Selection Chair Backs Texas A&M Aggies For No. 1 Overall Seed: 'They Earned It'

The committee’s decision sparked plenty of discussion, as Oklahoma had finished atop of the SEC standings over A&M by one game. 

With both teams declared co-champions of the SEC Tournament due to inclement weather, fans were denied a head-to-head battle for the outright conference title—and perhaps the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Kurt McGuffin, chair of the NCAA selection committee, explained that the Aggies’ overall résumé gave them the edge.

“Well, two quality opponents in Texas A&M and Oklahoma,” said McGuffin. “And I think what set apart Texas A&M was they have 19 Top-25 wins, which is number one in the country in wins in the Top-25. They also have had two quality non-conference wins versus Florida State and Texas Tech.”

“I think those were the two pieces that set them to the No. 1 seed,” McGuffin said.

Fortunately, the bracket is structured in a way that A&M and Oklahoma could still meet in the Championship series—giving fans the showdown they missed in the SEC Tournament and a chance to settle the debate on the dirt.

Texas A&M’s road to Oklahoma City begins May 16–18, when it hosts Liberty, Marist and Saint Francis in the Bryan/College Station Regional at Davis Diamond.