Florida vs. Texas A&M: SEC Heavyweights Set for Saturday Showdown
There’s a lot on the line in College Station this weekend, and while Florida head coach Todd Golden isn’t calling it a title game, the stakes are clear: first place in the SEC is up for grabs.
Florida (16-6, 7-2 SEC) heads into Saturday’s clash at Texas A&M riding a wave of momentum after back-to-back wins over South Carolina and Alabama. The Gators are playing some of their best basketball of the season, and they’ll need every bit of it when they walk into Reed Arena to face an Aggies squad that’s been one of the hottest teams in the league.
Texas A&M (17-5, 7-2) may have dropped a high-scoring thriller to Alabama, 100-97, but that loss snapped a stretch where the Aggies had won 11 of their last 12. They’re still tied atop the SEC standings and very much in control of their own destiny.
“It’ll definitely be discussed, but it’s not the focal point of the game,” Golden said of the battle for first place. “It’s still the middle of SEC play, so a lot of basketball is left - but it’s going to be a great game.
Two teams, I think, are playing really well. It should be a good battle to see who can control tempo and pace.”
And that’s where this game could be won or lost: tempo.
The Three-Point Threat
Texas A&M’s offense has been lighting it up, averaging 92 points per game - tops in the SEC. And the fuel behind that firepower?
The three-point shot. The Aggies are one of the most dangerous perimeter shooting teams in the conference, hitting 37% from deep and hoisting up around 30 threes per game.
“They are the best three-point shooting team in our league, percentage-wise, and they shoot about 50% of their shots as threes,” Golden said. “So, we're very mindful of that.”
The key name to watch is Dominquez Ruben. The sharpshooting guard has knocked down 68 of his 159 attempts from beyond the arc this season - good enough to land him inside the top 20 nationally in three-point percentage. He’s averaging just over 12 points per game, and most of that damage comes from deep.
Golden knows his team can’t afford to lose focus on the perimeter.
“It can't be where you're giving their good catch-and-shoot guys open 3s, or you're confused on personnel or tendencies,” he said. “You've got to make them earn every basket.
And I thought, against Bama, we did that for the most part - until probably the last part of the game. But it's got to be a 40-minute effort that way.
If we don't guard the line, we're not going to win. It's just that simple.”
Welcome to “Bucky Ball”
Texas A&M’s resurgence this season has come under the direction of first-year head coach Bucky McMillan, who’s brought a distinct brand of basketball that’s fast, aggressive, and disruptive.
It starts with pace - the Aggies want to get up and down the floor quickly, launch early threes, and swarm on defense. They thrive on chaos, turning opponent mistakes into momentum-swinging runs. That style has helped them force 14.7 turnovers per game, which ranks second in the SEC and inside the top 30 nationally.
“They do a really good job snowballing off positive plays - or the negative plays for the opponent, I should say,” Golden explained. “The backcourt turnovers, bad shots, you know, things you don't want to do out there - they take advantage.”
That puts a premium on guard play for Florida. Ball security, floor spacing, and poise under pressure will be critical.
“As a point guard in this game, you have extra responsibility to make sure your team is organized and make sure you take care of the ball, to try to control tempo the way you want to,” Golden added.
The Metrics Game
Texas A&M isn’t just passing the eye test - the analytics back them up. The Aggies are sitting at No. 36 in the NCAA’s NET rankings, with a 3-4 record against Quadrant 1 opponents and a dominant 14-1 mark against Quadrants 2 through 4.
In the advanced metrics world, they’re also getting plenty of respect: No. 29 on KenPom, No. 23 on Bart Torvik, and No. 26 via EvanMiya.
That said, a closer look reveals a slight caveat. The Aggies are 6-0 against the bottom half of the SEC standings but just 1-2 against the top tier. That’s where Florida could have the edge.
Prediction: Florida 85, Texas A&M 77
This one’s shaping up to be a high-octane showdown between two teams that can score in bunches. But Florida’s strength in transition defense and its ability to limit second-chance opportunities could be the difference. The Gators have shown they can thrive in a fast-paced environment - and more importantly, they’ve proven they can close out tight games.
If Florida can stay disciplined on the perimeter and avoid getting baited into the Aggies’ tempo traps, they’ve got the tools to come out of College Station with a statement win - and sole possession of first place in the SEC.