Texas A&M @ Louisiana State preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 14, 2020 ) Louisiana State 89, Texas A&M 85

LSU has fallen out of the race for the SEC regular-season title and the Tigers now aim to hold onto one of four coveted double byes for the conference tournament when they host improving Texas A&M on Saturday afternoon. LSU won its first eight games in the league this season before losing five of the last seven, including an 81-66 setback at Florida on Wednesday, but is 6-1 at home in SEC play.

“We got whipped from start to finish, so there’s not a whole lot to say,” Tigers coach Will Wade told reporters after his team allowed 54.8 percent shooting from the field Wednesday. “They beat us every way they could beat us.” LSU extended its winning streak against the Aggies to five games with an 89-85 overtime victory in College Station, Texas on Jan. 14 and finishes the regular season with games at Arkansas and versus Georgia at home - two teams currently in the bottom five of the SEC - while tied with Florida in third place and holding a one-game lead on two teams in fifth. Texas A&M gave ninth-ranked Kentucky a tussle Tuesday before settling for a 69-60 loss to end a three-game winning streak, and first-year coach Buzz Williams sees a lot of improvement in his team. “I think the evolution of what has transpired here in January and February speaks volumes to who these kids are and the resiliency they work with, play with, compete with, that we’re even in this position,” Williams told the media.

TIME: Noon ET. TV: ESPN2

ABOUT TEXAS A&M (14-13, 8-7 SEC): Senior guard Wendell Mitchell has raised his production level of late, scoring 18 against Kentucky and averaging 17.3 over the past four contests to boost his season mark to 9.7 - third on the team. Senior forward Josh Nebo has led the way for the Aggies all season, averaging a team-high 12 points on an SEC-best 66.7 percent from the field and 2.0 blocks - third in the league. Junior guard Savion Flagg is scoring 13.2 per game over his last five contests to push his season average to 10.3 while freshman forward Emanuel Miller leads the team in rebounding (6.3).

ABOUT LSU (19-9, 10-5): Senior guard Skylar Mays still leads the team in scoring (15.9) after managing a season-low three points on 1-of-6 shooting Wednesday, but had 19 points, eight assists and seven rebounds in the win over Texas A&M last month. Freshman forward Trendon Watford (13.9 points, 7.2 rebounds) registered his second straight double-double Wednesday while sophomore forward Emmitt Williams (13.8 points, 55.8 percent shooting) scored 25 versus Florida. Sophomore guard Javonte Smart (12.4 points) leads the team in assists (4.1), but recorded just one against the Gators on Wednesday.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. LSU junior G Charles Manning Jr. (7.9 points) missed Wednesday’s game and is out indefinitely with a foot injury.

2. Texas A&M junior G Quenton Jackson is averaging 15.3 points over his past three outings - 6.5 over his season mark.

3. The Tigers lead the league in field-goal percentage (47.1) and Texas A&M is last at 39.8 - 28.3 from 3-point range.

PREDICTION: LSU 80, Texas A&M 68