Texas A&M men’s basketball hopes top-10 defense shines against Purdue

Posted by Admin December 13, 2024 Basketball

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) – Texas A&M men’s basketball junior Solomon Washington came to the Aggie program with a personal focus on defense. After all, his nickname was the “5-star defender” because he was known for locking down the best recruits in the nation.

Three years into his tenure in Aggieland, Washington is pleased that the A&M squad, as a whole, is reflective of his personal game.

“That’s something that I hang my hat on and I try to get all the other guys on the same page with me. So, it’s special,” Washington said. “I’m happy – we’re happy, because that’s just something I really want to key in on for the season.”

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The 17th-ranked Aggies (8-2) enter Saturday’s 11 a.m. Top 25 matchup against No. 11 Purdue (8-2) ranked ninth in the country in defensive rating at 93.9. Defensive rating is the measure of how many points a team allows per 100 possessions, as a way to standardize the number of possessions to compare different teams.

The matchup will be broadcast locally in the Brazos Valley on KBTX.

Williams made sure to note this move into the top 10 to his team before they left for the neutral-site matchup at Indianapolis’ Gainbridge Fieldhouse Friday. In fact, it’s the highest the Aggies have been ranked in any rating metric since Williams and his staff took over control of the program.

Associate head coach Devin Johnson is the defensive coordinator for the Aggies and has used the experience of the veteran squad to add more wrinkles to A&M’s plan.

“I think Coach Devon is making appropriate adjustments prior to the game,” shared Williams on his A&M radio appearance after the Texas Tech win. “I think he’s teaching those really well where there’s not confusion, and then I think, because of the maturity of our guys, he’s also teaching our guys, in preparation, ‘this is how we’re going to play it and then here’s the adjustments behind how we’re going to play it.’”

By two separate defensive metrics, individual defensive rating and defensive win shares, forward Andersson Garcia has been the Aggies’ best defender so far this season. He has posted a 90.8 individual defensive rating and 0.6 defensive win share, which ranks in the 95 percentile of all Division I basketball players, according to CBB Analytics.

Garcia struggled in A&M’s win over Texas Tech this Sunday, registering no points and three rebounds in seven minutes played. He fouled out of the game midway through the second half. However, his defense and defensive rebounding abilities will be vital against a Purdue offense that ranks eighth in the country, as well as eighth in 3-point percentage at 40.8%.

“Andy being Andy; he’s going to show up in the big games,” Washington remarked.

In a nonconference schedule that has already tested the Aggies, the defense will be vital this Saturday as Williams said Purdue, who finished as national runner-up last season, boasts the best offense they’ve seen this season.

“Three starters played in the national championship game, seven returning players,” added Williams. “Coach [Matt Painter] has been incredible in his time there. S obviously, playing at their place in many respects, we’ll probably have to play our best just to have a chance, for sure.”