Veteran Law, rookie Durant each leading their teams
More: Ags beat Horns, 100-82 | A&M men win with teamwork | Rowdies and Dickie V at Reed
Photos: A&M-Texas Slideshow | Podcast: Postgame comments | Rankings: Aggies move up in polls

By DOUG TUCKER
Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Nobody seemed to care that it was dark and cold and very late when Texas A&M players and coaches got home Saturday night from a breakthrough victory at Kansas.

People were standing in the cold at the airport to greet them anyway. Many others were waiting at Reed Arena, where the victorious Aggies went to leave their gear before heading home after their 69-66 win.

Enlarge photo

Buy this photo Eagle Photo/Gabriel Chmielewski Texas A&M senior guard Acie Law IV has emerged as the team leader after nearly quitting the squad when head coach Billy Gillispie first arrived in College Station.

"There were some people at the airport and a lot of people at Reed," said coach Billy Gillispie, who's drawing national attention for his amazing turnaround of the team in just three seasons.

"It was really nice. It was something that happens in a lot of places," Gillispie said Monday during the Big 12's teleconference.

"Hopefully, we're going to create enough excitement that it'll become common. I don't think anyone should expect anything like that, but it's really appreciated. It shows how nice people are."

It also shows how appreciative Aggie fans are of a team that took over first place in the Big 12 with a come-from-behind victory in Kansas' Allen Fieldhouse, where Big 12 South teams had been 0-31 until then.

On Monday, Texas A&M moved up four spots, from No. 10 to No. 6, in The Associated Press college basketball poll. Kansas dropped from No. 6 to No. 9.

Acie Law IV, the senior guard who scored 10 of Texas A&M's final 13 points in the last 3:30 of the game, was winner of the Big 12 player of the week award. He was 9 of 18 from the field against the Jayhawks and had seven assists and two steals.

"Billy's really done a nice job with Acie," said James Dickey, Oklahoma State assistant coach. "I thought he was a very talented player. He came out of a successful high school program. Now he's embraced coach Gillispie's philosophy. He's really matured. He's been a great leader for the Aggies."

Law hit A&M's biggest shot of the season when he canned a go-ahead 3-pointer over Brandon Rush, Kansas' best defender, with about 20 seconds left. He then made two free throws to ice the win.

While Law, a savvy senior, took control of the game in the final minutes, Kansas seemed to lose its way. It is as though the Jayhawks, who are without a senior, are lacking a leader.

"I would say that has been the case occasionally," said Kansas coach Bill Self. "It hasn't been the case sometimes. We wasted some possessions, but they scored nine points on their last three possessions. You've got to have some stops and we didn't get stops."

Chosen Big 12 freshman of the week for the fifth time this year was Texas' Kevin Durant.

The nearly unstoppable 6-foot-9 Durant averaged 34.5 points and 16 rebounds in two games, a victory over Texas Tech and a loss to Kansas State. Against the Red Raiders, he had 37 points and 23 rebounds.

Many are hailing the Big 12's dominant big man as the best college basketball player in the country. Russ Springmann, the assistant who helped coach Rick Barnes win a national recruiting war to sign Durant out of Suitland, Md., said he has been watching Durant mature before his eyes.

"Kevin has embraced the college experience, and he's taken advantage of every opportunity he's had," Springmann said. "He's grown off the court as much or more than he has on the court. He's still only 18. He's learning to manage his time, and becoming a young man."

Durant went into the week leading the Big 12 in scoring with 33.1 points per game, 14 points better than Law, who is No. 2. His 13.8 rebounds per game also topped everyone else in the league, as did his field goal percentage of .544.

"As far as basketball, he's always wanting to learn more, is constantly asking how to work on his game, how he can add to his game," Springmann said. "He can have nights like he did against Texas Tech and he asks, 'How was my defense?' He doesn't want to be a very good player. He wants to be one of the best."