Texas A&M Basketball: Who is the Aggies’ most important player in 2017-18?

The Texas A&M Aggies are one of the most underrated teams in college basketball, but which player is the key to their success in 2017-18?

After the departure of several key players heading into the year, the 2016-17 college basketball season went as expected for the Texas A&M Aggies. The Aggies lost to the good teams that they faced and beat the bad ones – everything you could want from a rebuilding young squad.

Heading into 2017-18, however, expectations are a bit higher for the Aggies. Texas A&M is in the perfect position to surprise and finish in the top six of the SEC and make it to the NCAA Tournament due to their returning talent.

But which player will be the most important for the Aggies next season?

The quick answer is returning leading scorer Tyler Davis – and sometimes the simplest answer is the correct one.

There could be an argument that Admon Gilder is just as important, and I understand that. It would actually be a surprise to me if anyone but Gilder finishes the 2017-18 season as the team’s leading scorer. He is set up for a great season and is one of the reasons that the Aggies are going to have success.

However, no team should be able to stop Davis next season and that makes him the key.

At 6’10, 270 pounds, Davis should be unstoppable on the inside, and we saw him realize that a few times last season. He went for 18 rebounds and 19 points against West Virginia, 10 and 21 against Arizona, 8 and 16 against UCLA, and 10 and 12 against Virginia Tech – all of which made the 2017 NCAA Tournament.

He improved on his freshman stats by averaging 14.1 points and 7.0 rebounds per game over 26.2 minutes per game and should improve once again.

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If Davis takes even a slight step forward, Texas A&M should be a lock as a top five or six team in the SEC and for the NCAA Tournament.