January 9, 1999

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) - After responding to Missouri's relentless offensive and defensive pressure through 37 minutes, Texas A&M failed to hang on for the final 2:37, allowing the Tigers to pull out a 96-91 Big 12 victory Saturday.

The Tigers (12-2, 3-0) face Kansas in a big meeting Monday night. The Aggies (7-6, 0-3) have lost five straight.

Texas A&M battled back from a 15-point second half deficit to tie the game at 82-82 with 7:34 left. There never was more than a 2-point difference until the Tigers hit three late free throws in the last 16.6 seconds to sew up the victory.

The Aggies had their chances in the last two minutes. After John Woods drove the baseline to tie the game at 91, the Aggies had a passing error, a missed side shot by Aaron Jack, a missed jumper by Shanne Jones and two failed shots by Clifton Cook inside the 20 second mark. The go-ahead and winning points came from the pair of free throws by Keyon Dooling with 1:18 remaining.

Woods led Mizzou with 24 points, followed by Albert White's 21 and Brian Grawer's 18. Jones paced A&M with 23, followed by Cook with 16, Michael Schmidt 11 and Jerald Brown 10.