Aggies Host St. Edward’s in Friday Night Exhibition Tilt

Aggie Basketball Exhibition Game:
St. Edward's at Texas A&M
Friday, Nov. 4, 2016 · 7 p.m. (CT)
Reed Arena (12,989) · College Station, Texas

 
TV: SEC Network PLUS (For more info – 12thMan.com/TV)
   Steve Miller, Play-by-Play
   John Thornton, Commentary
 
RADIO: None
 
LIVE AUDIO/STATS: 12thMan.com
LIVE MOBILE LIVE STATS: tamustats.com
 
--
 
COLLEGE STATION – The Texas A&M men's basketball team will take the court for their final tune-up before the 2016-17 regular season as it welcomes St. Edward's to Aggieland for an exhibition Friday at 7 p.m. inside Reed Arena.
 
Aggie Athletes Involved (AAI) is hosting a coat and blanket drive with the donation of a coat or blanket granting free admission for Friday's exhibition. Donation locations will be set up at the north, east and main entrances of Reed Arena with items will be donated to Twin City Missions.
 
Friday's contest will be available digitally on mobile devices, tablets, PCs and connect-TVs for SEC Network subscribers whose cable/satellite packages allow access to SEC Network+ content through the WatchESPN app and SECSports.com.
 
Billy Kennedy's Aggies are coming off a program-best 28-win campaign in the 2015-16 season. The squad brought home their first conference title in over 30 years and advanced to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. Texas A&M was picked to finish third in the SEC for the upcoming season and bring back key starter Tyler Davis from the championship team.
 
Davis emerged as one of the SEC's top big men in 2016 leading the Aggies in blocks while starting 34 of their 37 games. The Plano, Texas, native was named to Preseason First Team All-SEC by the media coming off All-League Freshman honors at the end of last season.
 
Other key returners include DJ Hogg who was also named Freshman All-SEC in 2015-16. Hogg scored 6.2 points-per-game in his first season in Aggieland. Fellow sophomore Admon Gilder was the Aggies go-to man off the bench and appeared in over half of the team's minutes during the historic campaign.
 
The Aggies' most experienced returner, Tavario Miller has played in 92 career games for the Maroon & White as he enters his senior season. Junior Tonny Trocha-Morelos earned 11 starts in the previous season scoring seven points a contest and appearing in every game. The Aggies' roster will also be boosted by the arrival of a highly-rated recruiting class including heralded freshman Robert Williams.
 
OPENING TIPS
• A final dress rehearsal in advance of opening the 2016-17 season takes place Friday night as the Aggies welcome St. Edward's to Reed Arena for an exhibition contest.
• Texas A&M returns one starter, sophomore center Tyler Davis, and eight total letterwinners back from last season's squad that captured 28 victories en route to a share of the SEC Championship and a Sweet 16 appearance.
• Davis is expected to again be one of the top big men in the SEC as he was voted First Team Preseason All-SEC by media that cover the league. A year ago, Davis and fellow sophomore DJ Hogg garnered spots on the SEC All-Freshman Team.
• A&M head coach Billy Kennedy enters his sixth season in Aggieland needing just one victory to become only the second Texas A&M head coach to win 100 games at the school. In five seasons at A&M, Kennedy is 99-70 (.586).
• In addition to several new faces on the court, Kennedy brings aboard three new faces to his basketball staff as he welcomes assistant coaches Isaac Chew and Ulric Maligi as well as special assistant Don Maestri. Assistant coaches Rick Stansbury and Kyle Keller departed Kennedy's staff after last season to become head coaches at Western Kentucky and Stephen F. Austin, respectively.
• Chew's  resume features coaching stops at Virginia Tech (2014-16), Marquette (2012-14), Missouri (2011-12), Murray State (2007-11), Indian Hills Community College (2006-07) and Avila (2000-01, 2005-06). Maligi holds deep ties in the Lone Star State having coached at SMU (2012-15), Houston (2010-12) and Stephen F. Austin (2007-10)
• Maestri, meanwhile, enjoyed an impressive 31-season tenure as the head coach at Troy (1982-2013), where he guided the Trojan program to 501 victories, eight 20-win seasons and seven conference championships.
• Sophomore Admon Gilder is set to take on a much more significant role at the lead guard spot this season with the departure of seniors Alex Caruso and Anthony Collins. Gilder played in 37 contests a year ago, averaging 20.4 minutes, 7.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.
               
UP NEXT
The Aggies officially christen the 2016-17 season next Friday, Nov. 11, when they host Northwestern State inside Reed Arena at 8 p.m. The game will nationally televised by SEC Network.