Texas A&M Basketball

Ahead of Saturday's SEC semifinal clash with LSU, Texas A&M announced the signing of head men's basketball coach Billy Kennedy to a new five-year contract.

The school's press release did not reveal the financial terms of the deal.

Texas A&M Director of Athletics Scott Woodward praised the job Kennedy has done during his fifth season with the Aggies:

This new contract and commitment is well-deserved and well-earned by Billy, who is a great ambassador for Texas A&M and who embodies our values. He has led our team to Texas A&M's first conference championship in 30 years, with an NCAA tournament invitation likely to come on Sunday. Our program is also achieving success in the classroom and in the community. We hope that Billy is leading our program for a long time to come.

Texas A&M was the regular-season co-champion in the SEC with a conference record of 13-5, and it holds a 25-7 mark overall. Kennedy was named the 2016 SEC Coach of the Year for his efforts.

Per the university's announcement, Kennedy is extremely excited about what the future holds for the program:

I am extremely appreciative of the support and confidence that Texas A&M has demonstrated to me and to our staff. This has been a team effort, and I am blessed to be coaching such a fine group of young men at an outstanding university. We still have a lot of work left to do this season, and I look forward to leading the Aggies for many years.

The 52-year-old native of Metairie, Louisiana, is on the verge of making his first NCAA tourney appearance with the Aggies after making one trip each in previous stints at Southeastern Louisiana and Murray State.

Texas A&M was in the NIT last season and the CBI the previous year, but as the No. 17 team in the nation, it is currently a threat to make a deep run during March Madness.

The Aggies haven't reached the NCAA tournament since 2010-11 under Mark Turgeon, and although it took some time for Kennedy to get Texas A&M back to that level, it is now arguably the top team in the SEC.

The patience of those in charge at Texas A&M has seemingly paid off, and Kennedy now has an opportunity to continue building what has developed into an extremely talented and competitive program.

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Tyler Davis got it done for Texas A&M.

The big man's putback at the buzzer lifted the Aggies to a 79-77 win over No. 14 Kentucky in College Station on Saturday night, and the Denver Broncos' Von Miller ate it up.

The alum and Super Bowl 50 MVP threw his hands up with the rest of Reed Arena when the game-winner went in, breaking a huge smile:

[Vine]

The suit is in the upstairs closet, the shiny black shoes replaced by a pair of gray Nikes.

Nine miles from Reed Arena, just hours after a victory over Missouri, the coach of the highest-ranked Texas A&M team in history wears sweatpants and a T-shirt as he watches SportsCenter from the study of his four-bedroom home.

Most nights, Billy Kennedy and his wife may have celebrated with a filet a few miles down the road at the Republic Steakhouse or dined on some seafood at Christopher's World Grille. But on this Saturday evening in January—with his eldest daughter, Lexie, and other friends and relatives in town—Kennedy has opted to eat at home.

"Just wanted a little privacy," said Kennedy, reclining in a leather chair shortly before dinner. When snippets from the Aggies' victory flash across the screen, the room goes silent.

"I love the Aggies," ESPN analyst Dino Gaudio said at the end of the highlights. "They're not just one of the best teams in the SEC. They're one of the best teams in the entire country."

Kennedy initially expresses frustration that Gaudio failed to mention that the Aggies' 13-point victory came without forward Tyler Davis, who missed the game with an injury. But as he pushes the mute button on the remote control, the coach is overcome with a moment of clarity.

Kennedy smiles gently.

"It's nice to be talked about again," he said.

Especially in this fashion.

Kennedy has dominated the headlines in College Station before, but not for reasons he had hoped.

In the fall of 2011—just three months after leaving Murray State for his "dream job" at Texas A&M—the 47-year-old Kennedy was diagnosed with the early stages of Parkinson's disease, an incurable, degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that affects movement.

For more than a month, Kennedy kept his condition a secret as he hosted recruits and spoke at booster functions—all the while preparing to coach a team that had been picked in the preseason to win the Big 12.

Still, no matter hard he worked, Kennedy found himself lying in bed each night, staring at his ceiling, unable to sleep.

"For five weeks, I didn't sleep for more than two hours a night," Kennedy said. "Anxiety, depression…all of that stuff can set in. I was thinking about things I shouldn't have been thinking about—about the future and the possibility that things could go south."

More than four years later, life is going in the opposite direction for Kennedy.

And for the Aggies.

The man who initially considered quitting after his diagnosis has his squad in contention for the SEC title. With a resume that includes wins over Texas, Iowa State, Florida, Baylor, LSU and Gonzaga, Texas A&M is a virtual lock to play in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2011.

The Aggies have been ranked as high as No. 5 in the AP Top 25 poll, making Kennedy a candidate for both SEC and national Coach of the Year.

For Kennedy, the success means even more because of the battle he endured to achieve it.

"This is a God thing," Kennedy said. "It happened like this for a reason. He planned it this way all along."

Even for a man strong in his faith, that theory was probably difficult to grasp in the months after Kennedy learned of his diagnosis. Countless times, Kennedy pondered whether coaching was the best thing not only for his future but also for the futures of the assistants he'd brought to College Station and the players counting on Kennedy to lead them.

"There was so much stress and uncertainty," Kennedy's wife, Mary, said. "Everything just hit him over the head at once. It was hard for him to think clearly."

Following the orders of his doctor, Kennedy took a three-week medical leave of absence in late October—not so much because of Parkinson's but to deal with the extreme exhaustion caused by a lack of rest.

"My body was shutting down," he said.

Aided by prescription medication, Kennedy spent most of his days in bed catching up on sleep while Mary organized her husband's office in the home they'd purchased just months earlier.

She hung pictures of Kennedy cutting down the nets at Murray State after the Racers won the Ohio Valley Conference tournament and of Kennedy with Jason Kidd, the 10-time NBA All-Star whom Kennedy coached as an assistant at Cal.

Anything to motivate Billy. Anything to boost his spirits.

Eventually, as Kennedy began to regain his energy, the doubts about whether he should return to the sidelines subsided. Kennedy still remembers receiving a pivotal phone call from Aggies senior associate athletics director John Thornton—one of the key figures in his hiring.

"The only thing that's going to make you feel better is doing what you love," Thornton said. "And what you love is on that court. You need to get back out there."

Kennedy made his Texas A&M debut in the second game of the season, an 83-58 home win against Southern. Four nights later, he was coaching the Aggies in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at Madison Square Garden.

Glad as he was to be back, the situation was overwhelming for Kennedy.

Along with leading a group of players he'd met just six months earlier and hardly coached in the preseason, Kennedy was also adapting to a staff of assistants with whom he'd never worked.

Oddly, even with a new coach, Texas A&M had been picked as the preseason favorite to win the Big 12 in its final year in the conference. But a flurry of injuries (most notably to future NBA draft pick Khris Middleton and starting point guard Dash Harris) resulted in a 14-18 record overall and a 4-14 mark in the league.

Kennedy said he wanted to make roster changes in the offseason, but the team he inherited was in such poor academic standing that doing so would've caused a huge hit to the program's academic progress rate, which could've led to NCAA-mandated tournament bans, scholarship losses and reduced practice time.

"I couldn't get rid of anyone," Kennedy said. "And, in turn, that made it tough to sign anyone."

Nothing, though, was as challenging as what Kennedy and his staff faced on the recruiting trail. Multiple times, Aggies assistants were informed that opposing coaches were telling prospects they should avoid Texas A&M because Kennedy had Parkinson's disease. At times, they even resorted to telling lies. 

"Kennedy isn't going to live out his contract."

"He'll never be at practice because he'll be in the hospital all the time."

"You won't get to know him because he'll only show up for games."

"One coach even told [a recruit] that he might catch Parkinson's from being around Billy," Aggies assistant Kyle Keller said. "It was unbelievable. Billy is the nicest guy I've ever come across in this profession. There's not a better, more upstanding person in our business than him.

"So I hear this, and I'm thinking, 'You're taking a shot at BK? Are you serious?' It's a sad deal that people would try to use Parkinson's against someone. It just shows you the cut-throat, Power Five, BCS level that we're at."

Instead of harboring anger about the dirty recruiting, Kennedy found a way to make it work in his favor.

He offered to play recruits one-on-one to show how little he'd been affected by the disease, and he openly questioned the character of those who had spread the false rumors.

"I flipped it," Kennedy said. "I'd say, 'They're obviously lying to you about Parkinson's. What else could they be lying to you about? They could have cancer and not even know it.'

"I wouldn't let my assistants use that as an excuse (for not getting a recruit). I told them we've recruited around being a football school. We can recruit around this, too."

