The turnaround might be a bigger threat to Texas A&M’s basketball surge than turn-around jump shots.
No doubt, the shooting ability of Missouri forward Kobe Brown and his cohorts pose a problem for the Aggies (19-7, 11-2) when they face the Missouri Tigers (19-7, 7-6) at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
A bigger problem, though, might be playing the Tigers in Columbia less than three days after A&M’s emotional 62-56 victory over Arkansas, which ended late Wednesday night.
Missouri has had an extra day of preparation. The Tigers lost to Auburn last Tuesday.
But the tough-minded Aggies never seem to be bothered by on-court circumstances or scheduling quirks.
"I don’t think much fazes them,” A&M coach Buzz Williams said on Friday. “I think it’s because they’re so comfortable and receptive to what we’re doing they’re holding one another accountable at a level that is very admirable when things begin to slip just a little bit. That’s rare.”
Still, past results suggest the schedule might have put the Aggies at a disadvantage.
"I don’t think much fazes them. I think it’s because they’re so comfortable and receptive to what we’re doing they’re holding one another accountable at a level that is very admirable when things begin to slip just a little bit.”
- A&M head coach Buzz Williams
A&M’s two conference losses have come on the road after short turnarounds.
The Aggies fell at Kentucky in an early Saturday start after a Wednesday night victory over Florida. They lost at Arkansas three days — and several travel issues — after a late Saturday night victory over Vanderbilt.
And though A&M throttled then-No. 20 Missouri, 82-64, at Reed Arena on Jan. 11, the Tigers are 14-2 and 5-1 in SEC play in Columbia.
Of course, there is more to Missouri than its home-court advantage.
Brown, a 6-foot-8 senior, is tied for third in scoring in the SEC with an average of 16.1 points per game. He also is second in shooting percentage at 56.6 percent.
Also, guard D’Moi Hodge averages 13.8 points and leads the SEC in steals.
Overall, Missouri is second in the SEC with an 81.1 team scoring average. The Tigers also lead the league in free-throw percentage (75.8) and are second in 3-point percentage (36.1 percent).
However, Missouri also is ranked last in the league in rebounding and team defense, allowing an average of 75.7 points per game.
None of those factors went Missouri’s way in the first game.
Brown was limited to just 12 points. The Tigers hit only 22.6 percent from 3-point range and were outrebounded by A&M, 42-25.
Meanwhile, the Aggies posted their third-highest scoring total in SEC play while shooting 53.3 percent from the field and hitting 24 free throws.
A&M has really surged during a current four-game winning in which it has averaged 75.2 points, while allowing 63.2.
Sophomore guard Wade Taylor IV has averaged 21 points and five assists over the last three games — victories over Auburn, LSU and Arkansas.
Meanwhile, senior guards Tyrece Radford and Dexter Dennis have both averaged at least 12 points and five rebounds in that stretch.
Also, forward Andersson Garcia has come off the bench to average 5.7 points and eight rebounds.
Jamie Maury, TexAgs
Texas A&M swept the series with the other two Tiger opponents in the SEC.
“We’ve done a lot of good things,” Williams said. “When we can make a bunch of free throws and when we can be in a position to do our job on the glass, that gives us a chance. We’ve tried to continue to find ways to continue a trajectory and continue to improve.”
The Aggies feel the need to get better. Although second in the SEC standings and projected to be included in the NCAA Tournament, they want to remove any doubts.
Last season, A&M finished the regular season strong and then won three games to reach the final of the SEC postseason tournament.
That seemed sufficient to be included in March Madness, but A&M was stunningly snubbed by the selection committee.
Although A&M is second in the SEC standings and projected to reach the tournament, the Aggies want to remove all doubt.
A victory at Missouri, which would qualify as a Quadrant 1 win, would certainly be a big step in that direction.
“I think we’ve been very mature,” Williams said. “They understand the value of ‘today’ and the work required. I think they also understand the value of the opportunity for a Quadrant 1 road win. We’ve had some, and we understand there is value to that.”
