Tag: Texas Aggies Basketball

Texas A&M has made the 2024 NCAA Tournament as a 9-seed facing the 8-seed Nebraska Cornhuskers

Texas A&M has made the 2024 NCAA Tournament as a 9-seed facing the 8-seed Nebraska Cornhuskers!

The Aggies have made it! Texas A&M (20-14, 9-9 SEC) has been selected as a 9-seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, taking on the 8-seed Nebraska Cornhuskers on Friday, March 22, at an unspecified time in Memphis, Tennessee, in the South Region of the 68-team bracket.

This is certainly a sigh of relief for an Aggie squad that dealt with a host of trials and tribulations during the regular season, led by the absence of senior forward Julius Marble and veteran guard Tyrece Radfords’ early season injury issues. After losing five games in a row at the tail end of February, the Aggies found their stride behind the surprise play of junior guard Manny Obaseki, who has scored 106 points in A&M’s last five games.

Winning five in a row to end the year, including an all-important SEC Tournament win over Kentucky, the Aggies all but secured their spot in the tournament and should be very relieved on Sunday night.

Nebraska, who finished the year with 23 wins, its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2014, and first under head coach Fred Hoiberg, the irony is not lost as A&M recently hired former Nebraska Athletic Director Trev Alberts. Hence, the selection committee certainly has jokes up their collective sleeves.

Is Texas A&M’s 9-seed a surprise? Not at all, as the Aggies’ seven Quad 1 wins and 13-10 Quad 1 & Quad 2 record were more than enough to earn this team an at-large bid.

Texas A&M will take on Nebraska in Memphis, Tennesee, on Friday, March 23. The game will air on TNT at 5:50 p.m. CT.

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Texas A&M forward Andersson Garcia has set a new program record

After Texas A&M’s loss to Florida in the SEC Tournament, Andersson Garcia has now set a new program rebounding record

Texas A&M (20-14, 9-9 SEC) may have lost to Florida in the SEC Tournament Semifinals, but the season isn’t over, no matter what happens on Selection Sunday regarding the Aggies’ NCAA Tournament chances.

Looking at the strides, this team has made throughout the year, outside of junior guard Wade Taylor IV, senior forward Andersson Garcia’s incredible rebounding ability and defensive instincts have heavily enhanced his NBA playing future.

Garcia has averaged 9.4 rebounds per game this season while accumulating a mind-blowing 320 rebounds from the start of the regular season to Saturday’s loss to Florida. Even more impressive, Garcia is second in the country in offensive rebounds, averaging 4.5, just below Purdue center Zach Edey’s 4.6 per contest/

On Saturday, Garcia grabbed seven rebounds against the Gators. With this number, the senior has now passed former Texas A&M Forward Claude Riley’s 317 rebounds during the 1981-82 season.

For those who have been paying attention, Andersson Garcia, who stands at just 6-7, plays with consistent intensity and determination, emulating NBA rebounding legend Dennis Rodman, as Aggies head coach Buzz Williams has already dubbed Garcia as the “Dominican Dennis Rodman” while paying homage to his Dominican ancestry.

As someone who has covered Garcia’s ascendance throughout his three-year career with the program, this young man deserves a trip to the NCAA Tournament to continue playing at a high level and further increase his NBA chances.

Congratulations, Andersson!

Selection Sunday will take place at 5:00 p.m. CT. and will air on CBS

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Texas A&M Basketball receives positive news ahead of Selection Sunday

Texas A&M is sitting in favorable position ahead of Selection Sunday due change in the NET rankings

Texas A&M (20-14, 9-9 SEC) did what it had to do this week during the SEC Tournament, winning two games, including a critical victory over the talented Kentucky Wildcats on Friday night, sweeping the season series while earning a seventh Quad 1 win the process.

On paper, the Aggies should be in the NCAA Tournament based on their impressive resume after dealing with plenty of adversity, ranging from veteran guard Tyrece Radford’s early-season injury issues to senior forward Julius Marble’s absence due to an unforeseen internal issue that hindered the front court’s depth.

However, despite his shooting woes last month, star junior guard Wade Taylor IV has been spectacular, averaging nearly 19 points per game while scoring 62 points in A&M’s last two games, including 12 3-pointers. Adding another dimension to the offense, junior guard Manny Obaseki has been a revelation after barely seeing the court, scoring 106 points in the last five games while earning a much-deserved starting spot.

