Texas A&M (17-4, 7-1 SEC) will enter the new week at 7-1 in the SEC standings, leading the conference through the first month of the season after defeating Georgia 92-77 on the road, and will now head back on the road to take on Alabama (14-7, 4-4 SEC) on Wednesday night, looking to knock off a desperate Crimson Tide team that is just two day removed from Sunday’s blowout 100-77 road loss to Florida.
While the national media has finally veered its attention to the Aggies, especially first-year head coach Bucky McMillan’s ability to take a team of 15 transfers, lose star forward Mackenzie Mgbako for the year, and go on to lead the SEC in several categories, while averaging over 92 points per game, Texas A&M will continue to be undervalued, especially if they lose on Wednesday and Saturday against Florida at home.
However, these outside doubts have yet to affect this team, which should be 8-0 In conference play, if free throws and questionable calls weren’t an issue on the road vs. Tennessee. Outside of the facing Alabama center Charles Bediako, the Aggies should be able to score at a consistent rate against the Tide’s average defense, especially from beyond the arc.
Still, defensive stops in key moments will be the focus, knowing that Alabama is shooting over 39% from three, compared to the Aggies’ 41% showing from deep over the past two games. With seven wins in conference play, McMillan’s veteran squad likely needs at least three more wins to earn an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament.
Projected as high as a 6-seed, ESPN Bracketologist Joe Lunardi released his updated tournament bracket, projecting the Aggies as a 7-seed facing 10-seed Saint Mary’s, and simliar the CBS Sports’ recent prediction that had 7-seed A&M facing 10-seed Miami, a potential rematch against Houston in the Round of 32 is just too on the nose.
If Texas A&M keeps racking up victories, earning as high as a 6-seed is cleary lin the realm of possibilities.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M rises in ESPN’s Bracketology update before facing Alabama
Reporting by Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire / Aggies Wire
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