NCAA Tournament Round of 32
Aggies Record: 22-11
Aggies Kenpom: 34
Opponent Record: houston: 29-6
Opponent Kenpom: 5
Date: March 21st
Time: 5:10pm
Location: Paycom Center - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Streaming: TNT
Betting Spread: Texas A&M +10.5
Radio: https://12thmanfoundation.evenue.net/event/B25/MB01?RSRC=SIDEARM&RDAT=sgl
Live Stats: https://12thman.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
Game Preview
The dance continues… After a stomping of the Gaels from St. Mary's 63-50, the Aggies advance to the round of 32 for a battle with 2 seed Houston this evening at 5:10 in Oklahoma City. Winner will head to the sweet 16.
Underdogs, undersized, "happy to be here" is how the media described this A&M team. Pre game, the field of 68's Jeff Goodman said St Mary's would win very comfortably, saying A&M and Bucky were most likely just happy to be there. However, first year coach Bucky McMillan and everyone in that Aggie locker room went in there working and expecting to win. From the first Rashaun Agee basket to the following 10 second violation on St Mary's, it was evident that the Aggies meant business and were only there to win. The Aggies led wire to wire behind their tenacious defense and maximum effort. The Aggies forced the Gaels into a season high in turnovers, harassed their 7 footers into zero field goals, and disrupted the rythym of their talented but young guards. It was all Texas A&M all night long. The Gaels had no answer for Agee's physicality, they couldn't stop Dominguez from deep, they could not handle the bevy of guards A&M threw at them. The Aggies coasted to a first round "upset" and advanced to the round of 32 with a rematch in the exact same round 2 years ago versus Houston.
After falling in the national championship game last season Houston is on a mission to get back there. They brought back 3 starters in guards #21 Emanuel Sharp, #7 Milos Uzan, and forward #11 Jojo Tugler. They did lose some strong pieces as well, but added two 5 star freshman and two future first round draft picks in #4 Kingston Flemings and 6'11 center #5 Chris Cenac. A starting 5 you can argue that may be the most talented in the country. Flemings is a projected lottery pick who can score on every level and has a deadly mid range shot. Emmanuel Sharp is (pun intended) a sharp shooter from deep. Sharp and Uzon are volume shooters from deep. We can't let them get hot. Houston isn't the best 3 point shooting team as a whole, but they take timely threes and are very good on the offensive glass. Inside they have Cenac Jr, a long freshman who is quick and disruptive defensively. He also can take and make some three's like Agee. They also have senior Tugler who although only 6'8, plays huge and is crafty in the paint offensively and an effective shot blocker and rebounder. Their bench won't see a lot of minutes but they rely on shooter #25 Mercy Miller and 6'11 big #24 Kalifa Sakho.
Houston, as every team under Kelvin Sampson is just elite defensively. It's something they take pride in. They are freak athletes with elite lateral speed and verticality. They want to get you in a half court game and force you into bad contested shots or turn you over. Their 3 guards are 6'3, 6'4, and 6'4. Offensively, Flemings is a beast that can take over a game, but he's an excellent facilitator, as is Uzan. We need to disrupt their passing lanes and force them into 3's and bad shots. They are ultra aggressive defensively so it would be great to draw fouls on them early and often.
As for us, I believe we have to play free and play fast. Houston has all the pressure on them. They have their seniors leaving and freshman leaving to the draft, rumors circulating on how many seasons Sampson will continue coaching, trying to avenge last years heartbreaking loss in the championship. All the pressure is on them. The Aggies are playing with house money. They have far exceeded the expectations of many. However, the Aggies are preparing and playing to win. Bucky says, "be a star in your role."
A fearless confident squad will be needed to keep up and eventually take down this Houston team. I want to see the three's fly, I want to see brave finishes at the rim, I want to see transition buckets, and I want to see prideful aggressive mother in law defense. It's going to take a great night from deep to win this. Put the pressure on them early and attack for 40 minutes. Let's see Dominguez, Griffen, Pop, Clemence, Lane, and Agee light it up from deep. Let's attack the paint and kick the ball out. Let's play fast and fearlessly. Let's play Bucky Ball.
For those that don't know, I also do these previews and game threads for Aggie Volleyball. There was a quiet confidence and belief in Jamie Morrison and his girls before they went into the Bob Devaney Center and took down the undefeated number one seed heavy championship favorite Nebraska Cornhuskers in the sweet sixteen. What I found the most fascinating was when they asked Jamie what part of their game plan did they have to change, he said "nothing, just be ourselves." That's what I like most about Bucky McMillan. He will stay true to his system. His staff is bought in, his players are bought in. That's all you need in this system, buy in. People behind a computer can doubt you, self proclaimed ball experts can doubt you, everyone can doubt you. But as long as everyone in your locker room believes, then anything can happen.
I know for certain, Bucky and his guys believe they can win this. This is March. Anything can happen in any given game. What we've accomplished has been nothing short of extraordinary, but I'm not ready to celebrate and neither are the Aggies. We got a game to play and a game to win tonight. Why not us? Let's go light it up, make some history, play some Bucky Ball and let's BTHO houston!!!!!!!!!!!!
