After taking a few steps toward the shallow end, the Texas A&M men's basketball team will try to tread in deeper waters again before its life preserver -- the softer part of the Big 12 schedule -- arrives.
A&M gained some confidence and, more importantly, a victory over Texas Tech on Wednesday, but that was against a team shooting for an NIT bid at best. A loss to Tech at home would have probably made the NIT the Aggies' best hope as well, despite being 15-5 going into that matchup.
A 1-4 start to conference play is not what the Aggies were gunning for out of the gate, but the schedule-makers were not kind to the Aggies, who started with games against the five other teams predicted to finish in the upper division of the Big 12. Three of those games were on the road and two were at venues -- Texas and Kansas -- where the opponents boasted home winning streaks that rank among the top five in the nation.
A winning mark through the first five and the Aggies, picked fifth in the preseason poll, could have entertained ideas of competing for a Big 12 title. A 2-3 mark would have given the Aggies a game to play with when it comes to making the NCAA Tournament.
A&M, now 2-4, was unable to do either. That puts a little more weight on each remaining game.
The term "must-win game" was thrown around earlier this week. It was a little premature, but it might say something about what is expected of the Aggies and how far the A&M basketball program has come over the past four seasons.
A&M coach Mark Turgeon dismissed it, adding he'll never say an upcoming game is a must-win even if his team has lost 20 straight.
The Aggies' two leading scorers, Josh Carter and Donald Sloan, put the onus on the team, admitting the Aggies had to start winning and even accepting the must-win label.
The Oklahoma State game Saturday at Reed Arena is a need-to-have game for many reasons.
Oklahoma State is in a similar position as the Aggies. The Cowboys (13-6, 2-3) are the only South team a game up on the Aggies head-to-head, and a sweep would give them the upper hand when it comes to selecting a fifth NCAA team from the conference. The Big 12 has averaged five teams in the tournament over the past six seasons. That would appear to be the number again this time with the conference ranked fourth in the RPI.
A&M also needs this victory because it's lost once already at home. With a game at No. 4 Oklahoma on the horizon, a 2-6 mark would give the Aggies only one or two games to slip up with in the second half of the schedule.
With both Oklahoma schools out of the way that would be doable, but not exactly how Turgeon would draw it up.
An A&M victory Saturday would be a boost to the Aggies' RPI. A&M has only one win over a top 50 team, No. 24 Baylor. OSU is No. 22 and A&M is 48th.
The standing A&M finds itself in is not unique to many of the current players.
The Aggies have made the tournament each of the last three seasons, once after starting conference play 1-3 and another time 0-4.
Last season was the 1-3 start. From there A&M went on a five-game winning streak, beginning with a victory at Reed over Oklahoma State.
Richard Croome's e-mail address is richard.croome@theeagle.com.
Texas A&M Basketball
Saturday's Game: Texas A&M (16-5, 2-4) vs. Oklahoma State (13-6 2-3), 1 p.m., at Reed Arena
Radio/TV: WTAW, 1620 AM/ESPN, Ch. 27
TEXAS A&M (15-2, 1-1)
NAMEPOS.HTCL.PPGRPG
Donald SloanG6-3jr.11.2*3.2
Derrick RolandG6-4jr.5.72.4
Josh CarterF6-7sr.12.74.0
Bryan DavisF6-9jr.10.36.0
Chinemelu ElonuC6-10jr.10.07.3
OKLAHOMA STATE (13-6, 2-3)
NAMEPOS.HTCL.PPGRPG
Byron EatonG5-11sr.13.9*5.7
James AndersonG6-3soph.17.75.5
Obi MuoneloG6-7jr.15.59.3
Terrel HarrisG6-10sr.14.14.8
Malcoln KirklandF6-7 soph.2.72.4
*assists per game