Texas A&M's Manny Obaseki Medically Cleared to Return Before SEC Tournament

Texas A&M men's basketball will be getting back a pivotal component to its offense just before the start of the SEC Tournament.

According to CBS Sports, guard Manny Obaseki has been medically cleared to play. Obaseki has been out since the Aggies' SEC season opener against Florida back in January.

The 6-4, 189-pound shooting guard was a viable depth piece off the bench during non-conference play, averaging 16.9 minutes and 6.9 points in 14 games. He also shot 45.8 percent from the floor and 41.7 percent from 3-point range prior to suffering an injury in his right index finger.

The No. 24 Aggies (21-8, 13-3 SEC) will need every piece of their roster at full strength before the SEC Tournament begins next week in Nashville at Bridgestone Arena. That was evident in A&M's 69-62 road loss to Mississippi State on Saturday. A&M only shot 39.5 percent from the field and did not score a point for 13 consecutive minutes in the second half following an Andre Gordon 3-point with 14:09 remaining.

“There weren’t enough quality possessions,” A&M coach Buzz Williams said on his postgame radio show. “If you’re only going to shoot 43 balls because you turn it over 16 times, and you only get eight offensive rebounds, you’re going to play from behind.”

Texas A&M's Manny Obaseki (hand) is fully cleared for all basketball related activities, per a school spokesman. Hasn't played since 1/4, but has recently been in uniform. Averages 6.9 PPG.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) February 28, 2023

A&M remains in the heat of not just an SEC regular season title, but also in the hunt for a better seed in next month's NCAA Tournament. The Aggies travel to Oxford on Tuesday to face Ole Miss before returning to Reed Arena for their season finale against No. 2 Alabama on Saturday.

One part of the equation is easy. The other is out of A&M's control. Should the Crimson Tide win Wednesday against Auburn, they will clinch the No. 1 seed in the SEC Tournament. If they lose, the Aggies would have a shot to grab the top spot with a win on Saturday.

In the latest edition of ESPN's Joe Lunardi's bracketology, the Aggies are the No. 8 seed in the South Region. They are projected to play No. 9 seed Illinois, with the winner taking on likely No. 1 seed Houston in the Round of 32.

Tip-off from Oxford is set for 8 p.m.

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