Texas A&M forward Andersson Garcia’s Top 5 performances during the 2023-2024 season
Texas A&M senior forward Andersson Garcia is by far the most underrated college basketball player in the country this season, receiving little praise from the mainstream media due to his lack of prolific scoring numbers compared to his teammate, star point guard Wade Taylor IV.
Playing the role of the “glue guy” and sixth-man do-it-all player who embodies the blue-collar playing mentality shared by Aggies head coach Buzz Williams, Garcia’s rebounding ability and elite defensive instincts have saved A&M on multiple occasions this season, including Wednesday’s 79-60 road win over Missouri.
Making his usual weekly impact, Garcia played with his hair on fire, diving for every loose ball while helping hold the Tigers to 26 points in the paint while recording a steal and two blocks on the night. Most importantly, Garcia pulled down 16 rebounds, which is surprisingly his second most boards since grabbing 19 in the win vs. Houston Christian. While he only scored seven points, his 5 assists aided the Aggies’ late offensive run to seal the win.
Texas A&M leads the country in offensive rebounding by a wide margin at 18.7 per contest, while Garcia averages 4.3 per game.
More than deserving of earning All-SEC honors, Garcia’s 6.2 points per game average likely isn’t good enough in the eyes of the voters. Still, those who know basketball and have watched Garcia this season are more than aware of his brilliance. Oh, and here are his measurements compared to Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman: Andersson Garcia (6-7, 215 lbs), Dennis Rodman (6-7, 228 pounds).
Here are the Top 5 most impactful performances from Andersson Garcia this season.
Texas A&M's 73-69 win over Iowa State
Down 21 points against the Cyclones, Anderrson’s 29 minutes off the bench produced nine points, including a perfect 4-4 from the field, while notching 6 rebounds and four steals to aid Aggie’s incredible comeback win, which currently stands an all-important Quad 1 victory.
Texas A&M's 79-52 win over Houston Christian
In a game that received little coverage due to the matchup, while being just two days before Christmas, Garcia played a season-high 35 minutes while making a rare starting appearance in the process. Recording just nine points during the blowout victory, Garcia’s 19 (!) rebounds remain his career high, though I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s surpassed down the line.
Texas A&M's 97-92 OT win over Kentucky
“Casual viewers,” as we call them, will only see the scoring frenzy of guard duo Wade Taylor IV (31 points) and Tyrece Radford (28 points). Still, for those who watched the mid-January matchup, the desperate Aggies received another special performance from Andersson Garcia off the bench.
Recording 29 minutes off the bench, Garcia grabbed 8 rebounds, including 4 offensive boards, while recording a team-high 5 steals that directly aided both Taylor and Radford’s significant offensive output.
Texas A&M's 73-69 road win over LSU
In one of Andersson Garcia’s best overall games with the Maroon & White, the senior was a major offensive catalyst in Texas A&M’s huge SEC road win over LSU on Jan. 20.
Needing to bring immediate energy off the bench after incurring a quick first-half deficit, Garcia would go on to score 10 points, including 2 key three-pointers combined with 10 rebounds on the night, including 6 offensive rebounds. Garcia recorded his third double-double on the season and once again brought the heat defensively with another steal.
Texas A&M's 79-60 win over Missouri
What more can I say than just, wow! Sitting at 13-8 and 4-4 SEC play, Texas A&M was still sitting on the Tournament periphery according to multiple bracket experts, and white Tyrece Radford recorded his second consecutive 20-plus point performance; Garcia’s rebounding performance off the bench provided a multitude of second chance opportunities.
Recording the second most rebounds in his career with sixteen on the night, Garcia netted an even split with 8 offensive and defensive boards, coupled with 5 assists, a steal, and two blocks on the night. Again, scoring just 7 points, Garcia’s elite performance may be overshadowed by some, but we’re to remind the public!
