The newly named NIRSA Regional Champions and No. 1 seed Texas A&M club basketball team will take on No. 4 seed Texas Southern at the Rec Center on Saturday, Feb. 24, in the first conference tournament of the season.

The Aggies defeated South Carolina State on Feb. 18 to bring home the regional title from the first tournament of the spring season. The team won regionals back-to-back in 2017 and 2018 and placed second at nationals in 2023 after clinching the regional title.

The Aggies will play North Texas, Stephen F. Austin and Del Mar College on Saturday.

Mechanical engineering junior Mikey Withey said the goal is for a win this weekend.

“[We’re seeking] preparation for nationals,” small forward Withey said. “Getting better as a team is our main goal.”

The national championship will be held at the University of Wisconsin on April 12. To reach that level, Withey said the team will look to new head coach and former A&M basketball player Josh Hampton to guide it to the top.

Hampton’s motto, “Your opponent is the game, not the team,” resonates with players as they work to perfect their own game as a unit, Withey said.

“One thing we are going to work on this weekend is setting our own pace,” Withey said.

Tipoff is set for 10 a.m., and the Aggies have three guaranteed pool play games in the tournament.

Lexi Rodriguez is a journalism sophomore and contributed this article from the course JOUR 359, Reporting Sports, to The Battalion.