COLLEGE STATION — When Texas A&M men’s basketball welcomes Auburn to Reed Arena on Tuesday night, it’ll be the first game the Aggies have played while ranked outside the top 15 of the AP Poll since Dec. 9.
A&M has lost four straight games, with an average margin of victory of over 11 points, and hosts the No. 1 Auburn Tigers for senior night.
That type of stretch would assumedly frustrate any team, but if you ask head coach Buzz Williams, his players are handling it as well as he’s ever seen.
“I’ve never seen a response be any better. They’ve been tremendous,” Williams told reporters Monday. “I think each game is a stand-alone game and I think there are lessons to be learned whether you win or whether you lose, but I think our guys have been responsive to all of those things.”
The Tigers (27-2, 15-1) are the best team the Aggies will play on their regular season slate, and it comes at a time when they perhaps need a win the most.
“Our guys know who we’re playing… (Playing the No. 1 team) only happened nine times ever (in program history)… so they’re excited for what’s at stake as we enter the last week of the season,” Williams continued.
Despite losing four in a row and taking a hit in potential seeding scenarios, A&M’s 14-9 record in Quad 1 and Quad 2 games has ESPN’s Joe Lunardi considering them an NCAA Tournament lock.
With two games to play, the Aggies are hoping to find a rhythm as they enter postseason play.
“We have experience of how we’re going to respond to good things and experience of how we will respond to adversity. And right or wrong, I believe in these guys,” Williams said of his team.
Tuesday’s game features a Tigers team led by player-of-the-year front-runner Johnie Broome. Broome, a senior forward, leads the team in points scored (18.4) rebounds (10.8) and assists (3.3). Auburn is second in the SEC in scoring offense (85.4) and fourth in scoring defense (68.8) while featuring six players who average more than 10 points a game.
“I would say (Auburn) is the best (A&M will face) since we’ve been here,” Williams said. “It’s the best the league has ever been, and they’re the best team in the best league… their talent speaks for itself.”
Last season, Auburn got the best of A&M, beating the Aggies 66-55. A&M held Broome in check with only 10 points, but current Denver Nuggets forward Jaylin Williams dropped 22 points in the outing to lead all players.
A&M was led by forward Henry Coleman III who finished with 17 points and five rebounds. Coleman is averaging 7.7 points per game this season.
Tuesday’s game
No. 21 Texas A&M (20-9, 9-7) vs No. 1 Auburn (27-2, 15-1), 8 p.m., ESPN