No. 1 Houston Avoids No. 9 Texas A&M's Upset Bid; OT Thriller Wows March Madness Fans
Mar 25, 2024
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - MARCH 24: Emanuel Sharp #21 and Jamal Shead #1 of the Houston Cougars high five during the first half against the Texas A&M Aggies in the second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at FedExForum on March 24, 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
Houston is heading to the Sweet 16 for the fifth consecutive NCAA tournament.
The No. 1 Cougars held off No. 9 Texas A&M 100-95 Sunday night in an overtime thriller to advance to the second weekend, where they will take on No. 4 Duke. The Blue Devils beat No. 12 James Madison in the Round of 32.
It was a win-by-committee game for Houston, which had four players in double figures on the night. Sophomore guard Emmanuel Sharp led the way with 30 points, L.J. Cryer put up 20, Jamal Shead had 21 and J'Wan Roberts scored 13.
Houston went into the break with a 36-28 lead and Texas A&M managed to keep things close for most of the second half. The Cougars started to pull away with minutes left, but a late surge from the Aggies made things more interesting in the final minute. Texas A&M made a miraculous comeback and sent the game into overtime with a buzzer-beating three from Andersson Garcia.
With four of its starters fouled out by the end of overtime, Houston still managed to escape and avoid the upset.
After the overtime game, fans were hyped to see another exciting March Madness matchup.
Now Houston will get to catch its breath for a moment but will then prepare for what will be a tough matchup against the Blue Devils.
Duke handled James Madison easily on Sunday, but Houston will be a tough challenge. The Cougars have been one of the most dominant teams in college basketball this year and they're not looking to let up against the five-time national champions.
The Blue Devils are looking to reach the Final Four for the first time since Mike Krzyzewski retired, and they'll have to get through a top seed to do it. The Cougars are looking for their first national championship in program history, and Duke will be a big test.
If the matchup between Duke and Houston is half as exciting as Sunday's game, it should be a good one.
Alabama Crowned as CBB's Best by Fans After Crushing Texas A&M for SEC Championship
Mar 12, 2023
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 12: Brandon Miller #24 of the Alabama Crimson Tide drives to the basket against Andersson Garcia #11 of the Texas A&M Aggies during the first half in the SEC Basketball Tournament Championship game at Bridgestone Arena on March 12, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Alabama is the champion of the SEC men's basketball tournament for the second time in three years.
The Crimson Tide defeated Texas A&M 82-63 in Sunday's championship game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. The victors didn't only win a conference tournament crown but likely secured a No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament as well after also taking home the SEC regular-season title.
Brandon Miller notched a double-double of 23 points and 12 rebounds, but he struggled from the field with 5-of-20 shooting and needed some of his teammates to pick up the slack. Jahvon Quinerly (22 points, 4-of-8 from three-point range) and Charles Bediako (12 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks) answered the call.
The balanced effort led to plenty of love on social media:
Alabama sending a message today. The sleep-walking down the stretch of the regular season appears to be over. Best team in the country.
Moving Jahvon Quinerly into the starting lineup for the @SEC Tournament ranks as one of Nate Oats' smartest coaching decisions since taking over @AlabamaMBB.
Alabama wasted no time setting the tone, especially on the defensive side, and held the Aggies to 23 points on 6-of-29 (20.7 percent) shooting in the first half while seizing a double-digit lead.
The Crimson Tide swarmed to open shooters and cut off driving lanes while Bediako swatted everything in sight. Throw in Quinerly finding his stroke from deep and Miller making up for his poor shooting by helping to control the boards and getting to the line, and there was no defeating Nate Oats' team Sunday.
Alabama continued to pull away as the second half progressed, leaving no realistic opening for an Aggies' comeback.
All eyes turn toward the Big Dance after such a statement performance from a candidate to cut down the nets. The Crimson Tide are surely headed toward a No. 1 seed when the bracket is announced Sunday afternoon and will have a chance to reach the Final Four for the first time in program history.
