Aggies Take On No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers at Reed Arena

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION - The Texas A&M men's basketball team (14-8 overall, 5-4 in SEC play) gets another shot at an AP Top 25 opponent when the Aggies host No. 6 Tennessee (17-5, 7-2) at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Reed Arena.

• The No. 6 Volunteers are the second AP top 10 opponent to come to Reed Arena this season. The Aggies upset the then-No. 6 Kentucky Wildcats on 1/13. Texas A&M is 1-3 vs. AP Top 25 teams in 2023-24 with the UK victory and narrow losses to No. 19 FAU (11/24), No. 4 Houston (12/16) and No. 16 Auburn (1/9).
• UT leads 11-7 in the all-time series that dates back to 1951, but the two teams have split 12 meetings as SEC brethren. The Aggies won the most recent contest, 68-63, at Reed Arena on 2/21/23. At Reed Arena, UT holds a 4-2 advantage.
• In the Buzz Williams era, the Aggies are 2-2 vs. UT.

 
PROMOTIONS UPDATE

• AGGIE BASKETBALL FAN ZONE: Located at the North entry of Reed Arena, the Fan Zone includes games, giveaways, and activities for the whole family! For ALL fans opening one hour prior to tip-off.

TV/RADIO INFORMATION

• The game will be televised on ESPN with Tom Hart (play-by-play) and Jimmy Dykes (analyst) on the call.
• The matchup airs on the Texas A&M Radio Network, locally on 1620 AM/94.5 FM or worldwide on the 12th Man Mobile App with Andrew Monaco and Dr. John Thornton describing the action.

 
TRENDS AND NOTABLES

• The Aggies have connected on better than 40.0% from the field in consecutive games for the first time since the ESPN Events Invitational on Thanksgiving week.
• The team's FG% in the past three games is 42.7%, compared to its season average of .395 and its SEC average of .360.
• Texas A&M leads the SEC in fewest turnovers for the overall season (9.6/G) and SEC play (9.1/G). The Aggies have suffered 10 or fewer TOs in seven straight games, including a school record two giveaways vs. ARK (1/16). Three of the program's 13 games with five or fewer TOs since 1996-97 have come in 2023-24.
• Tyrece Radford has consecutive 20-point+ games (26 vs. UF, 22 at MIZZ). He has reached 20 points in fives games in 2023-24, all Aggie victories. The Aggies are 11-1 in games when Radford hits the 20-point plateau.
• Radford's 3.1 offensive rebounds/G in SEC play rank tNo. 5 among all players and No. 1 among players under 6-foot-7. In fact, 'Boots' is the only player under 6-foot-7 in the top 20.
• SEC Sixth-Man of the Year candidate Andersson Garcia is the SEC's top rebounder at 8.9/G and ranks No. 2 nationally in offensive rebounds/G at 4.3.
• In SEC games only, Wade Taylor IV leads the SEC in steals/G (2.6) and 3-pointers/G (3.1) and ranks No. 2 with 22.8 points/game. Perhaps the 6-foot Taylor IV's most impressive stat is his 4.3 defensive rebounds/game in SEC play. It is the highest average among any SEC player under 6-foot-4.
• Henry Coleman III has scored in double figures just once (10 vs. MU on 1/23) in five games since taking an elbow to his upper body against Kentucky (1/13) after hitting double digits in eight of 14 games prior to UK.
• Jace Carter has reached double figures in points or rebounds or both five times in the last 11 games.
• Solomon Washington has started the past six games and slashed 5.3 points/4.3 rebounds.
• In SEC games, the Aggies lead the league in FT made (17.3) and FTA (25.6). Sadly, however, the Aggies are converting just 67.8% of their FTAs in SEC play. Of note, the Aggies hit 78.9% (15-19) vs. MIZZ (2/7).

 
SEC PLAYER OF THE YEAR CANDIDATE: WADE TAYLOR
LEADING THE WAY
Wade Taylor IV, the 6-foot do-it-all dynamo from Dallas, Texas, is the nation's leading scorer among players with at least 80 assists and 50 steals.
The only other SEC player with 80 assists and 50 steals is Kentucky's Reed Sheppard (12.0 pts/G).
 
