Texas A&M Aggies
Predicted finish: 4th
Key returners (last season’s stats)
F- Danni Williams- 5’10, JR- 16.6 PPG, 38%FG, 36% 3pt, 3.2 RPG, 37 MPG, Second Team All-SEC
C- Khaalia Hillsman- 6’5, SR- 16.4 PPG, 62%FG, 8.2 RPG, 1.2 BPG, 34 MPG, Second Team All-SEC
F- Anriel Howard- 5’11, SR- 10.2 PPG, 42%FG, 1-2 from three, 10.4 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 31.1 MPG
Biggest losses (last season’s stats)
G- Curtyce Knox, 5’7- 10.8 PPG, 40%FG, 8.9 APG, 37 MPG, Second Team All-SEC
Newcomers
G- Chennedy Carter, 5’7, (Mansfield, TX), FR- Ranked #6 in 2017 class, #2 point guard
F/C- Caylinne Martin, 6’3, (McLennan CC), R-JR- Ranked #21 in 2016 JUCO class, #6 forward
F- N’dea Jones, 6’2, (Lawrenceville, GA), FR- Ranked #81 in 2017 class, #17 power forward
G- Kayla Wells, 6’0, (Dallas, TX), FR- Ranked #88 in 2017 class, #15 small forward
C- Emer Nichols, 6’5, (Pearland, TX), FR- Ranked #187 in 2017 class, #32 center
G- Jada Walton, 5’11, (Atlanta, GA), FR- Ranked #216 in 2017 class, #56 guard
G- Lulu McKinney, 5’7, (UTEP), SR- 7 PPG, 4.9 APG last season at UTEP; graduate transfer
* Ranked as the #8 recruiting class in the country*
Head Coach- Gary Blair, 15th season
Success is an often used word that’s true meaning can be debated. As far as basketball coaching goes, however, Gary Blair is about as successful as you can get. Since 2005-06, his third season at Texas A&M, Blair has lead the Aggies to the NCAA tournament every single year while winning at least 22 games each season. Throw in the national championship the Aggies won in 2011 and you’ve got a pretty good looking resume for the Hall of Famer. Blair’s team are always active on defense and clearly the 72-year-old is still getting it done on the recruiting trail. Last year’s 6th place finish in the SEC was the worst finish for the Aggies since joining the SEC, so you can be sure Blair will have his team ready to finish much better this season.
Key non-conference games
Preseason WNIT- Opponents still to be determined
Dec. 3- West Virginia
Dec. 15- @ USC
Dec. 21- Oregon (neutral site)
Outlook
Though they only lost one significant player, Curtyce Knox leaves a giant void at the point guard position. Knox led the country in assists with 8.9 per game last season, over a full assist more than the player in second place. Her control and knowledge of the offense played a huge role in the great offensive seasons that both Danni Williams and Khaalia Hillsman had. By the way, doesn’t it seem like Williams has been playing for 10 years? Anyways, the point guard position is what will determine how successful this team can be. Chennedy Carter highlights a fantastic recruiting class and should have a chance to play right away. Also, transfer Lulu McKinney brings experience playing the position that should help as well. Last season the team had wins over ranked opponents Syracuse (21 points), Kentucky (9 points), Tennessee (2 points) and Missouri (14 points) but went just 5-7 on the road, a record they will need to improve to challenge for the SEC title. It is also worth noting that A&M lost four straight games down the stretch including two to LSU and Ole Miss that, had they won, would have put them in a tie for third place. If the freshman are able to contribute this season, A&M could threaten to win it all.
Best Case Scenario- Aggies continue to be tough at home (12-3 last season), have some newcomers step in and play well, steal a few away games, take down Mississippi State on the road towards the end of the season and surprise everyone by winning the SEC
Worst Case Scenario- The lost of Knox proves to be too much and the offense struggles to get any flow, Williams and Hillsman feel the pressure of being the only go-to players, road woes continue and team comes in 6th again