Texas A&M
ARKANSAS TECH
Aggies Open Exhibition Slate with 96-49 Win
Nov 05, 2005 | Men's Basketball
November 05, 2005
Joseph Jones scored 27 points to lead Texas A&M to a 96-49 exhibition victory on Saturday against Arkansas Tech at Reed Arena.
The Aggies struggled early and trailed 13-12 eight minutes into the game. A&M closed the half with a 28-17 run to take a 40-30 halftime lead.
The Aggies wore down Arkansas State in the second half, out-scoring the Wonder Boys, an NCAA Division II team, by a 96-49 margin. Jones had just six points at halftime but scored 21 in the final 20 minutes.
"In the second half, we had to step it up," Jones said. "It was fun to finally get back out there, but we need to focus on getting better."
The Aggies had a whopping 44-8 edge in points-off-turnovers. Arkansas Tech had 31 turnovers to only 13 by A&M. The Aggies connected on 50.0 percent from the field while the Wonder Boys made 37.8 percent.
"We won the ball game and we always like to win," A&M coach Billy Gillispie said. "We have so much to work on, but so does everyone else in the country right now. We have to play better transition defense. We're not Big 12-ready right now, but we don't have to be. We have a long way to go but we will get better."
Jones added eight rebounds and made 10-of-11 from the free throw line. Acie Law contributed 20 points with six assists and five steals, while freshman Josh Carter scored 14 points, making 4-of-6 three-pointers.
"Josh Carter shot the ball very well and Joseph was good on the offensive end," Gillispie said. "Josh is a smart player and understands the game so well. He may have surprised the fans, but not his team."
Joel Casseus led the Wonder Boys with 19 points, while Rone Smith scored nine points with a game-high nine rebounds.
The Aggies play their second and final exhibition game on Saturday against Texas A&M-Commerce at 7 p.m. at Reed Arena. A&M opens the regular season on Nov. 20 against Southern.
Postgame Quotes
TEXAS A&M SOPHOMORE POST JOSEPH JONES: "Just like usual, we just tried to play hard and get better as the game goes on. We weren't playing too well in the first half and coach got on to us at half-time and we just pushed hard in the second half to play better."
"Everyone is looking for me to lead, I am just trying to step up right now and play as well as I can and help everyone out. We just need to come in everyday and get better. Every game we need to improve and try to play our best."
"Every game we look at like as an inside-out game. We try to distribute the ball well and do whatever we have to do to win the game."
"In the second half we had to step it up. We can't worry about what kind of defense they run, we have to adjust to every kind of defense that a team puts in front of us."
"It was a lot of fun to get back out there, it is always fun to play in games, but we need to focus on getting better."
TEXAS A&M HEAD COACH BILLY GILLESPIE: "The good thing is we won the game, we always like to win. We have so much to work on, but so does everyone else in the country right now. We have to play better transition defense, we can't play the way we did tonight. I don't think we are Big 12 ready right now, but we don't need to be. We will get better. Josh Carter shot the ball very well, and Joseph Jones was good on the offensive end. Acie Law looked good on defense. We have a long way to go, but we will get there."
"We let them catch the ball to easily. I don't want to take anything away from them, they played hard and have a good attack, but we didn't do well enough on defense. We have to make it harder on them, but I didn't think we would be great at that right now."
"I thought that our guys did a very good job against the zone. We haven't worked a lot against the zone. We moved the ball very well."
"Our newcombers played really well. Again, Josh Carter shot the ball extremely well, and Edjuan Green looked solid for not playing much last year. I thought that Edjuan, Logan Lee, and Antonus looked good, but are thinking too much right now. I am 100% sure those guys will get better."
"Josh Carter is a smart player. He made some great plays, he understand the game so well. He made a great bounce pass down the base line to Joseph that really gave him an easy basket. I assume he will only get better as well. He has the frame to be an outstanding player. He didn't surprise any of the guys that have watched him practice and play. He may have surprised the fans, but not his team."
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