Few teams in the nation could stop them if they play like they did Sunday.
Texas A&M vs. Florida Basketball Delayed After Aggies Forget Jerseys in Team Hotel
Jan 5, 2023
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - JANUARY 04: Head Coach Buzz Williams of the Texas A&M Aggies looks on during the first half of a game against the Florida Gators at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center on January 04, 2023 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
It's probably safe to assume Texas A&M's men's basketball team will be double-checking that it has everything before leaving the hotel for road games in the future.
As Kevin Brockway of USA Today noted, the Aggies forgot their jerseys for Wednesday's contest against the Florida Gators in the hotel. That forced a delay in the start time, and the visitors were issued a technical foul before tip-off.
"I forgot the jerseys in my hotel," Texas A&M coach Buzz Williams said. "That's probably the right way to say it because I used to be a manager and if that would have happened, my head coach would have stuck up for me.
"You don't want the jerseys to get wrinkled and so I hang them in my room and then I just forgot to put them on the bus. Our players were the ones that recognized it because they warm up without their jerseys so they don't get sweaty so it's my fault, it won't happen again, and I apologized to coach."
While Florida guard Will Richard gave his team a 1-0 lead to start with the technical free throw, the Aggies didn't let the confusion slow them down out of the gates.
They jumped out to a 34-23 halftime lead and held on for a 66-63 victory.
Texas A&M is 9-5 overall and 1-0 in SEC play on the season and can now laugh about the situation because the technical foul didn't cost it a win in its conference opener.
Tennessee Beats Texas A&M to Win 1st Men's SEC Tournament Championship Since 1979
Mar 13, 2022
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 13: Josiah-Jordan James #30 of the Tennessee Volunteers shoots in the first half against the Texas A&M Aggies in the Championship game of the SEC Men's Tournament at Amalie Arena on March 13, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Texas A&M had made quite the march through the SEC tournament. Tennessee had seen enough.
The No. 9 Volunteers ended any hopes the Aggies had of guaranteeing an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament, beating them 65-50 in the SEC tournament championship game Sunday.
It was Tennessee's first SEC tournament championship since 1979, and it'll head into the NCAA tournament as a legitimate title contender.
It was a stout defensive effort from Tennessee, which held Texas A&M to a woeful 31.4 percent shooting from the field while registering eight steals and forcing 12 turnovers. Tennessee also held Texas A&M to its lowest scoring output of the 2021-22 season.
That ended the Aggies' seven-game winning streak, which included triumphs over Alabama, Arkansas and Auburn. The Aggies were a bubble team before the SEC tournament, and they certainly helped their case.
Whether they did enough to punch their ticket to the Big Dance, however, remains to be seen.
Key Stats
Santiago Vescovi, TEN: 17 points, five assists
Kennedy Chandler, TEN: 14 points, seven assists
Josiah-Jordan James, TEN: 16 points, 10 rebounds
Quenton Jackson, TAM: Nine points
Tyrece Radford, TAM: 13 points, six rebounds
Henry Coleman III, TAM: 12 points, seven rebounds
The Chandler-Vescovi Duo Carried Tennessee Yet Again
All season long, Tennessee's offense ran through Chandler and Vescovi. So why would Sunday be any different?
Ben Howland said he’d be shocked if any SEC coach left Santiago Vescovi off of their All-SEC first team ballot.
If you pay attention to him during games, you see exactly why that’s the case. Just a pure basketball player who does a bit of everything, much like JoJo James.
When your leading offensive duo combines to shoot an efficient 9-of-18 from the field and chips in with 12 combined assists, good things are going to follow.
Add in a nice game from James, and most teams in the country would have had a tough time dealing with Tennessee on Sunday.
Jackson Went Cold for Texas A&M
During Texas A&M's seven-game winning streak Quenton Jackson was generally excellent, averaging 19.9 points and 3.1 steals per game. The Aggies moved him into the starting lineup down the stretch, and he thrived in the role.
