A&M basketball looks to keep it rolling against porous Savannah State defense
There are 351 teams participating in NCAA Division I basketball.
There are 350 that are ranked ahead of Savannah State in scoring defense. Therefore, expect a scoring burst from No. 9 Texas A&M (8-1) when Savannah State (3-8) visits Reed Arena on Wednesday night.
Savannah State is allowing an average of 95.1 points per game. The visiting Tigers have surrendered more than 100 points in six games thus far. They allowed a season-high 115 in a loss to Louisiana-Lafayette.
They also allowed triple digits in their last four losses to Texas Tech (103-69), Wichita State (112-66), William & Mary (108-85) and Georgia Southern (102-91). That should whet the appetite for the Aggies, who are averaging 79.2 points behind D.J. Hogg, Tyler Davis, Admon Gilder and Duane Wilson. They all average double figures.
The Aggies may cruise on the offensive end, but might have to work hard on defense, especially on the three-point line. Savannah State leads the nation in three-point attempts.
“Savannah State coming in with a totally different style of play,” A&M coach Billy Kennedy said. “They shoot the ball really quick. They’re averaging over 40 threes a game. We’re going to have to be really disciplined and take good shots against their zone. Get the ball inside and not just stand out there and match them trying to shoot 3’s.
“We can play fast. We just can’t turn the ball over and live off quick shots and forget about our post guys. We’re going to get open threes. When we get them we’ve got to take good ones and, hopefully, we’ll be making them.”
The Aggies will need to make a bunch of shots to keep up with Savannah State, which averages 83.2 points. The Tigers have scored at least 98 in each of its three victories and has scored 85 and 91 in its last two games.
Leading scorers Dexter McClanahan and Alante Fenner, a pair of 6-foot-5 guards, both made 35 from behind the arc. Six others have made at least 10.
“They get out and they put shots up consistently,” Gilder said. “We know we’re going to do our job and try to run with them, but play our principles at the end of the day."
“We’ve go to hope they miss. We don’t want them coming in here and start getting shot and start making some shots that we start scratching our heads about."
