Everything HC Bucky McMillan said ahead of March Madness showdown

[ASFN Admin]

It’s the most wonderful time of the year; March Madness kicks off in full swing Thursday afternoon, when the Texas A&M Aggies face off against the St. Mary’s Gaels in their first round matchup in Oklahoma City.

Head Coach Bucky McMillan took over the program after last year’s tournament, when former HC Buzz Williams again failed to reach the Sweet 16 despite having a roster full of seniors, including future NBA player Andersson Garcia. McMillan had a shell of a basketball program to work with, as only one player returned from Williams’s 2024-25 roster.

The Aggies face an ideological battle against St. Mary’s, where the undersized Texas A&M frontcourt, led by Rashaun Agee, will be forced to guard the Gaels’ pair of 7’1 centers, Andrew McKeever and Harry Wessels. McKeever led the WCC in offensive rebounding percentage and total rebounding percentage.

The Aggies will face a pair of sophomore guards, giving the Aggies an opportunity to overwhelm the inexperienced Gaels with their signature full-court press. If Texas A&M can win the possession battle by virtue of forcing more turnovers than offensive rebounds allowed, the team will be in an excellent position to steal a game from the higher-seeded Gaels.

Below is everything the Aggies had to say ahead of their opening matchup.

HC Bucky McMillan on the matchup ahead​

"They're well coached, solid team, and they dang sure won't be at themselves. That's what makes this time of year so great is you get to see new styles from across the country. Our guys are looking forward to the challenge."

McMillan followed with his outlook on the tournament as a whole​

"I'm competitive, confident, and I have an underdog spirit to me. We're a number 10 seed in this tournament so I hope our guys are competitive, confident, and take on that underdog spirit in this tournament."

Pop Isaacs on whether we've seen the best version of this Aggie team​

"No, I think we're about to see it. So many little things that we can still get better at that I think we'll be able to put together these next two games -- hopefully -- next game for sure. We know we have to put those things together and be at our best as a team if we want to beat St. Mary's."

Marcus Hill on what the matchup boils down to​

"Just play for each other, you know, play for each other. Make sure we're playing as a good team, doing the little stuff and just taking advantage of the moment knowing, if we lose, we don't have a rematch or another chance."

Ruben Dominguez on whether he liked playing in the Bucky Ball system​

"Oh, a lot. For me, when I talked to [McMillan] for the first time, I knew this would be the best thing for me, and it has been so far. Being here, March, to be able to play and to hoop with these guys has been a blessing."

Rylan Griffin on the key to an Aggie win​

"We just have to play our best basketball, stay focused and locked in on scouting reports and be very very aware of what we're doing on the court. Because this time of year, every possession matters."

Jacari Lane on battling through adversity​

"All great teams go through adversity. It's about the teams that can stick together, that's what makes a great team a great team, and I feel like that's what made us a great team. We've had a lot of adversity through season, the highs and lows, but we always find a way to bounce back."

Zach Clemence on the matchup against St. Mary's​

"They're a great team. They made it to the dance so, I mean, you can't take anyone for granted. Everybody has their own skills and talents so you just gotta be ready."

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Everything the Aggies said before March Madness showdown vs St. Mary's

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