Aggies set to tip off hoops season versus Northwestern State

Billy Kennedy and the Aggie basketball program begin the 2016-17 season against Northwestern State tonight at Reed Arena. Tipoff is at 8 p.m., following the women's volleyball match against Mississippi State.

The Aggies are coming off a 2015-16 campaign that concluded with the most wins in school history during a single season, a SEC conference championship and a run to the Sweet 16.

After losing four senior starters from a year ago, Kennedy and company are entering this season with one of the most offensively talented rosters in recent memory. Led by a trio of sophomores in Admon Gilder, DJ Hogg and Preseason All-SEC selection Tyler Davis, the Aggies will have a very different look and style of play from a year ago.

Expectations

I'm not sure if a conference championship and a return to the Sweet 16 is in the future for this year's team, but it's not out of the question. It will all depend on how the point guard position plays out and how the players and coaches adjust to new roles and the ever-changing course of the season.

Not only did BK lose four seniors, three of which were picked up by NBA teams, but he also had to replace three assistant coaches.

Tonight's matchup won't be a great representation of how the year will play out, instead offering a chance to see each player and their individual capabilities as the team begins working out its new identity in live action.

Against a team like Northwestern State, the Ags should be able to come out and execute their offensive sets while also working on timing on defense. Tonight is a time for BK to make his guys push the ball in transition as fast as possible to get a realistic feel for how quickly they can play without turning the ball over.

Turnovers, rebounds, shot selection and defense are the biggest keys to focus on against the Demons. It won't be a perfect game, but it will be the first opportunity to put what they've been working on throughout the off-season into action.

Opening Tips

• The Aggies have won 15 straight season-opening games and 16 straight home openers ... A&M is playing its season opener at home for the 16th consecutive year ... All-time, Aggie men's basketball is 47-23 in season openers since 1945.

• Texas A&M and Northwestern State have met eight previous times on the hardwood, with the Aggies leading the series 6-2 ... A&M has won the last six meetings against the Demons.

• Texas A&M returns one starter, sophomore center Tyler Davis, and eight total letter-winners back from last season's squad that captured 28 victories en route to a share of the SEC Championship and a Sweet 16 appearance.

• One of only two Aggies on this year's roster who saw action the last time Texas A&M played Northwestern State, Tavario Miller can look back fondly on the Demons' most recent time to College Station. Miller notched a career -high 15 points by going a perfect 6-of-6 from the field and 4-of-5 from the free throw line as the Aggies opened the 2014-15 campaign with a 109-68 victory over NSU.

• Davis is expected to again be one of the top big men in the SEC, as he was voted First Team Preseason All-SEC by media that cover the league. A year ago, Davis and fellow sophomore DJ Hogg garnered spots on the SEC All-Freshman Team.

• The Aggies are 136-13 (.913) all-time in non-conference games inside Reed Arena, which hosted its first basketball game in the fall of 1998.

• Head coach Billy Kennedy returns for his sixth season in Aggieland ... In his 19th overall season as a head coach, Kennedy owns a 310-249 (.555) career record ... The 2016 SEC Coach of the Year needs just one victory to become only the second Texas A&M men’s basketball head coach to record 100 victories while leading the program.