2007-08 Texas A&M Aggies men's basketball team
Encyclopedia
The 2007–08 Texas A&M Aggies men's basketball team represents Texas A&M University
in the 2007–08 college basketball
season. The team is led by first-year head coach Mark Turgeon
, who replaced Billy Gillispie
in April 2007. In 2006–07, the Aggies finished 27–7 (13–3 in the Big 12), advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen
, and finished 9th in the final AP Poll
— their first top 25 finish since the 1979–80 season.
The 2007–08 team won the NIT Season Tip-Off
tournament. The 98–54 home win against Texas Tech matched the Aggies' largest margin of victory set in 1959 against Texas.
for the 2007 Pan American Games
. Though Carter was one of the 14 finalists to play for the team, he was one of the two who got eliminated. He later joined Athletes in Action
to play several games in Australia. Incoming freshmen B.J. Holmes, DeAndre Jordan, and Nathan Walkup participated in the Global Games in Dallas in June. Jordan later joined Team USA for the under-19 world championship game in Serbia
, where the team lost in the gold medal game. Sophomore Donald Sloan played for a different Athletes in Action team in the William Jones Cup
in July. Sloan's team finished with a 5–4 record and tied for third place. Sophomore Bryan Davis played for the East Coast All-Stars, who went on a 10-day tour in Belgium and Holland in August. Against the Dutch national team, Davis scored 16 points and made 11 rebounds
. Davis' team finished with a 3–4 record.
ranked the Aggies 14th, tied with the Gonzaga Bulldogs
, and the preseason AP Poll
ranked the Aggies 16th. ESPN
columnist Andy Katz
ranked the Aggies 17th in his "pre-preseason" top 25 rankings.
was named to the Wooden Award preseason top 50 list, and the preseason all-Big 12 team. Though Jones declared for the NBA Draft
in the summer, he withdrew himself prior to the deadline and decided to continue playing for the Aggies his senior season. Josh Carter
was the 2007 NCAA leader in 3 point accuracy and currently holds the Big 12 record for career accuracy. Dominique Kirk is a Defensive All-American.
Information from 2007–08 roster and, subject to change.
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Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
in the 2007–08 college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
season. The team is led by first-year head coach Mark Turgeon
Mark Turgeon
Mark Leo Turgeon is an American college basketball coach. He is currently the head coach for the University of Maryland Terrapins. Turgeon previously served as head coach at Texas A&M for 4 years.-Personal:...
, who replaced Billy Gillispie
Billy Gillispie
Billy Clyde Gillispie , also known by his initials BCG, is an American college basketball coach. Since 2011, he has been the current head coach of the men's basketball team at Texas Tech University...
in April 2007. In 2006–07, the Aggies finished 27–7 (13–3 in the Big 12), advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 NCAA schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2006–07 basketball season...
, and finished 9th in the final AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
— their first top 25 finish since the 1979–80 season.
The 2007–08 team won the NIT Season Tip-Off
NIT Season Tip-Off
The NIT Season Tip-Off is an annual college basketball tournament that takes place in November of each year, around the beginning of the season. The first two rounds are held at campus sites and the semifinals and the finals are held at Madison Square Garden. The tournament began in 1985 as the...
tournament. The 98–54 home win against Texas Tech matched the Aggies' largest margin of victory set in 1959 against Texas.
Summer games
Six Aggie players participated in summer games during the summer prior to the start of the season. Junior Josh Carter participated in the Kobe Bryant Skills Academy in late June, and tried out for the Team USA basketball teamUSA Basketball
USA Basketball is a non-profit organization and the governing body for basketball in the United States. The organization represents the United States in FIBA and the men's and women's national basketball teams in the United States Olympic Committee...
for the 2007 Pan American Games
2007 Pan American Games
The 2007 Pan American Games, officially known as the XV Pan American Games, were a major continental multi-sport event that took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 13 to July 29, 2007. A total of 5,633 athletes from 42 National Olympic Committees competed in 332 events in 34 sports and in...
