In any competition, winning is all that matters, no matter how ugly, and for the 15th-ranked Texas A&M Aggies (2-0) and head fifth-year head coach Buzz Williams, a Friday night road test vs. Ohio State in only their second game of the season would tell us even more about this team ahead of one of the most demanding non-conference schedules in all of college basketball.
As we’ve witnessed from several top-ranked programs early in the year, the Aggies struggled early from the floor, shooting a dismal 38.7, including 27.3 from three and 63.6 from the stripe. At the same time, their ill-timed overconfidence from the perimeter was actually a positive sign moving forward, as the shots will eventually fall at a higher rate than we saw last season before SEC play.
Credit to Ohio State for focusing on the Aggies’ talented backcourt, as preseason SEC Player of the Year and junior guard Wade Taylor IV couldn’t buy a shot in the first half, held to 1-10 from the floor.
However, Taylor’s early struggles quickly defined how the Aggies would respond the rest of the way; relying on Tyrece Radford (11 points) and Henry Coleman (10 points, nine rebounds), the senior guard/forward duo kept the Buckeyes at bay, taking a 34-32 lead into halftime.
Knowing that Radford and Coleman could be relied on to steady the ship when called upon, Taylor’s 14-point second-half surge after just seven points in the first half came in clutch moments when the Buckeyes seemed to find their stroke.
Taylor hit several critical shots late in the game, including his left-handed layup off the glass to extend the Aggie lead to 63-57 with just three minutes remaining. Still, even though many will note Taylor’s late improvement to seal the win as the lone catalyst, it was the effort from Coleman and senior bench forward Andersson Garcia, as both combined for 26 of the Aggies’ 45 boards on the night, as Garcia grabbed seven offensive rebounds to keep possessions alive, providing a noticeable spark to the offense, working off his relentless energy.
In a comically ironic finish, Taylor (21 points), Coleman (20 points), and Radford (21 points) produced 84% of the team’s 73 points, living up to preseason expectations as the veteran leaders among a deep roster filled with potential.
With the win, the program under Buzz Williams has earned what will likely end up being their first non-conference Quad 1 win, which, as we all know, annually dictates a team’s entry/standing in the NCAA Tournament. With much more to prove from a consistency standpoint, Friday’s performance was built on internal trust and experience after several adversity-filled seasons had created a thick skin for every Aggie player who stepped on the court.
Texas A&M will be back in action at 7 p.m. on Nov. 14 against SMU in Dallas, Texas at Moody Coliseum.
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