Texas A&M (11-2) is off to its best start under coach Buzz Williams during his sixth season with the program. The Aggies cruised through nonconference play with wins over Ohio State, Purdue, and Creighton while staying undefeated at home.
Already building a 3-1 Quad 1 record, Williams’s veteran squad has relied on elite defense and rebounding to keep opponents at bay. At the same time, the offense has continued to improve, especially from beyond the arc.
Still led by senior point guard Wade Taylor IV, fellow senior guard Zhuric Phelps has stepped up, while junior forward Pharrel Payne has begun to make a consistent impact in the paint.
After defeating Abilene Christian 92-54, Texas A&M will open the SEC season vs. rival Texas, who are also 11-2 and riding a four-game winning streak ahead of the Longhorn’s first season in the conference.
Led by freshman guard Tre Johnson, who leads Texas with 19.7 points per game, the Longhorns are talented but somewhat untested compared to Texas A&M, while the Aggies hold the obvious advantage playing at home in Reed Arena.
According to ESPN FPI, Texas A&M has a 63.3% chance to defeat the Longhorns, while the visitors are sitting at 36.7% to pull off the upset.
For Texas A&M to protect the home court on Saturday night, Wade Taylor and Zhuric Phelps must produce double-digit outings. At the same time, the Aggies must win the turnover battle and outrebound the Longhorns while defending the perimeter.
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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