Texas A&M men’s basketball’s rollercoaster 2019-2020 season ended abruptly as the spread of COVID-19 caused the SEC and NCAA to cancel the championship tournaments. However, there are still many moments to look back on in Buzz Williams’ first season as head coach of the Aggies.
Thanksgiving Turmoil
The 10 days following Thanksgiving 2019 did not go well for A&M as the Aggies dropped their next four games. At the Orlando Invitational Nov. 28 through Dec. 1, A&M fell to Harvard (62-51), Temple (65-42) and Fairfield (67-62). Then, on Dec. 8, the Aggies suffered a 60-50 loss to rival Texas in the Lone Star Showdown, giving them a 3-5 record heading into the winter break.
Oregon State
After a win over A&M-Corpus Christi, the Aggies looked to a matchup with Oregon State to even their record to a .500 percentage. A&M did just that, with junior guard Savion Flagg kicking off a 10-0 scoring run that put the Aggies ahead for the rest of the game for the 64-49 comeback win. Postgame, Williams said it was “miraculous to be 5-5.”
Another LSU overtime
After a back-and-forth game that included the Aggies coming back from a 16-point deficit, A&M managed to take a six-point lead toward the end of the game. However, a pair of three-pointers allowed LSU to tie and send the game into overtime, and the Tigers maintained the lead throughout, only allowing A&M to come within one. The game ended in a crushing 89-85 loss for A&M.
Auburn
Heading into a matchup on the road at No. 17 Auburn, the Aggies had lost their two previous games and sat at a 14-14 season record. The Tigers were heavily favored, having not lost a game at home for over a year. However, the Aggies broke that streak in a 78-75 upset that highlighted Williams’ first year as head coach in Aggieland.
Arkansas
The senior day win ended up being A&M’s final game, ending the Aggies’ season with a 77-69 victory over Arkansas at home. The Aggies capitalized on a three-point lead at halftime to finish 10-8 in conference play.
The Aggies ended the season 16-14, and were the fourth seed heading into the SEC Tournament, where they were scheduled to take on Missouri on March 12. They never got the chance though, as the tournament was canceled that morning.
On March 10, Williams was named the AP SEC Coach of the Year after leading his team to finish sixth in the conference after they were picked to finish 12th in the preseason polls.