Billy Kennedy
Danuel House
Texas A&M Basketball
No. 5 Aggies seek to overcome Arkansas at Bud Walton Arena
To fully comprehend the rise of Texas A&M basketball this season, consider the comparisons to great A&M teams of the past.
Or more specifically, compare it to the great A&M football teams.
The ’56 team that featured John David Crow finished fifth in the Associated Press rankings. The 2012 team that featured Johnny Manziel finished fifth. No A&M football team has been ranked higher than fifth in the last 60 years.
Meanwhile, the Aggies (17-2, 7-0 SEC) have climbed to No. 5 in the national college basketball polls, their highest rank in school history.
That’s extremely impressive, especially for a basketball team at a “football school.”
Of course, the football team can attest staying in the top five is more difficult than getting there.
Staying there is the task facing A&M as it travels to face Arkansas (9-10, 3-4) Wednesday night at Bud Walton Arena.
“It can be like a bad dream at night,” Texas A&M coach Billy Kennedy said Tuesday about the Aggies’ lofty ranking. “It can be there one night and gone the next. We’re playing to get better. I don’t think we’re caught up in it.
Matt Sachs, TexAgs
Jalen Jones had a career day at Arkansas' expense in the teams' last meeting and hasn't slowed down since.
“We are proud of it, coming from where we were three, four years ago to be the No. 5 team. Look, who’s in that five. Us and Iowa are new. Kansas, Oklahoma and North Carolina are some good teams to be mentioned with.”
The Aggies played like a top-five team when they blasted Arkansas 92-69 in the SEC opener at Reed Arena behind a career-high 28 points from Jalen Jones.
All the indicators seem to be with A&M.
The Aggies are riding a 10-game winning streak, freshman center Tyler Davis is expected back in the lineup after sitting out a win over Missouri to rest a sore foot, Danuel House has a history of shooting well at Bud Walton Arena and Arkansas is mired in a three-game losing streak.
However, the Razorbacks are much better on their home court. They’re 8-2 in Fayetteville. They’ve also lost a lot of close games. Arkansas is 1-6 in games decided by five points or less and 1-3 in overtime games.
“They’re playing some young guys, some new guys. In special situations it’s been kind of fluke-ish,” Kennedy said. “On the side out of bounds they throw it out on their own guy. A (missed) free throw block out and Ben Simmons gets an and-one at the end of their game against LSU to take the lead. There’s been some freakish things. Hopefully, we don’t put ourselves in that situation because they’re due to win one of those.
“At their place they’ve won 90 percent of their games in the last five years. So, winning nine out of 10 is pretty good.”
Arkansas coach Mike Anderson seems optimistic the Razorbacks are close to tying up those loose ends.
“We don’t have a lot of room for error and so we’ve got to be on point in all our execution, especially down the stretch,” Anderson said. “That’s the next step for our basketball team in order to play winning basketball.
“I’m like this here: If you knock me down today you’re going to have hell tomorrow because you’re going to have to deal with me. I’m going to figure a way out. That’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to figure a way out.”
The Razorbacks' ‘way out’ may be shooting from way out.
Matt Sachs, TexAgs
The expected return of Tyler Davis should bolster the Aggies, who beat Missouri by 13 despite the freshman center's absence.
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Arkansas is fifth in the nation with a .434 shooting percentage from three-point range. Anthlon Bell and Dusty Hannahs have combined for 107 three-pointers.
They combined for five treys in the earlier loss to A&M.
In that game the Aggies almost doubled Arkansas’ three-point total (11 to six) as Jones hit four from beyond the arc, while House, Alex Caruso and Admon Gilder all hit two.
Jones has scored at least 20 points in four of the past five games and is now ranked sixth in the SEC with a 17.5 scoring average.
House is 13th in the SEC with a 15.3 average, but the Aggies could use more accurate shooting from him. He’s shot .321 percent from the field over the past four games.
However, a trip to Walton Arena may be just what he needs to break out of his slump.
Last season House hit 60 percent (9 of 15) and hit five three-pointers in an 81-75 loss there.
“That makes me look forward going up there, but this year’s a little different. We’ve got a number beside our name,” House said. “They’re going to play extremely hard, so we have to come out ready for a battle.”
The Aggies also anticipate having the services of Davis, the 6-10, 270-pound freshman, who averages 11.2 points and leads A&M with 104 rebounds.
