Opponent: michigan (26-9)
Time: 4:15pm
Date: March 22nd
Location: Ball Arena - Denver, Colorado
TV: CBS
Michigan a SA Quadrant Record: Q1 - (12-7), Q2 - (4-2), Q3 - (7-0), Q4 - (2-0)
Opponent NET: 23
Opponent KenPom: 25
Opponent Offensive / Defensive Rating: 46/13
Spread: Texas A&M -2.5
Stats: https://12thman.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary


And then there were 32. After a rollercoaster of a season that saw its high and saw its lows, the Aggies comfortably advance past the first round of the NCAA Tournament with a 80-71 victory of the Yale Bulldogs. Now all the focus turns to the Michigan Wolverines.

Today at 4:15 pm on CBS our Texas A&M Fightin Aggies will square off against Michigan in the round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. The Aggies are still dancing and have one more obstacle in the way from prolonging this dance one more week!

Michigan took down San Diego surviving a late run to win 68-65. Their game took place right after ours so both teams had one day to rest and recover. Michigan only played 7 guys over 10 minutes with their starters playing heavy minutes, so their depth will be tested. Additionally, this will be Michigan's 5th game in 8 days after they played back to back to back games en route to the Big 10 Tourney Championship. They finished the Big 10 14-6 and also lost two non conference games against SEC teams in Arkansas and Oklahoma.

For those that got a glimpse after our game or have followed Michigan all year. Their strength is their size, they may have one of the most imposing front courts in the NCAA with 7'1 #50 Vladislav Goldin and 7'0 #1 Danny Wolf, formerly of FAU and Yale respectively. Their entire offense runs through them! They love to post up and back you down in the paint. I'm sure we'll see a lot of weak side double teams in the paint so our help defense and rotations have to be what I call "efficiently chaotic" Can we frustrate Goldin and Wolf will be the key! Getting them into foul trouble will be a game changer! Goldin is primarily in the paint while Wolf can stretch the floor, but I'm sure Buzz will be okay with him shooting! They have two solid shooters on the perimeter in #3 Tre Donaldson and #4 Nimari Burnett! Which is why we need to rotate quickly and without second questing if we're doubling in the paint!

As many posters have mentioned, Goldin and Wolf have a towering presence, but they're not the most agile big men! We'll need to run some pick and rolls or have a two man game amongst our bigs to find an easy basket! Michigan does turn the ball over a lot, so I'd love to see us get out in transition! Let's wear their big bodies down with our athleticism, speed, and trap defense! I think this is a game where we see the Dominican Magic Johnson, where we will see Garcia facilitate some set plays and find guys cutting to the basket or kick back out to Taylor/Obaseki/Phelps for 3! We need to move the ball and find lanes against a team with this size!

Seems like every media talking head doesn't have us winning this game. Let them doubt us. Basketball in March isn't played on paper, it's one team lined up against the other fighting for 40 minutes. Our guys know what's at stake, Buzz knows what at stake! Getting a win today would be absolutely huge, but we'll worry about making history and what a win would mean later. All that matters is doing whatever it takes to score more than Michigan. Win now, celebrate later…

We know we don't play pretty basketball, we aren't flashy, we aren't the most efficient, but we're gonna throw haymakers at you full speed for 40 minutes! It's time to show everyone what Texas A&M Basketball is all about! I wanna see Wade Taylor drop some floaters over some 7 footers, I wanna see Pharrel Payne posterize one of them, I wanna see Solo block one of their shots off the backboard, I wanna see Phelps and Obaseki with some euro steps to the basket, I wanna see a sea of maroon sawing them off and celebrating an Aggie victory! Let's play Texas A&M basketball and let's go kick some Michigan ass and keep dancing all the way to the sweet sixteen! BTHO michigan!!!!!!!!!!!!



