Texas A&m Aggies vs Yale Bulldogs Picks and Predictions March 20th 2025

No. 13 Yale Craves Another Upset When It Faces No. 4 Texas A&M

DENVER — A year after stunning Auburn as a No. 13 seed, Yale is back in the same position looking to pull off another upset against a Southeastern Conference powerhouse.

Yale’s March Madness Pedigree

Yale (22-7) heads into Thursday night’s South Region matchup against No. 4 Texas A&M with confidence, having won both the Ivy League regular-season and tournament titles. The Bulldogs have advanced past the first round twice in their five NCAA Tournament appearances since 2016 and are eager to add another win to that resume.

Want To Bet With The Best? Discover The Top Handicappers Now!

“It’s just become an expectation of what you are and what you think you should do. We’ve reached that expectation that this is how good we think we should be, and we’re gonna work toward that.” — James Jones

Yale has lost just once since the start of 2025 and has proven it can hang with major programs. Senior guard Bez Mbeng kept his goals for the tournament simple.

“A goal? Advance. Win.” — Bez Mbeng

The Bulldogs are fueled by John Poulakidas, who averages 19.2 points per game and was the hero of last year’s upset win over Auburn, scoring 28 points while hitting 6-of-9 from deep. Nick Townsend (15.4 ppg, 7.2 rpg) and Mbeng (13.4 ppg) round out a balanced attack.

Texas A&M Looking to Regain Form

While Yale has surged, Texas A&M (22-10) has struggled late in the season. The Aggies went on a four-game skid before bouncing back with a win over No. 1 Auburn in early March. However, they suffered a heartbreaking double-overtime loss to Texas in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals.

“We’re going to look back and study film and do the right things in practice. We’re going to play hard and play Texas A&M basketball. They still have to guard us, too.” — Henry Coleman III

Texas A&M is led by Wade Taylor IV (15.7 ppg) and Zhuric Phelps (14.1 ppg), who command a backcourt that will need to dictate tempo against Yale’s methodical style. The Aggies also dominate the boards, averaging 41.2 rebounds per game—fifth in the nation—despite not having a single player grabbing more than 6.2 rebounds per contest.

Free College Basketball Picks & Betting Analysis!

Discover the best bets for today’s games

Register Now!

Key Matchup Factors

Neither team has a major size advantage, with only Yale center Samson Aletan standing taller than 6-foot-9. However, Texas A&M’s aggressive offensive rebounding (16.2 per game, tops in Division I) could be a deciding factor.

If the Bulldogs can replicate their lights-out shooting from last year’s first-round upset and limit Texas A&M’s second-chance points, they could keep the Ivy League’s recent streak of NCAA Tournament wins alive.

For those tracking March Madness betting picks, this game presents a fascinating contrast between a disciplined mid-major program and a power-conference team with something to prove.