Texas A&M men's basketball is riding a season-best seven-game winning streak that began with a Dec. 27 win over Northwestern State, which has been followed by wins over Prairie View, Florida (twice), LSU, Missouri, and South Carolina.
An integral part of that success has been junior forward Julius Marble. Especially since the beginning of league play.
Early in the season, the Michigan State transfer was having difficulty adjusting to coach Buzz Williams' style of play and averaged just 7.7 points per game while the Aggies got off to an 8-5 start to the schedule. He was only playing an average of 18.6 minutes per contest.
But then SEC play came calling, and Marble has stepped it up.
Averaging 15.6 points per game, Marble now leads the team. He's also the only Aggie to score double-digits in every SEC game this season. His hard work is paying off, as he's on the floor more, and averaging 27.6 minutes per game.
On Wednesday against the Florida Gators, his value was never more evident. Marble led all scorers with a career-high 19 points, shooting 50 percent from the field on 9-of-18 shooting.
The Aggies held Florida to just 2-of-26 shooting (7.7 percent) from the field in the first half, but couldn't create separation on the scoreboard. Marble pushed on, scoring 12 points in the first frame on 6-of-9 shooting.
“It was huge,” Marble said. “We were playing great on defense, but we definitely needed a spark on the other end. Offensively, they were looking for me. I was getting to the right spot.
"I was getting real comfortable in the paint and I was able to make those shots. That helped us and we needed that cushion, obviously since we won by two.”
But his work is not done, and he strives to get a little more comfortable in coach Williams' system and get a little better each day.
“It’s making sure I stay consistent every day,” Marble said. “Making sure I contribute and get one percent better. Like Buzz and everybody else says, get one percent better every day as a person and a player. I think that’s what has contributed to my success lately.”
Next up for Marble and the Aggies are the Kentucky Wildcats in Lexington. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on ESPN.
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