Texas A&M in the NCAA Tournament? Really?

By Big12-Fans Writer Jeff Borzello


An RPI in the 80s. One win against Top 50 RPI teams. A 1-5 record on the road. Zero non-conference road wins. Sounds like an NIT resume, right? Well, maybe not. This season, with the lack of quality teams on the bubble, the aforementioned profile is looking better and better as we come down to the final five games of the season. Whose resume is that? You guessed it (because the title gave it away)—the Aggies of Texas A&M.

A&M started out the season 10-0, with ten non-conference wins at home. The best of that group of victories was Northwestern State—not the most impressive of teams. They then went on to lose seven of their next 10 games, although three of the defeats were by a combined seven points. The Aggies have bounced back with back-to-back wins over Colorado and Oklahoma State. Right now, they stand at 15-7 overall, and 5-6 in the Big 12—good enough for 6th place in the conference. They have an RPI of 80 and an SOS of 93. Those numbers have to improve in order to gain serious consideration for the Big Dance. Texas A&M played one of the weakest non-conference schedules in the country, including six teams with RPIs below 200. Their best wins are over Colorado and the previously mentioned Northwestern State. If the NCAA Tournament were to start today, obviously the Aggies would not make it. However, don’t count them out just yet.

Texas A&M has five games left on their schedule before the Big 12 Tournament. They have two upcoming road games against Baylor and Missouri. Both are very winnable contests, and are must-wins in order for the Aggies to stay in the hunt for an at-large bid. A&M then comes home for two home games—one vs. Nebraska and one vs. Texas. The Cornhuskers struggle on the road, while the Aggies are 14-2 at home. They should be able to emerge victorious. The game against the Longhorns is the key game. They didn’t get blown out when they went to Austin to play Texas, and are going to need to win—or at least stay close—if they want to impress the Selection Committee. The final game of the season, a road game at Texas Tech, is going to be difficult, but that is another must-win. If Texas A&M goes 4-1 down the stretch with the lone loss to Texas, they will be 9-7 in the Big 12 and 19-8 overall. In the Big 12 Tournament, if the Aggies can win their first round game and then beat either Colorado or Oklahoma in the quarterfinals, I think they have a reasonable shot at getting an at-large bid. Is it a guarantee? No, of course not. But is it possible? Most definitely.

Based on the numbers, Texas A&M might not be an NCAA Tournament team as of now. However, if they somehow make it to the Field of 65, they might be able to make some noise. They have one of the best inside-outside combos you will find in guard Acie Law IV and post player Joseph Jones. Jones had 31 points against Texas’ vaunted big men, and is one of the best big men in the conference. Law has only had two games in which he scored less than 10 points, while he is also a solid defender and distributor. The Aggies also have several options on the perimeter, including Josh Carter, a decent all-around player, and Dominique Kirk, the team’s best long-range shooter. Chris Walker starts on the wing. While not much of a scorer, he is an excellent defender. Eddie Smith provides depth at the point. He is a very good passer. Up front, Marlon Pompey starts next to Jones. He is an athletic role player capable of doing a variety of things on the floor. Antanas Kavalauskas has had several big games this season, and is a solid offensive option.

Texas A&M may not have the requisite profile to get an at-large bid as of mid-February. However, that is not when teams are selected to make the NCAA Tournament. Lucky for the Aggies, they still have at least six more games to make an impression on the committee. Don’t be surprised if A&M has impressed them enough to garner a bid to the Big Dance come Selection Sunday.

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