Texas A&M basketball: Preview of No. 19 LSU Tigers

Texas A&M basketball is looking to continue momentum from their take down of the Big 12’s top team; here is a preview of No. 19 LSU

Billy Kennedy has been the subject of ire for many Texas A&M basketball fans this season. Despite coming into the year with little expectations, fans didn’t expect to see home losses to UC Irvine and Texas Southern, and definitely weren’t OK with a 23-point home loss to Missouri, a game in which the Aggies were favored.

Losing four in a row at the beginning of the season and then six of seven in another brutal stretch has made the calls for Kennedy’s job much louder. He may have temporarily instilled some confidence with a close game against Florida as double digit underdogs and then by securing a shocking upset of Kansas State.

Another way to keep that confidence afloat is by winning at home against No. 19 LSU tomorrow night. Here is a preview of the Tigers

LSU Tigers

Location: Baton Rouge, LA

Enrollment: About 45,000

Conference: SEC

Head Coach: Will Wade (125-63, 34-18 at LSU)

2017 finish: 18-15, lost in Second Round of NIT

Key 2018-19 Statistics:

Points per game: 83.2 (23rd)
Pomeroy AdjO: 116.0 (15th)
Points allowed per game: 72.4 (177th)
Pomeroy AdjD: 96.8 (64th)
Pomeroy AdjEM: +19.16 (23rd)
Rebounds per game: 37.5 (93rd)
Assists per game: 14.3 (121st)
Turnovers per game: 14.1 (247th)

Players to Watch

Sophomore guard Tremont Waters – 14.2 ppg, 6.2 apg, 3.0 spg

Most A&M fans likely just threw up in their mouths a little when reading the above name. Waters was an Aggie killer in the 2017-18 season. He made this insane deep three-pointer to cap a comeback win at Reed Arena, then had 15 points, nine assists and an absurd eight steals in a comfortable win in Baton Rouge.

He is the leader of the Tigers once again and T.J. Starks (or Jay Jay Chandler) will have their hands full staying in front of Waters.

Junior guard Skylar Mays – 13.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.3 apg

Mays is another excellent guard for the Tigers who has been their best deep shooter this season. His shot has improved each year at the college level and he’s shooting 38 percent this season. The Aggies can’t lose him on the outside.

Freshman forward Naz Reid – 13.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.0 bpg

National Top 20 recruit Naz Reid has been a monster at times this season and especially since conference play started. The combination of Christian Mekowulu and Josh Nebo have to keep the big fella at bay or he’ll eat up rebounds on the offensive side to give LSU’s shooters extra chances.

Reid is also a matchup nightmare as he’ll stretch the Aggie defense with his deep shooting. He’s shooting 37.5 percent so far this season and has take 48 threes.

Texas A&M is facing one of the best offenses in the season and will absolutely need to step up on the defensive end to have a prayer on Wednesday night.

Jeff Shull is the Site Expert for the Gig Em Gazette on FanSided. Follow him on Twitter, and be sure to follow the Gig Em Gazette on Facebook and Twitter.