Disparity from deep dooms No. 7 Texas A&M against No. 6 Vols, 77-69

Analyzing the differences between victory and defeat can sometimes be complicated. Statistics are considered. Details are inspected. Matchups and situations are scrutinized.

Other times, the analysis is simple.

Such was the case at Reed Arena on Saturday. No meticulous examination was necessary to explain Texas A&M’s 77-69 Southeastern Conference basketball loss to Tennessee.

All the analysis could be found at the 3-point line. That’s where Tennessee flourished, and A&M floundered.

The No. 7 Aggies (20-7, 9-5) converted just five of 30 attempts from behind the arc. Meanwhile, Tennessee hit 13 of 27. Vols guard Chaz Lanier hit eight of those triples in a season-high 30-point outburst.

Zoe Kelton, TexAgs

As a team, Texas A&M fired at a 16.7 percent clip behind the arc.

That was too much to overcome even though Wade Taylor IV scored 18 points, Zhuric Phelps had 15, and Andersson Garcia had 14.

Examination completed.

“It was an outlier stat, for sure,” A&M coach Buzz Williams said of Lanier, who hit a half dozen 3s in the first half alone. “We changed some of our coverages in the second half because of his prowess in the first half. Thirteen 3s is difficult to overcome by any team, but when one play makes eight of the 13 it probably means you’re going to be upside down somewhere.”

A&M had almost all the ingredients for its typical recipe for victory. Almost.

The Aggies took more field goal attempts (59-of-54). They took 20 free throws. They had the advantage on the boards with 38 rebounds to Tennessee’s 29. The Aggies had 14 offensive rebounds.

But their defense wasn’t anywhere near as effective as usual, especially against Lanier, who routinely popped open behind the arc.

“We wanted to spread (A&M’s defense) out to start with,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said. “What we wanted to do with Chaz is get him a little bit of separation. He’s gotten so much better because he’s seen all kinds of defenses.”

Lanier said they’d seen enough to know what to expect from A&M’s defense that frequently switched defenders on individual plays.

“I just saw that A&M was really sinking into the paint,” he said. “My guys were just finding me at the 3-point line. They were making great passes, and I just knocked them in.

“That’s just how they play. We knew exactly what looks we were going to get. That’s what we were practicing all week for.”

The Aggies still could have overcome Lanier’s stellar showing if they could have connected on more 3-pointers — perhaps attempted fewer.

Tennessee, which boasts the nation’s No. 1 ranked defense, often seemed to invite the Aggies to shoot from 3-point range with wide-open looks.

Alas, the Aggies could not capitalize. They converted just 1-of-15 attempts from 3-point range in the second half.

Still, Williams said the errant shots were usually the right shots against Tennessee’s inside presence.

“I’m not saying we’re knockdown shooters,” Williams said. “But a lot of those shots were really good shots because of the decisions that we were making.

“I kind of like some of what that looked like. We were better in our spacing on the weak side. Did it create more 3s? Yes. Were they the right 3s for us to take when (the ball is) coming inside-out? I think so.”

So often this season, the Aggies have made clutch plays in pivotal moments to clinch victories. This time, they just could not keep up when it mattered most.

A&M last led 51-48 with 7:58 to play. From there, Tennessee closed by hitting seven of 11 field goal attempts — including five 3-pointers — and 10 of 11 free throws.

Yet, the Aggies stayed in close contention.

They forged a 57-57 tie on a pair of free throws by Pharrel Payne with 4:37 to play.

But 20 seconds later, Lanier hit a 3-pointer, and Tennessee never lost the lead, although A&M trailed just 72-69 when Phelps scored a driving layup with 47.7 seconds left.

But Tennessee’s Zakai Zeigler hit a 3-pointer off an in-bounds play with 23 seconds left. Then, he blocked a 3-point attempt by Taylor to finally subdue the Aggies.

The loss in itself wasn’t devastating. It might have cost the Aggies a No. 2 seed in next month’s NCAA Tournament.  They’re still in.

They just got a reminder of the tough row that awaits in the rest of the SEC schedule and then in March Madness.

“Not being a prophet that’s probably what it’s going to be about to be from here on out,” Williams said. “Home and road the next two weeks. The fight and the intensity and the physicality continues to ramp up.”