Up by 11 points early in the second half, the Texas A&M Aggies had a chance to take total control of their second-round NCAA Tournament game.

Instead, Purdue scored 14 of the next 16 points, setting in motion a series of events that at the end of overtime would send the Aggies home for the season.

Chris Kramer’s basket with 4.2 seconds left snapped a 61-61 tie, and B.J. Holmes’ 3-pointer missed as time expired, the Aggies falling 63-61 in the Midwest Regional in Spokane, Wash.

Texas A&M (24-10) led by seven points at halftime but went ice cold in the second half, en route to shooting just 35.4 percent from the field for the game. Bryan Davis led the Aggies with 17 points and 15 rebounds on 8-for-17 shooting. David Loubeau added 12 points, and Donald Sloan scored 11.

Holmes had a chance to win the game at the end of regulation as well, but misfired at the buzzer.

—30—

The game was close for the entire way, with the Aggies generally leading by a basket or so for most of the contest.

Color commentator Bob Knight felt that the Aggies were the better team for all of about the last few minutes of the game, but that was the difference in the end.

The Aggies couldn’t get a bucket when they needed one most, going the last four minutes of the game without putting a point on the scoreboard.

Still, it has to be a confidence boost for the surging Aggies that they were able to play the top team in the country right down to the wire.