2019–20 Texas A&M Aggies men's basketball team

The 2019–20 Texas A&M Aggies men's basketball team represented Texas A&M University in the 2019–20 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Aggies were coached by first-year head coach Buzz Williams. The Aggies played their home games at Reed Arena in College Station, Texas as members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They finished the season 16–14, 10–8 in SEC play to finish in a tie for sixth place. They were set to take on Missouri in the second round of the SEC tournament. However, the remainder of the SEC Tournament was cancelled amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

2019–20 Texas A&M Aggies men's basketball
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Record16–14 (10–8 SEC)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
  • Devin Johnson
  • Jamie McNeilly
  • Lyle Wolf
Home arenaReed Arena
Seasons
2019–20 Southeastern Conference men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
No. 8 Kentucky 15 3   .833 25 6   .806
No. 20 Auburn 12 6   .667 25 6   .806
LSU 12 6   .667 21 10   .677
Mississippi State 11 7   .611 20 11   .645
Florida 11 7   .611 19 12   .613
South Carolina 10 8   .556 18 13   .581
Texas A&M 10 8   .556 16 14   .533
Tennessee 9 9   .500 17 14   .548
Alabama 8 10   .444 16 15   .516
Arkansas 7 11   .389 20 12   .625
Missouri 7 11   .389 15 16   .484
Ole Miss 6 12   .333 15 17   .469
Georgia 5 13   .278 16 16   .500
Vanderbilt 3 15   .167 11 21   .344
Note: The 2020 SEC tournament was canceled after the first round due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rankings from AP poll

Previous season

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The Aggies finished the season 14–18, 6–12 in SEC play to finish in 11th place. They defeated Vanderbilt in the first round of the SEC tournament[1] before losing to Mississippi State.[2]

On March 15, 2019, the school fired head coach Billy Kennedy after eight seasons.[3][4] On April 3, the school hired Virginia Tech head coach Buzz Williams as the team's next head coach.[5]

Offseason

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Departures

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Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Reason for departure
Admon Gilder 3 G 6'4" 199 Senior Dallas, TX Graduate transferred to Gonzaga
Chris Collins 12 G 6'2" 181 RS Senior Friendswood, TX Walk-on; graduated
Brandon Mahan 13 G 6'5" 200 Sophomore Birmingham, AL Transferred to UCF
Isiah Jasey 15 F 6'10" 246 Sophomore Killeen, TX Transferred to SMU
John Brown 20 F 6'10" 220 RS Sophomore Magnolia, TX Transferred to West Texas A&M
Christian Mekowulu 21 F 6'9" 245 RS Senior Lagos, Nigeria Graduated
Frank Byers 22 G 5'10" 180 Senior Dallas, TX Graduated
John Walker III 24 F 6'9" 196 RS Freshman Missouri City, TX Transferred to Texas Southern
Cameron Alo 33 G 5'9" 174 Sophomore Houston, TX Walk-on; left team for personal reasons

Incoming transfers

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Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Previous college
Quenton Jackson 3 G 6'5" 180 Junior Inglewood, CA Junior college transferred from College of Central Florida.

2019 recruiting class

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US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Emanuel Miller
SF
Toronto, ON Prolific Prep 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 200 lb (91 kg) May 7, 2019 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN:    ESPN grade: 81
Andre Gordon
PG
Sidney, OH Sidney High School 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Apr 13, 2019 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN:    ESPN grade: 81
Yavuz Gultekin
PF
Cumberland, MD Bishop Walsh High School 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Apr 13, 2019 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN:    ESPN grade: 80
Jonathan Aku
C
McKinney, TX The Entrepreneur Academy 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Aug 11, 2019 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN:    ESPN grade: 80
Bakari Simmons
SG
Chicago, IL Victory Rock Prep 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Jul 2, 2019 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPNN/A   ESPN grade: POST
Cashius McNeilly
SG
Toronto, ON Thornlea Secondary School 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Apr 13, 2019 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPNN/A   ESPN grade: 0
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "Texas A&M 2019 Basketball Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  • "2019 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved August 19, 2019.