Leading DI Scorers w. 80 Assists, 50 Steals

Player, School	Pts./G	Assists	Steals
Wade Taylor IV, Texas A&M	19.7	80	50
Shahada Wells, McNeese St.	18.0	100	65
DeMarcus Sharp, Austin Peay	17.4	108	51
Jamarii Thomas, Norfolk St.	17.2	86	51
Ace Baldwin Jr., Penn St.	14.0	118	66

 
BEST AGAINST THE BEST
Among DI players with three or more games vs. AP Top 25 teams, Wade Taylor IV ranks No. 2 with a 27.0 scoring average.
Taylor is the only DI player with three 30-point games vs ranked teams in 2023-24.
 
2023-24 DI Scoring Leaders vs. AP Top 25 Teams
(Min. 3 Games)

Player, School	Gm.	Pts./G
David Jones, Memphis	4	28.3
Wade Taylor IV, Texas A&M	4	27.0
Johnell Davis, FAU	3	26.7
Boo Buie, Northwestern	5	25.4
Terrence Shannon, Illinois	3	25.3

 
Taylor IV vs. AP Top 25 Teams (2023-24)

Opponent (Date)	Points	Rebounds	Assists
vs. #19 FAU (11/24)	35	3	5
vs. #4 Houston (12/16)	34	3	4
at #16 Auburn (1/9)	8	3	1
#6 Kentucky (1/13)	31	6	5
#6 Tennessee (2/10)

 
DI Scoring Leaders vs. AP Top 25 Teams
(Since beginning of 2022-23 season / Min. 5 games)

Player, School	Gm.	Pts./G
Wade Taylor IV, Texas A&M	9	22.6
Zach Edey, Purdue	11	22.3
Boo Buie, Northwestern	11	22.2
Terrence Shannon Jr., Illinois	11	20.6
Hunter Dickinson, Kansas	12	20.3
RJ Davis, North Carolina	15	20.1
KJ Simpson, Colorado	8	19.5
Caleb Love, Arizona	13	19.2
Eric Dixon, Villanova	14	18.8
David Jones, Memphis	12	18.3

 
SEC SIXTH-MAN OF THE YEAR CANDIDATE: ANDERSSON GARCIA
DOMINICAN RODMAN:
Drawing comparisons to former NBA great Dennis Rodman for his tenacious defense and rebounding prowess, senior F Andersson Garcia emerged as the SEC's top rebounder and one of the nation's best on the offensive glass.

• A SEC Sixth-Man of the Year candidate, Garcia ranks No. 2 in the SEC with an average of 8.9 rebounds per game, despite being in the starting lineup for only three games.
• Among all DI players, Garcia ranks No. 2 nationally (No. 1 in SEC) in offensive rebounds/G at 4.3.
• After coming off the bench in 44 of his first 45 games at Texas A&M, "Andy" made starts vs. HCU, PVAM and LSU. His first start of the season on 12/22 resulted in a career-highs in offensive, defensive and total rebounds (9/10/19) and he had his first career double-double (11 pts./12 reb.) in his second start on 12/30.
• Garcia is one of four players nationally averaging at least 8.5 rebounds per game while also contributing at least 30 assists, 30 steals and 15 blocks.

 
DO-IT-ALL DOMINICAN
(DI Players averaging 8.5 rebs/G + 30 ast, 30 stl, 15 blk)

Player, School	Reb./G	Assists	Steals	Blocks
Jonathan Mogbo, San Fran.	10.6	85	42	23
Saint Thomas, N. Colorado	9.8	82	38	17
Earl Timberlake, Bryant	9.1	102	34	34
Andersson Garcia, Texas A&M	8.9	39	34	16

 
DI Offensive Rebounds Leaders

Player, School	Off-Reb./G
Drew Cisse, Western Ill.	4.7
Andersson Garcia, Texas A&M	4.3
Zach Edey, Purdue	4.3
Isaiah Cozart, Eastern Kentucky	4.1
Jason Bediako, Seton Hall.	4.1

 
SUCCEEDING AMONG THE TREES:
The Aggies' guard tandem of Wade Taylor IV and Tyrece Radford are the only SEC players under 6-foot-6 averaging over 15.0 points/5.0 rebounds/G in SEC play. 
 
