Texas A&M’s 97-92 overtime victory over the No. 6-ranked Kentucky Wildcats may have been the win that rejuvenated an Aggies squad, who entered the weekend 0-2 in SEC play, shooting less than 40% from the field.
After falling to a tough Auburn team last Tuesday night, Aggies head coach Buzz Williams was quick to point out his team’s need to fight in every conference matchup remaining, something that finally occurred in the second half against the Tigers while coming full circle on Saturday afternoon.
“I hope that we play with some level of desperation and level of competitive character. We didn’t against LSU. I thought we did against Auburn.”
Led by a complete team effort, it was the bounce-back play of star guards Wade Taylor IV and Tyrece Radford that stole the show, pulling out a full-on heroic attempt from start to finish, combining for 59 points and 9 of the team’s 12 three-pointers on the day, and despite several poor calls, the duo matched Kentucky’s elite transition game and high scoring offense in the Aggies high scoring contest on the year.
Taylor (31 points, six rebounds, five assists) found his stroke from beyond the arc after shooting 3-20 from deep since the start of conference play, pulling up in transition on multiple occasions to drain clutch shot after clutch shot as the game tightened in the second half.
Even more critical, veteran lefty Tyrece Radford (28 points, nine rebounds, four assists) finally looked like himself for the first time all year after dealing with a cryptic breathing issue that kept him sidelined for multiple games, bullying his way into the paint while sustaining multiple fouls after buckets, establishing a sense of toughness against Kentucky’s taller defenders, which he had been preparing for since Tuesday’s loss.
“Coming into the game they were telling me to hoop and be myself, just like I was telling Wade Taylor IV and Jace Carter.”
For the Aggies to accomplish their lofty goals, starting with making the NCAA Tournament for a second consecutive season, Taylor and Radford must continue playing at a high-level week to week.
Still, until any new developments regarding senior forward Julius Marble’s impending return come to light, the rest of the roster will need to step up, including sophomore forward Solomon Washington (7 points, nine rebounds, two blocks, two steals), whose energetic play and elite defensive instincts provide a huge momentum boost to A&M’s lineup after missing the last two games.
“He (Solomon Washington) is the spark of our team. He brings the energy. That’s just him. That’s the elite part of his game.”
This is just a glimpse of what the Aggies can be this season when at complete to semi-full strength, but a one-game sample won’t cut it. For the tides to turn, this must become a lasting trend, starting with next Tuesday’s road battle vs. the struggling Arkansas Razorbacks in Fayetteville.
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