SPOKANE, Wash., March 19 (UPI) -- Khris Middleton scored 19 points in helping fifth-seeded Texas A&M claim a 69-53 NCAA tournament first-round victory Friday over Utah State.
The decision sends Texas A&M (24-9) into Sunday's second-round South Region game against fourth-seeded Purdue, which advanced at the expense of Siena, winning Friday 72-64.
Texas A&M trailed only 17 seconds in eliminating Utah State (27-8) from the tournament.
But A&M didn't shake Utah State until a 9-2 run that Middleton started with a 3-point shot and to which B.J. Holmes added a pair of 3-pointers for a 30-20 advantage with 5 1/2 minutes left in the first half.
Utah State got within 49-42 only to have Texas A&M run off eight consecutive points for a 15-point advantage going into the final 9 minutes.
Middleton was 5-of-6 from 3-point range and 7-of-10 overall from the field as one of four Texas A&M players in double figures.
Tai Wesley was the leading Utah State scorer, finishing with 14 points.
