Texas A&M Aggies
Overall Rank: #7
Conference Rank: #1 SEC
Texas A&M is the only team that reached the Sweet Sixteen last year to return all five starters. The Aggies went 12-4 in SEC play and finished a solid third place. The expectations are higher this year though. With all of that talent returning, Coach Gary Blair and company will be looking to win their first ever SEC title and make a push for the Final Four.
2018-19 Record: 26-8, 12-4
2018-19 Postseason: NCAA
Coach: Gary Blair
Coach Record: 357-149 at Texas A&M, 765-312 overall
Key Departed Players (starters in bold)
Jada Walton, Guard, 1.9 ppg
Caylinne Martin, Forward/Center, 1.6 ppg
Aja Ellison, Forward/Center, 1.2 ppg
Key Returning Players (starters in bold)
Chennedy Carter, Junior, Guard, 23.3 ppg
Kayla Wells, Junior, Guard, 15.1 ppg
Ciera Johnson, Junior, Center, 12.0 ppg
N’dea Jones, Junior, Forward, 7.7 ppg
Shambria Washington, Senior, Guard, 4.8 ppg
Aaliyah Wilson, Junior, Guard, 13.8 ppg
Aahliyah Jackson, Junior, Guard, 1.9 ppg
Cheah Rael-Whitsitt, Senior, Forward, 1.1 ppg
Key New Players
Anna Dreimane, Junior, Center, Transfer from Colorado State
McKinzie Green, Freshman, Guard
Jordan Nixon, Sophomore, Guard, Transfer from Notre Dame, not eligible
Projection:
Chennedy Carter is the clear star of this team after averaging 23.3 points last year. The 5-7 junior is a great scorer from everywhere on the floor and will contend for National Player of the Year accolades. Like Carter, fellow junior guard Kayla Wells is a capable outside shooter. Aaliyah Wilson, who was averaging 13.8 points per game through eight starts before suffering a season ending injury, returns basically giving Texas A&M six returning starters and a much needed third outside shooting threat. When Wilson was out, Shambria Washington stepped into a starting role. She is not a major scoring threat, but Washington did lead the team with 3.5 assists per game. The frontcourt returns Ciera Johnson and N’dea Jones. Johnson is a very efficient interior scorer and added 8.4 rebounds per game. Jones is not quite as effective in the scoring department, but she is a superb rebounder, leading the team with 11.3 per game. Depth was an issue across the board last year. All five starters averaged over 30 minutes per game and so was Wilson before her injury. Wilson’s return will help the backcourt and so could the addition of the lone incoming freshman, McKinzie Green. In the frontcourt, Colorado State transfer Anna Dreimane could help fill a few minutes and could make an impact, especially on the defensive end. If Coach Blair can find that depth without much of a drop off in production, Texas A&M has everything they need to win the SEC and reach the Final Four.
Projected Postseason Tournament: NCAA
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 69.8 (85th in nation, 7th in conference)
Scoring Defense: 60.4 (78, 6)
Field-Goal Percentage: 43.6 (41, 4)
Field-Goal Defense: 37.1 (48, 2)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 3.9 (329, 13)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 33.9 (73, 5)
Free-Throw Percentage: 70.1 (158, 8)
Rebound Margin: 6.5 (27, 3)
Assists Per Game: 12.6 (193, 8)
Turnovers Per Game: 14.5 (103, 6)
Madness 2020 WNBA Draft Rankings:
#5 Chennedy Carter
Madness 2019 Women’s Basketball Recruit Rankings:
#72 Mckenzie Green
