DALLAS -- Henry Coleman racked up his second consecutive double-double with 13 points and 15 rebounds while Boots Radford scored 21 points as No. 13 Texas A&M wore down previously unbeaten SMU 79-66 Tuesday night at Moody Coliseum.
SMU (3-1) entered the game averaging 85 points per game as they revamped their team into a more up-tempo, guard-heavy offense. The Aggies (3-0) stuck with what made them an NCAA Tournament team last season: defense, rebounding and getting to the free throw line.
The game started off with both teams shooting poorly, taking more than two minutes before Radford put either team on the scoreboard. It was just 4-4 at the under 16-minute TV timeout, and it took more than seven minutes before either team reached double-digits.
Three-point baskets by SMU guard Chuck Harris kept the Mustangs in striking distance, and consecutive 3s by Jalen Smith gave SMU a 24-20 lead with 5:51 to go in the first half.
Radford had an answer, however, hitting consecutive 3s of his own before fellow guard Wade Taylor (15 points) made a jumper and added a layup off a steal to put the Aggies back in front.
Radford would add a layup and another pair of 3s, including a buzzer beater at the end of the half, as the Aggies extended their lead to 39-32 at intermission. At that point, Radford had already scored 16 points and Coleman had 10 rebounds.
The Aggies never trailed after halftime, but the Mustangs cut what had been a 12-point lead to 4 with 8:58 to go in the game. Coleman delivered an emphatic response with an offensive rebound of a Jace Carter miss, laid it in and was fouled in the effort. After making the free throw, Coleman had put the Aggies back up by 7 with 8:36 to go.
A&M would continue to grow its lead as it did what it had done so many times last year: clamped down defensively. SMU would make one basket and score 3 total points over more than five minutes after cutting the Aggie lead to 4. During that period, SMU missed 7 shots, had a shot blocked, turned the ball over twice and was called for an offensive foul.
The dagger came on a 3-pointer by Carter (10 points), off an offensive rebound and quick pass out from Andersson Garcia (6 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block) that put the Aggies up 64-52 with 4:49 to go in the game. From that point, the lead remained in double-digits as the Aggies hit 10 free throws down the stretch, Garcia added a layup on a splendid pass from Taylor, who was beyond the 3-point line, and a 3 by Manny Obaseki (5 points).
