Texas A&M (19-9, 9-6 SEC) couldn’t withstand No. 20 Arkansas’s elite offensive surge late in the second half of Wednesday’s game, falling to the Razorbacks 99-84, despite reserve forward Zach Clemence’s career-high 29 points, as the Kansas transfer has continued to make a significant impact over the latter half of the regular season.

While the Aggies shot 53% from the field, the Aggies only made eight three pointers, needing to reach their average of 11 or more to have a chance at pulling off the upset. Even worse, Arkansas star freshman guard Darius Acuff, who is averaging 22.2 points per game and shooting nearly 50% from the field, was held to five points and 1-10 from the field in the first half, but exploded late in the game for 22 points.

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The Aggies had their chances, cutting into what was a 17-point lead to five points, thanks to Clemence’s elite play, but the lack of defensive stops, which has been a problem on the road this season, resulted in the Razorbacks retaking a double-digit lead and sealing the win over the final two minutes.

Moving on, Texas A&M needs at least two more regular-season wins and will now host Texas on Saturday afternoon in what will likely be viewed as a “must-win” after defeating the Longhorns on the road earlier this season. First-year head coach Bucky McMillan and his veteran squad need to refocus on the task ahead.

Before Wednesday’s loss, the Aggies moved down ESPN Bracketologist’s updated bracket to his “First Four Out,” and as of Friday, the Aggies are trending down, but have not moved off that line. Texas, also one of the first four out teams, has now lost back-to-back games to Georgia and Florida, falling to the Gators 84-71 at home on Wednesday.

Texas A&M’s offense should be able to score on the Longhorns, who have struggled defensively, allowing 75.7 points per game, while the Aggies are shooting 47% from the field and have looked much better over the last two games, but need to cut down on the turnovers.

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Texas A&M will host Texas on Saturday afternoon at 3:00 p.m., with coverage on ESPN2.

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M basketball enters ‘must-win’ territory before hosting Texas