Those who picked Texas A&M in the top 10 during the preseason and thought the Aggies would threaten to reach the Final Four were disappointed with Mark Turgeon's first season as coach.

Texas A&M eventually fell out of the rankings and barely finished in the upper half of the Big 12, claiming sixth with an 8-8 record.

But after drawing an NCAA Tournament bid as a No. 9 seed, the Aggies showed their potential by taking top-seeded UCLA to the wire before a shot to tie was blocked in the final seconds and the Bruins survived 53-49 in the second round.

The loss completed a 25-11 season for A&M.

A letdown? Perhaps. Unexpected? Only among those who forgot what value Acie Law brought to the Aggies. The first-round draft pick was a point guard who absolutely controlled the game and could take over down the stretch. He was instrumental in the turnaround Billy Gillispie orchestrated at A&M before moving on to coach Kentucky.

Turgeon, who took over following a successful run at Wichita State, was handed a lot of pieces but could never develop a guard who could influence a game like Law.

The Aggies were often hurt by pressure, yet whenever they weren't flustered late in the season, they often executed a deliberate pace that worked to the advantage of their physical frontline players.

Turgeon developed, as well. The move into the Big 12 made the new coach realize the importance of getting a team to play at a consistent level, though the Aggies remained up and down throughout the season.

The loss of forward Joseph Jones and guard Dominique Kirk rids A&M of two more key contributors from its successful ride under Gillispie.

For Turgeon, that might not be all bad. It never really seemed he could put his stamp on the Aggies in his first season. Now, he gets that opportunity and not only must secure good talent. DeAndre Jordan proved to be a bit of a disappointment in his first and only college season.

FINAL RECORD: 25-11, 8-8, sixth in Big 12.

WHAT WENT RIGHT: Texas A&M entered Big 12 play as a certifiable contender, going 14-1 in non-conference games with only a loss at Arizona. That, however, was the only true road game the Aggies played before entering league, and they seemed ill-prepared at times with two different three-game losing streaks in the Big 12. Still, when A&M was on, it could use its physical might to created defensive problems inside.

WHAT WENT WRONG: No one emerged as a go-to guy who could come close to taking over for departed G Acie Law. Too often, on-ball pressure flustered the A&M guards, who often had trouble feeding the post. Underneath, players were woefully inconsistent as the production of F Joseph Jones fell off and C DeAndre Jordan, the Aggies' prize recruit, never lived up to his billing.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We came in and worked to get to (the NCAA Tournament). It's pretty sad how it ended. I really thought we had a good chance to win [against UCLA]. I thought we played great." -- Texas A&M G Dominique Kirk.

THE GOOD NEWS: With the resurgence in Texas A&M basketball, its fan support is among the best in the Big 12, routinely setting attendance records in Reed Arena. The Aggies didn't capitalize on their following, going only 4-4 in conference home games, but A&M can sell that component, as well as a new $25 million practice facility, as a strength. First-year coach Mark Turgeon looked more comfortable late in the season running a methodical offense designed to help the Aggies' big men, who could again be the strength of the team next season.

THE BAD NEWS: By the end of the season, Turgeon appeared to grow more comfortable with his team, and vice versa. He is not as critical as former coach Billy Gillispie, and the question can be raised whether Turgeon is as demanding. During Big 12 play, there were times the Aggies were unmercifully taken out of games and suffered lopsided defeats. They scored 10 points in a half once. For now, chalk it up to adapting at a new level, though A&M fans were hoping for a smoother coaching transition.

C DeAndre Jordan is turning pro. Jordan is rated high among potential picks by observers who project the NBA draft.

KEY RETURNEES: Two forwards, Bryan Davis and Chinemulu Elonu, pose problems underneath with their size, but also must develop offensively. G Josh Carter, a tough matchup as a 6-foot-7 perimeter threat, needs to become a more consistent scorer. G Donald Sloan returns to man the point but also must expand his floor game.

ROSTER REPORT:

--G Josh Carter will enter next season looking to break the Texas A&M record for 3-pointers. He hit a season-high six and tied his career-high of 26 points in a first-round win against BYU in the NCAA Tournament. With 222 career 3-pointers, Carter needs only 11 more as a senior to break the A&M record set by Bernard King from 1999-2003.

--At the end of the season, G Donald Sloan dealt with the death of his mother during the Big 12 Tournament and overcame an ankle injury to play 35 minutes in each of the Aggies' NCAA games. He scored a team-high 12 points in the second-round loss to UCLA, but his driving shot in the final seconds for a chance to tie the game was blocked.

--F Joseph Jones logged a double-double against BYU with 10 points and 12 rebounds, but wasn't the threat most expected over the course of the season after being named a preseason All-Big 12 pick. He posted six points and six rebounds over 33 minutes against UCLA and finished with a 10.4-point average, a three-point drop from 2007-2008.

Previous Report: 04/18/2008