The Aggies couldn’t have asked for a better season-opening win in one of their most important seasons under 4th-year head coach Buzz Williams, defeating the Louisana Monroe Warkhawks 87-54 on Monday night.
In the first game without former star guard, and 2021 leader Quenton Jackson, the starting lineup included returning starters Tyrece Radford, Wade Taylor IV, Henry Coleman, Witchita State transfer Dexter Dennis, and freshman Solomon Washington.
From start to finish, the Aggies showed consistency on offense and were lethal from beyond the arc, shooting an impressive 46 % from 3-point range while hitting 12 3’s, while starting guard Wade Talyor IV (18 points, 4-6 from 3) showed great improvement as a shooter and should be a go-to offensive threat from the outside as the season progresses. Witchita State transfer Dexter Dennis had a solid debut, shooting 4-6 for 11 points and 3-4 from three, the second most on the night behind Taylor IV. While shooting 50.8 percent from the field, the Aggies outrebounded the Warhawks 47-36, while mounting a 38-point lead during their second-half run.
Led by junior forward Henry Coleman III, the Aggies’ inside game began to pick up in the second half, scoring 6 of his 11 points after the break, while Michigan State transfer forward Julius Marble also contributed 6 points in the paint, as the two will continue to jell down the stretch to eventually become a feared duo.
Fan favorite Hayden Hefner (12 points, 2-5 3-point) and Manny Obaseki (4-6, 10 points) showed just how deep Buzz Williams’s roster truly is, as the latter Obaseki will most likely join the starting lineup down the stretch as the former 5-star continues to increase his level of play as the season ramps up. All in all, the team did its job and blew out an inferior opponent, while showing that they belong in the conversation for one of the better teams in the SEC, and the country at large. Gig ’em.
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
[listicle id=6977]