Texas A&M is heading into a new season with a fresh roster, a new energy around Bucky McMillan’s program and, by the sound of it, a locker room that believes it has already put in the kind of work that can carry it a long way.
The Aggies open next week at Reed Arena against Alabama State, and that first game will give fans their first real look at how this rebuilt group fits together against outside competition. It also comes with a schedule that will test Texas A&M early and often.
Ahead of tipoff, two players made it clear the mood inside the program is upbeat: Tennessee transfer Cade Phillips and returner Mackenzie Mgbako.
Phillips didn’t hide how much effort he thinks this team has already poured in.
“This team has worked their tail off,” Phillips said. “We feel we’ve worked hard, if not harder, than anyone else in the country. We’re excited for what’s ahead for us.”
Texas A&M has five definite returners from last season, with a sixth player, Rylan Griffen, still a possibility. The confirmed returnees are Zach Clemence, Jamie Vinson, Chris McDermott, Jeremiah Green and Mgbako.
Mgbako’s return matters in a major way. He missed last season after a foot injury that required surgery, and the Aggies felt that absence inside. Now back in the mix, he sees a group that he believes has more to it than most people have had a chance to see.
“We're a really talented team,” Mgbako said. “We work hard.
We try to play together. We try to play fast.
We like to shoot the ball. So I feel like, like anything else, we're just a high-energy level team - We've got a lot of veterans, a lot of older players who understand the game.
So just leading with that kind of mentality is probably what's going to separate us.”
Phillips brings his own edge to the frontcourt. He adds size, helps on the glass and can knock down big shots when the moment calls for it. Coming from Tennessee, he’s also adjusting to a different tempo than the one he knew with the Volunteers, but he already likes what he’s seeing.
“We feel as a team, we work if not as hard, harder than anybody else in the country,” Phillips stated. “So now that it's time to go against somebody else that's not in the Maroon and White jersey, we're really excited, and we feel really good about what's ahead for us.”
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Marcel Reed remains the starter, which at least settles one part of the conversation, even if his play has left some room for debate. For Texas A&M, the bye is less about a reset than a chance to sharpen the game plan and get the offense and the rest of the roster in better shape before the schedule tightens again. [Read more 🡒]