By David Schuh | @DSchuhKernel

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They say a win is a win. UK has lived by that at times this season, and they’ll take it yet again and run back to Lexington.

The Cats snuck past Texas A&M in overtime Saturday night, 72-68, at Reed Arena in College Station, Texas.

The Aggies didn’t lead for a single second of the 45-minute game, but UK failed to put the home team away for much of the second half.

UK took a nine-point lead to the break after A&M spent the first eight minutes of the game without a field goal. The Aggies shot just 29 percent in the first half

Freshman center Nerlens Noel recorded a double-double just a few minutes into the second half. On a night when he had a modest two blocks, he still had a major impact with 19 points and 13 rebounds.

The Aggies quickly narrowed the deficit to two points with 13 minutes left and kept it near there for much of the remaining minutes. Four times they got within three points or less, but the Cats always had an answer.

But, down two on their final possession, senior Elston Turner, who had 40 in the teams’ first meeting, split a double-team and hit a jumper with one second to go to send the game to overtime.

And yet again, in their first overtime period of the season, UK had an answer. Eight of their 10 points in extra time came from the free throw line and the Cats escaped.

Turner finished with 21 points for the Aggies, albeit on 7-23 shooting.

Graduate student Julius Mays tallied 19 points for UK and shot 4-6 from the three-point line. He and Noel both recorded season-highs in the scoring column.

UK had a season-high 18 turnovers, including five by sophomores Ryan Harrow and six by sophomore Kyle Wiltjer.

The Cats head back home with a couple days off before a Tuesday night matchup with South Carolina (12-9, 2-6 SEC) at Rupp Arena. The game will tip at 9 p.m. and will be televised nationally on ESPNU.