Texas A&M uses the free-throw line and Wade Taylor IV's 19 points to get past Missouri 63-57
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Wade Taylor IV scored 19 points and Texas A&M beat Missouri 63-57 on Tuesday night.
Texas A&M scored half of its 30 first-half points from the free-throw line to build a five-point lead. Missouri opened the second with a 14-8 surge, on three 3-pointers and Connor Vanover's alley-oop dunk, for a 39-38 advantage with 13:35 remaining. It was Missouri’s only lead of the second half.
Texas A&M scored the next six points before Missouri pulled to 45-44 with 8:15 left, but the Tigers didn’t get closer.
Taylor made three 3-pointers and all six of his free throws. Andersson Garcia and Tyrece Radford added 11 points apiece for Texas A&M (12-7, 3-3 Southeastern Conference), which shot just 15 of 52 (29%) overall. Henry Coleman III added 10 points for the Aggies.
Texas A&M made 15 of 20 free throws in the first half and finished 27-of-37 (73%) shooting at the line. The Aggies also scored 21 points from 15 Missouri turnovers.
Sean East II scored 17 points and Tamar Bates had 16 for Missouri (8-11, 0-6), which shot 21 of 54 (39%) that included eight from long range, and they were 7 of 10 from the free-throw line.
Taylor made a pair of 3s and scored 10 points in the first half while the rest of the Aggies shot 3 of 17 (18%) from the floor, but they still led 30-25 at the break. Bates and East combined for 17 first-half points for the Tigers.
Missouri will look to end its six-game losing streak when it plays at South Carolina on Saturday.
Texas A&M, which has won three of its last four games, hosts Mississippi on Saturday.
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