NCAA Basketball: Duke, Arizona, Texas rise in latest top 25 power ranking
By Joey Loose
16. Texas A&M (25-8)
While their nonconference season was quite unimpressive, Texas A&M has really turned things on in recent months against their SEC foes and now sit in a uniquely satisfying position. The Aggies were one of the teams whose bubble burst on Selection Sunday last season but that won’t be the case this year after a 15-3 run through conference play.
The 2-seed in the SEC Tournament, they took care of business in the quarterfinals with a 67-61 win over Arkansas. Wade Taylor IV continued his great season with an 18-point effort while Henry Coleman III had 16 points and 11 rebounds. The Aggies performed even more impressively in the semifinals, building a huge first-half lead and holding on for an 87-75 win against Vanderbilt, likely popping the Commodores’ bubble. Taylor had an efficient 25 points, Tyrece Radford added 16 points, and the Aggies shot nearly 60% from the field.
Last weekend, the Aggies finished the regular season in style with a win over Alabama and now they’ll face them again in the title game of the SEC Tournament. Texas A&M’s season has really turned around after disappointing Quad 4 losses early to Murray State and Wofford. Can a team that’s won 19 of 22 games down the stretch continue playing smart basketball into the NCAA Tournament?