A&M hoops will play in the Battle 4 Atlantis title game at 2 p.m. Friday against Syracuse, after knocking off old rival Texas in the opening round on Wednesday and following up that with a 62-61 edging of No. 10 Gonzaga on Thanksgiving Day.
“I was really proud of our guys defensively down the stretch,” A&M fifth-year coach Billy Kennedy told reporters on Paradise Island in The Bahamas.
Earlier this week A&M moved into the top 25 (at No. 25) for the first time in nearly four years. Although A&M has missed the NCAA tournament the past four seasons, this early surge isn’t altogether unexpected.