The SEC microsite will preview each of the league teams over the next few weeks, continuing today with Texas A&M.
Texas A&M Aggies
Strengths. The Aggies feature junior point guard and Cousy Award semifinalist Alex Caruso, as well as three of the team’s four leading scorers from last season. Texas A&M also landed SMU transfer Jalen Jones, who left the Mustangs last fall and will be eligible immediately. In the team’s exhibition opener, a win against Texas A&M-Commerce, Jones led the team in scoring and rebounding, something he figures to do frequently this year. He averaged 14.0 PPG and 7.7 RPG two seasons ago for SMU, a program he left because of a dispute with head coach Larry Brown over playing time. So while the junior forward may arrive with some baggage, he will make up for the much needed scoring and rebounding that was lost when Jamal Jones and J-Mychal Reese left the program. The Aggies also return forwards Kourtney Roberson and Davonte Fitzgerald, who averaged 9.8 and 7.3 points per game last season, respectively. In addition, they added a top-100 recruit in guard Alex Robinson, who is likely to start. Texas A&M was a solid defensive club last season, and even though leading scorer Jones left the program under inauspicious circumstances, there is some talent on this roster.
Weaknesses. According to Kenpom.com, Texas A&M ranked 267th in the country in offensive efficiency last season, and the Aggies were 308th in points per game. With the departure of the team’s most prolific perimeter shooter, the burden will fall on Jalen Jones to pick up the slack. Robinson appears to be a solid incoming three-point shooter, but Billy Kennedy’s club likely will struggle to put the ball in the basket once again. Caruso was the SEC’s assist leader last season, but he is a mediocre shooter from distance (33%) and Kennedy does not appear to have many options beyond that. The Aggies are picked to finish ninth in the 14-team SEC, and without more output on the offensive end, there is no reason to think they can outperform that prediction.
Non-Conference Test. The Aggies do not have the most daunting of pre-conference schedules, although they do have an early-season tilt with Elite Eight participant Dayton and a home game against Kansas State on December 20. However, Texas A&M’s toughest non-conference test will be a December 14 trip to play another former Big 12 rival, Baylor.
Toughest Conference Stretch. Kennedy’s squad is fortunate to avoid any stretch of conference play that appears to be too much to handle, and the Aggies only have to face league favorite Kentucky once. After Valentine’s Day, they will play Florida twice, host LSU and travel to Arkansas, all of which are expecting to finish near the top of the league. If the Aggies are still in contention for any type of postseason play in mid-February, that make-or-break stretch will determine whether they will make it.
Projected Starters:
- G Alex Caruso (6’5″ – 9.0 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 5.0 APG)
- G Alex Robinson (6’1″- N/A)
- G Jalen Jones (6’7″ – 14.0 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.0 APG – (2013))
- F Davonte Fitzgerald (6’7″ – 7.3 PPG, 2.3 RPG)
- F Kourtney Roberson (6’9″ – 9.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG)
The newcomers Jones and Robinson will have to be heavy offensive contributors if the Aggies are going to become a more prolific scoring team. Texas A&M also struggled on the glass last season, and Jones’ presence underneath should help.
Projected Bench:
- G Jordan Green (6’5″)
- G Avery Johnson (5’11”)
- G Peyton Allen (6’5″)
- F Antwan Space (6’8″)
- C Dylan Johns (6’11”)
Green and Space played starters’ minutes (25.0 and 23.0 MPG, respectively) last season, and should again be solid contributors off of Kennedy’s bench. The rest of the reserves are a bit of a mystery, featuring three freshmen. Johns adds much-needed size to the lineup, but after averaging only eight minutes per game last season, he is unlikely to see a significant increase in playing time.
If Everything Goes Right… Texas A&M has a good amount of experience, but Kennedy’s 49-47 record in his three years at the school is unimpressive. If Jones can be as impactful as he has given indications he can be, the Aggies’ ceiling may be a bit higher than most think. Kennedy, whose future was thought to be in jeopardy after last season, is set to sign a top-five class, and he was just rewarded with a contract extension through the 2017-18 season. This will allow him to coach without so much pressure to immediately succeed, and it may compel the Aggies to a better season than anticipated.
If Nothing Goes Right… Another subpar season is certainly possible for Kennedy’s club, as it would be surprising if the Aggies found their way to the NCAA Tournament. Even if things don’t go well, this is a young team that will return everyone except Green and Roberson next year, and with recruits ranked No. 20, 28, 33 and 66 on the way, any disappointment this season brings will quickly be forgotten. Better times appear to be ahead in College Station.