No. 24 A&M aims to finish with 15 SEC wins as No. 2 Alabama ventures to town

Finishing first is no longer an option for Texas A&M, but the Aggies can still be first.

Well, the first in a century, anyway.

No. 24 Texas A&M (22-8, 14-3) was denied a chance to share the Southeastern Conference basketball championship when No. 2 Alabama (26-4, 16-1) rallied for a come-from-behind victory over Auburn on Wednesday.

Yet, if the Aggies can upset the Crimson Tide on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. CT at Reed Arena, they will be the first A&M team in 100 years to post 15 conference victories.

A&M was 15-3 in the Southwest Conference in 1923.

“We’re trying to make history to be the only team to win 15 games, no matter what conference it is is huge,” A&M sophomore guard Wade Taylor IV said. "So we’re going into the game preparing for it like any other game. … Like it’s the game of our life, which it is.”

Even more important, the Aggies can add another Quad I win to their NCAA Tournament resume.

Therefore, it would appear A&M has more at stake than the SEC champion Crimson Tide, which is ranked No. 2 in the NET rankings and projected to enter March Madness as a No. 1 seed.

“It’s another Quad I game,” A&M coach Buzz Williams said. “I think Alabama is No. 2 in the Net. Tennessee is No. 3. That may be something that’s important to the (NCAA selection) committee.”

Jamie Maury, TexAgs

For only the third season in program history and first time since 1980, the Aggies have posted 14 conference wins. 

The Aggies might be in as advantageous of a position as an opponent can be against Alabama.

Firstly, A&M has posted 10 consecutive victories at Reed Arena.

Secondly, Alabama — perhaps feeling the weight of scrutiny from star forward Brandon Miller’s off-court issues — has struggled in its last three victories.

Alabama defeated South Carolina and Auburn in overtime. They also held off Arkansas, 86-83.

The Tide might not be as focused having just won the SEC crown in overtime against their arch-rival a couple of days ago.

Williams isn’t buying that line of thought, though.

“They’re ultra-talented,” he said. “(They’re) No. 1 offense, No. 2 defense in the league. Second-fastest team in the country. Forty-five percent of their possessions are in transition. Eighty-six percent of their shots are either literally in the charge circle or are threes.

“It’s money ball with multiple NBA (caliber) players. They’re just as good defensively as they are offensively.”

Miller leads the charge. The 6-foot-9 freshman boasts a team-high 19.6-point scoring average. He shoots 41.7 percent from 3-point range and 84.7 percent at the free-throw line. He scored 41 in the victory over South Carolina.

“He’s a (NBA) lottery pick,” Williams said. “He’s very comfortable with the ball in his hands.

“Everybody on their team can shoot. (Miller) and (junior guard Mark Sears) get a lot of attention, and they’re deserving of it. But they’re going to play with a minimum of four shooters on the floor at all times.”

Sears averages 13.5 points. Freshman Noah Clowney, a 6-foot-10 forward, averages 10.0.

The Aggies must be at their defensively. The Aggies allow an average of 65.7 points to rank 62nd in the nation in scoring defense.

But Williams on Tuesday seemed uncertain whether guard Dexter Dennis, A&M’s best defensive player, will be available. A sprained knee forced Dennis to sit out A&M’s 69-61 victory over Ole Miss on Tuesday.

“I think Dex has been, in many respects, the heart and soul of our group,” Williams said. “He guards the (opponent’s) best player. He’s, for sure, the most mature. Incredibly competitive. He’s our leading rebounder.”

However, the Aggies are not without offensive threats, either.

Taylor averages 15.9 points, and fellow A&M guard Tyrece Radford averages 13. Forwards Henry Coleman III and Julius Marble II both average 9.5 points.

“(We have to) try to control the pace and try to fit it our way,” Taylor said. “Continue to do things that got us wins this year. … Offensive rebound, get to the free throw line. Just try to slow the game down and make them play our game.”