Texas A&M (9-2) appears to be the top defensive team in the nation following their victory over No. 11 Purdue, winning 70-66 in the Indy Classic. This matchup is expected to be considered a neutral site win, even though the crowd primarily comprised Purdue supporters.
While star guard Wade Taylor IV delivered 15 points, the play of junior forward Pharrel Payne tied Zhuric Phelps for a team-high 16 points and nine rebounds, finishing a perfect 6-6 from the field in his best game of the year.
Returning to the defense, Texas A&M limited the sixth-best three-point shooting team to 35% from the field while outrebounding the Boilermakers 34-23, while the Aggies finished 40% from beyond the arc.
With the win, the Aggies have won five straight against Ohio State, Creighton, Rutgers, Wake Forest, Texas Tech, and now Purdue, leading to a significant rise in the latest KenPom rankings ahead of hosting Houston Christian next Friday.
Rising to No. 18 in the rankings, KenPom considers Texas A&M’s defense the fifth-best unit in the country, and it’s fair to note that the Aggies’ losses to UCF and Oregon were without the entire roster. The Aggies are also playing the 17th most challenging schedule in the nation.
Texas A&M will return home to face Houston Christian at Reed Arena on Dec. 20 at 9:00 a.m. CST. The game can be watched on ESPN+/SECN+.
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