One of the most intriguing matchups of the second round of the men’s NCAA Tournament will be No. 1 seed Houston vs. No. 9 seed Texas A&M. The Cougars are nearly a double-digit favorite going into the game and are looking to make their fourth consecutive trip to the Sweet 16.
There are a couple of things that make this matchup so interesting. For one, we have already seen it play out this season as Houston was able to hold off a second-half surge from the Aggies back in December to hold on for a 70-66 win at the Toyota Center in Houston. They are also two extremely similar teams that have the potential to produce a tough, physical game.
Both teams boast experienced point guards, with Jamal Shead leading Houston and Wade Taylor IV leading Texas A&M. Shead is a four-year starter for the Cougars and put together his best season yet, while Taylor is in his third year and a big-time scorer averaging 19 points per game. Guard play is always a huge X-factor in the Tournament, and both teams have a potential game-changer leading their backcourt.
Houston and Texas A&M are also two of the fiercest — and most efficient — teams in the country when it comes to offensive rebounds. The Aggies lead the country in offensive rebounds per game (17.2) and have the best offensive rebound differential (+7.3) in the country. They lead both categories by a significant margin. Houston is also in the top 25 in both categories.
The Cougars were able to bounce back from an ugly Big 12 championship loss to Iowa State with a thoroughly dominant 40-point win over Longwood in the Tournament’s first round. The competition is going to get a lot tougher moving forward, especially against a team that already showed this season that it can at least hang with them and keep it close. The Aggies are also coming off a 98-point explosion against Nebraska, including a whopping 58-point first half.
What: South Region, Second Round
Tipoff time: 8:40 p.m. ET Sunday
TV: TNT
Location: Memphis
Houston vs. Texas A&M odds
Odds are from BetMGM and update live. Find the best ticket deals on StubHub to see your favorite team.
Expert picks
Model projection: Houston by 10.5, total 134
See all of Austin Mock’s projections for the second round.
Players to watch
Houston
- Jamal Shead, senior guard, Big 12 Player of the Year, Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, first-team All-Big 12, All-Big 12 defensive team
- L.J. Cryer, senior guard, second-team All-Big 12
- J’Wan Roberts, senior forward, third-team All-Big 12
Texas A&M
- Wade Taylor IV, junior guard, first-team All-SEC
- Andersson Garcia, senior forward, All-SEC defensive team
More NCAA men’s basketball tournament coverage
(Photo of Mylik Wilson: Stacy Revere / Getty Images)
