How Rashaun Agee has become the engine of Texas A&M's push to break Sweet 16 drought

OKLAHOMA CITY — When he picked his favorite jersey number before the season, Rashaun Agee didn't understand how important "12" is to the Texas A&M Aggies . But he quickly learned 12th Man lore and the importance of Aggies fans after admitting he didn't know much about it in November. And fans quickly learned about the importance of Agee on an undersized A&M team eyeing its first Sweet 16 in nearly a decade.

Maybe the only person who understood the impact of both was Aggies head coach Bucky McMillan. He took the stand during a court proceeding to decide if Agee could play this year. “He’s a guy that is worth fighting for," McMillan said this summer.

Texas A&M forward Rashaun Agee (12) reacts after a dunk in front of Saint Mary's center Andrew McKeever (45) and Texas A&M forward Zach Clemence (7) during the first half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, March 19, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (Nate Billings/Associated Press) MORE: Our prediction, what you need to kn ow about Texas A&M vs Houston After being the Aggies' leading scorer for the 16th time this season in a win over Saint Mary's in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, at least one of his teammates agrees. "(Agee) does a great job with the guys day in and day out," guard Pop Isaacs said.

"Better than, like, just the basketball player; he's a great person to be around every day, which helps a lot. " Now, Agee, Issacs and the Aggies are one win away from returning to the Lone Star State for their first Sweet 16 since 2018. Rashaun Agee's leadership, experience proving invaluable for A&M basketball Agee took the podium Friday with his teammates and coach, flashing his usual big smile and eagerness to tell a joke.