Bucky McMillan praised Texas A&M’s toughness after a triple-overtime win at LSU as the Aggies leaned on rebounding, steals and late-game poise.
Texas A&M basketball didn’t just win at LSU. The Aggies survived a street fight, emptied the tank and walked out of Baton Rouge looking even more dangerous heading into March.
After a triple-overtime grinder that tested every ounce of stamina and composure, Bucky McMillan’s team looked like a group that understands exactly what is at stake.
The Aggies finished the regular season at 21-10 overall and 11-7 in SEC play, locking up the No. 6 seed in the SEC Tournament, but the numbers only tell part of the story. This one was about grit, leadership and refusing to fold.
McMillan said it best afterward: “That game was won with a lot of heart.”
That wasn’t coach-speak. That was the whole night in one line.
Texas A&M didn’t shoot especially well. The Aggies hit only 36 percent from the field, went 30 percent from 3 and were shaky at the line.
On paper, that usually gets you beat on the road. Instead, A&M won because it attacked the game in uglier, tougher ways.
The Aggies forced 22 LSU turnovers, finished with 17 steals, grabbed 18 offensive rebounds and created a possession advantage that kept the pressure on all night.
McMillan pointed directly to that math after the game, noting that those hustle plays gave A&M “about 17 more shots than your opponent.”
That effort started with Rashaun Agee, who played 47 minutes, delivered 26 points and 11 rebounds, and made the game-winning 3-point play in the final overtime.
It continued with Rylan Griffen, who was everywhere, posting 24 points, seven rebounds, six steals and three assists while drilling 5 of 8 from deep.
McMillan called him “not a role player, a real player,” and it fit. Griffen didn’t just score. He changed the energy of the game.
Pop Isaacs added 18 points and seven rebounds, while Ali Dibba chipped in 12 points and five steals, including several fearless finishes at the rim when bodies were crashing everywhere.
Zach Clemence didn’t have his best scoring night, but his 12 rebounds mattered in a game where every extra possession felt enormous.
McMillan admitted there were breakdowns late, especially on a defensive sequence where A&M wanted a foul and instead nearly gave away a tying three.
“We didn’t execute well on that one,” he said. But he also made clear that learning through a win beats learning through a loss every time.
And maybe that is the biggest takeaway for Texas A&M basketball heading into the SEC Tournament. The Aggies are tired, tested and imperfect, but they are also tough enough to keep swinging when the game goes sideways.
In March, that travels.