The Sports Xchange
Nov 24, 2017
DJ Hogg scored 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds leading No. 16 Texas A&M to an 81-65 win over Pepperdine on Friday at Reed Arena in College Station, Texas.
Junior center Tyler Davis finished with 16 points, eight rebounds and three blocks, and senior guard Duane Wilson added 15 points for the Aggies, who improved to 5-0.
Sophomore forward Kameron Edwards led Pepperdine (2-4) with 20 points and nine rebounds.
The Aggies hadn't been tested often in the first month of the season. They won their first four games by an average margin of 17.5 points. But Pepperdine hung tough into the second half.
Edwards converted a traditional three-point play that trimmed the Aggies' lead to 60-51 with 8:22 to play.
Pepperdine got as close as six, before A&M mounted a closing run. Hogg hit a 3-pointer and had a dunk to help push the Aggies' lead back to double digits.
Jay Jay Chandler capped a 10-0 Aggie run with a jumper that gave Texas A&M a 21-12 lead with 10:45 left in the first half.
Wilson had 10 points in the first half to lead the Aggies, who led 41-28 at halftime.
Texas A&M blocked 11 shots, three by Robert Williams, an NBA prospect, who finished with four points, seven rebounds and six assists.
The Aggies take a step up in competition on Sunday, when they travel to take on No. 10 USC.
The Waves will try to bounce back at home against Southern Utah on Wednesday.