The Texas A&M men’s basketball team closes out the regular season with an 11 a.m. matchup with the 2023 SEC Champion Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday at Reed Arena.
- Alabama leads the all-time series, 12-10, but the Aggies have won four straight dating back to 2018-19.
- The Aggies are 2-0 vs. the Tide in the Buzz Williams era with both wins coming in Tuscaloosa.
- Saturday is Senior Day with Dexter Dennis and manager Jack Levis being honored.
FASTEST SEC START:
The Aggies’ 14-3 SEC record marks the program’s best conference start after 17 games since joining the league in 2012-13 (previous best: 12-5 by the 2015-16).
- It is A&M’s best conference start in any league in more than 40 years, matching arguably the most successful team in program history. Shelby Metcalf’s 1979-80 team posted a final 14-2 record which garnered the Southwest Conference regular season championship. Metcalf’s Aggies went on to win the SWC Tournament crown and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 before falling to Darrell “Dr. Dunkenstein” Griffith and eventual national champion Louisville in overtime.
TRENDS & STREAKS:
- Texas A&M is a SEC-best 21-4 in its last 25 games against SEC opponents (includes SEC tournament).
- The Aggies are allowing a SEC-low 26.9 first-half points in conference play and have limited opponents to 30 or fewer first half points in 12-of-17 SEC games, including the past two.
- Wade Taylor IV has shot 8 or more free throw attempts in each of his past 4 outings. For his 70-game career, WT4 has 9 total 10+ FTA games.
- WT4 has a streak of 7 games with double-digit points, with 20+ points 5 times. He’s had crooked number 3-pointers in 8 of his last 9 games.
- Tyrece Radford has 10+ points in 13-of-17 SEC games.
- Taylor and Radford are the SEC’s highest scoring guard tandem in league play at 29.8 points/G. Against AP Top 25, the pair combine for a 36.7 scoring average.
- Texas A&M and Florida are the only SEC teams with two players hitting better than 50.0% from the field in SEC play (min. 100 FGA): Henry Coleman III (.520) and Julius Marble (.511).
- The Aggies are 11-1 when SEC Sixth Man of the Year candidate Andersson Garcia logs 5 or more rebounds and 14-2 when he scores 3 or more points.
Top SEC Guard tandems
(SEC Games only)
Players, School Points Avg.
Wade Taylor IV/Tyrece Radford, TAMU 507 29.8
Kobe Brown/D’Moi Hodge, MIZZ 478 28.1
Ricky Council IV/Anthony Black, ARK 476 28.0
Wendell Green Jr./Allen Flanigan, AUB 434 25.5
Antonio Reeves/Cason Wallace, UK 425 25.0
RANDOM NOTABLES:
- Texas A&M’s 14 league victories record ties for third-most conference victories in school history. With a victory on Saturday, it would be Aggies’ most league wins in exactly 100 years (15-3 SWC record by D.X. Bible’s 2022-23 cagers)
- The school record for conference wins is 16 by Bill Driver’s 1919-20 juggernaut, which won the Southwest Conference Championship. Captained by E.E. McQuillian, the 1919-20 Aggies remain the program’s lone team to go through the entire season unscathed (19-0).
- Texas A&M is the ninth team in SEC history to tally 14 or more league wins and not win or share the conference regular season championship.
- The resilient Aggies have overcome deficits of eight points or more in six of their last 11 SEC contests, including a trio of 12-point comebacks vs. Auburn (2/7), Arkansas (2/15) and Ole Miss (2/29).
- The biggest rally of 2022-23 came against Northwestern State on 12/27 when the Aggies overcame a 15-point deficit (9:04 in 1st half) for a 64-52 win over the Demons.
- Easily the Aggies’ most prolific shooter from deep, Wade Taylor IV has improved his 3-point % significantly from last year. Taylor is hitting 36.8% in 2022-23 after making 27.8% as a freshman.
- Taylor has logged over 150 more minutes in 2022-23’s 30 games (852:36) than he did in 40 games as a freshman (701:27).
