Texas A&M will face Vanderbilt in the first round of the SEC Tournament Thursday night and try to obtain a win against the Commodores after losing both games to them during the regular season.
The Aggies are currently projected to make the NIT Tournament but sophomore center Tyler Davis said he and his teammates’ main goal is to qualify for the NCAA Tournament by running the table at the conference tournament.
“We have to win it to get into the NCAA Tournament,” Davis said. “We know that. That’s why it’s important that we slow it down and take it one game at a time.”
The 10th-seeded Aggies (16-14, 8-10 SEC) come into the game after a narrow 71-63 loss to Kentucky. After starting the game on a 19-4 run, they weren’t able to stay toe to toe with the SEC Champions.
Davis, Admon Gilder and Robert Williams have formed a “Big three” for the Aggies. All three are averaging double-digit points. Davis leads the team in scoring with 14 points per game, while Gilder averages the most assists (3.9 per contest) and Williams leads the team in rebounding (8.1 per game).
The seventh-seeded Commodores (17-14, 10-8 SEC) enter the tournament hot after beating No. 12 Florida 73-71 and have won five of their last six contests. ESPN bracketology expert Joe Lunardi currently has Vanderbilt projected in the field of 64 for the NCAA Tournament.
“They’ve been playing well since we played them the first time,” A&M head coach Billy Kennedy said in reference to A&M’s 68-54 loss to Vanderbilt. “That’s when they made their run. But we’re playing well so there is no question in my mind that we can beat them if we do what we’re supposed to do and play for 40 minutes.”
The Vanderbilt squad features four players who average double-digit scoring which includes Matthew Fisher-Davis (14), Luke Kornet (13.8), Jeff Roberson (11.2) and Riley LaChance (10.1).
“It’s always difficult to beat a team three times and the second time we played them, A&M definitely stepped it up and that was a tough game,” Kornet said. “They’re talented and so big with Davis, Williams and Trocha. I know coach Kennedy will have them ready.”
The Commodores have shot 38 percent from beyond the arc this season and their head coach, Bryce Drew, said that’s been the key to his team’s success.
“We’re playing our best when we are making threes because that’s what we’re doing really well,” Drew said. “Obviously teams know that and they try to take it away so we’ve had to find other ways to get threes up besides half-court offense.”
The winner will take on Florida in the quarterfinals on Friday.
Tip-off between the Aggies and Commodores is set for 6 p.m. Thursday at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. The game can be seen on the SEC Network.