Fast tempo against slow tempo. 

A matchup where the SEC clashes with the ACC. Texas A&M and Pittsburgh. 

The Aggies got the better of the Panthers at the Peterson Events Center on Tuesday night to add another important win to the resume. 

With the 81-73 victory, it is now the second straight win over an ACC school, and it was only the second time that Pittsburgh had lost at home this season. Senior Rashaun Agee electrified A&M on offense with 21 points and 13 rebounds to post another double-double. 

Going into the contest, coach Jeff Capel had done a good job in his eighth season, getting the Panthers to average 71.5 points per game while giving up 66.5. When coach Bucky McMillan’s team came rolling into the evening, it held its opponent to right around the 70-point mark and increased the numbers Pitt had been giving up, producing plenty of offense to walk away pleased. 

Entering a hostile environment, the Aggies were seventh in the country in 3-pointers per game with 12.1, ninth in free throws with 22.0, and 11th in turnovers created with 17.62. In those categories, the squad assembled nine 3-pointers, made 20 free throws on 22 attempts, and forced 11 turnovers. 

Starting the night, the Aggies picked up where they left off against the Seminoles, continuing to shoot from behind the arc, beginning a 10-1 run started by sophomore Ruben Dominguez and junior Mackenize Mgbako, who combined for two made threes from downtown.

Two of Pittsburgh’s best players, guards Omari Witherspoon and Barry Dunning Jr., kept their team in the game, combining for nine of the first 10 points. It was a back-and-forth game after that, where Agee finished the quarter out strong with a solid layup, mid-range jumper, and crazy dunk, where A&M went to the locker room leading 35-33.  From the field, A&M only shot 39.4 percent and 38.5 percent from three. 

In the second half, the Aggies let the Panthers fall behind 12 points, with the lead getting extended to 57-45, before a technical foul that did not go in favor of McMillan’s team. 

After the lead faded, A&M got careless on defense and let Pittsburgh go on a 15-0 run to take a 61-57 lead. Transfer guard from Kansas, Zach Clemence, finally stopped the scoring drought with a layup and free throw to get back within one. 

Texas A&M guard Rylan Griffen took back the lead after a quiet night, getting himself a layup and going to the free throw line, making both of his shots. After that, Pittsburgh was unable to push the accelerator to get to the final destination, where A&M ended on a 17-10 run to close the night out. 

Ending the night, A&M out-rebounded Pittsburgh on the offensive and defensive side, generating 22 defensive rebounds and 14 offensive rebounds. There were 15 fast-break points tallied, 17 points scored off turnovers, and 32 paint points, which were among the reasons A&M now has its seventh win of the season. 

A&M is back on the road against another ACC team, SMU, on Sunday, Dec. 7, at 4 p.m. on ESPN2.

Texas A&M fans, you may now exhale. The regular season has come and gone, and there is plenty to be proud about after the 11-1 season.

The Aggies may have ended said regular season with a loss in Austin to the Texas Longhorns, but for a team that has been chasing playoff glory for decades now, there is nothing to be ashamed of.

The 11 wins that the team notched are the highest since their 11-win season back in 2012, Johnny Manziel’s Heisman Trophy-winning campaign.

With their success, the Aggies were a force to be reckoned with in the weekly AP Top 25 polls, reaching their highest rank since the 2020 season that saw them at No. 4.

The Aggies started the season ranked at No. 19 after the 8-5 season they had in Mike Elko’s first year as head coach, though the addition of wide receivers KC Concepcion and Mario Craver kept them in contention as one of the best in college football.

The Aggies were predicted to finish eighth of 16 SEC teams in the SEC media poll.

The A&M offense was as advertised through their first two games, with wins of 42-24 and 44-22 over the UTSA Roadrunners and Utah State Aggies, respectively, boosting them three spots.

Defeating a top 10 team will definitely get you props from the Associated Press, and the Aggies found themselves in the top 10 for the second straight season after their 41-40 win over No. 8 Notre Dame in South Bend.

The Aggies didn’t even have to play during Week 4 to move up one spot, as then-No. 9 Illinois took a massive loss to Indiana, plummeting them and moving A&M up one during their bye week.

Texas A&M held off a late charge by the Auburn Tigers in their conference opener to take a 16-10 win, and losses by Florida State, Penn State, and LSU, who were all ranked above them, shot the Aggies up to the doorstep of the top 5.

A 31-9 pummeling of the Mississippi State Bulldogs was enough for Texas A&M to overtake the Oklahoma Sooners in the ranks, despite Oklahoma defeating Kent State 44-0.

The Aggies defeated the Florida Gators with a sound 24-17 score, and after the Ole Miss Rebels suffered a near loss to Washington State, the Maroon and White were promoted one spot on the AP list.

The Ags marched into Baton Rouge and annihilated the LSU Tigers 49-25, and after the Miami Hurricanes’ loss to the Louisville Cardinals, A&M moved up to their highest ranking since the 1995 season, when R.C. Slocum was still calling the shots.

Mike Elko’s team stayed in third behind the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes and No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers, continuing their perfect season, which included their comeback win over the South Carolina Gamecocks until they finally tasted defeat at the hands of the Longhorns in the regular season finale, 27-17, dropping them down to No. 7 and out of the SEC Championship game.

The Aggies will now wait to see who the College Football Playoff gives them in the first round, as they will likely host an opponent at Kyle Field.