The dust has settled with the Madness of March officially behind us, which means it’s time to look ahead toward the 2023-24 college basketball season. There is no rest for the weary when it comes to staying up-to-date on Texas A&M basketball, but thankfully we’ve got you covered here at Aggies Wire!
Hot off the press over at USA TODAY is their way-too-early men’s Top 25 rankings for next season because, in the ever-evolving landscape of college basketball, an up-and-coming program one season could become a heavyweight contender the next. UConn, unsurprisingly, clocks in at No. 1 overall after finishing 31-8 and fending off San Diego State for their fifth NCAA Championship in school history.
Over in Aggieland, Texas A&M clocked in at No. 15 in the way-too-early rankings. It’s safe to say that USA TODAY was a tad bit more favorable than the Selection Committee.
Despite the Aggies’ early exit at the hands of Penn State in the 2023 NCAA Tournament opening round, it’s good to see the media outlets giving weight to the turnaround that Buzz Williams and this basketball program manufactured. For comparison, ESPN ranked the Aggies similarly (No. 17) in their respective way-too-early rankings.
The growing respect for the Maroon and White comes off a season in which they reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018 thanks to a 25-10 record (15-3 SEC) and a second consecutive SEC Championship game appearance.
It was evident that something promising was brewing over at College Station, and the great news is that this team will more or less get another year to run it back and build on its success. A&M will welcome back most of their roster and starting five, highlighted by All-SEC guard and leading scorer Wade Taylor IV (16.3 PPG, 3.9 APG).
The ceiling will only skyrocket for this program, in particular, if they add even more depth by being active in the transfer portal.
The Aggies rounded out a handful of SEC teams in the rankings prediction, including Alabama (No. 6), Kentucky (No. 11), and Arkansas (No. 18). It should be a tightly contested battle in the conference next season, but Texas A&M’s returning talent should make them a favorite to make noise from the start.
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