COLLEGE STATION — Texas A&M basketball‘s relentless effort Saturday weighed heavily on Oklahoma.
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Only four players of the 11 Sooners who played finished the game with a positive plus-minus rating; forward Kuol Atak led at plus-eight. The Aggies (13-3, 3-0 SEC) have now secured three consecutive conference wins by a combined 12 points, largely due to their strong defense. A&M held Oklahoma (11-5, 1-2) to just four made field goals in their final 20 attempts to pull away for the 83-76 win.
“It came a long way. We got a lot better,” guard Ruben Dominguez said of A&M’s defense. “We have to trust each other and press the ball more. We did that in the second half.”
MORE AGGIES: Texas A&M vs Oklahoma: Aggies take down Sooners for 3rd SEC win
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Texas A&M’s Ali Dibba (6) of the Texas A&M Aggies goes to the rim against Oklahoma’s Mohamed Wague during the second half Jan. 10, 2026 at Reed Arena in College Station.
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A&M’s defense proving to be SEC-ready
A&M has been forward about its size disadvantage entering SEC play. Saturday was further proof of that, losing the rebound battle decisively 43-32. Oklahoma started two players taller than 6-foot-8, and the Aggies have no starters taller than 6-foot-7. However, the Aggies won the turnover battle 17-8 and recorded eight steals to the Sooners’ four.
They turned those 17 turnovers into 18 points, offsetting an off night from 3-point range (10-for-33).
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Scrappy defense is what the Aggies believe is the recipe for success. For virtually every minute, they played full-court defense, forcing the Sooners into tough decisions and hard-earned buckets.
“We know the SEC is going to be like this,” Dominguez said. “We’ve been executing plays in every small detail. We have to take it to the next level and that’s why we’re able to close out games.”
Texas A&M forward Rashaun Agee (12) drives against Oklahoma forward Mohamed Wague during the second half Jan. 10, 2026 at Reed Arena in College Station.
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In two out of A&M’s first three conference games, it held its opponent to well under its season scoring average. Saturday was no different, as Oklahoma entered the meeting averaging 84.4 points per game. The Sooners were held under 80 points for just the sixth time this season.
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“I thought our guys were fresh in the game late,” head coach Bucky McMillan said. “We were better defensively in the halfcourt in the second half because our guys took their matchups personally. Oklahoma had 17 turnovers, and we only had eight. We also shot more free throws.”
Aggies turning doubters into believers
A&M has won 11 of its last 12 games, including its first three SEC games.
The effort has garnered national attention, with ESPN’s Joe Lunardi listing them as one of his first teams out of the NCAA Tournament ahead of Saturday’s win. Lunardi had the Aggies listed as “in with a win.”
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SEC coaches and media voted A&M to finish 13th in the preseason poll. Last season, the Aggies went 11-7 in conference play, earning a fourth seed in the tournament. Given the depth of the SEC, it may take at least 10 wins to be considered safe in the field this time around.
Thanks to A&M’s ability to come together as a unit, there is real belief in its locker room that it’s capable of much more than many thought ahead of the season.
“We’ve had time, and they’re believing in what we’re about,” McMillan said. “They’re buying into this being bigger than themselves. It’s got to mean something more, and they’ve become a true team with an identity and a competitive edge.”
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Reach Texas A&M beat reporter Tony Catalina via email at Anthony.Catalina@statesman.com.