Texas A&M Proves Worth Among SEC Contenders With Win Over Auburn
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And here come the Aggies.
Winning in the SEC is one thing. Winning at Neville Arena in Auburn, Ala. is another. So far, Texas A&M has done both in 2023.
Can Arkansas say that? No. Can Florida use that to its advantage? Certainly not. What about Mississippi State, a program many felt was set to turn the corner after an eventual offseason? Close but no cigar, folks.
But Texas A&M can. And with their 79-63 win Wednesday night against the No. 15 Tigers, the Aggies continue to prove they're just not a feel-good story under fourth-year coach Buzz Williams.
A threat in the SEC? Definitely. A dark horse to win it all in Houston come early April? Time will soon tell on that front.
“They played great, and you’ve got to give them credit,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said of the Aggies. “They came in (here) knowing this was a big opportunity, and they played like it.”
The Tigers are three years removed from a Final Four appearance in Minneapolis under Pearl. They boasted one of the longest winning streaks at home in NCAA history. Twenty-eight teams since February of 2021 have entered Neville Arena with the intent of silencing the Tigers. All were bounced before the final buzzer with nothing more than a one-way ticket back home.
Not Texas A&M. The Aggies have become Auburn's Achilles' heel on the court, winning four of their last five matchups against Pearl's can't-miss roster. But Wednesday was different.
It was a statement win for a program that's flirted with the idea of making the NCAA Tournament since Williams' arrival back in 2019. Flirting is no longer an option. The Aggies are now all-in on breaking their five-year hiatus from March Madness and are married to the idea of being a threat in the conference long-term.
“The poise and the intensity that we played with mentally, physically and emotionally tonight was, you could argue, as good as it’s been all year,” Williams said postgame.
Tyrece Radford led the Aggies (14-6, 6-1 SEC) with 30 points. Wade Taylor IV made all three of his 3-point attempts in the first half and finished with 15 points on a 6-of-9 shooting performance. Texas A&M tripled Auburn (16-4, 6-2 SEC) 18-6 in points off turnovers and held the Tigers to 42.9 percent from the field, their lowest total since a 76-64 loss to Georgia.
In years past, Texas A&M would fall in the second half of games. A close matchup at halftime would end in turmoil due to fatigue and inexperience. On Wednesday, nothing was close. The Aggies held a 15-point lead entering the locker room and didn't allow the Tigers to draw any closer than eight in the final 20 minutes.
Following a 76-67 at Kentucky on Saturday, fans cooled on the notion that perhaps Texas A&M was a threat to make the NCAA Tournament. By ending the longest win streak in the nation, has that reignited their spark?
“We felt as a staff, even as a team, that the test tonight was going to be the same test that we got against Kentucky,” Williams said on the Aggies' postgame show. “Can we put pressure on the rim on both sides of the ball? The real score will be determined by offensive rebounds and defensive rebounds.
"There was great symmetry and connectedness in the ebb and flow of the game. I thought we took a step in a very positive way relative to our maturity.”
The season is far from finished. Texas A&M might garner AP poll recognition should it win at Reed Arena Saturday against Vanderbilt, but national? Another top-25 victory might have to occur before the bigwigs add the program's rise to their rundowns.
There's a reason for optimism. The Aggies will have a rematch against the Tigers on Feb. 7 at home. They still must face No. 4 Tennessee on Feb. 21 and No. 2 Alabama to close out the season. Not to mention, there are still games against LSU, Arkansas, and Missouri left on the docket before the SEC Tournament in Nashville come Mar. 8.
No, the Aggies are not a lock to make the tournament. A team with the juice? Without question. One with the momentum entering a long stint at home? Yes indeed.
With a win against the Tigers, Texas A&M continues to prove it means business.
Here come the Aggies. Just like we all thought.
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