GETTING INSIDE
No team in the Big 12 faced the same adversity because of an injury as Texas A&M.
In a Dec. 22 loss at Washington, the Aggies' inspirational leader, senior guard Derrick Roland, went down with a gruesome compound fracture that stunned the crowd, as well as his teammates.
Sickened by the injury, the Aggies kept playing before breaking down afterward. Roland, their best lockdown defender, was ruled out for the season and some counted out A&M as a team.
But the Aggies showed their resolve. Riding the leadership of two other seniors, guard Donald Sloan and center Bryan Davis, A&M tied for second in the Big 12 with an 11-5 record, obtained a five-seed in the NCAA Tournament and extended Purdue to overtime in the second round before falling 63-61.
The NCAA bid continued the smooth transition A&M has enjoyed since Mark Turgeon replaced Billy Gillispie as coach three years ago. The Aggies played in the tournament for the fifth straight year, one of only 12 teams in the country to maintain that long a streak. Before the current run, A&M played in the event just six times.
Sloan was the Aggies' offensive leader, averaging 18.3 points. Davis, meanwhile, averaged 7.9 boards. The stat that mattered most, however, was fashioned by the team. A&M was the toughest team in the Big 12 to score against during conference play, allowing 65.8 points.
It was no surprise then the Aggies went down fighting, taking Purdue into overtime after beating Utah State in the first round. Davis collected 17 points and 15 points in the season finale.
Remember, Davis, Sloan and Roland were all players Gillispie signed. Yet Turgeon got them to buy into his principles, which he didn't deliver quite as forcefully as his predecessor, though he still placed an absolute premium on solid defense.
The Aggies will retain some experienced players, with Dash Harris back to run the point, and B.J. Holmes supplying a long-distance threat. More questions exist up front, though as the season progressed, Khris Middleton and David Loubeau showed nice improvement.
NOTES, QUOTESFINAL RECORD: 24-10, 11-5, second in the Big 12.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Texas A&M qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight season after tying for second place in the Big 12. The Aggies often rode the hot hand of G Donald Sloan while exhibiting patience in half-court sets, but also taking run-out opportunities if presented. Defense keyed A&M's success. The team was tough as nails with an edge provided underneath by C Bryan Davis. The loss of G Derrick Roland before the start of Big 12 play hurt, but the Aggies regrouped and overcame that injury.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Again, it would have been nice had Roland played through the entire season. As good as A&M's defense was, it could have been absolutely menacing had the Aggies not lost their top lockdown artist. Very little went wrong, really. A&M rarely was blown out and even proved to be a tough road team after ending the 32-game homecourt streak Missouri enjoyed. The lack of a consistent inside threat to go with Sloan forced the Aggies to rely considerably on their senior guard, but he often delivered and seemed up to the challenge.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "When you make shots it makes you look better. We've executed all year and sometimes we didn't make shots and it doesn't look nice." -- Texas A&M coach Mark Turgeon.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNELTHE GOOD NEWS: Texas A&M is in good hands with Mark Turgeon as coach, assuming another program doesn't come forward with an alluring offer. Winning in College Station was Billy Gillispie's ticket to Kentucky, so don't be surprised if Turgeon doesn't mind the pot sweetened. Still, he has a good situation at A&M because of the sellouts the Aggies attract and also one of the nicest practice facilities in the country. Turgeon proved himself as a strong coach and motivator this season when A&M lost an inspirational starter, G Derrick Roland, and still tied for second in the Big 12 while obtaining its fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament bid.
THE BAD NEWS: Not only will Roland be gone, but two other key seniors, G Donald Sloan and C Bryan Davis, also exit. That strips the Aggies of some valued leadership, though G Dash Harris returns to man the point, while F Khris Middleton, F David Loubeau and F Nathan Walkup are all players with promise, though one needs to bust out and become a standout. F Ray Turner is another frontcourt player with upside. Everyone underneath will be asked to do more to make up for the loss of Davis, who was one of the most underrated players in the Big 12.
KEY RETURNEES: Each of the returning players mentioned above has potential to blossom. Holmes must become more consistent from outside. The other part of his streaky side surfaced in a second-round loss against Purdue in the NCAA Tournament when he went 0-fot-5 from 3-point range. Frankly, consistency will be a factor among all the returnees since none were counted on the clutch with Sloan around. They did, however, get a foundation for the kind of defense Turgeon demands. With him on the sidelines, A&M will muddy a game any way it can to come out victorious.
ROSTER REPORT:
--G Derrick Roland's recovery from a nasty compound fracture he suffered in a Dec. 22 loss at Washington actually progressed faster than expected. A chance for a medical hardship, however, is unexpected since the senior played in too many games.
--G Dash Harris missed the two Big 12 Tournament games with an injury to his right wrist. He returned for the NCAA Tournament.
--F Bryan Davis capped his senior season with 17 points and 15 rebounds in the NCAA Tournament loss against Purdue, his ninth career double-double.
Previous Report: 03/27/2010
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