With all that said, how secure are the Aggie’s chances of earning a tournament bid? Well, thanks to GigEm247’s Carter Karels, Texas A&M’s NET Ranking only dropped three spots from 42nd to 45th, holding a 13-10 Quad 1 & Quad 2 record, and most importantly, the Aggies’ once 5th Quad 3 loss to Memphis back in December has changed back to a Quad 2 loss.

While some believe the selection committee has already made up its mind, leaving a team with seven Quad 1 wins, only 10 teams have more than the Maroon & White.

Oh, and for what it’s worth, Texas A&M is listed as the first team in the “First Four Byes” in Joe Lunardi’s final bracket.

Selection Sunday will take place at 5:00 p.m. CT. and will air on CBS

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Texas A&M Basketball will find out it’s NCAA Tournament fate on Sunday afternoon

After falling to Florida in the SEC Tournament Semifinals, Texas A&M will now have to wait to find out its NCAA Tournament standing.

Texas A&M’s (20-14, 9-9 SEC) SEC Tournament run ended disappointing at the hands of the hot-shooting Florida Gators in the Semifinals, falling 95-90. With the loss, the Aggies will now head back to College Station to await their NCAA Tournament future, which is still unclear according to several Bracketologists.

Using the eye test, the Aggies definitely look like a tournament team after winning five in a row before falling to the Gators, including Friday’s significant 97-87. Star junior point guard Wade Taylor IV scored 62 points in the last two games, while guards Tyrece Radford and the rise of junior guard Manny Obaseki have been nothing short of season-saving.

On paper, Texas A&M’s resume speaks for itself, ending the year with the 21st-ranked strength of schedule, including seven all-important Quad 1 wins and a 13-8 Quad 1 & Quad 2 record. With wins against Florida, Tennessee, Iowa State (neutral court), and two wins over Kentucky, it’s hard to envision a 68-team field without the Maroon & White.

However, just like two seasons ago, nothing is certain, and even though ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi has officially placed A&M in the field and off the bubble as of Saturday night, his prediction is just that: a prediction.

Slated to earn as high as a 10-seed and as low as an 11 or 12-seed, this team will be ready for the challenge and has the playmakers to make some noise in March if invited.

Selection Sunday will take place at 5:00 p.m. CT. and will air on CBS

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Texas A&M Basketball receives new NCAA Tournament first round matchup prediction

According to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, Texas A&M is a predicted 10-seed to face the 7-seed Utah State Aggies in the first round

Texas A&M (20-13) has reignited what was once a lost season during the Aggies’ dismal five-game losing streak. The Aggies reeled off three wins in a row to end the regular season while adding two more significant victories this week during the SEC Tournament.

After defeating 2-seed Kentucky 97-87 on Friday night, the Aggies are back in the NCAA Tournament field, according to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi. While defeating Florida in the SEC Tournament Semifinals on Saturday afternoon would further cement their seeding, last night’s victory over the Wildcats likely sealed their standing, listed as the second team in the “Last Four Byes” section of Lunardi’s bracket.

Looking ahead to Selection Sunday, a lot can still happen, but with A&M tentatively off the “Last Four In” line, Lunardi has now predicted the Aggies have a 10-seed facing the 7-seed Utah State Aggies, who last face each other in the NCAA Tournament back on March 19, 2010, resulting in a 69-53 Texas A&M win.

Due to the recent success of double-digit seeds making it through the tournament’s first two rounds, I doubt that this scrappy and physical squad wouldn’t thrive in the underdog role if given the chance.

7-seed Texas A&M will face 6-seed Florida on Saturday, March 16 at 2:30 CT. The game will air on ESPN. If the Aggies win, the potential to earn two more all-important Quad 1 victories is in reach, as A&M’s regular season win over the Gators would then elevate from a Quad 2 as they’ll likely move into the Top 30 in the NET rankings.

Post game recap: Texas A&M dominates Kentucky in the SEC Tournament Quarterfinals behind Wade Taylor IV’s 32 points

Texas A&M continues to its hots streak in the SEC Tournament, defeating Kentucky 97-87 behind Wade Taylor’s 32 points.

