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Texas A&M (2-2) dropped its second straight game in less than a week after falling to visiting UCF (3-1) 86-74 in one of the more frustrating second-half performances that will likely result in a tough weekend of practice before the Aggies return to Reed Arena to host Montana on Tuesday night.
First-year head coach Bucky McMillan’s fast-paced system relies on efficient scoring from the field, which has not been the case since Texas A&M’s 87-63 road loss to Oklahoma State on Sunday afternoon, and continued on Friday night. The Aggies are finishing 37% from the field and 31% from beyond the arc, compared to USF’s 50% performance, including 14-28 on 3-point attempts.
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However, this was a tale of two halves, with both teams tied at 30 at halftime. While the Aggies stormed out of the locker room, leading by as much as 56-42 early in the second half, Texas A&M’s poor half-court defense, paired with 14 turnovers, gave the Knights wide-open shots on the other end, which is never a good thing against one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country.
Still, nothing compares to how poorly the Aggies shot near the rim, specifically finishing layups, including several wide-open looks, finishing 9-22 at the rim, and 23-30 (77%) at the free throw line. UCF’s offense exploded in the final minutes, hitting 15 of its final 18 shots, which almost always results in a win on any given night.
It’s important to note that star transfer forward Mackenzie Mgbako has yet to make his debut, and is slated to be available as soon as next Tuesday’s matchup vs. Montana. While Mgbako won’t fix every issue, his ability as a consistent scoring option and reliable rebounder will only help this brand-new roster find its footing.
Six Aggies finished in double figures, led by senior guard Marcus Hill’s 14 points.
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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/texas-m-drops-second-straight-041436954.html
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Publish date : 2025-11-15 04:14:00
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