Texas A&M's postseason push features two bouts vs. SEC heavyweights
And we’re down to two.
Following a frustrating tie against LSU on Friday, the Aggies prepare for their final week of conference play.
On Thursday, Texas A&M (8-7-1, 3-4-1) faces No. 3 Arkansas (12-1-1, 7-1) in Fayetteville. Kick against the Razorbacks is set for 6:30 p.m. CT.
The Ags will then return to Ellis for the last time to face No. 5 Mississippi State (13-1, 9-0). Sunday’s match will be Senior Night, with kickoff at 5 p.m. CT.
For A&M, both represent massive opportunities as it relates to the Aggies’ postseason fate.
“These are big games for us because it's the culmination of the regular season,” head coach G Guerrieri said. “But they're also really big games in regard to how we wrap up the regular season and hopefully preparations for the postseason. These games have huge implications for not just our season but for the SEC race, for the NCAA Tournament and the SEC Tournament.”
Arkansas possesses a unique, choppy play style that the Ags haven’t faced yet.
The Hogs are very physical and put a lot of pressure on their opponents, and they score their goals by being bigger than their opponents and constantly agitating battles.
“They've been very successful, and you have to take your hat off to the way that they put you under pressure and make you have to go about a really well-conceived game plan to be able to deal with the pressure that they put you under,” Guerrieri said.
The Razorbacks’ lone loss was to Mississippi State, which currently boasts a 10-game winning streak.
The Bulldogs exude dominance and confidence in their build towards postseason play. They own an undefeated SEC record.
“(Mississippi State) really plays on the front foot most of the time,” Guerrieri said. “They've been up for every big game this year, so we've got to be equally up.
“It'll be a huge game for us. It'll be the big game of the season for us, something that we need to get a result to ensure that we're going to go to the NCAA Tournament, and that we're going to be there for the postseason.”
Entering a week with the top two teams in the country puts the Ags in an uncomfortable position regarding their RPI.
Eligibility for postseason play requires a winning percentage greater than .500.
The Aggies currently sit at .531 and one point — a tie against LSU — over this margin.
“We're not comfortable with where we sit (in the RPI),” Guerrieri said. “We've had some really rough breaks against us. We've been playing the last game and a half without our captain (Carolyn Calzada). We've played without a lot of our players due to a lot of injuries this season, so we've had to shuffle our lineup almost every game and put people into places that they haven't been comfortable in.”
According to Guerrieri, the Ags are “hoping for the best and preparing for the worst” regarding Calzada’s availability.
Regardless, this week will be difficult and define postseason eligibility for the Maroon & White.
However, focusing on their strengths and minimizing recurrent mistakes gives the Aggies the opportunity to exceed. When playing to their own pace of play, the Ags have proven a strong force.
“These are very unique opponents, and one of the things that's kind of neat about playing in the SEC is that we have some excellent coaches in our league,” Guerrieri said. “It's a chemistry set every game. Every game is a unique formula that you've got to come up with.”
Now more than ever, Guerrieri must find the winning formula.