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Texas A&M Basketball

Aggies, Longhorns to renew basketball rivalry on December 8 in Fort Worth

June 14, 2019
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Those Texas A&M faithful who have been waiting to renew the rivalry between the Aggies and Longhorns will be receiving an early Christmas present in the form of a head-to-head matchup on the hardwood.

On December 8 at 2:00 p.m., the Texas A&M basketball team will travel to Dickies Arena in Fort Worth to play a non-conference game against the Longhorns. This game isn’t scheduled as part of the Big XII-SEC Challenge or any holiday tournament and simply represents the two sides coming together to play at a neutral location. Dickies Arena, a brand new 14,000-seat venue next to the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, is scheduled to open in November.

TexAgs
The Aggies and Longhorns last played in a 2017 exhibition that featured two future NBA first round picks in Mo Bamba and Robert Williams.

This meeting was garnering interest before new A&M coach Buzz Williams arrived in Aggieland, but when the new man in charge was informed of the conversations, he immediately did what he could to make it happen.

"I've seen the Texas A&M-Texas rivalry first-hand, so I know how important this game is to our players, coaches and fans," Williams said in a statement issued by the venue.

The original idea was a home-and-home contract with the Aggies hosting the 2019 game at Reed Arena followed by a 2020 game in Austin to open the Longhorns’ new facility. However, decision-makers in Austin didn’t want A&M to get the first home game, and that proposal wasn’t approved. 

The last time A&M and Texas faced off in a basketball game was in a 2016-2017 preseason charity exhibition game in Houston supporting hurricane Harvey relief efforts. The Longhorns got off to a strong start, leading by 13 at halftime and by as much as 17 at one time. The Aggies mounted a second-half comeback to get within a basket but could not crest the hill and lost 73-69.

Both teams missed the NCAA Tournament in 2019, but Shaka Smart led Texas to the NIT championship. The Aggies punctuated a disappointing season with a coaching change. Although Buzz Williams is in his first year at the helm of the A&M program and is working to mold the program to his style on numerous fronts, he is enthusiastic about playing the Longhorns. The good news for the Aggies is that Buzz will have all summer, a boot camp, a Costa Rican tour and a handful of non-conference games to prepare his team before the December contest in Fort Worth.

“We’re also excited about getting the opportunity to play in front of our Metroplex alumni in the new Dickies Arena,” Williams added. “This is one of those games that generates passion from both sides and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

Discussion from...

Aggies, Longhorns to renew basketball rivalry on December 8 in Fort Worth

16,438 Views | 22 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by gig them
BoozingAg
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Quote:

The original idea was a home-and-home contract with the Aggies hosting the 2019 game at Reed Arena followed by a 2020 game in Austin to open the Longhorns' new facility. However, decision-makers in Austin didn't want A&M to get the first home game, and that proposal wasn't approved.


Why does anyone want to have anything to do with these petty a-holes?
BoozingAg
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Someone has to be the first to have a home game in a home and home series. What they really didn't want is for us to be the first game in their new arena and risk losing that game.
The Collective
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AG
**** these azzholes
AggieBlu
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AG
Meh...Sure...OK...Just this time!
I will never understand how someone can tell so many lies and not feel bad about it...
spanky
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AG
Neutral site, hell yeah!!!! /nobody ever for any sport
Aggieland12thMan
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AG
I have no interest in playing t.u. in anything. The aren't our rivals and are of no interest to most Aggies. Having said that, this one game... okay play it, but don't set up year in and year out schedules with t.u. on the board. DeLoss Dodds said it best, "Never Again!" Aggies everywhere agree, "Never Again!"
TXAggie2011
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AG
Aggieland12thMan said:

I have no interest in playing t.u. in anything. The aren't our rivals and are of no interest to most Aggies. Having said that, this one game... okay play it, but don't set up year in and year out schedules with t.u. on the board. DeLoss Dodds said it best, "Never Again!" Aggies everywhere agree, "Never Again!"
Stop.
GenericAggie
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AG
NEVER AGAIN!
Our-turn-to-rule
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AG
Our Pres young picked up the phone and caved. Now he can go around talking about his involvement to get the rivalry started again....and fail to see he screwed us. He doesn't give a crap about TAMU only his legacy. Watch when tu gets to have first game in Austin after we go to their championship weekend in DFW.

We got hosed. Good job Young.

We need Bowtie#2. tu can pound sand!!
LEJ
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Quote:

However, decision-makers in Austin didn't want A&M to get the first home game, and that proposal wasn't approved. -


They're still arrogant little bshes. Carry on cork smokers.
West Point Aggie
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AG
Good job on the logo showing the uterus cut off
JJxvi
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AG
I'm always amazed by how some of you must look at sports. It's all about having your own bull**** pissing contests rather than seeing entertaining competition
wtr1975
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AG
Road trip - Beat the Class of '75 hell outa t.u.!
Rock1982
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AG
BTHO t.u.!
GenericAggie
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AG
JJxvi said:

I'm always amazed by how some of you must look at sports. It's all about having your own bull**** pissing contests rather than seeing entertaining competition


There's plenty of other schools to play for entertainment. No reason to play them. F them. Get that crap out of here. Man up.
JJxvi
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AG
Man up?

I assume your post was supposed to be ironic?
RhodeAg
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AG
Great! Time to play the Longhorns again...every year.

They are our primary rival...and always will be.

When we play them, the entire fan base perks up. That's what playing your one and only rival brings.

I hate the u. of texas-austin...and love it when we play 'em...in any sport.

We gotta get back to playing them again every season in football. That...is what a rivalry does...gets you more excited than usual.
Don't take life too seriously...no one gets out alive.
Our-turn-to-rule
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AG
Lots of battered wife syndrome around here.
TXAggie2011
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AG
Our-turn-to-rule said:

Lots of battered wife syndrome around here.



And ****ty analogies
TXAggie2011
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AG
And asked the same question on the other thread: everything I've ever read or seen except this article from Logan Lee says their arena will open in 2021.

Did Logan get fed some crap or are they really accelerating the opening the arena?
Proposition Joe
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Everything I've seen still says 2021.

And honestly the whole "we don't want A&M to have the first home game so we're going to play it on a neutral court" sounds like something that got cycled through a few old Ags as the reason for the game at Dickies.

Football I can see there being some prolonged negotiations on where the first game back will be, but the fans don't care enough about the basketball rivalry for it to happen here.

It's more likely the two schools just got offered enough money for the game to be in Fort Worth... and it wouldn't shock me if FW or another neutral site continues to be the regular venue.
gig them
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AG
With as much trouble Texas and A&M have drawing eyeballs to fall/winter college basketball, this is a huge win.

I'd add something like this every year, if I could... anything to get people thinking about college basketball before the first SEC game in early January.
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