COLLEGE STATION – ACU is back on the road Saturday afternoon to take on the 13th-ranked Texas A&M Aggies in a non-conference game in Reed Arena.
The game will tip off at 3 p.m. and be broadcast on TV on the SEC Network and the radio on 101.7 FM The Patriot. ACU is 8-5 on the season after a 69-65 win last Saturday over Texas Southern in Moody Coliseum. The Aggies are 10-2 after beating Houston Christian, 77-45, last Friday.
Following Saturday's game, ACU will conclude its non-conference schedule at home on New Year's Eve against its longtime rival, Stephen F. Austin, which has rejoined the Southland Conference ahead of the 2024-25 school year. A&M will kick off Southeastern Conference play next Saturday in Austin against its old rival, Texas, which is starting its first season in the SEC.
The Wildcats have a 0-7 record against the Aggies, including 0-2 as an NCAA Division I program. ACU lost 81-80 in double overtime on Nov. 12, 2021, and 77-58 on Nov. 11, 2022. Here's a brief look at each team going into Saturday's game:
SCOUTING ACU
LAST GAME (ACU 69, Texas Southern 65 on Dec. 21): In the final minute, trailing by one,
Leonardo Bettiol hit a hook shot in the paint, giving the Wildcats a 66-65 lead. Former ACU guard
Kavion McClain, who led Texas Southern with 19 points, missed a fadeaway on the other end.
Dontrez Williams grabbed the rebound and was fouled with five seconds remaining. He made 1 of 2 free throws, bringing the score to 67-65, but
Quion Williams chased down the offensive rebound, secured it, and was fouled. He converted both of his free throw attempts, sealing the win.
DEFENSE FIRST: ACU's identity is aggressive defense, forcing mistakes, and capitalizing on transition. Head coach
Brette Tanner's goal is to force 20 turnovers each game. The Wildcats are currently averaging 15.5, 39th most in the NCAA. ACU also averages 10 steals per game, ranking 17th in the country.
BIG MAN BETTIOL: Junior forward
Leonardo Bettiol is making a statement in his third season with ACU. His average of 15 points per game is the highest of his career. Additionally, Bettiol boasts the best shooting percentage on the team at 63%.
MADDEN MANIA: Senior guard
Hunter Jack Madden was named the WAC Player of the Week on Dec. 9. He set a season-high with 24 points on 6-of-10 shooting in ACU's win at New Mexico State. The performance was Madden's second-highest scoring total in his 2+ seasons at ACU (27 points vs. UTRGV, Feb. 2024).
SCOUTING TEXAS A&M
• Wade Taylor IV missed the Houston Christian game because of an injury sustained against Purdue on Dec. 14. It was the first game missed (and first practice missed, according to head coach Buzz Williams) by the preseason All-SEC selection since arriving at Texas A&M in the fall of 2021.
• Texas A&M ranks No. 7 in KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency rating.
• Texas A&M pounds the offensive glass for an NCAA-best 17.2 offensive rebounds per game. The Aggies also sit atop KenPom's offensive rebound percentage standings at 44.5 percent.
• A&M has been out-rebounded just once this season: 42-35 in an 81-77 win over Rutgers on Nov. 30. The Aggies have won the rebound battle by at least six in 10 of 12 games and own a 10.8-per-game rebound margin for the season.
• Texas A&M connected on better than 40 percent of its 3-point tries against Purdue (.440) and HCU (.471), marking the first time the Aggies have hit 40 percent or better from beyond the arc in back-to-back games since early February 2023, a span of 57 games.
• Texas A&M (5) is one of seven D1 teams with at least five NET Quad 1 or 2 victories on its NCAA Tournament resume. Joining the Aggies are the list: Memphis (7), Marquette (6), Oregon (6), Alabama (5), Mississippi State (5), and UConn (5).
