No. 14 Texas A&M (21-10, 11-7 seconds) will return to university station after losing to rival Texas (19-14, 6-12 seconds) in the second round of the SEC tournament.
For Aggies, the meaning now makes little sense, mainly after completing four games on Conference Play, after the program finishes four games, and after the program finishes eight Quad 1 wins on a refined resume. Currently predicted as a third seed according to Joe Lunardi of ESPN at Texas A&M, he wanted to run deep in the SEC tournament for the third year in a row, but REST is key to being ready for big dance.
However, what Aggie fans are most concerned about is the free throw issues with teams other than starguard Wade Taylor IV. Wade Taylor IV finished with a game-high 29 points, including 17-18 from the free throw line after scoring his 2,000th career point.
As a team, the Aggies finished 27-40 from the line, but the Longhorns took over in their second overtime as they moved forward with Pharrel Payne’s Five Misses. Still, coach Buzz Williams is sure his veteran team will return to basics with a focus on defense, rebound and paint scoring.
After the match, Buzz Williams, Wade Taylor IV and Henry Coleman spoke to the media as the team awaits their first match with the NCAA Tournament seed.
Wade Taylor IV on Texas A&M’s free throw issue
“That’s how we want to tackle the attack. We want to go to the free throw line and get the maker. We want to keep attacking the downhill and get to the line.”
Henry Coleman III in both team overtime
“We thought we had raced on both ends of the floor. Everybody in that locker room wanted to be in the fight. We fought in the middle of the ring and never retreated. I’m proud of this team.”
Wade Taylor IV, the best scorer of all time in the SEC tournament
“I have so many great memories here. I’m blessed to be able to succeed here. I’m grateful to be here. I’m grateful to my coach and teammates for making this possible.”
Wade Taylor’s game high 29 points Henry Coleman
“He has a very high basketball IQ. He watches a lot of films and researches everything. I’m not shocked by his performance at all.”
Henry Coleman on how the Aggies respond to Thursday’s loss
“It’s everyone’s characters. Everyone on this team went through something. We went through trials and tribulations. We’ll come back and get to work on sleep. No one has any doubts or fears in that room.”
Buzz Williams with his expensive timeout in just one minute in his first overtime
“I thought it was scrambled. We had two timeouts. We got two offensive rebounds and both shot attempts.
Buzz Williams on the need to score in paint
“I would like to get to a bit more paint. The free throw attempts were fine. Both teams reached the bonus early in the second half. I have no issues filming the three of us, but I can always stop the clock.”
Buzz Williams about the need to run within a game plan
“I thought we did a lot of great things. I praised Texas for doing great things. I think that’s why it’s called crazy. It’s not perfect at all, but we need to handle it. We didn’t play the recipe in the first half.”
This quote is pure topic Williams
“We know the recipes. Our knowledge is important, but the execution of the knowledge is important. We have to make the cake a little better.”
Before senior forward Anderson Garcia’s double-double Buzz Williams faces Texas
“Andy played incrediblely. I don’t think the statistics show his impact. Our team works much better with him. He was very efficient.”
Buzz Williams, three Aggies, fouled out in overtime
“We had a lot of manipulation in our roster management. That’s not an excuse. When you’re playing in these games, you have to manage foul trouble. We didn’t have the versatility of that lineup.”
Buzz Williams on shear toughness to play in the SEC this season.
“Big East was the best league in 2011. It was the best league during my time at ACC. I don’t think it’s the best league to arrive at the SEC. This year is historic.
Buzz Williams on Texas A&M Student Section’s impact on the game
“I could feel that. I felt the energy from the students and the band. I love having a band here.
Texas A&M is waiting to hear sowing during the Sunday (March 16th) selection, which airs on CBS at 5pm.
Follow @AggiesWire on X and follow the ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions, as you prefer the Facebook page. X: Follow Cameron at @cameronohnysty.
