Kentucky finds itself in a dogfight for SEC Tournament positioning as they head into the final week of the regular season after knocking off the Commodores. Currently sitting at the 5-seed, the Wildcats are tied with Missouri and Tennessee at 10-6 in conference play.
Right behind them? The team they take on next, the Texas A&M Aggies at 9-7.
Tuesday night’s matchup in College Station has massive implications for both sides. While Kentucky is riding a two-game winning streak and looking to climb the NCAA Tournament seed lines, the Aggies are desperate to stop a late-season freefall. "Bucky Ball" was rolling at 17-4 and sitting atop the SEC earlier this year, but Bucky McMillan’s squad has gone just 2-6 since then.
The seeding stakes
Currently, most bracketologists have the Wildcats hovering in the 6-7 seed range. A road win on Tuesday likely pushes them firmly into the No. 6 category. With a strong regular-season finale against Florida and a deep run in the SEC Tournament, a climb to the 5-seed is well within reach.
For Texas A&M, this is a "must-have" to keep their own tournament seeding; another home loss could drop them down the pecking order. While they aren't on the bubble yet, it could send them to the verge of it.
Aggies by the numbers during the last 2 Weeks
The Aggies' recent struggles are reflected in their efficiency. While Rashaun Agee and Zach Clemence have been productive, the rest of the roster has struggled to find consistency during this 2-6 skid.
Rashaun Agee has been a force in the paint, averaging 17.3 points and 8 rebounds in 30 minutes of action. He’s joined by Zach Clemence, who is also chipping in 17.3 points per contest but has been less active on the glass with just 3.6 rebounds per game.
Beyond that duo, the production drops off significantly. Marcus Hill is the only other Aggie averaging double figures (10.6 PPG) during this stretch, while Rylan Griffen is contributing 9 points and 3.6 assists. This top-heavy scoring has made Bucky McMillan’s squad predictable during their recent skid, especially with high-volume guards like Pop Isaacs struggling to find their rhythm, averaging just 4.6 points over the last two weeks.
Can the Cats keep rolling?
Kentucky has regained its footing after a mid-February three-game losing streak. The key on Tuesday will be handling the unique pressure of Bucky Ball on the road. If the Wildcats can maintain the defensive intensity they showed against Vanderbilt and avoid the "emotional hangover" of Senior Day, they should be able to exploit an Aggie defense that has looked vulnerable lately.
How to watch: Kentucky basketball at Texas A&M
Time: 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, March 3rd
Location: Reed Arena in Bryan-College Station, TX
TV Channel: ESPN2
Online Stream: Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, FuboTV, Sling TV (Blue & Orange Plan)
Radio: Stream live at UKAthletics.com
Local FM/AM Stations:
Lexington: 98.1 FM / 630 WLAP
Louisville: 840 AM WHAS
London: 103.9 FM WWEL
Hazard/Pikeville: 101.1 WSGS
Madisonville: 93.9 FM WKTG