It took a halftime adjustment and a second-half spurt before No. 7 Texas A&M found its stride. When the Aggies did, it was lights out for visiting Prairie View A&M.

The Aggies put the clamps on the Panthers with a zone defense, and Admon Gilder fueled a 20-2 spurt in the second half to help Texas A&M pull away from the Panthers for a 73-53 win Saturday at Reed Arena in College Station, Texas.

Gilder finished with 14 points, and Tyler Davis had eight points, five rebounds and four blocks. Davis, a junior, also reached a career milestone by becoming the 26th Aggie to pull down 500 rebounds in a career.

Zachary Hamilton scored 18 points and Gary Blackston added 17 points for the Panthers (2-7), who dropped their fourth straight game.

Prairie View A&M hung tough in the first half and was down only three, 29-26, with five minutes left before halftime. The Aggies took a 37-29 lead into intermission behind 10 points from DJ Hogg.

Blackston, who was coming off a season-high 27-point performance in a loss to Hawaii, hit a 3-pointer early in the second half to cut the Aggies' lead to four, 44-40.

Texas A&M (8-1) answered the challenge with a 20-2 run to put away the Panthers.

Gilder ignited the Aggies' closing push with a 3-pointer, and Robert Williams had a dunk during the decisive spurt. Gilder had seven of Texas A&M's 20 points during the run.

"The zone is which separated us in the second half, but that was the big key," Texas A&M coach Billy Kennedy said after the game.

The Panthers went nearly eight minutes without scoring during the run and were unable to recover.

"I think they showed why they are one of the top 10 teams. I expect to see them make a long run in the tournament," Prairie View coach Byron Smith said. "My prediction is they are a Sweet Sixteen, Elite Eight, or even Final Four type teams with the talent they have. Great ball club and they showed why they are where they are right now."

Williams finished with eight points, 16 rebounds and four blocks for the Aggies, who bounced back from a loss to Arizona in Phoenix earlier in the week.

"We knew what was expected of us but our energy wasn't matching, so we have to pick that up," Williams told reporters regarding the Aggies' slow start.

"I thought (Prairie View's) quickness and athleticism gave us some problems," Kennedy added. "You have to give them credit, they played a tough schedule on the road and they came in here and fought with great energy and effort."

Hogg scored 12 points and Tonny Trocha-Morelos came off the bench to add 11 points and seven rebounds for Texas A&M.

The Aggies outrebounded the Panthers 48-34.

Prairie View's Hamilton also reached a career milestone in the game. His game-high 18 points put him over 1,000 points for his career.

Dennis Jones chipped in 10 points for the Panthers.

NOTES: New Texas A&M football coach Jimbo Fisher was introduced to the crowd. ... Texas A&M guard JJ Caldwell suffered a bruised eye bone during the game and didn't play in the second half. ... Texas A&M and Prairie View A&M, which are separated by just 41 miles, have met 13 times. The Aggies have won all 13 games. ... Prairie View A&M is picked to finish fifth in the SWAC this season. ... Texas A&M closes out its pre-SEC schedule with a three-game stretch at home, starting Wednesday when Savannah State visits. ... Prairie View A&M will try to bounce back at Tulsa on Thursday.