Aggies Defeat Yale 80-71, Advance in NCAA Tournament

The Texas A&M Aggies achieved a solid 80-71 victory against the Yale Bulldogs in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, demonstrating their physical dominance throughout the game. Pharrel Payne stood out with a career-high 25 points and 10 rebounds, leading the team in scoring and asserting control in the paint. Despite struggling with their long-range shooting, the Aggies capitalized on their size advantage, scoring 48 points in the paint and controlling the boards with a 37-29 rebounding margin. Texas A&M maintained the lead from early in the game, with Yale only briefly holding a slim advantage. The Aggies will advance to the round of 32, where they will face the winner of the matchup between Michigan and UC San Diego. This victory marks A&M's second consecutive advancement to the second round and their tenth in eleven NCAA Tournament appearances this century.