Category: College sports

Texas A&M men’s basketball coach Buzz Williams admits that he does ‘not watch any games’

“Without being condescending, I have literally tried to live in the most narrow lane you can possibly imagine. Rarely look at my phone.”

The Texas A&M men’s basketball team has gotten off to an undefeated start through two games of SEC action and coach Buzz Williams is well aware of the debates that are beginning because of it.

“It is the first full week of conference play. If you were a fan, this would be fun. If you had a platform such as you guys or you were a media personality, like I am assuming some of you guys are, it is good fodder, it is good content. It is like, what about this and what about that and this coach and that player and what is next? What about what happened last week? That is what has created the exposure that this league has,” Williams explained Wednesday. “Without being condescending, I have literally tried to live in the most narrow lane you can possibly imagine. Rarely look at my phone. I do not watch any games. I am not talented enough to give away emotion and energy to something that does not impact us.

“Because when you are doing this for whatever, three hours tonight, shoot around this morning for an hour, film this morning before shootaround, chapel before film, travel here, all of the things that you are doing – when you give away time, energy, emotion over what is about to be one- and two-possession games for 10 consecutive weeks, I do not think you can lead from that. When you are trying as best as you can to be responsible and leading, on average, 20-year-olds who are completely bombarded, I just want to try to be the best example I can be. We are really thankful. We are glad that the bus ride, that the pizza will taste a little better. We are glad that it is only an hour home.

“But we are going to get home at whatever time, and literally, the preparation for Saturday’s game against another top 20 – this one, top five – team, starts as soon as I take a shower. I understand that is what comes with the job, so I do not want a portion of what I am saying to come across as if I am complaining. But thankful, OK, purge, cleanse. We have to figure out if we have a chance in another one- or two-possession game, if we can get it to that on Saturday.”

The No. 9 Aggies (13-2, 2-0 SEC) host No. 5 Alabama (13-2, 2-0) at Reed Arena on Saturday evening at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

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‘We tried real hard,’ Basketball coach Buzz Williams reflects on Aggies beating Oklahoma

“I do not think that they ever dropped their heads,” he said. “They were very accountable to one another and to what we were trying to do.”

After trailing by 18 points Wednesday night, the Texas A&M men’s basketball team fought back to beat Oklahoma on the road, which pleased head coach Buzz Williams.

“I just think we tried real hard. Oklahoma is so gifted offensively, and coach Moser is an offensive savant in regards to how he uses that talent. But there is always a lot of lipstick prior to the shot attempt that causes a lot of confusion, a lot of really gifted decision-makers with the ball. But the things that they are doing are really difficult to guard,” Williams explained. “In many respects, they beat us from start to finish. I do not know that you can give up 42 points from three with the 3-point field goal percentage being higher than the overall percentage and it not be 51-33. Actually, I would say that should be the line, 51-33, because everything that we were trying, they were taking advantage of and having near-perfect success.

“But I do think that the character of our guys and the relationships that they have with one another – they just hung around. I do not think that they ever dropped their heads. They were very accountable to one another and to what we were trying to do, and we were very fortunate to win.”

The No. 9 Aggies (13-2, 2-0 SEC) host No. 5 Alabama (13-2, 2-0) at Reed Arena on Saturday evening at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

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Former Texas A&M commit Anthony Hill discusses playing at ‘crazy’ Kyle Field for Longhorns

“Playing at Kyle Field was crazy. I can’t lie, the atmosphere was jumping. It was really cool to play in that stadium. It was fun,” he said.

Texas sophomore linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. spoke to the media yesterday prior to playing in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

Hill, a former Texas A&M commit, reflected on his choice to sign with the Longhorns and what it was like playing in the stadium that he initially thought would become his home.

“Do I have to say anything? I mean, I feel like I made the right decision. Look where I’m at,” Hill proclaimed. “Decommitting, I want to leave that in the past.”

“Playing at Kyle Field was crazy. I can’t lie, the atmosphere was jumping. It was really cool to play in that stadium, of course after decommitting from there. It was fun.”

When he flipped to Texas, the Aggies set their sights on sophomore linebacker Taurean York, who Hill was complimentary of Thursday.

“He was playing fast,” Hill said of York. “It was pretty cool playing in the SEC and seeing him play that fast. He was playing really fast. And, his freshman year, he did a good job. He was running the show. So, it’s pretty cool seeing him play, since I’ve been knowing him since my sophomore year (of high school).”

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‘Zhu was tremendous,’ Coach Buzz Williams explains how Texas A&M won without Wade Taylor

“Zhu was tremendous. Zhu was really good on Saturday. But we can’t just give all of that to one player. Our group did a really good job.”

