Buzz Williams intent on dictating pace vs. Kentucky in SEC Tournament

Texas A&M took it to Kentucky in the first half of an SEC Tournament quarterfinal game on Friday night, controlling the pace and dictating the tempo for the better part of the first half.

As a result, the Aggies found themselves with a 48-42 halftime lead.

But coach Buzz Williams didn’t quite see the level of consistency he wanted from his group in the opening frame.

“Kind of off and on,” Williams told the SEC Network’s Alyssa Lang at halftime. “When we controlled the pace it plays to our favor. When it gets going too fast we’re not good on either side of the ball and that’s when they are at their best. We need the game to be choppy. It’s not a beauty pageant. If it’s a beauty pageant or a track meet we lose.”

Hot shooting really powered the Aggies into the lead in the SEC Tournament quarterfinal. Texas A&M finished the first half shooting 8-of-16 from the floor, and that was while going without a field goal for the final 3:08 in the half.

Most other areas of the game were relatively even in a game that had a quick pace, despite Williams’ insistence on his team slowing it down.

The Aggies held a 22-20 rebounding edge, while the Wildcats owned a 16-12 edge in points in the paint. If there was one big difference it was bench scoring, with Kentucky getting 27 points off the bench and Texas A&M getting only three.

Still, the Aggies were in the lead and in position to spring the upset at halftime.

Williams provided the blueprint for the second half.

“We did OK when the game was at our pace,” he said. “When we can keep the ball out of the middle, when we can defend without fouling, when we don’t give them shots at the charge circle. They’re going to make threes. We just don’t need those threes to be assisted off middle penetration.”

Texas A&M was led in scoring during the SEC Tournament contest by veteran guard Wade Taylor, who scored 18 points in the first half. Fellow guard Tyrece Radford chipped in 12.

For Kentucky, guard Reed Sheppard led the way with 14 points, while guard Rob Dillingham had 11.