News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION – The No. 23 Texas A&M men’s basketball team closes out a four-game home stand with a 7 p.m. contest against Southern Jaguars at Reed Arena on Wednesday.
PROMOTIONS UPDATE: $5 BEER NIGHT!!
- $5 BEER NIGHT: $5 beer selections will be available for purchase at the main Reed Arena concessions stands.
- 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.
- STUDENT GIVEAWAY: ’24-’25 Reed Rowdies shirts available for ALL students in the Fan Zone.
TRENDS + NOTABLES
- Against No. 21 Ohio State, Aggies took the lead with 16:10 remaining in first half and never trailed again. The Aggies hit a 3-pointer to open second half (19:18), to go up by double digits (34-22) and never had less than an 11-point lead after that point.
- With Solomon Washington and Pharrel Payne protecting the rim the Aggies are averaging 4.8 blocks/G, which would easily be the highest of the Buzz Williams era (2021-22 Aggies averaged 3.4 blocks/G).
- Texas A&M has limited its opponents to 36.0% shooting from the field, including a season-low 33.9% by then-No. 21 Ohio State.
- The Aggies shot just 14 free throws vs. UCF, but have shot at least 24 in each of the last three games, including 40 FTA vs. Ohio State.
- The Aggies have been dominant in all four games on the boards, enjoying at least an six-rebound advantage in every contest. For the season, the Aggies average 11.6 more boards per game than their opponents (42.4-30.8).
- Offensive rebounding appears to be a strength again for the 2023-24 national leaders in the category (17.4/G). Through four games, the Aggies are averaging a healthy 14.5/G.
- Since a season-opening shooting effort of 36.5% vs. UCF, the Aggies have rebounded connect on 50.6% of their shots in the last three games.
- The improved shooting can likely be attributed to the level of competition and road vs. home, but it also coincides with the activation of transfer Zhuric Phelps. Phelps missed the UCF game due to injury, but he’s emerged as the team’s leading scorer by average (16.0/G) while hitting 50.0 of his field goal attempts.
- Henry Coleman III has been a force off the bench for the Aggies, averaging 11.3 points/6.8 rebounds in just 17.0 minutes/G. He ranks No. 4 nationally with 5.0 offensive rebounds/G
- Bench scoring has been a bright spot for the Aggies, who are averaging 40.3 points/G from its reserves. Leading the way among players that have come off the bench in all four games are Henry Coleman III (11.3/G), Manny Obaseki (9.8) and CJ Wilcher 5.3).
- Andersson Garcia posted a career-high 15 points against Lamar that included a pair of 3-pointers (also a career high). The scoring “outburst” took down his previous high game of 14 points vs. Texas A&M in 2022 when he was at Mississippi State.
CHASE FOR WADE2K
Wade Taylor IV, or “4” as he is known to head coach Buzz Williams, already owns over a dozen school records and has another 30 or so school or SEC records within reach, but the crown jewel is the coveted scoring record and the possibility of becoming the first 2,000-point scorer in school history.
- The current all-time leading scorer is Hall of Famer Bernard King, who led the Aggies in scoring for four straight years and fell just shy of 2,000 with 1,990 points from 1999-2003.
4’s Chase for 2,000 Points
|
Rk. |
Player |
Years |
Points |
|
1. |
Bernard King |
1999-03 |
1,990 |
|
2. |
Vernon Smith |
1977-81 |
1,778 |
|
3. |
Joseph Jones |
2004-08 |
1,679 |
|
4. |
Acie Law IV |
2003-07 |
1,669 |
|
5. |
Wade Taylor IV |
2021-Pres. |
1,641 |
NOTABLE ABOUT TAYLOR IV
- Wade Taylor IV is the lone DI player to log 500+ points, 100+ assists and 60+ steals the past two seasons.
- Taylor is the SEC’s only active 6-foot and under player with 300+ rebounds for his career. He is one of seven in D1 from Power 6 schools.
- Taylor set a school record with 98 3-pointers in 2023-24 and ranked No. 2 in the SEC in 3-pointers.
- Taylor owns the single season school record for free throw percentage (.878 in 2022-23) and is the current leader for career percentage at .848.
- Taylor become the third player in school history to post consecutive seasons of 500-plus points with 572 in 2022-23 and 687 in 2023-24. He joined Bernard King (2001-02, 2002-03), John Beasley (1964-65, 1965-66) and Bennie Lenox (1962-63, 1963-64)
- Taylor and King are the only players in school history to post consecutive seasons with 500-plus points and 100-plus assists.
- With 687 points, 145 assists, 125 rebounds and 66 steals in 2023-24, Taylor became the second player in school history to reach 600/100/100/50 plateaus in points, assists, rebounds and steals in a season, joining Don Marbury in 1985-86. He was one of 10 DI players to reach the statistical plateaus in 2023-24 (five from Power 6 conferences)
- Since the Aggies joined the SEC in 2012-13, there have been just nine players to reach the milestone.
100 WINS ON HORIZON
With 98 wins entering the Southern game, sixth-year head coach Buzz Williams is nearing the 100-win mark at Texas A&M, where he would become just the third Aggie coach to reach the century mark in victories.
- Texas A&M’s 100-Win Club includes Shelby Metcalf (438 from 1963-90) and Billy Kennedy (151 from 2011-19).
- When Williams reaches the milestone, Texas A&M would become the third school that he’s hit the 100-win level — he won 139 games at Marquette (2008-14) and 100 exactly at Virginia Tech (2014-19)
“BIG D” GUARD TRIO
The addition of Zhuric Phelps has given the Aggies a trio of senior guards hailing from the Dallas area – Phelps (Duncanville HS), Manny Obaseki (John Paul II HS in Plano) and Wade Taylor IV (Lancaster HS).
- Phelps joined the Aggies after three seasons at SMU, where scored 1,000+ points.
- Obaseki and Taylor were members of Texas A&M’s early signing class in November of 2020.
COLEMAN CLEANS GLASS
Henry Coleman III ranks No. 4 nationally in offensive rebounds among all players with an average of 5.0/G.
- Coleman averages 11.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.0 offensive rebounds so far this season, all off the bench.
- Among DI players with four or more games off the bench, he ranks No. 1 nationally.
2024-25 DI Offensive Rebounds Leaders
|
Player, School |
Off. Rebs/G |
|
Tobe Awaka, Arizona |
6.3 |
|
Jamar Brown, UM-Kansas City |
5.4 |
|
Cole Hargrove, Drexel |
5.3 |
|
Henry Coleman III, Texas A&M |
5.0 |
|
C.J. Walker, East Carolina |
4.8 |
TV/RADIO
- The game can be viewed on SEC Network+ with Will Johnson (play-by-play) and Aggie basketball letterman Blake McDonald (color) 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 Matt Simon and Dr. John Thornton describing the action.
REMINDER: PRE-PAID PARKING IS THE WAY TO GO!
- New in 2024-25: Prepaid parking is available, https://tamu.pmreserve.com/. Sales are available onsite via cash or credit but prepaid is encouraged.
- Any valid Texas A&M permit parking/season permit parking allowed in Lots 100a-c, 100e & 100f, 100g, 100d, 100j, 100m, 100t, 74, 95 and 97
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Questions about Gameday at Reed Arena? Check out the “Know Before You Go” page at 12thMan.com.