For only the second time in his historic Texas A&M career, senior point guard Wade Taylor IV missed a game Wednesday night due to injury.

However, the Aggies were still able to win at Oklahoma, thanks in large part to fellow senior PG, Zhuric Phelps.

“Statistically speaking, you could say that (Taylor) may be the best player (in Texas A&M history). There have been a lot of really good players. The game before Christmas was the first time that (Taylor) has ever missed the game, including the two practices prior, too. The same thing happened – I guess it would be Monday, Tuesday, entering today,” Aggies coach Buzz Williams recalled postgame. “He carries a lot for our team. He is incredibly gifted, but his IQ level as a player is probably at the same level or better than his talent. So not only did we miss his talent; we also missed his IQ. As best we could, our staff did a really good job of dispersing that burden and not putting it on one guy.

The Texas A&M men’s basketball team is ‘a very mature group’ per head coach Buzz Williams

“We have a group that has really good character, that’s important. When we’re together, our ideas have to be based on the truth,” Buzz said.

The Texas A&M men’s basketball team made a statement on Saturday night at Reed Arena, outscoring Texas by 20 points in the second half en route to an 80-60 victory in the conference opener.

Following the big win, Aggies coach Buzz Williams made his weekly appearance on “The Aggie Basketball Hour”

“The margins are just so thin. You always have to figure out a way to get better. We’re thankful for Saturday. There’s very little margin over the next nine weeks,” Williams said Monday. “We have a very mature group. We have a group that has really good character, and that’s important. When we’re together, our ideas have to be based on the truth.”

Next up for No. 9 Texas A&M (12-2, 1-0 SEC) is a road contest against the SEC’s other new addition, No. 16 Oklahoma (13-1, 0-1). Texas A&M faces off against the Sooners tonight at 8 p.m. from the Lloyd Noble Center on the SEC Network.

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Watch the No. 9 Texas A&M men’s basketball team assert its dominance against the Longhorns

The No. 9 Aggies face off against the No. 16 Oklahoma Sooners tonight at 8 p.m. from the Lloyd Noble Center on the SEC Network.

This past weekend, the Texas A&M men’s basketball team dominated the second half of its conference opener against Texas to win the return of the Lone Star Showdown on the hardwood.

The No. 9 Aggies (12-2, 1-0 SEC) were tied at 37 with the Longhorns (11-3, 0-1) at halftime on Saturday night at Reed Arena. Then, Texas A&M asserted its dominance by outscoring Texas 43-23 in the final 20 minutes of action to ultimately win 80-60.

“Their shots were at the rim,” Longhorns head coach Rodney Terry said postgame. “Our shots were perimeter shots. If we make some of those shots, it’s a different game.”

Next up for the Aggies is a road contest against the SEC’s other new addition, No. 16 Oklahoma (13-1, 0-1). Texas A&M faces off against the Sooners tonight at 8 p.m. from the Lloyd Noble Center on the SEC Network.

Relive the Aggies’ tremendous victory below in this highlight put together by the Texas A&M social media department:

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Men’s basketball coach Buzz Williams says that Texas A&M SG Hayden Hefner ‘is an assassin’

“You can’t judge a book by its cover. ‘H’ is an assassin. He’s going to do exactly what he’s supposed to do. I have great respect for him.”

It’s safe to say that Texas A&M men’s basketball head coach Buzz Williams is a member of the Hayden Hefner fan club.

In typical Buzz fashion, he was brutally honest about the graduate student shooting guard following an 80-60 victory versus Texas in the conference opener Saturday at Reed Arena.

“Probably the least talented player that played in the Lone Star Showdown, but it’s hard to grade guts,” Williams said of Hefner. “He’s got big guts.”

Then Monday, Williams provided massive praise for Hefner on “The Aggie Basketball Hour.”

“He’s not the same person from when he got here to today,” Williams explained. “You can’t judge a book by its cover. ‘H’ is an assassin. He’s going to do exactly what he’s supposed to do. I have great respect for him.”

The No. 9 Aggies face off against No. 16 Oklahoma tonight at 8 p.m. from the Lloyd Noble Center on the SEC Network.

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Where did Texas A&M Basketball land in the AP Top 25 Poll after blowout win over Texas?

The Texas A&M basketball team leaps into the AP Top 25 Poll after big win over the Texas Longhorns

Texas A&M (12-2) started SEC play with a bang after beating the Texas Longhorns 80-60 at Reed Arena to take the first game in the Lone Star Showdown.

