buckeyes now, leading 54-30 with 9:29 remaining.
Kosta Koufos hasn't been able to get any of his shots from the perimeter to go down, and the Canton, Ohio, native hasn't challenged DeAndre Jordan or Joseph Jones much in the post.
NEW YORK -- No. 16 Texas A&M has really looked strong in the first five minutes of the second half, and it looks as if Mark Turgeon's team was the one who made the necessary adjustments to go up by double digits.
Right now the Aggies lead, 44-30, at the 14:18-mark, and both teams are in a timeout. Ohio State's Kosta Koufos hasn't looked comfortable against A&M's huge frontline of 7-foot center DeAndre Jordan and 6-foot-9 forward Joseph Jones.
If the Buckeyes can't find some scoring on the interior, it could be a long second half for Thad Matta and company.
NEW YORK -- The second half of our championship game has gotten started at Madison Square Garden, and No. 16 Texas A&M has run out to a nine-point lead, 36-25, within the first couple minutes of the game.
Josh Carter has just hit a three-pointer from the left sideline to extend the Aggies' leadto 38-26, and Thad Matta has been forced to take a timeout with his team down by its biggest deficit of 12.
Kosta Koufos has really been absent in our first 23 minutes of action after having a stellar 24-point performance against No. 21 Syracuse on Wednesday night in the semifinals.
Jamar Butler has continued to be the one guy that the Buckeyes can count on right now, and if I'm Matta, I'm calling a play for my point guard out of this timeout to get OSU back on the right track.
NEW YORK -- Derrick Roland just hit a big three in the left corner to give No. 16 Texas A&M the lead with three minutes to go, but the Buckeyes are hanging tough, down by just three, 28-25, with a minute left before halftime.
Aggies coach Mark Turgeon has to be happy with the way his freshman center DeAndre Jordan has played so far, as the Houston, Texas, native has really controlled things on the glass and made it tough for Kosta Koufos or Othello Hunter to break loose with second-chance opportunities.
Nathan Walkup, meanwhile, just hit a three from the right corner with less than five ticks remaining on the clock, and Texas A&M is headed to the locker room up, 31-25, at halftime.
Jamar Butler is leading the Buckeyes with 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the floor, including two shots from behind the arc, but Ohio State hasn't had much offensive elsewhere as Kosta Koufos has just six points and Evan Turner has tallied three.
The Aggies, on the other hand, have used a balanced scoring attack, as Walkup leads the team with six points on three-pointers. Roland and Jordan each have five, but if I learned anything in watching the first half from the baseline, one of those two is going to have to play well in the second half if Texas A&M wants to crown itself champion here in New York City.
We'll see what adjustments both teams make during the break and be back with more commentary and analysis from the second half.
NEW YORK -- No. 16 Texas A&M is seeing just how tough of an opponent Ohio State really is, as the Aggies have gone up by three, 23-20, with four minutes left in the first half.
Both teams have taken a break in the action, and while I'm looking at the crowd, I'm noticing that this finals matchup between two pretty good ball clubs sure didn't attract any more fans than the first game. It's certainly a disappointing way to end the tournament with a quarter-full arena, but with a 7 p.m. ET start time and today being the biggest day of the year for Christmas shopping, it's understandable that not more have made their way to Madison Square Garden to witness this tintillating contest.
NEW YORK -- Press conferences from the consolation game between No. 21 Syracuse and Washington ran a little long as usual, but we're courtside again to see No. 16 Texas A&M and Ohio State battle in the finals of the NIT Season Tip-off.
The first half between the Aggies and Buckeyes has been closely contested, as both teams have gone back and forth with the lead. But Jamar Butler is the one player who has seemed to find his rhythm early from the perimeter, knocking down two threes to put his team up by two, 17-15, with just less than seven minutes remaining.
The Texas A&M dance team has taken the floor once again after a few appearances during Wednesday night's semifinal game against Washington, and they're dancing at center court to "We've Got The Funk" with their pom-poms. Interesting choice with the song by the Texas A&M pep band conductor.
NEW YORK -- No. 16 Texas A&M will be headed to the finals of the NIT Season Tip-off finals after disposing Washington with a 77-63 victory at Madison Square Garden tonight.
Mark Turgeon's club was bolstered by solid play in the frontcourt, as senior Joseph Jones led the way with 17 points and Dominque Kirk added 15 of his own to the Aggies' scoring line.
One major disappointment for Texas A&M was junior guard Josh Carter, who never seemed to find his shot against the Huskies, finishing with just five points and six rebounds. Donald Sloan, however, filled in nicely for the Aggies, picking up the slack with 16 points, five rebounds and two assists in a grind-it-out win.
Washington's Jon Brockman was the high scorer for the night, recording 21 points on 9-of-20 shooting to go along with 15 rebounds, five of them coming on the offensive end.
Justin Dentmon was the other Husky to tally double-digit points with 10, but the junior point guard really struggled from the field, making just 3 of his 12 attempts (0-for-4 from three).
NEW YORK -- Quincy Pondexter has just fouled out of the game for Washington, and it's looking more and more like No. 16 Texas A&M is gaining control of this game with its defense.
But the Aggies continue to struggle from the line, and I'm sure it's something that Texas A&M coach Mark Turgeon will touch on in the post-game press conferences that will follow this one.
