Texas A&M will not be heading to the Sweet 16. However, the Aggies combined with 1-seed Houston for an instant classic in what is the game of the NCAA Tournament up to this point.

For much of the second half, the Cougars were in complete control and led by double digits with less than 2 minutes to play in regulation. However, Texas A&M did not go quietly into the night. Buzz William’s group rallied in improbable fashion, forcing overtime before eventually falling 100-95 to Houston.

Going home undoubtedly stings, and the Aggies will be left to dwell on a number of miscues in the offseason. However, the game produced an ending for the ages that fans will remember for a long time to come.

Here are the key takeaways from that showdown:

A rally for the ages

With 1:34 left in regulation, Houston led the game 82-71 and a win all but guaranteed. ESPN gave the Cougars a 99% win probability with that score and just 94 seconds left in the game, but the Aggies had other plans.

Wade Taylor scored 8 points in the final 1:30 of the game, and A&M got one more chance to tie things up after a jump ball with 1 second left in the game. It set up this dramatic inbounds play with Tyrece Radford finding Andersson Garcia:

That bucket tied things up at 86-all at the buzzer to force overtime with the Sweet 16 on the line.

Unfortunately, Texas A&M could not keep things rolling in overtime. The Cougars outscored the Aggies 14-9 and went 5-for-9 from the free-throw line to do just enough to survive and advance to the Sweet 16. Be sure to track the latest odds for the next round of March Madness with SDS’s best online sportsbooks.

Wade Taylor IV struggles at worst possible time

Wade Taylor has been A&M’s leading scorer all season long and starred in the SEC Tournament with 20+ in every game and a pair of 30-point performances. He averaged 19 points per game this season and delivered 25 points and 5 assists in a strong win over Nebraska to open the tournament.

Unfortunately, Taylor went cold while facing Houston’s elite backcourt Sunday night. He finished regulation 4-for-22 (2-for-11 from 3-point range) though he did come alive in the final minutes with some big shots to keep the game close before a buzzer beater forced overtime. Taylor would score 5 points in the extra period.

No matter how you look at it, Taylor was a big reason the Aggies were this far in the tournament to begin with, but it will be a tough pill to swallow to end the season with that kind of performance.

Emanuel Sharp delivers breakthrough performance for Houston

After averaging 12.3 points and shooting 36% from 3-point range all season long, Sharp was a handful against the Aggies. It started in the first half when he connected on 4 3-pointers to help Houston hang onto a 43-38 lead at the break.

Things did not get any better for A&M in the second half. Sharp connected on some big shots down the stretch, allowing the Cougars to have an answer anytime the Aggies threatened.

Sharp finished the game by leading all scorers with 30 points and going 7-for-14 from 3-point range. That deep shooting effort was needed with the rest of the Cougars going 4-for-20 from 3-point range.

Sharp would not be on the court when the game ended after fouling out, but his scoring was instrument in Houston’s victory.