2019-20 Texas A&M Women's Basketball Preview

As the Texas A&M women’s basketball team opened its fall practice with light wind sprints across the court, head coach Gary Blair already had his sights set on lofty expectations.

With players running underneath his outstretched arm, he pointed towards the banners hanging in the Cox-McFerrin Center, honoring Aggie teams of the past that had made it to the Elite Eight and Final Four of the NCAA Tournament.

“I’m not in this thing to win games,” Blair said. “I’m in this thing to compete to win championships and to touch kids' lives.”

With a team that returns six starters, including five juniors, the window of championship possibilities sits wide open for the Aggies.

As has been the case for the past two seasons, the Aggies success rests firmly on the shoulders of All American guard Chennedy Carter. The two-time first team All-SEC selection is the only player returning for the upcoming season with a career average over 20 points per game.

Carter spent her offseason playing with Team USA in the Pan American games, facing international players nearly twice her age, a grind that has prepared her to lead, Blair said.

“It’s time for her to sit there and be the face of the program and the expectations that go with it,” Blair said.

For the first time in several years, Blair has the luxury of depth in all positions on the floor. Last season A&M finished with three players in the SEC top 10 in minutes played.

A&M returns guard Aaliyah Wilson, who was averaging 13.8 points per game in her first nine starts before suffering a season-ending ACL tear. In her absence, guard Shambria Washington emerged as a go-to point guard for Blair, opening up Carter to move without the ball and find scoring positions.

Forward Kayla Wells proved to be a secondary scoring threat for the Aggies, finishing the season with a 15.1 point per game average., Junior post Ciera Johnson returns as the Aggies threat in the paint, with junior transfer Anna Dreimane now available off the bench after sitting out two seasons.

“I've got to have a little bit more depth that I can trust and I think we'll have that this year,” Blair said.

With everyone the Aggies return and the strength of an SEC schedule ahead, it’s no surprise that A&M has begun to garner preseason top-10 rankings Blair has encouraged his team to embrace that hype and fulfill their championship destiny.

“In my own opinion, I think we need to be [ranked] higher than we are right now,” Carter said. “That, to me, says there is more work to be done and more things on the table to be fixed in order to be higher.”

Preseason MVP: Chennedy Carter
In just two seasons in Aggieland, Carter has already entered A&M’s career top 10 in points, 10-plus point games, field goals made, field goals attempted, 3-pointers made, 3-pointers attempted, free throws made and free throw percentage.

Game of the Year: at Mississippi State on Feb. 9
Doesn’t get any better than Blair vs. his former assistant Vic Schaefer

Impact-First Year Player:
Anna Dreimane ?