Texas A&M routs Valparaiso for 4th straight victory

COLLEGE STATION — Early in the second half of a subdued setting in Reed Arena, a yell leader from Texas A&M reached back and tried heaving with all of his might a bundled T-shirt into the upper deck.

The shirt bounced harmlessly off the façade below the deck’s railing, prompting a groan from the crowd — and creating one happy fan below at his near miss.

Fortunately for the Aggies and their fans, the team he was yelling for had better luck reaching its goal Wednesday night. A&M beat Valparaiso 71-49 in another sparse setting in Reed, this time with most students having headed home for the holidays.

The Aggies (5-4) lost four of their first five games to start the season but have since won four straight, in playing their best ball prior to the start of Southeastern Conference play in early January.

This time around forward Christian Mekowulu and guard Brandon Mahan, both transfers, led the way with 20 points each.

LAMAR 80, TEXAS SOUTHERN 72

Nick Garth exploded for 36 points to lead the Cardinals over the Tigers in Beaumont.

Garth, who averages 12.4 points per game, made eight of nine 3-pointers and all six of his free throws for Lamar (4-6). For Texas Southern (4-7), Jalyn Patterson scored 21 points.

MIAMI 80, HOUSTON BAPTIST 73

Anthony Lawrence scored 17 points, and the Hurricanes beat the Huskies in Coral Gables, Fla., to end a four-game skid.

Oliver Lynch-Daniels scored 19 points for Houston Baptist (3-7).

VIRGINIA 69, SOUTH CAROLINA 52

Ty Jerome had a season-high 25 points, and the No. 5 Cavaliers improved to 10-0 with a win over the Gamecocks in Columbia, S.C.

NORTH CAROLINA ST. 78 AUBURN 71

Markell Johnson had career highs of 27 points and five 3pointers to help the Wolfpack upset the seventh-ranked Tigers in Raleigh, N.C.

Women TEXAS A&M 71 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 51

Kayla Wells had a career-high 26 points, N’dea Jones had 17 rebounds, and Chennedy Carter added a double-double of 23 points and 11 rebounds as the No. 23 Aggies had a big second half to hand the visiting Trojans their first loss of the season while improving to 9-2.

CONNECTICUT 72, OKLAHOMA 63

Napheesa Collier had 23 points and a career-high 17 rebounds, and the top-ranked Huskies overcame a 12-point, second-half half to beat the Sooners in Norman, Okla.

HOUSTON BAPTIST 68 LOUISIANA-MONROE 60

Sophie Taylor had 16 points and nine rebounds, and the host Huskies edged the Warhawks to even their record at 5-5.

IOWA ST. 94, PRAIRIE VIEW 46

Artavia Ford scored 22 points, but the Cyclones were too much for her and the Panthers to overcome in a loss at Ames, Iowa, that dropped them to 3-6.