Texas A&M Aggies
2019-2020 Overall Rank: #102
Conference Rank: #13 SEC
Texas A&M had a rough season in 2018-19, winning only 14 games overall and six games within the SEC. Both win totals were the lowest for the Aggies since Billy Kennedy’s first season in College Station. The down season ultimately led to Kennedy’s departure at Texas A&M. The Aggies replaced him with a big name in former Virginia Tech coach Buzz Williams. This season will likely be viewed as a rebuilding year for Williams, but he is a talented coach that could find a way to compete in the SEC with the Aggies’ top four scorers returning.
2018-19 Record: 14-18, 6-12
2018-19 Postseason: None
Coach: Buzz Williams
Coach Record: 0-0 at Texas A&M, 253-155 overall
Key Departed Players:
Christian Mekowulu, Forward, 8.3 ppg
Brandon Mahan, Guard, 5.9 ppg
John Walker, Forward, 3.3 ppg
Chris Collins, Guard, 0.7 ppg
Christian Mekowulu, Forward, 8.3 ppg
Brandon Mahan, Guard, 5.9 ppg
John Walker, Forward, 3.3 ppg
Chris Collins, Guard, 0.7 ppg
Key Returning Players:
Savion Flagg, Junior, Forward, 13.9 ppg
Wendell Mitchell, Senior, Guard, 13.0 ppg
TJ Starks, Junior, Guard, 12.3 ppg
Jay Jay Chandler, Junior, Guard, 8.3 ppg
Josh Nebo, Senior, Forward, 8.1 ppg
Mark French, Senior, Guard, 0.9 ppg
Savion Flagg, Junior, Forward, 13.9 ppg
Wendell Mitchell, Senior, Guard, 13.0 ppg
TJ Starks, Junior, Guard, 12.3 ppg
Jay Jay Chandler, Junior, Guard, 8.3 ppg
Josh Nebo, Senior, Forward, 8.1 ppg
Mark French, Senior, Guard, 0.9 ppg
Key New Players:
Andre Gordon, Freshman, Guard
Yavuz Gultekin, Freshman, Forward
Quenton Jackson, Junior, Guard, Transfer from Junior College
Cashius McNeilly, Freshman, Guard
Emanuel Miller, Freshman, Forward
Bakari Simmons, Freshman, Forward
Yavuz Gultekin, Freshman, Forward
Quenton Jackson, Junior, Guard, Transfer from Junior College
Cashius McNeilly, Freshman, Guard
Emanuel Miller, Freshman, Forward
Bakari Simmons, Freshman, Forward
Projection:
The top four scorers are back for the Aggies this season. Savion Flagg could be headed towards a monster junior season. Flagg started all 32 games as a sophomore and averaged 13.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists. Wendell Mitchell and TJ Starks are both back to give Texas A&M an experienced backcourt. Mitchell averaged 13.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.8 steals in his first season with the Aggies. Starks is a talented junior that made the SEC All-Freshman team two years ago and could breakout in Buzz Williams’ offense. Jay Jay Chandler returns after a decent sophomore campaign where he started 18 games and averaged 8.3 points and 1.3 steals. Josh Nebo was a role player in his first season with the Aggies and could be forced to take on a larger role as a senior this year. Quenton Jackson was one of the top junior college recruits and will be joining the Aggies this season. Jackson averaged 18.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists last season and will be asked to immediately make an impact at the Division-I level. In a rebuilding year, Buzz Williams has also had to add five true freshmen to his roster. All the freshmen are listed as 3-star recruits, though Cashius McNeilly and Emanuel Miller are both top-200 players in this class. Buzz Williams rebuilt Virginia Tech into a serious ACC contender, but it took a couple of years. Texas A&M has the potential to become a powerhouse in the SEC, but it again will likely take Williams a season or two to fully build another contender.
Projected Postseason Tournament: CBI/CIT
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 70.4 (239th in nation, 11th in conference)
Scoring Defense: 71.8 (187, 9)
Field-Goal Percentage: 43.7 (212, 10)
Field-Goal Defense: 45.1 (258, 9)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 6.4 (301, 13)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 30.8 (330, 14)
Free-Throw Percentage: 69.3 (223, 10)
Rebound Margin: 1.0 (149, 9)
Assists Per Game: 11.8 (283, 12)
Turnovers Per Game: 13.9 (260, 11)
Madness 2019 Men’s Basketball Recruit Rankings:
#126 Emanuel Miller
#146 Cashius McNeilly
