South Carolina vs. Texas A&M Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Wednesday, Feb. 28 (Back Underdog Gamecocks)
By Reed Wallach
Texas A&M's NCAA Tournament hopes are in danger following a four game losing streak, and it may not get easier with upstart South Carolina coming to College Station.
The Gamecocks have been one of the biggest surprises of the 2023-2024 college basketball season, at the top of the SEC standings in quick order under second year head coach Lamont Paris. Can the team potentially burst Texas A&M's bubble on Wednesday night?
Here's our full betting preview for Texas A&M vs. South Carolina.
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South Carolina vs. Texas A&M Odds, Spread and Total
Texas A&M vs. South Carolina Betting Trends
- Texas A&M is 11-16 against the spread (ATS) this season
- South Carolina is 19-8 ATS this season
- South Carolina is 10-2 ATS as an underdog this season
- Texas A&M has gone OVER in 15 of 27 games
South Carolina vs. Texas A&M How to Watch
- Date: Wednesday, Feb. 28
- Game Time: 8:30 PM EST
- Venue: Reed Arena
- How to Watch (TV): SEC Network
- South Carolina Record: 22-5
- Texas A&M Record: 15-12
South Carolina vs. Texas A&M Key Players to Watch
South Carolina
Meechie Johnson: The point guard of this revitalized Gamecocks team has been stellar all season, averaging 13 points with four rebounds and three assists while getting to the free throw line at a high clip. He'll have the stiff test of staying in front of Wade Taylor IV on defense, but will also need to navigate a physical zone defense of Texas A&M.
Texas A&M
Wade Taylor IV: Taylor has regressed as a shooter this season, down to 30% from beyond the arc after shooting 35% last season. He is still getting to the free-throw line at a high clip, but not as much as last season wile his usage is way up, taking a third of the shots for the Aggies. The team revolves around him and his 18 points per game, but the Aggies' NCAA Tournament hopes are becoming grim after a four game skid. Can Taylor get this team back to the 'Big Dance?'
South Carolina vs. Texas A&M Prediction and Pick
I can't trust Texas A&M laying more than two possessions, especially against a disciplined South Carolina team that will be happy to play this game in the half court.
Texas A&M's offense is as poor as it gets from a shooting perspective. The team is 352nd in the country in effective field goal percentage and tries to offset its awful shot making with the highest offensive rebounding rate in the nation and a ton of free throws, 56th in free throw rate.
However, South Carolina is the best defensive rebounding team in SEC play, and does a great job at shutting down the rim for opponents, 23rd in field goal percentage allowed at the rim, per Haslametrics.
The Gamecocks aren't an elite 3-point shooting team, but the team is more than comfortable shooting from the perimeter, second in three-point rate in SEC play. The Aggies will allow 3s, ranking 343rd in opponent 3-point rate with its compact zone defense, and the team is bottom half of the country in "Open 3 Rate," per ShotQuality.
This number is inflated due to the Aggies recent losing streak, but South Carolina provides enough counters to trust the road team in a limited possession game to hold up and cover the spread.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.