After a Josh Carter dunk, it's Texas A&M up, 64-56, with just less than three minutes left to play.
NEW YORK -- No. 16 Texas A&M is clinging to a one-point lead, 55-54, over Washington with 6:17 remaining in the first game of the NIT Season Tip-off semifinals in The City That Never Sleeps.
The Aggies have opened things up with Donald Sloan starting to heat up from the outside, canning a three to put Texas A&M up 60-54 as we approach the five-minute mark.
Lorenzo Romar and the Huskies are staying close, however, and it's looking like this one is going to be a dogfight to the bitter end.
NEW YORK -- Jon Brockman has been the catalyst all night for Washington, holding down the middle for Lorenzo Romar's Huskies with 15 points and 12 rebounds so far as we go below 12 minutes in the second half here at Madison Square Garden.
No. 16 Texas A&M is hanging on to a 49-46 lead after trailing throughout the first half and shooting just 39.4 percent from the floor before halftime.
Washington, on the other hand, hit an impressive 53.3 percent of its field goals in the first half, but the Huskies aren't showing that same kind of efficiency now after halftime.
NEW YORK -- Texas A&M has got out to the gates early, tying the game at 38-38 just three minutes into the second half, and Washington looks frustrated on the offensive end as junior forward Jon Brockman just picked up his second foul on a charging call.
The Aggies, on the other end, are starting to pick up the pace, getting up and down the floor on Huskie misses yet struggling at the free throw line.
After dominating the glass with offensive rebound after offensive rebound, the Aggies have gained their first lead of the game, 40-38, with 15:45 remaining in the second half.
NEW YORK -- You would have thought with 7-footer DeAndre Jordan and 6-foot-9 senior Joseph Jones that No. 16 Texas A&M would be dominating the paint, but it's been Washington who has really controlled play in the frontcourt, swatting away shot after shot from the Aggie big men.
Donald Sloan just launched what would have been a halfcourt shot at the buzzer, but the ball clanked off the heel of the rim as we head to halftime with Washington leading by four, 36-32.
Jon Brockman is leading all scorers with 13 points and already has 11 rebounds in just 18 minutes of action. For Texas A&M, DeAndre Jordan has only four points but has been big on the glass with nine boards. Sloan is the high scorer for the Aggies, tallying seven points on 3-of-6 shooting from the field.
While the first half had some spectacular moments between Venoy Overton (four points and four assists in the first half) and Jordan, it will be interesting to see what adjustments Mark Turgeon will make with his team at halftime.
But either way, Texas A&M will certainly need to shoot the ball much better from the perimeter if they hope to open things up down low in the second half for Jordan and Joseph Jones.
NEW YORK -- DeAndre Jordan just threw down a big jam of his own with a little more than eight minutes remaining, as No. 16 Texas A&M now trails just by one, 25-24, against a scrappy Washington team.
The Aggies are looking a little more fluid on offense but have yet to lead this game. Washington has found a nice balance between Jon Brockman's physical play down low and their outside perimeter game between freshman Venoy Overton and junior Joel Smith.
What's really hurting Mark Turgeon's team right now is its struggles from the foul line, where neither DeAndre Jordan nor Joseph Jones have found any rhythm so far.
Brockman, meanwhile, just ran the floor and got rewarded for his hustle, throwing down a one-handed dunk that had the MSG crowd ooing and awing as Washington looks to maintain its 36-30 lead heading into halftime.
NEW YORK -- Washington freshman Venoy Overton just made a dazzling steal and took it the other way for the jam to put Washington up, 9-3, with 14 minutes remaining in the first half.
Texas A&M has struggled shooting the ball from the perimeter so far, as Josh Carter hasn't found himself getting many good looks at the basket with the Huskies playing a suffocating brand of defense, a characteristic that's been a part of most of Lorenzo Romar's teams.
Overton, meanwhile, continues to dazzle the few fans that are here at the Garden on the night before Thanksgiving, making a circus layup on a spectacular drive to the basket.
Speaking of spectacular, the Texas A&M dance team is making their first appearance on the court during a timeout, and it's a little hard to focus on the game right now with the Huskies leading, 15-7, at the 11:39 mark.
NEW YORK -- Greetings from The World Famous Madison Square Garden, where tonight we'll witness the semifinals of the NIT Season Tip-off.
The first matchup of the night pits Pac-10 rep Washington against No. 16 Texas A&M, who is out to a 4-0 start on the season after wins over McNeese State, Oral Roberts, UTEP and Quachita Baptist (who???).
While their win over UTEP showed that the Aggies are vulnerable, Mark Turgeon's ball club has two veteran stars in Josh Carter and Joseph Jones, along with a lottery pick candidate this year in 7-foot freshman center DeAndre Jordan.
For Lorenzo Romar's Washington Huskies, junior Justin Dentmon runs the point avergaging 11.7 points and 3.0 dimes a game. Jon Brockman mans the middle after two productive years in Seattle and really carried the Huskies in their 82-68 win over in-state rival Eastern Washington last week. We'll see if Brockman can continue that against a quality Texas A&M team after averaging 23.0 points and 11.7 rebounds in his first three outings. Joel Smith, meanwhile, should also look to provide a spark for Washington tonight as the Huskies' third double-digit scorer.
