Opportunity awaits the Ags despite Thursday's stressful loss to Texas

Press conference video courtesy of the Southeastern Conference.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — They stress. You stress. Stress — in all its forms — comes with Texas A&M basketball.

“They” who stress are NCAA basketball analysts. They often stress this Texas A&M team has the ability to make a long run in March Madness.

You stress because…well, watching the Aggies is often stressful.

Texas A&M’s 94-89 double overtime loss to Texas in the Southeastern Conference Tournament on Thursday is a perfect example.

The Aggies were exhilarating… and exasperating. Elation gave way to frustration and then deflation. They’re capable and culpable.

They demonstrated reasons they could reach the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 and beyond.

They also showed reasons they could be ousted in the first weekend.

Star guard Wade Taylor IV was typically excellent. He scored 29 points. Forward Henry Coleman III, who’s been on a recent surge, had a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds.

© Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Wade Taylor IV scored a game-high 29 points in the losing effort.

Manny Obaseki had 17 points. Andersson Garcia had 13 points and 10 rebounds. He was 4-for-4 from the 3-point line.

But… Pharrel Payne was limited to three points. CJ Wilcher also had three points but took only two shots. Zhuric Phelps had eight points but made only three of his 19 shots. He missed eight times from 3-point range.

The Aggies frequently got to the foul line, which is a vital ingredient in their recipe for success, but they missed 13 tries while converting 27 of 40.

Some of those misses were at pivotal junctures with the outcome at stake.

Yet, the Aggies still had chances to win. Several, in fact.

A&M had an opportunity to take a 74-73 lead with 31 seconds left in regulation when Coleman was fouled while making a layup. Alas, he missed the free throw.

Then, in overtime, the Aggies were on edge of taking control. They held a 78-74 lead and had the ball with less than two minutes to play.

Coleman emerged from the scrum with the basketball and passed to Taylor, who hit a 3-pointer to give A&M a seven-point lead with just 1:18 to play.

Except, he didn’t.

A timeout from the bench nullified the shot.

“I just thought it was a scramble, a two-possession game, we had possession. I’m pretty confident that we had two timeouts,” A&M coach Buzz Williams said. “I felt comfortable with two timeouts in a short clock. I understand (Taylor) made the shot. I apologize.”

It was a bad break. Unfortunately, more followed.

© Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

In his fifth trip to the SEC Tournament, this is just the second time Buzz Williams and his Aggies have been one-and-done.

After Texas hit a 3-pointer, the Aggies were only able to get one of two free throws to take a 79-77 lead.

Then, the Longhorns capitalized on a defensive lapse to get a game-tying dunk with five seconds left.

The Aggies held an 85-84 lead midway through the second overtime but gave up a deep 3-pointer to Texas’ Tre Johnson.

A&M tried to respond but missed three shots on its ensuing possession. Texas then got a fortuitous bounce on a jumper that gave the Longhorns an 89-85 lead with a minute to go.

The Aggies eventually pulled within one point, 90-89, but couldn’t overcome their missed opportunities.

But opportunity remains.

The pain of losing to Texas can never be dismissed. But it really doesn’t matter. Had Thursday’s loss been to any other opponent, Aggies probably wouldn’t lose any sleep over it.

There are larger priorities in the NCAA Tournament. The Aggies have been ranked every week this season. They’re projected as high as a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They will be judged by what happens in March Madness, not by what happened here.

They know that. They welcome that.

“Everybody on this team, from the coaches to the players, have gone through trials and jubilations ourselves,” Coleman said. “It’s nothing we haven’t experienced.

“We’re going to get back (to College Station). We’re going to go to sleep, and we’re going to be ready to work. I don’t think anybody in the locker room has any doubt or any fear.”

There is no doubt the Aggies have the ability to be great.

With a little more luck, a few better decisions and maybe a friendly bounce or two, the Aggies can reach the Sweet 16. Maybe even the Elite Eight. The Final Four isn’t even out of the question.

That must be stressed.

But expect a lot of stress as they try to get there.