Tag: Texas Aggies Basketball

Former Oregon State guard Jordan Pope will announce his transfer decision on Wednesday

It’s down to Texas or Texas A&M for former Oregon State guard Jordan Pope, who will make his announcement on Wednesday

Texas A&M Basketball has already landed two key players from the transfer portal in the last two days. Former Nebraska guard CJ Wilcher and former Minnesota forward Pharrel Payne will move to College Station for the 2024-2025 season.

Combined with the official return of star guard Wade Taylor IV, Texas A&M’s roster is in good hands once again, but to finally take the next step after falling to the No. 1-seed Houston Cougars in the NCAA Tournament last month, more help is needed through the portal.

Already hosting a bevy of talent this month, one of the top available guards is set to make his decision after visiting the program last week, as former Oregon State leading scorer Jordan Pope will announce his decision between Texas and Texas A&M on Wednesday evening, according to On3’s Joe Tipton.

In what could be an elite backcourt for the Aggies next season if Pope were to commit, he definitely proved his ability in 2023, leading the Beavers with 17.6 points, shooting 45% from the field, 37% from 3-point range, and 87% from the stripe.

While Texas certainly needs a replacement for the departing Max Abmas, Tyrece Radford’s Aggie career has also ended, providing Pope with a clear path to a starting spot opposite Taylor and incoming senior Manny Obaseki.

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Texas A&M lands a commitment from former Minnesota forward Pharrel Payne

Texas A&M Basketball has landed another commitment from the transfer portal, as former Minnesota forward Pharrel Payne is making his way to College Station

Texas A&M head basketball coach Buzz Willimas has acquired two players through the transfer portal in the last two days, as former Minnesota forward Pharrel Payne will make his way to College Station for the 2024-2025 season, coming off his productive 2023 season.

After the announcement that starting guard Wade Taylor IV would officially return next season, the Aggies are just a couple of transfer additions away from earning a potential third consecutive bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Needing to fill several holes on the depth chart after the departure of veteran guard Tyrece Radford, while the reveal of senior forward Julius Marbles’ legal issues eliminates his future on the roster, Williams’ addition of former Nebraska guard CJ Wilcher, who shot nearly 40% from beyond the arc last season, was just the first step.

With Tuesday’s addition from Pharrel Payne, who stands at 6-9 and 255 pounds, Payne averaged an impressive 10 points and 6.1 rebounds during his 2023 sophomore season while shooting 60% from the field. Payne is a dominant inside presence, bringing elite athleticism and plenty of offensive upside. He also averaged 1.4 blocks in 2023.

With plenty of talent remaining in the transfer portal, especially at guard, the expectations have just been heightened.

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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.

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Former Toledo guard has included Texas A&M as a potential transfer destination

Texas A&M is a finalist to land former Toledo guard Ra’Heim Moss

Texas A&M basketball finished the 2024 season on a high note despite losing to Houston in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Buzz Williams has now led the Aggies to back-to-back trips to the big dance for the first time in his tenure with the program.

However, several departures have left holes in the roster entering the offseason, led by veteran guard Tyrece Radford after four productive seasons. Even though incoming senior guard Manny Obaseki’s vast improvement at the end of the year should be counted on going forward, adding another reliable offense threat in the backcourt with Wade Taylor IV is necessary.

Another key addition could be coming soon, as it has been confirmed by  On3’s Joe Tipton that Toledo guard Ra’Heim Moss, who recently entered the transfer portal, has narrowed down his future options to Oregon, Ole Miss, Ohio State and Texas A&M.

During his 2023 junior season, Moss, who stands at 6-4 and 205 pounds, led the Rockets with 15.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.0 assists. He shot 46% from the field but just 30% from beyond the arc.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Despite losing to Houston in the round of 32, Andersson Garcia’s game tying 3-pointer will be remembered forever

Texas A&M’s tournament run may be over, but Andersson Garcia’s game tying 3-pointer will forever live in out memories.

Texas A&M’s (21-15) 2023-2024 season ended after falling to the No. 1-seed Houston Cougars on Sunday night, failing to complete what looked to be an epic comeback after taking the game to overtime.

With just 1:20 left in regulation, the Aggies battled back from their 82-71 deficit on the backs of Tyrece Radford, Wade Taylor IV, Manny Obaseki, and, most importantly, senior forward Andersson Garcia, who would go on to have his “one shining moment” at the buzzer.

Down 86-83 with 1.2 seconds on the clock, head coach Buzz Williams drew up a play that no one saw coming, as Radford inbounded to Garcia, who had only attempted 19 3-pointers on the year, quickly picked up the bounce pass at the top of the key, shooting what would become the most memorable shot in his playing career.

Fading away like a kid in his driveway shouting, “Kobe!” Garcia tied the game, causing an eruption from the crowd. He immediately placed his hands over his face, cemented on the ground while being tackled by his Aggie teammates in the process.

Sending the game into overtime, Houston, led by elite point guard Jamal Shead (21 points, ten assists) and Emmanuel Sharp (30 points, 7-10 3-point), continued to make shots while the Aggies failed to take advantage of the moment, eventually falling 100-95.

In contrast, a wave of disappointment briefly took over the A&M sideline. Still, despite the loss to one of the best teams in the country, Andersson Garcia’s Texas A&M career won’t just be remembered for setting the new program rebounding record.

While the Aggies can undoubtedly learn from the defeat, primarily caused by the 16 missed free throws coupled with a bad shooting night from Wade Taylor IV, the NCAA Tournament is beautiful and cruel. After falling in the first round last season, almost defeating a championship favorite is undoubtedly a step in the right direction heading into 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 Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.