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Loubeau helps Texas A&M get past Nicholls State

Jan 4, 2011 - 4:11 AM College Station, TX (Sports Network) - David Loubeau led all scorers with 18 points and Khris Middleton finished with 17 points and six rebounds, as 16th- ranked Texas A&M outlasted Nicholls State, 66-55, at Reed Arena.

B.J. Holmes contributed 13 points for Texas A&M (13-1), which has won 10 in a row since suffering a 67-65 loss to Boston College on November 25.

Fred Hunter netted a team-best 17 points for Nicholls State (6-5), which had a brief two-game winning streak halted. Justin Ayers donated 14 points off the bench, while Kenny Franklin ended with 12 points and six boards in defeat.

Nicholls State set the tone in the early going, as Ayers' three-pointer put the visitors ahead 11-3 nearly six minutes in, but Naji Hibbert capped a string of eight straight with a triple to tie things a short time later.

Loubeau's two free throws ended a 7-0 Texas A&M run that put the Aggies up 21-16 with 6 1/2 minutes to play in the half. Kourtney Roberson made a layup with 2:28 left to stretch the lead to eight, 31-23, and the hosts settled for a 35-31 advantage at the break.

Texas A&M never relinquished the lead in the second half, as Nathan Walkup drained a pair from the stripe for a 46-38 advantage with nearly 16 minutes remaining.

Ayers' three and a layup by Hunter narrowed the Nicholls State deficit to three a few minutes later, but the Aggies' lead reached double-digits at 62-50 following Loubeau's layup with 5:37 left.

The Colonels never threatened the outcome in the remaining time on the clock.

Game Notes

This was the first-ever meeting between Texas A&M and Nicholls State on the hardwood...Roberson and Walkup ended with eight and seven points, respectively, in the victory. Both players added six rebounds each.