What to watch for: South Carolina returns home to face Texas A&M

After a skittish start to SEC play, South Carolina enters Saturday night’s game with a chance to get back to .500 in the conference. 

The Gamecocks, after dropping their first two games, upset Kentucky and now host Texas A&M in the first of three-straight home games over the next seven days. 

As South Carolina gets ready to tip off and extend its win streak to seven over the Aggies, here’s what to watch for. 

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Bottling up the energy Tuesday

Is it realistic to assume South Carolina will hit 55 percent of its threes while still taking them at a high volume? Given that it’s only happened since times since 2010, probably not. But what the Gamecocks can control is the energy with which they play with.

Against Tennessee, that was non-existent and it showed in a lopsided loss. That changed against Kentucky, and it led to a 13-2 run to start the game. Good things happen when players are engaged, ready to go and playing hard on both ends of the court. 

While some of what happened at Kentucky isn’t replicable, the energy and competitiveness are. The Gamecocks will need it to be against a good Texas A&M team. 

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Can South Carolina clean things up defensively?

For as good as South Carolina played offensively Tuesday–a season-best 123.5 points per 100 possessions–the Gamecocks allowed 118.3 and rank 13th in the SEC through three league games in adjusted defensive efficiency (118.4). Only Kentucky (122.3) is worse. 

Texas A&M is built like nearly every other Buzz Williams team and comes in top 50 in offensive efficiency and fifth-best in the SEC. The Aggies rank third in the league in effective field goal percentage, are the sixth-best offensive rebounding team, third-best two-point shooting team and the best team in terms of free throw rate. 

The Gamecocks are going to have their hands full defensively and will need to be better there against a hot Texas A&M team. 

Controlled aggression

For as good as Texas A&M is at getting to the free-throw line, the Aggies are just as bad at sending teams to the line. They’re fourth nationally in offensive free throw rate but 325th in defensive free throw rate. 

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South Carolina offensively is better when guys are driving and converting at the rim. In SEC play, South Carolina is averaging 41.7 two-pointers per game in SEC play and has been aggressive for the most part. 

The Gamecocks have to do that against Texas A&M, which will free up better shots from three for Meechie Johnson and Chico Carter. But they have to do it to try and get to the line. Then they have to find ways to get stops defensively without fouling. 

Lineup consistency

One of the bigger shakeups before the Kentucky game came when Lamont Paris opted to start Josh Gray at center and it largely worked. Gray flashed and proved he could potentially stick in the starting lineup.

A&M doesn’t have an Oscar Tshiebwe and largely plays small, so because of that does South Carolina go back to Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk at the five or does he stick with Gray to begin the game? 

Scout the opponent

Texas A&M sputtered in non-conference play, failing to pick up a truly great win before January while losing to Murray State (No. 177 KenPom) and Wofford (199). But since that loss to the Terriers, the Aggies have been hot, rattling off five-straight wins including three in the SEC. They beat Florida on the road then LSU and a ranked Missouri at home. 

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It’s a team predicated on offense right now, top 20 nationally in offensive rebound rate and free throw rate. The offense relies heavily on getting to the free-throw line and converting inside. Almost 75 percent of the Aggies’ points come inside or at the line. 

Defensively, the Aggies are good at forcing turnovers and defending the two-pointer. Texas A&M is shooting 31.9 percent from three, No. 257 nationally. Opponents are shooting 35.3 percent from deep, which could be an advantage for South Carolina. 

The Aggies are paced by the backcourt duo of Wade Taylor and Tyrece Radford, who combine for 28.2 points and 5.6 assists per game. Big man Henry Coleman is the only other player averaging double figures (10.1) but he’s bringing in 5.5 rebounds per game. 

Texas AM&, though, has four other players averaging between 6.9 and 9.1 points per game then four players averaging at least 4.7 rebounds per game. It’s a balanced attack.

Game details

Who: South Carolina (8-8, 1-2 SEC) vs. Texas A&M (11-5, 3-0 SEC)

When: Saturday, Jan. 14 at 6 p.m.

Where: Colonial Life Arena (Capacity: 18,000)

All-time series: Gamecocks leads 9-4 (Last game: Gamecocks won 74-63 in 2022)

How to watch: SEC Network

How to listen: 107.5 FM

KenPom prediction: 69-63 Texas A&M (Gamecocks given a 28 percent chance to win)

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