The Texas A&M Aggies won the SEC in 2016, marking their first conference championship in the regular season in 30 years. Coach Billy Kennedy successfully remade the program after working his way up the coaching ladder and also dealing with personal health problems. It was an inspiring story, and everyone in college basketball hoped it would continue. Last year, though, A&M ran into big problems. The Aggies fell to the lower half of the SEC and were nowhere to be found when March Madness kicked off. Adding to A&M’s lost place in college basketball was the fact that the SEC put three teams in the Elite Eight and one in the Final Four. The Aggies became a forgotten entity.
Are they ready to rebound this year? One might think that after a spectacular tumble last season, it’s going to be a hard road back to the top of the SEC. However, that is not likely to be the case. A big recruit and an even bigger decision by a current player have put the Aggies in position to contend.
Offseason Changes
The great news for the Aggies is how few changes occurred in the offseason. There is definitely one big change: Point guard J.J. Caldwell arrives as the piece this team was missing a year ago. Texas A&M lacked a steady ballhandling point guard to set up the offense and work well with the Aggies’ quality big men. A&M lost hold of so many important possessions late in games because it didn’t have the floor general who knew exactly what to do and owned the court sense needed to put players in the right positions, initiating halfcourt sets with the crispness which leads to superb performance. Caldwell is the player Kennedy needed to add to his roster, in order to put the pieces together on his team.
The great news for Kennedy is that he doesn’t have to reassemble as many pieces as he might have thought. Robert Williams, an explosive leaper and a very determined rebounder who provides double-double potential every time he steps onto the court, made a very surprising decision to return for another year of college basketball. A lot of NBA people thought he was ready for the draft and the pro game. Williams coming back gives A&M a complete team nucleus and the roster-wide balance which should make a rise to the top four of the SEC a certainty as long as everyone stays healthy. A&M could very realistically challenge Kentucky for the top spot in the SEC once again, making last year the aberrational year and giving the Aggies enhanced credibility as a program. The Williams decision could become a huge moment or Kennedy and A&M in the near future.
Will Succeed If…
Caldwell blends into the rest of the team as hoped. There is not more to add here. Caldwell has Williams to work with, and A&M has plenty of size and length in the paint. As long as the point guard spot got solved this season, the Aggies have a great mixture of parts, enough to make a serious push for the Final Four. Caldwell holds the key to everything.
Won’t Succeed If…
Tyler Davis isn’t assertive enough. Playing in the shadow of Williams, Davis – the team’s center – can lack aggression and not demand the ball. He can be passive on defense as well. No one ever questions Williams’ energy. If Davis can be as energetic in every game, A&M’s defense will be devastatingly good.
Roster
Jay Jay Chandler
DJ Hogg
TJ Starks
Admon Gilder
JJ Caldwell
Savion Flagg
Tonny Trocha-Morelos
Mark French
Chris Collins
Duane Wilson
Isiah Jasey
Frank Byers
John Walker III
Josh Nebo
Cameron Alo
Tyler Davis
Robert Williams
Schedule & Outlook
The Aggies got a No. 3 seed when they won the SEC two years ago. That seems like a more than realistic goal. If anything, it might slightly undersell this team, which should split the SEC title with Kentucky and have a chance to do damage in March.
The 2018 March Madness futures are out. There has been plenty of news to keep up with in the offseason but keep an eye on the betting lines as they move around at Diamond Sportsbook! Get the latest college basketball betting lines right here.
