CBB Wednesday / Vandy at Texas A&M

Feb 25, 2025 · Griffin Warner & Big East Ben · 22 Views

Griffin Warner and Big East Ben focused on the Vanderbilt vs. Texas A&M. Texas A&M was favored by 7.5 points, with a total of 146. The conversation highlighted Vanderbilt’s struggles against the physical Aggies, particularly on the boards and at the free-throw line. While Texas A&M’s three-point shooting was inconsistent, their dominance in offensive rebounding and free throw opportunities made them a difficult matchup for Vanderbilt. The speakers debated Vanderbilt’s ability to keep the game close, with Warner leaning towards the Commodores covering the spread, while Ben was skeptical.

Key Quotes and Analysis
1. Texas A&M’s Physicality vs. Vanderbilt’s Weaknesses
🕐 (0:23 - 1:20) - Big East Ben:
"I think this is a terrible matchup for Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt is small, they're a finesse pitch team. Texas A&M is absolutely the opposite."
🔹 Ben highlights the contrasting styles: Vanderbilt relies on finesse, while Texas A&M is a physically dominant team.

"Texas A&M, number one offensive rebounding team in the country, grabbed 42% of their misses. Vanderbilt just 134 in the country."
🔹 Texas A&M’s ability to dominate the glass is a huge advantage, especially against a weak rebounding team like Vanderbilt.

"Aggies nine and four against the spread at home this season. They were nine and three last week. I doubt they don’t cover two in a row."
🔹 The Aggies have been strong at home, making them a reliable bet against the spread.

2. Texas A&M’s Vulnerability to Guard Play
🕐 (1:21 - 3:00) - Griffin Warner:
"A big flaw for Texas A&M is if you are on the other team and you have a point guard that can penetrate, they collapse the entire defense and you get a lot of open threes."
🔹 Warner points out a key defensive weakness for Texas A&M—penetration creates open perimeter shots, which could be a way for Vanderbilt to stay competitive.

"I'm not sure I totally agree with Texas A&M as a three-point shooting reversion to whatever their mean is at 30.6% this season. Yes, they were 16% this weekend, but maybe they throw a 46% out there, which will make them very hard to beat."
🔹 Warner questions the idea of Texas A&M’s shooting “regressing to the mean,” suggesting they remain unreliable from deep.

3. Vanderbilt’s Close Games on the Road
🕐 (3:00 - 3:35) - Griffin Warner & Big East Ben:
"I think we've seen Vanderbilt play really close games on the road, not be able to hold on."
🔹 Warner sees Vanderbilt as a team capable of keeping games competitive but struggles to close out wins.

"That was a very close game, I thought, at Kentucky, probably should have beaten Tennessee also."
🔹 While Vanderbilt has competed with strong teams, their inability to finish games makes them a risky bet.

"They lost by 20." (Ben’s response)
🔹 Ben quickly refutes Warner’s claim that Vanderbilt played Tennessee closely, emphasizing the eventual blowout.

4. Individual Player Performances
🕐 (3:35 - 4:24) - Griffin Warner & Big East Ben:
"I don't know how you stop Edwards, honestly. It looks horrible, and honestly, this weekend made me wanna die a bunch of times when he was just like running, taking off-balance threes."
🔹 Warner critiques Edwards’ shot selection, calling out his tendency for inefficient hero ball.

"He plays a lot of hero ball. He was doing that all the time in that Charleston Classic tournament." (Ben’s response)
🔹 Ben agrees, reinforcing that Edwards’ style is not new and might hurt Vanderbilt’s efficiency.

"Chris Mongeon also, what a baller that guy is. Transfer from Cornell of all basketball bluebloods."
🔹 Warner praises Mongeon, an impact transfer from Cornell.

"Vanderbilt feels like one of those teams that could make a run in the SEC tournament, maybe the NCAA tournament."
🔹 Warner speculates about Vanderbilt’s potential despite their struggles.

Key Team and Player Statistics
📊 Texas A&M Team Stats:
✅ #1 in offensive rebounding (42% of missed shots recovered)
✅ 28th in free throw attempts
✅ 9-4 against the spread at home

📊 Vanderbilt Team Stats:
❌ 134th in offensive rebounding
❌ 241st in fouling, 11th in the SEC

🎯 Notable Players Mentioned:

Edwards (Vanderbilt) – Takes difficult shots, plays hero ball.
Chris Mongeon (Vanderbilt) – Impact transfer from Cornell.
Solomon Washington (Texas A&M) – Key presence on the boards, with a significant wingspan advantage.
Conclusion
The discussion framed this as a difficult matchup for Vanderbilt, given Texas A&M’s rebounding and physicality. Texas A&M’s home dominance against the spread adds to their advantage, but Warner highlighted their weakness against penetrating guards. Vanderbilt has shown competitiveness on the road but struggles to finish games. Player tendencies, particularly Edwards' inefficient shot selection, could be a factor. The game ultimately hinges on whether Vanderbilt can handle Texas A&M’s inside dominance or exploit their defensive collapses.

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Topics: CBB