Texas A&M Aggies
Record: 26-8 (13-5 SEC)
Head Coach: Billy Kennedy (5th season)
Season Recap: The Aggies had not made the NCAA tournament since 2011, but started the season 17-2 led by seniors Jalen Jones and Danuel House en route to the SEC regular season title. Jones and House combine for 31.0 points and 12.0 rebounds per game, with their versatility and explosiveness leading Texas A&M to wins against Kentucky, Texas, Gonzaga and Baylor.
With senior guard Alex Caruso providing additional leadership on the perimeter, the Aggies bounced back from from a midseason skid in which they lost five of six to win eight of their last nine games, including the SEC tournament. Freshman center Tyler Davis complements Jones inside with 11.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, and Texas A&M's 16.9 assists per game rank 14th nationally.
After falling in overtime in the SEC tournament championship game against Kentucky, a team with nine players averaging more than 11 minutes per game is looking to post a deep tournament run for a head coach who was diagnosed with early-stage Parkinson's disease in 2011.
How they make a run: Texas A&M's veteran guard play and balanced scoring lead the Aggies out of the West region and to the Final Four.
How they falter: Opposing defenses key on Jones and House, and Texas A&M is unable to generate enough offense to avoid an early-round upset.
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