The second-largest season-opening crowd in Texas A&M men's basketball history was treated to a 78-46 win over Texas A&M-Commerce on Monday at Reed Arena.
The boisterous crowd of 8,802, which included more than 2,000 students, trailed only the 2007-08 lid lifter crowd of 9,276 in attendance for the Aggies' 73-50 win over McNeese on Nov. 9, 2007.
Leading the way was senior Hayden Hefner, who poured in a career-high 19 points while connecting on 7-of-10 shots, including a trio of 3-pointers. Junior Wade Taylor IV filled the box score with 16 points, six assists and four rebounds, while connecting on four treys. Other Aggies in double figures were graduate transfer Eli Lawrence with 11 and sophomore Solomon Washington with 10. Senior Henry Coleman controlled the glass with a game-high eight rebounds.
With Coleman leading the effort, the Aggies nearly doubled the Lions in rebounding with a 47-to-25 advantage on the glass with seven players pulling down at least four boards. Texas A&M has a 16-to-7 advantage in offensive rebounding.
The Lions stayed close early, trailing by just a point at 21-20 at the 8:18 mark of the first half, but the Aggies steadily pulled away for a 42-27 bulge at the break. In the second stanza, the Aggie defense clamped down on Commerce, allowing only 19 points to get to the final winning margin of 32 points.
The Aggies return to action on Friday with a 6 p.m. matchup against Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio.