Deep Dive Thread for Texas A&M

Alabama Gameday Poster courtesy of AlabamaMBB

The Aggies are coached in their first season by Bucky McMillan, who was hired from Samford after spending time as a high school coach at Mountain Brook. Bucky has the Aggies sitting alone atop the SEC standings, sitting at 17-4 overall and 7-1 in conference, as they head into their toughest stretch in SEC play yet.

The Aggies are led in scoring, rebounding, and blocks by 6-8 USC transfer Rashaun Agee. Agee does a great job getting downhill and finishing at the rim or drawing fouls to get to the line. Additionally, he is a top 10 defensive rebounder, which does great in getting their offense out and running in transition. Agee will step back from 3 on occasion, but that is not where he’s dangerous.

Agee is not seen as a 3pt shooter but will take them if left open from deep. https://x.com/aggiembk/status/2017678703665221940?s=20

Their second leading scorer, however, is one of the best 3pt shooters in the country in 6-6 Ruben Dominguez. Dominguez is shooting over 43% on more than 150 attempts. He takes and makes a ton of 3s while also being top 5 in the country in TO Rate. When you compile that with his great FT shooting, Dominguez ranks at 5th in America in offensive rating; simply put, he’s elite.

You cannot lose Dominguez and leave him open from behind the arc. https://x.com/aggiembk/status/2017678324261085349?s=20

Their 3rd leading scorer, Alabama fans should know very well, as he spent 2 seasons with the Tide, including being on the Final 4 team in 6-5 Rylan Griffen. Griffen leads the team in steals and has really thrived in the up-tempo pressing style that makes Bucky Ball unique. Rylan is shooting just under 44% from 3 this season and always is a threat to go off, so Alabama will have to be locked in.

Bucky Ball is pressing on defense and turning it into quick offense. Alabama must be smart with the basketball in this game. https://x.com/aggiembk/status/2015129251100443121?s=20

Another elite shooter they have is 6-2 Pop Isaacs, the transfer from Creighton. Isaacs is shooting just under 40% on over 100 attempts, so he is not afraid to let them fly and does not need much room at all to get his shot off.

A&M wants to play very fast from offense. Alabama must get back on D. https://x.com/aggiembk/status/2017669019478704456?s=20

The last 2 starters are 6-0 Jacari Lane and 6-3 Marcus Hill. Lane leads the team in assists and really helps keep up the tempo of their offense, while Hill is more of a physical defender that drives to the paint when he gets the ball to draw fouls and get to the line. Lane is an okay 3-point shooter, whereas Hill has made just 9 this season, but both have the green light to shoot when open.

Lane wants to drive and kick and does a great job getting into the lane. https://x.com/aggiembk/status/2015141736041849217?s=20

The 3 main rotation guys who I have not yet covered are 6-5 Ali Dibba, 6-1 Josh Holloway, and 6-11 Zach Clemence. Dibba is a great defender who loves to get downhill but can knock them down from deep if left open. Holloway transferred with Bucky from Samford and really serves more as an assist man than a shooter from deep. Clemence has been a true stretch 5 that Alabama will have to stay out on as he went 7-8 from deep against South Carolina.

Clemence, you can’t leave open from behind the arc. https://x.com/aggiembk/status/2015132024646861310?s=20

A&M rotates a ton of guys just because of their full-court defense that speeds up teams and the tempo they also play with on offense. They are great at shooting from deep, which is where they take nearly 48% of their shots. A&M also assists on nearly 65% of their shots, which is good for 10th in the country. Much like Alabama, they do not take many midrange shots and play a very analytical style of basketball.

Alabama will have a few places they may be able to take advantage. A&M has not done a ton to run teams off the 3pt line or prevent assists this season because of the pressing they do, which means if Alabama can break the press, that should lead to open shots in rotation. Additionally, Alabama generally this season has done a great job not turning over the ball on offense, but that will need to be an emphasis in this game if they want to come out with the win.

My player to watch is Aden Holloway. With the way that A&M wants to play on defense, they will be pressing on defense, and Alabama’s guards will be tested; however, when Alabama breaks that press, there will be open 3s available, and I think that Aden’s offense is perfect for that situation. I expect Aden to get open shots, and I always expect those to go in because he’s an incredible shooter.

A&M sits alone atop the SEC standings currently, as they enter a very tough stretch of games. Alabama got embarrassed in Gainesville their last time out. Simply put, I think Alabama needs this game more. When you also consider this will be a very guard-heavy game, I have to go with the team with the better backcourt at home. I have Alabama pulling this one out.

Prediction: Alabama 96 - Texas A&M 88

I broke down this matchup in more detail over on my YouTube channel. Check it out and Subscribe for more Alabama Basketball Content. https://youtu.be/vtg8el6nHdc