Texas A&M is at a crossroads. After a pair of tough losses - first on the road at Alabama, then a lopsided 86-67 home defeat to No.
17 Florida - the Aggies find themselves searching for answers and momentum heading into the back half of SEC play. The Gators looked every bit the top-20 team they’re ranked to be, dominating both ends of the floor and exposing some cracks in A&M’s armor, particularly in the first half.
The Aggies couldn’t buy a bucket early, shooting just 17% from the field before the break, and they got outmuscled on the glass, losing the rebounding battle 50-43.
But if there’s one thing we’ve learned about this squad under first-year head coach Bucky McMillan, it’s that they don’t stay down for long. This group, built around veteran leadership and a gritty mindset, hasn’t lost more than two straight all season - a streak that dates back to early non-conference setbacks against Oklahoma State and UCF. Now, with Missouri coming to town on Wednesday, the Aggies are staring down a must-win opportunity at home - one of just four remaining at Reed Arena.
The math is pretty straightforward: Texas A&M likely needs three more SEC wins to feel good about their at-large NCAA Tournament hopes. And with a road trip to Vanderbilt looming this weekend, every game from here on out carries weight. Stack wins, wherever and whenever you can - that’s the mantra.
Offensively, Saturday’s showing against Florida was about as tough as it gets. The first half was a struggle across the board, but McMillan isn’t sounding the alarm.
He trusts the talent on this roster, especially with senior forward Rashaun Agee setting the tone. Agee has become the emotional and physical centerpiece of this team - the kind of player who leads by example in the locker room and delivers when it counts.
McMillan had high praise for his senior leader during his weekly appearance on the Aggie Basketball Hour.
“There’s nobody better than Rashaun Agee to wear No. 12.
Agee the Aggie. It’s perfect,” McMillan said.
“He’s a soldier. He represents us well.
It’s not about him, it’s about winning. I’ll remember him as long as I’m alive - I’m very fortunate to coach him.”
Despite the recent skid, McMillan made it clear that the team’s goals haven’t shifted.
“We’re trying to win the SEC,” he said. “To do that you have to play great basketball.
We had a bad game vs. Florida, and we didn’t shoot it well.
How do you respond when you have a bad night? We’ve got to continue to pursue a championship in the SEC.”
That pursuit includes more than just X’s and O’s. McMillan is building something bigger at Texas A&M - a culture, an identity, and a home-court advantage that can tilt the scales in tight games. Reed Arena was rocking on Saturday, even in defeat, and the head coach doesn’t take that support for granted.
“That was loud, energetic, and we really wanted to deliver for our crowd,” McMillan said. “That was an incredible atmosphere.
When you can build on that, Reed Arena is the place to be on game nights. The 12th Man did their job.”
McMillan’s vision for Reed Arena is ambitious - he wants it to be one of the premier environments in college basketball.
“The fact that we have an atmosphere like that at Reed Arena means we’re doing great things together,” he said. “I want ESPN to pan across the crowd with a packed student section and say the Reed Rowdies are the best fanbase in the country every game.”
And he’s not doing it alone. McMillan gave a nod to the camaraderie among Texas A&M’s coaching ranks, highlighting the support that extends beyond just the men’s basketball program.
“They support you through the highs and the lows,” he said. “What a great win for Joni and our women’s team the other day over No.
21 Alabama. Coach Elko has always been so supportive - all our coaches are great.”
With February in full swing, managing fatigue becomes just as important as managing game plans. McMillan is already thinking ahead, making sure his team has the legs - and the mindset - to peak in March.
“I want my players to get to the SEC and NCAA Tournament and they don’t want it to end,” he said. “There are always teams where you’re just beating a dead horse late in the year, so we’ve got to keep our guys fresh physically and mentally for March.”
That freshness will be tested with a quick turnaround this week. After Missouri on Wednesday, the Aggies hit the road for a Saturday matchup with Vanderbilt - a tough back-to-back, as McMillan pointed out.
“We pulled it off against South Carolina, but before that, SEC teams were 1-8 in that spot,” he noted. “It’s hard.
They’ve shown the data on it. Missouri and Vanderbilt are good teams.”
Still, this team has proven it can win when the lights are brightest. A&M sits near the top of the SEC in Quad 1A wins - a key metric come Selection Sunday - and they’ve shown the ability to go into tough environments and come out with statement victories.
“We’ve proven we can win tough games on the road and just win big games period,” McMillan said. “You have to do that to have success in this league.”
And make no mistake - McMillan believes the SEC is the best basketball conference in the country.
“It’s the No. 1 league in basketball with more teams inside the top 40 than any other league,” he said. “Anybody on any given night can beat anybody.
Not all leagues are like that. It Just Means More.
That’s where you want to be.”
Texas A&M has the pieces. They’ve got the experience, the leadership, the fan base, and a coach who’s all-in on building something sustainable.
Now it’s about execution - starting Wednesday night against Missouri. Because in February, every game is a test.
And for the Aggies, the margin for error is getting thinner by the day.