After opening the season with easy wins over Liberty and Southern, the No. 18 Texas A&M Aggies have their first real test in non-conference play on Thursday Nov. 17 against Mississippi State.
The game, part of the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches Vs. Cancer, will be played in New York City and televised at 6:00 PM on ESPN2.
The Aggies will be without star forward Khris Middleton, the team's leading scorer and second-leading rebounder last year, who injured his knee against Liberty last Friday. Middleton underwent surgery to repair a partially torn meniscus and is expected to miss 3-4 weeks.
Ray Turner, a 6'9 230 junior forward, has stepped up in his absence, averaging 20 points on 82% shooting and 7 rebounds per game.
The game against Southern was also the first time on the court for Texas A&M's first-year coach Billy Kennedy, who had been on a medical leave of absence after being diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease before the season started.
The 2-1 Bulldogs, who dropped a home game to Akron earlier this year, are a strong opponent. With senior guard Dee Bost and sophomore forward Renardo Sidney returning and the addition of 6'11 UTEP transfer Arnett Moultrie, they were picked to finish fifth in the SEC preseason poll.
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