But he has been prone to running a bit hot and cold throughout the season, and Sunday he veered toward cold, shooting just 3-of-9 from the field.
Still, the senior was a major reason Texas A&M got to the championship game in the first place. He just seemed to run out of steam against a tough Tennessee side.
What's Next?
Tennessee will await its seeding for the NCAA tournament, perhaps having done enough to earn a No. 2 seed.
I had Tennessee at No. 6 — i.e., as the second No. 2 seed -- in this morning’s Top 25 And 1. If the Vols win this game, they’ll have a resume featuring 11 Q1 wins and zero losses outside of Q1. That should definitely be worth a No. 2 seed, perhaps worth the best No. 2 seed. https://t.co/YQ40G8SHP5
Texas A&M, meanwhile, will be hoping it did enough to earn a berth.
Buzz Williams Suspended 2 Games, Texas A&M on Probation for NCAA Rules Violations
Aug 20, 2021
BATON ROUGE, LA - FEBRUARY 29: Texas A&M Aggies head coach Buzz Williams during a game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the LSU Tigers at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on February 29, 2020. (Photo by John Korduner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Texas A&M men's basketball coach Buzz Williams will be suspended for two regular-season games after violating NCAA rules during the spring and summer.
The NCAA announced the infractions Friday, including Williams having impermissible contact with a prospect during an evaluation period.
The school is also responsible for an unnamed assistant coach holding 24 supervised, off-campus workouts with both a prospect and current student-athletes, which were prohibited because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Texas A&M was fined $5,000 for the violations and will be placed on probation for two years.
The Level 2 violations will also result in some recruiting restrictions for the 2021-22 season.
The program will have five fewer official visits during the upcoming year and will be unable to host unofficial visitors during the first three SEC games.
It could especially hurt the Aggies considering they only have one committed prospect in the 2022 class, via 247Sports, unrated point guard Amaree Abram.
Texas A&M had a three-man class in 2021 that rated No. 26 overall nationally.
That class might help turn things around for a team that finished just 8-10 last season while many of its games were canceled because of COVID-19. The squad went 16-14 during Williams' first year with the team in 2019-20.
Williams joined Texas A&M after impressive stretches at both Marquette and Virginia Tech, reaching the Sweet 16 with each program.
Texas A&M's 3-Time All-American Chennedy Carter Declares for 2020 WNBA Draft
Mar 29, 2020
Texas A&M guard Chennedy Carter (3) brings the ball down court against Oklahoma State during an NCAA women's basketball game on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019 in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft)
Texas A&M star Chennedy Carter has declared for the 2020 WNBA draft.
"It saddens me that I was not able to chase a national championship with my teammates this year due to circumstances beyond our control," Carter said in a statement. "Although a difficult decision, I am looking forward to pursuing my childhood dream of playing in the WNBA."
Carter averaged 21.3 points and 3.5 assists as a junior for the Aggies.
She missed a little over a month due to an ankle injury. In her second game back, she dropped 37 points on Tennessee in a 73-71 win over the Lady Vols.
Carter's most memorable game came in Texas A&M's 2019 Sweet 16 loss to Notre Dame. The 5'7" guard attempted to go toe to toe with Fighting Irish star Arike Ogunbowale. She had 35 of the Aggies' 80 points, though she needed 34 shot attempts to get there.
Carter's decision is great news for the Atlanta Dream, who have the fourth overall pick in the 2020 draft.
Sabrina Ionescu, Lauren Cox and Satou Sabally are widely considered to be the top three players, so none of the trio is likely to be available when Atlanta is on the clock. Without Carter on the board, the Dream would've been left scrambling for alternatives among a solid pack of players without a true standout.
Now, the franchise will potentially have a young star to coincide with theirrebrand and usher in a new era after Angel McCoughtry's departure.
The WNBAannouncedit plans on holding the draft as scheduled on April 17 despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The event will be held virtually with no players or media present.
