It was a 4-0 night for the SEC on Wednesday, even if the majority of the games were closer than expected.
There’s only one game on the Thursday slate, with things kicking up a notch this weekend.
As as always, my predictions are based on team analysis and who I think will win. Score projections are for my own amusement.
Let’s get to the pick.
Season Predictions Record (straight up): 124-26
Buffalo at No. 8 Texas A&M – 9 PM EST, SEC Network
The Aggies were without Robert Williams, Admon Gilder, and T.J. Starks in Tuesday’s win over Northern Kentucky, and it showed.
Texas A&M won by only six, and after breaking a school record with 16 3-pointers against Savannah State, followed it up with a 2 of 20 performance from outside against the Norse.
And now, with Williams likely to return to the lineup (while Gilder remains out), the Aggies will try to put together a better showing against a Buffalo team that has played well against upper-tier competition this season.
The Bulls lost by six to Cincinnati in November and are coming off a 81-74 loss at Syracuse, so they’ve already been acclimated to playing quality teams on the road.
Nate Oats’ squad will try to speed up Texas A&M, with the Bulls ranking 18th in KenPom in adjusted tempo on an average possession length of 15.5 seconds. With Wes Clark being ruled eligible prior to the Syracuse game, Buffalo got a nice boost in its backcourt, and he’s one of several players that could make like difficult for the Aggies.
One area where the Bulls have excelled is on the offensive glass, as they average 13.6 per game (19th nationally). Of course, how that trend translates against one of the biggest teams in the country remains to be seen.
Getting Williams back is obviously a game-changer for Billy Kennedy and company, and his presence on the court will make a huge difference in this game.
The game against Northern Kentucky may have come at the right time, as Kennedy should have the Aggies’ attention against an even better opponent here.
You never know what some of these pre-Christmas games could produce (just ask North Carolina), but the return of Williams should give Texas A&M enough firepower to pick up the win.
Prediction: Texas A&M 82, Buffalo 71