Missouri Tigers vs Texas A&m Aggies Picks and Predictions February 8th 2025

No. 15 Mizzou Looks to Stay Perfect at Home Against No. 10 Texas A&M

Missouri has been unstoppable at home this season, boasting a perfect 15-0 record in Columbia. But the Tigers will face one of their toughest tests yet when No. 10 Texas A&M visits on Saturday for a high-stakes SEC showdown. Both teams enter with identical 17-5 records and 6-3 conference marks, making this a pivotal matchup in the SEC race.

Texas A&M’s Offense Heating Up with Taylor Leading the Way

The Aggies have won four of their last five games, thanks in large part to the resurgence of Wade Taylor IV. After missing four games earlier in the season due to an undisclosed injury, Taylor initially struggled to find his rhythm, shooting just 28.9% from the field and 26.9% from beyond the arc in his first four games back. However, he put all doubts to rest with a scorching performance in Texas A&M’s 76-72 win over South Carolina last weekend, pouring in 25 points while hitting 7-of-10 from three-point range.

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Head coach Buzz Williams praised Taylor’s impact beyond just scoring.

“I am very aware of his ability as a quarterback—not just to make plays for himself,” Williams said. “He creates a peace and a calmness that his teammates rely on. The whole program is aware of the impact that he has.”

Taylor leads the Aggies with 15.1 points and 4.4 assists per game, while fellow guard Zhuric Phelps adds 14.8 points and 5.1 rebounds. Williams attributes the team’s success to a collective effort rather than individual talent.

“I do not necessarily think that we have the best players,” Williams said. “I actually think our players receive that we are not the best individual players. I think it is the power of all of us. It is a cumulative effort.”

Missouri Determined to Defend Home Court

Missouri nearly pulled off a major upset on Wednesday night, leading No. 4 Tennessee at halftime before falling 85-81. Despite the loss, the Tigers’ strong performance improved their NET ranking from 19 to 18, strengthening their NCAA Tournament résumé.

Head coach Dennis Gates was proud of his team’s effort but pointed to areas that need improvement.

“When a team gets hot, you’ve got to minimize their second-chance points, which we did not do,” Gates said. “When they missed it, we didn’t recover the rebound. And then the other part of it is executing in the one-and-ones on our side when we get to the free throw line.”

Missouri is led by a trio of scorers—Tamar Bates (13.9 points per game), Caleb Grill (13.1), and Mark Mitchell (12.4). The Tigers also have remarkable depth, with 13 players seeing action against Tennessee.

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A key factor in the Tennessee loss was foul trouble for starting guard Anthony Robinson II, who played just six minutes. In his absence, reserves Marques Warrick and T.O. Barrett stepped up, combining for 12 points and three assists in 17 minutes.

Gates emphasized Robinson’s importance moving forward.

“Ant Robinson is very important to us,” Gates said. “He picked up two fouls in the backcourt alone and when you do that, that puts your team at a disadvantage. And he can’t take those risks that he’s taking in the backcourt to try to get a steal or the physicality or extra possession.”

Key Matchups and Factors to Watch

• Missouri’s Home Dominance vs. Texas A&M’s Road Grit – Mizzou has yet to lose at home, but the Aggies have been tested on the road and recently proved their mettle with a tough win at South Carolina.
• The Wade Taylor Factor – If Taylor stays hot from three and continues his elite playmaking, Texas A&M could take control early.
• Missouri’s Depth and Bench Production – The Tigers’ deep rotation could be a deciding factor, especially if Robinson stays out of foul trouble and reserves continue to contribute.
• Rebounding Battle – Missouri struggled to limit second-chance points against Tennessee, and they’ll need to clean up the boards to contain Texas A&M’s physical inside presence.

With both teams sitting near the top of the SEC standings, this game could have major implications for conference positioning and NCAA Tournament seeding. Missouri’s perfect home record will be put to the test, while Texas A&M looks to keep its momentum rolling behind Taylor’s resurgence. Expect a tightly contested battle in Columbia as these two teams fight for a statement win.