Billy Kennedy
Danuel House
Texas A&M Basketball
Aggies welcome Vanderbilt to Reed Arena with SEC title on the line
Above: Watch Billy Kennedy and Danuel House discuss the Vanderbilt game during Friday's practice.
One more win.
That’s all that stands between 20th-ranked Texas A&M and its first basketball conference championship in three decades.
Post just a victory over Vanderbilt on Saturday at Reed Arena and the Aggies (23-7, 12-5 SEC) can cut down nets, hoist a Southeastern Conference trophy and capture the No. 1 seed in the SEC postseason tournament.
“This is what these guys worked for all year long,” Aggies coach Billy Kennedy said. “Let’s just go have fun with it. It’s all about Vandy and us. Let that be the focus. Just try to focus on our job and doing what need to do to defend them. We need to make the extra pass and stay together as a team.”
It seems so easy.
Well, except there is nothing easy about defeating Vanderbilt (19-11, 11-6).
The Commodores have six wins in their last seven games, including four straight over Georgia, Florida, Kentucky and Tennessee. All six of those victories were by double figures.
That streak does not include a 77-60 blowout of A&M on Feb. 4 in Nashville, in which sophomore forward Jeff Roberson scored a career-high 20 points, point guard Wade Baldwin had 17 and 7-0 center Damien Jones notched a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
The Commdores shot 50.3 percent from the field, hit 13 field goals from three-point range and totally frustrated A&M’s Jalen Jones and Danuel House, who combined to hit just 3 of 21 shots.
Jones and House have typically been more productive at Reed Arena. Jones averages 18 points per game and shoots 49 percent at home during SEC play, while House averages 14 points.
Not coincidentally, A&M is 16-1 at home and 7-1 against conference opponents.
Meanwhile, Vanderbilt is 3-8 away from Nashville and 3-5 on the road against SEC teams.
“I expect them to play well,” Kennedy said. “I expected them to play well then. They haven’t had, I think, a game like that all year, so we’ve got it out of our system.
“We’re at home. Vandy would be excited if they were at home. We’re excited to be playing in front of our fans. This hasn’t been done, they say, in 30 years. That’s a long time.
“We’re coming in there (like) it’s just another game. We need to approach it like it’s another game, let’s go have fun.”
Of course, it’s not just another game.
It’s not just another game when there is a chance to clinch at least a share of the first conference championship since 1986.
And it’s not just another game on Senior Day when several players, including four starters — Jones, House, Alex Caruso and Anthony Collins – are making their final appearance at Reed Arena.
“We just need to play,” House said. “Don’t think about a championship. Don’t think about Senior Day. Just play.”
House did, however, acknowledge the obvious — that this game has special meaning.
“It means I came here with the rest of the guys, we set a goal and we have a chance to achieve that goal," House said. "And win a conference title.”
One more win.
That’s all that stands between 20th-ranked Texas A&M and its first basketball conference championship in three decades.
Post just a victory over Vanderbilt on Saturday at Reed Arena and the Aggies (23-7, 12-5 SEC) can cut down nets, hoist a Southeastern Conference trophy and capture the No. 1 seed in the SEC postseason tournament.
“This is what these guys worked for all year long,” Aggies coach Billy Kennedy said. “Let’s just go have fun with it. It’s all about Vandy and us. Let that be the focus. Just try to focus on our job and doing what need to do to defend them. We need to make the extra pass and stay together as a team.”
It seems so easy.
Well, except there is nothing easy about defeating Vanderbilt (19-11, 11-6).
The Commodores have six wins in their last seven games, including four straight over Georgia, Florida, Kentucky and Tennessee. All six of those victories were by double figures.
That streak does not include a 77-60 blowout of A&M on Feb. 4 in Nashville, in which sophomore forward Jeff Roberson scored a career-high 20 points, point guard Wade Baldwin had 17 and 7-0 center Damien Jones notched a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
The Commdores shot 50.3 percent from the field, hit 13 field goals from three-point range and totally frustrated A&M’s Jalen Jones and Danuel House, who combined to hit just 3 of 21 shots.
We’re at home. Vandy would be
excited if they were at home. We’re excited to be playing in front of
our fans. This hasn’t been done, they say, in 30 years. That’s a long
time.
“We have to defend the arc a little better and take care of the ball,” Kennedy said. “”Offensively, move the ball and not take as many quick shots. We want to score early, but if we don’t have it we need to be disciplined offensively.”Jones and House have typically been more productive at Reed Arena. Jones averages 18 points per game and shoots 49 percent at home during SEC play, while House averages 14 points.
Not coincidentally, A&M is 16-1 at home and 7-1 against conference opponents.
Meanwhile, Vanderbilt is 3-8 away from Nashville and 3-5 on the road against SEC teams.
“I expect them to play well,” Kennedy said. “I expected them to play well then. They haven’t had, I think, a game like that all year, so we’ve got it out of our system.
“We’re at home. Vandy would be excited if they were at home. We’re excited to be playing in front of our fans. This hasn’t been done, they say, in 30 years. That’s a long time.
“We’re coming in there (like) it’s just another game. We need to approach it like it’s another game, let’s go have fun.”
Of course, it’s not just another game.
It’s not just another game when there is a chance to clinch at least a share of the first conference championship since 1986.
And it’s not just another game on Senior Day when several players, including four starters — Jones, House, Alex Caruso and Anthony Collins – are making their final appearance at Reed Arena.
“We just need to play,” House said. “Don’t think about a championship. Don’t think about Senior Day. Just play.”
House did, however, acknowledge the obvious — that this game has special meaning.
“It means I came here with the rest of the guys, we set a goal and we have a chance to achieve that goal," House said. "And win a conference title.”
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