Texas A&M’s 3-point shooting issues put NCAA Tournament hopes at risk

Texas A&M (19-10, 9-7 SEC) has not taken advantage of playing in Reed Arena this season, especially when the fans show up in droves, falling to rival Texas 76-70 on Saturday afternoon just three days after losing to No. 20 Arkansas on the road. Offensively, the Aggies struggled, shooting a paltry 38% from the field, while hitting just two three pointers.

Throughout conference play, the primary reason the Aggies started 7-1, including an early road win over Auburn, was consistent success from beyond the arc in the first eight SEC games, averaging 11.4 made threes and shooting 36% from deep, including five games with 10 or more three-pointers.

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Under first-year head coach Bucky McMillan, this remains the key to success, and the current numbers explain the Aggies 2-8 record over the last eight games. Including Saturday’s performance, Texas A&M is shooting 33.8% from the field, averaging 9 three-pointers per game, and has just three games with 10 or more three-pointers.

Due to the roster’s lack of size after transfer forward Mackenzie Mgbako was lost for the season, McMillan’s undersized roster must rely on three-point shooting not just to keep pace in games against larger opponents, but forcing teams to match their fast-paced style. The Aggies need much more from Spanish guard Ruben Dominguez, who is averaging 4 points per game on 27.3% and 23.1% shooting from the field and three-point range.

This late in the season, it’s hard to know if Texas A&M’s shooting woes can quickly turn around, but given the circumstances, needing to defeat Kentucky and LSU on the road to enter the SEC Tournament without having to win two more games to have a shot at making the NCAA Tournament.

Texas A&M will host Kentucky on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m., with coverage on ESPN2.

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Publish date : 2026-03-02 12:03:00

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