A&M needs "Boots" to be a 'main ingredient' for success in 2023-24

Expectations are sky high for the 2023-24 Texas Aggie basketball team after an impressive 15-3 regular season SEC record that caught many pundits and national analysts by surprise, especially after a slow start to the season that included losses to Murray State, Colorado, Boise State and Wofford in non-conference play.

Head coach Buzz Williams and his staff return nine contributors from that squad, including four starters. That’s huge news for a team that has stumbled out of the blocks in recent seasons due to high roster turnover and COVID-19 off-season workout restrictions two years ago.

Williams has stated publicly that his offseason team-building approach may cost him a game or two early in the non-conference slate, but it pays off handsomely in SEC play and the postseason.

The results back that up. In the past two seasons, Texas A&M has a 29-14 SEC record with a postseason mark of 9-4.

Much of that success can be attributed to the starting backcourt of Wade Taylor IV and Tyrece “Boots” Radford, who combined to generate 1,012 points (29.7 points per game), 218 assists, 117 3-pointers and a whopping 315 free made throws.

The backcourt duo played a combined 2,025 minutes and finished first and second on the team in minutes played, points scored, total assists and free throws attempted and made.

With Radford’s announcement that he is returning for an unprecedented sixth season, all of that backcourt production returns.

All of that experience returns, and arguably the best backcourt in the country returns in 2023-24. 

Basketball experts constantly say that guard play wins championships. If that’s the case, with two All-SEC guards returning along with an experienced frontcourt and supporting cast, next year’s team has the potential to make a deep postseason run next spring.

Jamie Maury, TexAgs

Described by Buzz Williams as “tough as boot leather,” Radford has started all 74 games in his Texas A&M tenure. He has played 124 in five college seasons.

While Taylor is the straw that stirs the drink, Radford is the old workhorse that is consistent and durable. There’s a reason Williams calls him “Boots.”

You all know the story, so I won’t repeat it... The Baton Rouge native was recruited by Williams at Virginia Tech in 2018 with little fanfare or recruiting accolades, and after three seasons in Blacksburg, Radford followed Williams to College Station.

Radford has started all 74 games in Aggie Maroon, and during his career, he has played 124 games and counting. That combination of experience and production is rare at the collegiate level.

“Boots” personifies everything Williams preaches on a daily basis off the court, and he’s bringing five years of proven performance and second-team All-SEC honors back to Aggieland.

By The Numbers

Let’s compare Radford’s performances from his first two seasons in Aggieland along with his 2022-23 SEC ranking in each of these statistical rankings.

Scouting Report

We know about the intangibles and why Radford has flourished under Williams’ Texas A&M staff, but let’s dig inside the numbers to better understand his role and his value to the team on the court.

The statistical body of work reflects a player that is versatile and produces across the entire stat line.

Radford doesn’t dominate in any one area, but he does a little bit of everything in multiple categories. He was the second leading scorer on the team last season behind Taylor (10.2 PPG), third in rebounds (184), second in assists (82), second in steals (30) and second in free-throws made (147).

Let’s focus on that last statistic because, in my mind, that’s the most important — free throws made.

I focused on this statistical component last week with Taylor, and I’m hitting it again with Radford.

Why? Because getting to the charity stripe and making free throws may be the single most important statistic for a collegiate guard. If a guard has the ability to beat his man off the dribble and force contact on the shot going to the basket, that dictates the game. Not only are you scoring free points at the line, but that also forces opponents into foul trouble. If an offensive possession gets bogged down with the shot clock running down, a guard that can bail out the possession with a dribble drive and create a foul may be the most valuable asset on the court.

Take a look at Radford’s stat line. He shot 184 free throws and made 147 (79.9%). That placed him third overall in the SEC, even ahead of All-American and future first-round draft pick Brandon Miller. Just remember, Taylor finished first in the SEC with 168 made free throws, so Texas A&M is returning the most prolific free-throw shooter and the No. 3 free-throw shooter in the league.

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

Perhaps Radford’s most impressive performance was his 30-point explosion at Auburn in January.

Radford learned the value of getting to the line last season. He nearly tripled the number of free throws made, increasing from 51 to 147 last season.

Radford’s improvement last year with free throws is the headliner, but he finished in the top 10-20 of the SEC in most statistical categories from minutes played (14th) to rebounds (16th), points scored (17th), assists (17th) and steals (20th). He has proven himself to be a solid, versatile guard in the SEC, earning second-team All-SEC honors.

“Boots” coming back for a sixth season is clearly the biggest off-season news story for the A&M basketball program.

2023-2024 Areas For Improvement

For all of his success and drastic improvement in getting to the free-throw line, Radford actually saw his production go down in a few areas of his game.

Most significantly, his 3-point percentage took a significant hit dropping from 40.2 percent in 2021-22 to a very pedestrian 31.7 percent last season. His rebounds per game dropped from 6.2 to 5.4, while his steals dropped from 46 to 30.

The rebounds and steals numbers aren’t a major concern, but the 3-point percentage is critical.

If Radford can push that percentage near 40 percent again, that forces defenders to extend their defense on the perimeter, which loosens up the middle of the lane for more dribble-drive opportunities. If an opposing defense has to worry about a player’s perimeter game and ability to attack the basket off the dribble, it creates a ton of scoring opportunities for a team in the half-court.

Also, while Radford is effective at creating off the dribble, he does have a tendency to go to his left, and some teams picked up on that trend last season. If he can become more comfortable going either way with both hands, his value will go off the charts, especially with Taylor in the backcourt as well.

Importance For 2023-2024 Team Success

I’ve already spelled this out, but having a productive 1-2 punch in the backcourt is invaluable at the collegiate level.

We saw that last year when both Radford and Taylor turned it up a notch and dominated games later in the season, leading to a second-place finish in SEC play.

It’s not often a college team returns two all-conference guards, especially in this era of immediate transfer eligibility and NIL opportunities. That’s why there is so much potential for the 2023-24 Aggie basketball team.

However, we’re talking about potential in June, not reality in March of 2024.

For Texas A&M to have a special season and push to make the second weekend (or more) of the NCAA Tournament, they will need Radford to combine with Taylor to lead this team and have big years.

That means even more trips to the free throw line, a presence on the glass as one of the best rebounding guards in the league, an improved assist-to-turnover ratio and, most importantly, getting back to his 3-point form of 2021-22, making close to 40 percent of his shots behind the arc.

That’s the recipe for success in 2022-23, and Radford needs to be a main ingredient in the team’s success next year.