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4-seed Texas A&M (23-10) took care of business against 13-seed Yale on Thursday night in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, silencing over 70% of the public who filled out a bracket and picked against the Maroon & White. However, this was just the first step towards the Aggies' ultimate goal of making it to the Sweet 16 for the first time under head coach Buzz Williams.
The Aggies will now face 5-seed Michigan in the second round on Saturday afternoon. The Wolverines are coming off a too-close-for-comfort 68-65 win over UC San Diego in a game that came down to the final possession. Still, the Aggies will have their hands full against a team that defeated 3-seed Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship game but has played five games in the past nine days, so attrition could be an issue.
Texas A&M's consistent defensive pressure could pay dividends against a Michigan offense that averages nearly 14 turnovers per game, but you can trust that head coach Dusty May will focus on safer to keep the Aggies from taking advantage of mistakes.
However, it will likely come down to how the Aggies handle Michigan's forward duo of Vlad Golden and Danny Wolf, who both stand at 7'0" and excel in the pick-and-roll. Still, too much focus on the bigs will open up 3-point shooting, which has been the rare weakness for Texas A&M's defense this season.
Ahead of Saturday's matchup, our staff at Aggies Wire provided our final predictions.
Texas A&M's defense will either help or hurt the Aggies against Michigan on Saturday afternoon. The task of defending the Wolverines' forward duo, combined with the team's outside shooting ability, will force the Aggies into a back-and-forth scoring contest, which doesn't play to their strengths.
However, As mentioned in the body, Michigan has a turnover program, averaging 14 per game and letting nearly every team back into games this season after building big leads. Texas A&M's pressure defense is built to turn opponents over at a high rate, while junior forward Solomon Washington may not get the national recognition he deserves, but he has been one of the best shutdown defenders against star players this season.
After scoring a career-high 25 points and 10 rebounds against Yale, Texas A&M forward Pharrel Payne would like to make a similar impact on Saturday, but his one-on-ones will be much tougher inside. This means that senior guards Manny Obaseki and Zhuric Phelps need to drive the paint at a higher rate, opening up star guard Wade Taylor IV to hit his outside shots at a higher clip.
I expect a rock fight, and give the Aggies a slight edge.
Prediction: Texas A&M 70, Michigan 67
Texas A&M silenced the doubters Thursday night with a nearly wire-to-wire win against Yale in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Round of 32 presents a game between two South Region squads that feel underrated, the Aggies and Michigan. Despite it being a No. 4 versus No. 5 matchup, Texas A&M felt disrespected as favorites to be upset in the opening round. The Wolverines are the fifth-ranked overall team from the Big Ten after winning the conference tournament.
The Aggies’ advantage in the second round will be their experience. While Michigan has had great success under first-year head coach Dusty May, Texas A&M has a core of eight seniors that have played multiple seasons under Buzz Williams.
With an emergence of junior power forward Pharrel Payne contributing off the bench against the Bulldogs, the Aggies can rely on more than just their senior octet, providing Williams with a deep bench if foul trouble were to occur.
Texas A&M’s all-time leading scorer, senior point guard Wade Taylor IV, will lead the Aggies past the Wolverines and into the Sweet 16.
Prediction: Texas A&M 73, Michigan 66
Texas A&M's early exit from the SEC tournament could prove beneficial, as they are the better-rested team. Both teams emphasize aggressive play in the paint, but Michigan shows a bit more commitment to this approach.
The Aggies, however, often find their guards making poor shot choices, leading them to rely on jump shots. This game will likely be closely contested, but I believe A&M will have the stamina to finish strong and secure a late victory.
Prediction: Texas A&M 82, Michigan 78
Texas A&M will play the winner of No. 5 Michigan (25-9) on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. CT. on TBS in the second round on Saturday afternoon.
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.
This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Predictions for Texas A&M basketball NCAA Tournament game vs Michigan
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The Aggies will now face 5-seed Michigan in the second round on Saturday afternoon. The Wolverines are coming off a too-close-for-comfort 68-65 win over UC San Diego in a game that came down to the final possession. Still, the Aggies will have their hands full against a team that defeated 3-seed Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship game but has played five games in the past nine days, so attrition could be an issue.
Texas A&M's consistent defensive pressure could pay dividends against a Michigan offense that averages nearly 14 turnovers per game, but you can trust that head coach Dusty May will focus on safer to keep the Aggies from taking advantage of mistakes.
However, it will likely come down to how the Aggies handle Michigan's forward duo of Vlad Golden and Danny Wolf, who both stand at 7'0" and excel in the pick-and-roll. Still, too much focus on the bigs will open up 3-point shooting, which has been the rare weakness for Texas A&M's defense this season.
Ahead of Saturday's matchup, our staff at Aggies Wire provided our final predictions.
Cameron Ohnysty, Site Editor
Texas A&M's defense will either help or hurt the Aggies against Michigan on Saturday afternoon. The task of defending the Wolverines' forward duo, combined with the team's outside shooting ability, will force the Aggies into a back-and-forth scoring contest, which doesn't play to their strengths.
However, As mentioned in the body, Michigan has a turnover program, averaging 14 per game and letting nearly every team back into games this season after building big leads. Texas A&M's pressure defense is built to turn opponents over at a high rate, while junior forward Solomon Washington may not get the national recognition he deserves, but he has been one of the best shutdown defenders against star players this season.
After scoring a career-high 25 points and 10 rebounds against Yale, Texas A&M forward Pharrel Payne would like to make a similar impact on Saturday, but his one-on-ones will be much tougher inside. This means that senior guards Manny Obaseki and Zhuric Phelps need to drive the paint at a higher rate, opening up star guard Wade Taylor IV to hit his outside shots at a higher clip.
I expect a rock fight, and give the Aggies a slight edge.
Prediction: Texas A&M 70, Michigan 67
Shaun Holkko, Contributor
Texas A&M silenced the doubters Thursday night with a nearly wire-to-wire win against Yale in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Round of 32 presents a game between two South Region squads that feel underrated, the Aggies and Michigan. Despite it being a No. 4 versus No. 5 matchup, Texas A&M felt disrespected as favorites to be upset in the opening round. The Wolverines are the fifth-ranked overall team from the Big Ten after winning the conference tournament.
The Aggies’ advantage in the second round will be their experience. While Michigan has had great success under first-year head coach Dusty May, Texas A&M has a core of eight seniors that have played multiple seasons under Buzz Williams.
With an emergence of junior power forward Pharrel Payne contributing off the bench against the Bulldogs, the Aggies can rely on more than just their senior octet, providing Williams with a deep bench if foul trouble were to occur.
Texas A&M’s all-time leading scorer, senior point guard Wade Taylor IV, will lead the Aggies past the Wolverines and into the Sweet 16.
Prediction: Texas A&M 73, Michigan 66
Jarrett Johnson, Contributor
Texas A&M's early exit from the SEC tournament could prove beneficial, as they are the better-rested team. Both teams emphasize aggressive play in the paint, but Michigan shows a bit more commitment to this approach.
The Aggies, however, often find their guards making poor shot choices, leading them to rely on jump shots. This game will likely be closely contested, but I believe A&M will have the stamina to finish strong and secure a late victory.
Prediction: Texas A&M 82, Michigan 78
Texas A&M will play the winner of No. 5 Michigan (25-9) on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. CT. on TBS in the second round on Saturday afternoon.
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.
This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Predictions for Texas A&M basketball NCAA Tournament game vs Michigan
Continue reading...
