In a gesture that surprised nearly everyone and reduced the person in the spotlight to tears, the Aggies hung Taylor's 4 in the Reed Arena rafters immediately after A&M stunned No. 1 Auburn 83-72 -- the first win over a top-ranked team in program history.

"It wasn't always appropriate in my belief in (immediately hanging Taylor's jersey in the rafters), to be honest, and so I'm thankful," coach Buzz Williams said after the game. "I think (Taylor)'s impact on our program in his four years has been distinct. I think who he is on and off the floor represents all of the things that this institution is about."

Williams' comment about Taylor's impact is not an overstatement. Taylor will likely become the program's all-time scoring leader against LSU Saturday, as he only needs nine points to pass Bernard King. He is a two-time first-team All-SEC selection (a third selection is likely), a preseason SEC player of the year and holder of seven school records already. He is likely to hold another at the end of the LSU game: the highest free throw conversion percentage in program history.

"Wade is a special player. He displays it day in and day out," said guard Zhuric Phelps, who competed against Taylor in high school and the AAU circuit before becoming his teammate this season. "I wasn't surprised to see his jersey up in the rafters. Nobody does it like him."

Williams, who thanked athletic director Trev Alberts and the university leadership for signing off on the jersey ceremony, said every effort was made to keep the number of people in the know about it to a minimum.

"Our kids didn't know about it," he said.

Taylor certainly didn't know about it, as he burst into tears as his teammates figured out what was happening and began pointing to the rafters. His sobs were audible as he hugged his parents, who were on the court for the ceremony.

“That was a special moment,” Taylor said. “I will never forget it. It really hasn’t hit me yet, so I kind of don’t know how I’m feeling right now, but I’m extremely grateful.”

During his comments on the court, Williams praised Taylor for his loyalty and leadership, something his teammates echoed.

"He's the captain of the ship," Phelps said. "We can't do it without him."

Forward Andersson Garcia, who had a memorable night of his own (a double-double with 11 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and a block), agreed.

"I'm going to tell my grandkids I used to rebound the ball for Wade Taylor," he said.

Perhaps the biggest praise of all came from someone who sees Taylor less frequently than his coaches or teammates, but respects his impact on the game all the same.

"I'll be glad when he's gone," Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. “It’s been an honor to compete against him."