UC Santa Barbara @ Texas A&M preview

Short-handed Texas A&M is back in action Friday against visiting UC Santa Barbara one week after opening the season in Germany. Sophomore forward Robert Williams and freshman point guard JJ Caldwell were suspended for the win against West Virginia and also won't play against the Gauchos.

Williams is expected to make his season debut Monday against Oklahoma State at the Legends Classic in Brooklyn, N.Y. The Aggies' three juniors were enough to get by West Virginia as Tyler Davis, Admon Gilder and D.J. Hogg combined for 65 points, 29 rebounds and 13 assists in the opener. Gilder was named the SEC's player of the week after the impressive opener. The Gauchos have also played without their starting point guard with Rice graduate-transfer Marcus Jackson recovering from a hip injury.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, SEC Network.

ABOUT UC SANTA BARBARA (1-1): Sophomore Max Heidegger leads the Gauchos with 23 points, hitting 11 3-pointers through two games. Nevada graduate transfer Leland King II adds 22.5 points and 8.5 rebounds, and Jalen Canty chips in 11.4 points and a team-best 9.0 rebounds. The Gauchos are tied for second nationally with 7.0 turnovers lost and are plus-7.5 on the boards.

ABOUT TEXAS A&M (1-0): Davis recorded his seventh career double-double with 23 points and 13 rebounds in the opener while Gilder also had 23 points to go with nine rebounds and seven assists. Hogg, who missed the last nine games of last season with an injury, hit 4-of-6 from the 3-point line as the Aggies connected on 10 from long range. Newcomers Jay Jay Chandler, TJ Starks and Savion Flagg -- all freshmen -- and graduate transfer Duane Wilson made an impact in the opener.

TIP-INS

1. Wilson played three years at Marquette and averaged 8.8 points with 201 assists and 110 steals in 95 games.

2. The Gauchos went 1-12 on the road last year and lost their first road test at Pittsburgh.

3. Caldwell, whose offseason charge of driving while intoxicated was later dismissed, is suspended for five games and will likely make his debut Nov. 26.

PREDICTION: Texas A&M 81, UC Santa Barbara 66