The Texas A&M Aggies host the Missouri Tigers on Wednesday night in an SEC college basketball matchup. The game tips off at 9:00 p.m. ET in College Station, Texas.
The Aggies are listed as 6.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at O/U 157.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction and pick for this SEC college basketball matchup.
Texas A&M vs. Missouri prediction, preview
Texas A&M is having a solid season in Year 1 under Bucky McMillan. The Aggies made the NCAA Tournament in each of Buzz Williams’ final three seasons, and they are looking to make it four straight this year. Joe Lunardi’s Bracketology has Texas A&M currently sitting as an 8-seed. The Aggies are in fourth place in the SEC with a 7-3 conference record. However, they are in need of a bounce-back win after losing two straight games coming into this one. The Aggies are one of the most well-rounded teams in the conference, with five different players averaging double figures this season. They rank 42nd in the nation in offensive rating and 40th in defensive rating, so they are equally solid on both ends of the floor.
Missouri is trying to salvage its season down the stretch in SEC play. The Tigers were in bad shape, but they have won three of their past four games to rise to a 6-4 conference record. That has them in the first four teams out in the latest Bracketology. A big road win over Texas A&M could push them into the tournament field and give them momentum to ride down the stretch. Missouri will want to slow this game down and make it a half-court battle. The guard duo of Mark Mitchell and Jayden Stone can proficiently run sets and set up easy baskets for teammates and themselves.
Texas A&M vs. Missouri pick
My best bet for this game is for Texas A&M to cover as 6.5-point favorites. There is a massive tempo difference in this game. The Aggies want to get out in space and push the tempo, while Missouri wants to slow it way down. Texas A&M ranks 27th in the nation in adjusted tempo, while Missouri ranks 229th. Missouri’s past five SEC games have been against three of the slowest teams in the conference – South Carolina, Oklahoma and Mississippi State – and the two fastest, Georgia and Alabama. Missouri won all three games against the slow teams, but lost to both of the fast teams. When Missouri can play an opponent in the halfcourt, it beats up on inferior teams. However, when a superior team forces Missouri to try to run with them, the Tigers get results like their 26-point loss to Alabama.
Texas A&M’s back-to-back losses coming into this game were against Florida and Alabama. Those are two teams that play a similar style to Texas A&M, but with more talent. However, when the Aggies get a chance to force teams to keep up with them that don’t have the athletes, they typically dominate. The same teams Missouri beat, South Carolina and Mississippi State, Texas A&M just beat by 23 points and 20 points respectively in recent weeks. The Aggies should do something similar to Missouri and put up a number that the Tigers can’t compete with.
