Saturday in The Swamp! The SEC has been essential viewing all season long, and this weekend’s solid slate includes third-ranked Florida hosting a restless Texas A&M. The Aggies scrap it out on defense; Will Richard and Walter Clayton Jr. lead a balanced and tested group that’s 13-1 in its brackish home waters. This is a cool way to start March.

How to watch No. 12 Texas A&M at No. 3 Florida

Florida should be in get-back mode after getting upset by Georgia. The Bulldogs made more than half of their 3-point tries to salvage a 17-turnover night, while the Gators wasted an incredible game from Richard (30 points on 11-for-17 shooting). A bounce-back win here would put them in prime position to secure a double bye for the SEC tourney.

Before that stinger, Florida had won six in a row, each by at least nine points. It is 11th in offensive rating, 16th in defensive rating and third in total rebounding.

The Gators are 3-3 against teams in the current AP Top 25. They knocked off No. 1 Auburn in The Jungle on Feb. 8 and split a pair of blowouts with Tennessee (won by 30 at home and lost by 20 on the road). The under has hit in nine of their 14 games at Gainesville.

Buzz Williams and the Aggies have lost three straight and desperately need a vibe-shifter. They’re down to sixth in the conference standings, on the outside of the double bye and set to face Auburn after this one.

Four-year Aggie Wade Taylor IV hasn’t shot 40 percent or better since Feb. 1. Fellow senior Zhuric Phelps is also in an inopportune slump, going 5-for-13 in the loss to Vanderbilt and 6-for-17 in the loss to Tennessee. Defense is the guiding element for A&M. Phelps and Andersson Garcia cause headaches and SEC opponents are just 41.6 percent from the field.

The under is 6-2 in Aggie road games this season.

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