Texas A&M Defeats Kentucky 96-85 in SEC Matchup

Aggies' bench players Rylan Griffen and Ruben Dominguez combine for 38 points in victory

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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Texas A&M defeated Kentucky 96-85 in a Southeastern Conference men's basketball matchup on Tuesday night. Rylan Griffen and Ruben Dominguez, who have a combined 48 starts this season, came off the bench to score 21 and 17 points respectively to lead the Aggies to victory. Texas A&M held a dominant 57-39 advantage in bench points over the Wildcats.

Why it matters

This win is a significant boost for Texas A&M's postseason hopes, as they had lost six of their previous eight games coming into this contest. Kentucky, meanwhile, has now lost four of its last six games, putting their NCAA Tournament aspirations in jeopardy.

The details

In addition to the strong performances from Griffen and Dominguez, Texas A&M also got double-digit scoring efforts from Rashaun Agee (14 points, 8 rebounds) and Pop Isaacs (12 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists). Kentucky was led by Otega Oweh's 24 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists, while Mouhamed Dioubate added 19 points. The Aggies took control of the game with a 27-3 run late in the first half to take a 45-33 lead at the break.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, March 4, 2026.
  • Texas A&M and Kentucky are both 10-7 in SEC play with two regular season games remaining.
  • The SEC Tournament is scheduled for March 11-15 in Nashville, Tennessee.

The players

Rylan Griffen

A Texas A&M sophomore guard who came off the bench to score a team-high 21 points.

Ruben Dominguez

A Texas A&M junior forward who added 17 points off the bench for the Aggies.

Otega Oweh

A Kentucky junior guard who led all scorers with 24 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists in the loss.

Mouhamed Dioubate

A Kentucky sophomore forward who contributed 19 points in the defeat.

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What they’re saying

“We knew we had to come out with a lot of energy off the bench and provide a spark. Rylan and I were able to do that and help the team get this big win.”

— Ruben Dominguez, Texas A&M Forward (sfgate.com)

“We just couldn't overcome their big runs in the first half. Texas A&M's bench really hurt us tonight and we'll need to regroup before our final regular season game.”

— Otega Oweh, Kentucky Guard (sfgate.com)

What’s next

Both Texas A&M and Kentucky will conclude their regular season schedules on Saturday, March 8th. The Aggies will travel to face LSU, while the Wildcats will host #5 Florida. The winner of the SEC Tournament, which runs from March 11-15 in Nashville, will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

This win is a much-needed boost for Texas A&M's NCAA Tournament hopes, as they had struggled mightily down the stretch. Meanwhile, Kentucky's loss puts their postseason aspirations in jeopardy, highlighting the importance of strong bench play in the competitive SEC.