2000-01 record: 10-20; 3-13 in Big 12 (11th) Final Ranking: NR Postseason: None. RETURNING LEADERS Points: King 18.0 ppg | Rebounds: Bean 5.5 rpg | Assists: King 4.8 apg | FG %: Bean 49.7% | 3pt %: King 31.6% | FT %: Leatherman 78.1% 00-01 Stats: Texas A&M | Big-12

		Thursday, Nov. 1 Texas A&M has good talent, led by Bernard King and Nick Anderson. The biggest key is in their belief in each other. Watching them play a year ago, when they won only three conference games, the Aggies sometimes became inconsistent and less team-oriented. They have good young talent that plays hard, but they have to trust each other. As a struggling team, it's important to lean on your teammates. If they do, the Aggies may win more games.

Outlook
After injury and illness sabotaged the season before it began, Texas A&M coach Melvin Watkins could stand some good fortune. And these Aggies might be good enough to end the school's streak of seven consecutive losing seasons.

A year ago, the Aggies lost starters Andy Slocum and Tomas Ress to injury/illness before the first game. They lost a third player (Aaron Jack) for the second half of the season. As a result, several freshmen were forced to play early and they suffered, as you would expect. Slocum is back and should start at center; Ress should start at one of the forward spots. Add fellow sophomore center Nolan Butterfras (2.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg) and the Aggies should be able to hold their own against the more physical teams in the Big 12.

Junior guard Bernard King (18.0 ppg, 4.8 apg) and sophomore forward Nick Anderson (10.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg) are the team's proven scorers and should benefit from the extra beef inside. What Watkins really needs, though is at least one steady point guard to emerge. Junior Michael Gardener, who averaged 13.4 points and 7.7 assists last season at Garden City, (Kan.) Community College, appears to be the likely starter. However, Watkins also likes Bradley Jackson, another junior college transfer, and doesn't care whom starts as long as that player distributes the ball to the team's scorers.

What we like: After a brutal season in 2000-2001, Watkins has some decent material with which to work. King, the co-Big 12 freshman of the year two seasons ago, won't have to carry the scoring load alone. And the depth inside should prevent the Aggies from getting manhandled under the basket as they did last season.

What we don't like: The Aggies have no winning tradition in the Big 12. Their conference mark is 46-93 and they are the only Big 12 team that has yet to win a game in the conference tournament. Players have to learn how to win and that process takes time.

The bottom line: Barring another streak of injuries, the Aggies should be far more competitive than they were last season when they finished 3-13 in the league and 10-20 overall. A realistic goal for this team is to end the streak of losing seasons and sneak into the NIT to give the young players as much experience as possible.

Key Players Returning
Player	Yr.	Pos.	Ht./Wt.	Comment
Bernard King	Jr.	G	6-4/185	PTS: 18.0 | REB: 3.8 | AST: 4.8
Nick Anderson	So.	F	6-6/225	PTS: 10.3 | REB: 5.2 | AST: 0.9

Key Losses
Player	Pos.	Ht./Wt.	Comment
Carlton Brown	F	6-6/215	PTS: 9.8 | REB: 5.2 | AST: 0.9

Texas A&M Signings
Player	Pos.	Ht.	High School/College
Daryl Mason	G	6-6	Bryan (Texas)
Michael Gardener	G	5-10	Garden City CC (Kan.)
Bradley Jackson	G	5-10	Inglewood-College of S. Idaho (Calif.)
Jared Hall	F	6-7	Arlington, Texas/Lamar