Players w. 15.0+ Pts/5.0+ Rebs in SEC Play
(Sorted by Points/Game)

Player, School	Ht.	Pts./G	Rebs./G
Dalton Knecht, Tennessee	6' 6''	26.9	5.3
Wade Taylor IV, Texas A&M	6' 0''	22.7	5.1
Tramon Mark, Arkansas	6' 6''	19.0	5.1
Tolu Smith, Mississippi St.	6' 11''	17.2	7.9
Johni Broome, Auburn	6' 10''	16.4	8.7
Tyrece Radford, Texas A&M	6' 3''	16.2	6.1
Jordan Wright, LSU	6' 6''	16.1	6.0
Jaylin Williams, Auburn	6' 6''	15.6	5.6

 
PACKING REED
The Texas A&M basketball team is averaging home crowds of 9,595 in 2023-24, which currently stands fourth-best in school history and the highest of the Buzz Williams era.
Texas A&M is averaging 10,818 in five SEC home games ... The Aggies drew their season-high crowd of 12,610  vs. Ole Miss on 1/27.
 
Top 10 Reed Arena Season Averages

Rk.	Average	Year	Games	Record
1.	10,343	2007-08	20	16-4
2.	9,889	2009-10	16	15-1
3.	9,812	2006-07	19	18-1
4.	9,595	2023-24	11	8-3
5.	9,438	2008-09	18	16-2
6.	9,280	2022-23	16	15-1
7.	9,128	2017-18	16	13-3
8.	9,000	2010-11	17	15-2
9.	8,956	2015-16	18	17-1
10.	8,161	2016-17	16	11-5

 
SCORING PUNCH AT GUARD
Texas A&M's guard tandem of Wade Taylor IV and Tyrece Radford averages 38.9 points in SEC play, making them the No. 2 guard scoring tandem through Feb. 9. 
 
SEC Guard Scoring Tandems
Players, School G          Pts.      Avg.
Knecht/Zeigler, Tennessee        9          373      41.4
Taylor IV/Radford, Texas A&M   9          350      38.9
Reeves/Dillingham, Kentucky     10        359      35.9
Sears/Griffen, Alabama 10        346      34.6
Clayton Jr./Pullin, Florida           9          304      33.8

Players, School	G	Pts.	Avg.
Knecht/Zeigler, Tennessee	9	373	41.4
Taylor IV/Radford, Texas A&M	9	350	38.9
Reeves/Dillingham, Kentucky	10	359	35.9
Sears/Griffen, Alabama	10	346	34.6
Clayton Jr./Pullin, Florida	9	304	33.8

 
ON THE OFFENSIVE GLASS
Texas A&M's 18.3 offensive rebounds/game rank No. 1 nationally and the Aggies average an 8.6 offensive rebound advantage over their opponents. 

• The Aggies remain the nation's top offensive rebounding team (18.3/G) and average well over 2.0 more offensive rebounds/game than any other DI team (No. 2 Florida averages 16.0/G).
• In SEC games, the Aggies average a league-high 17.7 offensive rebounds and 43.6 total rebounds, just ahead of UF in both categories (15.9/43.2).
• The Aggies have 12 or more offensive rebounds in every game in 2023-24. Only 76 of the 350 DI teams average 12.0 or more o-rebounds per game.
• The Aggies have lost the offensive rebounding battle only twice this season - 14-13 vs. LSU on 1/6 and 17-15 vs. Iowa State on 11/26.
• Texas A&M stands atop KenPom's offensive rebounding percentage at 43.6, which is more than 3.0% higher than any other DI team.
• Dominance on the offensive glass has led to A&M shooting 167 more FGA than its opponents (7.6/G). Opponents have shot more balls than the Aggies just three times this season.

 
Division I Top Offensive Rebounding Teams

School, Conference	O-Reb/G
Texas A&M, SEC	18.3
Florida, SEC	16.0
South Carolina State, Mid-Eastern	15.2
Towson, Coastal Athletic	14.9
St. John's. Big East	14.9

 
HISTORY OF MAKING SHOTS
Among active guards with 1,000+ FGA, Tyrece Radford's career FG% of .471 ranks No. 3 nationally.
Radford's 62.5 FG% last Saturday vs. UF (10-of-16) was the highest of career at Texas A&M and Virginia Tech when taking more than 13 shots.
Radford hit 62.5% vs. UF and 53.3% vs. MIZZ, marking the first time he's produced consecutive games of 50.0% or higher in a year -- since the first week of February of 2023 in wins over Georgia and Auburn.
 
Most Accurate Active DI Guards
(Minimum of 1,000 career FGA)

Player, School	FG-FGA	FG%.
Tanner Holden, Wright St.	695-1301	.534
RayJ Dennis, Baylor	688-1449	.475
*Tyrece Radford, Texas A&M	611-1297	.471
Dalton Knecht, Tennessee	492-1048	.469
Isaiah Stevens, Colorado St.	774-1650	.469

* - All games played in power conferences (ACC and SEC)