#Gamecocks underdogs at slumping Texas A&M

The Gamecocks hit the road for a crucial game at Texas A&M, Wednesday, where they find themselves five-point underdogs. South Carolina, 18th in the latest AP poll, is coming off a 72-59 victory at Ole Miss, Saturday, and currently sit just a game back of first place in the SEC standings.

Texas A&M (15-12, 6-8) has lost four in a row but does boast home wins over no. 4 Tennessee and no. 16 Kentucky this season. USC has had success recently in College Station, Tex., knocking off the Aggies at Reed Arena in each of its last three trips there dating back to 2019. If the Gamecocks can make it four in a row in College Station, they will break a tie with the 2016-17 squad for the second most SEC road wins in program history.

Among the reasons for USC fans to be hopeful is the recent play of Collin Murray-Boyles. The freshman is averaging 17.8 points in the last six games and shooting 68.7 percent from the field in that span. Texas A&M relies on all-SEC guard Wade Taylor IV for scoring punch. Taylor is averaging 18.8 points/game but is slumping along with his team, having shot less than 30% in each of the last three games.

Taylor will likely be checked by a combination of Meechie Johnson and Ta’Lon Cooper, each of whom has proven to be a capable defender.

The game could be decided on the boards as the Aggies rank third nationally in rebounds per game and are the best offensive rebounding team in the country, averaging 17.8 per game. USC, on the other hand, is adept at keeping opponents off the offensive glass and is 18-0 when it wins the rebounding margin.

Clearly, the oddsmakers see a bounce-back performance from the Aggies, which have shown to be a dangerous group at home and have six Quad 1 wins to their credit.

While Texas A&M is a desperate club looking to get back on track, USC is fighting to stay in the race for its first SEC regular season title since 1997. Following the trip to College Station, South Carolina will have home games against Florida and Tennessee before closing out the regular season at Mississippi State. With six teams within two games of each other at the top of the SEC standings, there is much that is yet to be decided with regard to tournament seeding in the season’s final weeks.

Tipoff between the Gamecocks (22-5, 10-4) and the Aggies from Reed Arena in College Station, Tex., is scheduled for 8:30 p.m.