Carter, backups step up in victory
More: A&M men win with teamwork | Law, Durant are clear leaders | Rowdies and Dickie V at Reed
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By RICHARD CROOME
Eagle Staff Writer

"Watermelon, watermelon, watermelon rind. Look at the scoreboard and see who's behind ... "

Texas coach Rick Barnes was mocking Texas A&M fans' yell of "sit down bus driver," saying he remembers that from his junior high days.

If the Reed Rowdies, part of a record crowd of 13,196, would have thought of that old cheer they probably would have yelled it in unison when the final buzzer sounded as the Aggies completed a magical three days with a 100-82 victory over rival Texas on Monday.

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Buy this photo Eagle Photo/Gabriel Chmielewski Texas A&M guard Josh Carter goes up for a jump shot. Carter led the Aggies with 24 points in the game and 16 in the second half as A&M pulled away for the win. The play of Carter and backups Donald Sloan and Bryan Davis was key in the victory.

Texas A&M (20-3, 8-1), in first place in the Big 12, followed its historical victory at perennial power Kansas with an intensely fought win over a young, star-studded Longhorns team (16-7, 6-3).

Sophomore wing Josh Carter did everything but make free throws in scoring 24 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. He was one of three Aggies who recorded double-doubles. Antanas Kavaliauskas had 18 points and 11 rebounds and Acie Law followed his magical night at Allen Fieldhouse with 21 points and an Aggie record-tying 15 assists.

Law might have broken Kyle Kessel's record, which was set in 1996, but he missed 3 minutes after turning his ankle when he landed on A.J. Abrams' foot midway through the second half.

"We feel we control our own destiny now toward accomplishing our goal of winning the Big 12 championship," Law said. "There is still a long way to go, but we feel we put ourselves in good position."

Carter, whose career high of 25 was set against Texas last year in the Big 12 tournament, had a lot to do with that, stepping up along with two of A&M's ever-improving freshmen, Donald Sloan and Bryan Davis.

"I looked around and felt I had to be a leader, me and [Antanas Kavaliauskas] had to step up," Carter said. "Joe [Jones] was in foul trouble, and when Acie went down, I tried to do a little more."

Carter picked up his scoring by going inside. The Aggies' leading 3-point shooter scored four baskets down low in the final minutes, his last following one of his three offensive rebounds.

"When Acie would pass to me and they were in a 3-2 zone, the top guy would stay with Acie, and I just saw a little lane and took what was open," Carter said.

Sloan finished with 11 points, and Davis had eight points and six rebounds in just 14 minutes.

"We wouldn't have got the victory without them performing the way they did," Law said. "Josh stepped up tonight. Josh took it upon himself to make plays, and he was able to do it tonight."

Texas' sensational freshman, Kevin Durant, finished with 28 points, five below his Big 12 average, and 15 rebounds.

"Twenty-eight and 15, [that's] not a bad night for some people, not a great night for him," Barnes said.

Texas led only once in the game, a 58-57 advantage after a Durant basket inside.

But after that, Law found Carter and Sloan open for 3-pointers and Kavaliauskas scored twice inside to put the Aggies up by six. A dunk by Damion James got Texas back within four at 69-65, but it was all A&M from there, despite Jones and Dominique Kirk having fouled out.

"Three guys grew up a lot. That's what I believe Josh could be on a daily basis," A&M coach Billy Gillispie said. "Sloan and Davis received attention before they got here, and they showed you why."

The Aggies made 8 of 12 3-pointers in the first half, but Texas stayed close in the first half by making 20 of 21 free throws. D.J. Augustin led the way, making 10 of 10.

"Some of their guys were in foul trouble, and coach told us to drive it, drive it right at them and get them in foul trouble, so that's what we did," said Augustin, who finished with 23 points.

The Longhorns made only eight baskets from the floor, four 3s, and yet trailed by only five at 45-40.

A&M couldn't have had a better start. The only shots the Aggies missed while jumping out to a 21-7 lead were the two Durant blocked.

All five Aggie starters scored before the first timeout.