2020 recruiting class

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US college sports recruiting information for 2020 recruits
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Hayden Hefner
SG
Nederland, TX Nederland High School 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Aug 4, 2019 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPNN/A   ESPN grade: 0
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

Preseason

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SEC media poll

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The SEC media poll was released on October 15, 2019.[6]

Media poll
Predicted finish Team
1 Kentucky
2 Florida
3 LSU
4 Auburn
5 Tennessee
6 Alabama
7 Mississippi State
8 Ole Miss
9 Georgia
10 South Carolina
11 Arkansas
12 Texas A&M
13 Missouri
14 Vanderbilt

Roster

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2019–20 Texas A&M Aggies men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown
G 0 Jay Jay Chandler 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Jr Cinco Ranch Katy, Texas
G/F 1 Savion Flagg 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 223 lb (101 kg) Jr Alvin Alvin, Texas
G 2 TJ Starks 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 208 lb (94 kg) Sr Lancaster Lancaster, Texas
G 3 Quenton Jackson 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 171 lb (78 kg) Jr Mira Costa
College of Central Florida
Los Angeles, California
F 5 Emanuel Miller 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 213 lb (97 kg) Fr Prolific Prep (CA) Scarborough, Ontario
C 10 Everett Vaughn (W) 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 237 lb (108 kg) RS Fr St. Thomas Bellaire, Texas
G 11 Wendell Mitchell 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 183 lb (83 kg) RS Sr Rockdale
Baylor/Trinity Valley CC
Rockdale, Texas
G 12 Mark French 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) 162 lb (73 kg) Sr Prestonwood Christian Plano, Texas
G 13 Cashius McNeilly 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 191 lb (87 kg) Fr Thornlea Secondary School Scarborough, Ontario
F 15 Jonathan Aku 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 245 lb (111 kg) Fr iSchool Entrepreneurial Academy (TX) Kaduna, Nigeria
G 20 Andre Gordon 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Fr Sidney Sidney, Ohio
G 21 Zach Walker (W) 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) So Deer Park Deer Park, Texas
F 25 Bakari Simmons 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Fr Simeon Chicago, Illinois
F 31 Luke McGhee (W) 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 237 lb (108 kg) RS Fr Clark San Antonio, Texas
F 32 Josh Nebo 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 244 lb (111 kg) RS Sr Cypress Lakes
Saint Francis
Houston, Texas
F 35 Yavuz Gultekin 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 201 lb (91 kg) Fr Bishop Walsh (MD) Karşıyaka, Turkey
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster

