Texas A&M builds 19-point lead in 2nd half and holds off Montana 86-81

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Rylan Griffen scored 17 points, Rashaun Agee added 10 points and 10 rebounds, and Texas A&M held off Montana for an 86-81 victory on Tuesday night.

Montana trailed by double-digits since 2:19 remained in the first half and 73-54 with 6:29 left in the second. Money Williams then hit four 3-pointers and scored 17 points during a 26-8 run to pull the Grizzlies to 81-80 with nine seconds left.

The Aggies shot 5 of 6 from the line and forced a turnover in the closing seconds.

Ruben Dominguez scored 12 points for Texas A&M (3-2), which shot 71% from the floor and hit 6 of 11 from 3-point range in the first half but cooled to 40% (12 of 30) overall and hit just 1 of its 12 shots from distance after the break.

Williams finished with five 3s and 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting and had seven assists to lead Montana (4-2). Brooklyn Hicks added 18 points and Tyler Isaak chipped in with 13. The Grizzlies shot 41% overall and 44% (8 of 18) from long range in the first half yet 72% and 61.5% (8 of 13) in the second.

Dominguez scored 11 points and made three 3s in the first half to help Texas A&M build a 45-31 halftime lead. Hicks scored seven first-half points for Montana.

It was the first meeting between the teams since their only other matchup, an 81-64 Texas A&M win at home in the 2015 NIT.

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