Texas A&M Basketball: Aggies must win out to save their season

Texas A&M Basketball has dug themselves a major hole with the selection committee. I believe the only way out of it is to run the table. Can they do it?

Texas A&M Basketball has 10 games left before the SEC tournament in St. Louis arrives. At 13-8 and with the entire nation scratching their head about this team, Billy Kennedy and the Aggies need to look at themselves in the mirror and look to channel what happened two years ago.

Remember that team also jumped all the way to No. 5 in the rankings before things began to go south. It started with a three point loss at Arkansas. A&M did win their SEC-Big 12 challenge game against Iowa State, but what followed was a bit shocking.

After the win over the Cyclones, the Aggies lost to Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Alabama and LSU. They would find themselves unranked, but would rally to win eight straight before falling to Kentucky in the tournament championship game

Here we are again

Let’s compare that to this season. A&M found themselves ranked No. 5 after beating Buffalo and with conference play about to start, some people wondered how many conference games they would win? Could they possibly run the table? I predicted a 15-3 record, but that all changed with the DJ Hogg suspension and Admon Gilder injury.

With both out the Aggies got blown out by Alabama and Florida. Lost to LSU on a prayer and fell short to Kentucky in Lexington by one. Some thought the ship was starting to head in the right direction, but that was short lived with a double digit loss to Tennessee.

So after five games, A&M was 0-5 and went from No. 5 in the rankings to unranked following the Florida loss. The Aggies would bounce back to beat Ole Miss and Missouri, but would not show up in Baton Rouge and decided to not play a full game in Lawrence.

Can the Aggies revive their March aspirations?

So here we all stand wondering with February on the horizon and with 10 games left what will happen. Some are already ready for baseball season and for spring football to get here. I would say give it another week or two before mailing it in.

If the Aggies can somehow go 7-3 or better and win one or two in the conference tournament that should be enough to get into the dance. Anything worse and I believe our athletics director will have a big decision to make in the off-season.

Down the stretch, Texas A&M plays Arkansas twice, South Carolina, Kentucky, Auburn, Georgia, Vanderbilt, Missouri, Mississippi State and Alabama. You would think based on the talent Kennedy has this team can go 7-3, but based on what we’ve all seen the last month I’m not so sure.

I’m going to stick with my original prediction and say the Aggies lose their first game against Arkansas and to Kentucky. Going 8-2 gives the Aggies a winning conference record and it also sends them to the postseason tournament with a 21-10 record. Another win or two should be enough with Joe Lunardi having the Aggies still in his latest bracketology report on Jan. 29.

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My only worry comes if the Aggies finish with a losing conference record. If that happens, they might have to win the conference tournament to get in. Starting tonight against Arkansas, the Aggies need to turn the page, forget about what happened the last five weeks and focus on saving this season.