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No. 14 Texas A&M cruises to easy victory over Texas State

Dec 9, 2007 - 4:46 AM COLLEGE STATION, Texas (Ticker) -- For more than four years, No. 14 Texas A&M has made a habit of pounding non-conference opponents at home. Saturday's game with Texas State was no different.

Sophomore Donald Sloan and freshman DeAndre Jordan both scored 18 points as the Aggies used a big run in the first half to coast to a 109-73 victory over the Bobcats.

In the opener of an eight-game homestand, Texas A&M (8-1) jumped out to a 15-5 lead on a jumper by Josh Carter with less than five minutes expired.

After a brief first-half run that saw Texas State (5-3) erase that deficit and take the lead at 20-19, the Aggies went on to score 37 of the game's next 52 points before intermission to put the contest out of reach.

The victory was the Aggies' 40th straight at home over non-conference opponents since an 82-80 loss to Texas A&M Corpus Christi on December 13, 2003. Texas A&M, which was coming off its first loss of the season at Arizona last Sunday, is now 29-1 in its last 30 home games.

"I think the great thing about tonight is that we were able to get better," said Sloan, who tied his career high in points. "We executed every possession at a high level."

The Aggies came into the contest having outscored non-conference opponents at home during the streak by an average of 24.9 points.

On the strength of four three-pointers from Dylan Moseley, the Bobcats took their first lead of the game at 20-19 following a layup by Brandon Bush with 11:50 left in the opening half.

Texas A&M responded with a 19-3 run - highlighted by six points from Joseph Jones and five from Sloan - over the next 4:43 to take a 38-23 lead. The Aggies shot 20-for-32 (62.5 percent) in the first half, including seven dunks, to take a commanding 56-35 advantage at the break.

Carter scored all 12 of his points in the first half.

Texas A&M continued the onslaught, taking a 101-62 lead when freshman B.J. Holmes hit a 3-pointer from the left wing with 3:41 remaining.

"I was pleased tonight," Texas A&M coach Mark Turgeon said. "We shared the ball, we shared minutes and our guys played hard. I feel every time we step on the court, we get better."

Jones scored 12 points and Chinemelu Elonu added 10 for the Aggies, who finished with a 50-37 rebounding advantage and blocked 10 shots.

The 109 points were a Reed Arena record for Texas A&M and the most points scored since a 114-90 victory over Florida International at the 1989 Golden Panthers Holiday Classic in Miami.

The Aggies made 34-of-42 (81 percent) of their shots inside the 3-point line, including 16 dunks.

Moseley had 16 points for Texas State, but only four came after the first half.

The Bobcats have lost 12 of the 15 meetings in the all-time series.