Another year, another heartbreak for us Aggies. Our second-round collapse against Michigan still stings, but was somewhat better when those same Wolverines got dismantled by Auburn 78–65 in the Sweet Sixteen. So much for our Final Four dreams — we couldn’t even make it to the second weekend. And to think I had convinced myself this was finally our year.
Men’s Tournament: SEC Flexes Its Muscles
The SEC has historically dominated this tournament, becoming just the second conference to send four teams to the Elite Eight. Auburn, Florida, Tennessee, and Alabama have all advanced, leaving the possibility of an unprecedented all-SEC Final Four.
The first half of the Elite Eight has delivered decisive results. Duke smothered Alabama 85–65 Saturday night, limiting the Crimson Tide’s high-powered offense to just 8-for-32 shooting from three-point range. Mark Sears, who had been unstoppable with 10 three-pointers in the Sweet 16, was held to just six points and a single three against Duke’s suffocating defense.
The Blue Devils are heading to their 18th Final Four behind Kon Knueppel’s 21 points, while projected top NBA draft pick Cooper Flagg contributed 16 points despite shooting just 6-for-16. Meanwhile, Florida secured their Final Four berth by outlasting Texas Tech in the West Region final.
In Sunday’s remaining Elite Eight matchups, Auburn outbodied Michigan State while Houston ran the court over hotshot Tennessee. Auburn has been utterly dominant, using a devastating 20–2 second-half run to overwhelm Michigan in their Sweet 16 victory. Their combination of explosive scoring and defensive intensity makes them the clear favorite to advance and my pick to cut down the nets.
Women’s Tournament: Star Power Shines
UConn’s Paige Bueckers delivered a tournament performance for the ages, scoring a career-high 40 points to eliminate Oklahoma 82–59. Her record-setting performance has propelled UConn to the top spot in Elite Eight rankings despite being a #2 seed.
South Carolina, however, remains in the driver’s seat as Dawn Staley’s squad continues to dominate the competition. Still, if we’ve learned anything from Bueckers’ four years as a perennial All-American, it’s that she might use this Last Dance to disrupt the WBB hierarchy.
Meanwhile, UCLA and TCU have also advanced to the Elite Eight behind standout performances from Lauren Betts and Hailey Van Lith respectively. USC has also emerged as the tournament’s biggest surprise, advancing to the Elite Eight despite losing star JuJu Watkins to an ACL tear in the second round. Their freshmen duo of Kennedy Smith and Avery Howell has stepped up magnificently in her absence.
Predictions
As painful as it is to admit, Auburn, with Duke and Florida in the Final Four, looks poised to potentially cut down the nets. Their combination of veteran leadership and tournament experience gives them the edge over the remaining field. For the women, while UConn has the tournament’s hottest player in Bueckers, South Carolina’s depth and defensive intensity make them nearly unbeatable.
At least I can take small comfort in knowing that plenty of other fanbases will soon join us in offseason misery. Until next year, when I’ll inevitably convince myself that the Aggies are finally ready for a deep March run — only to have my heart broken again. It’s the Texas A&M way.
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