By Chris DePew
TideFans.com staff
Feb. 10, 2016
Where to watch: No. 15 Texas A&M (18-5, 7-3 SEC) at Alabama (13-9, 4-6) – 6 p.m. Central today, Coleman Coliseum, SEC Network
Who to watch: Arthur Edwards. The senior shooting guard has hovered right around his 10-point scoring average the past few games but is capable of a surprise showing, as he proved with 17-point games against Ole Miss and LSU. And at 40.7 percent, he is the Crimson Tide’s most consistent 3-point shooter. That could be crucial against the Aggies, who start three players 6-foot-7 or taller but have proven vulnerable lately on the perimeter. A&M has given up an average of 11 treys per game during its three-game league losing streak.
What to watch for: Can Alabama put on enough pressure to force the Aggies into mistakes? In two of its last three losses, A&M has been uncharacteristically sloppy, turning the ball over 21 times at Arkansas and 17 against South Carolina. Senior point guard Alex Caruso is usually the one creating trouble for others, with an SEC-high 2.3 steals per game, but he’s proven slightly more vulnerable to turning the ball over himself lately. Cranking up the pace of play may seem counter-intuitive against the deeper, more-talented Aggies, but it could also give Bama easy transition baskets it will need to spring another Top 25 upset.
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