Wade Taylor predicts Texas A&M will beat Alabama in SEC Tournament championship

Following a 87-75 win over Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament semifinals, Texas A&M guard Wade Taylor IV held nothing back. The standout guard was asked about advancing to the final for a rematch against No. 1 seed Alabama, who the Aggies upset just last week to close the regular season schedule.

Wade Taylor IV is as confident now as he was then, and predicted an SEC Tournament championship win over the Crimson Tide on Sunday.

“Just another chance to make history,” said Taylor. “Alabama is No. 1 in the conference championship. We’re going to go another night, film session, recovery, go tomorrow and win another game.”

Despite several upsets along the way, the SEC Tournament ultimately comes down to a winner-take-all game between the conference’s top two teams throughout the season. Both bring their Top 25 resumes into the game with no outside pressure regarding their NCAA Tournament spot, leaving them to focus all attention on lifting a trophy and cutting down the nets. Or as Taylor put it, a chance to make history.

Regardless of the outcome, the Sunday night experience promises to be much different for Texas A&M than it was this time last year. The Aggies had gone on an impressive run through the final weeks of the regular season and SEC Tournament, but left the decision in the hands of the selection committee, who opted to leave them out. An NIT title sparked a passionate group to ensure that did not happen in 2023.

Buzz Williams preparing for Alabama

After the semifinal win, Texas A&M head coach Buzz Williams said his staff will need to take a look at the film to evaluate how Alabama’s game has changed since the last meeting. With under 24 hours between tip-offs, the window will be small, but the majority of what the Aggies know remains the same regardless of the new wrinkles.

“We’ll have to spend a few hours studying what has changed,” said Williams. “Based on what I remember, I don’t know that a lot has changed tactically in how they play. Maybe they’re utilizing their personnel a little bit. I’m not sure when the last time there was a regular-season champion in the SEC that only lost one game, but I know it happened before you were born, if it did happen.

“I think the success that they have had speaks for itself. The No. 1 seed, for sure. Are they the No. 1 No. 1? I don’t know. You’d have to ask whoever is on the committee this year.”