How to watch and follow Wildcats vs. Aggies.
Kentucky Basketball vs. Texas A&M Aggies
- Time: 7:00 PM ET
- Date: January 14th, 2025
- Location: Central Bank Center at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky
- TV Channel: ESPN2 will have tonight’s TV coverage.
- Announcers: Karl Ravech and Jimmy Dykes will call the action.
- Online Stream: ESPN+ and the ESPN app.
- Radio: Tom Leach and Jack Givens will have the call on the UK Sports Radio Network.
- Replay: WatchESPN and SEC Network (check local listings).
- Rosters: UK | A&M
- Stats to Know: UK | A&M
- KenPom: UK | A&M
- Team Sheet: UK | A&M
- Odds: FanDuel Sportsbook has Kentucky favored by 6.5 points with an over/under 156.5. BartTorvik gives Kentucky’s chances to win at 67%. EvanMiya, again, is the most pessimistic, giving the Cats just a 58.3% chance of victory. ESPN (60.6%) and KenPom (60%) fall in between.
- Predictions: The analytics predict a narrow Wildcat victory. BartTorvik (81-77) is the sole projection going with a two-possession victory. KenPom (80-77), EvanMiya (79-76), and Haslametrics (79-78) going with a one-score victory. The Aggies will be without Wade Taylor IV, their best player. While they still won’t be an easy out, I’m going with an 84-77 victory, Kentucky!
How do you see this one going? Send us your Kentucky vs. Texas A&M score predictions in the comments section!
Go Cats!!
The Kentucky Wildcats got a big-time road win against Mississippi State on Saturday. Their reward? Two top-15 opponents this week, the first of which will be the Texas A&M Aggies on Tuesday night.
Coached by two-time SEC Coach of the Year Buzz Williams, the Aggies are currently ranked 10th nationally, their highest ranking since the 2017-18 season. However, they will fall slightly as the new rankings are released on Monday at noon after a loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Texas A&M has not won in Lexington since their inaugural season in the SEC in 2013., but have won two in a row.
The big storyline for this game is around A&M guard and two-time All-SEC selection Wade Taylor IV, who has missed two games in a row with an undisclosed injury, rumored to be his knee. Williams says he does not have any recovery timetable.
Losing Taylor, their best playmaker, is a big loss for A&M. However, beating a top-20 Oklahoma team and only losing to Alabama by six points will still be a hard-fought contest for Kentucky.
Let’s take a look at the matchup.
Limit A&M on the Offensive Boards
Texas A&M is the best offensive-rebounding team in the country in nearly every category. The Aggies rebound 44% of their shots, collecting nearly 15 offensive rebounds per game. That said, they shoot just over 43% from the field, so their quality of shots are not great.
Kentucky’s struggles on the offensive glass have been apparent and is an area where Mark Pope and the staff are trying to improve quickly. However, they have given up double-figure offensive rebounds in three straight games.
With four players with more than 30 offensive rebounds on the season, A&M crashes the offensive glass as a team. To counter that, Kentucky will need to box out as a team.
Speed Up the Game
By adjusted tempo, Texas A&M plays at the fourth-slowest pace in the SEC. That is a pace that Kentucky has struggled to play at often this season, and they would like to speed up the game.
A&M guard Zhuric Phelps is someone that the Wildcats can exploit on defense, as he commits more than three turnovers per game. If Kentucky can secure the boards, they can push the ball at their own pace.
Interior Defense, Maintain Foul Trouble
Running a dribble-drive offense, Texas A&M is not a team that looks to shoot threes first. This means that Kentucky will likely prioritize defending the drive rather than the shot. Communication will be key in ball-screen situations, an area where the Wildcats have improved a lot in recent weeks.
That said, the Aggies are very good at drawing fouls. Drawing more than 20 fouls on their opponent per game, they rank in the top 25 in the country. With a lineup that is 7-8 players deep, defending without fouling will be critical for Kentucky.
Opposing Players to Watch*
*Note: If Taylor does not play.
G Zhuric Phelps 6-4, 190 lbs
- 15.4 PPG
- 4.9 RPG
- 2.7 APG
- 3.2 TOPG
F Henry Coleman III 6-8, 250 lbs
- 8.6 PPG
- 5.3 RPG
- 58.4 FG%
F Pharrel Payne 6-9, 250 lbs
- 8.9 PPG
- 4.8 RPG
- 67.1% FG