- Taylor and Auburn’s Wendell Green Jr. are the SEC’s only players with 400+ points, 100+ assists and 50+ steals.
- Taylor is the only player with 250+ points and 75+ assists in SEC play. For the full season, he’s the only player with 475+ points and 125 or more assists.
- The Aggies’ starting lineup has a definite Pelican State flavor with at least two Louisiana natives in it for almost every game – Tyrece Radford (Baton Rouge) and Dexter Dennis (Baker).
- The defensive-minded duo of Andersson Garcia and Andre Gordon have been the first players off the bench either individually or as a pair every game since 12/30.
- 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.
HOME SWEET HOME:
- The Aggies are 14-1 at the friendly confines of Reed Arena, including 8-0 vs. SEC opponents at home.
- The 2022-23 Aggies are seeking to become the first Texas A&M team to go undefeated at home in league play since the 1979-80 team accomplished the feat (8-0).
- The Aggies have drawn six straight home crowds of 10,000+ fans to Reed Arena, including a complete sellout of 12,989 for the Tennessee game on 2/21. It’s the first time that Reed Arena has drawn six straight 10,000+ crowds since 2009-10 when the Aggies closed out the regular season with seven straight 10k+ crowds.
- Texas A&M’s average home attendance for the season stands at 9,032 through 15 home dates, which currently ranks No. 6 on the Reed Arena season list and is the high-water mark of the Buzz Williams era.
DENNIS THE MENACE
Graduate guard Dexter Dennis joined the Aggies for the 2022-23 season after a standout career at Wichita State that included earning the 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year Award in the American Athletic Conference.
- Dennis has posted nine career double-doubles, including four in 2022-23. Dennis tallied consecutive double-doubles with 14 points/11 rebounds vs. ARK and 17/10 vs. MIZZ.
- Dennis matched Robert Williams’ school record for rebounds vs. a SEC opponent with 16 rebounds vs. Florida on Jan. 18.
Single Game Rebounds vs. SEC Opponent
Rk Player Rebounds Opponent, Date
1. Dexter Dennis 16 vs. Florida, 1/18/2023
Robert Williams 16 vs. Missouri, 2/8/2017
3. Henry Coleman III 15 vs. S. Carolina, 1/29/2022
Henry Coleman III 15 at Arkansas, 1/31/2023
Savion Flagg 15 vs. Arkansas, 1/5/2019
Christian Mekowuli 15 at Mississippi St., 3/9/2019
Christian Mekowuli 15 vs. Georgia, 2/12/2019
Robert Williams 15 at LSU, 1/23/2018
ONE OF A KIND TANDEM:
Texas A&M’s tandem of Dexter Dennis and Tyrece “Boots” Radford is the ONLY 6-foot-5 or shorter pair nationally with 700-plus career rebounds.
6-5 and Under Tandems With 700+ Rebounds
School Player (Height) Rebounds
Texas A&M Dexter Dennis (6-5) 721
Tyrece Radford (6-2) 717
Close…
Penn State Jalen Pickett (6-4) 725
Camren Wynter (6-2) 575
Towson Nygal Russell (6-4) 607
Cameron Holden (6-5) 641
UAB Ledarrius Brewer (6-5) 620
Tavin Lovan (6-4) 589
FOLLOW THE ACTION:
- The game will be televised by CBS with BRAD NESSLER (play-by-play) and JAY WRIGHT (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.
PROMOTIONS UPDATE:
- A&M Student Early Entry: The North entry of Reed Arena will open at 9:30 a.m. for A&M students. All doors will open to all fans at 10 a.m.
- Maroon Out Shirt Giveaway: 2,000 shirts will be available on the concourse pregame courtesy of Maroon Out.
- Fan Zone (North Entry):
- Tent setup with TVs, music, games & more open pregame.
- Dos Equis, Rasing Cane’s, Costa Vida activations and tastings.
· Senior Day: Make sure to stick around at the conclusion of the game as we celebrate our senior class.
· 12th Man Rewards: 100 Points
Credit to 12thman.com