The Missouri loss exposes interior defense woes, and with seven games left, Aggies' NCAA hopes hang precariously on finding crucial wins.
Texas A&M basketball is feeling the pressure after a narrow 86-85 setback to Missouri extended its SEC losing streak to three games.
With just seven regular-season contests remaining, the Aggies’ NCAA Tournament resume is suddenly under the microscope.
The loss exposed a glaring issue that has lingered throughout conference play ... interior defense and rebounding.
Missouri dominated the paint, piling up 56 points inside while controlling the glass 39-26. Sixteen offensive rebounds led to 14 second-chance points - the kind of margin that proves decisive in one-possession games.
To their credit, the Aggies showed early firepower. They buried 11 3-pointers in the first half and looked poised to outshoot their way to a critical SEC win.
But the offense cooled dramatically after the break.
Texas A&M managed just 12 made field goals in the second half, including only four from beyond the arc, allowing Missouri to claw back and ultimately steal momentum late.
One bright spot was Zach Clemence.
The Kansas transfer delivered an efficient 20-point performance off the bench, shooting 8-of-10 from the floor and knocking down three 3-pointers. It marked his second 20-point outing of the season and underscored his growing impact in SEC play.
Still, even that spark wasn’t enough to push Texas A&M across the finish line.
Bracket projections are beginning to reflect the slide. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi now places the Aggies on the No. 9 seed line, with some analysts viewing them closer to a 10-seed and drifting toward the bubble.
Their NET ranking sits at No. 43 entering a challenging road matchup against No. 19 Vanderbilt.
If Texas A&M wants to feel secure on Selection Sunday, it likely needs at least three, possibly four, wins down the stretch. The margin for error is gone - and every possession from here on out will matter.