Jan. 13, 2026, 10:25 p.m. CT<\/p>\n
Texas A&M<\/a> dropped its first SEC game of the season on Tuesday night, falling 87\u201382<\/a> in a double\u2011overtime heartbreaker to Tennessee in Knoxville. The Aggies had every opportunity to steal a road win, but costly missed free throws and untimely fouls opened the door for the Volunteers to claw back and eventually take control.<\/p>\n Leaving the officiating out of it, the numbers tell the story. A&M simply couldn\u2019t keep the much bigger Vols off the glass, getting out\u2011rebounded 60\u201335, and foul trouble mounted early in the second half, putting Tennessee in the bonus with more than eight minutes left. Even with those hurdles, the Aggies still had a chance to close it out in regulation, but missed free throws kept the Vols within striking distance \u2014 and they capitalized.<\/p>\n Neither team shot the ball well, with both finishing 40 percent below from the field. For A&M to push this game to the brink as an 8.5\u2011point underdog says plenty about how far this roster has come and how competitive it has become under Bucky McMillan. He\u2019s warned all season that there would be nights like this \u2014 not as an excuse, but as a reminder that this group is still learning how to win.<\/p>\n If anything, Tuesday proved the Aggies can go toe\u2011to\u2011toe<\/a> with some of the SEC\u2019s premier teams. Now the challenge is figuring out how to consistently finish games in winning moments.<\/p>\n Below are the best reactions to Texas A&M\u2019s double\u2011overtime loss to Tennessee.<\/p>\n Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!<\/a>The Aggies played tough, but couldn’t close it outA&M has to figure out how to close out games lateThey gave the No. 24 team a run for their money on the roadBad calls aside, A&M had a chance to win the game in regulationCoach Bucky said there would be days like thisThe rebounding and poor free-throw shooting caught up with them tonightThere are some things to work on, but this is still a fun team to watchThis team has earned a packed crowd every gameThe Aggies were not supposed to be 3-1 right now, but they areTough loss. Great Effort. On to the next one<\/p>\n Contact\/Follow us\u00a0@AggiesWire<\/a>\u00a0on X and like our page on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X:\u00a0@whosnextsports1<\/a>.<\/p>\n