Texas A&M looks to earn first SEC win over Arkansas at Bud Walton Arena
Forward Daniel Gafford is projected as an NBA first round draft pick. Guard Isaiah Joe tops the Southeastern Conference in 3-point goals. Point guard Jalen Harris is among the SEC leaders in assists.
Yet, as Texas A&M travels to face Arkansas in an SEC basketball clash at 7:30pm on Saturday night, the biggest obstacle facing the Aggies may be Bud Walton.
The Aggies have never won at Bud Walton Arena since entering the SEC in 2012. Indeed, A&M hasn’t beaten Arkansas in Fayetteville since prevailing 93-76 at Barnhill Arena in 1986 in the old Southwest Conference Days.
“Just the tradition and the enthusiasm they have in that arena,” A&M coach Billy Kennedy said about the difficulty of playing at Bud Walton. “It’s a great atmosphere. Usually, on Saturdays people come from all over. For whatever reason they’ve been successful at home. They’re used to winning at home. The atmosphere has a lot to do with it.”
Few would expect that skid to end. Better A&M teams than these Aggies (11-14, 4-9) have gone into Bud Walton and come out with a loss. However, recent trends suggest A&M’s Walton woes could soon come to a conclusion.
The Aggies have posted three wins and their last four games. Meanwhile, Arkansas (14-12, 5-8) have lost four in a row. Three of those losses have come by double digit deficits.
In three those losses – to South Carolina, Mississippi State and Auburn – Gafford scored 10 points or less. Also, the Razorbacks managed seven or fewer 3-point goals in all four losses, while allowing nine or more tries in three of those defeats.
“They’ve struggled taking care of the ball and they’ve struggled making shots… shooting it from the 3-point line. The same things we’ve struggled with when we don’t win,” Kennedy said.
That would seem to make A&M’s task quite clear – shoot accurately from the perimeter on the offensive end while containing Gafford inside and limit the Razorbacks from 3-point range.
The Aggies did not accomplished those three goals in a 73-71 SEC-opening loss to the Razorbacks at Reed Arena on January 5th.
In that game Gafford posted a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds, the Razorbacks hit 10 from 3-point range, while A&M converted just 5 of 24 attempts behind the arc.
But A&M has played much better of late. Junior guard Wendell Mitchell has scored at least 18 points in four of the past five games and has hit 11 of 33 attempts from 3-point range in that span.
Also, in the last two games sophomore guard Savion Flagg has scored 42 points and hit eight threes.
“When we take care of the ball and get good shots at the baskets we’ve been in position to win,” Kennedy said. “In the last three games we’ve done that.”
The Aggies have also gotten solid play from forward Christian Mekowulu and guards Jay Jay Chandler and T.J. Starks.
However, with Gafford lurking inside, A&M could use a boost from 6-foot-9 forward Josh Nebo, who’s been slowed recently by a knee injury.
“Josh is a big, key factor because Gafford is such a big piece for them. I don’t think he’s 100 percent but he’s getting better,” Kennedy said. “We’ll need to use him, especially with Gafford’s potential to get guys in foul trouble. They’re doing a real good job getting him the ball now.”