Texas A&M Ranks No. 17 In ESPN's Way Too Early Top 25
Despite their season ending in disappointing fashion, the Texas A&M Aggies made a statement in the college basketball world last season.
Behind arguably some of coach Buzz Williams' best players, the Aggies put together a historic SEC run — earning the most conference wins in program history — to give themselves a much-improved position from the year prior heading into the postseason.
And though Texas A&M found itself among the teams in the Big Dance, it just as quickly left in the first round, but not before sending a message.
Now, the Aggies have earned themselves a spot among ESPN's way-too-early power rankings ahead of the 2023-24 season.
Coming in at No. 17, the Aggies ranked one spot in front of their rival, Texas, and one spot behind the USC Trojans — both schools that also made the tournament. Despite Texas being a game away from the final four, however, its last of returning players was cited as a primary concern for new head coach Rodney Terry.
The Aggies will have numerous key pieces of their roster returning next season, headlined by rising junior guard Wade Taylor IV — the Aggies' All-SEC first team selection last season.
On the year, Taylor averaged 16.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists with a near 40 percent shooting percentage. He finished in the top five of point SEC players in scoring en route to his impressive season, but even more importantly, Taylor proved himself as a reliable facilitator down the stretch for the Aggies.
Retaining a guard of Taylor's talent will be huge for the Aggies, especially since they will be losing guard Dexter Dennis — one of their other top scorers — to graduation next year.
Besides Taylor, the Aggies will also be bringing back the front-court duo of Julius Marble and Henry Coleman III to lead the charge under the basket.
Last season, Texas A&M outscored its opponents by a combined 222 points, while also building a strong presence down low, which Williams made clear was a priority for his team throughout the year. The Aggies found plenty of success when they out-rebounded their opponents, and are likely to continue to do so next season.
So Texas A&M has the facilities to make another run next season, but the question of whether it will be able to live up to its historic year remains.
A lot can be said about the non-conference start that plagued the Aggies' reputation heading into conference play when not even a 6-0 start did much for their postseason projections. But even after a successful, albeit disappointing end to 2022, the Aggies still have a lot to prove.
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