Texas A&M vs. Saint Mary’s prediction Thursday: Round of 64 pick, odds, best bet for March Madness Saint Mary’s will make its fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in its first-round matchup against Texas A&M on Thursday. The South region’s seventh-seeded Gaels are 3-1 in those first-round appearances, and enter the tournament with a 27-5 record after tying Gonzaga for the West Coast Conference regular season title. The 10th-seeded Aggies, who opened as 2.5-point underdogs, will make their fourth straight trip to the dance with a 2-1 record in their opening games in that span. They finished their regular season tied for fourth in the SEC standings at a 21-11 mark under first-year head coach Bucky McMillan. McMillan deserves some credit for a winning season after former head coach Buzz Williams took pretty much everyone on the roster with him to Maryland. The Aggies face a tough draw, as Saint Mary’s outsizes them significantly. Size was a recurring issue for Texas A&M throughout the season, as McMillan had to rely on small-ball strategies with 6-foot-7 center Rashaun Agee. Here, they’ll contend with the 13th-biggest team in the nation, anchored by 7-foot-3 Andrew McKeever and multiple players standing at 6-foot-7. Interior scoring will be challenging for A&M, and defensive rebounding will be a steep uphill battle. Saint Mary’s is ranked in the top 15 in both rebounds and rebounding percentage with an astounding plus-11 rebound margin. Texas A&M allows 32.5 percent of its own missed shots to be grabbed by the opposition. Even if shooting is equal, Saint Mary’s is likely to get more opportunities, and in a tournament setting, possessions matter. An upset for the Aggies would depend on how well they can force turnovers and create chaos with pace and pressure.#west_coast_conference #saint_marys #texas_amg #bucky_mcmillan #andrew_mckeever
Texas A&M Faces Saint Mary's in NCAA Tournament Clash Texas A&M secured its NCAA Tournament berth with a strong finish to the regular season, highlighted by victories over Kentucky and LSU, bringing their record to 21-11. Despite inconsistent performances throughout the year, first-year head coach Bucky McMillan and his veteran roster, composed largely of transfer portal additions, earned an unexpected invitation to the tournament. The Aggies’ loss to Oklahoma in the SEC Tournament second round, by a 20-point margin, actually benefited their seeding, earning them a 10-seed and a matchup against seventh-seeded Saint Mary's in Oklahoma City. The Aggies’ path to the tournament included a notable 2016 March Madness appearance, where they staged a historic comeback against Northern Iowa in Oklahoma City. For McMillan, this marks his second NCAA Tournament appearance, following his successful run with Samford in the 2023-2024 season, where his team nearly upset Kansas. However, Texas A&M faces a daunting challenge against Saint Mary's, a team featuring three players listed at 7 feet tall. The Gaels’ size could dominate the paint, forcing the Aggies to rely on their three-point shooting for success. ESPN analyst Jay Bilas, who released predictions for all NCAA Tournament games, highlighted Saint Mary's as a formidable opponent. Bilas noted the Gaels’ efficient half-court offense, which emphasizes inside scoring and free-throw accuracy, as a significant threat to Texas A&M’s press defense and inconsistent offensive output. “This is a stark contrast in styles,” Bilas said. “Texas A&M wants to get up and down the floor, press, and be annoying, but Saint Mary's will slow the game down. It seems different to take Saint Mary's here and call it chalk, but the Gaels will be a problem.#oklahoma_city #saint_marys #texas_amg #bucky_mcmillan #james_bilas
