Texas A&M (15-10, 6-6 SEC) may be reeling from a two-game losing streak in conference play, but for Aggies fans who feel the team has regressed completely, this is just part of the chaotic journey towards earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament.
With six games remaining in the regular season, finishing 3-3, 4-2, or better is realistically in reach, barring a complete meltdown. As we’ve seen throughout SEC play and the last two seasons under head coach Buzz Williams, this team will not lack motivation when a second consecutive trip to the Big Dance is on the line.
Texas A&M’s record may be ugly this season, but there’s more to the story. Still, after enduring one of the toughest nonconference slates, including a neutral court win over No. 10 Iowa State, the Aggies earned five Quad 1 victories after defeating then-No. 6-ranked Tennessee last Saturday, and as of Sunday morning, A&M’s Feb. 3 win over Florida has now turned into another Quad 1 win, making six on the season for the Maroon & White.
Looking back to last season, when the Aggies finished 15-3 for a second-place finish in the SEC, A&M received a surprising 7-seed in the tournament due to a soft nonconference schedule and a lack of Quad 1 victories in the NET rankings. With Sunday’s news, the Aggies are one of ten teams in the country with six Quad 1 wins, making their NCAA Tournament dreams much more attainable, coupled with a solid finish to end the season.
Texas A&M will host Arkansas inside Reed Arena on Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 6:00 p.m. CT. The game will air on ESPN.
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