Hot-and-cold Aggies outlast Pitt on the road in ACC-SEC Challenge, 81-73

Press conference courtesy of Pittsburgh Athletics.

Game #9: Texas A&M 81, Pittsburgh 73
Records: Texas A&M (7-2, 0-0), Pittsburgh (5-4, 0-0)
Box Score

The Aggies ran hot and cold on Tuesday night. But they ran hottest when it mattered most.

Texas A&M (7-2) converted its last five field goal attempts and hit 13 consecutive clutch free throws to post an 81-73 college basketball victory at Pittsburgh (5-4) in the ACC-SEC Challenge on Tuesday night.

Forward Rashaun Agee scored 21 points and had 13 rebounds. Rubén Dominguez netted 18 points. Jacari Lane had 14 and five assists, and Rylan Griffen added nine points as the Aggies notched their fifth consecutive victory.

Pittsburgh, which most recently defeated Ohio State, 67-66, last Friday, was led by guard Barry Dunning, Jr. with 18 points and forward Cameron Corhen and guard Nojus Indrusaitis with 15 each.

A&M led by 12 points, 57-45, after Dominguez drilled one of his four 3-pointers with 11:55 to play.

However, the Aggies then went ice cold and endured an almost six-minute scoring drought.

Pitt capitalized on A&M’s problems with a 16-0 run to take a 61-57 lead.

A&M’s Zach Clemence finally ended the drought with a three-point play, but Pitt maintained a 63-60 lead with just over five minutes remaining.

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

With Tuesday’s win, Texas A&M is 2-1 in the ACC-SEC Challenge since it began in 2023.

Clemence’s “and-one” ignited a final A&M 17-2 rally that clinched the victory.

Lane, Griffen, Dominguez and Agee all had field goals — Agee’s was a 3-pointer — in the run.

However, the real damage was done at the foul line. Clemence’s “and-one” was the first of the 13 consecutive free throws the Aggies converted in the final six minutes.

That was way too much for Pitt to overcome.

The Aggies never trailed in the first half and went to the break with a 35-33 lead.

Mackenzie Mbgako and Dominguez hit early 3-pointers as the Maroon & White raced out to a 10-1 lead.

However, Pitt fought back and trailed just 32-31 on a transition layup by Indrusaitis.

Griffen answered with a 3-pointer from the left wing off an assist from Clemence with 2:27 left in the half.

The Panthers pulled within 35-33 when Omari Witherspoon hit two out of three free throws with 1:55 remaining.

From there, the Aggies did not allow another basket and forced three turnovers to maintain the lead.

Although Pitt briefly moved ahead early in the second half, the Aggies started to pull away.

They steadily outscored the Panthers and took their largest lead when Dominguez hit the 3-pointer with 11:55 to play.

Then the Aggies went cold. But they ultimately heated up.