Pregame look at Texas A&M

By: LARRY VAUGHT

Kentucky almost lost at Texas A&M last year with a team that started the season 38-0. Tonight the Cats are leading the Southeastern Conference and are ranked higher than the Aggies going into tonight's game, but host Texas A&M is a slight favorite.

So what does Texas A&M do best? Let John Calipari explain.

“They have great post game. They have guards that are creative and make plays. Obviously (Danuel) House can go for 40 (points). They have other guys that come off the bench that can shoot the ball well. (Alex) Caruso is one of the best passers you will ever see. He tries to steal every ball so you have to be aware, you can’t just throw a lazy pass, it’s a layup," Calipari said.

"And when they get in transition and they run they’re really good. They throw it ahead and just put their head down and go at that basket."

What about Texas A&M's recent slide before it beat Ole Miss Tuesday?

"They’ve struggled some, but everybody has. We’re all in the same boat. You got six teams (in the SEC) that are right there to have a chance to play postseason, and we’ve all struggled. At one point in the season or another, we’ve all struggled. So, we have five games left, so do they. It should be a terrific basketball game," Calipari said.

The UK coach said Texas A&M's size took a toll on Mississippi.

"If you don’t have a presence that can hold them back a little bit, they can dominate you around that goal. They’re big and they’re long. Mississippi has a guy (Sebastian Saiz) that almost got his eye poked out," Calipari said.