Texas A&M secures first-ever win vs. AP No. 1, ends four-game losing skid
By SAM LANCE
It hasn’t been an ideal last few weeks for No. 22 Texas A&M. Since becoming the No. 7 team in the land a few AP Polls ago, the Aggies had lost four straight games. But on Tuesday, Buzz Williams’ squad got back in the win column, and it was a big one. The Aggies defeated Auburn, 83-72, to give them their first win over an AP No. 1 team in program history on senior night.
Senior guards Wade Taylor and Zhuric Phelps stole the show with a combined 35 points. Senior forward Andersson Garcia’s 11 points and 11 rebounds were also huge. The story of the game, though, was Texas A&M’s domination of the glass. It finished with a season-high 24 offensive rebounds that led to 29 second-chance points. The Aggies have a clear-cut strength, grabbing over 40% of their misses, which leads the country. They certainly flexed their muscle against the Tigers.
Texas A&M grabbed 60% of its own misses tonight in its win over (1) Auburn (24/40), the highest offensive rebounding percentage by any team in a game against an AP Top-5 opponent over the last 15 years.
— Jared Berson (@JaredBerson) March 5, 2025
Williams called timeout with around 15 seconds left to have the PA announcer tell fans not to storm the court. They obliged, helping Texas A&M avoid a fine from the SEC.
Postgame, Taylor’s number was lifted into the rafters of Reed Arena. He’s second all-time in career scoring and needs just 10 more points to pass the leader Bernard King.
For Auburn, freshman guard Tahaad Pettiford started in place of injured senior point guard Denver Jones and had a team-high 19 points. Senior center Johni Broome, a NPOY candidate, finished with just eight points and seven rebounds.
In Joe Lunardi’s latest bracketology, Texas A&M (21-9, 10-7 SEC) was slated as a No. 4 seed and No. 15 overall. This win could possible move the Aggies up a seed line if they finish the season strong. Auburn (27-3, 15-2) can afford to take a loss like this with its remarkable season and will look to rebound on Saturday at home against rival Alabama.
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