NCAA Tournament Scouting Report: Penn State Vs. Texas A&M
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Penn State plays its first NCAA Tournament game in 12 years against a team bitter about being left out of the field last season — and the seed it received this year.
Tenth-seeded Penn State plays No. 7 Texas A&M in a Midwest Region game Thursday in Des Moines, marking one of the tournament's most intriguing first-round matchups. To scout the Aggies (25-9), we checked in with Cole Thompson of FanNation's All Aggies site, which has the pulse of Texas A&M.
Thompson covers a variety of topics, including why Aggies' fans believe their team was under-seeded in the tournament.
Question: For Penn State fans, who are the top Aggies to watch, and how would you describe the team’s strengths?
Cole Thompson: Wade Taylor is the leading man and arguably one of the more underrated players in the SEC. He leads the team in points (16.6 per game), assists (4 per game) and steals (1.8 per game). Despite standing only 6-foot, Taylor relies on quickness. That's more than just his speed when driving to the rim for a layup. He’s decisive with his decision-making, never second-guessing himself when it comes to who to target. Over his past six games, Taylor has averaged 3.6 assists per game. He’s also scored at least 12 points.
Keep a close eye on senior guard Dexter Dennis as well. This is the defensive enforcer and the anchor for the Aggies around the rim. A transfer from Wichita State, Dennis is tied with Henry Coleman in rebounds (5.7 per game) and leads the team in blocks (0.6)
Question: Texas A&M fans don’t seem pleased at being a No. 7 seed. What’s the issue there?
Thompson: Fans felt they were scammed out of a top-five seeding. The Aggies finished with 15 wins in conference play, their most since 1923 when they played in the Southwest Conference. They defeated 2022 SEC champs Tennessee and top-ranked Alabama at home during the regular season. A&M also went on a pair of five-game win streaks, something that hasn’t occurred since 2016.
So, why the No. 7 seed? It all comes down to their non-conference schedule. The Aggies went 6-5 to begin the year with a pair of losses to Quad IV teams in Murray State and Wofford. A&M also lost to Colorado, a program that will play in the NIT.
It would be different if the Aggies finished the season unranked in the AP Poll. Instead, their No. 17 ranking is three spots higher than Tennessee (which picked up a No. 4-seed) and unranked Kentucky (which garnered a No. 6-seed). You can blame the non-conference losses and a factor, but it shouldn’t have stopped A&M from finishing with at least a sixth-seeded ranking.
Question: Like Penn State, Texas A&M finished the season strong before losing to a No. 1 seed in its conference tournament. What’s the mood around the team now?
Thompson: A mix of pissed-off and confident, if we’re being real. A&M coach Buzz Williams was adamant last year on the selection process after the Aggies went on a run to the SEC final, only to be left out of the big dance. Once again, he called for clarity regarding the selection process of determining at-large teams, especially those that meet the criteria.
Taylor told reporters that he didn’t care where they were seeded. The Aggies would go toe-to-toe with anybody and think that their chemistry can do most of the heavy lifting. In a sense, he’s not wrong. A&M won 10 of its final 12 games and scored at least 62 points. They also out-rebounded opponents in nine of the 12 matchups and thrived defensively.
Disrespect can carry a team far. So can anger. A&M will likely use both to set the tone against Penn State. And it’s nothing personal against the Nittany Lions. It’s rather a warning shot to the rest of the Midwest Region.
Question: What do the Aggies need to do to win this game?
Thompson: This comes down to efficient shooting. It’s cliche but honestly factual. Few teams in the SEC can match the defensive prowess of A&M, especially inside the paint. Offensively? The Aggies are hit-or-miss.
Part of the reason for their deep-season success came down to consistency. At least three players averaged 10 points per game, while Julius Marble and Dennis were fantastic around the rim. In the two losses to Mississippi State and Alabama, A&M shot under 40 percent from the field and under 35 percent from the 3-point range.
The secret to A&M’s success? Free-throw shooting. The Aggies have attempted and made more free throws than anyone else in the nation. They currently are making 76.2 percent of their shots at the line. If Penn State gets in foul trouble, it might be an easy two for A&M.
Question: How would you gauge the Aggies’ tournament ceiling?
Thompson: Players have made it clear they want to be the team that gets past the Sweet 16. A&M has made it to the tournament's second weekend six times, including twice under Billy Kennedy in 2016 and 2018. The problem in both games was they got off to slow starts and never recovered. In 2016, A&M was down by 19 to Oklahoma at the half en route to a 77-63 loss. Two years later, the Aggies trailed by as much as 28 to Michigan in a 99-72 loss.
Whichever program wins Thursday likely will have a date with second-seeded Texas. Everything's bigger in the Lone Star State, and the chance to beat “big brother” to advance to the Sweet 16 would be the icing on the cake. Should the Aggies beat Penn State and Texas, they’d potentially have a rematch of last year’s NIT final against Xavier. Both teams have their strengths, but A&M might be more battle-tested after holding its own against programs like Auburn, Alabama, and Tennessee during the regular season.
An Elite Eight appearance is plausible. So is a first-round exit. Outside of that, I think that’s where the road ends. No. 1-seed Houston will be a tough out for anyone, and the fact that the Final Four is less than 15 miles from the Fertitta Center only adds more fuel to the Cougars’ fire.
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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.
