Just two days after the Aggies were one of the first four teams out of the NCAA Tournament, head coach Buzz Williams used some time after their opening-round victory in the NIT over Alcorn State to rip on the NCAA's selection committee for "snubbing" his team from the big dance.
An emotional Williams argued that the Aggies "earned the right to play in the greatest tournament in the world," while calling out the NCAA for a "flawed" and "broken" system. He also accused the selection committee of extending bids to teams due to "personal bias."
“We were and are completely devastated and heartbroken,” Williams said. “Sad is the wrong word, because it doesn’t completely express the totality of our emotions.”
“After studying all this nonstop for the last two days and looking at it from every vantage point, it defies logic that we are not in the NCAA tournament,” Williams said, wiping away tears as he spoke. “Despite repeated pleas, I have only been given generalities by those above me, not data-specific evidence on why we weren’t invited. Without logical reasoning behind the decision, while knowing I still must explain this to our guys and their families, it has caused me to lose all respect and faith in the system and those that are in it.”
Texas A&M (24-12) finished the season just as hot as any team in the country. The Aggies won seven straight games and were only a game away from the SEC Championship and an automatic bid to the tournament. They ultimately lost to Tennessee who is slated as a #3 seed in the tournament.
Even though coach Williams says it makes no sense how his team's 12 SEC competition-only wins weren’t enough,” especially when the teams they beat were seeded rather high in the tournament.
While the Aggies miss out on this year's tournament, they have a legitimate change at winning the NIT, next facing the Oregon Ducks.
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