'Variety In Skills!' Texas A&M HC Buzz Williams Praises Kentucky Following Loss

Williams and the Aggies were unable to top their SEC counterparts in Lexington Tuesday night, suffering their second consecutive loss on the hardwood.
Jan 14, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Buzz Williams yells to his players during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
Jan 14, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Buzz Williams yells to his players during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images / Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
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The No. 11 Texas A&M Aggies came up short in their second consecutive game Tuesday night, falling to the No. 8 Kentucky Wildcats by a score of 81-69.

The Aggies shooting was a disappointing 39%, and after a competitive first half, the Aggies failed to keep up the pressure as the second half wore on.

Despite the negatives, head coach Buzz Williams seemed well-collected during his postgame press conference, commending the Kentucky team on their performance in the contest and throughout the season.

"I've really enjoyed studying (the Kentucky offense). A lot of really good players, a lot of variety to the skill as you know, but I think the utilization of the talent and the skill considering the newness of the coach and his staff and the players, that's really difficult to do," Williams said.

Of course, Buzz is referring to Mark Pope, a former NBA player who took over as the Wildcats' head coach after six years of leading the BYU Cougars' basketball team.

obaseki
Jan 14, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Texas A&M Aggies guard Manny Obaseki (35) goes to the basket against Kentucky Wildcats forward Brandon Garrison (10) during the first half at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images / Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Williams continued to highlight Pope's presence throughout the team, especially in how little time he has been there.

"I haven't seen any of their film sessions or practices, but the teaching that's been going on and the itinerary of the practices for them to have the execution that they have is remarkable," Williams said. "There's three versions of stress and they're potent in each category."

Williams' Aggies will now head back home to College Station in preparation to host the LSU Tigers on Saturday night, where the team hopes for the return of point guard Wade Taylor, who has missed the past three games with injury.

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Aaron Raley
AARON RALEY

Aaron Raley is a credentialed writer covering the Texas A&M Aggies for On SI, joining the team on May 27, 2024. Born and raised in Northeast Texas, Aaron is a senior journalism major at Texas A&M University and is also minoring in history and sports management. Aaron’s writing abilities are driven by his love and passion for various sports, both at the collegiate and professional level, as well as his experience in playing sports, especially baseball and football.