. Though Carter was one of the 14 finalists to play for the team, he was one of the two who got eliminated. He later joined Athletes in Action
Athletes in Action
Athletes in Action is an evangelical Christian sports ministry in the tradition of Muscular Christianity. Athletes in Action, a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ, works with athletes and coaches to use the unique platform of sport to help people around the world with questions of faith...
to play several games in Australia. Incoming freshmen B.J. Holmes, DeAndre Jordan, and Nathan Walkup participated in the Global Games in Dallas in June. Jordan later joined Team USA for the under-19 world championship game in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, where the team lost in the gold medal game. Sophomore Donald Sloan played for a different Athletes in Action team in the William Jones Cup
William Jones Cup
The R. William Jones Cup is an international basketball tournament held annually in Taipei, Taiwan. It was named after Renato William Jones, a basketball promoter and one of the founders of the International Basketball Federation .The Jones Cup tournament started in 1977 and is held annually...
in July. Sloan's team finished with a 5–4 record and tied for third place. Sophomore Bryan Davis played for the East Coast All-Stars, who went on a 10-day tour in Belgium and Holland in August. Against the Dutch national team, Davis scored 16 points and made 11 rebounds
Rebound (basketball)
A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made...
. Davis' team finished with a 3–4 record.
Rankings
The preseason Big 12 Coaches' Poll picked the Aggies to finish third. The preseason Coaches PollCoaches Poll
The USA Today Coaches' Poll is the current name for a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and Division I college basketball teams....
ranked the Aggies 14th, tied with the Gonzaga Bulldogs
Gonzaga Bulldogs
The Gonzaga Bulldogs are the athletic teams at Gonzaga University; the term applies to any of the school's varsity teams. Gonzaga University is a member of the West Coast Conference, which participates in the NCAA Division I...
, and the preseason AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
ranked the Aggies 16th. ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
columnist Andy Katz
Andy Katz
Andy Katz is a senior college basketball journalist for ESPN.com. He is a regular sports analyst on College GameNight on ESPN. Katz earned a B.A. at the University of Wisconsin–Madison , and has worked for ESPN since January 5, 2000....
ranked the Aggies 17th in his "pre-preseason" top 25 rankings.
Preseason honors
Joseph JonesJoseph Jones (basketball player)
Joseph CostelloReshawn Jones is an American basketball player. He played college basketball at Texas A&M University during college years . From the season 2008-09 plays at Oyak Renaul Bursa in the Turkish Basketball League.-Early years:Jones was born March 21, 1986 to D.C...
was named to the Wooden Award preseason top 50 list, and the preseason all-Big 12 team. Though Jones declared for the NBA Draft
2007 NBA Draft
The 2007 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2007 at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. It was broadcast on television in 115 countries. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
in the summer, he withdrew himself prior to the deadline and decided to continue playing for the Aggies his senior season. Josh Carter
Josh Carter
Joshua Neville Carter is an American professional basketball player at guard/forward. He played college basketball for Texas A&M. He also played for the Athletes in Action basketball team in 2006 and 2007, helping the team win the William Jones Cup in 2006...
was the 2007 NCAA leader in 3 point accuracy and currently holds the Big 12 record for career accuracy. Dominique Kirk is a Defensive All-American.
Recruiting
Honors
- Senior Joseph JonesJoseph Jones (basketball player)Joseph CostelloReshawn Jones is an American basketball player. He played college basketball at Texas A&M University during college years . From the season 2008-09 plays at Oyak Renaul Bursa in the Turkish Basketball League.-Early years:Jones was born March 21, 1986 to D.C...
, along with Texas LonghornsTexas Longhorns men's basketballThe Texas Longhorns men's basketball team represents The University of Texas at Austin in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The Longhorns currently compete in the Big 12 Conference....
player D. J. AugustinD. J. AugustinDarryl Gerard "D. J." Augustin, Jr. is an American professional basketball player. He played point guard for the University of Texas Longhorns from 2006–2008. He was drafted ninth overall by the Charlotte Bobcats of the National Basketball Association in 2008...
, was featured on the front cover of the November 15, 2007 issue of Sports IllustratedSports IllustratedSports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
. - After the Ouachita Baptist game, freshman DeAndre Jordan had made 16 consecutive field goalsField goal (basketball)In basketball, the term field goal refers to a basket scored on any shot or tap other than a free throw, worth two or three points depending on the distance of the attempt from the basket. "Field Goal" is the official terminology used by the National Basketball Association in their rule book,...
, breaking the Big 12 record of 13, set by NebraskaNebraska Cornhuskers men's basketballThe Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college basketball. The program saw its first game in 1896 playing 7-on-7 basketball. The first collegiate game was against Nebraska Wesleyan University...
's Mikki Moore in 1998. Jordan also broke the A&M record, which was set in 1978. - Senior point guard Dominique Kirk started his 110th consecutive game when the Aggies played Rice, breaking the Big 12 record set by Kansas point guard Aaron MilesAaron Miles (basketball)Aaron Marquez Miles is an American professional basketball player for Krasnie Krilya, a team in Samara, Russia. At 1.86 m in height, he plays at point guard.-High school career:...
from 2001–05. Kirk's 110 consecutive starts is also an A&M record.
