The Texas A&M men’s basketball team jumped up to No. 18 in the country in the latest Associated Press rankings.
In last week’s poll, the Aggies (6-1) were tied with SMU for 25th, but a strong showing in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament impressed the voters. A&M defeated Texas and Gonzaga, which was ranked No. 10 at the time, before falling to now No. 14 Syracuse in the championship game.
Senior Danuel House was the team’s leading scorer in each of the first two games, scoring 19 points while draining six field goals, two three-pointers and five free throws in both contests.
Jalen Jones exploded for 23 points in the finale against Syracuse, making a career-high 10 shots from the field and grabbing six rebounds.
The Aggies boast a talented roster that features six different players currently averaging at least nine points per game.
A&M also came in at No. 20 in the most recent USA TODAY Coaches Poll, which is an improvement after not making the cut for the poll last week.
The Aggies return to the hardwood Wednesday for Florida Gulf Coast. The game is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. at Reed Arena.