- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 448,489
- Reaction score
- 44
COLLEGE STATION — Perhaps the cruelest thing about momentum is that it takes a while to gain, and just one weekend to lose it.
Texas A&M baseball experienced this firsthand. The Aggies came into Austin last weekend, winners of 10 of its previous 11 games before being swept out of town by its in-state rival, the Texas Longhorns.
The Aggies started conference play 1-8 before finding that momentum and winning three consecutive conference series. They took down then-No. 1 Tennessee, South Carolina, and then-No. 2 Arkansas to push them to 8-10 in the SEC.
Now, A&M, which worked diligently over the last month to put itself squarely back into the postseason conversation, again finds itself in danger of missing the postseason.
Playing in the country's best conference, it's likely 13 SEC wins would push A&M (25-19, 8-13) into the 64-team tournament and give the preseason No. 1 overall team a chance to compete for a national title. So, how does A&M get there?
More: Texas A&M baseball midseason grades: Aggies' starters solid; defense, bullpen struggle
The Aggies have put themselves in a hole where the math matters.
For A&M, 13 conference wins appear to be the safest, most consistent benchmark they need to hit for a likely bid to the postseason. Since 2012, every SEC team that has achieved 13 wins and a top-30 RPI has made it to the NCAA Tournament.
The Aggies currently have eight wins with nine conference games remaining, with an RPI of 41.
Before 2024, when the SEC sent 11 teams into the tournament, the conference had never had more than 10 teams make it in a given season. The SEC currently boasts 11 teams with 10 or more conference wins, and 12 teams are currently within the top 30 of RPI.
A&M and Florida are just behind with eight wins; however, unlike the Aggies, the Gators are comfortable in the RPI, sitting at 19th heading into next weekend.
Mississippi State (7-14) is 45th in RPI and fired their head coach, Chris Lemonis, over the weekend.
South Carolina, with five wins (55th in RPI), and Missouri, with no wins (152nd), round out the conference.
That leaves 13-14 teams realistically vying for a spot in the field for the tournament.
In a conference with 10 ranked teams, 13 wins feels like the bare minimum if they want to stay within range of the Big Dance.
More: Texas A&M basketball recruiting: Jamie Vinson, ex-Texas big man, commits to Aggies
Schedule-wise, things don't get any easier for the Aggies.
After taking on then-No. 2 Arkansas and current No. 1 Texas on the road in back-to-back weekends, A&M now prepares to host current No. 2 LSU at Blue Bell Park this weekend.
However, the Aggies can't get caught slipping Tuesday against midmajor Lamar. (They beat the Cardinals handily.)
A loss would have damaged A&M's RPI position and added to two other midweek losses this season, against Texas State and UTSA.
From there, the Aggies travel to Houston to take on the Cougars in a midweek game, before hosting a struggling Missouri squad and wrapping up the regular season at the Georgia Bulldogs.
After the regular season ends, it's on to the SEC Tournament in Athens, Ga. The single-elimination tournament starts May 20, with the title game on May 25. The bottom eight in the 16-team standings play on the first day and would have to beat multiple higher seeds for a shot at the championship — and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
As of Tuesday, the Aggies are in 13th place, currently four games behind eighth-place Georgia.
Auburn, Oklahoma and Kentucky are all within two games of the Bulldogs and the coveted spot as well.
If A&M can find the momentum again this weekend versus LSU, that could help the Aggies reach lucky win 13 and finally feel somewhat at ease during a rollercoaster season.
Reach Texas A&M Beat Reporter Tony Catalina via email at [email protected]. Follow the American-Statesman on Facebook and X for more. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Access all of our best content with this tremendous offer.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: NCAA baseball: What Texas A&M must do to make tournmanet
Continue reading...
Texas A&M baseball experienced this firsthand. The Aggies came into Austin last weekend, winners of 10 of its previous 11 games before being swept out of town by its in-state rival, the Texas Longhorns.
The Aggies started conference play 1-8 before finding that momentum and winning three consecutive conference series. They took down then-No. 1 Tennessee, South Carolina, and then-No. 2 Arkansas to push them to 8-10 in the SEC.
Now, A&M, which worked diligently over the last month to put itself squarely back into the postseason conversation, again finds itself in danger of missing the postseason.
Playing in the country's best conference, it's likely 13 SEC wins would push A&M (25-19, 8-13) into the 64-team tournament and give the preseason No. 1 overall team a chance to compete for a national title. So, how does A&M get there?
More: Texas A&M baseball midseason grades: Aggies' starters solid; defense, bullpen struggle
Aggies' looking to hit lucky No. 13
The Aggies have put themselves in a hole where the math matters.
For A&M, 13 conference wins appear to be the safest, most consistent benchmark they need to hit for a likely bid to the postseason. Since 2012, every SEC team that has achieved 13 wins and a top-30 RPI has made it to the NCAA Tournament.
The Aggies currently have eight wins with nine conference games remaining, with an RPI of 41.
Before 2024, when the SEC sent 11 teams into the tournament, the conference had never had more than 10 teams make it in a given season. The SEC currently boasts 11 teams with 10 or more conference wins, and 12 teams are currently within the top 30 of RPI.
A&M and Florida are just behind with eight wins; however, unlike the Aggies, the Gators are comfortable in the RPI, sitting at 19th heading into next weekend.
You must be registered for see images attach
Mississippi State (7-14) is 45th in RPI and fired their head coach, Chris Lemonis, over the weekend.
South Carolina, with five wins (55th in RPI), and Missouri, with no wins (152nd), round out the conference.
That leaves 13-14 teams realistically vying for a spot in the field for the tournament.
In a conference with 10 ranked teams, 13 wins feels like the bare minimum if they want to stay within range of the Big Dance.
More: Texas A&M basketball recruiting: Jamie Vinson, ex-Texas big man, commits to Aggies
The road ahead for A&M baseball
Schedule-wise, things don't get any easier for the Aggies.
After taking on then-No. 2 Arkansas and current No. 1 Texas on the road in back-to-back weekends, A&M now prepares to host current No. 2 LSU at Blue Bell Park this weekend.
However, the Aggies can't get caught slipping Tuesday against midmajor Lamar. (They beat the Cardinals handily.)
A loss would have damaged A&M's RPI position and added to two other midweek losses this season, against Texas State and UTSA.
From there, the Aggies travel to Houston to take on the Cougars in a midweek game, before hosting a struggling Missouri squad and wrapping up the regular season at the Georgia Bulldogs.
After the regular season ends, it's on to the SEC Tournament in Athens, Ga. The single-elimination tournament starts May 20, with the title game on May 25. The bottom eight in the 16-team standings play on the first day and would have to beat multiple higher seeds for a shot at the championship — and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
As of Tuesday, the Aggies are in 13th place, currently four games behind eighth-place Georgia.
You must be registered for see images attach
Auburn, Oklahoma and Kentucky are all within two games of the Bulldogs and the coveted spot as well.
If A&M can find the momentum again this weekend versus LSU, that could help the Aggies reach lucky win 13 and finally feel somewhat at ease during a rollercoaster season.
Reach Texas A&M Beat Reporter Tony Catalina via email at [email protected]. Follow the American-Statesman on Facebook and X for more. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Access all of our best content with this tremendous offer.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: NCAA baseball: What Texas A&M must do to make tournmanet
Continue reading...
