There was a point in the season that Texas A&M appeared to be the class of the SEC but then the bottom fell out and the Aggies have been largely inconsistent since the start of the 2018 calendar. There is no doubt that the talent is still there but can the Aggies get their heads straight when they open their NCAA Tournament against a tough Providence Friars team Friday?
- Texas A&M is 1-8 ATS in its last 9 games as a favorite of 3.5 or less.
- The total has gone OVER in 7 of Texas A&M’s last 10 games.
- Providence is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games against teams with winning records.
The Aggies’ bread and butter is their defense – specifically in the paint. Texas A&M is holding opponents to 45.1 percent inside the arc while sitting ninth in the nation in block rate. Robert Williams is an elite rim protector but is just one of three Aggies averaging at least one block per game. The big issue is going to come on offense, as Texas A&M simply is not a good shooting team. The Aggies’ field-goal percentage looks respectable thanks to their rim-running tendencies but the team hits just 31.7 percent from three-point land and 66.7 percent from the charity stripe.
Providence is one of those teams that is simply better than its numbers say. The Friars are average in basically every category statistically – though their three-point defense is better than most – but can square up with the best in the nation. That being said, the team has also shown that it can completely disappear at times – yes, a team in the NCAA Tournament lost to DePaul and UMass. But maybe Alpha Diallo continues his torrid play from the Big East Conference tourney and puts in a Kemba Walker-like performance.
Providence Friars vs Texas A&M Aggies Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
The Providence Friars will look to cover the spread vs the Texas A&M Aggies on Friday, as the Friars are 14-19 versus the spread this season, while the Aggies are 13-16 ATS. Providence is 15-17-1 against the total, while Texas A&M is 14-14-1 versus the total betting line.
According to new college basketball power rankings here at OddsShark, it's the No. 167-ranked Aggies and the No. 129-rated Friars in this matchup.
Statistical Matchup
Offensively, the game matches up Texas A&M's No. 119 nationally ranked offense (75 points per game) against a Providence defense that sits as the No. 141 at 72.68 PPG. The Aggies have been averaging 45.67% from the field, more than the Friars have managed so far this season (44.15% on average).
Recent Outings Betting Recap
Alpha Diallo poured in 22 points and added 10 rebounds in a losing cause for Providence on Saturday, as Villanova rolled to a 76-66 victory over Providence at Madison Square Garden.
TJ Starks scored 23 points in a futile effort to lead the Aggies to a win (they lost 71-70 to Alabama at Scottrade Center on Thursday).