On Friday night, Texas A&M (20-13) laid the hammer down against the Kentucky Wildcats (23-9) in the SEC Tournament Quarterfinals, defeating the blue-blood program 97-87 behind Wade Taylor IV and Tyrece Radford’s 55 combined points.

In a game where the Aggies knew they were still firmly sitting on the NCAA Tournament bubble, head coach Buzz Williams, combined with every Aggies fan known to man, knew that to keep pace with the elite shooting Wildcats, littered with blue-chip talent, A&M’s guard trio of Wade Taylor IV, Tyrece Radford, and Manny Obaseki needed to be borderline elite from the field themselves.

Well, in the first half, that was surprisingly the case, as Taylor, coming off of his 20-point outing vs. Ole Miss in the second round of the SEC tourney on Thursday, was feeling it, scoring a game-high 18 points, including four 3-pointers, A&M shot 50% from deep as Radford delivered 12 first-half points of his own,

Needing players outside of the guard trio to step up, sophomore forward Solomon Washington continued his excellent play from the field. He also contributed from 3-point range (2-3), netting six rebounds and nine points going into halftime. However, despite capitalizing off Kentucky’s mistake, the Wildcats still shot 48% from the field while matching A&M’s 9 assists.

Second Half:

Holding onto a six-point lead, the Aggies completely shifted their offensive flow, slowing the game down to curb the Wildcats’ tempo while attacking the basket at will. Tyrece Radford drove the paint left and right, and Kentucky’s defense failed to defend near the basket.

Kentucky continued to keep the game relatively close, as both teams traded baskets for the first eight or so minutes, building a 67-59 lead behind 21 second-chance points, as the Aggies continued to attack the paint at will. As the lead widened even further, Wade Taylor’s record-setting tournament performance reached its apex, as the junior hit two more wide-open 3-pointers due to the Wildcats’ choice to use zone defense late.

Outside of a couple of short momentum bursts from the boys in blue, A&M, who reached the bonus with more than five minutes remaining, broke nearly every inbound pressure look with Tyrece Radford containing to expose Kentucky’s lack of defensive urgency. Hitting 22-30 from the charity stripe, the Aggies salted the game away as efficiently as head coach Buzz Williams could have hoped, ending Kentucky’s seven-game winning straight while adding to what is now a five-game winning streak for the Maroon & White.

With the win, Texas A&M’s NCAA Tournament hopes look solidified on paper, though nothing is set in stone until Selection Sunday.

Below are the Aggies critical contributors from the game:

Tyrece Radford:  23 points / 7 rebounds

Manny Obaseki:  17 points

Wade Taylor IV:  32 points (SEC Tournament record), 6-14 from 3-point range

Kentucky contributors

Rob Dillingham: 27 points, 5-10 from 3-point range

The Aggies will now play the winner of Alabama vs. Florida in a Semifinal matchup at 2:30 p.m. CT. on Saturday afternoon.

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Texas A&M has reportedly reached out to former Penn guard

It has been reported that Texas A&M has contacted former Penn guard Clark Slajchert through the transfer portal

Texas A&M’s 2023-2024 season is still ongoing. The Aggies are on the cusp of earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament with a favorable showing in this week’s SEC Tournament, starting with a rematch vs. Ole Miss on Thursday night.

However, if A&M fails to make the 68-team field, the NIT is always an option, but focusing on adding productive veterans through the transfer portal is much more palatable for most of the fan base. Already hard at work, On3 has reported that Aggies head coach Buzz Williams has reached out to highly productive former senior Penn guard Clark Slajchert, a California native.

Finishing at a disappointing 11-18 on year the year, the Quakers may have struggled as a team, but Clark Slajchert was tremendous from the field, averaging a team-high 18.0 points per game while shooting an impressive 42% from 3-point range.

Heading into the offseason, nothing is set in stone regarding the Aggies roster, as the departures of Tyrece Radford, Henry Coleman III, and Andersson Garcia are certainly tough; guards Wade Taylor IV, Manny Obaseki, and sophomore forward Solomon Washington are all slated to return with added experience under their belts.

While Williams will likely bank on guard Jace Carter to improve from beyond the arc, adding a proven shooter and ball handler like Slajchert is a no-brainer for a team that finished the regular season shooting an abysmal 27% from three.

