Aggies Battle Wildcats in SEC Tournament Quarterfinals

Friday, March 15

Nashville, Tenn.

6:00 PM

Texas A&M

Kentucky

Photo by: Sydney Morriss/Texas A&M Athletics

Mar 15, 2024 | Men's Basketball

Game Notes vs. UK Watch: SEC Network Listen: Live Audio Live Stats

By: Brad Marquardt, Assistant AD/Athletics Communications

NASHVILLE - The 7-seed Texas A&M men's basketball team takes on second-seeded and No. 9-ranked Kentucky in the quarterfinals of the 2024 SEC Tournament at 6 p.m. on Friday at Bridgestone Arena.

Texas A&M and Kentucky met earlier this season with the Aggies winning 97-92 in overtime at Reed Arena on 1/13. The teams were dead-locked at 89-89 at the end of regulation. While the Wildcats had four scorers in double figures, the Aggies had just two - 31 by Wade Taylor IV and 28 by Tyrece Radford.
Tonight's game will be the second-ever meeting between TAMU and UK in the SEC Tournament. The Wildcats prevailed over the Aggies in the final of the 2016 Tournament, 82-77 in overtime.

TV/RADIO INFORMATION

The game will be televised by SEC Network with Tom Hart (play-by-play), Dane Bradshaw (analyst) and Alyssa Lang (reporter) 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.

KENTUCKY-TEXAS A&M STATISTICAL COMPARISON

STATISTIC	KENTUCKY	TEXAS A&M
FGM	32.2	25.1
FGA	64.9	63.2
FG%	0.497	0.396
3PM	9.9	6.7
3PA	24	24.3
3P%	0.412	0.277
FTM	15.2	16.8
FTA	19.6	23.8
FT%	0.774	0.704
Off. Reb	10.1	17.4
Def. Reb	27.6	25.4
Rebounds	37.7	42.9
Assists	17.5	11.3
Steals	7.8	7.1
Blocks	6.2	2.9
Turnovers	10.5	9.7
Points	89.5	73.6

NET Q1+Q2 RESUME

Texas A&M has an 12-8 record against NET Quad 1 and Quad 2 opponents, including a 5-6 record vs. Q1 teams. Only nine teams nationally have more Q1+Q2 wins than the Aggies.
The M&W's five Q1 wins are third-most among SEC schools, trailing only Tennessee (7) and Kentucky (6).
Texas A&M's overall strength of schedule ranks No. 23, while the Aggies' non-conference SOS ranks No. 8 among Power 6 teams.
Texas A&M has three non-conference Q1 wins away from its home court (t2nd nationally) and two in true road games (t1st).

TRENDS AND NOTABLES

Texas A&M has a pair of players with 100+ career points at the SEC Tournament. Tyrece Radford leads the way with 113 points while Wade Taylor IV is right behind with 111, both in eight games played.
The Maroon & White's modest four-game winning streak is the team's longest since opening the season with five straight victories.
Manny Obaseki's recent insertion into the Aggies' starting lineup has coincided with the four-game winning streak and earned 'MO' a share of the SEC's final Player of the Week award. Obaseki is slashing 16.5 points/2.5 rebounds/1.5 assists over the past four games. He has reached double-digit points in five straight games dating back to the SC game on 2/28.
Since Obaseki's insertion in the starting lineup, the guard trio of Obaseki, Taylor and Radford is scoring 48.3 points per game. Radford is averaging 17.8 points, Obaseki 16.4 and Taylor 14.0.
Fifteen of the Aggies' 32 games, including Thursday's Ole Miss victory, have been tied or a one-possession game after the final 4:00 media timeout. Texas A&M is 8-7 in those games.
In Aggie hoops vernacular, a "turkey" is three consecutive defensive stops. Six has become a magic number of sorts with the Aggies compiling an 12-2 record in games with six or more turkeys.
Wade Taylor IV and Tyrece Radford reached 10+ points in the same game 21 times in 2023-24 and the Aggies were 14-7 in those games. In games when they both reached 14 points, the W-L improved to 10-2.
Andersson Garcia finished the regular season as the SEC leader in offensive rebounds (4.4) and total rebounds (9.4)
With 14 rebounds last night, the 6-foot-7 Garcia has become the third Aggie to reach 300 in a season (306). He's the first 6-foot-7 or shorter SEC player to reach 300 since Auburn's Cinmeon Bowers had 326 in 2014-15.
Andersson Garcia's 145 offensive rebounds is tied for No. 7 SEC season total since 1996-97 in just 32 games. His 4.5 o-rebs/G rank behind only Oscar Tshiebwe's 5.8 in 2022-23 and 5.3 in 2021-22 in that span.
Texas A&M is the SEC leader in rebounding margin at 9.0 and rank No. 2 in rebounds at 42.9.
Texas A&M leads the nation in offensive rebounds/game at 17.4 and have logged 20 or more offensive caroms in nine games, including 21 last night vs. OM.
The Aggies shot an average of 5.3 more field goal attempts than their opponents in the regular season (3.2 in SEC play). Texas A&M out-shot OM by five FGA, 65-60, last night.
The M&W ranked No. 2 in free throw attempts in the SEC during league play with 23.7/G. The Aggies attempted 119 more FTA than their SEC opponents (6.6/G). The Aggies attempted 37 FTA last night (7th game with 30+ FTA).
The SEC's leader in fewest turnovers for the full season and league play, the Aggies are 12-2 when they have nine or fewer turnovers in a game (Had nine vs. OM).

MILESTONES TO WATCH

Andersson Garcia needs 11 rebounds to match the school season record of 317 set by Claude "Crockett Rocket" Riley in 1981-82.
Wade Taylor IV needs 20 points to reach 1,500 for his career. When he does, he will become the fourth player in program history with 1,500 points and 350 assists. He would join Bernard King (1,990/550 from 1999-03), Acie Law IV (1,669/545 from 2003-07) and Donald Sloan (1,522/370 from 2006-10).
With his next steal, Wade Taylor IV will move into a tie at No. 5 on the school's career steals list with Darryl "D-Mack the Playground King" McDonald, who tallied 173 in two seasons (1986-88).