Texas A&M (21-8, 13-3 SEC) dropped their first game in nearly a month after going on the road to face Mississippi State (19-10, 7-9 SEC), losing 69-62 after Head coach Chris Jans unleashed a defensive clinic in the second half, as the Aggies’ failed to hit a shot from the field in nearly 13 minutes of play, while the Bulldog’s scored 34 points in the paint to earn their fourth Quad 1 win this season to further bolster their NCAA Tournament hopes.
Aside from sophomore guard Wade Taylor IV’s 21-point outing, Henry Coleman III and reserve forward Andersson Garcia both scored 11 points in what was their first offensive showing all season and looked to be a very tired, and potentially emotionally drained performance on defense after defeating the 11th-ranked Tennesee Vols Tuesday night.
With the loss, Texas A&M is still safely in the NCAA Tournament, yet are now on the outside looking in for the SEC regular season title, needing to defeat Ole Miss on Tuesday night, combined with an Auburn victory against the Crimson Tide the following Wednesday to keep in contention.
After the game, USA TODAY Sports Photographers’ captured some of the best images from the heated matchup inside Humphrey Coliseum, and we’re glad to share the photos with you!