For fanatics who like excellent guard play, Saturday afternoon’s recreation between No. 17 Texas A&M and No. 11 Purdue in Indianapolis can be one to observe.
That is since the Aggies’ Wade Taylor IV and the Boilermakers’ Braden Smith are two of the highest guards within the nation. How they play most probably will function a barometer of who will win this top-20 matchup.
Texas A&M trainer Buzz Williams, whose 8-2 crew is using a four-game profitable streak, raved about Taylor’s paintings after a 72-67 win Sunday over Texas Tech in Citadel Price.
And no longer simply because he scored a team-high 19 issues and is main the crew in scoring (16.1 issues according to recreation) in addition to assists (4.5).
“I will by no means take credit score for a way excellent of a participant Wade is,” Williams stated. “I assumed ‘4′ used to be constant. The best way he is led since Thanksgiving has been as excellent as I have observed in a very long time.”
Whilst Taylor is the crew’s chief, he is some distance from the one key contributor. SMU switch Zhuric Phelps is averaging 13 issues according to recreation, and Henry Coleman is chipping in 10.5 issues, hitting 63.5 p.c of his field-goal makes an attempt.
The 2024-25 Aggies are so much like ultimate season’s model. They fight to make photographs — 41.2 p.c from the sector, 30 p.c on 3-pointers — however make up for it with protection and rebounding. They’re tenth in Department I with 43.1 rebounds according to recreation and held Texas Tech 17 issues underneath its per-game reasonable whilst forcing 18 turnovers.
“We really feel like our protection is without doubt one of the highest within the nation,” Aggies senior guard Jace Carter stated.
That protection gets a stern take a look at from Smith and Purdue (8-2), which is coming off an 83-78 Giant Ten Convention house win Sunday over Maryland. Smith led the best way with 24 issues and 10 assists, his 14th occupation double-double and the primary 20-10 level/help double-double since Troy Lewis did it in opposition to Indiana in 1988.
For the 12 months, Smith is averaging 13.2 issues and eight.8 assists — each occupation highs — whilst sinking 42 p.c of his 3-pointers.
“It is our on a regular basis offense,” Smith stated when requested to provide an explanation for his luck. “If I come off a ball display and I’ve the shot, I take it. In the event that they overcommit to me, I give it to Trey.”
That may be Trey Kaufman-Renn, who is long past from being a task participant in a frontcourt ruled by means of Zach Edey to the crew’s main scorer. Kaufman-Renn is tallying team-high numbers of 18.9 issues and six.7 rebounds according to recreation whilst connecting on 59 p.c of his photographs from the ground.
The Boilermakers are averaging 78.3 issues according to recreation and hitting 49.8 p.c in their photographs. Their 40.8 p.c accuracy fee from the 3-point line ranks 6th in Department I.
Extra importantly, they lower their turnovers down from 24 in opposition to Penn State in an 81-70 loss on Dec. 5 to 8 on Sunday.
“We simply need to have a greater focus and a greater toughness about us,” Purdue trainer Matt Painter stated.
The Boilermakers personal a 3-1 lead over the Aggies within the all-time sequence, scoring an NCAA Match win when the groups ultimate met in 2010.
–Box Degree Media
