COLLEGE STATION, Texas (Interstat) — In a rugged, defensive-minded contest that saw 14 blocked shots and more fouls than assists, the Texas Longhorns exacted revenge on their in-state rivals by grinding out a 76-70 victory over the Texas A&M Aggies on Saturday afternoon at a sold-out Reed Arena.

The Southeastern Conference matchup, played before 12,107 fans, was a tale of two halves and ultimately decided by superior efficiency and clutch free-throw shooting from the visiting Longhorns. Texas improved to 18-11 overall, while Texas A&M fell to 19-10.

The first half was a defensive slog, with both teams struggling to find offensive rhythm. The Aggies held a narrow 30-29 lead at the break, fueled by the interior work of forward Rashaun Agee, who scored 10 of his team-high 22 points before halftime. The Longhorns, meanwhile, were kept afloat by timely baskets from guard Tramon Mark, who finished with a game-high 23 points.

The game turned decisively in the second half. Texas emerged from the locker room with renewed purpose, embarking on a 15-6 run over the first seven minutes to seize control. The Longhorns’ offensive execution improved markedly, shooting 47 points in the second period compared to 29 in the first. Crucially, they did so with remarkable efficiency, scoring 76 points on just 68 possessions for an offensive rating of 112.4. The Aggies, by contrast, managed 70 points on 70 possessions, an offensive rating of 100.1.

Texas A&M made several pushes to reclaim the lead, closing to within four points on multiple occasions in the final ten minutes. Each time, Texas had an answer, often from the free-throw line. The Longhorns were nearly flawless there, converting 15 of 16 attempts, including several in the final minute to ice the game. The Aggies, while making 19 free throws, attempted 23 and missed key opportunities down the stretch.

The most important sequence of the game occurred with just over four minutes remaining and Texas clinging to a 59-56 lead. Following an Aggie turnover, Longhorns guard Jordan Pope found Camden Heide for a critical three-pointer from the corner to push the lead to six. On the ensuing possession, Texas’s 7-foot center Matas Vokietaitis drew a foul and sank two free throws. This five-point swing in a matter of 30 seconds stretched the lead to eight and forced Texas A&M into a desperate, fouling mode for the remainder of the contest. The Aggies could get no closer than five points after that sequence.

Beyond Mark’s scoring, Texas received significant contributions from Pope, who scored 17 points, and Vokietaitis, who added 14 points and was a force defensively with multiple blocks. Dailyn Swain provided 11 points and key energy off the bench.

For Texas A&M, Agee’s 22-point, 9-rebound effort was complemented by 17 points from Marcus Hill and 14 points and 4 assists from Pop Isaacs. However, the Aggies were hampered by 5-of-19 shooting from three-point range and were out-rebounded on the offensive glass, 11-8.

Defense defined the evening. Texas recorded nine blocks, led by Vokietaitis and Nic Codie, while Texas A&M had five. The teams combined for only 11 assists against 16 turnovers, underscoring the physical, disjointed nature of the contest.

The win avenges a 74-70 home loss Texas suffered to the Aggies back on Jan. 17. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Texas A&M entered the game with a 69.9% probability to win and was a 3.5-point pregame favorite. The total score of 146 fell well under the over/under line of 163.

Texas now looks ahead to a road game at Arkansas on Wednesday. Texas A&M will return to Reed Arena to host Kentucky on Tuesday.