Tag: Buzz Williams

Texas A&M basketball is hosting former standout SMU guard this weekend

Texas A&M is currently hosting former SMU guard Zhuric Phelps this weekend

After missing out on several transfer portal targets this offseason, Texas A&M head basketball coach Buzz Williams has continued to search for the replacement of outgoing veteran guard Tyrece Radford heading into the 2024-2025 season.

Williams has already done an impressive job this month after adding former Nebraska guard CJ Welcher and former Minnesota forward Pharrel Payne in the last two weeks, as Payne is coming off his best season yet with the Gophers, averaging 10 points and six rebounds per contest.

However, former Oregon State guard Jordan Pope, who was a finalist to land with the Aggies last week, chose rival Texas on Wednesday afternoon. Still, this led Williams to contact a well-known veteran guard out of Dallas, Texas.

On Friday night, Jaxson Callaway (AggiesToday) revealed that Texas A&M is scheduled to host former SMU guard Zhuric Phelps for a visit through Saturday. As one of the top scorers and notable defenders last season, Phelps averaged an impressive 14.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and two steals in 2023. Phelps looks like a perfect fit for Williams’ system with one season of collegiate eligibility remaining.

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 Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Report: Texas A&M guard Bryce Lindsay has entered the transfer portal

Talented guard Bryce Lindsay has unsurprisingly entered the transfer portal

The flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping, and college athletes are entering the spring transfer portal. Multiple sources have confirmed that Texas A&M basketball’s reserve guard, Bryce Lindsay, has entered the transfer portal.

Lindsey saw time in eight games early in the season and didn’t play at all in SEC play. With head coach Buzz Williams bringing in guard CJ Wilcher from Nebraska and courting a few other guards, Lindsay will probably move on to find greener pastures. The former top prospect was previously committed to South Carolina before switching his commitment to Texas A&M after the Gamecocks fired Frank Martin.

Note: Forward Tyler Ringgold, who also entered the NCAA portal. Ringgold didn’t log any stats this past season, and with the commitment of former Minnesota forward Pharrel Payne, his time might have stayed limited next season.

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.

Texas A&M guard Wade Taylor IV announces his future plans

Texas A&M guard Wade Taylor IV officially announced his return for the 2024-2025 season!

We’re now nearly a full month into the offseason for Texas A&M basketball, as head coach Buzz Williams’s primary task is to retain the key players on the roster while adding veteran talent at both guard and forward after the departure of veteran Tyrece Radford, coupled with the recent news regarding senior Julius Marbles’ legal issues.

However, the biggest task that remained above everything else was keeping star point guard Wade Taylor IV in College Station for one more season, as the Aggies’ second-round exit against Houston in the NCAA Tournament has fueled the incoming senior after losing by just five points in overtime mostly due to the 16 missed free throws on the night.

On Monday, Taylor made it official on X with a post stating,

“No place like Aggieland! Thankful to be here👍🏾 Let’s continue to chase greatness”

Named preseason SEC Player of the Year, Taylor met his hefty expectations while coming on strong during the season’s final stretch, averaging 19.1 points and four assists while shooting 36% from the field but 32.5% from beyond the arc.

As a team, A&M shot a dismal 29% from beyond the arc, leading to Monday morning’s news that Williams has added former Nebraska guard C.J. Wilcher from the transfer portal, who led the Cornhuskers in 3-point percentage (39%).

Wade Taylor’s return preserves Texas A&M’s contender status for next season and keeps one of the better locker room leaders with the program for another go-around.

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 Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Texas A&M basketball lands former Nebraska guard CJ Wilcher through the portal

The Aggie basketball team add a much-needed deep threat to the team via the transfer portal

The Texas A&M basketball team had a rollercoaster ride of a season, looking like the best team in the SEC to the worst team in the SEC. It had nothing to do with the lack of effort, as it was mainly due to them not being able to hit a shot from anywhere outside of the paint. The Aggies ranked near the bottom of the league in free throw percentage (.707), field goal percentage (.402), and 3-point percentage (.293).

Luckily for the Aggies, help is on the way, with former Nebraska guard CJ Wilcher transferring to College Station to join Coach Buzz Williams. His stat line is exactly the type of production they need from their role players. Wilcher averaged 7.7 points, shot .451 overall, and only missed two free throws on the season for a .939 percentage.

