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Updated 7:25 AM on Sunday, March 18, 2007

Kirk turns offensive to lead A&M to Sweet 16

By RICHARD CROOME
Eagle Staff Writer

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Dominique Kirk lost his moniker as Texas A&M's defensive specialist at Rupp Arena, and it's a good thing for the Aggies.

Kirk turned offensive against Louisville, leading the Aggies to the Sweet 16 with a 72-69 victory in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday.

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Buy this photo Eagle Photo/Butch Ireland Texas A&M's Dominique Kirk shoots while driving past Louisville's David Padgett during Saturday's second round game in the 2007 Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY.

The 6-foot-3 junior, who is always assigned the opponent's best scoring threat, scored a career-high 21 points, saving most of his baskets for the most crucial moments.

Asked if he should be nicknamed "Mr. Lexington" for his 37 points in A&M's two games at the storied venue, Kirk said, "I'm just trying to play basketball. I really don't know about nicknames or anything."

But Kirk's play was crucial. He hit 5 of 7 from the field and 9 of 10 free throws. His biggest basket, a 3-pointer with 5 minutes, 30 seconds left, came with the Aggies down 63-57.

"Coach told us in the huddle that we were all right and doing well and that we just had to keep grinding it out," Kirk said. "I was always taught [to] shoot the ball and just not think."

Kirk's next four points came from the free-throw line and gave A&M (27-6) a one-point lead each time.

Two of the free throws were set up by a typical Kirk defensive highlight. He stole a handoff atop the key from Jerry Smith to Edgar Sosa and was fouled going to the basket by Terrence Williams.

"Coach told me to face-guard Sosa, and I knew they were going to hand it off," Kirk said. "I was just trying to make a play on the ball, and fortunately I made the right play and then just tried to be aggressive to the hole."

Despite Kirk's heroics, Acie Law IV still had the winning points, draining two free throws to make it 70-69 after being fouled on a jump shot by Sosa. Law finished with 26 points, an A&M record in NCAA Tournament play.

Law nearly knocked over A&M coach Billy Gillispie in celebration when the buzzer sounded, and he had trouble standing still while waiting to be interviewed after the game by the CBS commentators.

The senior point guard survived A&M's 0-16 Big 12 record during his freshman season to help the Aggies reach the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1980.

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Buy this photo Eagle Photo/Butch Ireland Fans celebrate A&M's victory after Texas A&M defeated Louisville 72-69 to advance to the Sweet Sixteen.

And even better: A&M will play its Sweet 16 contest in San Antonio on Thursday against Sunday's Memphis-Nevada winner.

"This means a lot to me and all these guys," Law said. "Especially for me, going from an 0-16 season to the Sweet 16. It's an amazing feeling, just huge for this program."

Louisville's Sosa played phenomenally for 39 minutes, making 7 of 8 shots and all 15 free throws for 31 points. But the freshman will want to forget the last minute of his best game statistically as a collegian.

He fouled Law with 57 seconds left. Then with 29 seconds left, Sosa missed two free throws.

After Joseph Jones missed two free throws for A&M, Sosa was just off target with a long 3-pointer that he took after the Cardinals' play broke down with 8 seconds left.

NCAA TOURNAMENT TEXAS A&M 72, LOUISVILLE 69 RECORDS: Texas A&M (27-6), Louisville (24-10) LEADING SCORERS: Texas A&M's Acie Law IV, 26; Louisville's Edgar Sosa, 31 NEXT: Texas A&M vs. Memphis-Nevada winner, Thursday in San Antonio TICKETS: Tickets for Thursday's game can be purchased by calling the Alamodome box office at 1-800-884-3663.

"We had three or four options," Louisville coach Rick Pitino said of the Cardinals' last play. "I'm not disappointed in Sosa that he [took the long 3]. Freshmen can make mistakes, and he had an unbelievable game. I was just disappointed that, down the stretch, he left some shooters when we had the interior covered."

The Aggies fell 58-57 in the second round last year to LSU on a 3-pointer by Darryl Mitchell with 3.9 seconds left. This time, they were leading 70-69 when Louisville set up its potential game-winning play.

"We were in the huddle, and Acie said that we were in the exact situation last year," Kirk said. "He told us that we needed to make it a different outcome this time, and that's what we did."

Louisville's set play resembled what LSU ran to get its game-winner, a play that helped the Tigers on their way to last year's Final Four.

"I thought they would run ball-screen and try and get in the paint and draw a foul. That's how they'd been beating us," Gillispie said. "It's ironic it's basically the same play LSU ran last year, and the shot was taken from almost the exact same spot. One of them went in, and one of them didn't, so I guess it evens out. And I'm awfully happy that it did."

Sosa's 3 missed, and Marlon Pompey chased down the rebound and handed it to Law, who was fouled and made his final two free throws with 1.7 seconds remaining.

"I thought it was fitting that when we won at Kansas, Marlon got the defensive rebound because he played so well defensively down the stretch, and today he got the defensive rebound when they missed as well and gave it to Acie, his senior partner," Gillispie said.

After Law gave A&M a 72-69 lead, Sosa's desperation heave from 70 feet bounced off the top of the backboard and fell harmlessly to the floor as the buzzer sounded, ending the 24-10 Cardinals' season.

After playing to a 28-28 halftime, both teams spent much of the second half shooting free throws. A&M was 23 of 30 in the second half and Louisville 18 of 22.

A&M's Josh Carter and Louisville's David Caracter were in foul trouble in the first half. Caracter was the only player to foul out, but seven other players finished with four fouls, including Jones and Antanas Kavaliauskas, who had none at the half.

Jones finished with 12 points and a game-high eight rebounds.

Louisville's Terrence Williams was the only other player in double-digits with 17. Caracter had eight in 7 minutes of play.