Texas A&M (25-9, 15-3 SEC) has finally made it back to the NCAA Tournament after one of their best, and most memorable seasons to date, earning their first bid to the Big Dance since the 2018 season, and first time under Head coach Buzz Williams.
Projected as a 5-seed by numerous bracket analytics-based websites while holding an all-important NET ranking of 19 just how before the Selection Show aired, the Aggies were selected as a seven seed in the Midwest Region of the bracket in Des Moines, Iowa, and will face the 10-seed Penn State Nittany Lions on Thursday at 8:55 p.m. CT, which will air on TBS.
On Monday, the Aggies found themselves among the Top 20 teams in the country in the final AP and USA TODAY Coaches poll, ranked 17th and rising one spot from a week ago in both polls. Yep, a team ranked 17th in the country is definitely a seven-seed in the Tournament, no doubt about it…
Aside from going down the conspiracy theory road, Buzz Williams’ relationship with the Selection Committee has been volatile since last season’s press conference just days after the Aggies were snubbed from the tournament after their incredible run in the SEC Tournament. William’s most notable quote criticized the general makeup of the selection process from a statistical perspective.
“The process is obviously flawed, and it is apparent that there is way more included that is unseen and unknown in the selection of the 36 at-large teams… Until there is complete transparency and accountability, the system will stay broken.”
What’s done is done, and while the seeding may be borderline ridiculous, Texas A&M is back in the NCAA Tournament with a chance to continue what has already been a special season, and who knows, maybe the journey is far from over. Gig ‘Em, and BTHO Penn State.
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