In what was likely Texas A&M Basketball’s (7-4) fifth Quad 1 matchup of the 2023-2024 season, the Aggies fell to the No. 4 Houston Cougars (11-0) 70-66 in one of the more exciting second-half finishes on the year thus far.
Facing a Cougars squad that came into the game with an undefeated record, ranked No. 2 in the NET and No. 1 in the KenPom rankings, the Aggies’ lackluster start due to an elite defensive effort on Houston’s end was just a small part of A&M’s story, as star junior guard Wade Taylor IV (34 points) completely lived up to his Preseason SEC Player of the Year billing.
Trailing by 15 at the half, Taylor’s 26-point second-half explosion, including six three-pointers, brought the Aggies within in single digits in the final minutes, while his fifth make from beyond the arc tied the game at 63 with just 1:24 left. After re-taking the lead, Taylor’s sixth three-pointer brought the Aggies within two.
Still, after a stop, a foul that sent senior forward Henry Coleman III to the free throw line resulted in two misses, ending the A&M’s furious and impressive comeback attempt.
On paper, a loss is a loss. Still, when factoring in the injury/absence-related issues regarding senior guard Tyrece Radford, who missed Saturday’s matchup, and senior forward Julius Marble, who continues to deal with a cryptic “University process,” the effort shown against perhaps the best team in college basketball is certainly encouraging, especially if Wade Taylor IV continues to show signs of absolute greatness ahead of SEC play.
“I’m just playing the game within myself.”
“I’m just trying to be the best I can be for my team.”
All four losses the Aggies have sustained are honestly respectable, starting with No. 15 Florida Atlantic, No.22 Virginia on the road, an 8-2 Memphis team that just defeated No. 13 Clemson, and, of course, the Houston Cougars.
For those who remember where the Aggies stood at this time last season, coming off of an embarrassing loss to Wofford to drop to 6-5, their current 7-4 record presents a much different narrative compared to the doom and gloom that took the Aggies into the Christmas break.
Already earning impressive Quad 1 wins over Ohio State (9-2) and Iowa State (8-2), no one, especially the NCAA Tournament Committee, can criticize head coach Buzz Williams for avoiding early season challenges, and even though the team has plenty to improve on, credit to Williams for looking at the bigger picture ahead of SEC play.
“All of it is good. Coach (Sampson) is a hall of fame coach. They’re No. 1 in KenPom. They’re No. 2 in NET. It was in an NBA arena.”
“I thought all of it was great.”
Texas A&M will return to Reed Arena on Friday, Dec. 22, to host Houston Christian (1-7) at 7:00 PM CST. The game will air on the SEC Network.
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