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Texas A&M pulls out OT win against Arkansas

Dec 19, 2010 - 1:00 AM Dallas, TX (Sports Network) - Khris Middleton scored a career-high 31 points to lead 25th-ranked Texas A&M to a scrappy 71-62 overtime win over Arkansas in the Showcase at American Airlines Center.

Nathan Walkup collected 15 points and 12 rebounds while David Loubeau added nine points and six boards for the Aggies (10-1), who won their seventh game in a row.

Rotnei Clarke scored 14 points and Julysses Nobles added a dozen for the Razorbacks (7-2), who had a four-game win streak halted.

Arkansas had won the last six meetings between the two teams, who were squaring off for the first time since March 8, 1991 in the-then Southwest Conference Tournament quarterfinals.

Middleton's free throw was the only point of the overtime until Loubeau's hanging five-footer off the glass on an inbounds pass from Middleton made it 63-60 with just over two minutes remaining. It was the Aggies first bucket in almost nine minutes.

Walkup drained six foul shots and Middleton added two more in the final 80 seconds to sew up the victory.

Jeff Peterson hit a layup with 16 seconds remaining for the Razorbacks' only points of the extra session.

"Both teams fought and competed hard," Arkansas head coach John Pelphrey said. "Overtime didn't go well for us again, but it was good to be in that situation. One play could have won the game for us. We just have to learn from this and become stronger."

The Razorbacks' last bucket in regulation came with 6:42 to go in the game to give them a 58-52 advantage before A&M got five straight points from Middleton and a Loubeau free throw to even the contest with 4:17 remaining.

Middleton then hit a pair of free throws to give the Aggies a 60-58 edge with 2:05 left to play. Noble canned two at the line to even the score a minute later.

Loubeau missed a short hook shot with 35 seconds left, but Arkansas could not get a shot off before the final buzzer, forcing the extra session.

Peterson drained a triple to expand the Razorbacks' lead to 42-33 with just under 18 minutes to play before the benches emptied a few seconds later. He and Marvell Waithe were assessed technical fouls as were Kourtney Roberson and Walkup of the Aggies. Waithe and Roberson were also ejected from the game.

"We were sleepwalking," Texas A&M head coach Mark Turgeon said. "The scuffle seemed like it really changed the game for us."

Noble scored seven points, including the last four in the final 35 seconds, during a 10-3 run that gave Arkansas a 35-33 lead at halftime. The two teams were not separated by more than six points during the first 20 minutes.

Game Notes

A&M's last win over Arkansas came during the 1988-89 season...The Aggies are 14-18 all-time in neutral site games in Dallas, including 2-3 at this venue. Middleton made 10-of-16 from the floor and 9-of-12 at the line...Walkup was a perfect 9-of-9 at the stripe...Saturday was A&M's first regular season neutral site game in Dallas since taking on TCU during the 1980-81 campaign...Arkansas leads all-time 96-51 since its first meeting during the 1923-24 season. Clarke finished 4-of-11 from the floor with all but one shot coming from beyond the arc...Glenn Bryant added nine points and nine boards in the loss.