Michigan vs. Texas A&M Best Bet: Can Wade Taylor, Aggies Overwhelm Wolverines in Round of 32?

No. 4 seed Texas A&M and No. 5 seed Michigan face off today in the Round of 32 out in Denver.

Texas A&M took care of business on Thursday, defeating a strong Yale team 81-70. The Aggies grabbed an early lead and never looked back, though Yale kept it close throughout the second half. Pharrel Payne contributed 25 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, while Wade Taylor added 16 points and 5 assists. Yale did a solid job on the defensive glass, limiting A&M to just 10 offensive rebounds.

Michigan entered halftime with a 14-point lead over a 30-win UC San Diego team, but barely held on in the second half, winning 68-65. The Wolverines took care of the ball against UCSD’s tough defense, committing just 14 turnovers. Despite shooting only 11-20 from the free-throw line, Vlad Goldin’s 14 points helped push Michigan to victory.

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Michigan vs. Texas A&M Odds

• ML: Michigan +135, Texas A&M -155
• Spread: Michigan +3.5 (-105), Texas A&M -3.5 (-110)
• Total: Over 141.5 (-110), Under 141.5 (-108)

Michigan vs. Texas A&M Date, Time, and Where to Watch

• Date: Saturday, March 22, 2025
• Time: 5:15 PM ET
• Where to Watch: CBS

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Michigan vs. Texas A&M Prediction

Looking ahead to today’s matchup, the key will be the battle on the glass. Can Texas A&M, the nation’s best offensive rebounding team, dominate against Michigan’s twin tower 7-footers? The Wolverines are 176th nationally in defensive rebounding percentage, but Danny Wolf was the third best rebounder in the Big Ten.

The Aggies’ success against Illinois and Michigan State — the two best offensive rebounding teams in the Big Ten — is a good omen for today. Michigan went 0-3 against those teams, losing by an average margin of 16.7 points while allowing an average of 15 offensive rebounds in those games.

A&M’s aggressive defense should be able to force plenty of turnovers for Michigan, but if the Wolverines can take care of the ball and make open shots from deep, they could find success. 65% of A&M’s opponent field goals made are assisted, the second-highest rate in the country, and the Aggies allow opponents to take 47% of their shots from beyond the arc (14th highest nationally).

For Michigan to win, they’ll need to limit A&M’s offensive rebounding dominance, take care of the ball (they rank 330th in turnover rate), and hit their open 3s (33.4% from deep on the season). That’s a tall order.

I like the way Coach Williams has this Aggies team playing. Playing 10 guys who play extremely hard and a star point guard in Wade Taylor who can erupt for 30 points on any given night, I’m rolling with Texas A&M here. Michigan is lucky to still be in the tournament, and I don’t trust their guards to step up and consistently make good decisions and knock down the three-ball to effectively counter A&M’s ball pressure.

Michigan vs. Texas A&M Best Bet

• Pick: Texas A&M -3 (-115) (Favorite Play of Tournament) Click here to see which sportsbook has the best price on Michigan vs. Texas A&M

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