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15 hours ago
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The Aggies entered Tuesday's contest on a four-game losing skid, and seemed well out of reach of the top group in the SEC. (Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images)
Texas A&M isn’t done just yet.
The Aggies, after going on a four-game losing skid in the SEC, stunned No. 1 Auburn on Tuesday night in College Station. No. 22 Texas A&M led the entire way en route to the 83-72 win at Reed Arena. It marked the Aggies’ first ever win against a top-ranked opponent. It was also Auburn’s first loss in almost a full month, and just the Tigers’ third of the season.
The Aggies looked like they were done for in recent weeks. They entered Tuesday night on a four-game losing streak, which included blowout losses to then-No. 21 Mississippi State and then-No. 3 Florida. That sent them plummeting in both the national rankings and the SEC standings ahead of the final week of the regular season.
You wouldn't have known on Tuesday, however. The Aggies took the lead from the jump and never looked back while grabbing the 11-point win. Zhuric Phelps led the way with 19 points off the bench, and Wade Taylor IV added 16 points. Andersson Garcia finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds, too. The Aggies dominated on the glass and out-rebounded Auburn by 16.
Tahaad Pettiford led the Tigers with 19 points after shooting 6-of-10 from behind the arc. Chad Baker-Mazara added 15 points, and Miles Kelly finished with 12 points. They were the only three players to hit double figures for Auburn. Johni Broome, who is a legitimate contender for Player of the Year with Duke star Cooper Flagg, was held to just eight points and seven rebounds.
While the loss isn't great for Bruce Pearl and the Tigers, they are still in an incredible spot heading into their regular-season finale on Saturday. They've already wrapped up the the SEC title and they are on track to earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament almost regardless of what happens the rest of the way. They have 16 Quad 1 wins on the season, too, six more than the next closest teams in the country.
But if they can't bounce back and handle Alabama in a rivalry rematch on Saturday afternoon at home, things could get interesting at Bridgestone Arena. Suddenly, after weeks and weeks of proving otherwise, Auburn would look legitimately beatable.
This post will be updated with more information shortly.
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