News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
LAS VEGAS – The No. 23 Texas A&M men’s basketball team (4-1) opens the Players Era Festival against the 5-0 Oregon Ducks at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
- The two programs have met just twice on the hardwood with the Ducks posting a 94-70 win in Houston in 1970 and the Aggies taking a 75-60 win at Reed Arena in the second round of the 2022 Postseason NIT.
- Four Aggies that saw significant action in the 2022 contest remain on the 2024-25 roster — Hayden Hefner, Manny Obaseki and Wade Taylor IV. Obaseki (11 points), Coleman (10) and Taylor (10) reached double digit points. The quartet combined to post 49.3 of the team’s points and 44.7 of the rebounds.
- The 2022 win over Oregon was the 300th victory of Buzz Williams’ career.
- All eight teams in the loaded Player’s Era Festival field are in the top 75 of the Pomeroy Ratings with No. 1 Houston, No. 10 and No. 19 Texas A&M in the top 20. Other teams in the field are Creighton, Notre Dame, Oregon, Rutgers and San Diego State
- The Aggies’ most recent MTE in Las Vegas was the Maui Jim Maui Invitational in 2021. Texas A&M lost the opener to Wisconsin (69-58) before closing with wins over Butler (57-50) and Notre Dame (73-67).
TV/RADIO
- The games in Las Vegas can be viewed on Turner family of networks – TBS for Oregon and MAX for Creighton. Calling the action are J.B. Long (play-by-play), Candace Parker (color) and Lauren Jbara (reporter) for at least the first two games.
- The matchups air 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.
TRENDS + NOTABLES
- Texas A&M is connecting on a modest 33.3% of its shots from deep (No. 181 nationally), but it’s a significant improvement from last year’s 29.3% from beyond the arc (No. 334).
- Leading the 3-point improvement is preseason All-America selection Wade Taylor IV, who is hitting 42.9% of his threes (15-of-35) after connecting at a 32.5% clip last season.
- Also contributing to the uptick is the addition of transfer sharpshooter C.J. Wilcher (42.1%) and the growing willingness of Andersson Garcia to put up 3-pointers. He’s shooting just over twice as many threes per game as last season.
- The Aggies are averaging 4.6 blocks/G, which would easily be the highest of the Buzz Williams era (2021-22 team averaged 3.4 blocks/G).
- Offensive rebounding is a strength again for the 2023-24 national leaders in the category (17.4/G). The Aggies are averaging 17.4/G, including an eye-popping 29 vs. Southern (11/20).
- Four Aggies already have double-digit offensive rebounds – Henry Coleman III (23), Payne (13), Washington (13) and Garcia (12).
- The Aggies have been dominant on the boards, enjoying at least an six-rebound advantage in every contest. Texas A&M goes to Vegas with +14.0 rebound margin (44.8 – 30.8).
- Texas A&M has held all five opponents to less than 40.0% shooting, including a season-low 33.9% by then-No. 21 Ohio State (11/15).
- The Aggies shot just 14 free throws in the season opener vs. UCF, but have shot at least 24 in each of the last four games, including 40 FTA vs. Ohio State.
- Bench scoring has been a bright spot with the Aggies averaging 38.0 points/G from its reserves. Leading the way among players that have come off the bench in all five games are Coleman (11.2/G), Manny Obaseki (9.6) and Wilcher 4.8).
SEEKING 100 WINS
With 99 wins entering the Players Era Festival, 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).
- Among other active head coach with 100 wins at three different stops are John Calipari, Rick Barnes, Kelvin Sampson, Jim Larranaga, Steve Alford and Bruce Pearl.
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 Texas A&M Athletics 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.
- Taylor is just 12 points for passing 2007 first-team All-American and Bob Cousy Award winner Acie Law IV.
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. |
1,658 |
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 from Power 5 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 .847.
- 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 5 conferences)
- Since the Aggies joined the SEC in 2012-13, there have been just nine players to reach the milestone.
“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. 5 nationally in offensive rebounds among all players with an average of 4.6/G.
- Coleman averages 11.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.6 offensive rebounds so far this season, all off the bench.
- Among DI players with three or more games off the bench, he ranks No. 1 nationally.
2024-25 DI Offensive Rebounds Leaders(
|
Player, School |
Off. Rebs/G |
|
Eric Mulder, Purdue-Fort Wayne |
5.2 |
|
Maxime Raynaud, Stanford |
5.2 |
|
Tobe Awaka, Arizona |
4.8 |
|
Jamar Brown, UM-Kansas City |
4.7 |
|
Henry Coleman III, Texas A&M |
4.6 |
TRANSFERS MAKING AN IMPACT
The Aggies added a trio of transfers in the offseason and all three have impacted the lineup.
- Minnesota tranfer Pharrel Payne has started all five games, while SMU transfer Zhuric Phelps has started the last three after being activated from a preseason injury.
- Payne is the team’s top shot blocker (1.2), while Phelps leads in scoring (16.0) and steals (3.0).
- Nebraska transfer C.J. Wilcher is one of first reserves off the bench and gives the Aggies’ a reliable option from the 3-point line.