WATCH: Texas A&M advances in SEC Tournament after overtime heroics
Texas A&M guard Hassan Diarra kept his team’s season alive with a big shot with less than one second remaining in overtime of an 83-80 win over Florida. The Aggies continue on to the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament with a chance to improve their NCAA Tournament resume with a Quadrant 1 win.
With just over 10 seconds left on the clock in overtime, Texas A&M drew up a play to get Hassan Diarra, who delivered in big moments all season, a shot at the buzzer with a chance for the win. The action got him to the top of the key for an open 3-pointer which he knocked down before celebrating with his teammates.
Diarra finished the game with 14 points, including his late heroics, in route to the win. However, there is plenty to clean up for Texas A&M in the next 24 hours after letting a double-digit lead fade away with 2:16 left on the clock in the second half before Florida forced overtime.
Texas A&M on the bubble
As the college basketball world begins conference championships, multiple teams are on the bubble this week for a ticket to the NCAA Tournament. Key wins and losses this week could be the difference between qualifying for the tournament, as well as determining seeding for middle-of-the-pack schools.
As “Champ Week” has begun, ESPN’s John Gasaway has updated his picks for teams that have something left to prove before Selection Sunday. The field of 68 teams will feature 22 teams from one-bid conferences, and by Gasaway’s estimation there are 32 teams that are a “lock” already for the tournament bracket. That leaves 14 spots that could be decided by this week’s games, adding another layer to already competitive basketball games.
After an incredible year for the conference, six SEC teams are already positioned to play in the tournament. However, the SEC Tournament could give two teams a second chance to prove they should be joining them, as the conference’s overall strength would mean quality wins each time this week.
Florida is close, according to Gasaway, but late losses at home this year against Arkansas and Kentucky might keep them out. A few wins in this bracket could be the bump they need. Similarly, Texas A&M appeared to be well out of the field after a stretch of losses this year. But a strong finish and an impressive SEC Tournament run could add their name to brackets on Sunday.