Off the court, Kennedy was making noticeable strides, both mentally and physically. After experimenting with several medications, he eventually found a treatment that helped with the occasional pain in his neck, shoulders and arms.

He currently takes three pills twice a day. He's participated in yoga classes and visited acupuncturists and improved his diet. Green smoothies are a staple.

Kennedy also lifts weights regularly and spends 30-40 minutes on the treadmill multiple times each week. Anything, he said, "to loosen stuff up."

"When we're in the gym after practice, he's right there working out with us," Aggies guard Alex Caruso said. "It's amazing how good of shape he's in."

On the court, though, it took a while for Kennedy to enjoy the same type of success as predecessors Billy Gillispie and Mark Turgeon.

Kennedy won 18 games in both his second and third seasons but finished below .500 in SEC play each time.

In the spring of 2014, as the Aggies bused from their Atlanta hotel to the Georgia Dome for the SEC tournament, Kennedy received a call from a reporter informing him that rumors were swirling about his job security. And the buzz only intensified after an opening-round loss to Missouri.

"I'd be lying if I said I hadn't heard those things (toward the end of the season)," Kennedy said. "But I wasn't worried. I believed in the process. I thought we had the support of the right Aggies, and we'd won just enough to show we were headed in the right direction.

"People like to talk about the process of a coach building a program, but people don't always realize it's a process from an administrative standpoint, too. A coach needs time to get his own guys, time to weed things out, time to absorb a mistake that may have been made in recruiting, time to build fan support. Some guys don't get that time, but (athletic director) Eric Hyman gave it to me."

Indeed, rather than fire Kennedy after his third season, Hyman gave him a two-year contract extension.

It's paying off.

The addition of transfers Danuel House (Houston) and Jalen Jones (SMU) propelled Texas A&M to a 21-12 record last season, including an 11-7 mark in the SEC.

The Aggies likely would've earned an NCAA tournament bid had House, the team's leading scorer, not missed the final regular-season game (a 61-60 loss to Alabama) and the opening round of the SEC tournament (a 66-59 loss to Auburn) with a broken foot. 

Either way, the marked improvement Texas A&M showed in 2014-15 provided loads of momentum entering this season.

The addition of former longtime Mississippi State head coach Rick Stansbury to Kennedy's staff has also been a spark. Regarded as one of the nation's top recruiters, Stansbury helped sign a 2015 recruiting class that was ranked sixth in the country by ESPN.com.

Three members of that haul—Davis, DJ Hogg and Admon Gilder—are averaging more than 18 minutes a game as freshmen.

"We were missing out on guys I thought we should've been in on," Kennedy said. "Rick has changed that. I've never been around a guy as good as he is. He's relentless. He believes he can get anyone."

Just as the Aggies' play has improved, so has Kennedy's coaching. His wife said his passion for his job has elevated to a new level, that he spends more time studying film than ever before.

Kennedy's players have noticed a change, too. They said their coach, while still soft-spoken, is more upbeat and has more energy, and it's not uncommon for Kennedy to give a five-minute devotional before practice. Numerous times, he's shared bits and pieces of his motivational story.

"It sets a positive tone for the entire workout," Caruso said. "And, to be honest, it makes our team closer, coaches included. We've had ample talent to compete the past few years. The difference this year is that we have a little more talent and a lot more camaraderie."

Kennedy has also tweaked his methods for dealing with players who are struggling.

"If anything, I'm softer on them now," Kennedy said. "I've learned to love my players more. I think more big picture. We all say that as coaches, but when you go through a situation with your health and have to worry about your family and your future, you realize there are things in life more important than basketball.

"These kids have issues to deal with in their lives, too. I'm more understanding of that now than I was before. I want to be there to support them."

Kennedy, after all, knows firsthand how vital such support can be. One of the key reasons he's experiencing success, he said, is because of the encouragement he's received from the Aggies. Not just the players but the entire Texas A&M administration.

There is no way to predict if/when Kennedy's condition will worsen. According to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, the progression of Parkinson's varies among individuals. Some people live with mild symptoms for many years, while others develop movement difficulties more quickly.

Kennedy said he's done worrying about what may occur in the future. He's too busy relishing what's happening in the present. Mary Kennedy said her husband's faith continues to shape his positive outlook.

"God was not surprised by this," Mary said. "He's not surprised that Parkinson's was waiting for us here in College Station, or that this team was going to have all sorts of crazy issues and injuries. God ordered that."

