'We Weren't Very Good!' Buzz Williams Reveals Aggies Issues vs. Gators Despite Win
The Aggies halted the Gators' modest four-game winning stream with a come from behind 67-66 win at Reed Arena on Saturday.
Tyrece Radford scored 26 in the win, but coach Buzz Williams thinks there are areas his team can improve as the season goes on, like getting on the boards earlier in the game and foul shots.
© Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports
"I didn't think we were very good in the first half. Boots [Radford] had zero offensive rebounds at half. Andy [Garcia] had zero. I think their [Florida] forwards had more offensive rebounds than our forwards had defensive rebounds. We were dramatically better on the glass in the second half, which helped us tremendously.
"We also did a better job at keeping them off the offensive glass in the second half. I think, in many respects, if you were to look at any category that would suggest what the difference in the game was it would be that."
On the final stat sheet, the Aggies and Gators were dead even on the boards at 36 apiece. But that doesn't tell the story. A&M had to mount a furious comeback late in the game after being down six at the half, and dominated the boards late.
Williams also thinks the team's game at the foul line can improve.
"We need to continue to spend time and make it a priority to make free throws. We're first in free throw attempts and entering the day we were next to last in free throw percentage. So, statistically speaking, we need to accumulate as many free throws as we can, but hopefully we can increase the percentage.
"We want to be in the bonus first in both halves – that's one of our goals. We got to the bonus in the second half much faster than the first."
On Saturday, the Aggies went just 15-of-24 from the charity stripe for 62.5 percent. The only reason that didn't hurt them against Florida is because the Gators were much worse.
Florida went just 6-for-11 for a miserable 54.5 percent.
The Aggies find themselves at just 13-8 on the season overall and 4-4 in league play. That's not going to earn any kind of postseason tournament invite. Williams knows the team needs to improve drastically, and it needs to start now.
