Slumping Texas A&M Loses 4th in a Row: ‘Season Starts Monday’

Texas A&M head coach Bucky McMillan calls for a reset after a four-game skid from the Aggies.

Texas A&M Aggies forward Rashaun Agee (12) backs down Vanderbilt Commodores forward Devin McGlockton (99) during the second half at Memorial Gymnasium. | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

It was a hard-fought loss for the Texas A&M men’s basketball team, but amid their four-game losing streak, that has been a hollow consolation for the Aggies. They fell to the No. 19 Vanderbilt Commodores, 82–69, and the skid continues to derail a strong start to the season.

Texas A&M head coach Bucky McMillan understands that it would not have been easy to win at Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, Tenn. “By all the metrics, [it] would have been the biggest upset we had all year,” he said after the game in a radio interview.

However, the Aggies have gone from the SEC lead to eyeing the NCAA Tournament bubble. McMillan is calling for the team to reset with six games left in the regular season.

Bucky McMillan Calls for Texas A&M Mental Reset

Texas A&M Aggies forward Zach Clemence (7) drives to the basket past Vanderbilt Commodores forward AK Okereke (10) during the first half at Memorial Gymnasium. | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

McMillan knew the Aggies were fighting an uphill battle to win on the road against Vanderbilt. The Commodores have emerged as one of the surprise teams this season. They have played their way into the top 25 and are eyeing a strong seed line in March Madness.

“So, it wasn’t like we blew a game, but to win a game like that, you're going to really have to shoot that thing really good and play really good and finish really well, and you can't be out–free–throwed that bad,” McMillan said.

This has been the case over the Aggies’ four-game losing streak. Texas A&M has shot 41.6% from the field and 35.4% from deep, while opponents have shot 47.1% from the field over this stretch. The lack of length has also been an issue for the Aggies, who have a -31 rebound differential while struggling to defend in the paint.

The losing streak has stung, but McMillan knows the challenge ahead is not about the losses but about the teams in front of them. “The reality of it is, everything's in front of us,” McMillan said. “Season starts Monday. That's the mindset. We got to get back and take care of business because we have some great opportunities.”

Texas A&M Aggies guard Jacari Lane (5) drives to the basket past Vanderbilt Commodores forward Devin McGlockton (99) during the first half at Memorial Gymnasium. | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

With a loss at Alabama, against Florida, against Missouri and at Vanderbilt, the Aggies faced a really difficult stretch of opponents that would define what kind of squad McMillan has this season. They entered the stretch atop the SEC with a 7–1 SEC record. The target has undoubtedly changed since then.

Six games remain on the Aggies’ regular-season schedule. Texas A&M defends its home court against Ole Miss on Wednesday, Feb. 18. When the team returns to College Station, Texas, the goal will be to take the rest of the season one game at a time.

“We just got to get back and play well here down the stretch,” McMillan said. “… We've gone through a pretty tough stretch here of really good teams. … We got some good teams ahead of us, but like I said, this would have been one you needed an A+ game in. That's not every game, right? But we got to get back and and do what we got to do, particularly when we get back home.”

The Aggies will close out their season with home games against Ole Miss, Texas and Kentucky and road contests with Oklahoma, Arkansas and LSU. Several opportunities remain for statement wins, and a strong finish will be critical ahead of the SEC Tournament.