No. 22 Texas A&M snapped its four-game losing streak with a statement on Tuesday as the Aggies knocked off No. 1 Auburn 83-72 for their first-ever win over a top-ranked opponent. It made for a memorable final home game for eight A&M seniors who were honored on the floor at Reed Arena before the game.
Despite the upset loss, the outcome will not move Auburn from its place as the projected No. 1 overall seed in Jerry Palm’s NCAA Tournament Bracketology. With a 16-3 mark in Quad 1 games and a combined 21-3 record in Quad 1 and 2 games, the Tigers, now 27-3 overall and 15-2 in conference play, have already clinched the outright SEC title and maintain a sizable edge on challengers such as Duke, Houston and Tennessee for the No. 1 overall spot in the Big Dance.
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Jerry Palm
Even with a loss to No. 7 Alabama in the regular season finale on Saturday, Auburn would still remain the projected No. 1 overall seed for the NCAA Tournament, according to Palm. However, the result could open the door for No. 2 Duke to steal some votes for the top spot in the AP poll after Auburn was a unanimous No. 1 on Monday.
The Aggies (21-9, 10-7 SEC) rode the emotion of senior night to an early 12-2 lead and never trailed while returning to form with a barrage of offensive rebounds. Auburn never cut its deficit to a single possession in the second half on an off night for National Player of the Year candidate Johni Broome.
Auburn’s star center, who exited briefly in the first half after appearing to injure his shoulder, logged just eight points and struggled on the glass against A&M’s relentless rebounding attack. The Aggies entered at No. 1 nationally in offensive rebounds per game at 15.9 and pulled down 24 and converted them into an 29-11 edge in second-chance points.
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