Aggies advance to Sweet 16 with legendary comeback and double-OT thriller

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OKLAHOMA CITY – Texas A&M is back in the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 for the first time since 2007, and the Aggies chose one crazy path back to the land of sugar and honey. Talk about a sugar rush for A&M fans.

In one of the most astonishing comebacks in NCAA Tournament history – or college basketball for that matter – the third-seeded Aggies wiped out a 12-point deficit with 44 seconds remaining to force overtime against 11th-seeded Northern Iowa, and then prevailed 92-88 in double overtime.

The Aggies trailed 69-57 before outscoring the Panthers 14-2 in the last 44 seconds to tie the game at 71 at the first final buzzer. The teams then scored a dozen points each in the first overtime, before the Aggies eased away in the second courtesy of some clutch free-throw shooting and a strong inside game from Jalen Jones and Danuel House.

The Aggies, who made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011 and for the first time under fifth-year coach Billy Kennedy, are now two victories from their intended goal all along: A Final Four berth in NRG Stadium on April 2.

In the second overtime, the Aggies snared an 85-84 lead with 3:09 remaining on a tip-in by Jones, and freshman Admon Gilder added a couple of free throws to increase the margin to 87-84 with 2:36 left.

The Aggies continued their clutch free-throwing shooting late when Jones added one more to increase A&M's lead to 88-84 with 1:45 left, and moments later House finished a drive in the lane with a short, arcing jumper and a 90-86 lead with 57 seconds left.

A&M had crushed Wisconsin-Green Bay 92-65 in the teams' NCAA Tournament opener on Friday, with the 27-point difference the largest margin of victory in the Aggies' NCAA postseason history.

Sunday was a different story for about the first 39 minutes of game action, as House and Jones were a combined 0-for-11 in the first half (with House missing the mark on eight of those), as UNI built a 32-22 lead at the break.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MARCH 20: Alex Caruso #21 of the Texas A&M Aggies celebrates after defeating the Northern Iowa Panthers in double overtime with a score of 88 to 92 during the second round of the 2016 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Chesapeake Energy Arena on March 20, 2016 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. less OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MARCH 20: Alex Caruso #21 of the Texas A&M Aggies celebrates after defeating the Northern Iowa Panthers in double overtime with a score of 88 to 92 during the second round of the 2016 NCAA ... more Photo: Ronald Martinez, Getty Images Photo: Ronald Martinez, Getty Images Image 1 of / 54 Caption Close Aggies advance to Sweet 16 with legendary comeback and double-OT thriller 1 / 54 Back to Gallery

The Panthers increased their lead to 15 points about four minutes into the second half before A&M finally made a contest of it, tightening the gap to 56-50 with 4:41 remaining. But Klint Carlson drained a 3-pointer from near the top of the key to increase the Panthers lead to nine points, seemingly putting the contest too far out of reach for any A&M comebacks – until the rush of points with less than a minute remaining.

Five years ago, Northern Iowa coach Ben Jacobson was one of two finalists for the A&M gig that went to Kennedy. Jacobson had never coached against A&M, but his first and perhaps only opportunity – the programs had only met one time previously in history – was certainly a memorable one for both coaches.

While the Aggies shared the Southeastern Conference regular-season title with perennial power Kentucky, and lost to the Wildcats in overtime in the SEC Tournament, the Panthers were only the fourth best team in the Missouri Valley Conference, before winning their league tournament.

At the final, final, final buzzer, House dribbled the ball past half-court and launched it in the air, and the thousands of A&M fans on hand launched into one of their rowdiest Aggie War Hymns in memory.

Alex Caruso led the Aggies with 25 points, and House added 22.

brent.zwerneman@chron.com

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