Texas A&M senior forward Josh Nebo recorded his third double-double of the season in the Aggies’ 58-55 win over Texas Southern on Monday, in which he posted 12 points and 15 rebounds. The 15 rebounds mark the most Nebo has recorded during his time at Texas A&M.
Nebo also got into foul trouble, picking up three in the second half to finish the game with four.
“It’s very important whenever you’re going into situations like that [playing with four fouls]; you can’t be too passive and not want to play defense,” Nebo told 12thman.com. “You still have to play aggressive but be smart with your movements.”
This win puts the Aggies at an overall record of 6-5, their first time above .500 since Thanksgiving.
The Aggies got off to a strong start with an 8-1 lead four minutes into the game; however this was short lived as the Tigers took control of the contest at 17-16.
A&M then regained control of the contest, pushing its lead to 25-18 while holding Texas Southern scoreless for nearly four minutes. Both teams remained close the rest of the first half, with the Aggies leading 27-24 at halftime.
The Tigers put themselves back on top 28-27 to open the second half; however, A&M then went on a 9-0 run over the next two minutes to lead 36-28. The Tigers countered by going on a 10-0 run to regain a 38-36 advantage with 11:44 remaining. For the next few minutes both teams went back and forth, as there were three ties and three lead changes. A&M senior guard Wendell Mitchell hit a three-pointer for a 46-43 lead at the 8:08 mark. This was followed by a dunk by Nebo, which capped off a 5-0 run and a 48-43 Aggie lead.
Following the Aggies’ brief surge, the game was neck and neck for both teams. The Tigers’ senior forward Chris Baldwin’s jumper put them within 50-49 with 4:40 remaining.
The Aggies ultimately held on to their lead, finishing the contest 58-55. A&M coach Buzz Williams said he was proud of his team’s effort in the win.
“I have great respect for how hard our guys are trying to do what it takes for us to have a chance,” Williams told 12thman.com. “They’re trying to follow the recipe that gives us a chance, and that says a lot about how competitive they are.”
The Aggies will travel to Fayetteville on Jan. 4 take on the Arkansas Razorbacks. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m.