Can Aggies Salvage Season Torpedoed By Losing Skid?
What was once such a promising season for Texas A&M dissolved in a span of four weeks? The Aggies burst from the gate 15-2, including 4-0 in the SEC, and had their sights set on a breakthrough campaign under Buzz Williams.
And with No. 12 Kentucky coming to College Station last month, all the makings were there to make a statement before a packed Reed Arena and within the conference. The Aggies were so close.
A pitiful showing from beyond both lines – 3-point and free-throw – doomed Texas A&M in a gritty 64-58 loss to the Wildcats on Jan. 19. Still, that performance appeared to give credence to the hot start and a possible spot back in the NCAA Tournament.
Whoops.
What followed were seven more losses. Some were close (at Arkansas and LSU) and some were downright pathetic (home against South Carolina, LSU, and Missouri).
The drought finally ended Tuesday night, as the Aggies edged Florida 56-55 behind 16 points from Quenton Jackson and a perfect 14-14 showing at the line.
Williams, in his third season at Texas A&M, admitted the losing streak confounded him on many levels.
“I’ve been a college coach 28 years and have never been through what we’ve been through in the last 30 days,” he said after the Florida win. “The resilience and the character of our guys, if you came to practice or came to the film room, you’d have no idea that we had lost eight games in a row and four of those had been one- or two-possession games.”
Maybe so, but his lack of answers during the skids has led to questions whether Buzz is the right man for the job. He’s not immune to the chatter and disappointment, even at a football school.
“It’s a thin line between winning and losing,” Williams added. “Very thankful for the win not because we won, but because I think our guys deserve it, relative to how hard they’ve worked, including the staff over the last month through all that’s transpired.”
Sitting at 16-10 and 5-8 in the SEC with a trip to Vanderbilt coming Saturday, the Aggies have waved goodbye to any NCAA hopes. Williams knows it, as he seems to know his team’s faults.
While heaping praise on his players’ efforts, Williams pointed out his own shortcomings in recruiting and coaching strategy. If he truly believes he’s “not a good recruiter,” as he said Tuesday night, that’s a big issue going forward.
Williams, likely, was being dramatic. Not winning since Jan. 15 tends to put the hyperbole machine in overdrive.
The finishing stretch for the Aggies isn’t overly daunting. Outside of a road game at No. 25 Alabama, the other four games are winnable. But considering what’s happened since that 4-0 league start, they’re losable, too.
This season won’t be a breakthrough success for Williams, but any wins are welcome at this point. Slipping past the Gators was a start.
“It for sure felt different,” Jackson said. “It felt good to get out of that hole.”
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