Category: News & Notes

Instant reaction to Texas A&M basketball’s thrilling 80-78 win over Oklahoma

Texas A&M completes massive comeback win over Oklahoma to extend their win streak to nine

Texas A&M (11-2, 2-0) erases an 18-point deficit to beat No. 17 Oklahoma (13-2, 0-2), stealing a conference road win.

Throughout a significant portion of the first half, the Aggies appeared disjointed, struggling to make baskets, while the Sooners found themselves unable to miss a shot.

A&M’s basic defense allowed the Sooners to create several open three-point opportunities, provided they passed the ball to the right player. Oklahoma carried out this strategy flawlessly, achieving an astounding 56.3% shooting accuracy and sinking nine shots from beyond the arc, led by a career performance from Sooners guard Brycen Goodine, who went 9-11 from beyond the arc for 34 points.

However, despite their struggles, A&M was only down nine with their leading scorer Wade Taylor out of the game. To open the second half, it wasn’t much better, with the Sooners pushing the lead to 14 with 13 minutes left in the game. A turnover by Oklahoma led to a big three-pointer by Zhuric Phelps, who proceeded to take the game over and slowly chip away at the lead.

With about five minutes remaining, another turnover by OU allowed Hayden Hefner to assist Solomon Washington for an impressive dunk, giving them their first lead early in the first half.

The game turned into a seesaw contest, culminating in Phelps having to commit a foul with less than 30 seconds remaining. Oklahoma missed the subsequent free throw, and Washington passed the ball to Phelps, who then made a crucial step back three-pointer to elevate the Aggies ahead two.

In the final possession of the game, Oklahoma committed an offensive foul and lost the game 80-78.

GAME NOTES:

  • Zhuric Phelps 34 points (Career High) / 6 three pointers
  • Texas A&M defense forced 18 turnovers grabbed 17 offensive rebounds
  • 44.3% FG / 39.1% 3PT / 77.3% FT

Texas A&M will host the No. 5 Alabama at Reed Arena on Jan. 11 at 7:00 p.m. CST. The game can be watched on ESPN

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1.

Texas A&M DL Shemar Stewart accepts the invite for the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl

Texas A&M DL Shemar Stewart is headed to Alabama to take part in the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl

The 2025 NFL draft is a few months away and players are finding ways to increase their draft stock. One of the biggest platforms will be Reese’s Senior Bowl which will take place in early February in Mobile, Alabama.

It’s been confirmed that Texas A&M junior defensive lineman Shemar Stewart has accepted the invite to participate in the week-long event at the Hancock Whitney Stadium from January 28 through February 1.

Stewart has been a mainstay for the Aggies and had his most productive season in the Maroon & White with 31 tackles with 1.5 sacks. He routinely gets in the backfield causing havoc and even blocked a few punts. This is a great opportunity for him to catch some eyes for the draft in a few months.

The Reese’s Senior Bowl is widely regarded as the preeminent college football all-star game and the first stage in the NFL Draft process. The longest continual-running all-star game has taken place in Mobile, Alabama the past 76 years.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.

Texas A&M DL Nic Scourton accecpts the invite for the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl

Bryan-College Station native Nic Scourton is headed to the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl

The 2025 NFL draft is a few months away and players are finding ways to increase their draft stock. One of the biggest platforms will be Reese’s Senior Bowl which will take place in early February in Mobile, Alabama.

It’s been confirmed that Texas A&M junior defensive lineman Nic Scourton has accepted the invite to participate in the week-long event at the Hancock Whitney Stadium from January 28 through February 1.

Scourton came to A&M has one of the top DL transfers in the country and fulfilled a dream of being able to play college football in front of his hometown. He also wanted to show that he could compete in the SEC, and he proved that he did belong. His numbers do not jump off the page with only 37 tackles with five sacks but at 6’4″ 285lbs, he will be an intriguing prospect at the next level.

The Reese’s Senior Bowl is widely regarded as the preeminent college football all-star game and the first stage in the NFL Draft process. The longest continual-running all-star game has taken place in Mobile, Alabama the past 76 years.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.

Texas A&M HC Buzz Williams and Jace Carter speak ahead of facing Oklahoma

“it’s the awareness of our group that that’s the recipe that we have to follow” Buzz Williams knows his team and they embrace who they are

The Texas A&M Aggie basketball team (12-2) has an identity, and it’s not always pretty, but it has them ranked in the top 10 in college basketball.

This experienced team has encountered almost every situation, proving that returning to their style of basketball brings success.

It’s almost impossible to go undefeated, and they will have to deal with those when they come. Coach Buzz routinely talks about how they are not the most talented cast across the board, but their acceptance of that makes them successful.

