Credit to Brad Marquardt | Assistant Athletics Director for Athletics Communications – 12thman.com
BRYAN/COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Powered by a near-school record 14 3-pointers, the No. 21 Texas A&M men’s basketball team rolled past DePaul, 89-64, in front of 8,310 fans at Reed Arena on Wednesday.
The Aggies improved to 7-2 while setting a school record for single game 3-point field goal percentage (with at least 30 attempts). The Maroon & White connected on 45.2% of its 3-point attempts (14-of-31) which broke the old record of 42.1% and the 14 treys were second only to the 16 vs. Savannah State in 2017.
With 11 3-pointers in the first half alone, the Aggies raced to a 62-30 advantage at halftime. The 62-point first half was the second-most in school history behind a 65-point effort against Grambling State in 2006.
Six Aggies scored in double figures, including four of five starters, with junior transfer Jace Carter leading the way with his season high of 14 as he rained in a season-high four 3-pointers. Joining Carter in double figures were junior Wade Taylor IV and senior Henry Coleman III with 13 and the trio of senior Hayden Hefner, junior Manny Obaseki and freshman Bryce Lindsay with 10 points each. Coleman III paced the team with nine rebounds, including five offensive caroms. Taylor IV hit four 3-pointers while also dishing out a game-high six assists.
Texas A&M Single Game 3-Pointers Made
Opponent
Date
3FG-FGA
Pct.
Savannah St.
12/13/17
16-38
0.421
DePaul
12/6/2023
14-30
0.467
SE La.
11/16/15
14-25
0.560
LSU
1/14/20
14-35
0.400
Baylor
2/2/00
13-28
0.464
Texas
2/28/07
13-25
0.520
South Carolina
11/20/05
13-25
0.520
USC Upstate
11/13/15
13-24
0.542
Texas A&M First Half Points
Pts.
Opponent
Date
65
Grambling
12/28/2006
62
DePaul
12/6/2023
61
Long Island
12/16/1989
61
UNLV
12/15/1978
60
Sam Houston State
12/6/1978
60
UL Monroe
12/22/2002
Texas A&M Single Game 3-Point % (min. 30 attempts)
Opponent
Date
3FG-FGA
Pct.
DePaul
12/6/23
14-31
0.452
Savannah St.
12/13/17
16-38
0.421
LSU
1/14/20
14-35
0.400
PVA&M
12/2/09
12-31
0.387
Dallas Christian
12/27/21
11-30
0.367
GAME NOTES:
BEYOND THE ARC: Texas A&M tied the second-most threes made in a game with 14. The Aggies shot 45.2% from the arc to mark the best 3-point percentage in school history with a minimum of 30 attempts. Jace Carter and Wade Taylor IV led the triple point charge with four each.
PROTECTING THE ROCK: Texas A&M registered only four turnovers while forcing 15 from DePaul. No turnovers were made by A&M in the first half and the first turnover did not occur until the 27th minute. This is the least number of turnovers since playing Alabama on January 12th, 2019, where they recorded three. They capitalized off the Blue Demons’ errors, recording 17 points off turnovers.
START WITH A BANG: The 62 points compiled in the first half was the most scored in the first 20 minutes since 2006 when A&M scored 65 versus Grambling on Dec. 28. The Aggies shot over 60 percent from all levels in the half as they went 24-of-37 from the field, 11-of-18 from the 3-point line and 3-of-5 from the charity stripe.
DOUBLE DIGIT DOMINATION: For the first time this season, six in the Maroon & White scored double figure points (Carter (14), Taylor IV (13), Henry Coleman III (13), Hayden Hefner (10), Bryce Lindsay (10) and Manny Obaseki (10). The last time six Aggies scored double digits was against last year against Missouri.
Postgame Quotes
Head Coach Buzz Williams
On being back home…
“I didn’t necessarily think that we were going to set a school record regarding percentages and attempts, but I did think that being back home gave us the opportunity to get good work in. By the time everybody woke up Monday I felt like we were coming back to life and I thought that yesterday we were getting really close to normal. I also thought shootaround this afternoon was really good.”
On Jace Carter’s big shooting night…
“I believe in Jace. I’ve believed in him from the first time I ever met him in person. I absolutely adore what he’s about on and off the floor. He’s easy to cheer for, he’s incredibly consistent as a worker and he has Dexter Dennis like qualities as a listener.”
Junior Guard Jace Carter
On having a good shooting night…
“My second shot, I felt pretty good. It was good to see some of my shots going in. My teammates just instill so much confidence in me. They’re always telling me to keep shooting, keep going, just because they know I work on it every day.”
Junior Guard Manny Obaseki
On what the team was focused on this week…
“It’s the same thing as every week; just focus on us. That’s our biggest opponent. We’re not worried about who’s in front of us, who’s ahead of us or who’s behind us. We’re focused on just ourselves and I think that’s what’s going to carry us throughout the rest of the season.”