Tag: Florida Gators Basketball

Oklahoma men’s basketball announces SEC opponents for 2024-2025

The Oklahoma Sooners men’s basketball program released their conference opponents for the 2024-2025 season and a blue blood is coming to Norman.

The 2024-2025 college basketball season is a pivotal one for the Oklahoma Sooners. Despite an improved season in 2023-2024, the Sooners failed to make the NCAA Tournament for the third season in a row.

They have to work to get back into March Madness against a whole new batch of opponents. On Monday, the OU men’s basketball program released its conference opponents for their maiden voyage in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

The Sooners will play home and home against former Big 12 counterparts Texas, Texas A&M and Missouri. The Sooners will go on the road to face Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia and Ole Miss. Making their way to the Lloyd Noble Center are Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.

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Texas A&M guards Hayden Hefner & Jace Carter explain second half woes vs. Florida in SEC semifinals

Texas A&M was eliminated from the SEC Tournament on Saturday afternoon in the semifinals following a 95-90 loss against Florida. After the game, the media spoke to Aggies guards, senior Hayden Hefner and junior Jace Carter. The Gators outscored …

Texas A&M was eliminated from the SEC Tournament on Saturday afternoon in the semifinals following a 95-90 loss against Florida.

After the game, the media spoke to Aggies guards, senior Hayden Hefner and junior Jace Carter.

The Gators outscored Texas A&M in the second half 53-40 and Carter was asked by TexAgs about what was different in the final 20 minutes.

“I don’t think anything changed, I think our recipe is our recipe. I don’t think we changed up the way we were playing at that time in the game. I think they just made a lot of shots down the stretch,” Carter explained. “I don’t think it was an offensive problem, we scored 90 points. We just didn’t get stops, had a low amount of turkeys and they shot 50% from three, it was our defense.”

The Eagle asked Hefner about the Aggies’ stagnation in the second half versus Florida.

“When the whistle is getting blown a lot, it’s just hard maintaining a flow with what we’re trying to accomplish,” Hefner said. “We always try to reiterate to one another and the coaching staff is always talking to us about just staying in the moment and not letting that affect what we’re trying to accomplish.”

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Texas A&M coach Buzz Williams discusses defense after loss to Florida in semifinals of SEC Tournament

“Our defense is wired to not give up points at the rim, not to allow the ball to get to the paint,” he said. “We were slow on the contest.”

Texas A&M men’s basketball coach Buzz Williams spoke to the media after a 95-90 loss against Florida in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament on Saturday afternoon at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville and discussed his team’s defensive effort.

“We did a good job in their secondary and transition. It was similar to what we did in College Station when we played them,” Williams said. “I think you have to make a decision on are you going to let them score at the rim or try to be in position to contest the three? They shot 26% of their shots at the rim.

“Our defense is wired to not give up points at the rim, not to allow the ball to get to the paint. We were slow on the contest and I thought they did a good job when it came out of the post. If we mustered getting it to the next guy, the guy that’s in the double is the one who has to get it to the next guy.

“That’s where we were hurt the most.”

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Texas A&M men’s basketball team blows 18-point lead vs. Florida in semifinals of SEC Tournament

The Aggies will not be advancing to the finals of the SEC Tournament for the third year in a row after blowing a 18-point first half lead.

The Texas A&M men’s basketball team will not be advancing to the finals of the SEC Tournament for the third year in a row after blowing an 18-point first half lead against Florida.

The Aggies (20-14) were defeated 95-90 by the Gators (24-10) on Saturday afternoon at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Five Florida players scored at least 15 points, led by sophomore guard Denzel Aberdeen with a team-high 20 points on 6-of-9 field goal attempts, 4-of-5 from 3-point range and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. Aberdeen was the difference this weekend after scoring only 2 points during the Gators‘ 67-66 loss at Reed Arena on Feb. 3.

Aggies junior point guard Wade Taylor IV came out on a mission Saturday after tallying 32 points Friday during a victory versus Kentucky. Taylor scored 11-of-15 Texas A&M points to start the game against Florida on 4-of-5 shots and 3-of-3 from downtown.

At halftime, the Aggies led 50-42 and had 40 of their points come from three guards: Taylor (20), junior Manny Obaseki (12) and senior Tyrece “Boots” Radford (8).

Texas A&M’s floor general finished with a game-high 30 points (10-23 FG, 6-12 3PT, 4-4 FT). Eight-two points is the most scored in the SEC Tournament since Collin Sexton with Alabama in 2018.

The Gators went on a 24-8 run in the second half to take their first lead of the game at 72-70 with 7:37 left. Coach Buzz Williams joked with ESPN sideline reporter Marty Smith at intermission about getting him to suit up since most of the key Aggies were in foul trouble, which ultimately sparked Florida’s scoring streak.

The Gators will play Auburn on Sunday at 11 a.m. in the SEC Championship game on ESPN. Texas A&M will now await its NCAA Tournament fate, which will be revealed on Sunday night.

With two victories in a competitive conference tourney, the Aggies have likely locked up a March Madness berth.

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Texas A&M Basketball has earned another all-important Quad 1 win

With Florida’s win this weekend, Texas A&M’s recent victory over the Gators has turned into another all-important Quad 1 victory.

Texas A&M (15-10, 6-6 SEC) may be reeling from a two-game losing streak in conference play, but for Aggies fans who feel the team has regressed completely, this is just part of the chaotic journey towards earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

With six games remaining in the regular season, finishing 3-3, 4-2, or better is realistically in reach, barring a complete meltdown. As we’ve seen throughout SEC play and the last two seasons under head coach Buzz Williams, this team will not lack motivation when a second consecutive trip to the Big Dance is on the line.

Texas A&M’s record may be ugly this season, but there’s more to the story. Still, after enduring one of the toughest nonconference slates, including a neutral court win over No. 10 Iowa State, the Aggies earned five Quad 1 victories after defeating then-No. 6-ranked Tennessee last Saturday, and as of Sunday morning, A&M’s Feb. 3 win over Florida has now turned into another Quad 1 win, making six on the season for the Maroon & White.

Looking back to last season, when the Aggies finished 15-3 for a second-place finish in the SEC, A&M received a surprising 7-seed in the tournament due to a soft nonconference schedule and a lack of Quad 1 victories in the NET rankings. With Sunday’s news, the Aggies are one of ten teams in the country with six Quad 1 wins, making their NCAA Tournament dreams much more attainable, coupled with a solid finish to end the season.

Texas A&M will host Arkansas inside Reed Arena on Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 6:00 p.m. CT. The game will air on ESPN.

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Game Preview: Florida Gators look keep rolling vs LSU Tigers

Here’s how the Florida Gators will lineup against the LSU Tigers on Tuesday night

The Florida Gators have found new life within the past few weeks, and seem to be feeling themselves a little bit extra after a bye last week. The Orange and Blue return to Exactech Arena on Tuesday night, coming off a double-digit upset against the Auburn Tigers.

Now the Gators are welcoming the other Tigers into Gainesville as LSU will attempt to halt Florida’s momentum. LSU has struggled since the start of SEC play, claiming a 4-6 conference record and is 1-5 while playing on the road.

The Tigers most recently fell to the Alabama Crimson Tide at home and on the road against the Tennessee Volunteers.

Here’s how the teams will line up during the opening tip of Tuesday night’s contest.

Everything Tyrece Radford & Solomon Washington had to say after the win over Florida

Here’s what Texas A&M players Washington and Radford had to say after the win at home over Florida.

Texas A&M (13-8, 4-4 SEC) stormed back in the second half to defeat a hot Florida Gators (15-7, 5-4 SEC) team on Saturday afternoon.

The Aggies needed a win to keep pace in a very competitive SEC where there was a log jam in the middle of the conference with five teams at 3-3.5 games out of the top spot.

While A&M did go cold from the field after starting hot, they continued to attack the basket and play solid defense, leading to a much better second half. Tyrece Radford went off for a game-high 26 points, and sophomore forward Solomon Washington’s defense caused multiple turnovers down the stretch to seal the win. Both sat down after the game to discuss their performances after the victory.

“it’s a team win it wasn’t just only me my big game I think. Manny played big minutes Solo played big minutes everybody who played really did a good job at what they was supposed to do”

-Radford

“I told them put me on zero simple, uh we lost the last game on that type of shot, so I feel like I’m the best defender on the team, so I just accepted the challenge I said I wanted them and I want a match up right now”

– Washington

Below, you can watch the full post-game presser with Solomon Washington & Tyrece Radford.

Texas A&M will be back on the road to take on the Missouri Tigers on February 7th at 8:00 pm CT

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Everything Buzz Williams had to say after the win over Florida

Here’s what Texas A&M Head Coach Buzz Williams had to say after the win at home over Florida.

Texas A&M (13-8, 4-4 SEC) stormed back in the second half to defeat a hot Florida Gators (15-7, 5-4 SEC) team on Saturday afternoon.

This was a very interesting game to watch as Florida is what some would consider a run-and-gun team putting a ton of pressure on opponents while averaging over 80 points a game. They came into Aggieland sporting a four-game winning streak. That came to an end on Saturday afternoon and a big factor was the second-half defense leading to a 67-66 win.

Outside of the emotionally charged performance from veteran guard Tyrece Radford, who led the game with 26 points and the game-winning bucket, one fellow standout from the game was the high-energy sophomore forward Soloman Washington, who’s been making the most of increased playing time. Coach Buzz Williams touched on how Washington always wants to guard the best player from the other team.

“..because of how he grew up and where he’s from in his life story, he embraces how hard things are, and he wants to be at the front of the line, and I think he was the last well he was throughout the day, but those last two possessions he was stellar.”

Below, you can watch the full post-game presser with Coach Buzz.

 

Texas A&M will be back on the road to take on the Missouri Tigers on February 7th at 8:00 pm CT

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After a tumultuous week, Texas A&M guard Tyrece Radford leads the Aggies to a thrilling 67-66 win over Florida

Dealing with personal adversity this week, veteran Aggies point guard Tyrece Radford willed the Aggies to an exciting 67-66 win over Florida.

Texas A&M (13-8, 4-4 SEC) earned a much-needed 67-66 win over the visiting Florida Gators on Saturday afternoon, as one of the hottest teams in the country succumbed to a second-half Aggie surge, engineered by embattled veteran guard Tyrece Radford.

Radford, who scored a game-high 26 points (10-16, 2-3 3-Point), including the eventual game-winning shot with 35 seconds remaining, played like a man on a mission just a day after his arrest for an incident in December.

Looking to re-integrate himself as a dependable scoring option outside of star guard Wade Taylor IV, Radford’s 13 points in last Saturday’s loss to Ole Miss was as much of a wake-up call as ever.

Knowing that every game remaining on the Aggies’ conference schedule is a must-win from now on, Radford noted head coach Buzz Williams’s trust in his ability on the court and character through all the adversity he has dealt with the past two days.

“Buzz Williams believes in me. I believe in him. Buzz will be my guy for life. We believe in each other every day.”

This week, GigEm247’s Carter Karels and I conveyed the same message regarding Radford’s importance to Texas A&M’s offense not to waste Wade Taylor’s exceptional outings throughout the season and, most importantly, close games.

However, credit to Taylor’s 15 points coupled with forwards Soloman Washington’s (10 points, four rebounds) and Andersson Garcia’s (9 points, six rebounds) solid performances aided the Aggies late to overcome what was a 12-point deficit at the start of the second half.

“It was a team win, not just my big game. Everybody did a great job with what they’re supposed to do.”

Simply put, Stats do not lie, as the Aggies are now 10-1 when Radford scores at least 20 points in a game, and while Saturday’s production likely can’t be depended on week to week, this was indeed a solid rebound for a player with everything to prove.

With the win over the Gators, the Aggies now hold an impressive 5-4 Quad 1 record.

Texas A&M will be back on the road to take on the Missouri Tigers on Wed. Feb 7. at 8:00 pm CT

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Post Game: Texas A&M defends home court, escaping the Florida Gators 67-66

The Aggies bounce back on Saturday afternoon to beat a surging Florida Gator team at Reed Arena

Texas A&M (13-8, 4-4 SEC) stormed back in the second half to defeat a hot Florida Gators (15-7, 5-4 SEC) team on Saturday afternoon.

The game started at an exciting pace, with the officials letting both teams play while letting some of the softer calls go. A series of runs between the teams kept the game close early, with the Gators knocking down threes and the Aggies driving to the basket. Neither team could pull away, with the game being tied at 25 apiece with six minutes left in the first half.

Around the four-minute mark, Florida began winning the rebounding battle and getting numerous foul calls for easy points from the free throw line to go up 32-25 for their largest lead of the game. With A&M star guard Wade Taylor IV on the bench with three fouls, the Aggies struggled to find any offense outside of Tyrece Radford driving to the basket.

Florida shot lights out from beyond the arc, eventually pulling out to an 11-point lead before the Aggies finally started to get a few things going. A&M scored the final five points of the half, capped off by a Radford three to cut the Gator lead to 40-34 heading into the locker room.

The second half started off in the worst way possible for the Maroon & White, as the Gators scored a quick six points off consecutive three-pointers, leading to Wade Taylor leaving the court with an apparent injury. Fortunately, he could reenter the game after a brief trip to the locker room. After the early surge, Florida’s lead hovered around the six to ten range and would answer back every time A&M tried to make a run.

In a change of pace between both squads, the Aggies started to push the ball end to end and aggressively attacked the basket for a few and-ones off fouls. Then a beautiful legs step-back three from Taylor gave A&M Its first lead of the second half to go up 57-56 with around eight minutes left.

Texas A&M’s defense finally settled in well, and the offense stayed aggressive to the basket, keeping the game extremely close until the final seconds. Then, with the Aggies up 67-66 following Tyrece Radford’s smooth lay-in, A&M forced the Gators into a tie-up that favored the Maroon & White. With a chance to seal the game or at least turn it into a free-throw match, the Gators pressed the inbound pass from Taylor.

In a mental lapse, Taylor ran the baseline right after being told not to, which led to an untimely and possibly game-sealing turnover. Now, with the ball back and only down one, the Gators were in prime position to take the lead with under 18 seconds left on the clock. However, after the inbound pass, Florida made two clean shots at the basket but missed both, giving the Aggies a much-needed 67-66 win at home.

Note: Tyrece Radford started the game after his recent arrest.

Below are the Aggies critical contributors from the game:

Wade Taylor IV:  15 points / 3 rebounds / 1 assists

Tyrece Radford:  26 points / 5 rebounds

Andersson Garcia:  9 points / 6 rebounds

Soloman Washington:  10 points / 4 rebounds / 4 assists

Florida’s top contributors:

Will Richard: 15 points / 1 rebounds

Zyon Pullin: 18 points/ 8 assists

Riley Kugel: 12 points / 5 rebounds / 4 assists

Texas A&M will be back on the road to take on the Missouri Tigers on February 7th at 8:00 pm CT

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