Avoiding the mid-season slumps will aid Texas A&M's efforts in March

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Avoiding dips will enable Texas A&M to take the next steps in the “Big Dance.”

That’s the message Aggie basketball coach Buzz Williams delivered Tuesday at the Southeastern Conference basketball media days.

Although Williams’ noun of choice was “slumps” rather than “dips,” the meaning was the same. The Aggies can dance longer in March if they can avoid missteps in earlier months of the hoops season, which officially opens on Nov. 4 at Central Florida.

From the NIT final to a berth in the NCAA Tournament to an NCAA Tournament victory, A&M has made steady improvement under Williams.

The Aggies — who open the season ranked No. 13 — can expect more, especially if they avoid the dips … or slumps.

“I do think in increments of time we’ve improved in different ways,” the nattily-attired Williams said to a room full of reporters at the Grand Bohemian Hotel. "I think the one thing we have to see is if we can not have a miniature slump that causes problems.

“We’ve had bits and pieces of those with each passing year. I think that’s probably the next step. From start to finish, can there be a crescendo without a distinct drop?

“We haven’t been able to do that yet, but hopefully, with our team and our staff, this is the year we can continue to get better but maybe not fall off a cliff for a week or two weeks.”

Here are the cliff notes:

• In 2022, the Aggies endured an eight-game losing streak. The NCAA selection committee used that skid as a reason to snub A&M even though the Aggies reached the finals of the SEC Tournament and were 23-12.

• In 2023, the selection committee used a December swoon — which included a loss to Wofford — to penalize the 25-9 Aggies, who again had reached the SEC Tournament final. A&M was given a No. 7 seed.

• Last season, a five-game slump in late February resulted in 20-14 A&M drawing a No. 9 seed. It didn’t matter. The Aggies blasted Nebraska in the NCAA first round. They next fell to No. 1 seed Houston in overtime.

Avoiding similar slumps and dips this season should provide higher NCAA Tournament seeding, which theoretically leads to favorable matchups and more advantageous travel.

The Aggies can expect to reach the second weekend of March Madness. A Sweet 16 appearance is a legitimate goal. Reaching the Elite Eight for the first time in program history is certainly attainable.

This edition of A&M basketball projects to be Williams’ best team.

That starts with the return of two-time All-SEC senior guard Wade Taylor IV, who averaged 19.1 points as a junior.

He’s a “thriller” in every sense.

“He will go down in the annals of history as one of the best players to have ever played at A&M,” Williams said of Taylor. “I don't know that until his career is over if you can quantify what he's meant to the program.”

“He’s like Michael Jackson. He just gets a little better and better. There was the Jackson Five. It was Off the Wall. Then it was Billie Jean. Then it was Thriller. He just keeps getting better and better.”

Also among the returnees are Andersson Garcia, who led the SEC in rebounding, Henry Coleman III, Solomon Washington, Manny Obaseki, Jace Carter and Hayden Hefner. That’s seven of A&M’s top eight scorers from last season.

“I feel like this is our best shot of making a run and doing things really well just because of the experience we have,” Hefner said. “I know that’s a thing people talked about last year, but really (we’re) returning like 75 percent of the guys who played last year. Being able to have that really helps the coaches out because we already know the system. We can teach these young guys more as the coaches are trying to teach.

“That allows us to make up more ground as the season goes on. We’re better prepared at the preseason level and at the non-conference level to understand what we’re aiming for as an identity at a much faster pace than maybe in the past.”

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Texas A&M guard Hayden Hefner is returning for a 5th season in Aggieland. Hefner has made 30 percent of his three-point shots in his four seasons with A&M.

The Aggies also welcome a trio of transfers, who can help ease concerns in the low post and at the 3-point line.

Pharrel Payne, a 6-foot-9, 250-pound transfer from Minnesota, figures to add a much-needed inside-scoring option. Payne, who averaged 10 points last season, projects as the Aggies’ best inside presence since Josh Nebo in 2020.

Nebraska transfer CJ Wilcher shot 39.3 percent from 3-point range last season. He could help stabilize A&M’s sometimes erratic perimeter shooting.

Guard Zhuric Phelps averaged 14.8 points at SMU last year. He can replace some of the production lost with the graduation of Tyrece “Boots” Radford, who now plays professionally in Turkey.

“I think the (coaching) staff did a really good job of, analytically, kind of taking out the opinions of everyone and studying what does our team need?” Williams said. “I think the three transfers probably addressed the things we needed the most.

“I think all three of our transfers will have a role on our team. Zoo (Phelps) will have a place. Pharrell will have a place. CJ will have a place. All three of those places help our returning players relative to what makes us better.”

How much better?

Maybe enough to be dancing in April.