Aggies avoid another deflating defeat
COLLEGE STATION — Texas A&M guard Jace Carter leaned his head into Reed Arena’s postgame interview room on Saturday night and cajoled reporters, “Y’all ask ‘Coach Buzz’ who his favorite player is.”
The answer was easy for Buzz Williams right around that same time: all of ’em, following the Aggies’ 67-66 comeback victory over a hot Florida squad at home. Minutes earlier, A&M had been experiencing a serious case of déjà vu, only Florida had replaced Mississippi as the opponent from a week prior.
“We didn’t want to be in that situation again,” A&M forward Solomon Washington said of dropping another tight game in Reed.
Following a chaotic sequence under Florida’s
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basket with time running out, the Aggies avoided another dreadful situation for the home fans and are back at breakeven in league play nearly midway through Southeastern Conference action.
The Aggies (13-8, 4-4 SEC), in rebounding from a three-point home loss a week prior against the Rebels, wiped out a 12point second half deficit to the Gators (15-7, 5-4), who had won four in a row prior to Saturday.
Florida trailed 67-66 when Gators guard Riley Kugel drove the lane but lost possession of the ball. In a brouhaha for the loose ball, officials wound up calling a jump ball, and A&M gained possession with 20 seconds remaining.
Aggies star guard Wade Taylor IV, who was inbounding the ball under the Florida basket, then shuffled along the
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baseline and was called for traveling. Players inbounding the ball are only allowed to move on the baseline following a basket by the opponent. Following Taylor’s surprising miscue, the Gators inbounded the ball under their basket and missed two shots from near and then far as time expired.
A&M senior guard Tyrece Radford, who played despite his arrest on Friday on a charge of evading arrest in a vehicle, led all scorers with 26 points. Radford posted $8,000 bond on Friday and was released from the Brazos County Jail.
“I’m completely aware of every single thing that’s going on and have been,” Williams said Friday of Radford’s arrest. “… I think in the end it will all be apparent what’s transpired. I’ve learned a lot from it.”
Florida coach Todd Golden said he had no doubt Radford would play for the Aggies a day after his arrest.
“Yeah, absolutely,” Golden said following the one-point loss.
He did not elaborate on why he was so certain of Radford’s status.
“We thought he was going to play,” Golden said.
Williams, as he has for years, spoke highly of Radford’s character on Friday and Saturday.
“The things that have been said are not right,” Williams said following Saturday’s game concerning alleged details and apparent scuttlebutt of
Radford’s arrest. “He’s been through a lot, and I think the world of him. I thought the way he responded (in the game) was otherworldly. ‘Boots’ has handled all of this in truth.”
Radford said his previous 24 hours to the game had been like many others — “we believe in each other every day” — and added that he appreciated Williams’ unfailing faith in him.
“For me and Buzz, that’s just an everyday thing,” Radford said following Saturday’s win. “We go way back. He believes in me, and I believe in him, and that’s the relationship we have. And Buzz is always going to be my guy for life, no matter what.”
The Aggies are trying to make their second consecutive NCAA Tournament under Williams, and Saturday’s cliffhanging victory bolstered
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those chances. A&M is on the road for three of its next four games, starting at Missouri on Wednesday night, so Saturday’s narrow victory practically registered as a “must” for the home team.
As for Taylor’s brain freeze late when he shuffled on the inbound pass?
“He won’t ever do that again in his career,” Radford said in defense of his playmaking teammate. “That was just one of those plays.”