COLLEGE STATION, TX — The Texas A&M men's basketball team will play its final regular season game at Reed Arena Tuesday night, hosting South Carolina. The Aggies are looking to close out strong at home after a win over Vanderbilt on Saturday, and to avenge the loss to the Gamecocks earlier this season. A&M was unable to close it out in Columbia, despite 20-point performances from Savion Flagg and Wendell Mitchell. South Carolina is in the midst of a three game skid, most recently falling at Missouri, 78-63, over the weekend. Tickets are available here [12thman.com].
Texas A&M Quick Hits
• Savion Flagg recorded his fourth double-double of the season as he led the Aggies with 22 points, 12 rebounds and a career-high three steals against Vanderbilt.
• Flagg played a career-high 40 minutes against the Commodores on Saturday ... He leads the SEC in minutes played this season, averaging just over 34 per game.
• Christian Mekowulu had a strong Senior Day performance, finishing with 19 points and 12 rebounds, his third double-double of the season.
• Wendell Mitchell added 13 points against Vanderbilt, reaching double figures for the eighth time in the last nine games.
• Mitchell has come into his own in SEC play, leading the Aggies with 15.2 ppg and 26 steals (1.6 spg).
• Josh Nebo, the SEC's leader in blocked shots, got up for five swats at LSU ... He averages 2.5 blocks per game.
• TJ Starks suffered a dislocated shoulder in the first half of the game at LSU and will miss the remainder of the season ... He averaged 12.3 points per game and led the team with 94 assists on the season.
Series Info
• Tuesday will be the ninth all-time meeting between the Aggies & Gamecocks on the hardwood, as the series is tied at four win apiece.
• South Carolina was able to take the first meeting earlier this season, topping the Aggies 84-77, using a big run to start the second half and control the rest of the game ... Savion Flagg led the way with 24 points and Wendell Mitchell added 20.
• The series has been dominated by the home team as each boasts a lopsided record against the other and has only dropped one game in the series in its own arena.
• USC head coach Frank Martin is no stranger to the Aggies after facing the A&M seven times while head coach at Kansas State (2007-12) ... Martin is 9-6 all-time vs. Texas A&M.
• Aggie coach Billy Kennedy is 4-4 against the Gamecocks, having only faced South Carolina in SEC play.
Double Up
• Sophomore Savion Flagg and graduate student Christian Mekowulu each recorded a double-double in the win over Vanderbilt, as Flagg led the way with 22 and 12, and Mekowulu added 19 and 12.
• Earlier in the year, Mekowulu made it back-to-back double-doubles in the Georgia and Missouri games. This is the only time an Aggie has had a double-double consecutive games this season.
• Mekowulu put up 15 points and brought down 10 rebounds to help the Aggies knock off Missouri before grabbing a season-high 15 rebounds and adding 15 points in the win over Georgia.
• Mekwolulu is one of three Aggies to record a double-double this season (Flagg, 4; Nebo, 3).
Nebo Protecting the Rim
• Junior transfer Josh Nebo has been a force around the rim for the Aggies all season. He currently leads the SEC averaging 2.5 blocks per game, ranking eighth in the nation.
• Nebo has gotten up for four-or-more blocks on seven occasions this season, most recently tallying five swats at No. 13 LSU.
• Earlier in the year he set an A&M career high with seven blocks against South Alabama after entering the game with nine on the year.
Flagg Named SEC Player of the Week
• Sophomore Savion Flagg earned his first SEC Player of the Week honor on Feb. 25 after a strong week of leading the Aggies to a pair of historical victories.
• Flagg started the week sparking a resilient effort by the Aggies to earn the first season sweep of Alabama in program history, leading the way with 18 points and nine rebounds. He followed it up with a 22-point, 9-rebound performance to give A&M its first SEC win in Fayetteville.