Time and time again during his first four years at Texas A&M, a few hours before almost every game, Kennedy and Mary would walk in circles around the court at Reed Arena and pray. They'd ask God to watch over those competing in the game that day. They'd pray for health of family and friends and offer thanks for what they have and for guidance.

"And at the end of the Prayer Circle, we'd pray for this arena to be filled some day," he said. "We'd pray for success here, that people would be excited and that we'd win games and hang banners."

Imagine, then, how gratified Kennedy must've felt on Jan. 19 when he walked through the tunnel and onto the court for Texas A&M's game against LSU and Ben Simmons. A sellout crowd of 13,888—the largest in Reed Arena history—filled not only the seats but also the aisles.

School officials won't admit it, but the belief is that an extra 1,500 students were admitted into the building that day, pushing the attendance past 15,000. Texas A&M responded with a 71-57 victory.

"I'm so glad our administration stuck with [Kennedy] and gave him a chance," said Caruso, a senior. "We're ranked and we're getting some publicity and it looks like we'll make the tournament.

"That goes a long way toward letting Aggies around here know that the right choice was made."

Just as he did after the Missouri win, Kennedy went home that evening and listened to praise for his team on SportsCenter. The most satisfying thing, however, wasn't what the analysts said.

But rather what they didn't.

"The first few years I was here, I was 'Billy Kennedy, the coach with Parkinson's disease,'" Kennedy said. "Now I'm just 'Billy Kennedy, the basketball coach at Texas A&M University.'

"That's what I'd always wanted, to not be identified by the disease. That was my goal. That was my prayer."

Jason King covers college sports for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JasonKingBR.

After clearing up some academic issues preventing him from enrolling in school prior to the fall semester, star guard Kobie Eubanks will attend Texas A&M.   

According to Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com, Eubanks is going to be eligible to play basketball for the Aggies on Dec. 19 in a Big 12 game against Baylor. 

"I want to be a part of something special," Eubanks told Goodman on Tuesday. "I visited there and really loved the players and the staff. I think they have something special going on over there."

Eubanks was originally scheduled to play basketball at the University of Alabama, but Matt Zenitz of AL.com reported in August that Eubanks had not been cleared by the NCAA. Goodman's report adds Eubanks originally did not achieve qualifying test scores over the summer. 

Alabama's loss turns into a huge gain for Texas A&M and head coach Billy Kennedy, as the school picks up one of the top recruits in 2015. 

According to 247Sports, Eubanks is a 4-star prospect and the 96th-ranked player overall. He's listed at 6'5" and 212 pounds, and he is a terrific scoring wing who is comfortable shooting from the outside. 

Landing Eubanks is the latest coup for Kennedy, who is slowly turning Texas A&M into one of the nation's most intriguing programs. The Aggies now have the sixth-ranked recruiting class for 2015, per 247Sports, and they are coming off of a 21-win season last year. 

The Aggies are returning their top two scorers from last season, Danuel House and Jalen Jones, and they now add a prolific scorer in Eubanks to one of the nation's best recruiting classes. The stage is set for Texas A&M to make its first NCAA tournament run since 2011. 

Mitchell Robinson is heading to Texas A&M. The Pine Forest (Florida) High School product surprised some Saturday by declaring his intention to become an Aggie, becoming one of the highest-touted 2017 prospects to commit.

Jeff Borzello of ESPN reported the news. Robinson's recruitment was largely shrouded in mystery, with no experts having a great feel for where he was leaning. 247Sports' crystal ball predictions gave LSU, North Carolina and Florida an equal 33 percent chance. Texas A&M was nowhere to be found, which is fair considering how little we know about most recruiting processes at this time.

Robinson, a 6'9" center, is considered the fourth-best player at his position and No. 32 overall prospect in the 2017 class by 247Sports. His national profile should improve beginning in 2015-16, as he announced his intention to transfer to Chalmette. 

“He runs the floor very well and he’s also a good rebounder,” coach Butch Stockton said in August, per Josh Preston of NOLA.com. “He can block a lot of shots and he can score inside but he can also shoot the ball. He’s a good free throw shooter and he shows a little touch from outside—that’s one part of his game I think people really don’t know about. He’s got pretty good ball-handling skills also.”

