What HC Buzz Williams said about the challenge of facing Yale in the NCAA Tournament

[ASFN Admin]

Texas A&M (22-10, 11-7 SEC) has entered the 2025 NCAA Tournament as a 4-seed set to face 13-seed Yale in the Round of 64 on Thursday night. Under head coach Buzz Williams, this is the third consecutive tournament appearance for a program that was in a dark place before he arrived in 2019.

However, Aggie fans have been split regarding Williams' favorability due to Texas A&M's lack of offensive consistency over the last three seasons, especially this year. Still, his defensive mindset and focus on rebounding have continued to send the program into March Madness. Before facing a Yale offense that shoots nearly 50% from the field, Williams' pre-game press conference revealed his plan to stick to the team's core strengths against the Bulldogs.

"We've been top 10 in the country in defense for the last 70 days and that's a byproduct of what we learned from offensive rebounding and applying it to our defensive rebounding. Our defensive rebounding numbers have improved this season."

However, Williams noted that Yale is also one of the better defensive-rebounding teams in the country, playing with consistent physicality. Still, it's fair to note that the Bulldogs' competition in the Ivy League doesn't compare to what the Aggies will bring on Thursday night.

"Yale is good at a lot of things. They're one of six teams in the country that's only lost one game in 2025. They're 22nd in the country in defensive rebounding. They're physical and their style of play allows them to rebound at a high rate."

Lastly, Texas A&M's 3-point defense, which has been a significant issue this season, will come into play against one of the most efficient 3-point shooting teams nationally. Williams notes that defending open deep shots will be the key to making Yale one-dimensional offensively. Still, this is a big ask based on A&M's constant issues defending the perimeter.

"Yale is top ten in the country in three-point field goal percentage. They don't take a ton of them, but they make a lot. I really enjoy the composition of their team from studying them."

4-seed Texas A&M will face 13-seed Yale on Thursday, March 20, at 6:45 CT on TBS.

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M HC Buzz Williams speaks before facing Yale on Thursday

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