Williams reacts to Memphis game, details response needed vs. Houston

Following a disappointing 81-75 loss to Memphis, Texas A&M head coach Buzz Williams joined Monday's edition of TexAgs Radio to detail the Aggies' shortcomings on Sunday. Williams also discussed the response his team needs ahead of a tough clash with a talented Houston team.

Key notes from Buzz Williams interview

• I thought Memphis was really good. That is as good of a roster as we have played this year and one of the better rosters we have played since I have been here. We fouled way too much. It is bad math when the opponent makes 22 free throws in addition to all of the other deficiencies we had. We did not guard the ball well enough. We turned the ball over too much. All of the things that are a part of our recipe, categorically, we were subpar in those categories.
   
• Manny Obaseki was really good. Andersson Garcia was out of the world good. Solomon Washington played really well. We did some good things, but in a two-possession game, there were too many things we counted on that were not good enough against a team as good as Memphis.
   
• It was a really good crowd. I felt like they were waiting for us to be good and tried to help us be better. Too many times, we weren't good. When we were, we were not good long enough. There were too many inconsistent stretches on both sides of the ball.
   
• In SEC play, you don't have time to look backward because, in two days, you are playing again. We are off today because the calendar was different playing Wednesday and Sunday. Tomorrow is an “us” day. We can diagnose the problems from yesterday and spend time on the things that hurt us.
   
• We have a mature group, and they have received the truth in the right way. They were disappointed. It was not our best. This week, in essence, is a week in the SEC. The games are just spread out more.
   
• We played an exhibition and scrimmage against a Power 5 team. Our first road game was the first week at Ohio State, and the next one was on the road. I think everything we have done through the first six weeks of the season has been accelerated in regard to the lessons applied in the SEC. We have found those out quicker because of the schedule we have been playing.
   
• We handled the loss straight up. Houston is better than Memphis. They have the No. 1 defense and are No. 1 at offensive rebounding. I told our guys after DePaul, that everything we said about DePaul applies but on steroids.
   
• I think our offense was seventh on the county entering yesterday's game. We turned the ball over at a higher rate than we normally do. We were fifth in the country at not turning the ball over, which has aided us in shooting more balls. If you miss shots, you can get fouled or get an offensive rebound. Through the first nine games, we rebounded 49 percent of our missed shots. Yesterday was 38 percent. We did not get the same opportunities because we turned it over 18 percent of the time instead of nine.
   
• I told the guys at halftime, “E + R = O.” O is the outcome. We have to figure out R, the response. The one good thing about yesterday is the issues we had will not go away. They will be magnified even more against Houston on Saturday.
   
• Houston has held eight teams to under 40 points. They are good enough to win the national championship. We will have to respond better in every possible way.
   
• Washington and Garcia had great fight. I should have played Washington more than I did. He was really good at guarding the ball.