ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Beau Muhlbach doesn't strain trying to remember his responsibilities the last time the Texas A&M Aggies were in the NCAA Tournament. Until recently, those duties hadn't changed much.

"I was on the scout team with the rest of the team getting the guys prepared," Muhlbach said of last year's run to the Sweet 16. "I haven't forgot where I came from. I was on the scout team this year, too."

Not anymore. The 6-foot-5 Muhlbach has logged nearly half of his career minutes over the last seven games, averaging just over 7.1 points while becoming a critical cog in the Aggies' late run to the NCAA Tournament, which begins Thursday for A&M against BYU in Anaheim, Calif.

Muhlbach has taken his new role in stride.

"I just stay in focus on what coach needs me to do," he said. "If it's just boxing out [Kansas State's] Bill Walker or taking charges, or if it is scoring, I'm just here to do whatever the team needs me to do."

If A&M struggles early against BYU, Muhlbach may find himself doing something.

The Cougars start one big man and four smaller players who run around the edge of the arc looking for open jumpers. A&M had trouble defending that style earlier in the season, and it was one key reason why Muhlbach began playing more.

"He's given us versatility, which we didn't have," A&M coach Mark Turgeon said. "We can go big with him at [small forward] or we can go small with him at [power forward]. He's made some open shots, too, which we're always looking for."

Muhlbach stepped up most when the Aggies needed at Baylor, scoring a career-high 12 points when Derrick Roland was limited because of a shoulder injury.

A&M's need led to Muhlbach's sudden playing time. Turgeon was left searching for answers after A&M lost to Nebraska at Reed Arena in late February, and he opened up the next day's practice by, in essence, opening up a competition for playing time. Muhlbach responded.

"We gave him a chance earlier in the year, and he didn't do quite as well," Turgeon said. "Beau's always been a really good practice player but hasn't performed as well in the games. Recently, he's performed well."

Muhlbach knew it was his final chance to play a major role for the Aggies during the games.

"I was like this is a good opportunity for me right here to get in and really prove what I'm capable of doing," Muhlbach said.

Muhlbach averaged 20 minutes a game in the Big 12 tournament, averaging seven points and three rebounds.

"He's just taken everything so well as a senior who didn't get to play too much his first three years, and that's what kind of a person he is," said senior Dominique Kirk. "Everytime I see Beau make a big play, you'll see me right beside him, congratulating him because he's going out there doing all he can do to make the team better."

All of Muhlbach's career highs have come since A&M's 71-57 victory at Baylor on March 5.

"It's been a lot of fun, but all good things must come to an end," Muhlbach said of his new role. "Hopefully, I can continue playing basketball. I wish it would have happened sooner, obviously, but I'm having fun right now and wouldn't change anything about it."

Of the five NCAA games Muhlbach has suited up for, he's played in one, logging 2 minutes at the end of last season's first-round victory over Penn. ... Muhlbach's best scoring game playing for Lufkin High School was 38 points at A&M Consolidated. "Our point guard got into foul trouble, and then the second string point guard got into foul trouble, so I had to move from the shooting guard to the point guard," Muhlbach said. "Everything was run through me, and I just happened to have a hot hand that night." There was one negative for Muhlbach. Consol won the game. ... Beau's older brother Don played football for A&M.

• Richard Croome's e-mail address is richard.croome@theeagle.com.