Schedule and results

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Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record High points High rebounds High assists Site (attendance)
city, state
Exhibition
November 1, 2019*
8:00 pm
Texas A&M–Kingsville W 81–74 
 16  Jackson   7  Flagg   7  Flagg  Reed Arena 
College Station, TX
Regular season
November 6, 2019*
7:00 pm, SECN+
Northwestern State W 77–63  1–0
 22  Flagg   7  Tied   5  Flagg  Reed Arena (5,751)
College Station, TX
November 11, 2019*
7:00 pm, SECN+
Louisiana–Monroe W 63–57  2–0
 17  Chandler   6  Tied   3  Jackson  Reed Arena (5,018)
College Station, TX
November 15, 2019*
8:00 pm, SECN
No. 8 Gonzaga L 49–79  2–1
 14  Mitchell   6  Miller   2  Tied  Reed Arena (10,344)
College Station, TX
November 20, 2019*
7:00 pm, SECN+
Troy W 56–52  3–1
 14  Nebo   12  Nebo   3  Tied  Reed Arena (5,271)
College Station, TX
November 28, 2019*
12:30 pm, ESPN2
vs. Harvard
Orlando Invitational quarterfinals
L 51–62  3–2
 17  Mitchell   6  Tied   2  Tied  HP Field House (1,979)
Bay Lake, FL
November 29, 2019*
1:00 pm, ESPNews
vs. Temple
Orlando Invitational consolation 2nd round
L 42–65  3–3
 12  Nebo   6  Nebo   3  Chandler  HP Field House (2,014)
Bay Lake, FL
December 1, 2019*
9:30 am, ESPNU
vs. Fairfield
Orlando Invitational 7th place game
L 62–67  3–4
 17  Flagg   5  Gultekin   5  Jackson  HP Field House 
Bay Lake, FL
December 8, 2019*
2:00 pm, ABC
vs. Texas
Lone Star Showdown
L 50–60  3–5
 16  Nebo   14  Miller   5  French  Dickies Arena (9,136)
Fort Worth, TX
December 15, 2019*
5:00 pm, SECN+
Texas A&M–Corpus Christi W 63–60  4–5
 20  Miller   13  Nebo   4  Flagg  Reed Arena (5,846)
College Station, TX
December 21, 2019*
7:30 pm, SECN
Oregon State W 64–49  5–5
 15  Nebo   13  Miller   3  Chandler  Reed Arena (7,303)
College Station, TX
December 30, 2019*
7:00 pm, SECN+
Texas Southern W 58–55  6–5
 18  Flagg   15  Nebo   3  3 tied  Reed Arena (6,588)
College Station, TX
January 4, 2020
6:00 pm, SECN
at Arkansas L 59–69  6–6
(0–1)
 15  Gordon   13  Nebo   3  Gordon  Bud Walton Arena (19,200)
Fayetteville, AR
January 7, 2020
8:00 pm, SECN
Ole Miss W 57–47  7–6
(1–1)
 17  Nebo   9  Tied   3  Flagg  Reed Arena (5,982)
College Station, TX
January 11, 2020
2:30 pm, SECN
at Vanderbilt W 69–50  8–6
(2–1)
 15  Mitchell   7  Tied   4  Flagg  Memorial Gymnasium (9,076)
Nashville, TN
January 14, 2020
6:00 pm, SECN
LSU L 85–89 OT 8–7
(2–2)
 20  Nebo   9  Nebo   4  Flagg  Reed Arena (7,068)
College Station, TX
January 18, 2020
12:00 pm, SECN
South Carolina L 67–81  8–8
(2–3)
 18  Nebo   9  Miller   4  Flagg  Reed Arena (7,466)
College Station, TX
January 21, 2020
8:00 pm, ESPNU
at Missouri W 66–64  9–8
(3–3)
 14  Flagg   6  Flagg   2  Flagg  Mizzou Arena (8,529)
Columbia, MO
January 25, 2020*
3:00 pm, ESPNU
Oklahoma State
Big 12/SEC Challenge
L 62–73  9–9
 11  Tied   7  Flagg   5  Flagg  Reed Arena (7,622)
College Station, TX
January 28, 2020
5:30 pm, SECN
at Tennessee W 63–58  10–9
(4–3)
 23  Mitchell   12  Miller   3  Flagg  Thompson–Boling Arena (17,722)
Knoxville, TN
February 1, 2020
12:00 pm, SECN
at Georgia L 48–63  10–10
(4–4)
 13  Mitchell   7  Flagg   4  Flagg  Stegeman Coliseum (10,156)
Athens, GA
February 4, 2020
8:00 pm, SECN
Missouri W 68–51  11–10
(5–4)
 18  Nebo   13  Miller   3  Jackson  Reed Arena (5,755)
College Station, TX
February 8, 2020
12:00 pm, SECN
at South Carolina L 54–74  11–11
(5–5)
 16  Jackson   8  Miller   1  5 tied  Colonial Life Arena (13,388)
Columbia, SC
February 12, 2020
7:30 pm, SECN
Florida L 61–78  11–12
(5–6)
 19  Miller   4  Tied   2  Tied  Reed Arena (6,237)
College Station, TX
February 15, 2020
2:30 pm, SECN
Georgia W 74–69  12–12
(6–6)
 21  Miller   10  Miller   4  Flagg  Reed Arena (7,106)
College Station, TX
February 19, 2020
6:00 pm, SECN
at Alabama W 74–68  13–12
(7–6)
 20  Jackson   8  Nebo   4  Mitchell  Coleman Coliseum (9,157)
Tuscaloosa, AL
February 22, 2020
2:30 pm, SECN
Mississippi State W 87–75  14–12
(8–6)
 21  Nebo   10  Flagg   3  Tied  Reed Arena (8,122)
College Station, TX
February 25, 2020
6:00 pm, ESPN
No. 8 Kentucky L 60–69  14–13
(8–7)
 18  Mitchell   4  Tied   5  Flagg  Reed Arena (8,190)
College Station, TX
February 29, 2020
11:00 am, ESPN2
at LSU L 50–64  14–14
(8–8)
 17  Flagg   8  Nebo   4  Mitchell  Pete Maravich Assembly Center (13,215)
Baton Rouge, LA
March 4, 2020
6:00 pm, ESPN2
at No. 17 Auburn W 78–75  15–14
(9–8)
 19  Nebo   7  Tied   4  Mitchell  Auburn Arena (9,121)
Auburn, AL
March 7, 2020
3:30 pm, SECN
Arkansas W 77–69  16–14
(10–8)
 25  Mitchell   10  Miller   4  Flagg  Reed Arena (8,443)
College Station, TX
SEC tournament
March 12, 2020
6:00 pm, SECN
(7) vs. (10) Missouri
Second round
Cancelled due to the 2020 coronavirus outbreak[7] Bridgestone Arena
Nashville, TN
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Central Time.

References

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