C
Collyn Taylor
Guest
South Carolina (12-7, 3-4 SEC) travel to Texas A&M (15-5, 4-3 SEC) at 8:30 p.m. on the SEC Network.
Scouting Texas A&M
The Aggies got off to a really hot start in non-conference play beating a lot of teams ranked outside of the KenPom top 150. Texas A&M has two wins against teams inside the KenPom top 100: Notre Dame (60) and Arkansas (36) compared to South Carolina’s four wins against three teams in the KenPom top 100: UAB (41), Florida State (72), Vanderbilt twice (93).
Texas A&M’s five losses have all come to teams either firmly in the tournament or on the bubble in Wisconsin, TCU, Kentucky, Arkansas and LSU, including three straight in SEC play after a 4-0 start.
Buzz Williams has built his program similarly to how Frank Martin has at South Carolina, predicating defense-first, getting in the paint and forcing turnovers.
They’re led by big man Henry Coleman, who’s averaging close to 15 points in SEC play, followed by wing Quenton Jackson (11.6 points) and Tyrcee Radford (10.6 points).
Texas A&M is not a team that likes to get up and down the floor—ninth in the SEC in adjusted tempo—but force the ball in the paint ad try to get most, if not all of the Aggies’ points there.
South Carolina is going to have its hands full and will need big minutes from guards to protect the ball offensively and the big men to contain Texas A&M’s front court.
Numbers to know
92.5 and 97.6—South Carolina’s offensive efficiency in league play compared to A&M’s defensive one. The Gamecocks are 13th in the league averaging 92.5 points per 100 possession while A&M is sixth in the SEC allowing 97.6. The Gamecocks are going to need to crack A&M’s good defense if they want to get out of College Station with a win.
27.2 and 30.5—The offensive rebound rates when Texas A&M has the ball. The Gamecocks are third in the SEC allowing teams to rebound just 27.2 percent of misses and A&M ranks ninth in hauling in 30.5 percent of misses. South Carolina will need to continue the trend and not allow Texas A&M extra possessions.
55.6 and 49.4—Of the points Texas A&M’s scored in SEC play, 55.6 percent have come from two, while 49.4 percent of points scored against South Carolina this year have been on the interior as well. The Gamecocks will need to do its best in keeping A&M out of the paint and settle for jump shots.
Keys to victory
Be in attack mode offensively—Texas A&M has a good defense and the Gamecocks will need to find ways to get up the court quickly and not let the Aggies get set in the half court. Plus, A&M is 330th nationally in two-foul participation and being in attack mode early could get a few starters in foul trouble and give South Carolina a better chance to win.
Force Texas A&M to pass the ball—In SEC play Texas A&M is only assisting on 47.8 percent of made field goals. If you’re the Gamecocks defensively the goal should be to force A&M into situations where the ball just gets swung around the perimeter and it puts the offense out of rhythm and allows the Gamecocks chances to turn the ball over and get in the open court.
Use your size to your advantage—Texas A&M is one of the smallest teams on average in the country while South Carolina is 110th. The Gamecocks have more size in the front court and will need to use that to try and make things uncomfortable for the Aggies’ big men defensively and then on the offensive end enforce their will.
Scouting Texas A&M
The Aggies got off to a really hot start in non-conference play beating a lot of teams ranked outside of the KenPom top 150. Texas A&M has two wins against teams inside the KenPom top 100: Notre Dame (60) and Arkansas (36) compared to South Carolina’s four wins against three teams in the KenPom top 100: UAB (41), Florida State (72), Vanderbilt twice (93).
Texas A&M’s five losses have all come to teams either firmly in the tournament or on the bubble in Wisconsin, TCU, Kentucky, Arkansas and LSU, including three straight in SEC play after a 4-0 start.
Buzz Williams has built his program similarly to how Frank Martin has at South Carolina, predicating defense-first, getting in the paint and forcing turnovers.
They’re led by big man Henry Coleman, who’s averaging close to 15 points in SEC play, followed by wing Quenton Jackson (11.6 points) and Tyrcee Radford (10.6 points).
Texas A&M is not a team that likes to get up and down the floor—ninth in the SEC in adjusted tempo—but force the ball in the paint ad try to get most, if not all of the Aggies’ points there.
South Carolina is going to have its hands full and will need big minutes from guards to protect the ball offensively and the big men to contain Texas A&M’s front court.
Numbers to know
92.5 and 97.6—South Carolina’s offensive efficiency in league play compared to A&M’s defensive one. The Gamecocks are 13th in the league averaging 92.5 points per 100 possession while A&M is sixth in the SEC allowing 97.6. The Gamecocks are going to need to crack A&M’s good defense if they want to get out of College Station with a win.
27.2 and 30.5—The offensive rebound rates when Texas A&M has the ball. The Gamecocks are third in the SEC allowing teams to rebound just 27.2 percent of misses and A&M ranks ninth in hauling in 30.5 percent of misses. South Carolina will need to continue the trend and not allow Texas A&M extra possessions.
55.6 and 49.4—Of the points Texas A&M’s scored in SEC play, 55.6 percent have come from two, while 49.4 percent of points scored against South Carolina this year have been on the interior as well. The Gamecocks will need to do its best in keeping A&M out of the paint and settle for jump shots.
Keys to victory
Be in attack mode offensively—Texas A&M has a good defense and the Gamecocks will need to find ways to get up the court quickly and not let the Aggies get set in the half court. Plus, A&M is 330th nationally in two-foul participation and being in attack mode early could get a few starters in foul trouble and give South Carolina a better chance to win.
Force Texas A&M to pass the ball—In SEC play Texas A&M is only assisting on 47.8 percent of made field goals. If you’re the Gamecocks defensively the goal should be to force A&M into situations where the ball just gets swung around the perimeter and it puts the offense out of rhythm and allows the Gamecocks chances to turn the ball over and get in the open court.
Use your size to your advantage—Texas A&M is one of the smallest teams on average in the country while South Carolina is 110th. The Gamecocks have more size in the front court and will need to use that to try and make things uncomfortable for the Aggies’ big men defensively and then on the offensive end enforce their will.
