Texas A&M’s Stunning SEC Surge Turns Aggies Into One Of College Basketball’s Best Stories
College basketball has taken a few hits lately. The transfer portal, eligibility debates, and players bouncing between college and the pros have rubbed some fans the wrong way.
That frustration is understandable. But if you tune out the noise and actually watch the games, this season has delivered something the sport desperately needed: authentic, unexpected success stories.
And right now, Texas A&M belongs near the top of that list, according to CBSSports.com.
Picked 13th in the SEC preseason poll and largely ignored entering the year, the Aggies have flipped expectations upside down. As February begins, Texas A&M sits at 17-4 overall, 7-1 in SEC play, and alone in first place in the nation’s toughest conference.
What makes the run even more compelling is who’s leading it. First-year head coach Bucky McMillan, just 42 years old, was coaching high school basketball six years ago.
Now, he has Texas A&M pacing an SEC that currently rates as the top conference in the NET rankings and sent a record 14 teams to last year’s NCAA Tournament.
The Aggies aren’t winning with one superstar or a fluky shooting stretch. They’re doing it with depth, balance, and relentless pressure. Texas A&M has six players averaging double figures, all in their first season with the program. On any given night, a different Aggie can take over, which has made scouting them a nightmare for opponents.
That depth showed up again in Saturday’s statement win at Georgia, a 92-77 road victory that marked the Aggies’ fourth straight win and their second Quad 1 victory during that stretch. Texas A&M controlled tempo, attacked mismatches, and played with the confidence of a group that knows it belongs.
Are the Aggies the most talented team in the SEC? Maybe not. But they are the most cohesive, and right now, the most consistent. In a league loaded with ranked teams and NBA prospects, Texas A&M has separated itself by defending, sharing the ball, and wearing teams down over 40 minutes.
The national respect is starting to catch up.
Texas A&M climbed to No. 24 in the latest CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 rankings, while the Arizona Wildcats remain No. 1. But rankings aside, the Aggies have already accomplished something bigger: they’ve reminded everyone why college basketball still works when the focus stays on the floor.
In a season full of great stories, Texas A&M’s rise from preseason afterthought to SEC frontrunner stands out. And if the Aggies keep playing this way, it won’t be the last chapter anyone writes about them this March.