18. Texas A&M (1-1)
With Wade Taylor IV back for another year, Texas A&M certainly entered the season with expectations. The Aggies have been building into something special under Buzz Williams in recent years and this could be the year that it all comes together, including deep postseason progress. Life in the SEC certainly isn’t easy and the Aggies have really been battle tested lately, though they endured quite the battle in the opening week.
Texas A&M actually fell on opening night, losing a tough road test 64-61 at UCF. The offense underperformed, with 13 points and 7 assists from Taylor, though a true road loss at a Big 12 school isn’t a major blow for this season. This team bounced back nicely a few days later, getting an 87-55 home win over East Texas A&M. Zhuric Phelps led the scoring with 18 points off the bench in a much more solid effort for this offense.
The Aggies were far from the only program to struggle in a hostile road environment on opening night. Getting battle tested early isn’t necessarily a good or bad thing, though we’re starting to understand more about this lineup and what could lie ahead for Texas A&M. Another great defensive season looks possible in College Station, though it’ll be tested again next week with a home date against upstart Ohio State.