C: Pharrel Payne (10 points per game, 6.1 rebounds per game in Minnesota 2023-24)

PF: Solomon Washington (7.4 PPG, 5.7 RPG)

SF: Manny Obaseki (7 PPG, 1.4 RPG)

SG: Zhuric Phelps (14.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG at SMU)

PG: Wade Taylor IV (19.9 PPG, 4 assists per game)

C/F Henry Coleman III (8.8 PPG, 5.6 PPG)

F Andersson Garcia (6 PPG, 9.1 RPG)

F/G Jace Carter (6.9 PPG, 4.7 RPG)

F Hayden Hefner (5 PPG, 1.7 RPG)

F/G CJ Wilcher (7.7 PPG, 1.5 RPG at Nebraska)

C: Elijah Hulsewe (4.4 PPG, 4 RPG at Bethune-Cookman)

Q: Benny Williams (5.4 PPG, 4.1 RPG at Syracuse)

G: Keyshawn Hall (16.6 PPG, 8.1 RPG at George Mason)

G: Jordan Ivy-Curry (17.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG at UTSA)

PG: Darius Johnson (15.2 PPG, 3.3 RPG)

G Dior Johnson (29.7 PPG, 5.1 RPG at Clarendon CC)

G Mikey Williams (redshirted 2023-24 after transferring from Memphis)

G Deebo Coleman (5.9 PPG, 2.9 RPG at Georgia Tech)

C Rokas Yocius (8.5 PPG, 5.4 RPG at La Salle)

G Tyler Hendricks (2.1 PPG, 1.1 RPG)

The Aggies return the vast majority of their points from last year (seven of their top eight scorers) and only lose G Boots Radford – certainly no small loss. But the Aggies looked for athleticism in the portal, adding Minnesota's Pharrel Payne and SMU's Zhuric Phelps to immediately step into the lineup.

The Aggies were dominant on the boards last year and have all-world rebounder Andersson Garcia as well as Phelps and Henry Coleman III back to help in that category, but they need to improve their shooting. Phelps is a slasher who gets to the basket well, but he doesn't shoot threes consistently. The Aggies are hoping for better numbers from Wade Taylor, Hayden Hefner and Jace Carter, as well as new addition CJ Wilcher to improve the inside-out game.

The Aggies will be able to get to the basket. Having Solomon Washington and Manny Obaseki in the starting lineup gives them explosiveness at all five spots. They will be able to defend because Buzz Williams' teams are built on defense. It just depends on how well they shoot.

It looks like they will be without their top returner, G Jaylin Sellers (15.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG, All-Big 12 honorable mention), who was injured in a friendly two weeks ago. If he can't walk, it definitely hurts.

Johnny Dawkins didn't like the makeup of his team last year, when it averaged 71.7 points per game. This means he has 11 new players, nine of whom came via the transfer portal. They definitely have some size (Hulsewe and Yocus are 7-foot and 6-foot-10, respectively) and some guys who look like they can shoot the ball. What they miss is the time together on the pitch during important games. Against an Aggies team that can field five returning players with 15 starts or more if needed, that could be a real difference.