Texas A&M Freshman Josh Irving Could Cash In On Cade Phillips Injury

Texas A&M basketball might have discovered another valuable piece of its frontcourt rotation, and freshman Josh Irving could get an opportunity to prove himself sooner than expected.

With forward Cade Phillips dealing with a right knee injury, the 6-11 Irving is suddenly a player worth watching as the unbeaten Aggies prepare to host Oklahoma State on Thursday.

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Irving hasn't needed many minutes to make an impression.

The freshman delivered eight points, five rebounds and a blocked shot in just 13 minutes during Monday's 108-67 victory over Louisiana-Monroe.

He connected on all three of his field-goal attempts, continuing an encouraging start to his college career.

His improvement has been noticeable.

Irving opened the season with two points and two rebounds in seven minutes against Alabama State.

He followed that performance with four points, two rebounds and a block in 10 minutes against Northern Kentucky.

Through three appearances, Irving is averaging 4.7 points, three rebounds and one block while playing approximately 10 minutes per game.

Those aren't eye-popping numbers, but his production relative to playing time suggests there's more to explore.

Texas A&M coach Bucky McMillan has already noticed.

"It was good to see guys like Josh and Neiko get double-digit minutes and make the most out of those minutes," McMillan said following Monday's victory.

Now the question is whether Irving can translate that production into a meaningful role against stronger competition.

Phillips, a Tennessee transfer, suffered his injury early in the second half against Louisiana-Monroe when an opposing player rolled into his right knee while both players pursued a loose ball.

Phillips left the game and later returned to the bench with ice on his knee.

"Right now, the prognosis is not bad, but he'll have it imaged tomorrow and we'll know for sure," McMillan said.

Phillips was considered questionable for Thursday's matchup, although additional testing could provide more clarity about his availability.

Losing Phillips would create a challenge for the Aggies, particularly in rebounding and interior defense.

Junior Jamie Vinson is another candidate for additional responsibilities, but Irving's development offers McMillan an intriguing alternative.

The timing matters.

Texas A&M is 3-0 after scoring at least 100 points in consecutive games, but Oklahoma State presents a considerably tougher assignment than the Aggies' opening opponents.

The Cowboys enter Thursday's matchup at 2-0 and defeated Texas A&M 87-63 last season.

Irving won't be expected to replace everything Phillips provides. Still, his size, efficiency and shot-blocking potential could help stabilize the frontcourt if additional minutes become necessary.

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For a freshman still finding his footing, Thursday could provide his first meaningful test against power-conference competition.

The Aggies host Oklahoma State at Reed Arena on Thursday at 7 p.m. CT. The game will stream on SEC Net