Texas A&M is coming off of a stinging loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide, one which saw a potential game-tying shot fall just short in the final seconds. The Aggies battled hard and had the advantage at points down the stretch, but the Tide came out with the victory when all was said and done.
Here's what we learned about the Aggies after their trip to Tuscaloosa ended in disappointment.
The Aggies can compete with transcendent talent
Texas A&M's best NBA prospect by far is currently sidelined with an injury, and he's a guy that came to College Station rather than the draft due to projecting as a late first or early second round pick— not exactly lottery status. Alabama is a far different story.
Nate Oats's team has put guys in the league with regularity since he arrived in Tuscaloosa, and this year's squad is no different— the biggest change is that they are actually getting guys back from the professional ranks to join this team. Guard Labaron Philon is projected to be a top-15 pick in this upcoming draft, and Auburn transfer Aden Holloway, though undersized, could make his way in the league as well if a few things fall right.
And yet, the Aggies were right there with them. It's hard to overstate how impressive it is to see what Bucky has done with this amalgamation of players cobbled together from the portal, building a balanced and deep roster with what were essentially leftovers given how late he had to start recruiting.
When McMillan gets some top prospects of his own on campus, things will really start to shift. Right now, though, the intensity with which this team plays evens the field against even some of the most talented players in the conference— good news, as there are still many more yet left on the schedule.