Texas A&M turned Thursday’s NCAA first-round clash with Yale into a rebounding clinic, pounding the Ivy League squad 80-71 with a relentless attack on the glass. Making everyone rethink whether Ivy League schools belong. The Aggies snagged 17 offensive boards—leading the nation in that category—and turned second chances into a win that felt closer than it should’ve been. Wade Taylor IV was the spark, dropping 22 points with six triples, and now this team’s got fans wondering if they’re the sleeper nobody saw coming. Is this the start of something big in Aggieland?
Imagine this—first half, Andersson Garcia’s battling under the rim, grabs a miss, and kicks it out to Taylor, who buries a three that stretches the lead to eight. That’s the Texas A&M way: crash, hustle, score. They dominated the paint 48-32, racking up 14 points off those extra looks, while Yale’s scrappy crew fought back with a late 9-0 run that cut it to four. Danny Wolf kept the Bulldogs in it with 18 points, but their shooters couldn’t find the range, hitting just 28% from deep. Taylor’s clutch buckets late iced it—he’s small but plays huge when it counts.
This wasn’t pretty, but it was effective—Buzz Williams has built a team that thrives on grit and physicality, and it showed against Yale’s brainy, disciplined style. The Aggies aren’t flashy—they don’t light up the scoreboard with threes or dazzle with speed—but they’ll wear you down with effort. Online, some fans are calling it a fluke, pointing to Yale’s rally, but others see a squad built for March: tough, deep, and relentless. That rebounding edge isn’t going anywhere—it’s their secret weapon, and it’s lethal.
Next round’s a tougher hill, but Texas A&M’s got momentum and a style that’s hard to counter. Yale’s upset dreams—backed by a decade of tourney magic—died on the boards, and the Aggies are dancing on. If they keep crashing like this, a Sweet 16 run isn’t crazy—maybe even more. March loves a grinder, and A&M’s got the grit to go far.
