Texas A&M (10-2) is off to its best nonconference start under Coach Buzz Williams. He entered his sixth season with high hopes due to assembling the oldest team in college basketball and several key transfer portal additions.
On Friday, the Aggies took care of business against Houston Christian, defeating the visitors 77-45 behind 19 points from senior guard Hayden Hefner, who stepped up after it was announced that star guard Wade Taylor IV would miss his first game of the season due to a minor groin injury.
However, Texas A&M’s win didn’t move the needle and led to a minor drop in the NET rankings to No. 26. Still, the best news came after Ohio State’s ranked win over Kentucky, springing the Buckeyes, who the Aggies defeated earlier this year, to No. 22 in the NET.
This also gave A&M its third Quadrant 1 win and a 5-1 Quad 1 and Quad 2 record, sitting among the top seven teams in the country. Before hosting Texas on January 4 to open SEC play, the Aggies will finish the nonconference slate vs. Abilene Christian next Saturday afternoon.
Here are the college basketball teams with the most Quad 1 and Quad 2 victories ahead of conference play:
- Memphis, 9-3 (Net ranking: 46th) 7-2
- Auburn, 11-1 (Net ranking: No. 1) 6-1
- Oregon, 11-1 (Net ranking, No. 13) 6-1
- Marquette, 11-2 (Net ranking, No. 10) 6-2
- Texas A&M, 10-2 (Net ranking, No. 26) 5-1
- Mississippi State, 11-1 (Net ranking, No. 11) 5-1
- UConn, 10-3 (Net ranking, No. 13) 5-3
Texas A&M will host Abilene Christian on Saturday, December 28, at 3:00 p.m. CT.
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