Aggie Basketball Game #28:
Texas A&M (14-12; 6-9 SEC) vs. Alabama (16-11; 9-6 SEC)
Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017 · 7 p.m. (CT)
Reed Arena (12,979) · College Station, Texas
RADIO: WTAW 1620 AM (Bryan-College Station)
Dave South, Play-by-Play
Al Pulliam, Commentary
TV: ESPN2 (For more info – 12thMan.com/TV)
Tom Hart, Play-by-Play
Chris Spatola, Commentary
SATELLITE RADIO: Sirius Ch. 137 / XM Ch. 191
LIVE AUDIO/STATS: 12thman.com/live
LIVE MOBILE LIVE STATS: tamustats.com
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COLLEGE STATION – For the next to last time this season, the Texas A&M men’s basketball team hits the hardwood of Reed Arena as the Aggies host Alabama at 7 p.m. Saturday.
The showdown between the Aggies (14-13; 6-9 SEC) and Crimson Tide (16-11; 9-6 SEC) is the only scheduled meeting between the programs and comes at a crucial time with only three games remaining in the regular season for both teams to improve their post-season resumes.
XPOGO, a stunt pogo group and holders of 13 Guinness world records, will perform at halftime. Additionally, families can participate in the pregame Kid’s Court, which features inflatables, coloring, arts + crafts, & more. Kid’s Court will take place in the men’s practice gym prior to tipoff.
The matchup will be nationally televised on SEC Network with Tom Hart and Kara Lawson calling the action from Aggieland. Radio coverage will be provided on the Aggie Sports Network, which can be heard locally in the Bryan/College Station area on WTAW (1620 AM).
The Aggies will be looking to bounce back after dropping an 86-77 contest at Arkansas Wednesday night. Despite the setback, the contest saw impressive outings from two of A&M’s young big men as sophomore Tyler Davis scored a game-high 21 points to reach the 20-point plateau for the sixth time in his career and freshman Robert Williams carded his team-leading ninth double-double.
Additionally, a familiar face returns to Reed Arena this weekend as Crimson Tide sophomore guard Avery Johnson Jr. returns to the place he played his first collegiate season. The Houston native, appeared in 13 games as a freshman during the 2014-15 campaign before transferring to Alabama after his father, Avery Sr., was announced as the Crimson Tide’s head coach.
Texas A&M head coach Billy Kennedy
Aggie center Tyler Davis
TRENDS & SUPERLATIVES
• During Wednesday’s contest at Arkansas, Tyler Davis hit the 20-point mark for the sixth time in his career, finishing with 21 points on 9-of-10 shooting … Davis added seven boards, two blocks and an assist.
• Also during the game in Fayetteville, Robert Williams notched his team-leading ninth double-double of the season, finishing with 16 points and 11 rebounds … Additionally, Williams also blocked three shots to extend his nation-leading blocked shot streak to 27 games, as well as post his 21st multi-block game.
NOTING ALABAMA
• Alabama comes to College Station with a 16-11 overall record this season as well as a 9-6 mark in SEC play that leaves the team in a tie for fifth place in the league standings … UA was picked to finish seventh in the SEC by media that covers the conference.
• The Crimson Tide is 3-2 in its last five games … They face a quick turnaround coming into Saturday’s affair after dropping a 60-55 decision to Georgia in Tuscaloosa on Thursday night.
• On the road this season, Alabama is an impressive 5-2 in SEC play.
• In conference play, Alabama has been led in scoring by freshman forward Braxton Key (14.2 points per game) and freshman guard Dazon Ingram (10.7).
• Senior forward Bola Olaniyan is tied for tenth in the SEC in rebounds (169).
• Against SEC opponents, Alabama is first in both offensive rebounds (208) and total rebounds (618) … however, they rank last in assists (158) and free-throw percentage (.641)
• The Crimson Tide has one of the strongest defenses in the SEC, ranking first in the conference in two-point field goal percentage allowed (.451) and second in points per game allowed (68.7).
• This is head coach Avery Johnson’s second year at Alabama, where his record is 34-26.
AGGIES AMONG THE SEC & NATIONAL LEADERS (Through 2/23 games)
• The Aggies rank ninth nationally in blocked shots per game with an average of 5.7 per contest (first in the SEC).
• On the offensive end, A&M has been efficient, ranking second in the SEC by shooting 46.8 percent from the field as a team, they are also tied for first in the SEC (28th nationally) in assists with an average of 16.4 per contest.
• In the SEC rebounding column, A&M ranks second in the conference in rebound margin at +5.6 and leads the league in offensive rebounds per game (13.1) and offensive rebound percentage (.379) … The Aggies are 22nd nationally in offensive rebounds per game.
• Nationally, the Aggies rank 25th in fewest fouls this season (448).
• Sophomore Tyler Davis leads the SEC and ranks ninth nationally in field goal percentage, shooting 63.1percent from the field … He also ranks eighth in the SEC in total rebounding at 6.9 per contest while checking in at second in the league on the offensive glass at 3.1 offensive rebounds per outing (39thnationally).
• Rookie Robert Williams continues to stand out as one of the SEC’s brightest freshmen, ranking second in the league (13th nationally) with 72 blocked shots for an average of 2.7 per game … He ranks second in the SEC in rebounding at 7.8 per contest.
• During SEC play, Williams ranks first in blocked shots (2.8 per game) and second in both field goal percentage (.543) and rebounding (9.2 boards per game).
• Second-year guard Admon Gilder appears throughout the lists of SEC statistical leaders, ranking second in steals per game (2.0), second in minutes played (34.0) and eighth in assists per game (4.0) … Gilder ranks 27th nationally in steals per game.
SERIES HISTORY VS ALABAMA (ALABAMA LEADS 10-4)
• Saturday’s contest will be the 15th meeting between the Aggies and the Crimson Tide on the hardwood and the sixth between the schools as SEC competitors.
• Alabama won the first six games in the series, before the Aggies went on a three-game winning streak against the Crimson Tide.
• A&M head coach Billy Kennedy is 1-6 against Alabama.
• The two schools first met on December 19, 1958, when the Bob Rodgers-led Aggies fell to Alabama 66-62 in the Birmingham Classic … The Aggies had to wait 40 years for their first win against the Tide when they won 65-58 in College Station on Dec. 1, 1998.
• Wednesday’s contest will be the sixth time the Aggies and Tide have met in College Station, with A&M leading the series 3-2 on its home court … A&M dropped a 63-62 decision at Alabama on Feb. 10 last season.
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics