Tag: Henry Coleman III

Texas A&M Basketball drops In newest AP Top 25 Poll

After dropping its first game of the season vs. Florida Atlantic, Texas A&M took a dip in the newest AP Top 25 Poll.

Sitting at an impressive 6-1 on the year, Texas A&M Basketball is coming off one of its most impressive comeback victories in several seasons, defeating Iowa State 73-69 after being down 21 points in the first half in the ESPN Invitational Consolation Round.

Sustaining the first loss of the year to the 13th-ranked Florida Atlantic Owls in the tourney, injuries to starting forward Henry Coleman III and senior guard Tyrece Radford hindered the Aggies’ offensive production, as their collective status still hangs in the balance ahead of Wednesday’s road test vs. Virginia.

However, against the Cyclones, it was sophomore forward Solomon Washington who had a breakout game, scoring a game-high 18 points, including 3-4 from beyond the arc, while star junior guard Wade Taylor IV, despite shooting 0-6 from three, netting 14 points, and hit several key shots late in the second half.

On Monday, the Associated Press released its updated men’s basketball poll. The Aggies dropped two spots to No. 14 after falling to FAU, a loss that the NCAA Selection Committee will likely see as a wash due to Coleman and Radford’s injuries. Texas A&M is the third-highest ranked SEC team below Kentucky (No. 12) and Tennessee (No. 10).

Outside of Texas A&M, Kentucky, and Tennessee, Alabama (No. 23) and the surprise team in the SEC thus far, the undefeated Mississippi State Bulldogs (No. 21) fill out the rankings, perfectly representing the conference for its dominance on the court.

Texas A&M will travel to Charlottesville, Virginia, to face the Virginia Cavaliers on Wednesday, Nov. 29. The game will air on ESPN2 at 6:15 CT.

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No. 12 Texas A&M to face Iowa State in the Consolation Round of the ESPN Events Invitational

After falling to No. 19 FAU in the ESPN Invitational semifinals, No. 12 Texas A&M will face Iowa State in the Consolation Round on Sunday.

Texas A&M Basketball dropped its first game of the season after falling 96-89 to the 19th-ranked Florida Atlantic Owls on Friday afternoon in the semifinal round of the ESPN Invitational Tournament.

Shooting an incredible 53.3% from three-point land, the Owls took full advantage of Aggies senior forward Henry Coleman III’s first-half injury, and despite star junior guard Wade Taylor IV’s 35 points, his late game surge wasn’t enough to withstand FAU’s offensive barrage.

With the loss, Texas A&M will now face Iowa State in the Consolation round of the tournament on Sunday, as both teams look to close out the Thanksgiving break with a win before heading back home.

After the game, Aggies head coach Buzz Williams provided multiple updates regarding Coleman’s status as the veteran sustained an ankle injury. At the same time, senior point guard Tyrece Radford reportedly had a breathing issue during the game, as both are questionable to player vs. Iowa State.

Below are more details from ESPN about the Invitational:

The ESPN Events Invitational (formerly known as the Orlando Invitational and Old Spice Classic) is an early-season Division 1 college basketball tournament played each November at ESPN Wide World of Sports near Orlando, Florida. The tournament, entering its 17th year in 2023, features a bracket format with 12 games over three days. Each team competes in one game per day regardless of results. The 2023 ESPN Events Invitational will be played Nov 23, 24 and 26 and will feature Boise State, Butler, Florida Atlantic, Iowa State, Penn State, Texas A&M, VCU and Virginia Tech. Six of the eight teams in the field played in the 2023 NCAA Tournament

The 2022 event took place on Nov. 24, 25 and 27 and was won by the Oklahoma Sooners, who defeated Ole Miss in the final.

You can view the entire tournament bracket here

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Texas A&M Basketball HC Buzz Williams provides injury updates regarding Henry Coleman III, Tyrece Rayford’s status

After Texas A&M’s 96-89 loss to FAU in the ESPN Invitational Semifinals, head coach Buzz Williams provided several injury updates regarding Henry Coleman III and Tyrece Radford.

Incurring their first loss of the 2023 season, No. 12-ranked Texas A&M Basketball (5-1) will now face Iowa State in the Consolation Round of the ESPN Invitational after falling 96-89 to the 19th-ranked Florida Atlantic Owls in the Semifinal Round on Friday afternoon.

In a game that saw star junior star Aggies point guard Wade Taylor IV score a season-high 35 points, including 5-8 from three-point land, it was the lower body injury to senior forward Henry Coleman II late in the first half after scoring 8 points in 14 minutes of play that turned things on its head.

Despite only trailing 46-44 at the half, FAU’s hot perimeter shooting (16-30, 53.3%) increased the lead to 18 points with 11 minutes left, but thanks to Taylor IV’s and reserve guard Manny Obaseki’s hot shooting, coupled with competent defense down the stretch, the Aggies brought the lead within five at 89-84 with a minute remaining. Still, they couldn’t mount a full comeback due to the lack of offensive firepower.

After the game, head coach Buzz Williams provided an update on Henry Coleman’s now-confirmed ankle injury, while senior guard Tyrece Radford, who scored 2 points in 18 minutes of play, was reportedly also dealing with a health-related issue, as The Eagle writer Travis Brown reported after the post-game presser:

“Well, Henry turned his ankle, so I don’t know. They told me shortly after he went into the locker room that he wouldn’t be able to play. And then Boots (Radford), he couldn’t breathe. So I don’t know what kind of illness it is, but hopefully we can get him something to get him better. But as of right now, I honestly don’t know. And that changes our team. There’s two good players that have player really well through the first five games. And I’m thankful to coach ’em, and they’re important to us. I thought the guys that played a more extended role today were really good and did some good things too.”

While senior forward Julius Marble continues to deal with what has been reported as a “University Process,” losing Coleman and Tyrece Radford leaves a giant hole in the Aggies’ starting unit if their injuries keep them sidelined for an extended period, which doesn’t seem to be the case as of right now.

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Post Game Recap: No. 12 Texas A&M falls to No. 19 FAU 96-89 in Semifinals of the ESPN Invitational Tournament

The Aggies fall to the Owls in a Top-25 Match in the second round of the ESPN Invitational Tournament

No. 12 Texas A&M (5-1) couldn’t overcome the blistering three-point shooting from FAU (4-1) as they dropped their first game of the season.

The first half was full of action, with both teams shooting lights out. I’m not sure if it’s because of the talent level overall during the season, but they came to shoot in the second round. Through the first, it was like a volleyball game as the ball flew up and down the court. Eventually, FAU built a 12-point lead with about five minutes left in the first half.

Feeling the pressure, Texas A&M locked down on defense and closed out on a 13-3 run. If it wasn’t for the two technical fouls, the Aggies probably went into the half with the lead but instead were down 46-44 at the break. Henry Coleman III went down with a lower leg injury late in the half, creating a massive hole in the Aggies’ offense and rebounding moving forward.

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

FAU’s hot hand continued to start the second half, hitting every open shot possible, running out to an 18-point lead with about 11 minutes left in the game. Not wanting to let the game get away, Taylor IV hit a few big shots to help pull the team within ten halfway through the half.

He wasn’t done; he pulled the Aggies even closer with five straight points, cutting the lead to 78-73 with five minutes left. As the time ticked away, the Aggies could stay close behind the shooting of Taylor and Manny Obaseki down 89-84 with a minute left before Buzz called a time-out.

Unfortunately for the Maroon & White, they would go scoreless for the remainder of the game for a final score of 96-89.

Wade Taylor IV had a career day only to be matched by the FAU defense that scored over 20 points off turnovers and shot a ridiculous 53.3% beyond the arc with 16 made threes.

Below are the Aggie critical contributors from the game:

Wade Taylor IV: 34 points (career high) / 5 assists / 3 rebounds

Manny Obaseki: 13 points / 4 rebounds

Hayden Hefner: 14 points / 1 rebound

Texas A&M will be back in action at 5 p.m. CT. on Sunday for the third-place spot against the Iowa State vs. Virginia Tech game loser.

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No. 12 Texas A&M to face FAU in Semifinals of the ESPN Events Invitational

Texas A&M advanced after beating Penn State and will face Florida Atlantic in the Semifinals on Friday morning.

The Aggies remain undefeated after beating the Penn State Nittany Lions 89-77 in the opening round. Their combination of size and offensive rebounding has been carrying them while they are still finding their shot.

They must rely on that when they face Florida Atlantic in the Semifinals on Friday at 10 a.m. CT. FAU defeated Butler 91-86 in the second game of the first round to advance.

Below are more details from ESPN about the Invitational:

The ESPN Events Invitational (formerly known as the Orlando Invitational and Old Spice Classic) is an early-season Division 1 college basketball tournament played each November at ESPN Wide World of Sports near Orlando, Florida. The tournament, entering its 17th year in 2023, features a bracket format with 12 games over three days. Each team competes in one game per day regardless of results. The 2023 ESPN Events Invitational will be played Nov 23, 24 and 26 and will feature Boise State, Butler, Florida Atlantic, Iowa State, Penn State, Texas A&M, VCU and Virginia Tech. Six of the eight teams in the field played in the 2023 NCAA Tournament

The 2022 event took place on Nov. 24, 25 and 27 and was won by the Oklahoma Sooners, who defeated Ole Miss in the final.

You can view the entire tournament bracket here

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Post Game Recap: No. 12 Texas A&M defeats 89-77 Penn State in opening round of the ESPN Invitational Tournament

Texas A&M gets hot in the second half of the opening round against Penn State for a decisive 89-77 win

No. 12 Texas A&M (5-0) pulled away late to defeat Penn State (4-1) in a scrappy game, but the Aggies proved too much for the Nittany Lions in the ESPN Events Invitational first round.

Both teams started with smothering defense, not giving up any easy buckets. They traded the lead throughout the entire 1st half and were equally cold from the three-point line, going 5 of 17 combined. However, after a shot clock malfunction, Buzz Williams made some adjustments to take an extended lead going into halftime 39-32. Tyrece Radford led the Aggies with 10 points, and Henry Coleman III was right behind him with 8.

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Coming off a 17-8 run to close out the 1st half, the Aggies pressure and offensive rebounding kept the Nittany Lions at bay, holding a six-to-eight-point lead for the opening five minutes. Feeling the urgency, Penn State went on a quick run to pull within one.

That momentum was snatched away by a big slam by sophomore guard Soloman Washington, pushing the lead back out once again. It took another 3 minutes before Penn State could threaten again, getting a three-point deficit with around five minutes left. But once again, the Aggies locked in and delivered multiple second-chance points to push the lead back to double digits.

Henry Coleman and Wade Taylor exploded in the second half for 47 points when it was all said and done, giving Radford a break after carrying the offense early. Buzz Williams has his team playing some really good basketball right now and is not fazed by much. This impressive 89-77 win showed this team’s depth, as every player scored and shot exceptionally efficiently in the second half.

Oh, and Henry Coleman III has become an absolute mismatch in the post, and if this is the kind of consistency the Aggies are getting game to game, this is a Top 10 unit for the rest of the season, bar none.

Below are the Aggie critical contributors from the game:

Wade Taylor IV: 23 points / 3 assists / 6 rebounds

Tyrece Radford: 14 points / 1 assists / 6 rebounds

Henry Coleman: 24 points / 1 assists / 5 rebounds

Texas A&M will be back in action at 11 a.m. tomorrow for the semi-finals against the winner of the Florida Atlantic vs Butler game.

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Texas A&M basketball ranked inside the Top 20 KenPom rankings

Starting 4-0 on the season, Texas A&M Basketball is now steadily ranked inside KenPom’s Top 20 rankings.

Ahead of No. 12 Texas A&M’s (4-0) clash with Penn State (4-0) in the ESPN Invitational Tournament in Orlando, Florida, on Thanksgiving Day, the Aggies are already well positioned in the all-important KenPom rankings.

While the Nittany Lions are undefeated, this is an entirely different lineup compared to the hot-shooting team that caught A&M off guard in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in March, defeating the Aggies 79-59. However, defeating Penn State would set up a semifinal matchup with either Butler (3-1) or the 19th-ranked Florida Atlantic Owls (2-1), who made the Final Four last March.

As of Wednesday, the Aggies are ranked 18th in the newest KenPom Top 25, ranked one spot above Kentucky (19th) and below Mississippi State (17th) and Auburn (16th).

After earning back-to-back road wins over Ohio State and SMU, A&M defeated Oral Roberts, 74-66, behind senior forward Henry Coleman III’s third consecutive double-double, including 32 points and 25 rebounds in the span of four days against SMU and the Golden Eagles.

