Texas A&M (12-3) pulled off one of the crazier comebacks we’ll witness all season after defeating Auburn 90-88 on the road, now sitting at 2-0 in the SEC heading into the weekend. However, this victory is now stained with controversy, at least according to the Auburn fan base, after a last-second 3-point attempt by KeShawn Murphy was waved off because the refs ruled his fingertips were still on the ball.
This will be debated for years to come, and while the video evidence is grainy, Texas A&M pulled off one of the more important wins of the year regarding its NCAA Tournament hopes. heading into Saturday’s home test vs. Oklahoma (11-4), where the Aggies will be slight favorites based on their success in Reed Arena this season. However, Aggie fans must show up, knowing that their support could spark a sustained winning streak.
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Led by a complete team effort, including an elite showing from international sharpshooter Ruben Dominguez, who leads the Aggies in scoring (13.7 PPG) while shooting 47% from the field, and an incredible 47.3% from beyond the arc. Against the Tigers, Dominguez drained four 3-pointers while matching forward Rashaun Agee’s 14 points.
Texas A&M is now considered a fringe NCAA Tournament team by most, obviously needing to finish SEC play at .500 or better, but right now, it’s time to consider the Aggies one of the more formidable teams in the conference until further notice.
After the win, first-year head coach Bucky McMillan’s team shot up several more spots in the all-important NET rankings to No. 48, and has re-entered CBS sports college basketball analyst Jon Rothstein’s Top 45 rankings, sneaking in at No. 45 below Stanford and Missouri.
The road ahead is tough, set to face No. 21 Tennessee and Texas on the road over the next two games after hosting Oklahoma, but this team has continued to prove that, despite losing star forward Mackenzie Mgbako for the season, the Aggies are skilled enough to face even the toughest opponents the SEC has to offer.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M ranked 45th in Jon Rothstein’s rankings after beating Auburn
