COLLEGE STATION – Following a solid showing at the Battle4Atlantis and a return to the national rankings, the No. 18 Texas A&M men’s basketball team is back in action on its home court Wednesday when the Aggies host FGCU inside Reed Arena at 7 p.m.
Wednesday’s game will be available digitally on mobile devices, tablets, PCs and connected TVs for SEC Network subscribers whose cable/satellite packages allow access to SEC Network+ content through the WatchESPN app and SECSports.com. Additionally, radio coverage on the Aggie Sports Network can be heard locally in the Bryan/College Station area on WTAW 1620 AM.
The Aggies (6-1) were runners-up at last week’s Battle4Atlantis in Paradise Island, Bahamas. Along the way to the title game at the event, which annually hosts a strong field and stands out as one of the nation’s premier early season tournaments, Texas A&M defeated Texas and No. 10 Gonzaga to post their first victory over a top-10 opponent since 2008.
Among the many strong individual showings at the event in the Bahamas were the performances of seniors Danuel House and Jalen Jones, who each garnered a spot on the All-Tournament team. Additionally, sophomore center Tonny Trocha-Morelos contributed 26 points and 15 rebounds in three games at the event, including an attention-grabbing, 14-point outing against Gonzaga.
Meanwhile, FGCU comes to Aggieland with a 4-3 overall record and has already come close to upsetting an SEC opponent on the road this season. The Eagles traveled to Gainesville, Fla., to face Florida on Nov. 27 and owned a 33-32 lead over the Gators at the intermission before falling 70-50.
Wednesday’s game will give fans the chance to take advantage of the weekday family packs. The ticket pack has options of $10/person for balcony seats and $15/person for baseline mezzanine seats and the package includes: 1 ticket, a drink, a hot dog and a giveaway. For purchase and more information, click here.
OPENING TIPS
• Texas A&M is coming off a solid showing at the 2015 Battle4Atlantis where the Aggies defeated Texas and No. 10 Gonzaga before falling to Syracuse in the tournament’s title game.
• Seniors Danuel House and Jalen Jones were named to the Battle4Atlantis All-Tournament team … House led the Aggies with a 17.7 point-per-game scoring average during the event, while Jones contributed a game-high 23 points in the title contest.
• The win over Gonzaga stood out as the Aggies’ first over a top-10 opponent since defeating No. 10 Texas on Jan. 30, 2008, inside Reed Arena as well was the first over any ranked opponent since a 70-68 win over No. 20 Missouri in College Station on Feb. 7, 2013.
• Texas A&M moved up to No. 18 in this week’s Associated Press poll as well as entered the USA Today Coaches Poll this week at No. 20 … Last week’s appearance in the AP poll marked the first time A&M has been ranked since Dec. 12, 2011, when it was No. 22 in both the AP and USA Today Coaches’ Poll.
• Statistically, sophomore Tonny Trocha-Morelos ranks third in the NCAA in 3-point FG percentage at 11-for-15 (73.3%), among players with at least 10 3-point field goal attempts … Senior Alex Caruso leads the SEC in steals with 15 while ranking 21st nationally and freshman Tyler Davis is third in the SEC in free-throws made (31).
• Texas A&M also stands out as one of 16 teams nationally to rank in top 30 in both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency (according to kenpom.com). The list includes (AP Rankings) – No. 1 Kentucky, No. 3 Michigan State, No. 4 Kansas, No. 5 Iowa State, No. 6 Oklahoma, No. 7 Duke, No. 8 Villanova, No. 9 North Carolina, No. 10 Virginia, No. 11 Purdue, No. 12 Xavier, No. 13 Gonzaga, No. 16 Vanderbilt, No. 18 Texas A&M, No. 25 Baylor and (RV) Iowa.
SERIES HISTORY VS. FGCU (FIRST MEETING)
• Wednesday’s contest will mark the first contest between the Aggies & Eagles on the hardwood.
• Texas A&M’s Billy Kennedy has never faced off against FGCU but is 5-2 all-time against current members of the Atlantic Sun Conference (Jacksonville [2-0], Stetson [2-2] & USC Upstate [1-0]).
• Kennedy compiled a 17-15 record in conference play as a coach in the Atlantic Sun (then the Trans America Athletic Conference) during his time at Centenary.
• The Aggies have already hosted an Atlantic Sun Conference school at Reed Arena this season, defeating USC Upstate 104-64 on Nov. 13 during the season-opener.
• While not having faced the Aggies at FGCU, Eagles’ head coach Joe Dooley is familiar with Texas A&M from his 10 seasons as assistant coach Kansas (2003-2013), during which the Jayhawks made five visits to College Station.