While starting forward, Julius Marbles’ absence due to an ongoing “University process” leaves a hole in the Aggies’ lineup; it will take a significant improvement from star junior guard Wade Taylor IV to increase his shooting percentage. At the same time, the team as a whole will need to improve drastically from beyond the arc.

Texas A&M will head to Orlando, Florida, for the annual ESPN Invitational Tournament, taking on Penn State (4-0) at 11 a.m. CT. The game is being carried by ESPN.

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SEC names Aggie Forward Henry Coleman III Player of the Week

Texas A&M junior Forward Henry Coleman in named the SEC Player of the Week after a strong week of play

Junior Foward Henry Coleman has been a double-double machine to start the season and shows no signs of slowing down. He’s helped the Texas A&M basketball team to a strong 4-0 start by taking advantage of teams keying in on the guards and grabbing every board in sight.

The SEC recognized the junior’s production after the big week by naming him SEC Player of the Week. Below is the excerpt from the release from the SEC officials:

Texas A&M forward Henry Coleman III, a 6-foot-8, 245-pound senior player from Richmond, Va., averaged 16 points and 12.5 rebounds in wins at SMU and over Oral Roberts. Coleman converted 84.6 percent (11-of-13) of his field goals attempts, including a perfect 7-of-7 effort against Oral Roberts. He was equally efficient from the free throw stripe, making 10-of-11 (.909) of his charity tosses.

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Texas A&M basketball rises in newest USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

After defeating Oral Roberts 74-66 last Friday, Texas A&M makes rises in the newest USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.

Texas A&M basketball is off to a 4-0 start, including road wins over Ohio State and SMU in the span of four days. The Aggies exhibited an impressive combination of poise and toughness down the stretch in each matchup, as well as in the 74-66 win over Oral Roberts on Friday.

Next up, head coach Buzz Williams and his determined squad will head to Orlando, Florida, to participate in the ESPN Invitational Tournament. They draw a rematch against Penn State, which is looking to avenge last year’s opening-round loss in the NCAA Tournament.

On Monday, the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll released its updated men’s basketball poll. The Aggies rose two spots from No. 15 to No. 13, impressing the voters after staying undefeated heading into Thursday’s ESPN Invitational Tournament. Texas A&M is the second highest-ranked SEC program below Tennessee, which ranks eighth.

Joining the Aggies and Volunteers in the top 25 are the Alabama Crimson Tide (No. 22), the Kentucky Wildcats (No. 16) and Mississippi State Bulldogs, who are 5-0 in the season and entered the rankings for the first time this year. Among those receiving votes were Arkansas (83), Auburn (29) and South Carolina (seven).

Texas A&M will head to Orlando, Florida, for the annual ESPN Invitational Tournament, taking on Penn State (4-0) at 11 a.m. CT., which will air on ESPN.

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Texas A&M Basketball rises in newest AP Poll Rankings

Reaching 4-0 on the season ahead taking on Penn State this Thursday, Texas A&M has continued to rise in the newest AP Top 25 rankings.

Texas A&M Basketball is off to a 4-0 start, including road wins over Ohio State and SMU in the span of four days, exhibiting an impressive combination of poise and toughness down the stretch of each matchup, including the Aggies’ recent 74-66 win over Oral Roberts last Friday.

Next up, head coach Buzz Williams and his determined squad will head to Orlando, Florida, to participate in the ESPN Invitational Tournament in a rematch vs. Penn State, looking to avenge last year’s opening-round loss in the NCAA Tournament.

On Monday, The Associated Press published its updated men’s basketball poll, and after earning a No. 13 ranking in last week’s poll, Texas A&M moved up one spot to No. 12 after defeating the Golden Eagles, sporting the second-highest ranking for an SEC team behind No. 7 Tennessee.

Joining the Aggies and Volunteers in the rankings include Alabama (No. 17), the Kentucky Wildcats (No. 16), the Arkansas Razorbacks (No. 20), and a newcomer to the rankings this season, the 5-0 Mississippi State coming in at No. 25. The Auburn Tigers received 28 votes. In contrast, South Carolina received just three votes to round things out in the SEC.

Texas A&M will head to Orlando, Florida, for the annual ESPN Invitational Tournament, taking on Penn State (4-0) at 11:00 a.m. CT., which will air on ESPN.

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