ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Joseph Jones stopped at the edge of the Honda Center court, turned slowly and waited for Dominique Kirk, the last Aggie to leave after Texas A&M's heartbreaking 51-49 loss to No. 1 seed UCLA in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday.

Jones stuck out his hand, which Kirk slapped as he has countless times before, and then the Aggies' best big man for the last four years put his arm around Kirk, the team's best defender over the same time.

The two walked off, spirits low, heads high.

There will be no more games for the duo that combined for 263 starts during the most productive period in Texas A&M men's basketball history (95-37 for a .720 winning percentage).

"I wish I could coach Joe Jones and Dominique Kirk the rest of my life, then I'd be a happy coach," A&M coach Mark Turgeon said.

But he can't, and that is as unfortunate for Aggie followers as it is for Turgeon.

There have been others who moved on recently that were just as important to their athletic programs at A&M -- Ashlee Pistorius, Ashley Knoll and Anna Lubinsky come to mind.

None were as visible as Jones and Kirk.

The two, consummate team players, have been ambassadors for A&M men's basketball, which has moved onto the national scene during their four-year tenure. Always cordial, always polite, always respectful, always accountable.

There are more colorful athletes out there on center stage, but perhaps that is what makes this duo so special. It's never about Joe and 'Nique, at least not when it comes to taking the credit, to wanting the attention.

Even when there was no time left on the clock Saturday, Jones and Kirk were true to themselves.

Jones credited the UCLA players for the plays they made. Kirk blamed himself for not making some shots when needed.

Typical. Never blaming anyone else, always respecting their opponent.

The two will have their names sprinkled throughout the A&M record books. Jones is sixth in career rebounds with 843 and third in points scored at 1,679. Kirk is sixth in school history with 382 assists, and 10th in steals with 127.

And there are others -- field goal percentage and 3-pointers, just to name a couple. Unfortunately you can't quantify shutting down opponents' record-setters, which was Kirk's specialty.

As the years pass, partially thanks to the foundation they've given A&M basketball, their names will slip down the career leader charts and eventually be deleted in many categories.

One mark that could stand for a long time, though, is games started. Kirk is No. 1 and Jones No. 2 with 132 and 131, respectively.

I'd ask what that means to them, but I already know the answer. I can hear it now.

"It means a lot, because it means we were there all the time for our teammates."

Not a flamboyant answer, I know. But its Joe's answer, and it's 'Nique's answer, and it's why Aggie basketball fans won't need a record book to remember No. 30 and No. 22.

• Richard Croome's e-mail address is richard.croome@theeagle.com.