Probably the most important statistic is that he shot .394 from beyond the arc. If we can bring that same shooting to the Aggies, they can force the team to stretch its defense, allowing Wade Taylor and Manny Obaseki to slash to the basket.

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.

Texas A&M has contacted former FAU guard that recently entered the transfer portal

Buzz Williams is interested in former FAU guard Nick Boyd who recently entered the transfer portal

This offseason, Texas A&M head coach Buzz Williams has two jobs: keep as many starters from last year’s roster and utilize the transfer portal more aggressively. So far, senior forward Andersson Garcia is the only player to formally announce through social media that he will return for a final season.

Veteran guard Tyrece Radford is leaving after three seasons with the program. He finished his career with 27 points, 15 rebounds, and six assists in the Aggies’ loss to Houston in the NCAA Tournament’s round of 32. While incoming senior guard Manny Obaseki looks to replace Radford’s production paired with Wade Taylor IV, A&M still needs more guard depth.

On Thursday, it was reported that former FAU guard Nick Boyd, who averaged 9.3 points per game last season, has been in contact with Williams as several former players from the Owl’s memorable Final Four team during the 2022-2023 campaign have entered the portal after head coach Dusty May departed for Michigan.

Would Nick Boyd be a solid fit? Boyd shot 40% from the field and 34% from beyond the arc, compared to his 40% 3-point mark in 2022-2023. Plenty of uncommitted talent remains in the portal and will continue to grow in the coming weeks.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.

Texas A&M forward Andersson Garcia announces his decision for next season

Andersson Garcia is back!

Social media never fails to entertain, but most of the time, it can be downright misleading, as Texas A&M senior forward Andersson Garcia was attached to a rumor stating that he had entered the transfer portal on Saturday.

None of this had been confirmed, and thankfully, most of the fan base was too busy with their personal lives to see what had been released. So far this season, no Aggie player from the roster has announced their attention to enter the portal.

Well, credit to Garcia for quickly dispelling the transfer portal rumor, stating that not only was this false, but the senior will officially be returning for his final season in College Station as well.

This is significant news regarding next season’s expectations, as Garcia, who broke Texas A&M’s career rebounding mark with 327 on the year, including the offensive rebounding record with 180, will always be remembered for hitting the game-tying shot against the No. 1-seed Houston Cougars in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Potential return announcements from Wade Taylor, Henry Coleman III, and Manny Obaseki are also expected in the coming weeks/months.

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 Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

A former Texas A&M Basketball recruiting target has entered the transfer portal

Former 2023 4-star forward Eric Dailey, a Buzz Williams recruiting target, has entered the transfer portal

Texas A&M’s 2023-2024 basketball season came to a disappointing end last Sunday night at the hands of the No. 1-seed Houston Cougars in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, as senior forward Andersson Garcia’s game-tying 3-pointer to send the game into overtime wasn’t enough to pull off the upset.

Overall, head coach Buzz Williams deserves a ton of credit for helping turn things around during the Aggies’ late-season run. This included a five-game winning streak led by the elite guard play of Wade Taylor IV, Tyrece Radford, and rising star Manny Obaseki.

However, with Radford set to depart the program, Williams’s in-house option to replace his down-hill driving production should be Obaseki. However, providing veteran help through the transfer portal is a more realistic option to prevent hindering the incoming senior’s development next season.

Outside of the guard postion, Williams is also in need of adding another wing/forward; with Andersson Garcia’s return for a final season still in flux, another former 4-star prospect has entered the portal, as Oklahoma State forward Eric Dailey spent just one season in Stillwater.

Out of the prestigious IMG Academy, Dailey was one of the Cowboys’ better players this season. He averaged nearly 10 points per game while shooting 50% from the field, and his rebounding numbers should improve down the line.

Previous recruiting relationships are key to landing players through the portal, and in order to continue the momentum into the 2024-2025 campaign, Buzz Williams will need to execute this offseason.

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 Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Texas A&M senior Andersson Garcia named to finalist for defensive player of the year award

Texas A&M fan favorite Andersson Garcia named to finalist for the 2024 Lefty Driesell Defensive Player of the Year

Texas A&M was known for its tenacious defense, and the lynchpin was Dominican Dennis Rodman, professionally known as senior Aggie forward Andersson Garcia. His play throughout the season landed him a finalist for the 2024 Lefty Driesell Defensive Player of the Year.

