Texas A&M is back at Reed Arena on Monday, and the script is pretty clear ... play fast, play loose, and turn Prairie View A&M into the next victim of Bucky Ball.
The Aggies enter the matchup 9-3, while Prairie View sits at 5-7. ESPN's analytics give A&M a 98.6 percent chance to win, and history backs it up.
Texas A&M is 15-0 all-time against the Panthers and 14-0 against them in College Station. The last meeting in 2023 ended in a comfortable 79-54 Aggie win, and the average A&M score in the series is right around 85 points.
In other words, Prairie View has never solved this matchup, and Monday night isnt the ideal time to start.
That said, Prairie View is not walking into Reed Arena as some slow-motion buy game.
The Panthers can score. They’re averaging 84.3 points per game while shooting 46.1 percent from the field and 34.1 percent from three. They've also played a schedule with teeth, losses include Wichita State, Oklahoma State, Missouri, North Texas, LSU and more.
Prairie View has been tested, even if it hasn't always survived.
The issue is that Texas A&M is built to turn tested into tired. McMillan's first season in Aggieland has been a track meet, with A&M averaging 95 points per game while posting 38.6 rebounds, 22.2 assists, and 9.5 steals.
The Aggies are also efficient doing it: 48.8 percent shooting from the field, 38.4 percent from three, and 75.2 percent at the line.
That combination, pace plus efficiency, can bury opponents before the first media timeout if they’re not ready to sprint for 40 minutes.
The biggest key on Monday is tempo.
Prairie View wants to score, but can they score while also getting back on defense, protecting the ball, and surviving A&M's pressure? If the Panthers trade buckets early but start coughing it up or missing shots that lead to runouts, the game can tilt into blowout territory fast.
For A&M, this is a chance for the guard room to keep stacking confidence.
Ruben Dominguez has been the headliner as the team's leading scorer, while Marcus Hill, Rylan Griffen, and Pop Isaacs give the Aggies a steady rotation of shot-makers who thrive in chaos.
Up front, Rashaun Agee sets the tone with physicality, and the rebound crew - Agee, Zach Clemence, Mackenzie Mgbako, and Jamie Vinson - can turn misses into extra possessions until Prairie View breaks.
For Prairie View, the names to circle are senior guard Joey Madimba, senior Dontae Horne, and senior forward Cory Wells, veterans who can keep the Panthers from getting rattled if A&M hits one of those signature quick-hit runs.
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT on SEC Network+. If Prairie View wants this to stay interesting, it has to score efficiently and survive the pace. If A&M gets comfortable early, this one could look like a track meet that only one team trained for.