Texas A&M is now 2-0 after defeating Northern Kentucky 104-67, led by Texas transfer point guard Jordan Pope, who scored 18 points, while six Aggies finished with double-digit scoring. Scoring 100 points for the first time this season, second-year coach Bucky McMillan has assembled his best roster, which is slowly but surely living up to the hype.
Because of eligibility issues, senior guard Rylan Griffen did not play in the Aggies' season opener, but he made a surprise return Friday, playing 14 minutes and scoring 8 points, including two three-pointers off the bench.
The Aggies finished shooting 55% from the field, produced 12 three-pointers, shot 41% from beyond the arc, limited Northern Kentucky to 34% shooting, and forced 23 turnovers with
15 steals. However, Texas A&M's free-throw shooting issues continued, making 10-of-17 (59%), while winning the rebounding battle 39-38 with 11 offensive boards.
The fact that this team can score over 100 points with ease, even when star transfer guard PJ Haggerty is held to just ten points, fixing the free-throw issues, combined with a more consistent rebounding effort, will result in the Aggies not just making it back to the NCAA Tournament, but contending for an SEC title.
While Jordan Pope deserves the most attention after his impressive performance, Tennessee transfer forward Cade Phillips, who finished with 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 blocks in 16 minutes of play, it's clear that McMillan has found his "glue guy" who can provide elite rim defense and physicality in the paint.
After the win, Bucky McMillan, Jordan Pope, and senior forward Mackenzie Mgbako, who finished with 14 points and seven rebounds, spoke to the media. Here's what they said.
Jordan Pope on Texas A&M's fast start
"We came out and set the tone early. Let them know how it's going to be with the full court pressure. That's a good ball team, and we had to come in locked in. We executed."
Mackenzie Mgbako and Rylan Griffen's return
"For Rylan to come back, it means a lot. He's a returner who brings a lot of value to the team. Having him back is a big plus."
Mackenzie Mgbako on what led to A&M's offensive success
"We're moving the ball more, taking the right shots, everybody is involved. We turned them over more, the defense amped it up. Great basketball all around."
Jordan Pope on Bucky McMillan's in-game adjustments
"After Game 1, you're able to go back and get the film, we knew we could've moved the ball more and played harder, and we did that tonight. When we do that every night, we're a tough team to beat."
Bucky McMillan on what he liked about Friday's blowout win
"I liked that game. We played really hard in that game. We have to be the hardest playing team that's ever played college basketball. We had some lulls in the last game, but today was closer to a complete 40 minutes. We had guys making big plays blocking shots on the back end of the press. That's a really good team, they can get to the NCAA Tournament. I thought they played good and we ran away with it at the end. We've got to stay with what we do throughout the whole game. I felt that was one of Mackenzie's best games, and I know he missed layups but he passed the ball so well in that game. The way we played will translate to winning. 18 assists to 9 turnovers was great."
Bucky McMillan on playing "unselfish" basketball
"We were so unselfish tonight. It's so fun to coach, and it's so fun to play that way as a player. I was proud of how we played."
Bucky McMillan on PJ Haggerty's quiet but impactful performance
"PJ is a very smart player. He's got a lot of winning qualities to him. He's one of the best on ball players I've ever seen. He was great off the ball tonight. If he can keep trusting that, it's going to help his game and help our team."
Bucky McMillan on having more size in the front court this season
"Life is so much easier. We had to pitch a perfect game on defense last year. We wanted to get positional length this year, and that's really going to show up late in the year."
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Everything Bucky McMillan, players said after Texas A&M's 104-67 win
