Aggies Close Out Homestand with Florida Clash

Saturday, February 3

Bryan-College Station

3:00 PM

Texas A&M

Florida

Photo by: Zoie Joslin/Texas A&M Athletics

Feb 02, 2024 | Men's Basketball

Game Notes vs. UF Parking Alert SEC Standings Coach Williams Press Conference Coleman Press Conference Carter Press Conference

By: Brad Marquardt, Assistant AD/Athletics Communications

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Texas A&M men's basketball team (12-8 overall, 3-4 vs. SEC) closes out its three-game homestand with a 3 p.m. clash with the streaking Florida Gators (15-6, 5-3) on Saturday at Reed Arena.

The Aggies seek to get back on the winning track after dropping their most recent game 71-68 to Ole Miss, while the Gators have won four straight games, including an overtime win over No. 10 Kentucky in Lexington earlier this week.
The UF contest is the final game of a rare 3-game conference homestand for the Aggies. The last time A&M had 3-straight SEC home games was 2016 when the Aggies went 3-0 vs. OM, UK and MSST. Since 1980, A&M has had conference homestands of 3 games or more only 6 times.
The Aggies under Buzz Williams have won four of five matchups with the Gators, including the last four. All four of the A&M victories were by 3 points or less.
Since the Aggies ended a painful 8-game losing streak with a 56-55 win over UF on 2/15/2022, Texas A&M is tied with ALA and UT for the most wins by a SEC school with 49.
UF holds the edge, 9-8, in the all-time series between the two schools.

PROMOTIONS UPDATE

WEAR BLACK: Join the Aggies in wearing black to the game!
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 ESPN2 with Dave Neal (play-by-play) and Jon Sundvold (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

Jace Carter matched his career highs in offensive rebounds (5) and total rebounds (12) in the Aggies' most recent game vs. OM (1/27).
Since returning from an injury suffered on 12/30, Solomon Washington has averaged 25:00 in the past 5 games. Prior to this streak, Solo had played 25+ minutes in just 3 of his first 44 career games.
SEC Sixth-Man of the Year candidate Andersson Garcia has hit double-digit points only 8 times in his 98-game career, but 4 have come in the Aggies' last 9 games. Ironically, his career high remains 14 points, scored against the Aggies at Reed Arena on 3/5/2022.
Garcia is the SEC's No. 2 rebounder at 8.7/G despite coming off the bench in 17-of-20 games. Among reserves, Garcia ranks No. 1 nationally in off. rebounds/G (4.1) and total rebounds/G (8.1) (min. 9 gms).
In SEC games only, Wade Taylor IV leads the SEC in steals/G (2.3) and 3-pointers/G (3.7) and ranks No. 2 with 24.4 points/game.
Perhaps the 6-foot Taylor IV's most impressive stat is his 4.6 defensive rebounds/game in SEC play. It is the highest average among any SEC player under 6-foot-4.
6-foot-3 guard Tyrece Radford's 3.4 offensive rebounds/G in SEC play rank No. 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 15.
In SEC games, the Aggies are averaging a league-high 26.7 FTA/G and rank tNo. 2 in FTs made (18.0). Sadly, however, the Aggies are converting just 67.4% of their FTAs in SEC play. A&M hit 77.9% in SEC play last year.
Texas A&M averages 64.3 FGA/G and has taken 60 or more FGA in 15 of 20 games.
In SEC games, the Aggies average a league-high 18.6 offensive rebounds and 45.1 total rebounds, just ahead of UF in both categories (16.5/44.1).

THIN MARGINS IN SEC PLAY
The margin has been thin for the Aggies in SEC play in 2024 with six of seven contests being tied or a one-possession game under 4:00.

Texas A&M in SEC Games in 2024

Opponent (Date)	Score	Time	Result
Ole Miss (1/27)	62-62 tie	:46	L, 68-71
Missouri (1/23)	A&M led 56-53	3:21	W, 63-57
at LSU (1/20)	A&M led 70-69	1:04	W, 73-69
at Arkansas (1/16)	A&M led 77-76	:07	L, 77-78
Kentucky (1/13)	89-89 tie	0:00	W, 97-92 ot
at Auburn (1/9)	AU led 56-54	2:54	L, 55-66

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 70 assists and 40 steals.
The only other SEC player with 70 assists and 40 steals is Kentucky's Reed Sheppard (12.1 pts/G).

Leading DI Scorers w. 70 Assists, 40 Steals

Player, School	Pts./G	Assists	Steals
Wade Taylor IV, Texas A&M	20.0	76	43
Dillon Jones, Weber St.	19.3	98	40
KJ Simpson, Colorado	19.2	91	40
Judah Mintz, Syracuse	18.5	96	45
Shahada Wells, McNeese St.	18.3	91	60

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 No. 2 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 8.7 rebounds per game, despite being in the starting lineup for only three games.
Among players that have come off the bench in at least nine games, he ranks No. 1 nationally in offensive rebounds/G (3.9) and total rebounds/G (8.1).
Among all DI players, Garcia ranks in a tie for No. 2 nationally (No. 1 in SEC) in offensive rebounds/G at 4.2.
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 10 blocks.

DO-IT-ALL DOMINICAN
(DI Players averaging 8.5 rebs/G + 30 ast, 30 stl, 10 blk)

Player, School	Reb./G	Assists	Steals	Blocks
Jonathan Mogbo, San Fran.	10.6	76	36	20
Saint Thomas, N. Colorado	10.0	71	34	10
Andersson Garcia, Texas A&M	8.7	33	30	14
Brandon Johnson, East Carolina	8.6	32	32	10