Texas A&M (15-4, 5-1 SEC) will host South Carolina (11-8, 2-4 SEC) on Saturday afternoon, as College Station, as well as most of the country, will experience snowstorms and freezing temperatures this weekend, leading to Saturday’s game being moved up two and a half hours to noon CT.
First-year head coach Bucky McMillan urged the Texas A&M students and Aggies in the area to come out for the early matchup, revealing that students will be admitted for free, while the predicted inclement weather is expected to hit College Station after the game ends.
After blowing out Mississippi State 88-68 on Wednesday night, this matchup is obviously a quick turnaround, and that’s why McMillan is urging the fan base to show up in droves to help his veteran team overcome any slow starts that the Gamecocks look to take advantage of early on. During Friday’s pre-game press conference, McMillan provided his final plea:
“I have to preface this by saying I’m not a weatherman, but the game moving up will allow our fans to get here with no issue. We need everybody here. Get here to Reed arena, let’s have a great time, and we’ll get you home safely.”
Against the Bulldogs, Texas A&M’s press defense, which never let up despite leading by ten-plus points throughout the second half, was as relentless as advertised, holding star MSU guard Josh Hubbard to a season-low 12 points, leading the senior to ask Aggie guard Rylan Griffen if A&M was ever going to stop pressing, which received a simple “no.”
Texas A&M is 8-1 since losing to SMU on the road, dropping only one SEC game to Tennessee in double-overtime on the road, and is beginning to look in sync while perfecting small ball, led by senior forward Rashaun Agee, who is coming off his season-high 23 points and ninth double-double of the season.
Here is the full pre-game press conference before Texas A&M hosts South Carolina on Saturday afternoon.
