Good morning, Big Blue Nation! The Kentucky Men’s Basketball team is sitting at 13-3 overall and 2-1 in the SEC after an up and down week. At the beginning of last week we talked about how physical the matchups with Georgia and Mississippi State were going to be and both games delivered on the promise. Two weeks ago we discussed Florida’s rebounding and how much intent Kentucky needs to put on this portion of the game to compete with the Gators. Everything the Cats have worked on throughout conference play will be put to the ultimate test as Buzz Williams brings his Texas A&M Aggies to Rupp Arena tonight. This is going to be a fight, but it’s all about what Kentucky does to keep the momentum going and pick up their fifth top fifteen win of the season.
REBOUND, REBOUND, REBOUND
I feel like a broken record talking about rebounding before every game, but against the Aggies it has to be at the top of the white board. Texas A&M is #1 in the country in offensive rebound percentage, grabbing 43.2% of their own misses. The Aggies only shoot 43.1% from the field (#227) and 30.9% from deep (#286), but they make up for this issue by getting as many second chance opportunities as possible. While no individual stands out in the rebounding category, they have five players averaging 4.8 rebounds per game or more led by Solomon Washington’s 6 and Andersson Garcia’s 5.6. Buzz Williams’ offense runs off quantity, not quality, and Kentucky must show more of a Mississippi State effort than a Georgia effort on the glass.
Who Replaces Wade Taylor IV?
What does A&M do when they get the offensive rebound? Give the ball back to Wade Taylor. The Aggies’ leading scorer is averaging 15.7 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game but has been ruled OUT for the third consecutive game with an undisclosed injury. In his absence, SMU transfer Zhuric Phelps has stepped up with 34 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals against Oklahoma then 24 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists in the home loss to Alabama. While Phelps has been exceptional for the Aggies, he is second worst in the SEC at turning the ball over with 3.3 turnovers per game. He is a quick and crafty mover who is looking to get downhill and finish with his right hand, but if Kentucky can keep him uncomfortable and out of the paint, they should have success against this Aggies offense.
Shoot or Fight
Kentucky has played five top forty KenPom defenses since the month of December started and the shooting results have been mixed. While Florida (48% from 3) and Mississippi State (50%) were excellent, Georgia (24%), Clemson (25.9%), and Ohio State (18.2%) were all brutal shooting performances that led to final scores in the sixties. Texas A&M is #13 in KenPom defense and #23 in defensive efficiency, but there is one small gap on that side of the ball. The Aggies are #184 in America in opponent assists per possession. Pope was visibly displeased with his team’s ball movement after the Georgia loss, and they answered the call in Starkville. A&M will extend their pressure and help hard on the back end, so Kentucky needs to make sure they finish their cuts, screen with intent, and look for open shooters when they get in the paint. If the Cats don’t convert on open chances from three, they are in for a dog fight, the type of game Kentucky has struggled with so far this season.
Rupp Arena should be electric tonight as BBN welcomes the team home from a week on the road. Kentucky is 5-3 in games against quad one and two opponents with two more opportunities coming up this week. Buzz Williams’ squad beat Ohio State 78-64 in the only game against a common opponent, but that means nothing tonight when the Cats and the Aggies tip off at 7PM EST. Keep up with everything related to the game on @BleedBNetwork on X!
Photo Credits to A Sea of Blue
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