Christian Mekowulu and TJ Starks scored 17 points each and keyed a big second-half surge that turned a close game at halftime into a runaway as Texas A&M rolled to a 92-68 victory over visiting Marshall on Saturday afternoon at College Station, Texas to win its fifth straight game.
Texas A&M (6-4) led by eight points at intermission and put the game away with a 10-2 run over the first five minutes of the second half while expanding its advantage to 51-35. Marshall held its own for the next eight minutes before the Aggies reeled off a 10-0 run, capped by a pair of free throws by Mekowulu, and put the game away.
Josh Nebu added 16 points for the Aggies, while Brandon Mahan hit for 12 and Jay Jay Chandler scored 11 for Texas A&M. Savion Flagg collected a game-high 12 rebounds as Texas A&M outworked Marshall on the glass 54-30.
Rondale Watson led the Thundering Herd (7-5) with 19 points, with C.J. Burks adding 18 points for Marshall, which had a two-game winning streak snapped.
The game was tied at 29 after a basket by the Herd's Jon Elmore with 5:10 left in the first half before Texas A&M reeled off 12 off the half's final 16 points to claim a 41-33 lead at intermission.
Nebo paced the Aggies with 10 points and six rebounds in the half as A&M outshot the Herd 46 percent to 36 percent and outrebounded Marshall 26-16 over the first 20 minutes.
Watson had 10 in the half to lead Marshall, which was outscored in the paint 26-12.
The Aggies return to the floor on Dec. 29 when they host Texas Southern before starting Southeastern Conference play on Jan 5 at home against Arkansas. Next up for Marshall is a daunting road contest against No. 5 Virginia.
--Field Level Media
Marshall | Texas A&M | |
Rondale Watson 19 | Scoring | Christian Mekowulu 17 |
Jon Elmore 4 | Assists | Savion Flagg 4 |
Jannson Williams 8 | Rebounds | Savion Flagg 12 |
Rondale Watson 5 | Free Throws Made | Christian Mekowulu 6 |
C.J. Burks 2 | Steals | Brandon Mahan 1 |
Jannson Williams 5 | Blocks | Christian Mekowulu 2 |