Finally whole, A&M tries to end stumbles

Arkansas coach Mike Anderson and Texas A&M coach Billy Kennedy shake hands prior to a game on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017, at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Texas A&M has gone from being ranked No. 5 in the nation to tied for 13th in the SEC with Vanderbilt.

The Aggies' 11-1 start included victories over West Virginia, Oklahoma State and Southern California with their only loss at Arizona.

Going into SEC play, Texas A&M looked like the team to beat, but that's what conference opponents mostly have been doing to the Aggies.

Texas A&M (13-8, 2-6) opened SEC play by losing at Alabama 79-57 and at home to Florida 83-66. LSU already has swept two games from the Aggies, who also have lost on the road at Tennessee and at Kentucky.

The Aggies' only SEC victories are at home over Ole Miss and Missouri.

Texas A&M has dealt with roster issues most of the season and has been hit especially hard since SEC play started. Eight Aggies have missed a combined 29 games because of injuries, illness or suspensions.

"We've had a hard time developing some consistency in our play," Texas A&M Coach Billy Kennedy said. "We've either had to go with our freshmen, who are healthy but inexperienced, or go with our older guys, who are experienced but not healthy.

"We're still trying to figure that out. It's a work in progress at this point."

The Aggies will try to get their season going back in the right direction when they play the Arkansas Razorbacks (15-6, 4-4) at 8 tonight in Reed Arena.

"You've got to play two halves to win at this level, and we haven't done that recently," Kennedy said. "Hopefully, it starts against Arkansas."

Texas A&M's list of players to sit out includes:

• Junior forward D.J. Hogg missing the first two SEC games as part of a three-game suspension.

• Junior guard Admon Gilder missing the first three SEC games because of a knee injury.

• Sophomore forward Robert Williams missing five games because of a suspension (2), a concussion (2) and the flu (1).

• Senior guard Duane Wilson missing three SEC games because of a knee injury.

• Freshman guard J.J. Caldwell missing six games because of suspensions.

• Freshman forward Savion Flagg missing five games because of a fractured orbital bone.

Gilder, Williams, Hogg, Wilson and Caldwell have missed a combined 11 SEC games. Kennedy has had his full roster for three SEC games.

"They've had a lot of guys in and out," Razorbacks Coach Mike Anderson said. "Now it seems they're starting to get all those pieces together.

"So I expect a team that's going to be playing better. I'm sure they're finding that chemistry, their roles."

The only Aggies to play in all 21 games this season are 6-10 junior Tyler Davis and 6-10 senior Tonny Trocha-Moreles.

Davis is the lone Texas A&M player to start every game and is averaging team-highs of 14.4 points and 8.8 rebounds.

Williams, averaging 10.4 points and 9.8 rebounds, gives the Aggies three 6-10 players in their rotation.

Size inside has helped Texas A&M have a plus-7.7 rebound margin, but ball-handling has been a problem. The Aggies are minus-3.0 in turnover margin, which could be an issue against the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville's pressure defense.

"I'm sure Billy's going to have those guys prepared," Anderson said. "We're going to do what we do, and I'm sure they're going to do what they do in terms of attacking and rebounding the basketball.

"We can't play a half-court game, so we have to be able to be disruptive defensively and get in passing lanes and be quick to the ball. More importantly, keep them off the glass. Limit them to one shot and make sure it's a contested shot."

A sign of how highly regarded the Aggies were going into the season is that they were matched with Kansas in the Big 12-SEC Challenge. The Jayhawks coasted to a 79-68 victory over the Aggies on Saturday after Kansas led by 18 points, 45-27, at halftime.

"I thought the second half against Kansas, once we settled in, we got a good performance," Kennedy said. "Granted, they were up big, but we did some good things in the second half. We're taking that as a positive and building off that."

Kennedy is hoping the Aggies can pull off a turnaround similar to what they did during the 2015-2016 season when they started 17-2, lost 5 of 6 games, then recovered to share the SEC championship with Kentucky and reached the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 to finish 28-9.

Gilder and Wilson aren't 100 percent physically, Kennedy said, but they're feeling better.

"I know we're going to play better, and I'm expecting us to play better soon," Kennedy said. "Hopefully, getting those guys back more confident will help us."

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Sports on 01/30/2018