Acie Law
| Acie Law IV | |
|---|---|
| College | Texas A&M |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Position | Point guard |
| Class | Senior |
| Career | 2003–2007 |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Nationality | USA |
| Born | January 25, 1985 Dallas, Texas |
| High school | Kimball HS, Dallas |
Acie Law IV (born January 25, 1985) is a college basketball point guard at Texas A&M University. In his first 3 seasons of college basketball, Law has scored 1,055 points and has 376 assists. Nicknamed "Captain Clutch" for his ability to take over the game late, Law is well known among current Aggie basketball fans for "The Shot," his buzzer-beating 3-pointer to beat the archrival Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on March 1st, 2006, as well as for his play in the Aggies stunning 69-66 upset win against Kansas on February 3, 2007. He is the great-nephew of Chicago Cubs great Ernie Banks.
Early years
Acie Law IV was born January 25, 1985 in Dallas, Texas to Acie and Dolores Law.[1] He was named for his great-grandfather (Acie Law, Sr.), whom he never met; his grandfather (Acie Law, Jr.), who died in 1997 after suffering a heart attack from the excitement of watching a boxing match with young Acie IV; and his father, Acie III, who played point guard at Navarro Junior College.[2] Law has an older brother, Lamont, and two younger sisters, Vivien and Frances.[3]
Law was recruited by the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, University of Connecticut, University of Texas at Austin and Georgia Tech.[1] In order to stay close to home, and because he wanted to have an immediate impact,[3] Law chose to play for Texas A&M under Coach Melvin Watkins.[4]
Playing career
Kimball High School
As a junior at Kimball High School in Dallas, Texas, Law led his team to a 29-7 record and the state Class 5A championship game, averaging 17.8 points per game and 6.0 assists. Unfortunately, his team lost the championship game when the other team made a shot from half-court at the buzzer. Law's performance was enough to earn him all-state honors, as well as his district Most Valuable Player. Law also had the distinction of being the only junior to be named to The Dallas Morning News All-Area Team.[1]
Despite a broken wrist that caused Law to miss the first part of his senior season, his performance in the sixteen remaining games in the school's season earned him first-team Class 5A all-state honors. In those sixteen games, Law averaged 16.6 points per game (19.5 ppg in district play) and 6.5 assists per game. In the Texas State High School All-Star Game Law scored 35 points, leading his team to victory.[1]
Texas A&M University
Freshman year
Although the Aggies were an undeveloped team during Law's freshman year, failing to win a single conference game, Law's performance stacked up well against his fellow conference players.[5] As a freshman, Law was a starter for the 12 of the team's 27 games, including 10 of the last 11, and saw playing time in the remaining 15 games. With an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.00, Law ranked fourth in the Big 12 Conference, and was the leading freshman in the conference. His average 3.9 assists per game ranked eighth in the conference.[1]
Law averaged 7.5 points and 2.1 rebounds per game, and by the final ten games of the season Law was scoring double-digit points in each game. In his two best games of the year, Law scored a then-career-high 19 points against Tennessee and put up 18 points against Grambling.[1]
Sophomore year
Following the 2003-2004 season, Coach Melvin Watkins was replaced by University of Texas El Paso coach Billy Gillispie, who came to the school insisting that the Aggies could win in basketball.[6] Gillispie's intense coaching style was very different from that of Watkins, and after an initial two-week boot camp Law seriously considered transferring to a different school.[3] After seeing a video of UTEP's NCAA trip the year before Law decided that he wanted to experience that feeling too, and committed to staying at A&M.[6]
Law's commitment paid off, as under Gillispie the team improved from 7-21 to 21-10, winning half of their conference games and earning an invitation to the NIT.[6] Law started in 30 games, earning a spot on the Big 12's All-Improved Team as well as honorable-mention All-Big 12 honors. He completed 49.3% of his shots from the field, 38.4% of three's (28 of 73) and converted 71.6% of his free-thow shots. With a team best 153 assists, Law ranked third in the Big 12.[1]
Law scored in double figures in 20 games, including four games where he earned over twenty points. With the help of his 24 points and six assists, the team beat then Number 9 Texas. In his best game of the season, against Houston, Law earned nine assists and scored 25 points, making all twelve of his free throw shots. Against Missouri, Law scored 11 points and a then-career-high 14 assists, one shy of the school record. Law also cemented the team's victory against Penn State, making the winning free throws with 11 seconds left in a 62-60 win.[1]
Junior year
As a junior, Law became one of only four players in A&M history to reach 1000 career points with 300 assists and 100 steals. He led the team in scoring, averaging 16.1 overall and 17.3 points in Big 12 play, with 3.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists. In games that law had at least 5 assists, the team was 10-2.[1]
Law also set an A&M record in Big 12 play, scoring 35 points and earning seven steals in a game against Oklahoma State. After making the game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer to beat the Texas Longhorns 46-43, Law was named Big 12 Player of the Week. With his ranking among the top 10 players in the Big 12 in scoring, assists, steals, and field goal percentage, several newspapers named Law to their first-team All-Big 12 teams.[1]
