COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Quenton Jackson scored 31 points shooting 11 for 18 and Texas A&M throttled Central Arkansas running away in the second half for an 85-59 win on Wednesday night before starting Southeastern Conference play next week.
The last time the Aggies started 11-2 overall was the 2017-18 in which they reached the Sweet 16. It’s the second-straight year the Aggies finished non-conference play undefeated.
Texas A&M used a 15-2 outburst in a six-minute span for a 70-55 lead on Jackson’s 3 with 3:59 left. Jared Chatham’s 3-pointer got the Bears (2-10) within 54-53 with 9:16 remaining.
Marcus Williams scored 16 for the Aggies and Andre Gordon 12. Texas A&M scored 34 points off 23 Central Arkansas turnovers.
The Bears built an early 18-6 run when Collin Cooper made a pair of 3-pointers, Ibbe Klintman and Camren Hunter each added a 3 in a two-minute span. Down 26-13 with 9:05 left before the break, the Aggies outscored Central Arkansas 22-8 to close the half for a 35-34 lead.
Cooper and Hunter each scored 12 for Central Arkansas.
It was the first-ever meeting between the two schools. The Aggies are scheduled to start SEC play on Jan. 4 in Athens, Georgia against the Bulldogs.
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