UP NEXT
The Aggies will travel to Tempe, Ariz., to face Arizona State on Saturday … The game will be televised by ESPN2 and tip off at 9:30 p.m. (CT).
REED ARENA SUCCESS
• The Aggies are 4-0 on their home court this year and are now 212-76 (.736) all time in 18 seasons at Reed Arena … the Aggies were 41-41 the first six years at Reed and are 171-35 since.
• In the last three seasons, Texas A&M is 35-7 (.833) on its home floor.
• A&M has won 84 of its last 100 home games against unranked opponents (31 of last 43 in league play).
• Texas A&M is 4-0 in non-conference games at Reed Arena this season … the Aggies are 130-13 (.909) all-time in non-conference games inside the facility, which hosted its first basketball game in the fall of 1998 … a loss to Rice on Dec. 22, 2011, snapped A&M’s 67-game non-conference home win streak at Reed Arena (which dated back to the start of the 2005-06 season) and 80-game regular-season, non-conference home win streak (which dated back to 2003), both school records.
AGS TURN HEADS WITH RUNNER-UP SHOWING AT BATTLE4ATLANTIS
Playing against one of the best fields of any in-season tournament in front of national TV audience, the Battle4Atlantis (Paradise Island, Bahamas) stood out as a huge stage for Texas A&M to make an impression on the college basketball world. The Aggies did not disappoint, winning a pair of games to reach the event’s title game and turning heads of national media pundits along the way.
After opening the event by defeating rival Texas 84-73 on Nov. 25, the Aggies returned to the court on Nov. 26 where they downed No. 10 Gonzaga 62-61. The win stood out as the program’s first over a top-10 opponent since a 80-63 victory over Texas on Jan. 30, 2008.
Following the win over the Zags, the Aggies received praise from the national media on twitter:
@JonRothstein (Jon Rothstein, CBS Sports): Texas A&M with a statement win over Gonzaga in the Bahamas. Aggies are FOR REAL. Legitimate challenger in the SEC. Advance to title game.
@ESPNAndyKatz (Andy Katz, ESPN): Well now. That was an NCAA type game. Aggies defended Kyle Wiltjer and Zags well on last possession.
@franfraschilla (Fran Fraschilla, ESPN): Not a classier guy in coaching than Texas A&M’s @Coach_Kennedy. Very solid program win over Gonzaga. Terrific nucleus for 15-16 & future.
Despite a 74-67 loss to Syracuse in the championship game, Texas A&M generated a significant amount of buzz at the Battle4Atlantis and signaled that it would be a team to be reckoned with on the national scene this season.
Aggies Topple No. 10 Gonzaga for first Top-10 Win since `08
A final shot from the Zags’ guard Silas Melson rimmed out during the closing seconds of a 62-61 win over No. 10 Gonzaga on Nov. 26 at the Battle4Atlantis to give the Aggies a signature win during the campaign’s opening month, as well as their first over a top-10 opponent in eight seasons.
The victory was the Aggies’ first over a top-10 opponent (AP rankings) since a 80-63 victory over Texas on Jan. 30, 2008, as well was the first over any ranked opponent since a 70-68 win over #20 Missouri in College Station on Feb. 7, 2013
A&M RETURNS TO THE TOP 25
Entering the season with high aspirations, Texas A&M got off to a hot start and racing out to a 4-0 record allowing them to climb back into the Nov. 23rd edition of the Associated Press rankings at No. 25.
It marked the first time the Aggies have appeared in the rankings since they were No. 22 in the AP rankings on Dec. 12, 2011.
Texas A&M is currently ranked No. 18 by the Associated Press and No. 20 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
HOUSE & JONES NAMED TO BATTLE4ATLANTIS ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Following a strong showing in the Bahamas, seniors Danuel House and Jalen Jones were named to the Battle4Atlantis All-Tournament team. House led the Aggies with a 17.7 point-per-game scoring average during the event, while Jones contributed a game-high 23 points in the title contest.
AGGIE HOOPS TO PLAY IN 2016 DIRECTV WOODEN LEGACY
The Texas A&M men’s basketball team is California-bound next season as the Aggies were announced as one of eight team set to participate in the 2016 DIRECTV Wooden Legacy.
The field for the annual tournament, dedicated to legendary UCLA coach John Wooden who delivered 10 national championships, includes UCLA (Pac-12). Cal State Northridge (Big West), Dayton (Atlantic 10), Nebraska (Big Ten), New Mexico (Mountain West), Portland (West Coast), Texas A&M (Southeastern) and Virginia Tech (Atlantic Coast).
The tournament will be played on Nov. 24-25 in Cal State Fullerton’s Titan Gym with the final day of play on Nov. 27 at the Honda Center in Anaheim.