Texas A&M (13-4, 2-2 SEC) entered last weekend’s Saturday night showdown vs. Alabama undefeated in conference play and looking like one of the best teams in the country this season .
However, during A&M’s first SEC game vs. rival Texas, the Aggies may have defeated the Longhorns 80-60 but lost star guard Wade Taylor IV for the next three games. This resulted in a comeback win over Oklahoma and consecutive losses to the Crimson Tide and the Kentucky Wildcats on Tuesday night.
After falling to the Wildcats 81-69, the Aggies lost the rebounding battle and shot a dismal 16-25 from the free-throw line, both areas of struggle since Taylor’s departure from the lineup.
Even more surprising, Texas A&M’s season-low four assists are the lowest mark under coach Buzz Williams and the worst number since a 2018 game vs. Missouri. For those who believe that A&M would have lost to Kentucky even with Taylor in the lineup, I can safely say that the offense would have looked much crisper.
With senior Zhuric Phelps (21 points) and Manny Obaseki (12 points) running point, both guards are iso players who only pass if they can’t immediately drive the paint, which has made the Aggies offense a clustered mess with a blatant lack of flow.
However, junior forward Pharrel Payne, who has recorded double-digit outings in six of seven games, inclding 15 points against the Wildcats, is the only player who has created a spark off the bench, and will continue to make an impact despite the Aggies’ lack of team scoring.
Payne is currently 32-35 from the field since A&M’s win over Wake Forest, shooting an NCAA-leading 91.4% from the field.
Until Wade Taylor returns, Phelps or Obaseki need to settle down and work with Buzz Williams to run the offense and set players up for success, but until that happens, the Aggies better hope they outrebound and keep opponents from gaining offensive momentum.
Texas A&M finished with only four assists vs. Kentucky tonight, which is its lowest mark in the Buzz Williams Era and least in program history since A&M totaled four against Missouri on Feb. 13, 2018.
— Carter Karels (@CarterKarels) January 15, 2025
Texas A&M will return home to host LSU in Reed Arena on Jan. 18 at 7:30 p.m. CST. The game can be watched on the SEC Network.
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