Texas A&M’s 2022-2023 season officially came to an end at the hands of one of the hottest shooting performances I’ve personally witnessed in an NCAA Tournament, and 10-seed Penn State throttled the seven-seeded Aggies 76-59 in a game that was over at halftime.
Less than a week removed from their forgettable loss in the SEC Championship game against Alabama last Sunday, the offensive woes sadly continued against the Nittany Lions, shooting 33.9% from the field, and 29% from deep (10-34), while only making it to the free throw line 12 times due to their erratic game plan in response to Penn State’s surprisingly efficient defense.
On the other side, Micah Shrewsberry’s squad was literally on fire from 3-point land, shooting 13-22 including an 8-10 showing for guard Ashton Funk. In the losing effort, departing seniors Dexter Dennis Tyrece “Boots” Radford scored 16 and 14 points, while sophomore guard Wade Taylor IV scored 10 points on 2-10 shooting, one of his worst outings this season.
The season is over, and the offseason has begun for a program that is clearly on the rise but needs to fill a number of holes in both recruiting and the transfer portal.
After the game, Head coach Buzz Williams, Dexter Dennis, and Julius Marble spoke to the media for one of the final teams this season. Here’s what they had to say after the loss.
Mar 16, 2023; Des Moines, IA, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Buzz Williams instructs his team against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the first half at Wells Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports
“I think we were completely stressed out with what they were doing offensively. We were not sharp. We were not sharp in our help on #22 (Jalen Pickett) nor our coverage on the weak side.”
Mar 16, 2023; Des Moines, IA, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Buzz Williams wipes off his hands as he watches his team play against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the first half at Wells Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports
“(Pickett) has the highest usage rate of any player we’ve played this year. As talented as #22 is, his best talent is making a decision immediately relative to how you’re playing… That makes the four players around him even better.”
Mar 16, 2023; Des Moines, IA, USA; Texas A&M Aggies guard Dexter Dennis (0) passes the ball against Penn State Nittany Lions forward Michael Henn (24) during…
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