Stockton said he plans on building around Robinson and developing him into a more all-around prospect. With Robinson only heading into his junior season, there is plenty to work with. He will probably grow a couple of more inches before graduating high school, and he's already begun making a name for himself on the summer camp circuits.

For Texas A&M, not recognized as a national power, landing a player of Robinson's caliber is a major boost. The program has not been to the NCAA tournament under coach Billy Kennedy, even making the NIT only once. With Kennedy heading into 2015-16 facing pressure to improve, landing an early big fish on the recruiting market is one way to stick around.

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter

While the focus in College Station might be on the upcoming college football season, Texas A&M's basketball program has been busy trying to upgrade its roster.

The results paid off in a big way, with center Tyler Davis committing to the school, according to Evan Daniels of ScoutHoops.com:

Davis, a 6-foot-9, 270-pound center, committed to Billy Kennedy and his staff at Texas A&M on Friday, per multiple sources.

Davis had a terrific summer playing with the Texas Titans team. Davis is a massive post prospect that fights and plays with toughness in the paint. He rebounds at a high level and can overpower defenders and score on the block.

Davis is the No. 33 overall prospect and seventh-ranked center in the 2015 recruiting class, according to 247Sports.com. In addition to Texas A&M, the star center received offers from Kansas, Arizona, Baylor, Purdue, SMU, Texas and Texas Tech. 

The Texas-born Davis had an interesting season last year, to say the least. Matt Jessen-Howard of SNY.tv wrote about Davis in June, noting he wasn't allowed to play for Plano West by the University Interscholastic League because it felt he transferred from Frisco Liberty "for basketball reasons, even though his family moved."

Davis spoke to Jessen-Howard about that incident and how it affected him physically and mentally:

It was tough. You never want that to happen. For me, it was real tough to sit out and watch my team play. It hurt my game, but at the same time, I have time now to get back in it.

If you’re willing to work hard, you’ll get right back into the game and pick up where you left off. I’m working on my touch around the basket and all the stuff that I used to have down every game. It’s kind of coming back. This session, I’ve felt really comfortable.

As for what made Davis one of the best prospects in his recruiting class, it's no secret that every team wants to find size and production in the paint. He played well this summer for the Texas Titans of the Elite Youth Basketball League, averaging 13.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, per Daniels. 

Jerry Meyer of 247Sports.com called Davis "a skilled traditional back to the basket player. A below the rim type player, Davis relies on his size and strength to create space."

Playing in the SEC, where Kentucky and Florida play a physical style and always have good size in the paint, Davis represents a huge piece of the puzzle for Texas A&M head coach Billy Kennedy in his quest to get the school back into the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2011. 

He's also the first commitment the Aggies have received for the 2015 season, so Kennedy can sell other recruits on the idea of playing with a powerful big man who can create his own shots under the rim. 

Through eight games of the 2012-2013 season, coach Billy Kennedy has the Aggies at 7-1 going into the All-College Classic on December 15 against Oklahoma.

Though fans are generally pleased with where the team stands record wise, something still seems missing.

Things haven't quite clicked.

To say that Texas A&M has been impressive so far would be a stretch. To be fair, the Aggies have won some close, hard-fought games. One came on the road against Houston, and another against Washington State—where Elston Turner hit a three-pointer with two seconds left.

But these games were all against teams in which the Aggies were favored.

Their lone loss came against a competitive Saint Louis team in a contest in which A&M never really seemed to get going.

One factor contributing to the absence of fluidity in the Aggies game could be the number of new faces seeing significant time on the court. 

Freshmen J'Mychal Reese and Alex Caruso have played larger roles early on in the season than most people predicted.

Throw in junior college transfers Fabyon Harris and Andrew Young, and you have a lot of new guys that need to get on the same page—offensively and defensively.

Billy Kennedy's fast-paced, guard-heavy offense also has room for improvement, and many questions still to be answered. Mainly, how to incorporate A&M's two big guys, Ray Turner and Kourtney Roberson.

The two players lead the team in rebounds and score most of their points from the boards they bring down. Neither have found their spot in the offensive scheme as of yet. Roberson and Turner are strong, athletic big men who have the ability to overpower their opponent down low.

That is, if the ball makes it down low.

What has also yet to be seen is how the team performs against quality opponents.

So far, the school with the highest RPI the Aggies have a victory against is Stephen F.  Austin. As conference play looms closer, the Aggies will have to up their play in preparation for teams the likes of Florida, Mississippi State, Missouri and Kentucky.

What Texas A&M is doing successfully is winning the games it should win.

Seeing schools like Baylor and UCLA losing to teams like Charleston and Cal-Poly, respectively, shows college basketball fans that no team is safe from being upset, and that any victory should be considered a gift.

But for the Aggies to be in any sort of conversation come March, they will need to play a tighter game than what has been seen on the court.

And also, they need to find that missing something. Whatever it may be.

Texas A&M's sophomore guard Jordan Green is looking forward to getting started in the SEC. 

A fresh start in a new conference and a chance for his team to put a challenging 2011-12 season (14-18; 4-14 Big 12) in their rear-view mirror.

Green's best offensive game as a freshman was when he scored 14 points (on 6-of-8 shooting) against No. 3 Missouri.

He became an important defensive stopper for the Aggies, holding legitimate scorers like Oklahoma State's Keiton Page and Kansas State's Rodney McGruder well below their season averages.

I had the chance to talk with the 6'5" shooting guard from Flower Mound (TX) H.S. about his perspective on his freshman year in Division I hoops, his summer trip to China and the Aggies' prospects in their first foray into one of the most athletic basketball conferences in the country.

Bleacher Report: Hey, Jordan! It's great to have a chance to talk to you and hear about what's going on.

Jordan Green: Thanks for the opportunity.

B/R: You chose to go to A&M before your junior year at Flower Mound High School (TX). What other schools were on your short list?

JG: Utah, Oregon, Texas, North Texas, Oklahoma State...

B/R: What were the biggest influences in your choice to become an Aggie?

JG: The character of the coach and the character of the players. They were all winners. Coach Mark Turgeon was a great coach who had great success, and had a strong background coaching under Larry Brown and Roy Williams (at Kansas).

I got to know Khris Middleton during the recruiting process. He is such a great example of someone who was underrated coming out of high school, but through hard work, he developed into an NBA player. The school is great. And there was a family atmosphere around the team.

B/R: What was your first thought when you found out that Coach Turgeon was leaving to go to Maryland?

JG: I was working out and found out that he was calling a press conference. I knew that something was up. Afterwards, Coach Turgeon called my dad and called me to tell us what was happening. I wasn't so mad, but just really confused. He said that he was leaving behind his most talented team. I didn't understand that. I began to learn about how it's a business.

I decided to stay at Texas A&M before they made the decision to hire Coach (Billy) Kennedy.

B/R: What did Coach Kennedy do when he first arrived to begin to move things in a positive direction?

JG: He wiped the slate clean. He gave everyone a fresh start. He said that everyone starts from the same place. And for an incoming freshman, that was good news.

B/R: Every coach has a special emphasis. Things that he focuses on. What is Coach Kennedy's primary emphases?

JG: He's a defensive-minded coach. That's what's most important to him. He always wants us to play hard. He's a Christian man and talks about values and doing the right thing on and off the court.

B/R: In what ways has Coach Kennedy helped you improve the most as a player?

JG: He has helped to instill confidence in me. He has given me the reins to my own horse. And he has impressed on me the importance of staying hungry. 

B/R: What part of your game have you spent the most time working on in the last year?

JG: Defense. I'm working a lot on being able to stop my opponents and help my team on that end of the court. I've been working on becoming a better ball-handler and more consistent shooter too.

B/R: What are some of the things you've learned from your teammates?

JG: I learned from Elston (Turner). He's a coaches son (his dad is an assistant coach on the Phoenix Suns). He taught me about the importance of patience. Patience in the game. Patience in workouts.

I learned from Khris (Middleton) about maturity, about approaching ball as a business and to stay in the gym.

B/R: Last year was a challenging year. First-year coach. 14-18 record. What were the hardest parts to the 2011-12 season?

JG: First, Jamal Branch, another freshman guard, left the team and school. We got close during high school. He got to school and he decided things didn't work for him. That was difficult.

Second, losing at the end of games was really hard. Being close but not having the will to win. We've worked in the off-season so that we will be able to close games out this year.

B/R: You will be changing conferences. What is the biggest difference between playing Big 12 and SEC teams?

JG: Big 12 seems to emphasize inside play and big men. The guards run the offense and the teams play more three-quarters court basketball. In the SEC, the tempo of the game is faster. More up and down. Tons of athletic guys. Some of the best wings in the country. Very athletic.

The places that we will be playing, like Kentucky, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Florida are some of the hardest places in college basketball to go into and play. 

We're going to have to go in and earn respect. From refs. From fans. Because we had a down season last year, we may be able to sneak up on some people, at least at the beginning.

B/R: Who is the best player that you have ever guarded?

JG: Phil Pressey of Missouri. He is the best PG in the country. Does so many things well. He's 5'11" and quick. He's a very smart player.

B/R: Who is the best player that ever guarded you?

JG: Kansas' Tyshawn Taylor. He's athletic and long. Playing against an NBA-caliber player of his size and skill was a challenge.

B/R: You made a trip to China this summer. Talk about that.

JG: Great experience. Got to travel overseas and play with some excellent older players like Brad Tinsley from Vanderbilt and Jon Diebler from Ohio State. I was the youngest on the team. They sometimes treated me like their little brother (laughter). I got a chance to see how other players and other teams work and workout.

It was great to play basketball and be an ambassador for the U.S. The games were very competitive in smoke-filled arenas. Kind of "Us vs. the World" atmosphere. We were able to prove that you don't have to fight on the court.

B/R: What was one thing that you will never forget that happened on the trip?

JG: It was our fourth game there. Playing a game in a arena that seated about 10,000 people. When we came out for pregame warm-ups, the court was very slippery. Everyone was sliding. When we came back from the locker room, they had mopped the whole floor with Coke. Guys were putting their fingers down on the court to check. "Yeah. It's Coke" (laughter).

It ended up being a tight game. Went right down to the end, and I made four clutch baskets to help us win.

B/R: Any team goals for the upcoming season?

JG: Earn respect. Win the SEC regular season title. Make it to the NCAA Tournament.

B/R: What about some individual goals?

JG: Consistently start. Average in double figures. Two steals per game. Be selected as the SEC Defensive Player of the Year.

B/R: Nice. That would be quite an honor. Any final comments?

JG: My goal is to bring glory to God. I play for "an audience of One." People's comments don't bother me very much because I play for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He has given me the ability to compete and the opportunity to go to a great school like Texas A&M.

B/R: Thanks, Jordan. Good luck this season!

On behalf of Metta Chronicles, I recently got a chance to catch up with NBA draft prospect Dash Harris out of Texas A&M to talk hoops and draft prep. If you don't know much about the Aggie point guard, pay close attention.

At Texas A&M, Harris was a top-notch defender and did a tremendous job distributing the rock and getting the ball to his teammates in easy-to-score situations. In his senior year, he started in 24 of the 25 games he appeared in and led the team in assists (4.1 assists per game) and steals (34 for the year) during the season.

On January 23, Dash injured his right foot prior to halftime against No. 5 Kansas which caused him to miss the next seven games. On February 22, he returned from injury against Kansas and finished the season strong.  

He ended his career with 379 assists (seventh all-time at A&M), 140 steals (eighth all-time at A&M) and concluded his Aggie career as one of eight players in school history to total 300 assists and 100 steals.

As Harris prepares for the NBA Draft coming up in just a few weeks, I was fortunate to get a few moments of his time to learn more about the prospect.

Me: First off, congrats on finishing up your four years at Texas A&M. What's it feel like to look ahead and get on with the next step of your life?

Dash:  Thanks a lot! I appreciate it. This time in my life has actually been pretty exciting. I've graduated, which was a goal set by my family and I. So with that being said basketball is my life now. My days consist of gym work, weights, more gym work and studying the game of basketball. Whether it's watching the playoffs, old film, or surfing different point guards on synergy. Basketball is now my profession, so I have began to treat it that way.

Me: Most of us know you as a player who makes his impact on defense. Is that what you'll bring at the next level? Or do you think there are other parts of your game that have gone unnoticed?

Dash: I am definitely known as a great defender and I take a lot of pride in my defense. My love for locking up my opponent is something that no one can take away from me. But on top of that I have a winning mentality. I think that goes unnoticed of course. I'll do whatever it takes to win, which explains why I am a "you first" and "me second" type of point guard. I believe in really being a point guard and getting my teammates involved before I look for myself as an individual. The main reason I watch and enjoy Rajon Rondo so much!

Me: I have a Baron Davis No. 5 UCLA jersey hanging on my wall. Being an LA kid, I grew up idolizing him. You have a strong connection with Baron, right? Have you had a chance to work out with him lately and get some feedback?

Dash: Haha, yea that's my brother man! I love that dude. I usually talk to him a few times a week and just keep him updated on how everything is going and how I'm feeling. We have the same agent, so he continues to have great insight and advice to share with me, due to the fact that he has been down this road before. Unfortunately because of his injury we have not been in the gym. But he has been in high spirits and I pray that he has a speedy recovery.

Me: The foot injury was a setback for you and the Aggies during your senior year. Is everything good now? Any lingering injury issues?

Dash: Yeah it was a setback for my team and I. I think we were coming into our own before I missed those seven games. And it eventually changed the outlook of our season. But everything happens for a reason. Physically I am doing well! No lingering or nagging injuries. It's been great being able to put in all this hard work, and at the same time get the proper treatment on my body needed to stay healthy.

Me: Whether it be a pick-up game or an organized NCAA game, who's the toughest guy you've ever guarded?

Dash: I've been asked that question a lot. Personally I don't think its tough for me to guard anyone unless there's just an absurd size advantage. But I can say my defensive game-plan for guarding Tyreke Evans was pretty complex! The size he has at the PG position, along with his ball-handling, and shot-making ability from anywhere caused me to bring out all of my defensive schemes.

Me: Lastly, do you have any advice for high school players getting ready for the college level?

Dash: Of course my first piece of advice is to stay in the books! As a student-athlete, competing on the floor comes after competing in class. Secondly, I would say be willing to sacrifice. That can apply in many different areas. Be willing to sacrifice playing video games to get that extra study time. Be willing to sacrifice personal goals for team achievement. A quote I love, and I've always lived by is "Sacrifice now to succeed later."

I can't say enough about how much I appreciate Dash for taking the time to come out and answer some of these questions. He's a real role model for student-athletes around the country, and it should be exciting to see what he does in the near future. I just want to say best of luck in the next few weeks, and all the hard work is bound to pay off!

After the most disappointing season since the Billy Gillespie Era started, the Aggies of Texas A&M will be searching for answers going into their first year with the SEC. 

In terms of top-to-bottom competition within the conference, Aggie basketball should have a much easier time finishing near the top of the SEC in basketball than they will in football. 

Also, besides #1 overall seed Kentucky, the competition will be less than what the Aggies have had to deal with in the Big 12.  For example, this season's "March Madness" NCAA Tournament has six of the ten Big 12 teams receiving invitations, while only four of the twelve SEC schools will be dancing. 

So, what needs to be done with the program in the next year in order to ensure success as the school changes conferences? 

First, coach Billy Kennedy will need to be there for the entire off-season to set up the program under his supervision. 

Kennedy, very unfortunately, found out about his Parkinson's Disease right before the season began, which was not good for the program.  It is hard to gauge his coaching abilities from this year as it is a difficult task to lead a new team towards success, especially when you are not there for the beginning of the schedule. 

After a year in College Station and a full off-season, Billy Kennedy should be able to implement the system that lead his Murray St. team to the NCAA tournament.

Second, the Aggies must stay healthy in order to put together a tournament worthy record. 

The absence of Kris Middleton, Kourtney Roberson and Dash Harris for big chunks of the season was a difficult thing for the team to overcome, especially in conference play. 

This upcoming season the Aggies will lose Harris and David Loubeau to graduation, so other players will have to step up and a lack of major injuries will be a must. 

Third, the underclassman will have to play major roles that will help returning starters Middleton, Elston Turner and Ray Turner. 

Players like this year's freshmen Jordan Green and Daniel Alexander will need to produce better than the combined 5.8 points and 3.9 rebounds that gave the team this year. 

Incoming hometown recruits J-Mychal Reese (Bryan HS) and Alex Caruso (A&M Consolidated HS) will have to shore up the guard duties left by Dash Harris, and will need to play older than the freshmen they actually will be.

Guard play is one of the most important factors in having success in Division 1 basketball, and a lack of it makes life difficult, as Aggie fans witnessed all season.

Overall, optimism needs to be the word of the off-season, as the Aggies will be back over .500 next year and Billy Kennedy will make a strong run at getting them back into post-season play. 

Aggie basketball fans have been spoiled for the last six years, compared to the programs history overall. This season ,however, is just a small set back, and fans should be expecting a much improved team, coaching staff, and overall record come this time next year.