Coach Buzz Williams hasn't 'been around a player that's as extroverted as' Pharrel Payne

[ASFN Admin]

The Texas A&M men's basketball team beat Yale 80-71 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament thanks to a game-high 25-point outburst off the bench from junior power forward Pharrel Payne.

"Our staff did a really good job of preparing our guys for how they play. We practiced the adjustments. You can't give (Bez Mbeng, John Poulakidas) and (Nick Townsend) the same diet defensively. Our response was great," coach Buzz Williams explained Thursday. "They're a really good team. They're one of six teams that only lost one game in 2025 entering today. They make you make decisions on the weak side. But before you can make those decisions, you better guard (Townsend) at the rim.

"I love (Payne's) spirit. I don't know if I've ever been around a player that's as extroverted as him and so pure in the way he processes life. It's a different pace than what he was used to. He's been accountable."

The No. 4 Aggies (23-10) face No. 5 Michigan (26-9) for South Region supremacy in the Round of 32 on CBS at 4:15 p.m. CT on Saturday at Ball Arena in Denver.

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Williams hasn't 'been around a player that's as extroverted as' Payne

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