Texas A&M Basketball
* This A&M team is starting to play better. They have been hamstrung pretty badly this year. This is one of those years that a coach goes through every 12 to 15 years where everything goes completely wrong. Obviously for Coach Kennedy, it started with the diagnosis of his illness and then all these injuries. Thought Ray Turner was phenomenal in the way he took on the Baylor front line. Guys were laying it all out there and there were a lot of good performances on both sides. If you’re Billy Kennedy watching the tape after the game, knowing how shorthanded you were, you’re going to see some plays you wish you had back but in terms of the energy and effort of the team, it looked like any other Aggie team from the past seven or eight years. There is a residue of toughness left over from Coach Gillespie and Coach Turgeon.
* In order to create an identity for this team, you have to take it day by day. There is nothing worse than taking over a program and being out of commission for the first bit. It would be like opening a small business in College Station, getting sick and then not being able to run the business for the first month. The fact that Coach Kennedy wasn’t with the team for three or four weeks at the beginning of the season kept him from being able to be hands on with the guys. What you’re seeing out of this team is them building an identity on the fly, day by day. Thinks the team is almost there but it’s impossible to replace an all-conference player like Khris Middleton. When you look at Ray Turner and Kourtney Roberson, you can see the improvement they have made the past couple of years. Not having Kourtney and not having Dash, there is no team in the Big 12 that could survive that type of annihilation injury wise. Overall, you have to keep improving day by day and hope that guys like Daniel Alexander and Naji Hibbert can keep stepping up into prominent rolls.
* David Loubeau is a talent guy but has been inconsistent at times throughout his career. Big guys are like lineman in that it takes a while for them to learn all of the technique needed to play the position. Unless you’re Thomas Robinson out of Kansas and finally get what it takes to play the position, most big guys are going to be like David and Ray as well. Perry Jones III is also a very inconsistent player as well. It’s just the way young big guys are. When David’s head is right, he can be unstoppable down low. Was disappointed that A&M wasn’t able to get the ball to David in the final possession of the game. Not sure if Elston Turner’s shot was the shot needed right at that moment. Sometimes as a coach or a player, you can out think yourself and it ends up hurting you like it did Elston. It doesn’t take away from the fact that he has been playing great lately even with playing a little out of position due to Dash’s injury.
* When he was coaching, he always had the mindset of, “Let’s start a one game winning streak.” Whether he was coaching a great team or they were struggling for survival, the mentality was always about winning the next game in front of you. A&M has to go to Kansas State and that will be a tough game, but they are certainly capable of pulling that one out. A&M can beat Texas, Iowa State, Texas Tech and will have Missouri and Kansas at home. Oklahoma State on the road is also a game A&M can win. Looking at the next eight or nine games, there is no reason A&M can’t get themselves into a position of post-season play of some sort. Whatever the schedule has for you, you just deal with it the best you can. However, A&M has to get Dash Harris and Khris Middleton back in the lineup in order to win these winnable games.
* Coached J-Mychal Reese at the LeBron James camp last summer and is a very nice young man. Has not had the chance to see Alex Caruso play yet, but has heard nothing but good things about him. For this A&M team, another athletic wing player could come in handy. Thinks that the big kids are going to get better and better and A&M has enough size up front. Another skill player to go along with Elston and Khris would be best to find for next year. Another guard who can play some of the one and two position could also be useful with the departure of Jamal Branch. J-Mychal is going to have a lot of pressure on him handling the ball next year, so another skilled perimeter player could go a long way for the Aggies.
* Called the Kansas-Iowa State game last Saturday and thought Royce White was phenomenal. Compared him to former New York Knick, Anthony Mason. White is a big physical guy who can push you inside but can also handle the ball well and is a phenomenal passer. Thinks White is too unselfish at times. The only way Iowa State was able to get away with all of the transfers they have was to have the squeaky clean cut image Fred Hoiberg had at Ames and it has worked out great for them.
* Has a couple of thoughts about A&M’s move to the SEC. Playing in the SEC, you’re trading Kansas for Kentucky, but then you’re going to be able to compete with the rest of the league on a regular basis. As a transplanted Texan, regardless of the politics behind the move, he thinks it’s a bad move for college basketball. Knows why A&M is making the move and doesn’t think it’s bad from an Aggie’s perspective. It breaks his heart to see these great rivalries disappearing. Whether it’s going to be great for the Aggies in the SEC, only time will tell. Long term, 100 years from now, it probably is the best decision. Other rivalries will form in the SEC, but it’s sad to see the old ones die. If he were coaching Baylor or Texas, he wouldn’t want to play A&M. Texas and Baylor doesn’t get anything out of playing A&M right now. Not saying the Aggies are wrong for leaving the conference by any stretch of the imagination, but it hurts from a fan’s point of view to see these 100 year rivalries die. If you’re an Aggie fan you love the move, but if you’re Rick Barnes or Scott Drew you’re telling the Aggies to take a hike. If you’re Billy Kennedy, you’re moving to a new conference where most of your roots are. Schools like Kentucky, Florida and Arkansas are coming to Reed Arena so there are lots of positives in the move.
