Proceeding with Caution: Ags ready for challenging road clash at Arkansas

Road wins are rarely easily attained in Southeastern Conference basketball.

Yet, some venues are much more treacherous than others.

Bud Walton Arena, where Texas A&M (15-6, 7-1) ventures into for a 6 p.m. clash with Arkansas (14-7, 3-5) on Tuesday, is high on the list of hazardous venues for visitors.

The Razorbacks, who have been ranked as high as No. 9 this season, are 10-1 at home this season. Their only loss was to Alabama, which was a tight game until the closing minutes.

All time, they are 8-1 against A&M at Bud Walton. That includes a 76-73 overtime loss there last season.

“I think (the score) was 4-20 when we started there last year,” A&M coach Buzz Williams said. “It’ll catch you off guard if you’re not thinking it's the best home court environment in the country.”

So what makes that place so perilous?

“It would be the decibel levels at Arkansas,” Williams said.

Of course, crowd noise at a lot of SEC venues is deafening. That hasn’t bothered A&M, which is 3-1 in SEC road games. The Aggies posted victories at Florida, South Carolina and Auburn.

“I think our staff does a really good job of preparing our guys for what’s coming from the opponent,” Williams said. “I think our players are continuing to do a better and better job of only hearing our voices and trying not to get lost in the environment or what comes with playing on the road.

“You have to be really, really tight in a lot of different ways in order to have a chance to win on the road. So far, I think we’re progressing in the right way.”

For example, guard Tyrece Radford has scored 14 or more points in eight of the last 10 games. Guard Wade Taylor IV has averaged six assists over the last three games.

With Radford, Taylor and forward Henry Coleman III all averaging in double figures, A&M has climbed to No. 4 in the SEC in scoring with a 74.6-point average.

The Aggies have been even better on defense. They’ve allowed an average of 61.6 points in SEC play.

Williams warned A&M’s defense will be tested by the Arkansas guard trio of Ricky Council IV, Anthony Black and Davonte Davis, who all average in double figures. Council averages 17.2 points to rank second in the SEC in scoring.

“They have three ultra, ultra-talented perimeter players that you could argue is the best perimeter in the country,” Williams said. “I think that’s why they’ve had the success they’ve had and been ranked as high as they’ve been ranked throughout the year.”

However, A&M may be closing in on the national rankings. A victory at Arkansas would certainly boost the Aggies in that direction.

“I think the effort and the cohesiveness of our staff and our team has been remarkable through the first four weeks (of SEC play),” Williams said. “We want to try to keep that ju-ju going regardless of results. There’s a part of that togetherness that has led to those results.”

And maybe will lead to a rare win at Arkansas.