“We don’t have the best players we don’t have the best coaches but I think collectively that we’re aware of our limitations and accept those limitations”

“… I know that we’re probably going to have to try to bend the game or the possession in a way that at least gives us a 50/50 chance”

Jace Carter exemplifies this perfectly. When he moved to A&M last season, he was known as a dependable defender capable of hitting three-point shots. However, he faced challenges in finding his rhythm, which led to the addition of CJ Wilcher during the offseason. Rather than transferring, he persevered and developed into a reliable defender for his team.

“I don’t feel like we’re the prettiest team in the world uh we know play pretty but you know we we’re ranked the way we’re ranked, and our record is the way it is because of that that’s our identity so we don’t shy away from it at all”
Texas A&M will go on the road to face Oklahoma at Lloyd Noble Center on Jan. 8 at 8:00 p.m. CST. The game can be watched on SEC Network.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.

NFL rookie WR Ainias Smith gets first career TD in the final week of the regular season

Ainias Smith started the 2025 year with his first career touchdown in the win over the New York Giants in Week 18

On the final Sunday of the NFL regular season, two All-Time favorite Texas A&M receivers hit important milestones in their career. In the twilight of his career, Mike Evans reached 1,000 yards for the 11th straight season, and rookie Philadelphia Eagles Ainias Smith recorded his first NFL touchdown.

Smith has only played in five games this season, with his most significant playing time coming in the season’s final game. It was a solid outing, with him catching 4 of 6 targets for 35 yards and a long of 15.

However, at around the minute mark of the first quarter, he hauled in a pass from Tanner McKee for a touchdown you can watch below.

It was nice to see Smith get his time on the field and hit pay dirt before the season ended.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.

De’Von Achane solidifies himself as a top dual threat running back in the NFL

Former Texas A&M speedster has made a name for himself as the top all-purpose back in the NFL

The Miami Dolphins had a mediocre 2024 season and missed the playoffs, ending with Tyreek Hill demanding a trade. However, former Texas A&M running back De’Von Achane was a bright spot.

The second-year pro capped off the season with an 11-carry, 121-yard day in a losing effort, 32-20, to the New York Jets. When Achane entered the league, one of the questions was how his body would hold up in the grind of an NFL season. It was warranted, as he missed six games in his rookie season. Surprisingly, he took over the starting role this season and flourished through 17 games.

While his averages did see a dip, his usage was doubled, with 100 more carries and a whopping 51 additional catches for 1501 yards and 12 touchdowns. His speed and vision ranked him about the best running back in yards after catch and forced miss tackles.

If the Texas A&M star can continue to be healthy and maintain this pace, Achane will be a reliable asset for the Dolphins to rely on for years to come.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.

Texas A&M softball land three players on the preseason Top 100

Softball America names Kennedy, Wooley, and Barbara to their preseason top 100 players list

The excitement around Texas A&M softball is brewing as head coach Trisha Ford enters year three with one of her most complete teams.

With the graduation of several key leaders, such as Rylan Wiggins, Trinity Cannon, and Julia Cottrill, coach Ford knew she had to plug some important holes to stay competitive in the SEC. However, she would not be starting from scratch, bringing back All-American pitch Emily Kennedy and veteran infielder Koko Wooley.

She added the powerful Mac Barbara from San Diego State through the portal and a few promising pitches to help support her ace. In any other conference, the Aggies would probably be at the top of the rankings, but this is the SEC, where softball, hands down, is the toughest in the land.

The saying goes, “Iron sharpens iron,” and A&M is going to have an extremely competitive team led by three Softball America Top 100 players.

The softball team will start the season with a doubleheader on February 6 against Utah State and Purdue at Davis Diamond.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.

Texas A&M football adds Texas native to staff to help boost recruiting efforts

Mike Elko adds elite recruiter to football staff

There are a few things coach Mike Elko wanted to do when we arrived at Texas A&M. First and foremost was to connect strongly with the Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA) and use the transfer portal to bring in proven talent.

It was reported Monday morning by Jason Howell that Ole Miss Assistant Director of Player Personnel, DJ Mann, will be going to the staff at A&M as the Associate Director of Player Personnel. He is no stranger to the state of Texas having been a high school coach for nearly 20 years and serving as a member of the THSCA for just as long.

For, whatever you want to say about Lane Kiffin’s personality or underachievement’s on the football field he can recruit with the best of them. With the help of Mann, the Kiffin had his best year recruiting and landed two of the top 10 transfers out of the portal.

He appeared to confirm the reports via X with the following post.

Good personnel are hard to keep on staff long term and being able to get Mann for at least one season can help pay big dividends going for the next few years.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1.

Where did Texas A&M basketball land in the US LBM Coaches poll after Week 9?

Where did Texas A&M basketball land in the US LBM Coaches poll after Week 9?

Texas A&M (12-2) started SEC play with a bang beating the Texas Longhorns 80-60 at Reed Arena to take the first game in the Lone Star Showdown.