ESPN's Fran Fraschilla talks A&M hoops with TexAgs
Notes from Fran Fraschilla Interview
* Saw a whale of a game last night. Thought A&M gave really great effort. Thought the game would be close, being at home. Reed Arena has become a really tough place to play in recent years. It’s hard to do what the Aggies did last night, which was being able to stay in the game without Khris Middleton, Dash Harris, or Kourtney Roberson. Thought there were probably two or three plays that decided the outcome of the game. There were so many good plays on both sides, but in a close game two or three plays can make all the difference. It was a great college basketball game to watch if you weren’t rooting for Texas A&M but if you’re an Aggie fan, you have to be proud of the team’s effort.* This A&M team is starting to play better. They have been hamstrung pretty badly this year. This is one of those years that a coach goes through every 12 to 15 years where everything goes completely wrong. Obviously for Coach Kennedy, it started with the diagnosis of his illness and then all these injuries. Thought Ray Turner was phenomenal in the way he took on the Baylor front line. Guys were laying it all out there and there were a lot of good performances on both sides. If you’re Billy Kennedy watching the tape after the game, knowing how shorthanded you were, you’re going to see some plays you wish you had back but in terms of the energy and effort of the team, it looked like any other Aggie team from the past seven or eight years. There is a residue of toughness left over from Coach Gillespie and Coach Turgeon.
* In order to create an identity for this team, you have to take it day by day. There is nothing worse than taking over a program and being out of commission for the first bit. It would be like opening a small business in College Station, getting sick and then not being able to run the business for the first month. The fact that Coach Kennedy wasn’t with the team for three or four weeks at the beginning of the season kept him from being able to be hands on with the guys. What you’re seeing out of this team is them building an identity on the fly, day by day. Thinks the team is almost there but it’s impossible to replace an all-conference player like Khris Middleton. When you look at Ray Turner and Kourtney Roberson, you can see the improvement they have made the past couple of years. Not having Kourtney and not having Dash, there is no team in the Big 12 that could survive that type of annihilation injury wise. Overall, you have to keep improving day by day and hope that guys like Daniel Alexander and Naji Hibbert can keep stepping up into prominent rolls.
* David Loubeau is a talent guy but has been inconsistent at times throughout his career. Big guys are like lineman in that it takes a while for them to learn all of the technique needed to play the position. Unless you’re Thomas Robinson out of Kansas and finally get what it takes to play the position, most big guys are going to be like David and Ray as well. Perry Jones III is also a very inconsistent player as well. It’s just the way young big guys are. When David’s head is right, he can be unstoppable down low. Was disappointed that A&M wasn’t able to get the ball to David in the final possession of the game. Not sure if Elston Turner’s shot was the shot needed right at that moment. Sometimes as a coach or a player, you can out think yourself and it ends up hurting you like it did Elston. It doesn’t take away from the fact that he has been playing great lately even with playing a little out of position due to Dash’s injury.
* When he was coaching, he always had the mindset of, “Let’s start a one game winning streak.” Whether he was coaching a great team or they were struggling for survival, the mentality was always about winning the next game in front of you. A&M has to go to Kansas State and that will be a tough game, but they are certainly capable of pulling that one out. A&M can beat Texas, Iowa State, Texas Tech and will have Missouri and Kansas at home. Oklahoma State on the road is also a game A&M can win. Looking at the next eight or nine games, there is no reason A&M can’t get themselves into a position of post-season play of some sort. Whatever the schedule has for you, you just deal with it the best you can. However, A&M has to get Dash Harris and Khris Middleton back in the lineup in order to win these winnable games.
* Coached J-Mychal Reese at the LeBron James camp last summer and is a very nice young man. Has not had the chance to see Alex Caruso play yet, but has heard nothing but good things about him. For this A&M team, another athletic wing player could come in handy. Thinks that the big kids are going to get better and better and A&M has enough size up front. Another skill player to go along with Elston and Khris would be best to find for next year. Another guard who can play some of the one and two position could also be useful with the departure of Jamal Branch. J-Mychal is going to have a lot of pressure on him handling the ball next year, so another skilled perimeter player could go a long way for the Aggies.
* Called the Kansas-Iowa State game last Saturday and thought Royce White was phenomenal. Compared him to former New York Knick, Anthony Mason. White is a big physical guy who can push you inside but can also handle the ball well and is a phenomenal passer. Thinks White is too unselfish at times. The only way Iowa State was able to get away with all of the transfers they have was to have the squeaky clean cut image Fred Hoiberg had at Ames and it has worked out great for them.
* Has a couple of thoughts about A&M’s move to the SEC. Playing in the SEC, you’re trading Kansas for Kentucky, but then you’re going to be able to compete with the rest of the league on a regular basis. As a transplanted Texan, regardless of the politics behind the move, he thinks it’s a bad move for college basketball. Knows why A&M is making the move and doesn’t think it’s bad from an Aggie’s perspective. It breaks his heart to see these great rivalries disappearing. Whether it’s going to be great for the Aggies in the SEC, only time will tell. Long term, 100 years from now, it probably is the best decision. Other rivalries will form in the SEC, but it’s sad to see the old ones die. If he were coaching Baylor or Texas, he wouldn’t want to play A&M. Texas and Baylor doesn’t get anything out of playing A&M right now. Not saying the Aggies are wrong for leaving the conference by any stretch of the imagination, but it hurts from a fan’s point of view to see these 100 year rivalries die. If you’re an Aggie fan you love the move, but if you’re Rick Barnes or Scott Drew you’re telling the Aggies to take a hike. If you’re Billy Kennedy, you’re moving to a new conference where most of your roots are. Schools like Kentucky, Florida and Arkansas are coming to Reed Arena so there are lots of positives in the move.
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