Despite having three players in double digits, the Texas A&M men’s basketball team fell to the Illinois State Redbirds 55-62 in the CBI tournament quarterfinals Monday.
Both Texas A&M and Illinois State (18-15, 9-9 MVC) came out shooting poorly and committed turnovers early in the first half. A&M led for the majority of the first half, but struggled to find momentum after a 9-0 run by Illinois State.
Sophomore guard Alex Caruso attempted a three-point shot to take the lead with one second left in the first half but was off the mark, sending the game to the intermission with the score tied at 27 apiece.
The second half showed more intensity than the first, with the Aggies taking an early lead. However, the Redbirds were able to match A&M’s intensity and pull ahead late in the second half.
Texas A&M attempted a comeback after a made layup by sophomore Antwan Space with 1:06 left, but four clutch free throws by Illinois State guard Daishon Knight closed the door on the Aggie comeback.
Texas A&M struggled to find any offense as the Redbirds held the Aggies to just 34 percent shooting from the field. The Illinois State defense forced 11 A&M turnovers off seven blocks and four steals. Additionally, the Aggies lost the rebounding battle 35-41, a common trend in A&M losses.
Space scored a team-high 15 points and pulled down six rebounds. Junior guard Jamal Jones contributed 14 points and pulled down a team-high nine boards in the losing effort.
Knight added an MVP-type performance for the Redbirds, scoring a game-high 17 points and nine rebounds. Junior Jon Jones also came up big for Illinois State, scoring 12 points, many coming at crucial points in the game.
Monday’s loss will mark the end of the season for the Aggies who finish with a record of 18-16, including an 8-10 ledger in league play.