Bucky McMillan and Texas A&M basketball return to Reed Arena tonight after a 2-game road trip as they host the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The Aggies enter the matchup with a 14-4 overall record, 4-1 in the SEC, and 43rd in the NET rankings. The Bulldogs are coming in with a 10-8 overall record, 2-3 in the SEC and 96th in the NET rankings.
The Aggies' chances for the NCAA tournament are looking pretty solid as of now with the general consensus being that they are fairly safely in the tournament field as of now. If they lose tonight, however, things could change drastically. Tonight is a rare quad 3 game in conference play, essentially making it a must win for any potential bubble team's hopes of making the tournament.
Texas A&M must win against Mississippi State to keep tourney hopes alive
At this point in the season, we know what this Aggie team is, and what they are not. They're a team that plays with a lot of pace, relies heavily on perimeter shooting, forces a lot of turnovers, struggles to rebound, and isn't great at closing out games. Could tonight be different? the Aggies are currently around an 8.5-point favorite on most betting markets, signifying that they should be able to win this game fairly handily, but we've seen how they can be in the closing minutes of games.
The Bulldogs are a team that plays very solid defense, but can struggle to score. They rely primarily on two players, Josh Hubbard and Jayden Epps, who put up 22.3 and 15.5 points per game, respectively. They are a solid rebounding team, but they are very susceptible to turning the ball over. The Aggies will need to find a way to limit Hubbard and Epps, both smaller guards, and rebound well enough that they can get out in transition and dictate pace. The Aggies want to go fast while the Bulldogs will want to slow it down.
The Aggies are in good shape no matter what team they play because of their depth. They have 5 players averaging more than 10 points per game, and all of those players can get you more when their number is called. Their depth has been a staple to this team as well. Six players have consistently received minutes off the bench and are able to play a variety of roles to help the team and keep the starters fresh.
So can the Aggies get it done toight? They should have a pretty good chance, and they're playing with a lot of confidence. Finally getting back in front of a home crowd should be a great boost as well. If they want to keep the home fans engaged, tonight and Saturday will go a long way towards igniting the fanbase. Check back tomorrow for my full reaction and analysis of tonight's game.