Former Texas A&M Guard David Edwards Dies from Coronavirus
Mar 24, 2020
Basketball through the hoop in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020, in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Bill Feig)
Former Texas A&M guard David Edwards has died because of complications from the coronavirus.
According to the Dallas Morning News, Edwards' former Texas A&M teammate Charles Henderson broke the news Monday on Facebook. A university representative later confirmed that Edwards had died.
Edwards began his college basketball career at Georgetown before transferring and spending three productive seasons at Texas A&M from 1991-92 through 1993-94.
Henderson wrote the following about Edwards on Monday:
"Never in a million years would I have even imagined my backcourt teammate would go before his time. I just got the news that Dave Edwards passed away. For those that have been praying for him, he is now in a better place.
"This coronavirus has hit me in the heart. Dave was one of the fiercest competitors and best point guards that I've ever met. Nearly unstoppable. Learned how to become tough as nails competing against him everyday and shaking off adversity."
Edwards was a star at Texas A&M, averaging 13.5 points, 7.1 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 2.7 steals in 85 games as a member of the Aggies and making the All-Southwest Conference team three times.
The New York native also still owns the Texas A&M single-season record for assists with 265 as a senior during the 1993-94 campaign. Edwards is also one of only six players in the history of NCAA Division I men's basketball to record a triple-double in back-to-back games, doing so on March 5 and 10, 1994, per ESPN.
Despite all his success at Texas A&M, Edwards' only taste of the NCAA tournament came in 1989-90, when he reached the second round as a member of the Hoyas.
Edwards is the second known former player from a major college basketball program to die as a result of COVID-19. On Monday, Lamont Middleton told Zach Braziller of the New York Post that former St. John's guard Lee Green died from the coronavirus.
As of Monday, over 14,500 people worldwide had died from COVID-19, including 402 in the United States.
Texas A&M Police Investigating Burglary of HC Buzz Williams' Car
Jan 29, 2020
Texas A&M head coach Buzz Williams watches during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Vanderbilt Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. Texas A&M won 69-50. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Texas A&M police are investigating the burglary of men's head basketball coach Buzz Williams' car and are asking for help identifying two persons of interest.
The police department released still photos showing two men who are wanted for questioning regarding the theft of items from his car, including a credit card. Police say the card was used to make several purchases, including gift cards which were then used at the Houston Texans-Kansas City Chiefs divisional-round playoff game.
Details on the case are still emerging. Police have not yet been able to identify the persons of interest.
Williams has not commented on the matter. The 47-year-old coach is in his first season at Texas A&M after spending five seasons at Virginia Tech.
The Aggies are currently 10-9.
Virginia Tech's Buzz Williams to Be Named Texas A&M Head Coach
Apr 2, 2019
Virginia Tech coach Buzz Williams yells during the first half of the team's second-round game against Liberty in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament Sunday, March 24, 2019, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Virginia Tech confirmed Wednesday that head coach Buzz Williams has left the school to take the same position at Texas A&M.
Jon Rothstein of CBSSports.com first reported the agreement Tuesday. Williams has coached the past five years at Virginia Tech after spending time at Marquette and New Orleans.
The 46-year-old has a 253-155 record at the Division I level, including 100 wins with the Hokies, and he completed a tremendous turnaround in his most recent stop.
After taking over a program that went three years without a winning season and was 9-22 the year before he was hired, Williams needed only two seasons to get to 20 wins with the Hokies. In 2018-19, his fifth year with the program, he helped the squad reach its second Sweet 16 in program history.
The team nearly knocked off No. 1 overall seed Duke before suffering a 75-73 loss.
At Marquette, the coach reached the Sweet 16 in three straight seasons, including one run to the Elite Eight.
As successful as he has been in his previous stops, Williams is a Texas native who has worked as an assistant for the Aggies before becoming a head coach. His familiarity could make this a natural fit as he tries to turn around another program.
Texas A&M is only one year removed from a trip to the Sweet 16, but Billy Kennedy was fired this year after a disappointing 14-18 season.
With plenty of returning talent, this team could be a real threat in the SEC.