Aggies Record: 22-11
Aggies Kenpom: 34
Opponent Record: houston: 29-6
Opponent Kenpom: 5
Date: March 21st
Time: 5:10pm
Location: Paycom Center - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Streaming: TNT
Betting Spread: Texas A&M +10.5
Radio: https://12thmanfoundation.evenue.net/event/B25/MB01?RSRC=SIDEARM&RDAT=sgl
Live Stats: https://12thman.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
Game Preview
The dance continues… After a stomping of the Gaels from St. Mary's 63-50, the Aggies advance to the round of 32 for a battle with 2 seed Houston this evening at 5:10 in Oklahoma City. Winner will head to the sweet 16.
Underdogs, undersized, "happy to be here" is how the media described this A&M team. Pre game, the field of 68's Jeff Goodman said St Mary's would win very comfortably, saying A&M and Bucky were most likely just happy to be there. However, first year coach Bucky McMillan and everyone in that Aggie locker room went in there working and expecting to win. From the first Rashaun Agee basket to the following 10 second violation on St Mary's, it was evident that the Aggies meant business and were only there to win. The Aggies led wire to wire behind their tenacious defense and maximum effort. The Aggies forced the Gaels into a season high in turnovers, harassed their 7 footers into zero field goals, and disrupted the rythym of their talented but young guards. It was all Texas A&M all night long. The Gaels had no answer for Agee's physicality, they couldn't stop Dominguez from deep, they could not handle the bevy of guards A&M threw at them. The Aggies coasted to a first round "upset" and advanced to the round of 32 with a rematch in the exact same round 2 years ago versus Houston.
After falling in the national championship game last season Houston is on a mission to get back there. They brought back 3 starters in guards #21 Emanuel Sharp, #7 Milos Uzan, and forward #11 Jojo Tugler. They did lose some strong pieces as well, but added two 5 star freshman and two future first round draft picks in #4 Kingston Flemings and 6'11 center #5 Chris Cenac. A starting 5 you can argue that may be the most talented in the country. Flemings is a projected lottery pick who can score on every level and has a deadly mid range shot. Emmanuel Sharp is (pun intended) a sharp shooter from deep. Sharp and Uzon are volume shooters from deep. We can't let them get hot. Houston isn't the best 3 point shooting team as a whole, but they take timely threes and are very good on the offensive glass. Inside they have Cenac Jr, a long freshman who is quick and disruptive defensively. He also can take and make some three's like Agee. They also have senior Tugler who although only 6'8, plays huge and is crafty in the paint offensively and an effective shot blocker and rebounder. Their bench won't see a lot of minutes but they rely on shooter #25 Mercy Miller and 6'11 big #24 Kalifa Sakho.
Houston, as every team under Kelvin Sampson is just elite defensively. It's something they take pride in. They are freak athletes with elite lateral speed and verticality. They want to get you in a half court game and force you into bad contested shots or turn you over. Their 3 guards are 6'3, 6'4, and 6'4. Offensively, Flemings is a beast that can take over a game, but he's an excellent facilitator, as is Uzan. We need to disrupt their passing lanes and force them into 3's and bad shots. They are ultra aggressive defensively so it would be great to draw fouls on them early and often.
As for us, I believe we have to play free and play fast. Houston has all the pressure on them. They have their seniors leaving and freshman leaving to the draft, rumors circulating on how many seasons Sampson will continue coaching, trying to avenge last years heartbreaking loss in the championship. All the pressure is on them. The Aggies are playing with house money. They have far exceeded the expectations of many. However, the Aggies are preparing and playing to win. Bucky says, "be a star in your role."
A fearless confident squad will be needed to keep up and eventually take down this Houston team. I want to see the three's fly, I want to see brave finishes at the rim, I want to see transition buckets, and I want to see prideful aggressive mother in law defense. It's going to take a great night from deep to win this. Put the pressure on them early and attack for 40 minutes. Let's see Dominguez, Griffen, Pop, Clemence, Lane, and Agee light it up from deep. Let's attack the paint and kick the ball out. Let's play fast and fearlessly. Let's play Bucky Ball.
For those that don't know, I also do these previews and game threads for Aggie Volleyball. There was a quiet confidence and belief in Jamie Morrison and his girls before they went into the Bob Devaney Center and took down the undefeated number one seed heavy championship favorite Nebraska Cornhuskers in the sweet sixteen. What I found the most fascinating was when they asked Jamie what part of their game plan did they have to change, he said "nothing, just be ourselves." That's what I like most about Bucky McMillan. He will stay true to his system. His staff is bought in, his players are bought in. That's all you need in this system, buy in. People behind a computer can doubt you, self proclaimed ball experts can doubt you, everyone can doubt you. But as long as everyone in your locker room believes, then anything can happen.
I know for certain, Bucky and his guys believe they can win this. This is March. Anything can happen in any given game. What we've accomplished has been nothing short of extraordinary, but I'm not ready to celebrate and neither are the Aggies. We got a game to play and a game to win tonight. Why not us? Let's go light it up, make some history, play some Bucky Ball and let's BTHO houston!!!!!!!!!!!!
