Saturday, January 14
Columbia, S.C.
5:00 PM
Texas A&M
at
South Carolina
Photo by: Evan Pilat/Texas A&M Athletics
Aggies Seek 4-0 SEC Start in Saturday Matchup with Gamecocks
Jan 13, 2023 | Men's Basketball
Game Day: at South Carolina
- Saturday, January 14, 2023 • 5 p.m. CT
- Colonial Life Arena • Columbia, S.C.
THE MATCHUP
- Texas A&M: 9-5, 1-0 SEC
- S. Carolina: 8-8, 1-2 SEC
- Game Notes: Click Here
WATCH
- TV: SEC Network
- Play-by-Play: Courtney Lyle
- Analyst: Joe Kleine
LISTEN
- Radio: Texas A&M Sports Network
- 1620 AM / 94.5 FM (local), SiriusXM 380
- Play-by-Play: Andrew Monaco
- Analysis: Dr. John Thornton
- Listen Live: 12th Man Mobile App
- The Aggies have opened SEC play with a trio of keystone victories - the program's first-ever win over Florida in Gainesville, snapping a 10-game losing skid to LSU and knocking off the first ranked foe of the season against No. 20 Missouri.
- Saturday's matchup with the Gamecocks is another keystone opportunity as the Aggies look to snap a six-game losing streak to South Carolina with the last five being double-digit margins of defeat.
TRENDS & STREAKS:
- In the three SEC wins, the Aggies have trailed for a combined 5 minutes and 25 seconds.
- Team is seeking a 4-0 SEC start for a second straight year (Program-best SEC start is 7-0 by 2015-16 team).
- Texas A&M's season-high 5-game winning streak came on the heels losing back-to-back games prior to the holiday break.
- Since the holiday break, Tyrece Radford has scored 14 or more points in every game (team-high 17.6 average in last five games).
- The Aggies have made an about-face on fouling. The team had 20+ in 7 of the first 8 games of the season, including 24 or more 6 times. Over the last 8 games, the Aggies have had 20 or less 7 times and fewer than than opponents 7 times.
- Since scuffling through a streak of five games with 6 or fewer points, Dexter Dennis has hit double figures in past two games - 17 vs. LSU, 13 vs. Mizzou. In the 5-game win streak, Dennis is averaging a team-best 6.8 rebounds.
- Hayden Hefner came off the bench to hit his first FGs of 2023, scoring 12 points on 3-of-3 shooting from deep all in the first half vs. Missouri.
GETTING TO THE LINE
The Aggies rank No. 1 nationally free throws made per game and No. 2 in FTs attempted. Texas A&M has shot 100+ more free throws than seven SEC teams.
- The Aggies average 19.3-26.4 FTM-FTA per game. Tyrece Radford and Wade Taylor IV are in the SEC top five in free throw makes with 74 and 69, respectively. Both are hitting over 80.0% of their FTAs -- 81.2% for Taylor and 80.4% for Radford.
- Texas A&M has been to the line 25 or more times in 13 of 16 games and has hit 20 or more FTs seven times.
DO-IT-ALL DYNAMO
Sophomore guard Wade Taylor IV, the 6-foot do-it-all dynamo from Dallas, Texas, ranks in the top 10 in the SEC in a wide array of statistical categories:
Statistic Average SEC Rank
Points 15.3 No. 9
Assists 3.6 No. 9
Steals 2.0 No. 8
Free Throws 69 total No. 4
FT Attempts 85 total No. 7
FT% 81.2% No. 5
3-pointers 2.3 No. 9
3-point attempts 98 total No. 7
ONE OF A KIND
Tyrece Radford is the NCAA's ONLY active 6-2 or shorter player hitting more than 50.0% of his field goal attempts for his career (minimum 500 attempts).
Active 6' 2" or Shorter Shooting Pct. Leaders
(Minimum 500 FGA)
Rk Player, School FGM-FGA FG%
1. Tyrece Radford, Texas A&M 442-854 .518
2. Jayden Saddler, Saint Peter's 400-802 .499
3. Dwayne Cohill, Youngstown St. 351-712 .493
4. Brandon Whitney, Montana 268-551 .486
5. Marquise Kennedy, Loyola (Chi) 297-614 .484
HCIII LEADING THE WAY:
Junior F Henry Coleman III, along with women's basketball player Jada Malone, represent Texas A&M as members of the SEC Basketball Leadership Council. The council serves as a conduit of communication from student-athletes to the conference office on issues related to student-athlete experience and wellness and to provide feedback on proposed rules governing the SEC and NCAA.
- Coleman is an avid fisher and hunter. "Fishing and hunting teach you to be calm under pressure," Coleman said. "When you set that hook on that fish, you can't just start reeling it in. You've got to be a little bit calm and kind of work it in. When you're hunting and you see a buck right in front of you, you have to wait a little bit. I know you want to pull the trigger as soon as you see it, but you have to wait for the right time. It teaches you to be calm in the moment and stay in the moment." (Source: 12thMan.com)
- Coleman's father, Hank, was a standout defensive end for Virginia Tech and started for the Hokies' 1995 Sugar Bowl Champion team. HCIII told the Bryan-College Station Eagle (Jan,. 7, 2022), "'Enter Sandman' is one of my favorite traditions. A&M football is fun, but Virginia Tech football is deep in my heart."
- Coleman transferred to Texas A&M from Duke prior to the 2021-22. Former Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski said of HCIII: "I hope I'm around when he's stopped playing to see who he becomes, not just as a player. I just think he's going to be a very special guy in our country. He's that good." (Source: USA Today Network, Nov. 18, 2020)
RANDOM NOTABLES
- This week's SEC Player of the Week Julius Marble is connecting on a team-high 58.7% of his FGA (min. of 10 FGA) and has made 50% or higher of his shots in 14-of-16 games.
- Easily the Aggies' most prolific shooter from deep, Wade Taylor IV has improved his 3-point % by nearly .10 from last year. Taylor is hitting 36.7% in 2022-23 after making 27.8% as a freshman.
- The Aggies' starting lineup has a definite Pelican State flavor with at least two Louisiana natives in it for every game so far this season - Tyrece Radford (Baton Rouge) and Dexter Dennis (Baker). Additionally, Solomon Washington (New Orleans) has joined them in the starting lineup four times.
- The Aggies have used the same starting lineup (Coleman III, Dennis, Marble, Radford and Taylor IV) for the last five games (all wins). For the season, the fivesome is 6-1 with the lone loss coming to Boise State on Dec. 3.
- The defensive-minded duo of Andersson Garcia and Andre Gordon have been the first players off the bench for the past four games.
- The Aggies' 2022-23 roster was bolstered by the addition of six newcomers in the offseason -- five transfers and one scholarship freshman. Headlining the group was Dexter Dennis, who was the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year at Wichita State in 2021-22, and Julius Marble, who helped Michigan State advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament. Both have earned spots in the starting five.
- Six Aggies have played over 1,000 minutes, led by Dexter Dennis and Tyrece Radford who have both surpassed the 3,000-minute plateau.
FOLLOW THE ACTION:
- The game will be televised by SEC Network with Courtney Lyle (play-by-play) and Joe Kleine (analyst) on the call.
- The matchup airs on the Texas A&M Radio Network or locally on 1620 AM/94.5 FM with Andrew Monaco and Dr. John Thornton calling the action.
PRESS CONFERENCE:
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