Texas A&M Survives LSU in Final Minute To Secure First SEC Win

The Texas A&M Aggies and LSU Tigers were in a tight game for the entire game, as it was a fight until the final minutes in the first SEC game of the season for both teams.

Entering the night, the Aggies were without one of their biggest stars, Forward Mackenzie Mgbako, while the Tigers were without F Jalen Reed and guard Dedan Thomas Jr., so both teams were short players who have impacted both teams.

At the end of the game, A&M wrapped up the afternoon shooting 42 percent from the field, 29 percent from downtown, and finishing with 29 bench points. Graduate Rashaun Agee led the scoring with 15 points, as the defense held off LSU enough.

Aggies vs Tigers Recap

Tigers met Bucky Ball 👍#GigEm | @optimum pic.twitter.com/PXEW1Kz40P
— Texas A&M Basketball (@aggiembk) January 3, 2026

From the opening tip, the environment was electric as the 12th Man showed up for a Saturday afternoon basketball game. LSU began the scoring by getting junior F Mike Nwoko going with a layup, which was the only lead LSU had until there was 1:28 left in the first half.

One of A&M’s best guards, graduate Marcus Hill, got on the board first with back-to-back layups before graduate Rashaun Agee knocked down a pair of free throws to open A&M’s offensive game on a 6-0 run. Before the first media timeout, North Alabama transfer Jacari Lane fueled the team more with a fastbreak opportunity with a layup off the glass.

Another run happened when the outstanding shooter from Spain, Ruben Dominguez, hit a 3-pointer, followed by an Ali Dibba three from deep when Zach Clemence stepped up off the bench with a mid-range jumper for his first points of the afternoon.

More action kicked off another thrilling few minutes, with Austin, Texas, native Jamie Vinson throwing down a massive dunk before Texas Tech transfer Federiko Federiko slammed one home himself. Another chance by Dibba got A&M to score six straight points.

The Aggies’ defense slightly slowed down after that as Nwoko and G Max McKinnon began to heat up to wake up the Tigers’ offense with five straight points.

Getting to the charity stripe was part of the way LSU climbed back into the game as free throws were nailed by F Marquel Sutton and Nwoko, along with a layup to get the game within two points at 27-25.

LSU took the lead, 34-31, after Mackinnon made five of seven from three and the charity stripe, finishing the half with 13. To prevent the tie going to the locker room, senior G Rylan Griffen and Dominguez canned a three to go up 37-34.

In the second half, the Aggies and Tigers exchanged baskets with Lane scoring in the paint for the 24th point inside to begin. A 9-0 run was generated by Dominguez with nothing but nylon on back-to-back 3-pointers before Hill extended the lead to 50-40 with more free throws and fastbreak opportunities.

During that time, LSU couldn’t record any field goals, going cold for 4:13 before breaking that spell when F Pablo Tamba made a jumper. A&M connected from deep by Dibba before an eruption inside the arena to get the 12th Man on their feet again with a dunk by Agee.

Once again, the Aggies' defense couldn’t settle down after a crazy sequence when the Tigers went on an 8-0 run. run. run over 1:52. A 2:23 scoring drought for the Aggies was broken with a free throw made by Agee. The next five points made by A&M were by Agee. One was to tie it, and the others were to take the lead.

With 1:10 left, A&M clung to a 1-point lead before it came down to making plays, and coach Bucky McMillan's team made more at the line to secure the first SEC win of the season, 75-72.