Trocha-Morelos lends a hand as Aggies hold off Tide
COLLEGE STATION – Texas A&M coach Billy Kennedy urged his players not to foul on Alabama’s final possession on Saturday night, so hustling Aggies forward Tonny TrochaMorelos simply stuck his hands straight up on a final 3-point attempt by the Crimson Tide.
Trocha-Morelos came up with leather, and a Reed Arena crowd of 9,661 roared following his gamesaving block. The Aggies defeated the Crimson Tide 56-53, as Alabama missed three 3-point attempts on its final possession.
“I just saw myself close to the guy shooting the 3-pointer, and I thought, ‘I’m just going to put my hands up, because coach had said not to foul,’ ” Trocha-Morelos said. “I’m glad I got the block.”
The Aggies (15-13, 7-9 Southeastern) led 53-50 with 1:37 remaining when Trocha-Morelos missed a long jump shot from the left side. Robert Williams, who led the Aggies with 17 points and 10 rebounds, snagged the offensive rebound and was fouled, but missed both free throws to allow Alabama (16-12, 9-7) to stay close.
On Alabama’s next pos- session, Braxton Key fired an errant pass while under defensive pressure, and Williams came up with the steal. Williams then made both free throws following a foul with 33 seconds left to lift A&Mto a 55-50 lead.
Both teams were off their mark from the field. A&M shot 31.1 percent from the field (14-of-45), while Alabama countered at 33.9 percent (20-of-59). The Aggies more than doubled up the Crimson Tide in points off turnovers (19-8), however.
“It wasn’t the prettiest game I’ve ever coached,” Kennedy said.
Williams, a freshman from Vivian, La., put on a show with a handful of high-rising plays, prompting the Reed Arena crowd to serenade him with a chant of, “One more year!” Williams has developed into a likely NBA firstround selection should he declare for the draft following this season.
The teams played an especially ugly first half, in combining for 40 points on 14 of 52 shooting, and a 2119 A&M lead at the break. The Aggies had nine points with less than five minutes remaining in the first half, before stirring from their slumber.
“They played a tough, hardnosed game,” Alabama coach Avery Johnson Sr. said of the Aggies. “They were ready to play after a slow start. And we’re still a work in progress on offense.”
A&M, which at this point is angling for a National Invitation Tournament bid, plays its final road game of the regular season at Missouri on Tuesday. The Aggies welcome Kentucky to Reed Arena on Saturday to close out the regular season.
Asked what he thought of having nine points so late in the first half, Kennedy responded with a smile, “I was just hoping to get to 10.”