Texas A&M Athletics

OXFORD – Texas A&M men’s basketball team No. 13 (14-4 overall, 3-2 vs. SEC) prepares for another ranked matchup with a challenge coming from the Ole Miss Rebels no. 16 (15-3, 4-1) at The pavilion at Ole Miss at 8 pm on Wednesday.

  • The Aggies are 4-2 against AP Top 25 opponents this season with wins over Ohio State (then No. 21), Creighton (21), Purdue (11) and Oklahoma (17) and losses to Alabama (5) and Kentucky (8) ).
  • Texas A&M holds a 12-5 advantage in the series with Ole Miss dating back to the only non-SEC meeting between the teams at the 1972 All-College Tournament in Oklahoma City.
  • Under Buzz WilliamsThe Aggies are 6-2 against Ole Miss, including a 3-1 record at Oxford.
  • The Aggies took two of three from the Rebels last year with an 86-60 win at Oxford in the regular season finale (3/9) and an 80-71 triumph in the SEC Tournament five days later (3/14).
  • The Aggies are 3-0 in 8 pm tip games this season after compiling a 5-2 record in late starts last season.

STATISTICAL COMPARISON





















Statistics Miss Ole ABOUT Op. Texas A&M A&M Op.
FGM 27.2 22.2 26.0 21.5
FGA 60.5 54.8 60.7 55.1
FG % .450 .405 .429 .390
15:00 9.1 7.2 6.8 8.1
3PA 25.5 24.4 22.3 26.3
3P% .355 .293 .304 .307
FTM 15.3 14.1 17.6 14.7
FTA 21 20.3 26 19.6
FT% 0.73 0.691 0.677 0.753
Off. Rope 10.0 10.4 16.6 10.8
def. Rope 24.8 26.3 24.8 22.1
Rebounds 34.8 36.7 41.4 32.9
Assisting 15.7 12.6 12.5 13.8
Steals 10.2 5.7 8.3 7.5
Block 4.7 3.9 4.3 4.9
Turnover 9.2 15.9 11.8 14.9
Points 78.8 65.7 76.4 65.8

MUST KNOW
BACK IN BUSINESS: Two-time first-team All-SEC selection Wade Taylor IV returned to the starting lineup vs. LSU after missing three straight games with an injury. He filled the box with 12 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals in his return to action.
WHILE “4” WAS GONE: Zhuric Phelps emerged as the SEC’s leading scorer in league games averaging 22.0, which included a career-high 34-point outburst vs. the then No. 17 Sooners in Norman (1/8).
Phelps is the only SEC player averaging more than 20.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. match in league play. In fact, he is one of only four SEC players averaging more than 15.0 points and 6.0 boards per game. SEC game.
PAYNE PROFIT: Minnesota transfer Pharrell Payne is hitting an eye-popping 68.8 of his FGA for the season, but he’s been on a different level since the start of December. Payne has brought the pain with an 83.0 FG% (39-47) since 12/1, leading the nation in that span (min. 30 FGA).
He is shooting 83.3% (20-24) in SEC games, leading the league among players with at least 10 FGA.
FORMULA FOR SUCCESS: Texas A&M is hitting the offensive glass for an NCAA-best 16.6 offensive rebounds/G, helping the Aggies average nearly six more field goal attempts per game. match than their opponents.
The Aggies also average 3.1 fewer turnovers, 6.4 more free throw attempts and 2.7 fewer personal fouls than their opponents.
LIMITATION OF FGM: Texas A&M and Tennessee are the only SEC schools that haven’t allowed more than 28 FGM in a game this season. The two teams are no. 1 and no. 2 among SEC schools in FGM defense at 20.8 (UT) and 21.5 (TAMU). Ole Miss is the no. 3 on 22.2.G.
NO FINISH IN AGGIES: Texas A&M hoops has rallied from a deficit of 15 points or more to at least a tie six times in the past two seasons, including twice already in 2024-25. (Comeback story on page 6)
EARN TRIPS: Texas A&M has earned at least 20 trips to the FT line 14 times (11-3 record). Aggies have earned 40+ FTA in three games, including 48 vs. Alabama (3rd most in school history).
Texas A&M is averaging just 2.0 free throw MAKES fewer than opponents’ free throw attempts per game. games (17.6 FTM to 19.6 FTA).

NOTE THE TRENDS

  • In his last 10 games, the Minnesota transfer Pharrell Payne has averaged 11.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in just over 19:00 minutes/G. In his last five games (SEC play), he is averaging 13.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in less than 20:00 per game. match.
  • Payne is tied with Alabama’s Mark Sears for the SEC lead averaging 8.6 FTA/G in league games, but he’s earning his FTA at 15.6 minutes/G fewer (19.6 to 35.2). Payne’s 5.4 FTM/G ranks no. 2 in the SEC in conference play.
  • Wade Taylor IV has hit double figures in 21 straight games.
  • Taylor has 47 rebounds this season, but only a single offensive board.
  • Taylor has made 50 of 56 FTA (.893).
  • He is averaging a 2.39 assist/turnover ratio, well ahead of his career best of 1.49 in 2022-23.
  • Zhuric Phelps has reached double figures in nine straight games and 14 of 17 as an Aggie. He has 5+ rebounds in seven straight games, including a season-high 10 vs. ACU (12/28).
  • Phelps leads the SEC with a 22.0 average in league games only.
  • Phelps’ career high of 34 vs. OU had the most points by an Aggie vs. an AP Top 25 team in a true road game since Jeff Overhouse scored 34 vs. no. 16 Oral Roberts in Tulsa on December 23, 1972.
  • Texas A&M has grabbed 40+ rebounds in 11 games while allowing opponents 40+ rebounds just three times. The Aggies are ranked No. 14 nationally in rebound margin at 8.5/G.
  • In SEC play, the Aggies are averaging 9.0 turnovers while forcing 16.0./G. Texas A&M leads the SEC in turnover margin at +7.0 in league games.
  • You four start instead of Taylor, Manny Obaseki averaged 7.8 points and 2.3 assists with a 1.50 assist/turnover rate.
  • The Aggies have shown unusual depth: 11 players are averaging at least 10 minutes, including five players with at least 20:00/G. Also, nine players are averaging at least 4.0 points/G and eight Aggies are averaging 3.0+ rebounds/G.


TV/RADIO

  • The game will be broadcast 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 describes the action. It is also available on SiriusXM on channels: 160 or 192.
  • The game will be broadcast on ESPN2 with Tom Hart, Dane Bradshaw and Alyssa Long gives the description.