FOX Sports Radio's Aaron Torres takes us Around College Basketball

Key notes from Aaron Torres interview

• Here’s the thing, and I know it’s not what an Aggie fan wants to hear today: It was a great rally by LSU last night. However, I’m not convinced that Texas A&M isn’t an NCAA Tournament team after last night. They play together, and they know their roles. They just need to make a couple more plays. There are wins to be had in the SEC. I look at A&M, and I see Marcus Williams, Quenton Jackson and Henry Coleman III. Those are players that can play with anybody on any court in the country. They look the part to me.
   
• I’d have to look closely at A&M’s schedule. I’d have to crunch the numbers. Basketball is different than football. That sport is strictly about wins and loses. In basketball, there is more wiggle room and more runway because 68 teams make the field. I don’t know when that one game where A&M breaks through will be. You want to close out these games, but the guys look the part. I didn’t see anything last night that told me they don’t have the personnel to do it. Buzz Williams has his track record. Still, it’s tough to win in a full PMac when it’s rocking like it was last night. I’m seeing signs of progress from A&M. You’re right on the cusp, but at some point, you have to get those wins that will get you off the bubble and into the field of 68.
   
• After the Bills-Chiefs game, people talked about why the Bills didn’t squib the ball. Maybe the Chiefs just made plays? Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce just made plays. I don’t mean to compare LSU basketball to Mahomes, Hill and Kelce, but last night, LSU made plays when they had to. Still, when LSU’s three leading scorers are out, that’s a game that you have to close if you’re Texas A&M. LSU had guys step up.
   
• I just saw the video of the Miami-Virginia Tech game on Twitter. The Canes made a three-quarter court shot to win. Their point guard has a tremendous story. College basketball is awesome. It’s a fun time of year to be a fan. I love college football, but right now, we’re in the belly of the beast with basketball right now. This is so much better than the alternative if you’re an Aggie fan because you’re actually in the mix. It’s a fun time of year because three or four games are going on each night.
   
• My show through the years used to have a lot of guests on, but it has become more of a topic-based show. However, I know Bruce Pearl does interviews with everybody, so I hit him up. I had plenty to talk to him about, and we ran the interview separately this morning. He’s an interesting guy and an engaging guy. We talk about how he built the Auburn Tigers. It also might be interesting to fans other than Auburn fans to hear about how he’s handling these coaching rumors. It’s obvious that he’s very happy at Auburn. It was a timely time to get Pearl on the show because they have the No. 1 team in the country and what’s going to be a chaotic coaching carousel in college hoops as well.
   
• There are wins to be had in the SEC. Pearl didn’t say this, but Auburn was picked to finish fourth or fifth in the lead. From an Aggie perspective, there are wins to be had. Right now, Tennessee is a perfect example because they’re not playing very well but still beat LSU and Florida. LSU is battling injuries. You’re done with Arkansas and Kentucky. Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Ole Miss and Georgia are all winnable games. Alabama isn’t the same team as last year, and they’re not the same team that beat Gonzaga in December. I see the pieces that the Aggies have. If you take Williams, Jackson and Coleman, those three stack up well against any other three in the SEC.