COLLEGE STATION, Texas — In an impressive showing during their season opener, the Texas A&M Aggies secured an 87-55 victory over East Texas A&M on Friday evening. Zhuric Phelps had a standout performance, contributing 18 points in his debut for the Aggies, while teammates Manny Obaseki and Henry Coleman III both added 14 points. The win brought Texas A&M’s record to 1-1 following a previous loss to Central Florida earlier in the week, where Phelps was sidelined due to a hand injury.

Hayden Hefner also made his mark by scoring 13 points, and Wade Taylor tallied 10 points in a game where the Aggies showcased their dominance, leading 50-24 at halftime. On the other side of the court, Scotter Williams Jr. was the top scorer for East Texas A&M, contributing 12 points to the team, which recently underwent a name change from Texas A&M-Commerce. This change was approved by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents just one day prior to the game.

For East Texas A&M, this match marked their initial outing under their new identity. Although the game was largely unfavorable for the Lions, competing against a ranked opponent like Texas A&M should provide valuable experience as they prepare for Southland Conference play starting in December. The team sported jerseys that featured “East Texas” prominently.

For Texas A&M, securing this win was crucial following their narrow 64-61 defeat against Central Florida. During the game against East Texas A&M, ten players logged at least 17 minutes on the court, underscoring the team’s depth. As one of the most challenging nonconference schedules in the program’s history looms, this victory was less daunting compared to upcoming matches.

A pivotal moment occurred early in the game when Texas A&M held a 12-7 advantage, and Hefner’s timely three-pointer helped spark a significant lead. The Aggies notably exploited their size advantage, dominating the paint and scoring 54 points to East Texas A&M’s 26. In fact, Texas A&M nearly matched the total points of their opponent with their inside scoring alone.

Looking ahead, East Texas A&M is set to host Southern on Wednesday night, while Texas A&M will face Lamar at home on Monday.