Texas A&M Just Got A Preseason SEC Slot Fans Will Hate

With solid transfers and key retentions, Texas A&M basketball aims to climb higher in the SEC rankings this season despite a modest preseason projection.

Texas A&M’s offseason haul has not been enough to push the Aggies near the top of CBS Sports’ latest SEC power rankings.

Jon Rothstein slotted Texas A&M ninth in the conference entering the 2026-27 season, a middle-of-the-pack placement for a team that just went through the first year of “Bucky Ball” in Bryan-College Station. That debut season ended with the Aggies sixth in the league standings and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where they were knocked out by No. 2 seed Houston.

The ranking also puts Texas A&M behind in-state rival Texas, which came in at No. 2. The Aggies split a home-and-home series with the Longhorns.

Still, there’s plenty to like about what Bucky McMillan has assembled. Texas A&M brought in the No. 18 transfer portal class in college basketball, highlighted by PJ Haggerty, who finished last season as the nation’s third-leading scorer. The group also includes shooters Jalen Shelley from LMU and Tyshawn Archie from McNeese.

The Aggies also kept some important pieces in place. Veteran forward Zach Clemence is back, and so is Mackenzie Mgbako, the former McDonald’s All-American and Big Ten co-Freshman of the Year. Mgbako appeared in just seven games for Texas A&M before a season-ending injury cut his year short.

There was one major departure from last season’s roster: All-SEC selection Rashaun Agee is out of eligibility after 2025-26. Even so, Mgbako’s return and the addition of 6-foot-9 Tennessee transfer Cade Phillips should give Texas A&M more help around the rim and on the boards.

The SEC schedule is set, too. Texas A&M will play LSU, Texas and Vanderbilt in home-and-home series. The Aggies will go on the road to Florida, Missouri, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and South Carolina, while Reed Arena will host Auburn, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Georgia.

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