Aggies improve to 2-0 in SEC play
COLLEGE STATION — Non-skid socks would have come in handy for Texas A&M guard Dexter Dennis on Saturday night in Reed Arena, but the senior didn’t care if he was halfway slipping around on defense against LSU — he was just bent on trying to help the Aggies win their Southeastern Conference home opener.
Dennis lost one of his shoes on one of his multiple acrobatic baskets late in the first half against the Tigers, then quickly grabbed the sneaker and hustled down the court, with one hand in a defensive stance and the other … holding a shoe.
He finally tossed the toeholder off the court — close to former A&M football coach and longtime Aggies hoops fan R.C. Slocum. Along the way the Aggies continued tossing aside the Tigers in A&M’s 69-56 victory in their first league game in Reed Arena.
LSU (12-3, 1-2 SEC), which entered the contest on the edge of the Associated Press Top 25, was held to a season low in points. A&M, which outscored LSU 42-10 in points in the paint, also snapped a 10-game losing streak to the Tigers dating to an Aggies victory in Baton Rouge, La., in February 2017.
“I know (the Aggies) like to fly around defensively,” said guard Adam Miller, who led the Tigers with 16 points. “(But) on some plays we were looking for fouls instead of going in strong.”
The Aggies were led by Dennis and fellow transfer Julius Marble, who each scored a game-high 17 points. A&M shot 48 percent from the field (26of-54), compared to 35 percent by LSU (17-of-49). The Aggies were intent on slowing the Tigers’ leading scorer, KJ Williams, who entered the contest averaging 19 points per game. He finished with 10 points on 2-of-6 shooting.
LSU is under first-year coach Matt McMahon, hired from Murray State to take the place of the deposed Will Wade, fired in March in the wake of notice of NCAA violations within the LSU program. The Tigers opened SEC play with a home win over then-No. 9 Arkansas before losing by three on the road at Kentucky.
McMahon said he had noted A&M playing with toughness in opening SEC play with a road win at Florida on Wednesday, and “that carried right over into (this) game.”
A&M (10-5, 2-0), which improved to 4-0 in league home openers under fourth-year coach Buzz Williams, also won its season-high fourth consecutive game following a 6-5 start over its first 11 of 13 nonconference contests.
The Aggies started SEC play with the 66-63 victory in Gainesville, Fla., and A&M on Saturday played without guard Manny Obaseki, who underwent surgery on his hand on Friday and will be out four to six weeks.
The Aggies stay at home for their third SEC game and one of their toughest matchups to date, on Wednesday night against No. 20 Missouri, before heading back on the road at South Carolina on Saturday.
A&M is trying to make its first NCAA Tournament since 2018 and first under Williams. The Aggies started last season 4-0 in SEC play before an eight-game skid ultimately kept A&M on the outside looking in in the NCAA postseason.
The Aggies responded by winning four consecutive games in the National Invitation Tournament before losing by a point in the NIT title game against Xavier in New York’s Madison Square Garden. With much of the same roster, the Aggies figured to be NCAA Tournament contenders in Williams’ fourth season. So far in SEC play, they appear to be.
As for playing defense while clutching a shoe? Dennis said it all worked out.
“I was just hoping somebody didn’t come attack me (defensively),” he said with a grin.
Williams said he appreciated that his players “didn’t flinch” while Dennis played defense minus a sneaker.
“I was trying to help him find it,” Williams said of Dennis tossing the shoe toward the crowd.