Credit to Brad Marquardt | Assistant Athletics Director for Athletics Communications – 12thman.com
NASHVILLE – The Texas A&M men’s basketball team dropped a 74-73 road decision on a buzz beater to the Vanderbilt Commodores on Tuesday at Memorial Gymnasium.
As time expired, Vanderbilt guard Ezra Manjon hit a floater for the one-point win as the Aggies fell to 15-9 overall and 6-5 in SEC play.
The Commodores earned the victory by beating the Aggies at their own game – Vanderbilt became the third team to win the offensive rebounding battle, 12-8, and took 12 more shots than the Maroon & White, who also suffered an uncharacteristic 12 turnovers.
Still, the Aggies had grabbed a one-point advantage when graduate guard Tyrece Radford buried a pair of free throws with :13 remaining. The Aggies were perfect 17-of-17 from the free throw line. The Aggies couldn’t hold off the Commdores in the second half despite finishing the game with a 51.1 field goal percentage, including 44.4 from the arc (8-of-18).
Both teams made runs in the second half but neither team could build more than a four-point advantage. The game featured 12 ties and 21 lead changes before the Commodores made the final shot for the win.
The Aggies were led by junior Wade Taylor IV with 18 points, including 12 in the second half. Radford added 17 points and a team-high four assists. Senior Henry Coleman III contributed 13 points and four rebounds, while hitting 7-of-7 free throws, and junior Jace Carter chipped in 11 points. Senior Andersson Garcia posted a team-high six rebounds.
In the first half, the Aggies forged a tenuous one-point advantage 31-30 at the break despite an impressive statistical half that saw them shoot over 40.0% from the field (41.7%), a perfect 8-of-8 from the free throw line while earning a 20-10 advantage in rebounds. An uncharacteristic seven turnovers slowed the Maroon & White advances as they trailed by three at the under 4:00 break. A 10-4 spurt in the final 3:37 pushed the Aggies to a halftime advantage.
GAME NOTES:
AGGIE OFFENSIVE OPTIONS: Texas A&M had four score in double figures for the first time since having back-to-back games against LSU (1/20) and Missouri (1/23). Wade Taylor IV led with 18, Tyrece Radford compiled 17, Henry Coleman III scored 13 and Jace Carter with 11.
FROM THE CHARITY STRIPE: The Aggies went a perfect 17-of-17 from the free throw line wiping the previous season-high of 84.2 percent at Auburn (1/9). Coleman went 7-of-7, Taylor 6-of-6 and Radford 4-of-4. The last time Texas A&M had a perfect game from the charity stripe with 15 or more attempts was at Kentucky on Jan. 21, 2023, where they made 16-of-16.