Texas A&M Aggies Collapse in Crushing Loss to Michigan at NCAA Tournament

The Texas A&M Aggies have failed to reach the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament after a heartbreaking loss to the Michigan Wolverines.

Mar 22, 2025; Denver, CO, USA; Texas A&M Aggies guard Zhuric Phelps (1) reacts after the game against the Michigan Wolverines in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Any hopes of a National Championship for the Texas A&M Aggies ended in heartbreaking fashion Saturday night in Denver.

Despite a career-high 26 points for Pharrel Payne, Texas A&M blew a 10-point lead in the second half as the Michigan Wolverines stormed back for a 91-79 win to advance to the Sweet 16. The Wolverines flipped the game on its head midway through the second half after trailing 60-50, outscoring Texas A&M 44-22 in the final 13 minutes thanks to a career-high 26 points off the bench from Roddy Gayle Jr.

The loss puts an end to the career of Aggies guard Wade Taylor IV, who had his No. 4 jersey retired and became the program's all-time leading scorer this season.

Mar 22, 2025; Denver, CO, USA; Texas A&M Aggies forward Solomon Washington (9) reacts against the Michigan Wolverines during the second half in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

"I want y'all to remember us by how hard we worked and the things we accomplished over the last four to five years," Texas A&M guard Manny Obaseki said, per TexAgs. "The people who played a part in what has transpired weren't by coincidence. It shows you how special Buzz is as a leader."

Taylor IV (14 points, four assists) nearly had a 3-pointer go down with 52 seconds left that would have cut the lead to two but it rattled out, essentially sealing Texas A&M's fate. This came after Michigan point guard Tre Donaldson (eight points, six rebounds) hit a falling layup to put the Wolverines up five with 59 seconds remaining.

Michigan took control of the game in the second half after Texas A&M had led for a majority of the night. Gayle Jr. caught fire, scoring 12 straight points for the Wolverines, eventually giving them their first lead of the second half with a pair of free throws at the 6:08 mark.

The Wolverines beat Texas A&M at its own game, using the frontcourt dominance of Vladislav Goldin (23 points, 12 rebounds) and Danny Wolf (14 points, nine rebounds) to out-rebound the Aggies, 48-39. Michigan also got 11 points off the bench from L.J. Cason along with seven points and seven rebounds from Rubin Jones.

Texas A&M will now head into a huge offseason for the program, as a new era is set to take over in College Station. The Aggies have established themselves as an elite program moving forward, keeping the expectations high for head coach Buzz Williams and co.