Behind Enemy Lines: Who has the upper hand in the UF-TAMU rematch?
Florida basketball has found a groove over its last three games, earning three straight victories over Southeastern Conference competition after an 0-2 start to league play. Now sporting an improved 10-7 record overall and a 3-2 mark in the SEC, the Gators get set to face the last team to beat them before their recent run.
The previous meeting between Florida and the Texas A&M Aggies came inside the O’Connell Center on Jan. 4 to kick off the calendar year and the visitors got away with a three-point win despite a furious comeback by the home team. This time around, the two teams will square off inside Reed Arena in College Station, Texas, starting at 7 p.m. EST.
We reached out to Aggies Wire’s contributor Cameron Ohnysty for the inside scoop on TAMU’s team since the last time we saw them and he graciously provided us with some answers to our most pressing questions in the latest Behind Enemy Lines segment. Take a look below at our question-and-answer exchange ahead of Wednesday night’s matchup.
Behind Enemy Lines: Texas A&M vs. Florida — The Rematch
TAMU snatched the first meeting this season in Gainesville, taking advantage of sloppy play by the Gators to seal the one-possession win. Do you expect another close game?
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Honestly, I do. Simply put, the Aggies have been on an absolute tear since that hear stopper of a victory to open SEC play, reaching 4-0 in the conference, and even though the offense looked nearly unstoppable against South Carolina on Saturday night while shooting nearly 54% from the field, I expect the Gators to effectively defend in the paint and force outside shots early and often.
A&M has been on a roll since that win, taking three more since to make it six in a row. Is this team the real deal?
Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
I believe they are, mainly because of the buy-in seen from the roster after the early struggles in non-conference play could have dragged them down mentally, but this team is all about the fundamentals with a clear focus on rebounding, shot selection, and efficient defense for 40 minutes.
The Aggies aren’t flashy on offense, and truly only possess one pure shoot in Wade Taylor IV, but that’s just the way they like it; It’s blue-collar basketball, and it’s working.
Trey Bonham led the way for Florida last time with 21 points including 4-for-7 from beyond the arc. What adjustments do you expect to see by TAMU to address the outside attack?
James Gilbert/Getty Images
I feel like Head coach Buzz Williams’ has a pretty clear game plan when it comes to stifling the Gators’ outside shooting, as Henry Coleman III and Julius Marble will once again have their hands full with defending [autotag]Colin Castleton[/autotag] down low throughout the night. Against South Carolina, Texas A&M limited the Gamecocks to 6-for-22 from three-point range due to their quick closeouts and active hands on the perimeter, forcing shots and eliminating any rhythm from being established.
The bottom line: man-man defense is predicated on effort, and the Aggies definitely want to bring the heat on the outside to make the Gators one-dimensional.
The combination of Radford, Marble and Taylor terrorized the Gators last time, each scoring 17 points apiece. How well have they collectively played since that game?
AP Photo/Chris O’Meara
All three have been fantastic, plain and simple.
Tyrece “Boots” Radford is averaging nearly 18 points per game since the six-game winning streak, Julius Marble has hit double-digit scoring in four straight games, and Wade Taylor IV continues to lead the program at 15.6 per game, scoring 20 points Saturday, and has become a proven leader on the floor due to his decision making and clutch shooting.
The close win at Florida definitely boosted the confidence of all three players, and their collective performance in the rematch inside Reed Arena will be a treat to watch.
Who will be the Aggies' x-factor this time around?
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Wade Taylor IV, who may need to take over late if the Aggies do struggle to find consistency on offense, knowing that Florida had their number the first time around. His soft touch near the rim and outside shooting can be counted on anytime this season, and with the schedule getting tougher starting with the Gators, this might become a trend as games start to tighten up in the coming weeks.
Game prediction
James Gilbert/Getty Images)
Purely based on the confidence I have in this team after their last four games, I’m gonna go ahead and pick the Aggies to win, in a close, defensive matchup. Texas A&M is 8-1 at home this season, and undefeated at home in SEC play, and even though the Gators are on their own three-game win streak, having to face a team that just put up 94 points on the road will be quite the challenge from a momentum standpoint.
Texas A&M 70, Florida 65
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