Michigan Statistical Leaders

Points
Vladislav Goldin - 16.6
Danny Wolf - 13.0
Tre Donaldson - 11.6

Rebounds
Danny Wolf - 9.8
Vladislav Goldin - 6.8
Tre Donaldson - 3.6

Assists
Tre Donaldson - 4.2
Danny Wolf - 3.6
Roddy Gayle Jr - 2.6

Steals
Tre Donaldson - 1.0
Nimari Burnett - 0.8
Rubin Jones - 0.8

Blocks
Vladislav Goldin - 1.3
Danny Wolf - 1.3
Nimari Burnett - 0.2

Texas A&M Statistical Leaders

Points
Wade Taylor - 15.7
Zhuric Phelps - 13.8
Pharrel Payne - 9.9

Rebounds
Andersson Garcia - 6.2
Henry Coleman - 5.5
Soloman Washington - 5.2

Assists
Wade Taylor - 4.3
Zhuric Phelps - 2.2
Andersson Garcia - 1.6

Steals
Zhuric Phelps - 1.7
Wade Taylor - 1.3
Andersson Garcia - 1.0

Blocks
Soloman Washington - 1.2
Pharrel Payne - 1.1
Andersson Garcia - 0.7


Michigan Roster: https://mgoblue.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster
Michigan Schedule: https://mgoblue.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule
Michigan Stats: https://dxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net/sidearm.nextgen.sites/mgoblue.com/stats/mbball/2024/pdf/cume.pdf?t=1742587794524


Texas A&M Roster: https://12thman.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster
Texas A&M Schedule: https://12thman.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule
Texas A&M Stats: https://dxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net/sidearm.nextgen.sites/tamu.sidearmsports.com/stats/mbball/2024/pdf/cume.pdf?t=1742443741007

Taylorswift13's Pre Game Questions

1. Will Wade Taylor IV score more than 20 points?

2. Any crazy upsets you got in the next 2 days, what 1 seed is most likely to lose these next two days?

3. Role players step up in big games, who's having themselves a career defining game today?

4. Oh how sweet it is, will the Aggies BTHO michigan and advance to the sweet sixteen?

Taylorswift13's Pre Game Questions

1. Will Wade Taylor IV score more than 20 points? No. Double double. 12 assists and 11 points with 2 turnovers.

2. Any crazy upsets you got in the next 2 days, what 1 seed is most likely to lose these next two days? Hasn't been much madness this year… I don't have a shot to call. Just hoping for some fireworks.

3. Role players step up in big games, who's having themselves a career defining game today? I feel like we are a team of role players with our minutes spread out over 9 players. Only Garcia and Wade got more than 30 min against Yale and only Carter and Wilcher got less than 10.

Payne dominates their soft seven footers inside. Wilcher actually makes his shots when he comes in.

4. Oh how sweet it is, will the Aggies BTHO michigan and advance to the sweet sixteen? I believe that we will win.

BTHO Michigan!

I think if there is a one seed going down today, it'll be UoH.

BTHO Michigan

Kill them !!!!

BTHO Michigan!

My thoughts FWIW:

1. Will Wade Taylor IV score more than 20 points?
I think he will, but it will be close. 18-24 range is my thought.

2. Any crazy upsets you got in the next 2 days, what 1 seed is most likely to lose these next two days?

Yeh, I have Auburn going down in one of my brackets. It probably won't happen now, based on who they are facing in round 2.

3. Role players step up in big games, who's having themselves a career defining game today?
Phelps, Manny

4. Oh how sweet it is, will the Aggies BTHO michigan and advance to the sweet sixteen?
Yes. They are turnover prone. As long as we play the way we can, like we did against Auburn, then absolutely. We do need to hit our FTs though.

Marsh said:

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I think if there is a one seed going down today, it'll be UoH.

BTHO Michigan

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You might be correct but in true TA form less than 1/2 page in and we already have some U of H is overrated smack

Second of 6. Gig em Ags!

taylorswift13_ said:

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Taylorswift13's Pre Game Questions

1. Will Wade Taylor IV score more than 20 points?

2. Any crazy upsets you got in the next 2 days, what 1 seed is most likely to lose these next two days?

3. Role players step up in big games, who's having themselves a career defining game today?

4. Oh how sweet it is, will the Aggies BTHO michigan and advance to the sweet sixteen?

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1. No, just under
2. Auburn is the most likely 1 to go down in my opinion
3. MO
4. Yes

BTHO Michigan

1. Yes
2. Auburn or Houston
3. With Zhuric off the bench now, I'll call him a role player now. I think he has a big game as Michigan wears down.
4. Yes. We pull away late again. We impose our style and brand and hammer them down.

It's A&M -3 now.

BTHO michigan!!!!

Michigan turns it over on 19% of their possessions? If that's true then Ags roll and win this by 15+

And so it continues!

let go buzz to S16 next week

looking ahead to rematch with Auburn

Ags win 81-69

Our bigs need to show on screens, their PG loves to shoot the 3 off a screen anytime the big sags off

Love this Team. Love this Coach. It's been a privilege and an honor watching them play.

25 years ago when I arrived as a freshman at A&M, I dreamed of one day fielding a team that could compete for an NIT bid. A team that could be relevant. This team has surpassed all expectations. I Loved BCG's '07 team, but I'll take THIS team Anyday. They are Texas A&M.

BTHO little blue!