Texas A&M will look to stop its three-game losing streak when it takes on Washington in the Vancouver Showcase on Tuesday night.
The Aggies haven’t won since the season-opening victory over Savannah State, with losses against UC Irvine, Gonzaga, and Minnesota.
Meanwhile, Washington is off to a 3-1 start and earned an 82-68 win over Santa Clara in its first Vancouver game.
Let’s run through what to watch for in this matchup.
Game Details
- Texas A&M (1-3) vs. Washington (3-1)
- Location: Vancouver Convention Centre – Vancouver, BC
- Game Date: Nov. 20
- Game Time: 11:30 p.m. EST
- Watch: ESPN2
Players to Watch
TJ Starks (Texas A&M)
The 6-2 sophomore continues to struggle from the field, as he shot just 4 of 14 against Minnesota and now sits 30.8 percent from the floor and 12.0 percent from 3-point range on the season.
Starks is the team’s second-leading scorer at 12.8 points, but his percentages simply have to improve for the Aggies to start winning games.
Jaylen Nowell (Washington)
Nowell has been the driving force for the Huskies thus far, and he delivered in a big way in the victory over Santa Clara.
He scored 32 points on 11-of-15 shooting from the floor while going 6 of 8 from the free-throw line, and his excellent scoring ability should be on display once again in this matchup.
Key Stats
Starks isn’t the only one struggling from beyond the arc for the Aggies, as they’re now shooting just 22.2 percent as a team (345th nationally).
Texas A&M’s effective field-goal percentage currently sits at 45.4 percent (282nd nationally), so it’s really just a matter of needing to be significantly better offensively at this point.
But Billy Kennedy’s team has been grabbing offensive boards at a high rate, ranking 26th in the nation in offensive rebounding percentage at the moment
Washington will have the edge in terms of experience, with the Huskies ranking 36th nationally in that category while the Aggies are 262nd due to all the new faces in the rotation this season.
Game Outlook
- Spread: Washington -3
- Over/Under: 148
- KenPom Projection: Washington, 57 percent chance to win
- ESPN BPI Projection: Washington, 59.4 percent chance to win
When you consider the type of defense that the Huskies play, it makes it difficult to see the Aggies excelling in this type of game.
We know that Mike Hopkins’ team will feature the trademark 2-3 zone, and that may force Texas A&M into taking too many outside shots.
As we’ve seen from the percentages, Texas A&M taking too many outside shots would not be a good thing, especially with Admon Gilder still sidelined.
Kennedy’s squad must attempt to get into the lane to find high-percentage shots, because if they don’t, it could be tough for Starks and company to find a win here.
I have more confidence in the Huskies at this point, so they feel like the better choice.
Season Predictions Record (straight up): 40-9
Game Prediction: Washington 75, Texas A&M 68
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