A&M needs him to match up inside with Arkansas’ Moses Kingsley.
“Tyler practiced (Tuesday),” Kennedy said. “We held him out of a few things. We’ll have a better feel for him in a little bit, but we expect him to play.”
Or more specifically, compare it to the great A&M football teams.
The ’56 team that featured John David Crow finished fifth in the Associated Press rankings. The 2012 team that featured Johnny Manziel finished fifth. No A&M football team has been ranked higher than fifth in the last 60 years.
Meanwhile, the Aggies (17-2, 7-0 SEC) have climbed to No. 5 in the national college basketball polls, their highest rank in school history.
That’s extremely impressive, especially for a basketball team at a “football school.”
Of course, the football team can attest staying in the top five is more difficult than getting there.
Staying there is the task facing A&M as it travels to face Arkansas (9-10, 3-4) Wednesday night at Bud Walton Arena.
“It can be like a bad dream at night,” Texas A&M coach Billy Kennedy said Tuesday about the Aggies’ lofty ranking. “It can be there one night and gone the next. We’re playing to get better. I don’t think we’re caught up in it.
Matt Sachs, TexAgs
Jalen Jones had a career day at Arkansas' expense in the teams' last meeting and hasn't slowed down since.
The Aggies played like a top-five team when they blasted Arkansas 92-69 in the SEC opener at Reed Arena behind a career-high 28 points from Jalen Jones.
All the indicators seem to be with A&M.
The Aggies are riding a 10-game winning streak, freshman center Tyler Davis is expected back in the lineup after sitting out a win over Missouri to rest a sore foot, Danuel House has a history of shooting well at Bud Walton Arena and Arkansas is mired in a three-game losing streak.
However, the Razorbacks are much better on their home court. They’re 8-2 in Fayetteville. They’ve also lost a lot of close games. Arkansas is 1-6 in games decided by five points or less and 1-3 in overtime games.
“They’re playing some young guys, some new guys. In special situations it’s been kind of fluke-ish,” Kennedy said. “On the side out of bounds they throw it out on their own guy. A (missed) free throw block out and Ben Simmons gets an and-one at the end of their game against LSU to take the lead. There’s been some freakish things. Hopefully, we don’t put ourselves in that situation because they’re due to win one of those.
“At their place they’ve won 90 percent of their games in the last five years. So, winning nine out of 10 is pretty good.”
Arkansas coach Mike Anderson seems optimistic the Razorbacks are close to tying up those loose ends.
“We don’t have a lot of room for error and so we’ve got to be on point in all our execution, especially down the stretch,” Anderson said. “That’s the next step for our basketball team in order to play winning basketball.
“I’m like this here: If you knock me down today you’re going to have hell tomorrow because you’re going to have to deal with me. I’m going to figure a way out. That’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to figure a way out.”
The Razorbacks' ‘way out’ may be shooting from way out.
Matt Sachs, TexAgs
The expected return of Tyler Davis should bolster the Aggies, who beat Missouri by 13 despite the freshman center's absence.
{"Module":"photo","Alignment":"right","Size":"large","Caption":"The expected return of Tyler Davis should bolster the Aggies, who beat Missouri by 13 despite the freshman center\u0027s absence.","MediaItemID":64822}
They combined for five treys in the earlier loss to A&M.
In that game the Aggies almost doubled Arkansas’ three-point total (11 to six) as Jones hit four from beyond the arc, while House, Alex Caruso and Admon Gilder all hit two.
Jones has scored at least 20 points in four of the past five games and is now ranked sixth in the SEC with a 17.5 scoring average.
House is 13th in the SEC with a 15.3 average, but the Aggies could use more accurate shooting from him. He’s shot .321 percent from the field over the past four games.
However, a trip to Walton Arena may be just what he needs to break out of his slump.
Last season House hit 60 percent (9 of 15) and hit five three-pointers in an 81-75 loss there.
“That makes me look forward going up there, but this year’s a little different. We’ve got a number beside our name,” House said. “They’re going to play extremely hard, so we have to come out ready for a battle.”
The Aggies also anticipate having the services of Davis, the 6-10, 270-pound freshman, who averages 11.2 points and leads A&M with 104 rebounds.
A&M needs him to match up inside with Arkansas’ Moses Kingsley.
“Tyler practiced (Tuesday),” Kennedy said. “We held him out of a few things. We’ll have a better feel for him in a little bit, but we expect him to play.”
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