After navigating arguably its toughest three-game stretch of the season, Texas A&M (17-6, 7-3 SEC) finds itself at a bit of a crossroads. The Aggies came out of a challenging run against Georgia, Alabama, and Florida with just one win-an encouraging performance against the Bulldogs-before falling in back-to-back games, including a lopsided 86-67 home loss to a red-hot Florida team.
That Florida game? Let’s call it what it was: a gut punch.
The Gators dominated from the opening tip, and Texas A&M never found its footing. But if you ask first-year head coach Bucky McMillan or veterans Pop Isaacs and Marcus Hill, that kind of performance isn’t something they expect to see again.
This is a team that’s shown resilience all season, and one blowout loss-no matter how ugly-doesn’t erase what they’ve built in SEC play.
Still, Florida’s frontcourt was a problem all night. Led by leading scorer Thomas Haugh, the Gators imposed their will in the paint and on the glass. Their size and physicality have been a nightmare matchup for opponents lately, and coming off back-to-back blowout wins over Alabama and Texas A&M, Florida is making a strong case as the team to beat in the SEC down the stretch.
For the Aggies, the focus now shifts to the final eight games of the regular season-and there’s still plenty of reason for optimism. Despite the recent stumble, Texas A&M only dropped one spot to No. 40 in the NET rankings. And according to KenPom projections, McMillan’s squad is favored in six of those final eight matchups.
Here’s how those games are projected to shake out:
- vs. Missouri: 82-75 Win
- at Vanderbilt: 86-78 Loss
- **vs.
Ole Miss**: 80-71 Win
- at Oklahoma: 82-81 Win
- at Arkansas: 88-82 Loss
- **vs.
Texas**: 84-81 Win
- **vs.
Kentucky**: 80-78 Win
- at LSU: 80-79 Win
The two road trips to Vanderbilt and Arkansas stand out as the most difficult remaining contests, and that late-season home showdown with Kentucky could be a make-or-break moment in terms of postseason seeding. But overall, the Aggies match up well with most of their remaining opponents-especially if they can get back to the kind of ball movement, perimeter shooting, and high-tempo transition game that’s fueled their success so far.
This is a veteran team with a coach who’s already proven he can connect with his players and get them locked in. The loss to Florida might sting, but it doesn’t define the season. If anything, it could serve as a wake-up call heading into the final stretch.
Next up: a Wednesday night home matchup against Missouri, tipping off at 8:00 p.m. on the SEC Network. Expect the Aggies to come out with something to prove.