Texas A&M Shoots Down Oklahoma State, 88-69, as PJ Haggerty Scores 22 and Josh Irving Posts His First Double-Double

Texas A&M had waited a year for this one, and it played like it. Behind 22 points from PJ Haggerty and the first double-double of Josh Irving's career, the Aggies shot down Oklahoma State 88-69 on Thursday night at Reed Arena for their fourth straight win to open the season ^[1][2].

The win pushed Texas A&M to 4-0, its best start under coach Bucky McMillan, while Oklahoma State fell to 2-1, the Aggies' athletic department reported ^[1]. It also settled a score. The Battalion noted that McMillan still remembers how his team felt after last season's 87-63 road loss to the Cowboys ^[2].

A Fast Start and a Big Halftime Cushion

Two of the nation's fastest-playing teams traded the lead four times early, Texas A&M Athletics reported ^[1]. The Battalion noted that KenPom ranks A&M third in the country in tempo and Oklahoma State 14th ^[2]. The Aggies eventually pulled away behind their outside shooting and took a 50-37 lead into the locker room ^[1][2].

Irving did a lot of the early damage. He led all scorers at halftime with 12 points, according to The Battalion ^[2], and finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds for his first career double-double ^[1]. Afterward, he talked about his role off the bench with the patience of a veteran. "Every game is just steps on the ladder," he said, as quoted by The Battalion ^[2].

Haggerty, a graduate guard, led the Aggies with 22 points on 7-of-14 shooting and made 7 of his 8 free throws ^[1][2].

As a team, Texas A&M made 26 of 51 shots from the field, 12 of 25 from 3-point range and 24 of 34 at the free-throw line, The Battalion reported ^[2].

Oklahoma State's Push, and the Aggies' Answer

The Cowboys did not go quietly. Fifth-year guard Kanye Clary hit two 3-pointers during an 8-0 run that cut the lead to 68-60 and forced McMillan to call timeout ^[1][2]. Pistols Firing, which covers Oklahoma State, reported that Clary's burst came in under a minute with just under 10 minutes to play, but the Cowboys then missed their next five shots ^[3].

Texas A&M answered with a 13-4 run, capped by two 3-pointers off Oklahoma State turnovers, to go up 81-64 ^[1]. The Battalion reported that Griffen and Pope hit back-to-back 3-pointers with just under five and a half minutes left to build that cushion ^[2]. Both teams went through scoreless stretches of more than three minutes in the second half, and the Aggies went about five minutes without a field goal late, but by then the game was decided ^[2].

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The difference came from beyond the arc. Texas A&M shot 48 percent from 3-point range, while Oklahoma State made just 6 of 30, or 20 percent, Pistols Firing noted ^[3].

Bright Spots for the Cowboys

Coach Steve Lutz's team still won some of the hustle battles. Oklahoma State grabbed 20 offensive rebounds to A&M's 11, edged the Aggies 15-13 in second-chance points and scored 26 points off turnovers to A&M's 18, according to Pistols Firing ^[3].

Anthony Felesi, making his third straight start, tied for the team lead with 14 points on nine shots and added eight rebounds, all on the offensive glass, plus three assists, two blocks and two steals ^[3]. Clary also scored 14 off the bench in 28 minutes, making 3 of 10 from deep while the rest of the team went 3 of 20, though he committed five turnovers ^[3]. Only eight Oklahoma State players logged double-digit minutes, a tighter rotation than in the first two games ^[3].

Lutz also tipped his cap to the atmosphere. He noted that Thursday's game was the first of three "Operation Blackout" games on the A&M campus this weekend and singled out the Reed Arena crowd, The Battalion reported ^[2].

Bianca's Take

Early-season college basketball is often written off as a warm-up act before conference play, but games like this one tell you something about a team's character. Texas A&M remembered a 24-point beating from a year ago and came out with purpose, and it was a bench player in Irving, not just the leading scorer, who set the tone.

That is the kind of team basketball worth celebrating: players who accept their roles, defend, share the ball and play for the name on the front of the jersey. Haggerty's scoring got the headlines, but Irving's work on the glass and the Aggies' poise when Oklahoma State made its run are what made this a statement win.

For Oklahoma State, there is plenty to build on. A team that crashes the offensive glass and forces turnovers will win a lot of games once the shots start falling.

What's Next

Texas A&M closes a five-game homestand on Monday, Nov. 16, when it hosts Southeastern Louisiana at 7:30 p.m. at Reed Arena ^[1].