WATCH: Texas A&M vs Florida basketball game delayed after Aggies leave uniforms at hotel
Texas A&M vs. Florida had to wait longer than expected to start their game Wednesday night — and for a bizarre reason. The Aggies didn’t have their uniforms.
Texas A&M left its uniforms at the team hotel, meaning someone had to go back to the hotel to get them. That means tip-off will be delayed, and it was the subject of plenty of jokes before the broadcast got started on ESPNU.
“We’re not quite sure how long this delay is going to be,” Tom Hart said during the open. “What we do know is they ruled out playing shirts and skins, so we wait.”
The Aggies ultimately got back to the arena seven minutes after tip-off was supposed to occur. But upon their return, they received an administrative technical foul because of the delay.
Wednesday is Texas A&M’s SEC opener as the Aggies went 8-5 during their non-conference portion of the schedule. For Florida, conference play got started last week with a loss to Auburn in The Jungle.
Texas A&M ended the non-conference schedule with wins over Northwestern State and Prairie View A&M as final tune-ups for SEC action. Although those teams might not be of the caliber the Aggies will face during conference play — Prairie View A&M is an NAIA team, after all — Buzz Williams said those games would be huge for his group entering the league gauntlet.
“I think the wins are important, obviously,” Williams said. “But I think also the routine of what we did last week has probably been second-most important as far as what we do two days before a game. What we do one week before a game. We did that twice last week where we worked six days in a row and that’s what we’re gonna do the next nine weeks. Obviously that was scheduled with intent to have that week of practice reps for what would be upcoming the next nine weeks.
“I think some of that — I understand we haven’t played the game yet — but I think on Monday and Tuesday, those reps came to life even today. So winning is obviously important, but I think all the things that went into winning last week, there’s some residual positive effect already this week.”