Texas A&M Basketball Saves Face for the SEC

With 30 something seconds left, and Texas A&M down 10, I got up to go into the kitchen and fry a bologna sandwich. I was disgusted with SEC basketball this season. I told my fiancé the game was over, and she could watch what she wanted to watch.

Thank God she did a bracket.

“Can you change it to the Wisconsin game? I got them in the final four,” she says.

“Sure,” I replied. I was ready for that bologna sandwich.

Mar 20, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; The Texas A&M Aggies bench reacts in the second half against the Northern Iowa Panthers during the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

As I was laboring hard over my frying pan, Sam just listened to me vent. I went on and on about how not even a single team from the SEC could reach the Sweet 16, and how embarrassing Texas A&M and Vanderbilt were to the conference.

At least Kentucky lost to Indiana.

Vandy losing by 20 to Wichita State in a play-in game? Embarrassing.

Number 3-seeded Texas A&M going down to UNI by double digits was just shameful.

Then I finished my bologna sandwich and came to sit down and watch the end of the Wisconsin Xavier game. About 15 minutes had gone by and Wisconsin was making a strong comeback.

Then my fiancé reminded me Texas A&M was in the SEC, because the “I know baby”s were apparently not accompanied by a listening ear. I don’t blame her. I was rambling.

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I laughed and told her that I knew, and then she laughed and asked me if I knew that they were in double overtime with UNI.

I swear to you, I told her that CBS had made a typo or something, because that game was over a long time ago.

She changed the channel.

Then a shameful double digit loss turned into one of, if not the, greatest comebacks in NCAA Tournament history.

In case you’ve lived under a rock, click here to visit our friends at secsports.com and get a full game recap.

Mar 20, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Northern Iowa Panthers forward Klint Carlson (2) walks off the court after losing to the Texas A&M Aggies. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The entire SEC basketball world was set to collapse on Texas A&M’s shoulders. Honestly, it wasn’t fair. Despite going out in the same round, I felt ready to absolve Kentucky for their shortcomings because at least they lost to Indiana.

I then found myself so willing to put down Texas A&M. I was angry. I was hurt. Honestly, this was the first time I actively found myself rooting for Texas A&M and maybe I just didn’t know how to handle it.

They never quit. They played amazing defense. They knew exactly what to do when they got the ball, and they attacked the basket. Head Coach Billy Kennedy deserves a ton of credit for the way his team played in the position they were in late.

Regardless of whether or not Texas A&M beats Oklahoma, we can walk with our heads held high when announcing that we are fans of SEC Basketball. We, as fans of our conference, should thank Texas A&M Basketball.

We should all be a little embarrassed, too. We all know we changed the channel.