Preview: Oklahoma Sooners vs. Texas A&M Aggies

With only five games left, it’s hard to imagine that the Sooners can get back into at-large contention for the NCAA Tournament.

After Oklahoma won games against No. 15 Vanderbilt and Georgia to end its nine-game SEC slide, the Sooners fell 89-66 on the road against Tennessee on Wednesday. OU is now No. 69 in the NET rankings, which are used heavily by the NCAA Tournament selection committee to determine which teams are included in the tourney’s field.

The only chance — even if it’s a small one — for there to be any Selection Sunday drama is for OU to win out.

And on Saturday, Oklahoma will face a repeat opponent for the first time of the 2025-26 season, as the Sooners will host Texas A&M on Saturday.

The Sooners and Aggies battled on Jan. 10, which marked both squads’ third conference game. Oklahoma led for much of the second half before Texas A&M went on a 10-1 run late in the game, helping the Aggies win 83-76.

Unforced errors loomed large in the Sooners’ loss. Oklahoma committed 17 turnovers against the Aggies, and Texas A&M scored 18 points off of those miscues.

How to Watch Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M

Location: Lloyd Noble Center (Norman, OK)
Date: Feb. 21
Time: 7:30 p.m.
TV: SEC Network
Radio: 107.7 FM The Franchise

It’s evident that A&M’s unique style of play — “Bucky Ball” — got the Sooners out of rhythm in the Jan. 10 game. First-year coach Bucky McMillan is known for his fast-paced system in which his teams run a full-court press at all times and rely on quick 3-pointers and layups on offense.

Defensively, the Sooners did fairly well slowing down the Aggies, as they shot 42 percent from the floor and made only 10 of their 33 three-point attempts. But Oklahoma struggled to find an offensive rhythm against A&M’s suffocating style, shown by the Sooners’ high number of turnovers.

More than a month has passed since that contest, and both squads have experienced highs and lows.

Oklahoma lost its next seven games after falling to Texas A&M before finally snapping its skid against Vanderbilt on Feb. 7. The Sooners jumped from No. 85 in the NET to No. 68 after their victories against Georgia, but they desperately could have used a win against Tennessee to keep climbing toward the bubble.

Texas A&M followed its win against OU with a loss to Tennessee before the Aggies defeated Texas, Mississippi State, South Carolina and Georgia in a row. They met their first true speed bump of conference play after that stretch, though, and lost four games in a row. A&M broke its losing streak on Wednesday, when the Aggies beat Ole Miss 80-77.

The Aggies enter Saturday’s game ranked No. 43 in NET, which means it will be a quad-two game for the Sooners. 

A victory wouldn’t instantly put OU back into SEC contention or even the bubble conversation. But it is crucial for the Sooners hope of at least putting a positive spin on an otherwise disappointing season.