Texas A&M men’s basketball is going to win the national championship this year. This isn’t a drill. We’re making it to the Final Four and winning the chip.

Getting kicked out of March Madness last year by barely losing to an excellent Houston team is something that we need to be proud of — that was A&M’s best performance in the tournament since 2018, and it’s only going to get better. 

The AP Preseason Top 25 placed the Aggies at 13th in the nation — and for good reason. We have crucial players returning like senior guard Wade Taylor IV and Manny Obaseki plus junior forward Solomon Washington alongside important incoming transfers like senior Zhuric Phelps that are going to bolster this team. 

Trust Buzz Williams and his coaching staff. His gritty style of play is going to benefit this team as he’s continuing to build the culture of domination. Opponents, be afraid. 

But the reason why I believe we are going to win the championship this year isn’t just how good our team is going to be, it’s also because of the fans, people like you and me. 

There has been a surge on social media in recent years of the phrase “Pack Reed” — you might have seen it on Barstool Texas A&M and other Aggie-related pages. Essentially, the call explains itself: to pack Reed Arena with fans to support Aggie sports teams, particularly the men’s and women’s basketball teams.    

Now, you would think that having accounts on social media calling for fans to go to games would motivate people to actually go, but I don’t think it is. 

While last year’s attendance for Aggie men’s basketball registered as the fourth-highest of all time — around 9,650 people per game — the last time we broke an attendance record for a men’s basketball game was in 2022 against Kentucky with a crowd of 14,036 people. 

Reed Arena can seat 12,989 people, which means there are more than 3,000 people not coming to games that should be. 

What’s happened, Aggies? 

Why aren’t we turning up for games like before? If we want to be as competitive as the top teams in the country, having a great team is not enough. We also need massive turnouts for games and people in Reed Arena supporting both our men’s and women’s basketball teams. 

Why are the Duke Blue Devils and the Kansas Jayhawks such hard teams to play? For one, their schools have very historically successful basketball teams, but they also have dedicated fan bases that go crazy for them. Cameron Indoor Stadium and Allen Fieldhouse are a nightmare for away teams to play in as they are as rowdy as fans can get. 

If we want to be considered on the level of the “Blue Bloods” college basketball fans worship, we must come out and support our teams in Reed Arena. 

Now, you might like the comfort of your couch and want to watch games from your home rather than being in person. I understand, but you shouldn’t. 

Basketball was my passion growing up. Playing youth recreation basketball, school basketball and AAU basketball comprised most of my time as an adolescent, and I wouldn’t have traded it for anything else. 

Winning district championships and MVP trophies highlighted my achievements, but there was something else that I loved more than that. 

My greatest memories of playing basketball were when fans came and supported us in big games. It felt like an attribute boost to every skill that I had, and I felt like the greatest basketball player in the world. No one likes playing in an empty gym — hearing the entire crowd going crazy after a great play and chanting is an adrenaline boost like no other. It means something more to have people come out and support you. 

Environment is huge. 

What we surround ourselves with dictates what our energy is going to be. Imagine going to the beach on a nice sunny summer day and then putting on Radiohead to bask in the sun — if you do this, I’m sorry, but you’re crazy. In the same way that listening to Radiohead is meant for certain situations, being quiet has its place too — and it isn’t when the Aggies are playing. 

So, supporting these teams in front of your television screen isn’t going to cut it this year. We have to be there every single game supporting it like they’re playing in the title game. Lose your voice screaming and paint your face maroon and white. Nothing is off limits and everything is necessary when it comes to making sure that fans are heard and present in Reed Arena. 

We are the 12th Man after all. 

And maybe the Aggies will play terribly this year. While I don’t see a timeline in the multiverse where this is going to happen, let’s imagine that both teams do decide to go 0-18 in the SEC. We will still go out and support them like they are 18-0. 

Us Aggies are known around the country for being “cult-like,” but if you look deep down at what causes this, it’s the passion for our school that is unrivaled. When we’re good, we support them, and when we’re bad, we support them equally. 

So get yourselves to Reed Arena. I don’t want to see an empty seat at either team’s games this year. I’ve seen y’all turn up for football and volleyball games this year — basketball season shouldn’t be any different. Grab your roommates, family, professors and pets — if they allow it. Everyone is invited. 

Let’s pack the living hell out of Reed Arena this season. 

Joshua Abraham is a kinesiology junior and opinion writer for The Battalion.