The first Lone Star Showdown on the basketball court since Texas joined the SEC was one to remember for Aggie fans. After an extremely close first half, during which fouls put A&M’s two top scores on the bench, the floodgates opened in the second half.

A&M went on to outscore the Longhorns 43-23 dominating at the rim and played elite defense in front of a deafening crowd at Reed Arena. The college basketball world took notice, and the Maroon & White are starting to be in conversation to compete for a SEC title.

Outside of the top 4, the rankings had a lot of movement, and this should be expected over the next few weeks as the SEC starts to beat up on each other creating conference parity in the top 25.

Below is the most recent US LBM Coaches Top 25 Poll after Week 9:

Ranking Team Record Points Change
1 Tennessee 14-0 765 (21) –
2 Auburn 13-1 749 (10) –
3 Iowa State 12-1 711 –
4 Duke 12-2 670 –
5 Alabama 12-2 651 +1
6 Marquette 13-2 581 +2
7 Kentucky 12-2 560 +4
8 Florida 13-1 529 -3
9 Texas A&M 12-2 488 +3
10 UConn 12-3 461 +3
11 Houston 10-3 454 +3
12 Kansas 10-3 438 -5
13 Mississippi State 13-1 372 +3
14 Michigan State 12-2 350 +1
15 Illinois 11-3 300 +5
16 Oklahoma 13-1 287 -6
17 Oregon 13-2 284 -8
18 Gonzaga 12-4 246 +1
19 Purdue 11-4 228 +3
20 Memphis 12-3 192 +5
21 UCLA 11-3 147 -3
22 Ole Miss 12-2 119 +1
23 West Virginia 11-2 110 +14
24 Michigan 11-3 98 +5
25 Utah State 14-1 73 +5

Schools Dropped Out

No. 17 Cincinnati; No. 21 Baylor; No. 24 Maryland;

Others Receiving Votes

Baylor 49; Cincinnati 38; Pittsburgh 32; San Diego State 25; St. John’s 24; Clemson 10; Maryland 9; Georgia 5; Nebraska 4; Arizona 4; Wisconsin 3; Vanderbilt 3; Indiana 3; UC San Diego 1; Texas Tech 1; Arkansas 1;

Texas A&M will go on the road to face Oklahoma at Lloyd Noble Center on Jan. 8 at 8:00 p.m. CST. The game can be watched on SEC Network.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1.

Where did Texas A&M Basketball land in the AP Top 25 Poll after blowout win over Texas?

The Texas A&M basketball team leaps into the AP Top 25 Poll after big win over the Texas Longhorns

Texas A&M (12-2) started SEC play with a bang after beating the Texas Longhorns 80-60 at Reed Arena to take the first game in the Lone Star Showdown.

The first Lone Star Showdown on the basketball court since Texas joined the SEC was one to remember for Aggie fans. After an extremely close first half, during which fouls put A&M’s two top scores on the bench, the floodgates opened in the second half.

A&M went on to outscore the Longhorns 43-23 dominating at the rim and played elite defense in front of a deafening crowd at Reed Arena. The college basketball world took notice, and the Maroon & White are starting to be in conversation to compete for a SEC title.

Outside of the top 5, the rankings had a lot of movement, and this should be expected over the next few weeks as the SEC starts to beat up on each other creating conference parity in the top 25.

Below is the most recent AP Top 25 Poll after Week 9:

  1. Tennessee 14-0
  2. Auburn 13-1
  3. Iowa State 12-1
  4. Duke 12-2
  5. Alabama 12-2
  6. Kentucky 12-2
  7. Marquette 12-2
  8. Florida 13-1
  9. UConn 12-3
  10. Texas A&M 12-2
  11. Kansas 10-3
  12. Houston 10-3
  13. Illinois 11-3
  14. Mississippi State 13-1
  15. Oregon 13-2
  16. Michigan State 12-2
  17. Oklahoma 13-1
  18. Gonzaga 12-4
  19. Memphis 12-3
  20. Purdue 11-4
  21. West Virginia 11-2
  22. UCLA 11-3
  23. Ole Miss 12-2
  24. Michigan 11-3
  25. Utah State 14-1
Others receiving votes:

Pittsburgh 91, Arkansas 62, Nebraska 62, Baylor 32, Wisconsin 31, St. John’s 27, San Diego St. 26, Cincinnati 22, Clemson 19, Maryland 7, Georgia 6, St. Bonaventure 6, Texas Tech 6, Indiana 6, Missouri 5, Arizona 3, Dayton 1, Georgetown 1, Vanderbilt 1, Xavier 1.

Texas A&M will go on the road to face Oklahoma at Lloyd Noble Center on Jan. 8 at 8:00 p.m. CST. The game can be watched on SEC Network.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1.