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Texas A&M Basketball

Snubbed: Texas A&M inexplicably left out of NCAA Tournament field of 68

March 13, 2022
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March Madness had a different meaning for angry Aggies on Sunday night.

Despite a brilliant late-season surge, Texas A&M was denied an at-large berth in the NCAA basketball tournament.

The NCAA Selection Committee was apparently unimpressed that A&M (23-12) advanced to the Southeastern Conference postseason tournament final.

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Auburn, who A&M defeated on Friday, is a #2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The Aggies hoped to earn the SEC automatic qualifying bid in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday. But playing in their fourth game and four days, they fell to No. 9 Tennessee (26-7) in the championship game by a score of 65-50.

That loss ended a seven-game winning streak, which included SEC tournament victories over Florida, No. 4 Auburn and No. 15 Arkansas.

Despite its late-season resurgence, the Aggies will likely settle for a place in the consolation National Invitational Tournament.

That’s a major disappointment for the Aggies, who apparently could not shake off the residue of an eight-game losing streak that stretched from mid-January to mid-February.

The Aggies started Southeastern Conference play 4-0 but then lost eight games in a row. They were 15-10 and 4-8 in SEC play following a 75-58 loss at then-No. 1 Auburn on Feb. 12.

But A&M rebounded to win five of the last six regular-season games, including wins over Florida and then-No. 25 Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

The Aggies entered the SEC Tournament as an eighth seed and were expected by many observers to be eliminated in their first game.

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Arkansas, who the Aggies thrashed on Saturday, is a #4 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Instead, Hassan Diarra hit a last-second 3-pointer in overtime to lift A&M over ninth-seeded Florida 83-80.

The next day, they stunned top-seed Auburn, 67-62, behind Tyrece Radford, Quenton Jackson and Henry Coleman III, who combined for 52 points.

The Aggies then blew out No. 15 Arkansas, 82-64, to advance into the SEC Tournament final against No. 9 Tennessee.

Several “bracketologists” had dismissed A&M as an NCAA Tournament participant until the victory over Auburn. Some even doubted the Aggies after the victory over Arkansas.

Stunningly, the Selection Committee agreed.

Discussion from...

Snubbed: Texas A&M inexplicably left out of NCAA Tournament field of 68

20,543 Views | 47 Replies | Last: 2 yr ago by cageybee77
ABATTBQ87
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AG
MaroonStain said:

Lost 8 straight conference games.
I'll see your 8 straight conference losses and raise you 8 conference wins out of 10, with wins over #4, #15, and #25; and 5 of the 8 wins were on the road.
Gsp77
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Wow. Thanks for the information. Well, I hope the Ags can keep this energy for the NIT. That would be a good in your face response for the selection committee.
FightinClassof2012
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AG
What seed would A&M have received if we won the SEC tournament?

Now tell me we how 1 lose away from that equates to NIT?
Meximan
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This team gonna be mad next year
texag84
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AG
So we are not better than 68 teams in the country?
Bull*****!!!!
. . .
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Method Man
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That's not how it works.
johnnyblaze36
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AG
Cobra39 said:

Not a hard decision on who gets in the dance when you have an 8 game losing streak in the middle of the season. Not surprised with the NCAA decision.
Seriously? What the hell does an 8 game losing streak in the middle of the season mean when you are red hot on just the same but opposite tear down the stretch when it matters most? Horrible take. No disrespect.
SpiderDude
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AggieHoopsGuy said:

Yup...

Texas A&M: Head to head win over ND on a neutral court

Texas A&M: 22-11
Notre Dame: 21-10

A&M: 4-9 in Quad 1
ND: 2-8

A&M: 42 in NET Ranking
ND: 53

A&M: SEC tourney finalist
ND: lost in quarterfinals



So not only does Notre Dame take our FBS playoff spot in 2020 season but gets to **** us over for our spot in the NCAA tourney this year. Got it. **** the Domers.
greg.w.h
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AG
If a selection committee chair smirks and says A&M only needed one more win, you know exactly what's happening…
Dennis metcalf
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cageybee77
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Simple, the committee must think that conference tourneys are being used to boost post season revenue and therefore don't believe a near miraculous finish.
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