Texas A&M's 2026-2027 season kicked off Tuesday night against Alabama State, and Year 2 for coach Bucky McMillan is off to a hot start after the Aggies defeated the Hornets 97-66, led by transfer shooting guard PJ Haggerty's 23 points and five players scoring in double digits.

Transfer forward Jalen Shelley was equally impressive, producing the team's lone double-double (14 points, 12 rebounds), and looks like a player who could easily take over barring any injury issues during the season. All in all, blowing out an inferior opponent by 31 points was critical after watching Oklahoma's shocking opening-season loss to East Texas A&M on Monday.

The Aggies didn't make the US LBM Coaches Poll or AP Top 25 before the season, but received multiple votes, as Bucky McMillan's second roster is built to make a run in the now-expanded NCAA Tournament, and ESPN analyst Jay Bilas is equally intrigued by how far this team could go with PJ Haggerty leading the way.

On Thursday, Jay Bilas updated his weekly "Bilas Index," placing Texas A&M at No. 22 after Monday's 97-66 win, noting that the combination of PJ Haggerty and senior forward Mackenzie Mgbako, who returned after playing in just seven games last season, will be the key to elevating the Aggies in SEC play, and hoping to be one of the likely 13 SEC teams to make the NCAA Tournament.

"Texas A&M is the fifth school in five years for PJ Haggerty, and he led the roster in scoring at three of those four previous stops. He'll team up with fellow transfer Mackenzie Mgbako, who was a top-10 recruit coming out of high school but struggled with injuries over two years at Indiana. It will be interesting to see if Haggerty and Mgbako can elevate the Aggies in coach Bucky McMillan's second year."

PJ Haggerty is established and will likely lead the Aggies in scoring this season, while Mackenzie Mgbako still has plenty to prove given his NBA-level talent, needing to stay healthy, become the program's No. 2 scoring option, and make a bigger impact as an offensive rebounder.