The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas A&M
Aggies upset 10th-ranked Men's Basketball
01.12.2005 | Men's Basketball
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) -- Acie Law had 24 points and six assists, freshman Joseph Jones added 13 points and 10 rebounds and Texas A&M ended an 18-game Big 12 losing streak with a 74-63 upset of No. 10 Texas on Wednesday night.
The Aggies (12-1, 1-1) are off to their best start since 1959-60, and first-year coach Billy Gillispie has made the best debut in school history.
Before a school-record crowd of 12,811, Law helped A&M end the Longhorns' 10-game winning streak in College Station and improve its record at Reed Arena to 12-0 this season.
The Aggies also knocked off their first Top 10 foe, and fourth overall, since beating Texas in 1982.
P.J. Tucker led the Longhorns (12-3, 1-1) with 18 points and eight rebounds and freshman LaMarcus Aldridge, added 12 points and eight rebounds.
Despite getting off to such an impressive start, A&M had generated little attention mostly because of a nonconference schedule that included games against Prairie View A&M, Texas-Permian Basin and Trinity, a Division III school.
Let there be no more doubt - A&M is for real.
Coming off a tough 65-60 loss at No. 2 Kansas last week, A&M surprisingly seized control of this game early and never let the Longhorns back into it.
The Aggies' lead reached 21 points early in the second half, but Texas (12-3, 1-1) fought back behind a full court press and scoring spurts by Tucker and Aldridge.
It wasn't enough.
Law effortlessly sliced his way through defenders and repeatedly found open shooters, completely outclassing Texas freshman Daniel Gibson.
Gibson, who suffered a cut over his left eye and had it bandaged up at halftime, was 1-of-11 from the field and had three points and two assists.
The Longhorns struggled offensively despite the return of center Jason Klotz, who served a one-game suspension for throwing a punch in last week's win over Memphis, and guard Sydmill Harris, who missed the previous three games with a groin injury.
A&M's aggressive pressure defense - ranked No. 1 nationally in field goal percentage - forced the Longhorns into dozens of off-balance jumpers and 3s from way behind the arc.
Texas made only one of its first 12 shots, a putback slam by Aldridge, and went 7-of-33 from the field, including 2-of-9 on 3s, in the first half.
Law's final 3-pointer of the night, a rainbow over Tucker as the shot clock expired, gave A&M a 63-50 lead with 3:39 to go. That shot sent the crowd into a frenzy and all but ended any comeback attempt.
In the game's final seconds, Law dribbled out the clock near midcourt and then tossed the ball high into the air as A&M players and students spilled onto the court. Thousands of fans locked arms and sang the "Aggie War Hymn," A&M's traditional sendoff after games.
When the final verse was sung, Law and Gillispie waded through a mob of hugs and handshakes before they found each other and embraced to the applause of the crimson-clad fans.
