Bucky McMillan and Texas A&M Basketball are back at Reed Arena tomorrow night as they host Dennis Gates and the Missouri Tigers. The Aggies come into the matchup with a 17-6 overall record, 7-3 in the SEC and 40th in the NET rankings. The Tigers are coming in with a 16-7 overall record, 6-4 in the SEC, and 61st overall in the NET.
The Aggies come into the matchup safely in the NCAA tournament as of now with projections anywhere between an 8 or a 9 seed. A small drop off coming off an 0-2 week despite a very close game in Tuscaloosa. The Tigers come in right on the NCAA tournament bubble. Some projections have them as one of the last 4 teams in while some have them as one of the first teams out.
This is a win both teams need very badly. Missouri is looking to get firmly on the right side of the bubble and pick up a solid Quad 2 win while the Aggies are in desperate need of a get right game after the whooping they took on Saturday and are hoping to avoid losing 3 games in a row. The Tigers are on a two-game win streak but are 3-3 in their last 6 matchups.
Texas A&M hosts Missouri in bounce back opportunity for Bucky McMillan
This is a game where the Aggies can and should come out victorious. The Aggies have the better offense, better 3-point shooting, force more turnovers, and even slightly rebound better surprisingly. The Tigers play with a lot less pace than the Aggies, and they typically try to make teams play a half-court game. Being able to force turnovers, get defensive rebounds, and set up their press is going to be crucial for a potential Aggie victory tomorrow night.
What's the biggest key for the Tigers? Mark Mitchell. He leads the team in points, rebounds, and assists per game. He is the heart and soul of that team. He is a matchup nightmare when he is able to play the 3 or 4 spot as he is 6'9" and can do it all. He is supported primarily by Jayden Stone and Jacob crews, both guards shooting over 41% from 3, with Crews being as high as 46.7%. You can't leave them open.
With the Aggie's lack of size, it will be very interesting how they choose to matchup with the Tigers. Most likely they will look to a longer guy like Rylan Griffen to guard Mitchell when Agee is occupied with a taller big. If Missouri wants to play small ball, you can almost guarantee that Agee will be assigned to Mitchell.
The Aggie will also need some better shooting than what we have seen this past week. Marcus Hill has stepped up massively while Ruben Dominguez has really struggled as of late. Getting guys like Dominguez, Griffen, and Issacs going early will be massive for the Aggies' success.
The Aggies are currently 6.5-point favorites heading into tomorrow night, and they are definitely the favorites on paper. A win tomorrow could get the Aggies right back on track while a loss could make these final weeks very interesting. Check back tomorrow after the game for our full reaction and analysis of the hopeful Aggie win over the Missouri Tigers.