Texas A&M Aggies vs LSU Tigers: Predictions, Odds and Roster Notes

Where: Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, LA, USA.

When: Tuesday, February 26th at 9pm EST.

How (TV/Radio): ESPN2 |

Texas A&M Aggies (Away)

Head Coach: Billy Kennedy {Overall: 12-14, .462 W-L% | Conference: 5-9, T-10th in SEC}

The Aggies take their road trip from Arkansas to Louisiana and will encounter a bigger challenge as they take on LSU in the 2nd leg of the season series. LSU won the first game 72-57 at Reed Arena back on January 30th. Sophomore guard TJ Starks led the way with 21 points but also coughed up five of the Aggies’ 16 turnovers in the loss.

In A&M’s most recent matchup, the Aggies came away with a 87-80 road win over the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena on February 23rd. Sophomore guard Savion Flagg led the team with 22 points and 9 rebounds, while junior guard Wendell Mitchell pitched in with 20 points. The win was the team’s fourth in their last five contests.

LSU Tigers (Home)

Head Coach: Will Wade {Overall: 22-5, .815 W-L% | Conference: 12-2, T-1st in SEC}

With the exception of a home loss against Florida, the Tigers have been on a recent tear in conference play, taking down heavyweights Kentucky and Tennessee in the current month. Saturday’s win over the Volunteers came in overtime as LSU prevailed 82-80. Freshman guard Ja’vonte Smart led the Tigers with 29 points while junior guard Skylar Mays added 23 points.

Coach Will Wade will try to get his team level headed and focused after the big win on a struggling Texas A&M team that should play with nothing to lose. An upset would not be out of the question, as the two teams have split the 14 games since Texas A&M joined the Southeastern Conference in 2012. Nonetheless, leading scorer Tremont Waters should be licking his chops at this matchup, as he managed to erupt for 36 points in College Station.

Texas A&M Roster Notes

The Aggies have no roster news to report.

LSU Roster Notes

Sophomore guard Tremont Waters is listed as day-to-day with an illness.

Head-to-Head: Christian Mekowulu vs Kavell Bigby-Williams

Christian Mekowulu

Power Forward | 6-8, 245lb (203cm, 111kg) | Covenant Christian HS (GA) | Lagos, Nigeria | Senior

7.8 PPG | 0.5 APG | 5.8 RPG | 0.3 SPG | 1.0 BPG | 1.0 TOV | .486 FG% | .333 3P%

Kavell Bigby-Williams

Center | 6-11, 250lb (211cm, 113kg) | Harris Academy Beckenham | London, UK | Senior

7.9 PPG | 0.4 APG | 6.1 RPG | 0.4 SPG | 1.9 BPG | 0.8 TOV | .689 FG% | .000 3P%

The matchup to focus on will be a battle in the paint between two senior bigs. These two players started their college basketball careers at other schools before transferring to their current squads, which has given them valuable experience for their respective teams that are largely powered by underclassmen.

No one would mistake Christian Mekowulu as an offensive stalwart, as it is simply not his game despite averaging double figures last year at Tennessee State. The Nigerian does not dominate in one area of the game, but is good enough of a rebounder and defender to not be a complete liability.

Like Mekowulu, Kavell Bigby-Williams is far from being his team’s primary scoring option, although he has reached double figures 11 times this season. The former Oregon Duck has made his mark as a dominant shot blocker, with two 5 block performances in SEC play against Alabama and Mississippi, along with 9 blocks in a December game against Grambling.

Texas A&M at LSU Predictions and Odds

Oddsmakers have LSU as 11 point favourites at home over the Aggies, while the over/under for the game is at 153.