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Texas A&M Basketball: Is This the End For Billy Kennedy?

By Colton Chumbley

Feb 11, 2017; Gainesville, FL, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Billy Kennedy looks on against the Florida Gators during the second half at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. Florida Gators defeated the Texas A&M Aggies 71-62. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 11, 2017; Gainesville, FL, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Billy Kennedy looks on against the Florida Gators during the second half at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. Florida Gators defeated the Texas A&M Aggies 71-62. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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2015-2016

Highlighted by a 79-77 overtime when against No. 14 Kentucky, the Aggies won the SEC in Kennedy’s fifth season. Everything came together at the perfect time for this team. Seniors Danuel House, Jalen Jones, and Alex Caruso led the team to a top 10 ranking. After a mid-season win against the Missouri Tigers A&M basketball was 17-2 and a perfect 7-0 in conference play.

Then the trend of inconsistency that has haunted the Kennedy era would soon reappear. The Aggies went on to lose their next five conference games and fall back into the middle of the pack. Fortunately, their win over the Wildcats put them back into the drivers seat and they would finish the regular season on a six game winning streak.

Kennedy’s Only NCAA Tournament Appearance

With their regular season conference championship and a 26-8 record Texas A&M drew a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament. That was tied for the highest seed in program history with the 2007 squad that reached the Sweet 16.

This team would also reach the Sweet 16, but the route was nothing short of a miracle. The Aggies furious last minute comeback against Northern Iowa was one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the sport and will undoubtedly be replayed countless times during the tournament for years to come. They would go on to lose to Oklahoma in the Sweet 16, effectively ending their season.

It was a historic season for the program and it had appeared that we might have finally turned the corner under the Kennedy regime. However, Instead of building on that success, the wheels came off.