By Reggie Gatlin-Holt
3 24 2024
GAME NOTES
https://uhcougars.com/sports/2023/10/27/2023-24-mens-basktball-game-notes.aspx
Sunday, inside FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn.
At 86 games (Houston leads 54-32), the series against Texas A&M is the second-most played in Houston history and trails only the 92 games (Houston leads 58-34) against SMU.
Making his NCAA Tournament debut, graduate guard Damian Dunn posted 17 points with two 3-pointers and grabbed three rebounds in Friday’s First-Round win over (16) Longwood. Senior guard LJ Cryer tied with Dunn for game-high honors with 17 points and three treys while sophomore guard Emanuel Sharp poured in 13 second-half points with a pair of treys.
With Friday’s win, the 2023-24 Cougars became the seventh team in school history to record 31+ wins in a single season. Houston’s current three straight years with 30+ wins is the nation’s longest active streak and makes Head Coach Kelvin Sampson the only coach to lead the Cougars to 4+ 30-win seasons during his career.
HOUSTON NCAA TOURNAMENT RECORDS vs LONGWOOD
The Cougars set or tied several school records in the NCAA Tournament during Friday’s first meeting against (16) Longwood inside FedExForum .
Largest Margin of Victory: 40 (86-46)
Topped previous high of 35 (103-68) vs. Virginia (March 31, 1984)
3-Point Field Goals 11
Tied record set against Oregon State (March 29, 2021)
Fewest Points Allowed: 46
Topped previous record of 47 vs. Virginia (March 31, 1984)
Fewest Points Allowed in Half: 19 (1st)
Topped previous record of 16, vs. Marquette (March 15, 1961)
Fewest Rebounds Allowed: 18
Topped previous record of 18, vs. Maryland (March 19, 1983)
TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Sunday’s game on TNT with Spero Dedes (play-by-play), Jim Spanarkel (analyst) and Jon Rothstein (reporter) calling the action.
• Fans can hear Sunday’s game on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) and Hall of Famer Elvin Hayes calling the action. The pregame show begins at 7:25 p.m., Sunday.
• Fans can follow live stats by visiting NCAA.com/march-madness and following the appropriate links or by clicking here.
ABOUT TEXAS A&M
• Texas A&M brings a 21-14 overall record and 9-9 SEC mark into Sunday’s NCAA Tournament South Region Round of 32.
• Texas A&M tied for seventh with LSU in the final regular-season standings and will play as a #9 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
• The Aggies are 5-3 in neutral-site games and 11-9 in non-home games in 2023-24.
• Texas A&M has won six of its last seven games. Only a 95-90 loss to Florida in the SEC Championship Semifinals on March 16 prevents a longer streak.
• In its most recent action, Texas A&M took a 98-83 win over (8) Nebraska during the NCAA Tournament South Region First Round inside FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., on Friday.
• Against Nebraska, junior guard Wade Taylor IV led three Aggies with 20+ points with 25 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the field, including 7-of-10 from behind the arc, and dished out a game-high 10 assists.
• Junior guard Manny Obaseki finished with 22 points and three rebounds while graduate guard Tyrece Radford totaled 20 points with a game-high 10 rebounds. Junior guard Jace Carter added 13 points and seven rebounds while senior forward Henry Coleman posted 10 points with five rebounds.
• This season, Taylor leads Texas A&M with 19.0 points, 4.1 assists and 1.9 steals per game. Radford stands second with 16.1 points per contest but leads the Aggies with 6.2 rebounds per contest.
• Head Coach Buzz Williams is in his fifth season at Texas A&M and his 17th as a collegiate head coach.
• Williams has posted an 95-61 record with Texas A&M and is 348-216 during his career.
• Previously built a 100-69 record at Virginia Tech (2014-19), a 139-69 mark at Marquette (2008-14) and a 14-17 mark at New Orleans (2006-07).
• Williams is 0-1 against Houston during his career.
• Williams is 0-1 against Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers.
• 1994 graduate of Oklahoma City.
SERIES HISTORY vs. TEXAS A&M
• Houston owns a 54-32 lead against Texas A&M in the series, which began during the 1946-47 season.
• At 86 games, Texas A&M is the second-most played opponent in school history. Only SMU’s 92 games (Houston leads 54-32) rank higher. Rice is a close third with 84 games (Houston leads 66-18).
• Texas A&M has won three of the last four meetings. However, Houston can boast of the most recent success after taking a 70-66 win during The Halal Guys Showcase inside Toyota Center in Houston on Dec. 6, 2023.
• That was the Cougars’ first win against Texas A&M since a 70-61 decision in overtime inside Hofheinz Pavilion in Houston on Dec. 27, 2003.
• The two schools met at least twice a year every season from 1975-76 through 1995-96 as Southwest Conference members. The Cougars and Aggies also met at least once a year every season from 1950-51 through 1965-66.
at Neutral Site: Houston owns a 6-1 lead against Texas A&M in games played at neutral sites.
• In the most recent meeting at a neutral site, Houston took a 70-66 win during The Halal Guys Showcase inside Toyota Center in Houston on Dec. 6, 2023.1993.
• In the first meeting against the Aggies at a neutral site, Houston enjoyed a 59-49 win in the Bluebonnet Classic inside Rice Gym in Houston on Dec. 17, 1964.
• Texas A&M’s lone win at a neutral site was an 82-70 decision at the Southwest Conference Tournament inside Reunion Arena in Dallas on March 10, 1989.
in NCAA Tournament: Sunday’s game will be the first time Houston has faced Texas A&M during the NCAA Tournament.
UP NEXT
• With a win over (9) Texas A&M, Houston will advance to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 for the fifth consecutive season.
• There, the Cougars would face the winner of (4) Duke-(12) James Madison inside American Airlines Center in Dallas on Friday, March 29.
• Game time and broadcasting networks for the Sweet 16 will be announced soon.
• All Houston Men’s Basketball games can be heard on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app.
SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Men’s Basketball by supporting Linking Coogs – UH’s NIL collective – and by joining the 50-50 Club, which provides financial support directly to Houston Men’s Basketball for needs beyond its operating budget.
Fans who join the 50-50 Club will receive embroidered Jordan Brand team apparel, invitations to exclusive events, regular updates about the program and much more.
STAY CONNECTED
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COURTESY HOUSTON ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
GAME NOTES
https://12thman.com/documents/2024/3/23/2024.03.24_NCAAT_vs._UH_notes_statpack.pdf
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Texas A&M men’s basketball team’s first victory at the NCAA Tournament since 2018 earned the Aggies’ a second chance at the Houston Cougars, who earned a 70-66 neutral site victory earlier this season at the Toyota Center in Houston.
- The Aggies face off against the Cougars at 7:40 p.m. on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a trip to the South Regional at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on the line.
- The 9-seed Aggies advanced by upsetting 8-seed Nebraska, 98-83, on Friday, while the Cougars dismantled 16-seed Longwood, 86-46.
- On 12/16, the Cougars raced to a 21-point advantage, but the Aggies rallied to knot the score at 63-63 with 1:30 remaining before succumbing 70-66. For the full recap+box, go to page 3 of the game notes.
- Like Nebraska, the Cougars are former conference rivals for the Aggies. The two teams were both members of the Southwest Conference, which played its final season in 1995-96.
- In the SWC, the two teams played at least twice annually from 1976-96 and the Cougars remain one of the Aggies’ most-played rivals. In total, the two teams have played 86 times, with UH holding a 54-32 advantage in the series.
UH-TAMU Statistical Comparison
| STATISTIC | HOUSTON | TEXAS A&M |
| FGM | 26.5 | 25.6 |
| FGA | 60.5 | 63.7 |
| FG% | .438 | .402 |
| 3PM | 7.8 | 7.1 |
| 3PA | 22.3 | 24.2 |
| 3P% | .350 | .292 |
| FTM | 12.6 | 17.1 |
| FTA | 18.3 | 24.1 |
| FT% | .691 | .710 |
| Off. Reb | 13.6 | 17.2 |
| Def. Reb | 23.8 | 25.5 |
| Rebounds | 37.4 | 42.6 |
| Assists | 13.0 | 11.4 |
| Steals | 10.1 | 7.0 |
| Blocks | 4.7 | 3.0 |
| Turnovers | 8.9 | 9.6 |
| Points | 73.4 | 75.5 |
TV/RADIO INFORMATION
- The game will be televised by TNT with Spero Dedes (play-by-play), Jim Spanarkel (analyst) and Jon Rothstein (reporter) on the call.
- Westwood One has the national radio call with John Sadak (play-by-play) and Tom Crean (analyst) describing the action.
- The matchup airs on the Texas A&M Radio Network, locally on 1620 AM/94.5 FM or worldwide on the 12th Man Mobile App with Andrew Monaco and Dr. John Thornton describing the action.
TRENDS AND NOTABLES
- Wade Taylor IV entered the NCAA Tournament on a heater, having averaged 25.3 points over his past four games, including 30-point efforts vs. Kentucky (32) and Florida (30) in the SEC Tournament. He stayed hot in the NCAA Tournament first round with a game-high 25 points, including a career-best seven 3-pointers. He had 17 points with five treys in the first half alone against the Huskers.
- Similarly, Tyrece Radford has been instrumental in the Aggies 6-1 record this month while averaging 18.9 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. “Boots” slashed 20/10/5 against Cornhuskers.
- The Aggies improved to 15-2 when Radford hits the 20-point plateau in his three seasons at Texas A&M, including 9-1 in 2023-24.
- Manny Obaseki’s recent insertion into the starting lineup has coincided with the Aggies’ strong March. Obaseki made his first start in nearly two years vs. UGa on 3/2 as the Aggies rolled off five straight wins on the way to a 6-1 March.
- As a starter, Obaseki has averaged 16.7 points and 3.0 rebounds, while connecting on over 50.0% of his 3-point tries (11-of-20). Against NU, “MO” scored 22 points, while making 3-of-5 from deep.
- Since Obaseki’s insertion in the starting lineup, the guard trio of Obaseki, Taylor and Radford is scoring 56.0 points of the Aggies’ 85.1 per game (65.8%) — 20.4 by Taylor, 18.9 by Radford and 16.7 by Obaseki.
- Solomon Washington moved into the starting lineup in mid-January and has responded with 8.6 points/6.2 rebounds since 1/16. Over the past six games, ‘Solo” is slashing 12.3/8.2 with a pair of double-doubles.
- Andersson Garcia is the SEC leader in offensive (153) and total rebounds (322), while breaking school records in both categories. He’s the first 6-foot-7 or shorter SEC player to reach 300 boards since Auburn’s Cinmeon Bowers had 326 in 2014-15.
- One of the nation’s worst shooting teams for much of the season, the Aggies have shown marked improvement in the month of March, hitting 44.0% from the field and 39.3% from deep in seven games this month (6-1).
- Andersson Garcia’s 153 offensive rebounds are tied for No. 6 SEC season total since 1996-97. He needs four offensive rebounds to surpass Dwayne Curtis (Ole Miss), Jarnell Stokes (Tennessee) and DeMarcus Cousins (Kentucky) into third behind Oscar Tshiebwe’s 184 in 2022-23 and 179 in 2021-22.
- Texas A&M is the SEC leader in rebounding margin at 8.9 and rebounds per game at 42.6.
- Texas A&M leads the nation in offensive rebounds/game at 17.2 and have logged 20 or more offensive caroms in nine games.
- The Aggies shot an average of 5.6 more field goal attempts than their opponents in the regular season (8.3 in the SEC Tournament).
- The M&W ranked No. 2 in FTA in the SEC during league play with 23.7/G. The Aggies attempted 119 more FTA than their SEC opponents (6.6/G).
- The SEC’s leader in fewest turnovers for the full season and league play, the Aggies are 14-2 when they have nine or fewer turnovers in a game.
- It’s the first time the Aggies have gone dancing in consecutive years since Texas A&M, under Billy Gillipsie and later Mark Turgeon, earned six straight invitations from from 2006-11. No other head coaches have taken the Aggies to back-to-back tournaments in program history.
- Two-time SEC Coach of the Year Buzz Williams has now guided three schools to at least one victory in NCAA Tournament. He also took Marquette (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013) and Virginia Tech (2017, 2018, 2019) to the NCAA Tournament.
- The 2023-24 Aggies are Williams’ 10th NCAA Tournament team.
- Williams holds a 11-9 record in the NCAA Tournament.
- Texas A&M holds a 14-16 record in the “Big Dance.”
