A&M makes its return to the dance to face the Huskers on Friday in Oregon
A program that was once a post-season regular is back where it belongs.
Texas A&M women’s basketball returns to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in the Joni Taylor era after a two-year absence from the Big Dance.
On Friday evening, the 11-seeded Aggies will face the 6-seeded Nebraska Cornhuskers in hopes of advancing to the second round for the 15th time in program history.
“This is where we wanted to be in year two, to get Texas A&M women’s basketball back into the Tournament,” Taylor said. “It was one of our key goals for the year, and we did that.
“As a staff and a program, it confirms that we are moving in the right direction.”
The road to the NCAA Tournament may not have been ideal for Taylor, but the Aggies found a way.
Coming off just a nine-win season a year ago, Taylor used an important offseason to seek out three key transfers — Endyia Rogers, Aicha Coulibaly and Lauren Ware — who have proven themselves as winners.
So much so that they have helped improve last year’s win total by ten victories.
Yet, the path became a bit blurry when A&M’s starting point guard went down midseason. Rogers was sidelined for six games, and A&M lost five of them.
The Aggies ended the regular season without their point guard, but it wasn’t long before she returned.
With a healthy Rogers on the floor in the SEC Tournament, A&M put it all together to defeat Mississippi State and display a highly encouraging performance against the NCAA Tournament’s top overall seed, South Carolina.
“Endyia is really grateful to be back playing,” Taylor said. “She understands the impact she has on our team, and she worked extremely hard to get herself back on the court.”
But Taylor said men’s basketball coach Buzz Williams explained the situation perfectly, quoting a text she received from Williams during the team’s stay in Greenville.
“What he said to me was, ‘With Endyia back on the floor, it looks like everyone can sit back at their normal seats at the table.’ I think that is what she does for us.”
“Knowing that she is available gives everybody a sense of calm,” Taylor said.
The Aggies have taken their seats at the table, but the environment is somewhat unfamiliar to the majority of the team.
Ware is the only Aggie with significant NCAA Tournament experience. As a freshman, she logged meaningful minutes in Arizona’s run to the national championship.
Rogers’ only appearance in the “Big Dance” was a first-round loss two seasons ago.
Kay Kay Green, MJ Johnson and Sahara Jones were all freshmen on A&M’s Sweet Sixteen team in 2020-21, but they played little to none.
Although a majority of her squad may be unfamiliar with the madness of March, Taylor isn’t.
This is Taylor’s fifth Tournament team in her nine seasons as a head coach.
The Texas A&M women’s basketball program is also ultra-familiar with playing in March. Naismith Hall of Fame coach Gary Blair led A&M to a national championship in 2011, along with 15 straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
In addition, Taylor’s predecessor knew what it was like to face Nebraska as former Big 12 foes.
Now a member of the Big Ten, the Cornhuskers are led by head coach Amy Williams in her eighth year in Lincoln.
Nebraska’s Jaz Shelley and Alexis Markowski have helped power the Huskers to an 8-3 record over their last 11 games. During that stretch, they have five wins over NCAA Tournament teams, including a run to their conference tournament championship game against Iowa.
”They have a lot of shooters. We have to be able to contest every shot,” Coulibaly said. “It will take everybody. Not one person can win this game. Getting stops, offensively executing and staying focused. It will be a mental game, for sure.”
Friday’s meeting serves as Texas A&M’s welcome back to March after a two-year break from dancing.
And A&M’s first move on the dance floor could reflect an ideal seating arrangement.