Roster
| Name | Number | Position | Height | Weight* | Year | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davis, Bryan | 0 | F/C | 6–9 | 250 | So.-1L | Dallas, Texas Dallas, Texas Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States... |
| Lewis, Derreck | 2 | G | 6–5 | 197 | Fr. | Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's... |
| Roland, Derrick | 3 | G | 6–4 | 190 | So.-1L | Dallas, Texas |
| Graham, Bryson | 5 | G | 6–3 | 190 | Jr.-1L | San Antonio, Texas San Antonio, Texas San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,... |
| Bowles, Denzel | 10 | F/C | 6–10 | 250 | Fr.-HS | Virginia Beach, Virginia Virginia Beach, Virginia Virginia Beach is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay... |
| Holmes, B.J. | 11 | G | 6–0 | 175 | Fr.-HS | Houston, Texas Houston, Texas Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ... |
| Jordan, DeAndre DeAndre Jordan Hyland DeAndre Jordan, Jr. is an American professional basketball player at center for the Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA. He played a year of college basketball at Texas A&M University... |
12 | C | 7–0 | 255 | Fr.-HS | Houston, Texas |
| Darko, Andrew | 14 | G | 6–0 | 165 | Fr. | Conroe, Texas Conroe, Texas Conroe is a suburban city 40 miles north of Houston in the gulf coastal plains/piney woods region of southeast Texas.It is the seat of Montgomery County and falls within the metropolitan area.As of the 2000 U.S... |
| Sloan, Donald Donald Sloan (basketball) Donald Sloan is an American basketball player who formerly played for the NBADL's Reno Bighorns. He played shooting guard for Texas A&M. As a senior during the 2009-10 season, Sloan led the Aggies in scoring with a 17.8 points per game average and was a first team All-Big 12 Conference selection... |
15 | G | 6–3 | 205 | So.-1L | Dallas, Texas |
| Kirk, Dominique | 22 | G | 6–4 | 185 | Sr.-3L | Dallas, Texas |
| Carter, Josh Josh Carter Joshua Neville Carter is an American professional basketball player at guard/forward. He played college basketball for Texas A&M. He also played for the Athletes in Action basketball team in 2006 and 2007, helping the team win the William Jones Cup in 2006... |
23 | F | 6–7 | 200 | Jr.-2L | Dallas, Texas |
| Schepel, Shawn | 24 | G | 6–3 | 200 | Fr. | Dallas, Texas |
| Jones, Joseph Joseph Jones (basketball player) Joseph CostelloReshawn Jones is an American basketball player. He played college basketball at Texas A&M University during college years . From the season 2008-09 plays at Oyak Renaul Bursa in the Turkish Basketball League.-Early years:Jones was born March 21, 1986 to D.C... |
30 | F | 6–9 | 255 | Sr.-3L | Normangee, Texas Normangee, Texas Normangee is a town in Leon and Madison Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 719 at the 2000 census.-History:The Railroads were pushing the frontier westward and the Trinity and Brazos Valley and the Houston and Texas Central were built between Houston and Dallas in 1904-1905... |
| Chapman, Chris | 31 | G | 5–11 | 170 | So. | Houston, Texas |
| Muhlbach, Beau | 32 | G/F | 6–5 | 205 | Sr.-2L | Lufkin, Texas Lufkin, Texas Lufkin is a city in Angelina County, Texas, United States. Founded in 1882, the population was 35,067 in 2010. It is the county seat of Angelina County, and is situated in Deep East Texas.-History:... |
| Elonu, Chinemelu Chinemelu Elonu Chinemelu D. Elonu, Jr. is a Nigerian American basketball player. He played college basketball for Texas A&M.-College career:... |
41 | F/C | 6–10 | 235 | So.-1L | Houston, Texas |
| Walkup, Nathan | 45 | F | 6–6 | 195 | Fr.-HS | Houston, Texas |
| Chan, Gary | 14 | G | 5–9 | 160 | Fr.-HS | Houston, Texas Houston, Texas Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ... |
| Carrell, Marshall | 50 | F | 6–8 | 200 | Fr. | Paris, Texas Paris, Texas Paris, Texas is a city located northeast of the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex in Lamar County, Texas, in the United States. It is situated in Northeast Texas at the western edge of the Piney Woods. Physiographically, these regions are part of the West Gulf Coastal Plain. In 1900, 9,358 people lived... |
Information from 2007–08 roster and, subject to change.
Schedule
|-!colspan=9| Exhibition
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!colspan=9| Regular season
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!colspan=9| Postseason