By Aminat Texas A&M’s Wade Taylor IV Out with Injury – What’s the Latest?
Texas A&M Aggies guard Wade Taylor IV has been sidelined for the past three SEC games due to an undisclosed injury. Coach Buzz Williams was tight-lipped about Taylor’s status, simply shaking his head and mumbling “uh-uh” when asked about a recovery timeline.
Taylor’s injury has been a mystery, but it’s believed to be related to “knee tightness” that he experienced during the SEC opener against Texas. He played through the pain in that game, scoring 13 points, but has since missed games against Oklahoma and Alabama.
Fortunately, transfer guard Zhuric Phelps has stepped up to fill the void. He dropped a career-high 34 points, including a go-ahead triple with just 19.6 seconds left, to lead the Aggies to a thrilling 80-78 comeback win over Oklahoma.
Coach Williams praised Phelps’ performance, but acknowledged that Taylor’s absence has been an adjustment. “It’s our first time doing it. There were some parts that were good,” Williams said. “When you’ve taken every snap of every down, of every game, of every practice, it’s different.”
Taylor IV is averaging a team-high 15.7 points and 4.8 assists per game this season. The Aggies will face off against the No. 6 Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena on Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT.