A Selection Sunday To Remember As Texas A&M Begins Quest To Final Four
In this story:
Texas A&M men's basketball coach Buzz Williams called Sunday's selection process "raw," even though he's been here before during his stints at Marquette, Virginia Tech, and of course the Aggies.
“That was my 10th selection show as a head coach," said Williams Monday following A&M securing a spot in the NCAA Tournament "Not that I don’t remember the last nine, but that was more real, more emotional, more raw than the previous nine.”
The No. 9-seed Aggies will face off against the No. 8-seed Nebraksa in Memphis. Tenn., toward the hunt to reach the Round of 32. After that, it only gets more challenging since the winner will likely face off against the region's top seed Houston.
The path to the Round of 68 came with a scare. A&M (20-14, 9-9 SEC) bested Ole Miss and Kentucky to secure a spot in the SEC semifinals at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. But after a five-point loss to Florida Saturday afternoon, the Aggies' future remained murky.
© Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK
“(A&M players) knew when we went to Nashville, we weren’t in the Tournament,” Williams said. “And they knew two years ago they went to the (SEC) championship game and didn’t go to the Tournament.
“We watched the selection show with (long-time CBS host) Greg Gumble in Tampa, and nobody’s name was called."
It actually had nothing to do with the tournament, especially following Mississippi State's selection after entering Nashville as a No. 9 seed. Still, the Bulldogs were riding high entering February, winning six out of eight to build a cushion toward their overall record.
On the flip side, the Aggies had dropped five straight after picking up arguably their biggest win of the season over then-No. 6 Tennessee on Feb. 10. Even after a five-game win streak to end the year, A&M was waiting on bated breath to see if its regular season woes would hurt its postseason poise.
Williams and the players sat and waited at “Big Shots” as the bracket slowly unveiled the 68 teams making the transition. They didn't care where they would travel, what time was tip-off, or who were the future opponents. All that mattered was that A&M would have a chance to win a title.
"When it goes to commercial break, nobody is talking because nobody knows what to say," said Williams.
For the second consecutive season, A&M will face off against a Big Ten program for more than likely a chance to take on another team from the state of Texas. Last year, the Aggies lost 76-59 to Penn State after Andrew Funk went 8-of-10 from the 3-point line. As a roster, the Nittany Lions lived downtown, making 59.1 percent from behind the arc en route to facing Texas for a shot at the Sweet 16.
This time around, the Aggies will be playing for more than pride. For players like Tyrece "Boots" Radford, it's a final chance to represent the university before his next chapter in life.
For players like Jace Carter, a transfer from Illinois-Chicago, it's a moment to serve as the hero of March, like countless other faces who went on to cement their legacy in the tournament's madness.
“I was overcome with emotions," said sophomore guard Manny Okbaseki. "I was so happy. It’s kind of hard for me to put into words.”
The journey begins in Memphis against the Huskers starting Friday night just before 6 p.m. From there, the Aggies control their own destiny on the way to Arizona for the Final Four.
But for the time being, A&M will celebrate. For Williams, the memory will linger as the emotions harden.
“A lot of gratefulness. A lot of joy," said the Aggies coach. "When you do something really, really hard and you don’t know if it’s enough.”