Garcia had a record year in the Maroon & White, breaking two over four decades old records. He surpassed Claude Riley’s offensive and total rebounding number by ten with 327; then, he passed Aggie legend John Beasley’s conference rebound record with 180. He capped off the season by making the All-SEC defensive team.

The recipient of the annual award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches and two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com. The 2024 award will be announced in Phoenix, AZ, the men’s Division I Basketball Championship site.

Below is the entire list of finalist below

2024 LEFTY DRIESELL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS

Justin Abson 6-9 Appalachian State
Adrian “Ace” Baldwin Jr. 6-1 Penn State
Reece Beekman 6-3 Virginia
Adem Bona 6-10 UCLA
Boo Buie 6-2 Northwestern
Johni Broome 6-10 Auburn
Devin Carter 6-3 Providence
Isaiah Cozart 6-7 Eastern Kentucky
Isaiah Crawford 6-6 Louisiana Tech
Ryan Dunn 6-8 Virginia
Zach Edey 7-4 Purdue
KiAndre Gaddy 6-6 Tarleton State
Andersson Garcia 6-7 Texas A&M
Dajuan Harris Jr. 6-2 Kansas
DaRon Holmes II 6-10 Dayton
Ryan Kalkbrenner 7-1 Creighton
Malevy Leons 6-9 Bradley
Tamin Lipsey 6-1 Iowa State
Bez Mbeng 6-4 Yale
Clifford Omoruyi 6-11 Rutgers
Jamal Shead 6-1 Houston
Charles Thompson 6-7 Towson
Kellen Tynes, Jr. 6-3 Maine
Amari Williams 6-10 Drexel
Zakai Zeigler 5-9 Tennessee

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.

Buzz Williams has been in contact with former Colorado guard who entered the transfer portal

After entering the transfer portal, Texas A&M head coach Buzz Williams has contacted former Colorado forward J’Vonne Hadley.

Texas A&M’s 2023-2024 season ended at the hands of the No. 1-seed Houston Cougars in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, as senior forward Andersson Garcia’s incredible game-tying 3-pointer wasn’t enough to propel the Aggies to an overtime win.

Going into the offseason, what head Buzz Williams needs to add through the transfer portal became more apparent after the loss to the Cougars, as Houston shooting guard Emanuel Sharp hit seven 3-pointers for 30 points, the type of player the Aggies have yet add that can be relied on to hit deep shots in critical moments down the stretch.

While plenty of veteran shooting talent has already entered the portal, Williams is focused on experience, leading to the reveal that he has contacted former Colorado senior guard J’Vonne Hadley, whose most recent appearance in the NCAA Tournament resulted in a loss to Marquette in the round of 32, recording 7 points and six rebounds.

With 71 collegiate games under his belt, Hadley averaged a career-high 11.6 points per game in 2023, shooting an impressive 53% from the field and, most importantly, 41.7% from beyond the arc. Standing at 6-6, it’s no surprise that Hadley averaged six rebounds per game last season, which is a definite plus if the shooting holds up.

As the transfer portal continues to grow, Buzz Williams will have a lot on his plate concerning potential new additions while keeping most of his veteran roster from last season for a final run in the tournament.

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 Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Texas A&M has shown interest in former Northern Kentucky guard who recently entered the transfer portal

Could Marques Warrick be headed to Aggieland?

Texas A&M’s 2023-2024 season ended at the hands of the No. 1-seed Houston Cougars in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, as senior forward Andersson Garcia’s incredible game-tying 3-pointer wasn’t enough to propel the Aggies to an overtime win.

For head coach Buzz Williams, getting back to the big dance for a second consecutive season is just the start of where the program could go starting next fall, as nearly every starter, outside of graduate guard Tyrece Radford, is set to return in 2024-2025.

However, until several key roster members, including Wade Taylor IV, Manny Obaseki, and Andersson Garcia, officially announce their collective return, Williams must add at least two to three players from the portal this offseason.

Earlier this week, it was announced that former Northern Kentucky guard Marques Warrick, who recently finished his senior season with the Norse men, was averaging an impressive 19.9 points per game while shooting 42% from the field and nearly 87% from the charity stripe.

Standing at 6-2 and 185 pounds, Warrick’s ability to consistently drive the paint at the rim makes him an intriguing replacement for Radford, scoring 60% of his shots at the rim during the 2023 season. While his 29% showing from 3-point range seems problematic, Warrick’s range and consistency off fast breaks would easily mesh with the Aggie’s offensive scheme.

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 Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.