The Texas A&M Aggies officially have the second-best basketball team in the SEC.
Just kidding. They can't say that, yet. But according to ESPN's way-too-early top-25 rankings released Tuesday, that's how it appears. The site compiled all of its data on last year's powerhouses and up-and-coming programs, deeming the Aggies just one spot out of the top-10, citing "continuity" ahead of next season.
"A&M struggled in the first half of the season for the second straight campaign before surging late and making the NCAA tournament," the site began. "With further continuity entering next season, perhaps the Aggies will get off to a stronger start."
Is that enough? Last season, the Aggies boasted the same kind of return — namely Tyrese Radford and Wade Taylor IV — and prepared to have an even better season than the one they did, which ended at the hands of the Penn State Nittany Lions in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
As it went, the Aggies did have a better season in 2023-24. They weren't the powerhouse they hoped to be, especially in the beginning of the season, but a deep run in the SEC Tournament and a hot streak to close out the regular season allowed them to make the tournament, where they got their revenge by knocking off the Nebraska Cornhuskers to advance to Round 2.
So, will the same be said next season?
"Seven of their top eight scorers are back, led by potential All-American candidate Wade Taylor IV," ESPN continued. "Buzz Williams also landed a couple of impact transfers, headlined by SMU's Zhuric Phelps and Minnesota's Pharrel Payne, who should both push for starting spots."
At first glance, it appears so. Taylor IV is returning, as is Manny Obaseki — the Aggies' season-savior late in the year — so finding a groove shouldn't prove to be exhaustingly difficult. But they have to find it first.
Luckily, coach Buzz Williams wasn't worried about it immediately after the Aggies' eventual loss to the Houston Cougars in overtime, and that mindset is largely the same a few months removed.
"I just admire the steadfastness that our group has displayed no matter what was going on," Williams said following his team's elimination. "I think our group was steadfast, whether it was an injury, a suspension, hard schedule, winning streak, losing streak, on the bubble, not on the bubble."
The Aggies had themselves a season, and — as it tends to go in College Station — will likely experience it once again next year. But they're ready to enter the year running.
“We need to do better. I need to coach better," Williams said. "We need more guys – all of the things that a coach would say. But I do not want to rush to the next thing. I understand life is now, but I just have such gratefulness and admiration for how they have handled all of it."
So, with the No. 11 seed "officially" secured, the Aggies can focus on being themselves. And maybe, they'll make some noise and work their way into the fold of contention early on instead of at the last minute.
Just maybe.
More must-reads: