Last-second 3 extends Aggies’ free fall
COLLEGE STATION — A week ago Texas A&M was ranked fifth nationally.
Now the Aggies are in peril of starting Southeastern Conference play 0-5.
“Nobody is feeling sorry for us,” Texas A&M coach Billy Kennedy said.
He’s right, after LSU toppled No. 11 A&M 69-68 on Saturday in Reed Arena on a last-second, off-balance 3-pointer by standout freshman guard Tremont Waters.
“A tough way to lose the game,” Kennedy said.
The Aggies (11-4, 0-3) hoped to end this season in San Antonio, home of the Final Four. At this rate, they’ll be fortunate to make the NCAA Tournament, considering what’s ahead for a program in a free fall to start SEC play.
After consecutive home games, the staggered Aggies go on the road for the next two — at No. 17 Kentucky on Tuesday and at No. 23 Tennessee on Saturday. A&M has been missing three starters since SEC play began, but the Aggies had no excuses for losing to LSU (10-4, 1-1) considering their inability to hit free throws no matter the player.
A&M finished 19-of-30 from the free-throw line (63 percent) against the Tigers, including barely making half (8-of-15) in the tight second half.
The Aggies were again awful from long range, too, in converting 20 percent of their 3-point attempts (5-of-25), even with the return of alleged sharpshooter D.J. Hogg.
The well-rested Hogg was largely ineffective, finishing 3-for-9 from the field (1-of-5 from the 3-point line). He had missed three consecutive games because of a suspension for an undisclosed violation of a university rule, his second suspension of the season.
“You could tell he hadn’t played in a game,” Kennedy said. “Our chemistry is just different because we haven’t had the same guys in games a whole lot.”
The Aggies played without star forward Robert Williams (sickness) and starting guards Admon Gilder and Duane Wilson (knee injuries). Gilder, the team’s top defender, has missed the last five games. Wilson has missed the last two.
Meanwhile LSU’s Waters has been one of the nation’s top freshmen midway through the season. He entered Saturday afternoon’s action leading the SEC in assists per game (6.2) and steals per game (2.5), and tied for fourth in scoring (17.2 points per game).
A&M led 68-63 with 19 seconds remaining, but Waters drained back-to-back 3-pointers in the comeback victory for firstyear LSU coach Will Wade, the first coming with 12 seconds left and the second with 0.7 seconds remaining.
After Waters’ first 3-pointer, the Tigers fouled A&M center Tyler Davis following the inbound pass, and Davis missed both free throws, setting up Waters’ last clutch launch among a bevy of stretched hands.
“Going into those situations, you know you have to make it,” Waters said. “You can’t secondguess yourself. That was a fun moment.”