Texas A&M looks to take the next step against Boise State in Fort Worth
Fortunately, the transitive property doesn’t apply in college basketball.
If it did, Texas A&M would lose to Boise State in Fort Worth on Saturday night by about 40 points.
The Aggies (5-2) are aiming to extend a three-game winning streak when they face the Broncos (5-2) in the Battleground 2k22 at Dickies Arena. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CT.
A&M has surged since a shocking 103-75 loss to Colorado on Nov. 18 in the Myrtle Beach Invitational.
Since then, the Aggies have blown out Loyola Chicago, DePaul and SMU by double-digit margins.
Of course, the transitive property would suggest A&M is a potential blowout victim because Boise State — which is on a four-game winning streak — defeated Colorado in the Myrtle Beach Invitational, 68-55.
“Colorado beat us from start to finish in a very embarrassing way,” A&M coach Buzz Williams said. “Then the next day, Boise beat them pretty close to the same.
“We need to take the next step.”
The Aggies have seemingly taken dramatic steps since that loss.
Colorado shot 57.6 percent from the field and 50 percent (16 of 32) from 3-point range against A&M.
However, the Aggies limited their last three opponents to 36 percent shooting (53 of 147) and have forced 62 turnovers.
On the offensive end, A&M has shot 46.6 percent in that span. Forward Henry Coleman III has averaged 16 points, while guard Wade Taylor IV has averaged 14.6 and guard Tyrece Radford averaged 15.6.
“We’ve gotten in a groove since (Colorado) at Myrtle Beach,” Williams said. “You could argue the first 72-74 minutes of practice, we just do the same thing over and over. Defensively, what we do over and over is what every possession, in essence, becomes because of how we play defensively.”
The Aggies may need another strong defensive effort to beat Boise State, which is led by a 6-foot-2 guard Marcus Shaver, Jr. and 6-foot-7 forward Tyson Degenhart.
Shaver averages 15 points and 8.4 rebounds. Degenhart averages 14.7 points and 5.4 rebounds.
Shaver had 20 in the victory over Colorado, while Degenhart had 14.
Junior guard Chibuzo Agbo, who averages 9.3 points, is also a threat. Agbo scored 24 in a 70-48 victory over Loyola Chicago.
Boise State followed up those victories with an 87-69 win over Utah Valley and a 55-46 victory over Cal State-Northridge.
