Texas A&M Stumbles Against Florida, But SEC Race Far From Over
Texas A&M hit a speed bump Saturday, falling hard at home to Florida in an 86-67 loss that exposed some familiar cracks in the Aggies’ foundation. The defeat dropped them to 17-6 overall and 7-3 in SEC play, marking just the second time all season they've lost back-to-back games.
The first half told most of the story. The Aggies struggled to find rhythm offensively, shooting poorly and failing to match Florida’s physicality in the paint.
First-year head coach Bucky McMillan, however, was quick to reassure fans that this kind of performance won’t become the norm. And truthfully, there’s reason to believe him.
This Texas A&M squad has shown resilience all year. Every time they've stumbled, they’ve bounced back with urgency-and with the postseason picture starting to take shape, there’s no room for lingering slumps. With Missouri coming to town on Wednesday, the Aggies have a real opportunity to steady the ship and reassert themselves in the top tier of the SEC.
Despite the loss, the bigger picture remains intact. A&M dropped four spots to No. 40 in the NET rankings, but that’s still within striking distance of an at-large NCAA Tournament bid.
Think of it like a mulligan on the back nine-they’ve been here before, and they know what it takes to climb out. Remember, this is the same team that started 7-1 in conference play before hitting the meat of their SEC schedule.
One issue that continues to shadow the Aggies is size-or lack thereof. Florida’s frontcourt, stacked with NBA-caliber talent, took full advantage of the matchup.
Even though A&M played solid defense early on, the Gators gradually wore them down inside. A better shooting night might’ve kept things tighter, but without a consistent inside presence, the margin for error shrinks considerably against teams like Florida.
Still, there’s no panic in College Station-at least not yet. The Aggies have been here before, and their ability to flush bad games and bounce back has been a defining trait this season.
With a home-heavy stretch ahead, protecting their court becomes essential. Every win matters now, especially with the selection committee watching closely.
Around the SEC, the race is heating up. Florida, now 17-6 and 8-2 in conference play, is starting to look like the team to beat.
Their win over A&M wasn’t just convincing-it was a statement. Meanwhile, Alabama edged out Auburn in a 96-92 thriller, and Oklahoma pulled off a surprise road upset over Vanderbilt, picking up just their second SEC win.
Here’s where things stand in the SEC heading into next week:
Updated SEC Standings
- No. 17 Florida (17-6, 8-2 SEC)
- Kentucky (17-7, 8-3 SEC)
- **No.
21 Arkansas** (17-6, 7-3 SEC)
- Texas A&M (17-6, 7-3 SEC)
- No. 15 Vanderbilt (19-4, 6-4 SEC)
- No. 25 Tennessee (16-7, 6-4 SEC)
- Alabama (16-7, 6-4 SEC)
- Missouri (16-7, 6-4 SEC)
- Texas (15-9, 6-4 SEC)
- Georgia (17-6, 5-5 SEC)
- Auburn (14-9, 5-5 SEC)
- Ole Miss (11-12, 3-7 SEC)
- Mississippi State (11-12, 3-7 SEC)
- LSU (14-9, 2-8 SEC)
- South Carolina (11-13, 2-9 SEC)
- Oklahoma (12-12, 2-9 SEC)
For Texas A&M, the next few games will define their season. The margin for error is narrowing, but the path is still clear: protect home court, clean up the shooting inconsistencies, and find ways to neutralize bigger frontcourts. If they can do that, this latest stumble will be just that-a stumble, not a slide.