ESPN Bracketologist Joe Lunardi had United Kingdom as a No. 3 seed in the South Region before Sunday’s games started, and Texas A&M was seeded 4th in the West. The tournament field will be announced later Sunday.
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LSU’s Tim Quarterman, center, wipes his face as he sits on the bench during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Texas A&M in the Southeastern Conference tournament in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, March 12, 2016.
This Kentucky team isn’t the juggernaut that it was in 2012 or last season, but it still is an SEC champion and a risky NCAA Tournament team thanks to what may be the nation’s most unsafe backcourt, headlined by sophomore point guard Tyler Ulis and freshmen Jamal Murray and Isaiah Briscoe.
The game was tied five times with three lead changes.NOTES: Kentucky and Texas A&M shared the regular season title with 13-5 records. For Texas A&M, the loss drops them to 26-8 and a likely No. 4 seed in the tournament. Tyler Ulis and Jamal Murray have combined for 51 points for Kentucky. They gave top-seeded Texas A&M all they could handle, but finally fell to the Aggies 72-66. Danuel House and Jalen Jones spearhead an offense that can amass three-pointers in bunches. Ole Miss did win an opening-round game in Dayton, Ohio, as one of the “first four” teams.
Kentucky did and finally put a blue-clad crowd at Bridgestone Arena at ease after keeping it anxious for much of the game as Georgia controlled the tempo and momentum with a timely basket or rebound.
House forced overtime with the performance of his career, even though he was bent over late with his hands on his knees. Kentucky responded with a 3-pointer by Willis to lead 78-75 with 1:01 remaining. “It’s been a journey, but we trusted coach and trusted our point guard, and they led us here”. House missed two 3-point attempts, including one just before the buzzer that Briscoe rebounded and then celebrated the win by tossing the ball high up in the air near the top of the video board.
Texas A&M guard Anthony Collins drove into the lane with 9 seconds left in overtime and Kentucky leading by one and Humphries altered his shott and collected the rebound on a shot that never came close to the rim.
Ulis, the SEC coaches’ pick for both the league’s player and defensive player of the year, scored 15 points in the second half in helping the Wildcats have a chance to add yet another title. When the Kentucky Wildcats allow 6 or more steals, they are a dazzling 6-2. “There was no doubt in my mind I was going to go to Derek Willis that last play”, Kentucky coach John Calipari said. A free throw by Kyle Dobbins off a technical on Simmons gave the Aggies their biggest lead at 68-28 with 3:05 left.
The Wildcats shot 50 percent, their fourth straight game hitting that mark – all victories. The Aggies (26-7) not only held LSU to a season-low in both points and made field goals (13) but also the fewest points scored by a team in any major conference this season.
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The Aggies have surprised a fair share of people this season and hope to do more of that in the NCAA Tournament.
