Texas A&M basketball ranked No. 13 in Associated Press Preseason Poll

Can you feel it?

The buzz is palpable as Texas A&M basketball enters the 2024-25 season ranked No. 13 in the Associated Press Preseason Poll.

For the second season in a row, Buzz Williams and the Aggies begin the year with an AP ranking beside their name.

They are also ranked No. 12 by ESPN, and the USA Today Coaches Poll has not yet been released.

Other Southeastern Conference programs appearing in the initial poll include No. 2 Alabama, No. 11 Auburn, No. 12 Tennessee, No. 16 Arkansas, No. 19 Texas, No. 21 Florida, No. 23 Kentucky and No. 24 Ole Miss.

The unpredictable nature of college hoops often renders preseason rankings useless.

But the Aggies are poised to live up to their preseason ranking, and they’ll have to earn it immediately with two preseason top 25 teams on their non-conference schedule in No. 14 Purdue, No. 15 Creighton and receiving-votes Ohio State and Texas Tech.

Last season, the Aggies earned their first NCAA Tournament win under Williams and were a few bounces away from punching their ticket to the second weekend.

A&M returns an SEC-leading 82.5 percent of last year’s offensive production anchored by an elite backcourt of Wade Taylor IV, Manny Obaseki and Zhuric Phelps.

Tip-off for the season opener on Nov. 4 against UCF is just three weeks away.

Those eager for an early preview of the squad can look forward to a charity exhibition match with familiar foe Houston on Oct. 27 in Houston with proceeds benefitting Hurricane Beryl victims.

Associated Press Preseason Poll

1. Kansas
2. Alabama
3. UConn
4. Houston
5. Iowa State
6. Gonzaga
7. Duke
8. Baylor
9. North Carolina
10. Arizona
11. Auburn
12. Tennessee
13. Texas A&M
14. Purdue
15. Creighton
16. Arkansas
17. Indiana
18. Marquette
19. Texas
20. Cincinnati
21. Florida
22. UCLA
23. Kentucky
24. Ole Miss
25. Rutgers

Note: Southeastern Conference programs are italicized.