AM upends Idaho State, 74-44
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) -- Idaho State coach Joe O'Brien thought he had things planned pretty well for Saturday's game against Texas A&M. The Aggies' Josh Carter had other ideas.
Carter tied a school record with eight 3-pointers, leading Texas A&M (No. 10 ESPN/USA Today; No. 11 AP) to a 74-44 victory.
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Carter was 8-of-10 from 3-point range, and Acie Law added 22 points and nine assists for Texas A&M (5-0), which held Idaho State to 29 percent shooting.
"We didn't think they wanted to, or could shoot the 3 real well based on our scouting," O'Brien said. "I have a whole different opinion right now. We didn't want [Joseph] Jones or [Antanas] Kavaliauskas to have their way down in the paint, but Josh Carter was phenomenal."
Carter scored a career-high 26 points.
"Today I really focused on staying straight up and focusing on the rim," Carter said. "I knew open shots would come.
"As long as we run hard and set screens, you are going to get good looks no matter what the other [team] is running."
Carter's shooting helped offset a 3-2 zone defense Idaho State used hoping to take away the Aggies' inside game.
"I thought he did a great job," Texas A&M coach Billy Gillispie said. "He has started to shoot with more confidence lately."
David Schroeder led Idaho State (1-3) with 14 points. Akbar Abdul-Ahad and Matt Stucki each had 11.
Texas A&M shot 62 percent and outrebounded Idaho State, 36-27. The Aggies went on a 14-3 run in the first 4 minutes of the second half and weren't challenged after that.
"That is the worst I have been beat in a long, long time," O'Brien said.
Texas A&M had a 21-point lead with 2:31 left in the first half before Idaho State closed with an 8-0 run to make it 37-24 at halftime.
Texas A&M dominated in the paint, outscoring Idaho State 24-13.
Idaho State was up 6-3 on 3-pointers by Schroeder and Stucki, but never led again after Law's bucket put the Aggies ahead 8-6 with 17:13 left in the half.