On Dec. 3, Texas A&M basketball made the trip up to Fort Worth and faced Boise State in the Battleground 2k22 double-header at Dickies Arena. The second game of the series features the University of Houston and Saint Mary’s College.
To start off the game, sophomore forward for the Broncos Tyson Degenhart made a 3-point jumper 26 seconds into the first half.
A&M held Boise State to a two-minute scoring drought toward the end of the first half. This was ended by a 2-pointer shot by redshirt senior guard Max Rice. Rice’s father, Leon Rice, is also the head coach of the Boise State Broncos.
“This was better, but it wasn’t enough,” coach Buzz Williams told 12thMan.com.
The Aggies had a 32% field goal percentage by the end of the first half. They also dunked six times by the end of the game.
In the last four minutes of the game, the Broncos had no field goals. Boise State ended the first half with a 50% field goal percentage.
With a 76% first-half free throw percentage, the Fightin’ Farmers made 11 out of 15 free throws. A&M was given over double the amount of free throws, but Boise State performed better in percentage as the Broncos were awarded seven and made six of them.
The blue and orange had sunk seven 3-pointers into the basket compared to the maroon and white’s one 3-pointer out of nine opportunities.
“We’re not hooked up, we’re not flying around, it doesn’t really work,” graduate guard Dexter Dennis told 12thMan.com.
Sophomore guard Wade Taylor IV pleaded his case to the referee that the ball was last touched by a Boise State player’s foot, but, to the Aggies’ disdain, officials did not side with them.
“I love our players and I love our coaches, but we didn’t do enough to beat a quad one team,” Williams told 12thMan.com.
Once the game returned from a Boise State called timeout, freshman forward Solomon Washington dunked on the fast break.
The Aggies had a scoring drought lasting 2 minutes and 23 seconds in the second half. Taylor made a 3-point jumper also on a fast break. At the opposite end of the court, fifth-year forward Naje Smith committed a personal foul against A&M.
“We need this to learn how to respond. To act as though it didn’t happen is foolish,” Williams told 12thMan.com.
A&M basketball will play again Sunday, Dec. 11 at 5 p.m. in Reed Arena against the Oregon State Beavers.
