Texas A&M’s Undersized Aggies Ready to Take on Towering Florida in SEC Showdown
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - All season long, Texas A&M has leaned into its identity: fast, fearless, and undersized. With just one starter taller than 6-foot-6 - that being the versatile 6-8 forward Rashaun Agee - the Aggies have embraced a small-ball style that’s more grit and grind than height and might.
And it’s working. At the halfway point of SEC play, they’re locked in a tie at the top of the standings with none other than the defending national champions, the Florida Gators.
But Saturday night’s matchup at Reed Arena (7:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network) is shaping up to be the ultimate test of that approach.
Florida rolls in ranked No. 17, with a frontcourt that looks more like an NBA Draft showcase than a college lineup. The Gators boast six players 6-9 or taller, including the towering 7-foot-9 reserve center Olivier Rioux - yes, you read that right - making them arguably the most physically imposing team in the country.
“They look like Shreks out there,” A&M head coach Bucky McMillan said with a laugh. “I’d love to say size is overrated, but then you see these monsters coming in tomorrow.”
It’s not just about height - Florida’s size translates to production. The Gators lead the nation in rebounds per game (46), rebound margin (+15.5), and offensive boards (16.6).
They’re also elite in second-chance points and paint scoring, ranking top-10 nationally in both. Their frontcourt trio of Thomas Haugh (17.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG), Alex Condon (13.8 PPG, 8.1 RPG), and Rueben Chinyelu (12.1 PPG, 11.3 RPG) sets the tone with relentless rebounding and efficient interior scoring.
“They’re literally the best rebounding team statistically in college basketball history up to this point,” McMillan said. “You can’t let them play ping pong off the glass.”
So how does A&M counter that kind of size and physicality? With pace, pressure, and depth - the core tenets of McMillan’s “Bucky Ball” philosophy.
The Aggies don’t just run; they swarm. They press full-court, force turnovers, and rely on a deep bench to keep the energy high and the legs fresh.
They don’t waste possessions on inefficient midrange shots, instead prioritizing layups, threes, and free throws. And they wear teams down.
That style could expose a few cracks in Florida’s armor. The Gators rank just 178th in turnovers per game (11.7) and a dismal 354th in 3-point shooting (28.9%). They also lean heavily on their starters, with each logging at least 24.5 minutes per game, while their bench ranks 204th nationally in scoring (21.3 PPG).
In contrast, Texas A&M thrives on its depth. Only one Aggie - guard Rubén Dominguez - averages more than 25 minutes per game. The bench contributes a robust 38 points per night (second in the country), and the team ranks fifth in made threes per game (11.6) and 31st in forced turnovers (14.8).
“You can make up for size by being detailed and playing as hard as you can at all times,” McMillan said. “If you’ve got a 7-footer who goes after rebounds half the time, and a 6-6 guy who goes after it every time, I’ll take the 6-6 guy.”
No Aggie embodies that mindset more than Rashaun Agee. The USC transfer has been a force inside despite giving up inches most nights.
He leads the team with 14.2 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, and his 10 double-doubles rank second in the SEC. His defensive rebounding (6.2 per game) has been crucial in finishing possessions and igniting the fast break.
Another potential X-factor is 6-11 forward Jamie Vinson. The Texas transfer has played limited minutes, but his performance in a narrow road loss to Alabama - nine points, four rebounds, and a block in just eight minutes - showed flashes of what he can bring off the bench.
“He’s getting better every day,” Agee said. “I told him, ‘I’m proud of you, dog.
Keep working, keep grinding, keep showing that physicality.’ He just has to stay ready.”
On the perimeter, keep an eye on Marcus Hill. The NC State transfer says he’s finally back to full strength after a knee injury, and it’s starting to show.
Over the last two games, Hill has poured in 33 points while shooting 68.2% from the field and 37.5% from beyond the arc. That’s a massive leap from his previous seven-game stretch, where he averaged just 5.7 points and struggled to find rhythm.
“He’s been more aggressive,” Agee said. “And defensively, he’s a menace. I always tell him, ‘Your defense fuels your offense.’”
Even with a win over Florida, the Aggies can’t get too comfortable. The SEC race is tight, with Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Arkansas, and Tennessee all lurking just behind with three conference losses. And the road ahead isn’t easy - A&M still has four Quad I and two Quad II matchups left in the regular season.
But if the Aggies can knock off a team as physically dominant as Florida while staying true to their identity, it would send a loud message - not just to the SEC, but to the nation.
“They could win a national championship,” McMillan said of the Gators. “They’re that good - physical, well-coached, with returners who’ve already done it.
But we’re a very good team, too. And we’ve got a style that can beat anyone.”
Saturday night, we’ll find out just how far that style can take them.