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DENVER — In front of a pro-Yale crowd looking for a big-time upset in the NCAA Tournament, Texas A&M men's basketball stood tall.
The Aggies went into halftime with an 11-point lead and continued to control the flow of the game, aided by a double-double by forward Pharrel Payne, for a solid first-round win over 13-seed Yale on Thursday, 80-71.
Payne led the way for the Aggies, scoring 25 points on 10-for-12 shooting and collecting 10 rebounds in 25 minutes.
"Pharrel Payne is phenomenal. I remember when he got in the portal, I thought he was super good," guard Wade Taylor IV said following Payne's big night. "I told him we need him (in the transfer portal). He's been outstanding on and off the court. He's been consistent all year. We're really excited he's on our team."
Yale never stopped fighting. Bulldogs' sharp-shooter John Poulakadis finished with 23 points after being held in check with seven in the first half. Despite the Aggies' lead shrinking to as little as six points late in the second half, A&M settled the Bulldogs down, aided by guard Jace Carter's five-point swing with seven minutes left in the game to survive and advance to the round of 32.
"Our staff did a really good job of preparing our guys for how they play. We practiced the adjustments," head coach Buzz Williams told reporters following the win. "Our response was great."
More: Texas A&M vs Yale live score: Aggies leading Bulldogs late in second half
Four-seeded A&M entered the NCAA Tournament feeling as if it had something to prove, following conversations of the Aggies being a popular upset pick. The Bulldogs entered the matchup having run through the Ivy League, appearing in its fifth NCAA tournament in 10 years.
A&M shot well from the field, finishing 31-for-60 (52%), while still struggling from the free-throw line, shooting 12-for-21 (57%). Around the rim, the Aggies excelled, outrebounding the Bulldogs 37-29 while dominating in the paint — a large part due to Payne's big night — 48-32.
"I love (Payne's) spirit. I don't know if I've ever been around a player that's as extroverted as him and so pure in the way he processes life," Williams said.
Now, A&M will await the Michigan-UC San Diego matchup result to find out who they will play Saturday in the round of 32.
Reach Texas A&M beat reporter Tony Catalina via email at [email protected]. Follow the American-Statesman on Facebook and X for more. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Get access to all of our best content with this tremendous offer.
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas A&M vs Yale: Agges win NCAA Tournament game in March Madness
Continue reading...
The Aggies went into halftime with an 11-point lead and continued to control the flow of the game, aided by a double-double by forward Pharrel Payne, for a solid first-round win over 13-seed Yale on Thursday, 80-71.
Payne led the way for the Aggies, scoring 25 points on 10-for-12 shooting and collecting 10 rebounds in 25 minutes.
"Pharrel Payne is phenomenal. I remember when he got in the portal, I thought he was super good," guard Wade Taylor IV said following Payne's big night. "I told him we need him (in the transfer portal). He's been outstanding on and off the court. He's been consistent all year. We're really excited he's on our team."
Yale never stopped fighting. Bulldogs' sharp-shooter John Poulakadis finished with 23 points after being held in check with seven in the first half. Despite the Aggies' lead shrinking to as little as six points late in the second half, A&M settled the Bulldogs down, aided by guard Jace Carter's five-point swing with seven minutes left in the game to survive and advance to the round of 32.
"Our staff did a really good job of preparing our guys for how they play. We practiced the adjustments," head coach Buzz Williams told reporters following the win. "Our response was great."
More: Texas A&M vs Yale live score: Aggies leading Bulldogs late in second half
Four-seeded A&M entered the NCAA Tournament feeling as if it had something to prove, following conversations of the Aggies being a popular upset pick. The Bulldogs entered the matchup having run through the Ivy League, appearing in its fifth NCAA tournament in 10 years.
A&M shot well from the field, finishing 31-for-60 (52%), while still struggling from the free-throw line, shooting 12-for-21 (57%). Around the rim, the Aggies excelled, outrebounding the Bulldogs 37-29 while dominating in the paint — a large part due to Payne's big night — 48-32.
"I love (Payne's) spirit. I don't know if I've ever been around a player that's as extroverted as him and so pure in the way he processes life," Williams said.
Now, A&M will await the Michigan-UC San Diego matchup result to find out who they will play Saturday in the round of 32.
Reach Texas A&M beat reporter Tony Catalina via email at [email protected]. Follow the American-Statesman on Facebook and X for more. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Get access to all of our best content with this tremendous offer.
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas A&M vs Yale: Agges win NCAA Tournament game in March Madness
Continue reading...
