March Madness Scouting Report: Texas A&M-CC

For the third time in the 2022-2023 season, the Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball team will be playing Texas A&M. Unlike the last two times, Alabama will not be playing the Aggies, but rather the Islanders of Texas A&M Corpus Christi.

Get our free mobile app

To get to the Round of 64, Texas A&M-CC had to beat Southeast Missouri in the First Four. In a battle of 16-seeds, the Islanders defeated the Red Hawks 75-71, to win their first NCAA tournament game in school history.

Even though the Islanders were the final team to make it into the NCAA tournament and Alabama is the number one overall seed, this team is not to be taken lightly. Led by head coach Steve Lutz, Texas A&M-CC ended the season with a 24-10 record and won the Southland Conference.

Alabama cannot take this team lightly because the Islanders have multiple players that can give the stout Tide defense trouble. The leader of the team is guard, Trevian Tennyson. The senior from Arlington Tx., averages 15.6 points per game, two rebounds a game, and has a field goal percentage of 44%. Another player to watch for is senior forward Issac Mushila, who averages 14 points and nine rebounds per game.

Texas A&M- CC is trying to do something that has only been done once before in the history of the NCAA Tournament, upset a one seed as a 16-sed. The only time this has ever happened in NCAA Tournament history is when the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) Retrievers beat the Virginia Cavaliers, 74-54, in the 2018 Round of 64. Before the Retrievers, the one seed was 131-0 against a 16 seed.

"Don't think that you are a one seed you are guaranteed to get out of the first round, it's not guaranteed," said Alabama head coach Nate Oats. "This team (Texas A&M-CC) is number one in their league, they are number one in offensive and defensive efficiency, they are a really good team, they play hard, and they have good players".

The Islanders will have their chance against Alabama on Thursday at 1:45 p.m. CST. Even though the game is being played in Birmingham Ala. and Crimson Tide is favored by 24.5 points, anything can happen in the NCAA Tournament which is often called March Madness.