Buzz Williams laments Texas A&M foul trouble during strong first half vs. Nebraska

It would’ve been tough to draw up a better first half for Texas A&M in the NCAA Tournament opener against Nebraska. The Aggies shot nearly 54% from the field, including 60% from three-point distance, to take a commanding 58-44 lead over the Cornhuskers into the locker room.

That showing wasn’t perfect in the eyes of Buzz Williams, though. He pointed out Texas A&M’s foul trouble considering four players got whistled for two fouls during the first half. If the Aggies want to hold on to their lead, Williams said that needs to change after halftime.

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“We’ve got to somehow figure out how to quit fouling,” Williams told TNT’s Jon Rothstein on his way tot he locker room. “They were in the bonus six or eight minutes ago, and we never got to the bonus. Offensively, we’re reliant on points from the free throw line. And then defensively, it just kills our [points per possession] when – like the last possession, we’re fouling with five seconds left.

“We’ve got too many guys in foul trouble that we need to play. But we’ve got to defend without fouling at a much better clip. … We’ve got to have a better feel for when to play with pace and when to gear down.”

The Texas A&M defense was still strong despite the foul issues. Nebraska went 13-for-33 from the field, including just 5-for-12 from distance, through the first half. That effort, coupled with the success on offense, could be crucial to get a victory and advance to the Round of 32.

Buzz Williams: Manny Obaseki is ‘an elite-level athlete’

The duo of Wade Taylor IV and Manny Obaseki led Texas A&M through the first 20 minutes. Obaseki led all scorers with 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting – including 3-of-4 from downtown – while Taylor came in right behind him with 17 points while making all five of his three-point attempts.

Williams has spoken about Obaseki’s impact a few times over the last few weeks, notably during the SEC Tournament. He jumped into the starting lineup and has made quite an impact, even leading Texas A&M in scoring in the season finale.

“He’s just a guy that is an elite-level athlete,” Williams said. “Beautiful human being, great story. He can pass, dribble, shoot.”