COLLEGE STATION, Texas – In a surprising turn of events on Tuesday night, Auburn had its grip on the top seed for the NCAA Tournament loosened after suffering a 83-72 defeat to Texas A&M. The Tigers battled hard but found themselves trailing right from the start as the Aggies dominated the game, claiming the lead on their very first possession and never looking back.

With this loss, Auburn, now sitting at 27-3 overall and 15-2 in the SEC, has tied in overall record with Duke, who is also 27-3 but has a better conference record at 18-1 in the ACC. Earlier this season, Duke handed the Tigers an 84-78 loss, giving the Blue Devils the head-to-head edge in the eyes of many analysts.

Despite the setback, Auburn still holds a stronger resume particularly with a record of 16-2 in Quad 1 games, compared to Duke’s 6-3. However, the performance from Auburn’s star, Johni Broome, raised some eyebrows as he managed only eight points—marking a trend after a less than stellar showing against Kentucky just three days prior. Broome remains a top contender for the Wooden Player of the Year award, but his recent performances may open the door for Duke freshman Cooper Flagg to gain ground in the voting.

Texas A&M, now 21-9 overall and 10-7 in the SEC, secured a historic win as this marked their first victory over a team ranked No. 1 in the AP Top 25 poll. The Aggies snapped a six-game winning streak for Auburn and prevented the Tigers from finishing their road SEC schedule undefeated, as they previously held a 9-0 record in conference games away from home this season.

The Aggies had a strong showing throughout the night, with Zhuric Phelps leading the charge off the bench, scoring 19 points. A key moment came late in the game when Auburn’s Tahaad Pettiford sank a 3-pointer to narrow the gap to 79-70, but Phelps’s free throws maintained their lead. Pettiford, who had three 3-pointers in less than two minutes early in the second half, topped Auburn’s scoring with 19 points as well.

This loss might have a significant impact on Auburn’s standing as teams gear up for the NCAA tournament. With the final weeks of the regular season approaching, the battle for seeding becomes even more intense.