Texas A&M Begins Tough SEC Stretch With Rematch vs. Arkansas

The Aggies will look for better results against the Hogs at Reed Arena Wednesday evening.

Everything that could have gone wrong for the Texas A&M men's basketball team when facing Arkansas a few weeks ago. 

The Aggies were forced to divert from their nonstop flight to Fayetteville, Ark. to Wichita, Kan. After that came a bus ride over to Tulsa, Okla., for a one-night stay before a two-hour ride across state lines to Bud Walton Arena. 

Anyone thrown off their regular schedule is bound to have some mishaps initially. Those came on the court for the Aggies in an 81-70 road loss. A&M never found its rhythm shooting, finishing 15 of 39 on layup attempts and 14 of 24 at the free-throw line.

The fans might use the travel conditions as an excuse for poor road play. Players, however, won't entering their Wednesday night rematch against Arkansas in Reed Arena at 8 p.m. 

“We did not come out with that same mentality that we need to have every game," guard Wade Taylor IV said. "We got to the line, and we got to the rim, but we did not finish at as high of a rate as we needed to.”

For the first time since joining the SEC in 2012, the Aggies (18-7, 10-2 SEC) have won 10 of their first 12 conference games. Some wins were expected, a like 94-53 victory over South Carolina or an 82-57 pounding over Georiga. 

Others, like a series sweep over SEC West powerhouse Auburn, weren't. None of that matters entering the final weeks of action, as the Aggies remain on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament rankings. 

Fourth-year coach Buzz Williams said that for A&M to even the series, it'll have to be efficient at the free-throw line. This season, the Aggies are converting 74.6 percent of their shots when fouled, second-highest among programs in the SEC. Over their last five wins, A&M has made 76.3 percent of shots and scored at least 20 points from the foul line. 

“We’re dependent upon trying to get a team in rotation and making the right decision," Williams said Tuesday. "Most of the time, for us, those decisions need to be off two feet and with two hands, whether that’s a shot, whether that's a dump off, whether that’s a skip to the weak side, whether that’s a pass behind."

Entering the mid-week showdown in College Station, the Aggies look to be in the NCAA Tournament. According to ESPN's Joe Lunardi, A&M is projected to be the No. 10 seed in the Midwest Region. Lunardi has the Aggies facing off against No. 7 San Diego State, with the winner potentially meeting No. 2-seed Texas in the Round of 32. 

Seeding could change for the better in the coming weeks. Depending on the next set of games, it could also change for the worse. After facing Arkansas, the Aggies will have four more games against Quadrant I opponents, including a pair of matchups against top 10 teams in Tennessee and Alabama at home. 

This season, the Aggies are 3-4 against Quadrant I opponents, with two of their wins coming against Auburn. 

“If you look at all of it, it is too much,” Williams said on the NCAA Tournament seeding picture. “I have tried my best this month to almost live an even more of a monk-life. I do not really want to know (what is going on), because it only clouds my thinking. I do not know if that is the best way to help our group." 

The Hogs (17-8, 6-6) quietly have struggled on the road under fourth-year coach Eric Musselman, going 2-5 in the process. Most recently, Arkansas slipped out of the Associated Press top 25 ranking after losing in a 70-64 matchup to Mississippi State on Saturday. 

Williams isn't looking at the road woes for Arkansas. Neither is A&M. The Hogs have talent across the board, including potential top-10 NBA draft pick Nick Smith Jr. 

Smith, a native of Jacksonville, Ark., is averaging 11.5 points per game, but also missed 13 contests this season due to a lingering knee injury. He's not the only Hog looking to wrestle up points on the road. Both Ricky Council IV and Anthony Black are averaging over 13 points per game, with Council leading the way at 16.9. 

“(Smith) is a lottery pick,” Williams said. “(Council), I do not know if anyone has guarded him yet this year. (Black) is going to be a first-round pick in five months. And there are some other guys that they say are on some draft boards.”

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