Texas A&m Basketball Trails LSU After Sluggish First Half at PMAC

texas a&m basketball entered halftime trailing LSU 38-33 after a first half in which the Aggies shot 29% from the field while the Tigers hit 50%. The halftime deficit followed stretches in which the Aggies fell as much as 15 points and were outscored off the bench by a wide margin, leaving the game finely balanced heading into the final period.

Texas A&m Basketball halftime struggles

The first half featured several clear indicators of why the Aggies were behind. Texas A& m managed only 29% shooting while the opposing team converted half of its attempts. The Aggies led for just over two minutes in the frame and had a prolonged scoring drought, producing only 11 points in the first 11 minutes of the period.

Rebounding and bench production were also tilted away from the Aggies. They were outrebounded 22-20 and were outscored off the bench, 21-7. On the individual stat sheet, guard Rylan Griffen had a game-high 13 points in the half and was 3-for-4 from three-point range; forward Rashaun Agee collected five rebounds. For the Tigers, center Michael Nwoko finished the half with nine points on 2-for-4 shooting and a team-high six rebounds.

A photo from the game captured a Tigers forward slicing through the Aggies' defense in the first half at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 7, 2026.

Second-half updates and indicators

Second-half play showed measurable improvement for the Aggies on offense, with game updates noting a jump to 46% shooting in the period. Despite that improvement, the visiting team continued to trade runs with LSU: after narrowing the margin several times down to as few as three points, the Tigers repeatedly answered and held a five-point lead at one media timeout in the second half.

Game flow in the second half included stretches where LSU extended its advantage through an 11-0 run that had opened a large early gap. Later in the half the Aggies chipped away and reduced the deficit to two possessions, but progress stalled at another timeout when the Aggies had made only five shots in the first 13-plus minutes of the period and were shooting below 20% in one update window.

Rylan Griffen continued to be a focal point of the Aggies' offense in later updates, with one account showing him leading all scorers with 11 points and hitting multiple three-pointers; earlier reporting from the first-half box score listed him with 13 points at the break. The sequence of updates shows shifting scoring totals as the game progressed.

What to watch next

Key observable indicators to monitor in the closing stages are second-half shooting efficiency, rebounding balance, and bench scoring. The Aggies’ second-half field-goal percentage rose to 46% in the course of the game; if that level of efficiency holds or improves, the Aggies have a clearer path to overcoming the halftime deficit. Conversely, continued shortfalls on the boards or a persistent bench scoring gap would make a comeback more difficult.

Game scheduling details listed the matchup at 5 p. m. ET Saturday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La. The betting line in pregame information showed Texas A& M as a 3½-point favorite.

• Halftime score: LSU 38, Aggies 33; Aggies shot 29% in first half.
• Rebounding/bench: Aggies outrebounded 22-20 but were outscored off the bench, 21-7.
• Second-half shooting improved to 46%; game remained undecided late.