Louisville wary of Law

By Associated Press     Mar 17, 2007

? Rick Pitino thinks having thousands of Louisville fans at Rupp Arena to watch the Cardinals play in the NCAA Tournament is great.

Too bad none of them can guard Texas A&M star Acie Law.

Then again, it seems nobody else can, either.

The all-everything senior has become the Aggies’ unquestioned leader, equal parts psychologist and playmaker for a team three years removed from a 20-loss season.

Law’s shotmaking earned him the nickname “Captain Clutch” and his serene confidence is a constant source of comfort for his teammates – and even his coaches – when times get tough.

“I just like to tell my guys to keep a cool head and things will be fine,” Law said.

Things never have been better for Texas A&M (26-6) heading into today’s second-round game against Louisville (24-9). The Aggies have reached the tournament for the second straight year for the first time in school history, and finally are making basketball matter at a school long addicted to football.

It’s a transformation that wouldn’t have been possible without Law, who can be just as valuable with his voice as with his hands.

After the Aggies allowed Penn briefly to take the lead midway through the second half of their first-round matchup on Thursday, Law walked into the huddle during a timeout and told anyone who would listen not to worry, including coach Billy Gillispie.

Pitino, who was sitting behind the Texas A&M bench during the timeout, was impressed with the way Law took command.

“He immediately went to everybody on the team and said, ‘Relax, I’m taking over, it’s not going to happen,”‘ Pitino said. “He just said, ‘I’m taking over the game.”‘

Sure enough, with Law getting into the lane and creating good shots for his teammates, the Aggies pulled away down the stretch for a 68-52 win.

“When we get in a situation where we need to make a play, I need to assert myself,” Law said.

It’s a scene that has played out time and again for the Aggies this season. Law averaged 6.9 points in the final four minutes of Texas A&M’s Big 12 games, shooting 73 percent from three-point range and 84 percent from the line when called on to close things out.

“Great players like him that have the ability to finish games like he has, they’re not afraid to miss,” Gillispie said. “His last shot does not affect his next shot.”

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