Competing with high energy key as A&M seeks to avenge LSU loss

Even if given a cure, there is always a danger of a relapse.

Don’t the Aggies know it.

They’re looking to rebound from the relapse in a rematch on Saturday when they head to Baton Rouge for a 3 p.m. Southeastern Conference basketball confrontation with LSU.

Texas A&M (10-7, 1-3) aims to avenge a 68-53 loss to LSU (11-6, 3-1) on Jan. 6. In that loss, the Aggies were uncharacteristically lethargic.

They played more to their standards in a loss at Auburn and a thrilling overtime victory over Kentucky, but the Aggies again lacked energy and effort in the first half of a 78-77 loss to Arkansas last Tuesday.

LSU has high-scoring guards Jordan Wright (15.9 points per game) and Jalen Cook (15.3 ppg) as well as 7-footer Will Baker (11.7 ppg) in the low post.

But the Aggies seem more worried about starting themselves than stopping their opponent.

“We, for sure, need to be much better in regards to where we failed on Jan. 6,” A&M coach Buzz Williams said. “They played so much harder than we did. They beat us on the offensive glass. They beat us on the defensive glass. They shot more balls than we did.

“On the things that we think are important or the things we want to hold ourselves accountable to, they were the example from start to finish.

“We’ll have to play significantly better than we did two Saturdays ago.”

A&M leads the nation in offensive rebounding but was out-rebounded on the offensive end by LSU, 14-13. Also, LSU took more field goal attempts (67) than A&M (59).

The Aggies shot just 24.5 percent in that game, including a mere 17.9 percent (5 of 28) from 3-point range.

Erratic shooting has been commonplace, but getting out-rebounded, getting fewer shots and just playing harder hasn’t been common.

The Aggies are realizing they must give a full-time, full-scale effort.

"Our identity is playing hard all 40 minutes,” sophomore guard Manny Obaseki said. “We struggled to do that for all 40 in multiple games. It’s shown, obviously.

“I feel like through all the film sessions we’ve had, all the practices we’ve had in between those that’s been the biggest emphasis — for us to just go out there, forget everything else, play hard, play like it’s your last, and everything else will fall into order.”

Of course, they need shots to fall, too.

Guard Wade Taylor IV is ranked 35th in the nation in scoring with a 19.5 average. He has scored 72 points in the last two games.

But he’s not getting a lot of help. Guard Tyrece Radford averages a solid 13 points but has missed five games with injury and struggled to six points against Arkansas.

Forward Henry Coleman III averages 11.9 points but sat out the Arkansas loss with an undisclosed injury. His status for LSU is uncertain.

Jamie Maury, TexAgs

Taylor scored a game-high 23 in the Jan.6 loss to LSU.

Forwards Andersson Garcia and Solomon Washington are playing well in their roles, but both average just 5.5 points.

Further, the Aggies are ranked 340th in the nation in field goal percentage and 344th in 3-point shooting percentage.

That’s why they must compete with high energy to play strong defense and get second shots.

Obaseki said that getting better is a matter of understanding they won’t get any slack for their struggles.

“Understand that nobody else cares,” he said. “It’s easy for us — myself included — to be distracted by what everybody else is doing, everybody else thinks. Where are we at? Where are we ranked here? Where are we ranked there? What’s going to happen if so-and-so?

“We’ve just got to stay in the moment. Continue to work your butt off every single day, every chance you have. Whenever you’re out on that floor lay everything out on the line for the person beside you.”

That’s the cure for what ails them.