It is not everything, but it is something. Right before tipoff of their No. 7 vs. No. 10 first-round game, the Texas A&M Aggies appear to have caught a lucky break. They may be the underseeded team in this Round of 64 matchup, but they did not receive the crushing blow that the Saint Mary's Gaels will now have to navigate. Saint Mary's will be without its leading scorer Paulius Murauskas in this contest.
Starting in his place will be freshman forward Mantas Juzenas, who will be making his first-ever start.
In OKC: Freshman forward Mantas Juzenas will make his first start for @saintmaryshoops in place of leading scorer Paulius Murauskas, who is under the weather but available to play. Tip-off vs. @aggiembk in about 10 minutes. @MarchMadnessMBB @WCChoops
— Steve Kroner (@SteveKronerSF) March 19, 2026
Maruasksa appears to be under the weather. On the season, the junior forward from Lithuania has led the team with 18.8 points per game, averaging 7.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists per contest as well. The two-time All-WCC performer has been a driving force for this team offensively since transferring over from Arizona after his freshman season. As far as Juzenas is concerned, he has only played sparingly.
On the year, Juzenas is averaging 2.2 poitns, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.3 assists per game as a freshman.
Bucky McMillan has to take advantage of Saint Mary's being shorthanded
Look. You never want to see a team be down its top player right before the start of any postseason. Then again, basketball is a game of attrition. It may not be a gladiator sport like football, but it is a contact sport through and through. With the all-out effort and energy that Bucky McMillan's team employs, there is a strong possibility that the Aggies can take advantage of this unexpected event.
Entering the NCAA Tournament, Texas A&M is known for playing with such tremendous pace. They rank 22nd in the country in 3-point field goals made, 23rd in 3-pointers attempted, 42nd in field-goals attempted, and 57th in made field goals. There are other teams that do put up shots more frequently than the Aggies do, but this has been their calling card all season long under their great head coach.
Overall, Texas A&M was seen as a slight underdog vs. Saint Mary's. The bookmakers may have only seen them as a possession worse than the Gaels, but Murauskas being down for the count certainly changes things. Whoever wins this first-round game will likely be taking on the No. 2 Houston Cougars in the Round of 32 in the South Region of the bracket. Houston was last year's runner-up...
For now, Thursday night presents a fantastic opportunity for McMillan to flex his coaching acumen.