Kentucky looks to extend win streak in College Station

Kentucky+graduate+student+forward+Nate+Sestina+flexes+in+celebration+during+the+game+against+Florida+on+Saturday%2C+Feb.+22%2C+2020%2C+at+Rupp+Arena+in+Lexington%2C+Kentucky.+Kentucky+won+65-59.+Photo+by+Jordan+Prather+%7C+Staff

Kentucky graduate student forward Nate Sestina flexes in celebration during the game against Florida on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. Kentucky won 65-59. Photo by Jordan Prather | Staff

Barkley Truax

Coming off a 65-59 victory over the Florida Gators this past Saturdaythe Kentucky Wildcats head to College Station, Texas this Tuesday for a date with the Texas A&M Aggies. 

Led by Immanuel Quickley’s 26 pointsKentucky was able to edge past the Gators for its sixth consecutive victory. The Cats will look to extend that streak against the Aggies. The win would be their seventh straight, and the longest of the season for the team.

“Very tough game. They try to get you in foul trouble, which you know has been something that we struggle with,” said Kentucky associate head coach Kenny Payne. “They throw a lot of junk defenses at you. They throw different rotations and zones and presses. We have to be a really good passing team in this game.” 

Texas A&M is coming into this game on a three-game win streak— these wins have launched them into a tie for fourth place in the SEC. Leading the way for the Aggies during this streak has been their 6-foot-9 senior forward, Josh Nebo 

Nebo, the Aggies’ leading scorer with 11.9 points per game, shoots the ball 67.5 percent from the fieldHe shot 8-for-11 from the field this past Saturday in their 87-75 win over Mississippi State, matching his career high of 21 pointsHis shooting can make or break the Aggies’ offensive game plan.  

“They are very physical. They’re a really good offensive rebounding team,” Payne said. “They throw the ball to the post to a guy who is really good down there at drawing fouls and creating havoc. They’re a good team. They are capable of beating us.” 

Nick Richards will likely be the one guarding Nebo, who is coming off one of the best games of his career, so this matchup will be one to keep an eye on. 

The Wildcats come into this week with a two-game lead in the SEC standings and a have huge SEC matchup with the Auburn Tigers at home on Saturday looming in the distance. A couple of weeks ago, Kentucky was guilty of looking past their opponents in Ole Miss, narrowly escaping with a 67-62 win at Rupp Arena before it had to head to Baton Rouge for its win over LSUTexas A&M isn’t a team to look past right now, who looks as good as ever at this point in the season.  

I mean, we’re playing another team that’s playing well,” said Coach John Calipari after the Florida win. “They’re going to be feeling good. Buzz is doing a great job with his team. 

Taking the rest of the season one game at a time and not looking too far forward is key for Kentucky to clinch this SEC regular season championship heading into the SEC tournament, and into March Madness. 

Tip-off for the Kentucky vs. Texas A&M game begins Tuesday at 7 p.m. live on ESPN.