COLLEGE STATION – People are mad about Texas A&M basketball, which beats the opposite of about 15 years ago. That’s when apathy had set in, outside of a hardcore gang of “Reed Rowdies,” and many Aggies simply seemed resigned to the idea that Reed Arena would never house a decent men’s basketball program.

Coach Billy Gillispie proved that notion wrong a dozen years ago, when A&M made its first of six consecutive NCAA Tournament runs, with the high point a Sweet 16 showing in San Antonio in 2007. Billy Kennedy’s program matched that Sweet 16 feat in 2016 in his fifth season (his lone NCAA Tournament showing to date with the Aggies), and this was supposed to be the season where the Aggies busted on through to the Elite Eight, or perhaps even the Final Four in San Antonio.

That’s why people are mad. The Aggies (13-7 overall) dropped to 2-6 in Southeastern Conference play on Tuesday night with a 77-65 loss at LSU, an otherwise struggling program that has now beaten A&M twice this season. The Aggies went from a season-low four turnovers in a home victory over Missouri on Saturday to a season-high 20 at LSU.

Twitter wasn’t around in 2004 when Melvin Watkins’ final A&M team was finishing 0-17 against Big 12 opponents, but it’s doubtful the latest responses would have been as stinging even then. Aggies had grown used to that team being awful – this one was supposed to erase all of that longtime ugliness for a program that didn’t even play in the NCAA Tournament from 1988-2005.

When I posted the final score late Tuesday night after the Aggies had lost by double digits in Baton Rouge, and even prior to the outcome with another loss hardly in doubt, the reaction via Twitter was fast and mostly furious.

“Game, set, match,” wrote A&M fan Dennis Williams. “Most disappointing season ever. Something (is) seriously broken!”

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What had been broken early in SEC play was the Aggies’ roster, with multiple starters out with injuries. But A&M has been at full strength for the past four games, with a 2-2 mark in that span including the clunker on the Mississippi River.

“This basketball team sucks a-- and the coach is responsible,” wrote fan Trey Stegall. “Any chance you might mention that in your write-up?”

(You just did, Trey).

“Kennedy needs to go,” offered Alonzo Ortega III.

“Time for a change,” opined Bradley Reiner.

Bottom line is fans expected more this season, and they care about the outcomes. Meantime the Aggies will try and get back on track on Saturday at former Big 12 foe Kansas, in the annual Big 12/SEC Challenge.

With an (allegedly) talented roster, A&M still has a chance to get things cranking with 10 more SEC games to go. Time is shorter than ever, though, reminded Chip Howard, who has a weekday radio show in College Station.

“Did not see this coming,” Howard wrote of the lopsided loss to the Tigers, who are just 3-4 in SEC play. “It’s way uphill from here.”