No. 13 Texas A&M (11-2) will host rival Texas (11-2) on Saturday night to open SEC play, as both teams will meet on the court for the first time since 2019, which resulted in an Aggie loss during coach Buzz Williams’ first season with the program.
The Aggies are on a roll, having won six in a row and three Quad 1 victories with just two losses against UCF and Oregon, both on the road.
However, the SEC looks the strongest it has in years, as every team in the conference has a winning record, including ten ranked teams. For Texas A&M to continue winning, defense and rebounding are the key to keeping high-scoring opponents at bay.
On Saturday night, the Aggies will look to shut down Texas’s star point guard, while A&M guard Wade Taylor IV will likely need to score at least 15 points or more. Ahead of the game, here are three players to watch from both teams:
Texas A&M guard Zhuric Phelps:
Texas A&M’s top transfer portal addition continues to be former SMU guard Zhuric Phelps, who is currently averaging nearly three steals per game on top of 12.6 points and has helped star guard Wade Taylor IV become a true point guard without having to be the go-to scoring option on every possession.
On Saturday, Phelps will likely guard Tre Johnson and Jordan Pope throughout the night, needing to keep both players from gaining any offensive rhythm and hopefully produce a handful of turnovers.
Texas guard Tre Johnson
This season, freshman standout guard Tre Johnson is doing his best Kevin Durant impression and looks like the type of young star that can elevate a team into the NCAA Tournament.
However, Texas isn’t ranked because it has not had many impressive nonconference wins outside of defeating Syracuse and NC State while losing to an above-average UConn team at home.
Still, Johnson has been stellar in nearly every outing. For the Aggies, shutting down Johnson early is key, but shooters will shoot, and matching his likely production is the only way to keep the Longhorns from stealing a road win.
Texas A&M forward Pharrel Payne
Coach Buzz Williams deserves credit for gaining a commitment from former Minnesota forward Pharrel Payne. Payne has already enhanced Texas A&M’s defense in the paint, making even a simple layup nearly impossible.
While Paybe is only averaging over seven points and four rebounds, the junior is super athletic and a perfect one-on-one matchup with Texas forward Arthur Kaluma, who averages over 13 points and eight rebounds this season.
Last season, having a player like Payne would have likely vaulted the Aggies into the Sweet 16. To counter Kaluma’s size, expect Payne to play the most minutes he has all season.
Texas A&M will host Texas on Saturday, Jan. 4, at 7:00 p.m. CT. The game will air on the SEC Network.
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