01-31-2018, 02:15 PM
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) -- Texas A&M might have found its point guard of the future -- and its point guard of the present for a program desperately trying to make the NCAA Tournament. Freshman T.J. Starks scored 16 points and A&M used a strong second half to defeat Arkansas 80-66 on Tuesday night in Reed Arena.
"He's just grown up," A&M coach Billy Kennedy said of Starks, who's taken over the starting role the past two games. "When he gets coached, he handles it a lot better. He's maturing more than anything."
That newfound maturity was on display against the Razorbacks, as Starks commanded the offense and made 4 of 5 from 3-point range along the way.
"In the second half he did a better job of making the extra pass," Kennedy said. "He's always been a scorer first, and he's starting to learn how to run the offense and get other guys shots."
The Aggies clutched a 33-32 halftime lead despite committing 12 turnovers in the first 20 minutes. A&M (14-8, 3-6 Southeastern Conference) came out hot in the second half, building a 44-34 lead a little more than two minutes in thanks to a dunk by Tyler Davis and 3-pointers from D.J. Hogg, Starks and Admon Gilder.
Hogg followed up that flurry with two more 3-pointers over the next couple of minutes, in showing some of the long-range form that made him so impactful early in the season for the Aggies.
"I just had to trust my shot and keep shooting," Hogg said. "It started falling and my teammates kept finding me. The bucket seemed to open up for everybody, too."
Meanwhile, Davis was the only rebounder on either team in double digits with 13, including 11 on offense.
Daryl Macon led Arkansas (15-7, 4-5) with 20 points, and Jaylen Barford added 19 for the Razorbacks, who saw their three-game winning streak snapped.
"Our defense in the second half was not the brand we played in the first half," Arkansas coach Mike Anderson said. "Before you knew it, we let their one-point lead blow up to double figures."
http://12thman.com/news/2018/1/30/mens-b...1517397116
"He's just grown up," A&M coach Billy Kennedy said of Starks, who's taken over the starting role the past two games. "When he gets coached, he handles it a lot better. He's maturing more than anything."
That newfound maturity was on display against the Razorbacks, as Starks commanded the offense and made 4 of 5 from 3-point range along the way.
"In the second half he did a better job of making the extra pass," Kennedy said. "He's always been a scorer first, and he's starting to learn how to run the offense and get other guys shots."
The Aggies clutched a 33-32 halftime lead despite committing 12 turnovers in the first 20 minutes. A&M (14-8, 3-6 Southeastern Conference) came out hot in the second half, building a 44-34 lead a little more than two minutes in thanks to a dunk by Tyler Davis and 3-pointers from D.J. Hogg, Starks and Admon Gilder.
Hogg followed up that flurry with two more 3-pointers over the next couple of minutes, in showing some of the long-range form that made him so impactful early in the season for the Aggies.
"I just had to trust my shot and keep shooting," Hogg said. "It started falling and my teammates kept finding me. The bucket seemed to open up for everybody, too."
Meanwhile, Davis was the only rebounder on either team in double digits with 13, including 11 on offense.
Daryl Macon led Arkansas (15-7, 4-5) with 20 points, and Jaylen Barford added 19 for the Razorbacks, who saw their three-game winning streak snapped.
"Our defense in the second half was not the brand we played in the first half," Arkansas coach Mike Anderson said. "Before you knew it, we let their one-point lead blow up to double figures."
http://12thman.com/news/2018/1/30/mens-b...1517397116