Rested Aggies return to Reed Arena for Wednesday tilt with DePaul

The main factors in Texas A&M’s quest for its seventh basketball victory are Wade Taylor IV, Henry Coleman III and the rest.

Of course, other players on the roster will play key roles as the 21st-ranked Aggies (6-2) play host to DePaul (1-6) on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. at Reed Arena.

But in this case “the rest” refers to the respite they’ve gotten the past week.

Previously, the Aggies played four games in seven days at two different road venues.

They’ve had a week’s worth of rest for their first home game since defeating Oral Roberts, 74-66, on Nov. 17.

Maybe that extra rest will allow for Tyreece “Boots” Radford to return to action. He has been sidelined with an undisclosed issue since the early going in a loss to Florida Atlantic on Nov. 24.

Prior to that, Radford averaged 15.2 points and 5.4 rebounds. His presence certainly makes A&M stronger.

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Coleman is nearly averaging a double-double with 14,4 PPG and 9.1 RPG.

So did the return of Coleman, the 6-foot-8 forward, who sustained an apparent ankle injury in the early going of that loss to FAU.

Coleman had to sit out in a victory over Iowa State but returned to the lineup in a 59-47 loss at Virginia. He posted his fourth double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds.

Yet, Taylor still leads the Aggies attack.

He’s averaging 18.6 points but has struggled — by his standards — in the last two games.

In those games — a win over Iowa State and a loss to Virginia — Taylor scored 23 total points. He also converted just one of 12 attempts from 3-point range.

Perhaps the extra rest will help him break out of the mini-slump.

Should Radford return, Coleman continue to play at his current level and Taylor regain his accuracy, the Aggies likely would be too much for DePaul.

The visiting Blue Demons have lost four straight since defeating South Dakota, 72-60, on Nov. 14.

Guard Chico Carter Jr. and forward Jeremiah Oden average more than 13 points per game, but DePaul allows an average of 78.6 points per game to rank 314th in the nation in scoring defense.

Also, DePaul is among the nation’s weakest rebounding teams. That’s an area in which the Aggies excel.

A&M is ranked among the nation’s top 20 in rebounding. The Aggies average 18 offensive boards, which leads the nation.