One of the sad parts of conference realignment from a few years ago is that there were a lot of traditional rivalries which were lost along the way. It makes perfect sense for the Baylor Bears and Texas A&M Aggies to play against each other on the hardwood, as it provides both with a great non-conference foe without having to travel all that far for one to visit the other. That rivalry will play out once again this weekend in College Station.
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HOW THE BAYLOR BEARS CAN COVER THE SPREAD
It's tough to gauge the Bears right now, knowing that they haven't yet played much in the way of serious games against top-flight contenders in the 2015-16 term.
That said, we have to take what we know. Taurean Prince and Rico Gathers are both studs, and these are the types of games where they really need to come up big. Possessions could be limited in this game because of Texas A&M's style, but that shouldn't stop either Prince or Gathers from putting up monster numbers.
If there's a bit of a concern, it's that these two men have the ball in their hands a ton, yet they turn it over quite a bit. Prince has the same number of turnovers as he has assists with 28, and that could prove to be an issue on the road in College Station.
That's why Lester Medford is going to have to have an efficient game. At 7.6 points per game, Medford isn't the most important offensive weapon the Bears have, but he's the facilitator at the point guard spot and cannot be overwhelmed by the moment of playing on the road in front of a hostile crowd.
HOW THE TEXAS A&M AGGIES CAN COVER THE SPREAD
Frustrating Gathers is going to be crucial. Gathers is a man who can really take over a game on the inside. He's one of the truly elite rebounders in the nation, and he can alter a lot of offensive game plans as well.
That said, the Aggies have a pair of bodies to throw at him in Tyler Davis and Tonny Trocha-Morelos. These two men aren't going to have to be truly special, but they need to be solid if A&M stands any chance in this game. The backcourt isn't efficient and isn't littered with huge scorers, but Danuel House and Jalen Jones should hold their own against the Baylor backcourt. The key is just not losing any real individual battles in the frontcourt. If so, the Aggies should be alright from there.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
This game could end up being a culture shock for the Bears. They haven't really played against much of anyone this year, and in their one legitimate road game, they were beaten 74-67 at Oregon.
College Station is a nasty place to go to at this point, as the Aggies really believe this is the year they can contend in the SEC.
As long as Davis and Trocha-Morelos don't get run off the court and embarrassed by Gathers, this should be a game the Aggies win. It'll be one of these prototypical instances where an unranked team will be favored over a ranked team, and it'll be completely justified at the final whistle.
Texas A&M 72, Baylor 66
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