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.
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