Texas A&M opens its home slate Tuesday night against Alabama State, and Reed Arena is expected to be loud for a roster that looks built to make noise. Bucky McMillan has assembled what could be one of his strongest groups since he became a collegiate coach, and the Aggies are trying to keep an 11-game home-opener winning streak alive that dates back to 2012.
The foundation of this team starts with the returners. Zach Clemence, Chris McDermott, Jamie Vinson, Jeremiah Green and Mackenzie Mgbako are back for the 2026-27 season, and McMillan will lean on that group to set the standard for a roster loaded with new faces. Around them are 11 hungry newcomers, giving Texas A&M the kind of depth and upside that has fans thinking big about an SEC Tournament Championship and even a national title run.
This isn’t the first time this group has been tested. The Aggies have already gone through a stretch of early-season action that showed both the talent and the growing pains.
In the Bahamas, they played in the Baha Mar Summer League and scored more than 300 points, offering the first real look at what this roster can do. Then came a 94-88 loss to SMU, a game that gave the staff and players a clearer picture of what still needs cleaning up before the regular season settles in.
That exhibition also spotlighted two of the team’s brightest early performers: PJ Haggerty and Mgbako. Haggerty, who transferred from Kansas State, was one of the most sought-after names in the portal and immediately showed why.
He scored 28 points against SMU, helped get Mgbako involved, and added a team-high eight rebounds. After missing time last season with a foot injury, he’s back healthy and eager to play at full speed.
Mgbako, meanwhile, has been one of the preseason standouts, giving Texas A&M another proven option on the wing and in the frontcourt mix.
The Aggies also added size with Cade Phillips, a transfer from Tennessee, and Jalen Shelley, who came over from LMU after averaging 13.7 points and 6.6 rebounds. Those two give McMillan more options up front as he pieces together lineups that can hold up on both ends.
The backcourt looks just as crowded. Jordan Pope, the former Longhorn, joins Tyshawn Archie from the Cowboys and Jalen Reece, a former Tigers guard, giving Texas A&M a group of guards that should fit the pace and pressure of Bucky Ball.
That depth means McMillan will have decisions to make every night when it comes to minutes and rotations. He’s coming off a 22-12 debut season in Aggieland, and the resume got a boost from an 11-7 conference mark and a trip to the Round of 32. Last year’s offense finished in the top 15 in scoring offense, assists, 3-pointers made and bench points, and this roster has the look of a team that can keep that style rolling.
Tuesday night is just the first step, but it’s a meaningful one. Texas A&M has the pieces, the experience and the buzz. Now it gets its first home chance to show how far all of that can go.
In Other News...
Texas A&M Suddenly Has A Real Worry With Top LB Commit
Texas A&Ms recruiting momentum has hit a familiar late-summer stress test with Kaden Henderson, the five-star linebacker who remains committed to the Aggies but is headed to Notre Dame this weekend. Henderson picked Texas A&M over the Irish the first time around, which is why this trip is getting such close attention from Aggie fans who know how quickly elite recruiting battles can shift once other programs get another look.
For now, Henderson has continued to signal that his commitment to Texas A&M is still solid, and the staff has kept a strong relationship with him throughout the process. Even so, any visit to a major rival for a player of his caliber naturally invites concern, especially when the Aggies are trying to hold onto one of the biggest names in their class. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Still Has A Real Shot In One Huge Recruiting Battle
Texas A&M still has work to do in a recruiting battle that has already narrowed to one of the bigger names on the board. Logan Lokey, the 4-star defensive lineman from Denton, picked Oklahoma over several other schools, and the Sooners landed him by selling a fit with Brent Venables and defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis. For the Aggies, it is another reminder that the best battles in Texas recruiting often come down to relationships as much as geography.
Lokeys commitment may not be the final word, though, which is why this one still matters to A&M. The article points to uncertainty about whether he stays locked in if Oklahomas coaching situation changes, and that leaves the door open for other programs to keep pressing. In a recruiting fight this important, Texas A&M can hardly afford to go quiet. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Offense Faces More Pressure After Elkos Latest Decision
Texas A&M heads into Week 10 at 4-4 overall and 1-4 in SEC play, and the offense is still searching for answers as South Carolina comes to town. Mike Elko confirmed that Marcel Reed will remain the starting quarterback, keeping the Aggies pointed in the same direction even as the unit continues to sputter and the three-and-out issues pile up at a rate that ranks among the SEC's worst.
There is at least one encouraging development in the backfield, where freshman running back KJ Edwards has shown improvement and given the offense a small lift. Still, with the Aggies needing a sharper showing to steady their season, the pressure on Reed and the rest of the offense only grows as the schedule tightens and the margin for error keeps shrinking. [Read more 🡒]