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Texas A&M Basketball receives it’s final bracketology update ahead of the SEC Tournament

Ahead of the SEC Tournament this week, Texas A&M has received its final bracketology update via ESPN’s Joe Lunardi.

For Texas A&M (18-13, 9-9 SEC), it’s now or never regarding a post-season appearance that’s not the NIT. This week’s SEC Tournament provides a significant opportunity to earn a spot in the 68-team field in the NCAA Tournament with one or possibly two wins to help solidify the Aggies’ resume.

Despite A&M’s lackluster end of the February slate, losing five games in a row, the Aggies reeled off a three-game winning streak to finish the regular season, as the emergence of junior guard Manny Obaseki has been the momentum boost head coach Buzz Williams had been searching for.

On Tuesday, just two days before A&M’s rematch with Ole Miss, ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi released his final bracket update ahead of every conference tournament this week. He placed the Aggies as the top team in the “First Four Out” section while stating that if A&M were to lose to the Rebels on Thursday night, they would be out of the conversation for a tournament bid.

Sitting at 46th in the NET Rankings with five Quad 1 wins, Texas A&M’s current resume looks to be enough on its face, but defeating Ole Miss looks like a must-win while possibly winning a second game in the tournament against the Kentucky Wildcats in the Quarterfinals is much more realistic.

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Ahead of the SEC Tournament, Texas A&M Basketball has risen in the NET Rankings

Off of a three-game winning streak to end the regular season, Texas A&M has steadily risen in the NET Rankings.

Texas A&M (18-13, 9-9 SEC) ended the regular season on a high note, winning three consecutive SEC games, culminating with a blowout victory on the road vs. Ole Miss to the tune of 86-60.

Facing the Rebels once again in the second round of the SEC Tournament on Thursday, the Aggies received some positive news regarding their NCAA Tournament chances.

Last week, the Aggies were barely in the top 50 of the all-important NET rankings, but after defeating Ole Miss, Texas A&M is now ranked 46th in the NET and will have a chance to move up even more this week.

Outside of the rejuvenation of guard duo Wade Taylor IV and Tyrece Radford, it’s been the stellar play of junior guard Manny Obaseki combined with athletic sophomore forward Solomon Washington, providing an offensive surge and a significant momentum boost.

Going into Thursday’s rematch with the Rebels, the Aggies desperately need a victory to feel at least somewhat safe heading into Selection Sunday. However, multiple tournament analysts say it may take two wins, which would mean a rematch with the red-hot Kentucky Wildcats on Friday night if they prevail over Ole Miss.

No. 7-seed Texas A&M will play the 10-seed Ole Miss Rebels in the SEC tournament on Thursday, March 17, at 6 p.m. CT. The game will air on SEC Network.

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Texas A&M Basketball rises in Joe Lunardi’s newest bracketology update

Texas A&M has finally risen in Joe Lunardi’s bracketology update after reeling off three consecutive wins to end the regular season

Texas A&M (18-13, 9-9 SEC) ended the regular season on the highest of notes, winning three consecutive SEC games, culminating with a blowout victory on the road vs. Ole Miss to the tune of 86-60.

Last week’s slew of performances was a far cry from where this team was late last month, losing five straight games while looking dreadfully below average. Still, changes to the lineup, including elevating guard Manny Obaseki as a key contributor off the bench, have provided a significant spark, as the junior scored 54 points during the Aggie’s win streak.

With the NCAA Tournament committee set to make their selections next Sunday afternoon, the upcoming SEC Tournament is Texas A&M’s last shot at earning a bid, as ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi has now given the program a massive boost within his newest bracket update, as the Aggies have risen from the “next team out” section to the “first four out” category ahead of this weeks tournament.

For those who haven’t been paying attention, this is big news before the Aggies tip off in a rematch with Ole Miss on Thursday night, as another win against the Rebels should be enough to garner a bid. However, if A&M succeeds, they will face red-hot Kentucky in the SEC Quarterfinals, and a potential upset over the Wildcats would more than guarantee a spot among the 68 teams.

No. 7-seed Texas A&M will play the 10-seed Ole Miss Rebels in the SEC tournament on Thursday, March 17, at 6 p.m. CT. The game will air on SEC Network.

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