How Texas A&M Aggies Rallied Behind Hayden Hefner in 'Resume-Building' Victory
On paper, starting their season at home against a non-power 5 opponent on an otherwise typical Monday night looked easy for the Texas A&M Aggies.
They'd already faced two big-time schools in Texas Tech and Baylor — though neither matchup was open to the public — and Texas A&M-Commerce was a size-able step down as far as competitiveness goes. But that was on paper.
A year ago, the Aggies — to put it into coach Buzz Williams' words — were awful in non-conference play. Just five days before Christmas, in fact, they dropped a game at Reed Arena to a visiting Wofford.
That was something they didn't ever want to happen again.
Playing the Lions was the first real chance for Texas A&M to be seen by its fans and the media, but it was also one of the few chances the Aggies had to be at home to start the season, which was something Aggies coach Buzz Williams didn't take lightly — regardless of who was on the other end of the court.
"Tonight was the right and first step [for us]," Williams said following the Aggies' win over the Lions. "A lot of that was because of what we learned over the last two weeks. It translated."
Nov 6, 2023; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies guard Hayden Hefner (2) dribbles the ball as Texas A&M Commerce guard Kalen Williams (2) defends in the second half at Reed Arena.
© Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
The Lions were just that. A step. The Aggies went into the game knowing they wanted a win, and they got one. Now, their focus remains fixated on the next string of games.
"We play seven times in the next 22 days, and five of those times are on the road," Williams said. "We have a busy month against great competition."
So, what things will the Aggies focus on heading into the "toughest non-conference schedule" they've had? And more specifically, who will lead the charge?
If you asked Wade Taylor IV, he'd give you the answer in an instant.
"H," Taylor IV said, emphatically cutting off the reporter asking about Aggies guard Hayden Hefner's impact. "I see H work every day. He's in the gym consistently. I knew when the time was right, he was going to show everyone what he had in his bag.
"Today was his coming out party."
Hefner finished the game with 19 points, a pair of rebounds, and a 50 percent shooting clip from behind the arc. Last season, he was capable of producing the same numbers, but he didn't do it on a consistent basis.
This season, he's already done so in his lone game.
"There's a lot more that's going to be asked of me [this year]," Hefner said. "I'm capable of stepping up to the plate. I know what's going to be asked of me, and I know what to expect day in and day out."
Obviously, there will need to be a larger sample size before "day in and day out" can be proven, but between Hefner, Taylor IV, and the rest of the Aggies' returning stars, they're confident after beating the Lions, which Taylor IV emphasized.
"[Tonight's win] was very important," the guard said. "It was our first home game. I'm thankful to the fans for coming out. It was a great experience for the guys to play in front of this type of crowd and get our feet wet."
The guard went on to describe how important it was for the Aggies to not only out-score their opponent but also out-rebound them — something that was a big point of emphasis a season ago.
"[Williams] was just talking about it for like five minutes," Taylor IV said. "He said our first game is a resume builder ... and that we were pretty good on our defensive and offensive rebounds tonight."
Indeed they were. The Aggies out-boarded the Lions 47-25 on the night, which played a big role in their ability to pull away in the second half. But that was just routine, especially for Taylor IV and Hefner, who have been with Williams for multiple seasons.
And Williams had nothing but praise for the senior guard.
"H has had great growth," Williams said. "He's done a really good job of hanging in there through his first three years. He's always in the right place ... which makes the game easier for our other guards. ... I thought he played outstanding."
As the Aggies look ahead to facing Ohio State, they'll regroup and continue to prepare in order to make a statement on the road. It'll be a much harder task, but they're ready.
And more importantly, Hefner is ready. And when asked about whether or not he'd be putting up numbers like Monday during every game, he kept it simple:
"I sure hope so."
Per Buzz Williams' request, a link to Texas A&M-Commerce coach Jaret von Rosenberg’s GoFundMe — created in support of his wife, who has been living in the hospital for weeks after she suffered a stroke last month — is provided HERE.
"If something happened to my wife, I'm not coaching," Williams said. "It's a giving time of the year. I just ask, if you can ... anything would be helpful to that family."
