COLLEGE STATION —Texas A&M basketball returned home after a three-game stint in Las Vegas where its only loss came against Oregon, which won the Players Era Festival tournament.
A&M (6-2), ranked No. 24 in the USA TODAY Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll, prepares for Wake Forest (7-2) at Reed Arena in the SEC-ACC Challenge on Tuesday. It will be the first game back at home for the Aggies in 13 days.
“Seven days in Las Vegas is a long time,” Texas A&M head coach Buzz Williams told reporters on Monday. “It’s such a quick turnaround. We got home at whatever time, Sunday morning at 3 (a.m.), so we got to hurry up and figure out how we can have a chance tomorrow.”
MORE: Texas A&M vs Rutgers: Aggies men’s basketball rides Wade Taylor’s big game to Las Vegas win
Here are some takeaways from the Aggies’ comments on Tuesday during its conference with reporters:
Aggies prepare for Wake Forest’s quality offense
Wake Forest is led by senior guard Hunter Sallis, who leads the team averaging 16.8 points while shooting 42% from the field. The defense is ranked 42nd in the country in defensive field goal percentage, holding opponents to 38.5% from the field.
As a team, they’re averaging 69.4 points through eight games, with wins over Michigan and Minnesota, shooting 42.8% from the field and 26.3% from 3-point range this season.
“I think (Wake Forest head coach Steve Forbes) always been great defensively, but as all of this has changed and he’s put his team together, they have become borderline elite offensively in the half-court,” Williams said. “Very impressed with their team thus far.”
The Demon Deacons feature three scorers who average double-digit points, including seniors Cameron Hildreth and Tre’Von Spillers, who are averaging 11.7 and 11.1 points, respectively.
“We saw previously with Creighton and Rutgers when we’re getting the free-throw line, when we’re dominating the glass, when we have 15-plus offensive rebounds, getting around six or seven turkeys a game, that’s Texas A&M basketball,” forward Henry Coleman III said.
The Aggies hold an all-time record of 1-1 against the Demon Deacons, with the only win coming in its last matchup in 2022, 67-52.
The Aggies have won two straight following an 80-70 loss to Oregon and head back home looking to continue their winning ways before they head back on the road to play Texas Tech on Sunday at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth.
Tuesday’s game
No. 24 Texas A&M (6-2) vs Wake Forest (7-2), 8 p.m., ESPN2, 1370
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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas A&M vs Wake Forest: Aggies back home to take on Demon Deacons
