'Basketball savant' McMillan returns to home state to face Alabama

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Even before Bucky McMillan was the basketball coach at Texas A&M, he was drawing high praise.

McMillan was proclaimed a “basketball savant” for his incredible success as a high school coach in Alabama and then at Samford University in Birmingham.

It’s a tag he appears to have neither accepted nor rejected.

“When we’re winning … great,” McMillan said. “When we’re losing … I’ve heard basketball idiot, too.

“So it’s kind of how you’re doing, right? When you’re hot, you’re hot. When you’re cold, you’re cold.”

Nobody is hotter than McMillan now. Indeed, McMillan, with his up-tempo, relentless full-court pressure style of play, appears every bit the basketball genius.

The Aggies (17-4, 7-1) lead the Southeastern Conference race even though McMillan had only one player when he took over the program, was picked 13th in an SEC preseason poll and lost his top prospect Mackenzie Mgbako to injury.

Will Huffman, TexAgs

In six seasons as a collegiate basketball coach, Bucky McMillan has compiled a 116-56 record (.674).

Even the most obstinate skeptics may be convinced if A&M can extend a four-game winning streak with a victory over Alabama (14-7, 3-3) on Wednesday at 6 p.m. CT in Tuscaloosa.

Led by guards Labaron Philon Jr., Aden Holloway and Latrell Wrightsell Jr., Alabama averages 91.2 points and is second in the nation in 3-pointers per game with 12.5.

The Crimson Tide also recently — and controversially — boosted its strength in the paint with the addition of 6-foot-11 center Charles Bediako.

Bediako, who had entered the NBA draft and played in the G League, was granted a temporary restraining order from a Tuscaloosa-based judge allowing him to return to play collegiately.

Bediako’s presence just makes a good Alabama team even tougher to beat.

“We’ve got to play good defense,” McMillan said. “You can’t just let them get wherever they want. You’re going to have to guard them the best you can. They’re a high-powered offense. They play well at home. They can get to the paint. They make threes as well. So, you have to do a good job controlling the dribble so they’re not just getting everything.”

Obviously, the Aggies have done a good job, too. A&M is third in the nation with a 91.8 scoring average.

Forward Rashaun Agee (13.9 points per game) and guard Rubén Dominguez (12.9) continue to lead A&M, which also has Rylan Griffen, Pop Isaacs and Marcus Hill averaging in double figures.

A&M is also excelling on the defensive end. On Saturday, the Aggies held Georgia, the nation’s second-highest scoring team, 16 points under its average in a 92-77 victory.

That’s just another element to the Aggies’ surprising surge. They’re undersized and frequently aren’t as athletic as some opponents, yet they’re 3-1 on the road in SEC play. They’ve also won each of their last three games by double figures.

The Aggies seemingly are unaware of their limitations.

“They know what their strengths are,” McMillan said of his players. “They recognize where we are strong, and the players play to that. We have depth. We can shoot it. We share the ball. We can spread the floor. Because we have depth, we can play a full-court game on both ends of the floor.

“If we are smaller, we’ve got to be tenacious. We’ve got to keep people out of the paint the best we can, and we’ve got to gang rebound.

“(We) Space the floor. (We) lead the SEC in 3-point percentage in SEC play, which is obviously a game-changer because it spreads the floor. If you’re small and can’t shoot, you’re in real trouble.”

Will Huffman, TexAgs

Rashaun Agee was named the SEC’s Co-Player of the Week on Monday after scoring 18 points to go along with 15 rebounds and seven assists on Saturday vs. Georgia.

That hasn’t been a major problem for the Aggies, who average 11.5 goals from 3-point range.

But playing on the road — especially at Alabama —can be troublesome.

Perhaps no one knows that more than Griffen, who previously played two seasons at Alabama before transferring to Kansas a year ago.

He isn’t sure what kind of reception he’ll get. He also doesn’t think it matters.

“I’m not worried about that,” Griffin said. “I’ve got a game to play, so we’re going to focus on that. Not going to hear anything. My focus is on the game and doing what I’ve got to do to help my teammates win.”

It’s also a homecoming, of sorts, for McMillan. Of course, he earned his distinction as a basketball savant in Alabama.

This is the second time he’s returned to his home state. Earlier this season, the Aggies prevailed at Auburn, 90-88

“(It’s) Just another SEC game,” McMillan said. “They’ve been good, and it’s always good to get the chance to go see a lot of people you know. Just like when we were at Auburn. Hopefully, we’ll have the result as Auburn.

“That’s what you’re after. Just to play well and let it fall where it may.”