Texas A&M Aggies deserved to make NCAA Event
Did the NCAA Event choice committee watch the SEC Event? There’s no manner it paid correct consideration. In any other case, its messaging to Texas A&M — in addition to ACC Event Champion Virginia Tech, ought to the Hokies haven’t upset No. 2 Event seed Duke on Saturday evening — is their resumes have been solely ok to make “The Massive Dance” by profitable convention tournaments.
Let’s disregard No. 5 general Event seed Auburn shedding within the SEC quarterfinals and No. 4 Event seed Arkansas getting blown out by now 23-12 Texas A&M within the semifinals. Saying the Aggies weren’t ok, whereas letting Indiana within the discipline, which had a shedding report in Massive Ten Convention play, in addition to 17-14 Michigan, reveals great league bias. Both Indiana’s play was ok to carry them into the Event alongside Texas A&M by advancing in convention tournaments, or neither had the mandatory items to make it. This screams of being cherry-picked.
The Massive Ten was the deepest league in America this season. Was it three NCAA Event groups deeper than the SEC? Nope. But, Texas A&M settled for being a No. 1 seed within the NIT, whereas Indiana will play Wyoming within the First 4, with a robust St. Mary’s staff ready within the Spherical of 64. The Aggies didn’t look good on Sunday, permitting the SEC Event Championship’s first 14 factors to No. 3 Event seed Tennessee and infrequently being inside putting distance of taking down the Vols.
However earlier than Sunday’s defeat, Texas A&M had gained seven straight video games, peaking on the proper time, with its final 5 wins coming over groups showing within the NCAA or NIT tournaments. The Aggies did have an eight-game shedding streak in SEC play earlier than a scorching end, which seems to be why they’re attempting to make a Remaining 4 in New York Metropolis, versus New Orleans. And sure, it is a fully avoidable dialog if Texas A&M loses within the second spherical of the SEC match to Florida, because it virtually did on Thursday, needing additional time to take down the man NIT Gators, who now don’t have a head coach.
Throwing gasoline on the dumpster fireplace of a choice to depart Texas A&M out was the reveal of being the No. 4 alternative, which means the Aggies weren’t anyplace close to the Event discipline getting into the weekend. The guy No. 1 NIT seeds positioned forward of the Aggies have been Dayton, Oklahoma and SMU.
Dayton is a robust mid-level-conference staff which was inadvertently bounced from the Event by bid-stealer Richmond, a fellow Atlantic 10 staff that defeated the Flyers within the league match semifinals.
How is 18-15 Oklahoma positioned forward of Texas A&M within the pecking order? Though the Sooners did take down Baylor to begin their Massive 12 Event journey. They didn’t attain the championship sport like future convention rival A&M did.
One spot forward of the Aggies was SMU, one other sturdy mid-level-conference squad that didn’t have the excessive peaks or low valleys as Texas A&M.
That four-team alternative technique isn’t going to want to take impact. The coronavirus-related pauses in school basketball haven’t rattled a staff for the reason that peak of the Omicron variant’s wave.
Deserving groups Nos. 69-75 from the non-tournament discipline probably all have authentic claims as to why they need to’ve been in. It’s the dangerous a part of March Insanity. No staff inside attain on both aspect of the bubble did sufficient to ensure coronary heart charges didn’t fluctuate on Choice Sunday. Some turned to anger, some grew to become relieved. It’s the identical argument we hear each season from staff Nos. 5 and 6 for the School Soccer Playoff and can proceed to tune out as soon as the sphere expands sooner or later.
Texas A&M shouldn’t have utilized to that argument and reside on the fallacious aspect of the lower line. Aggies’ head coach Buzz Williams will use this example to his benefit in the long term. He’s taken every earlier cease with a number of years on the helm to a minimum of one Candy 16, together with Marquette’s 2013 run to the Elite Eight. He’ll get it found out with great athletic assist in School Station. It’s a disgrace it’ll have to attend till a minimum of 2023.