The first Lone Star Showdown on the basketball court since Texas joined the SEC was one to remember for Aggie fans. After an extremely close first half, during which fouls put A&M’s two top scores on the bench, the floodgates opened in the second half.

A&M went on to outscore the Longhorns 43-23 dominating at the rim and played elite defense in front of a deafening crowd at Reed Arena. The college basketball world took notice, and the Maroon & White are starting to be in conversation to compete for a SEC title.

Outside of the top 5, the rankings had a lot of movement, and this should be expected over the next few weeks as the SEC starts to beat up on each other creating conference parity in the top 25.

Below is the most recent AP Top 25 Poll after Week 9:

  1. Tennessee 14-0
  2. Auburn 13-1
  3. Iowa State 12-1
  4. Duke 12-2
  5. Alabama 12-2
  6. Kentucky 12-2
  7. Marquette 12-2
  8. Florida 13-1
  9. UConn 12-3
  10. Texas A&M 12-2
  11. Kansas 10-3
  12. Houston 10-3
  13. Illinois 11-3
  14. Mississippi State 13-1
  15. Oregon 13-2
  16. Michigan State 12-2
  17. Oklahoma 13-1
  18. Gonzaga 12-4
  19. Memphis 12-3
  20. Purdue 11-4
  21. West Virginia 11-2
  22. UCLA 11-3
  23. Ole Miss 12-2
  24. Michigan 11-3
  25. Utah State 14-1
Others receiving votes:

Pittsburgh 91, Arkansas 62, Nebraska 62, Baylor 32, Wisconsin 31, St. John’s 27, San Diego St. 26, Cincinnati 22, Clemson 19, Maryland 7, Georgia 6, St. Bonaventure 6, Texas Tech 6, Indiana 6, Missouri 5, Arizona 3, Dayton 1, Georgetown 1, Vanderbilt 1, Xavier 1.

Texas A&M will go on the road to face Oklahoma at Lloyd Noble Center on Jan. 8 at 8:00 p.m. CST. The game can be watched on SEC Network.

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“We’re appreciative of all their support” Texas A&M HC Buzz Williams recognizes the 12th Man in big win

“I think this will be a rarity” Texas A&M HC knows 20-point wins will not be commonplace in the SEC

Over the years, coach Buzz Williams has been criticized for consistency issues with the Texas A&M basketball team. However, this season, after a tough non-conference schedule, they have embraced who they are as a team, and it shows in every single game.

The SEC is going to be a gauntlet, and 20-point wins will be the exception rather than the rule. Buzz understands this, and while it’s great for morale, he knows his team needs to stay grounded to be successful in the long run.

“I think it’ll be rare. I wasn’t saying any of that from a motivational standpoint.”

“That’s how thin the margin is. It shows how elite the league has been going into one. I think this will be a rarity.”

He also praised one of the game’s unsung heroes, Aggie mainstay Hayden Hefner, who has made some notable plays this season and hit a few big shots in Saturday’s win.

“(Hefner) is accepting. He doesn’t have to be here. He has already graduated. He’s here because he cares.”

“He cares about our group and has a burning desire to have success. … His nature is so giving.”

Below, you can watch the entire post-game conference.

Texas A&M will go on the road to face Oklahoma at Lloyd Noble Center on Jan. 8 at 8:00 p.m. CST. The game can be watched on SEC Network.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1.

Huge second half leads No. 13 Texas A&M men’s basketball team past Longhorns in SEC opener

For the first time in nearly a decade, the Texas A&M men’s basketball team defeated its bitter rivals, the University of Texas, on Saturday.

For the first time in nearly a decade, the Texas A&M men’s basketball team has defeated its bitter rivals, the University of Texas.

The No. 13 Aggies (12-2, 1-0 SEC) beat the Longhorns (11-3, 0-1) by a final score of 80-60 on Saturday night at Reed Arena. Texas A&M outscored Texas 43-23 in the second half to win its conference opener at home.

This weekend’s Lone Star Showdown matchup was the first since December 2019. The victory is the Aggies‘ first against the Longhorns since November 2015.

Senior point guard Zhuric Phelps racked up a game-high 18 points on 6-of-8 field goal and free throw attempts, respectively. He added 7 rebounds (1 offensive), 4 assists and 1 steal.

Three other Texas A&M players scored in double-digits. Junior power forward Pharrel Payne recorded 15, senior PG Wade Taylor IV contributed 13 and senior shooting guard Manny Obaseki added 10.

Next up for the Aggies is a road contest against the SEC’s other new addition, No. 12 Oklahoma (13-1, 0-1). Texas A&M faces off against the Sooners at 8 p.m. Wednesday from the Lloyd Noble Center on the SEC Network.

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