'Complexity defensively': ESPN's Seth Greenberg analyzes A&M hoops

On Tuesday's edition of TexAgs Live, ESPN college basketball analyst Seth Greenberg joined us to talk all things SEC basketball. Greenberg addressed Buzz Williams' coaching style and connection to his players as the Fightin' Texas Aggies prepare to face Mizzou on Saturday.

Key notes from Seth Greenberg interview

• Texas A&M has an identity, and they put their identity into the game. They impact it defensively. You can't simulate what you do in your preparation, and A&M is one of those teams. You can't simulate their physicality, their depth, their toughness. They are a team other people don't want to play against because they wear you down physically and emotionally.
   
• I call Buzz Williams the “Great Philosopher.” As a coach, he connects with his players. You don't play as hard as that team plays unless you connect with the players like that. They have to play for you. The genuine concern for his players allows them to connect on a deeper level.
   
• You win the games you're supposed to win, but I always say you win the games you need to win when they're playing with you. He can't connect on a level to where they're in it with him; they are playing for him. It's not acquiring talent] that can play for your head coach. He is comfortable in a certain style. The complexity of their defense is a little bit to how he has evolved. He keeps it simple, but his rebounders are in a position to rebound. The ball is in the playmaker's hands. It puts players in a position to make a great play.
   
• The inconsistency in college basketball is an epidemic, except for Auburn and Duke. We are seeing that across the board in inconsistency.
   
• Wade Taylor IV is terrific, but when you're not a great shot-making team, you’re going to be stretched. In this league, the scouting is great and the preparation is great. Unless you have guys who can just go get one, everyone has lulls. You have to find a way to get extra possessions.
   
• If you want to be a great offensive-rebounding team, you need to get guys who can shoot the ball. It's hard to find and keep the guys who are the best of everything. They've gotten Williams tough guys, and now that's a good thing because he can connect with these guys.
   
• I love Missouri. Dennis Gates is doing very similar to what Williams is doing. He is getting hard winning, tough, winning players. They've gotten older. Caleb Grill is a great pickup, and he's playing his tail off. They have guys that can make plays, and so does A&M. They are playing with a lot of confidence, and they come at it with numbers. The Missouri vs. A&M game is going to be a fun game to watch.
   
• It's all about the preparation. I do scatter reports on today's games and update my reports on games from yesterday and the day before. You go into finding the essence of the team. Who are they? How did they win? I have to focus on what I'm speaking about at half-time, of course. I follow games, and we have research in there for game trends. This is so I can look at the play-by-play to report on. Going on 12 years, I knew, just like when I coached, it's all about the preparation. A lot of it, the scouting reports, get done preseason. I update teams and how they are playing. I try to update where things are just to figure out where they're at. I start in June with the transfer portal. I do three hours a day, and then when practice begins in the fall, it's just preparation.
   
• Everyone knows that the SEC is the best league in college basketball. You're not getting a Quadrant 3 loss in the SEC. The biggest thing is seeding. It determines where you play. There are great players, great coaches, great ownership, great passion and different styles of basketball. The league is that good.
   
• Cooper Flagg impacts the game every time he is on the floor. He always makes the right play. He never chases anything, and he takes what the defense gives him. He's an incredible teammate, but his gift is his basketball IQ and his understanding of making the right play. It's not like he's trying to take over the game. He's just making plays. I think it's his poise and his commitment to being a winning player. He's fun to watch because he plays with great confidence but no ego.