The No. 4 seed in the East Region Texas A&M Aggies(22-10) are preparing to face the No. 13 seed Yale Bulldogs(22-7) in the 1st Round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. This game will take place Thursday evening in Denver, Colorado.
A&M is looking to build off a 2nd Round loss in last year’s tournament. They lost an OT thriller to No. 1 seed Houston last season. Yale has been a giant slayer in recent years. They defeated No. 4 seed Auburn in the 1st Round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Will Yale be able to pull off another upset and send Texas A&M home early?
Texas A&M Season Summary
The Aggies held their own in an SEC that was historic. Their season ended in the 2nd Round of the SEC Tournament following a 2 OT loss loss to the Texas Longhorns. Texas A&M had a mediocre offense. They are 160th in points scored, 330th in field goal percentage, and 323rd in three-point percentage.
The Aggies were led by their defense. They are 59th in points allowed, 25th in opposing field goal percentage, and 169th in opposing three-point percentage. Guards Wade Taylor IV and Zhuric Phelps have been the engine of the team’s offense. Taylor IV scored a season-high 29 points against Texas in the SEC Tournament.
Yale Season Summary
The Bulldogs dominated the Ivy League during the regular season and won two close games in the conference tournament to punch their ticket to the 2025 NCAA Tournament. They are entering the tournament 16-1 over their last 17 games. Yale has had one of the nation’s best offenses. They are 24th in points scored, 11th in field goal percentage, and eighth in three-point percentage.
Yale’s defense was the weaker part of their team, but still strong. They are 108th in points allowed, 30th in opposing field goal percentage, and 138th in opposing three-point percentage. Bulldogs Guard John Poulakidas has been great this season. He is also playing great heading into the game against Texas A&M. He has scored 25+ points in two of his last three games.
Final Thoughts
This should be a great game. Yale’s great offense will look to succeed against a stringent Aggies defense. The game should be a high-scoring one. Texas A&M will need to lean on their tough schedule this season in the SEC to survive and advance. In a game that should come down to the wire, the Aggies will fare better down the stretch and win.