With Law's help, the Aggies earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1987.[6] In their first round match-up against Syracuse, the Aggies won, with Law contributing 23 points.[1] The Aggies appeared poised to reach the Sweet 16 when, with 18 seconds left in their second-round game against LSU, Law hit a jumper, giving the Aggies a 57-55 lead. The dream was dashed fifteen seconds later, however, when Darrell Mitchell completed a three-point shot for LSU.[7]
Senior year
Shortly after beginning play in the 2006-2007 season, the Aggies reached Number 6 in the rankings, the highest rank the school had ever achieved.[7] The team had their best start since opening 16-2 in the 1959-1960 season, as well as their best conference opening since the inception of the Big 12.[8]
On February 1, 2007, Law was named one of the seventeen finalists for the Bob Cousy Award, presented annually to the nation's top collegiate point guard. The winner will be chosen by a committee including NBA Hall of Fame inductees Cousy, Lute Olson and Jim Calhoun, as well as college coaches, members of the media, and additional college basketball experts.[9]
Law has morphed into a true clutch player. As of the beginning of February, 2007, he has averaged a team-high 16.6 point per game, shooting 50.9% from the field and 45.8% from the 3-point line.[10] In a five-game period, he has averaged 11 points in the first thirty-five minutes of the games, and an additional 10 points per game in the last 5 minutes.[5]
In a historic moment on February 3, 2007, Law's Aggies became the first Big 12 South team (in 32 attempts) to ever beat the then-Number 6 Kansas Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas led for much of the game, but Law scored 10 of A&M's final 13 points to ensure the victory for the Aggies, and Big 12 Player of the Week honors for himself.[10] Two days later the team beat then-Number 25 Texas, their twenty-first straight home win, making them the sole leader of the Big 12. Although forced to leave the game for three minutes after hitting the floor hard and injuring his leg, Law earned 21 points and a school-record 15 assists in the 100-82 victory over their archrivals.[11]
Shooting style
While in junior high, Law broke his right hand during basketball practice. In order to continue to compete, the naturally right-handed Law taught himself to shoot the basketball with his left hand. After recovering from his injury, Law was able to shoot with either hand, but as of 2007 still primarily relied on his left-hand to shoot from a long distance. His left-handed jump shots are unusual, however, because the ball has hardly any spin, instead flying straight into the basket. After much examination, Coach Billy Gillispie realized that this is because Law uses his right thumb when he shoots, negating the spin. To help improve his form, Gillispie ordered Law to tape his right thumb against his hand in practice and try shooting without it. Law was unable to make the shots, and Gillispie quickly decided not to intervene further.[10]
Trivia
- Law's cousin, Dwight Thorne, plays basketball for Colorado. The two played against each other in January 2007, a game the Aggies won 87-69.[8]
- The back of his jersey reads "Law IV" instead of "Law." [2]
- Law has a tatto on his right arm that reads "Lord's Favorite Lawman," and one on his left arm that is from Psalms 91 and 93.[2]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Acie Law". Texas A&M University Athletics. 2006. Retrieved 2007-02-15.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ a b c Winn, Luke (February 20, 2007). "Blog Q&A With ... Texas A&M's Acie Law IV". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2007-02-20.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ a b c Garcia, Marlen (February 21, 2005). "Law makes turnarounds, helps Gillispie guide Texas A&M to new heights". USA Today. Retrieved 2007-02-20.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Walentik, Steve (February 21, 2006). "Watkins saw potential in A&M players". Columbia Tribune. Retrieved 2007-02-15.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ a b "Among the Best: Only Law is capable of challenging Durant for Big 12 Player Of The Year". Omaha City Weekly. February 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-15.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ a b c d Cohen, Rachel (March 16, 2006). "Gillispie turned moribund A&M around". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 2007-02-15.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ a b Caplan, Jeff (December 5, 2006). "Acie Law has No. 6 A&M ready to show it belongs". Dallas Star-Telegram. Retrieved 2007-02-15.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ a b Graham, Pat (January 14, 2007). "Aggie men survive cold trip to Colorado". AggieSports.com. Retrieved 2007-02-15.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ "Robinson, Law Named Finalists For Bob Cousy Award". Big 12 Conference. February 1, 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-15.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ a b c Zwerneman, Brent (February 12, 2007). "Law's awkward shot beautiful for A&M". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved 2007-02-15.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Rieken, Kristie (February 6, 2007). "Law leads No. 6 Texas A&M past Texas". Associated Press. Retrieved 2007-02-15.
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