Wilkinson, the only senior on the team, is the only starter leaving. Four others, including second-team All-WAC selections Quayle and Wesley, will be back and figure to play even bigger roles with the team. Starters Pooh Williams, Tyler Newbold, and key reserves Matt Formisano, Stavon Williams and Jaxon Myaer will be back as well. Brady Jardine will be more seasoned and ready to contribute after being forced into unexpected action midway through his redshirt season because of an injury to Modou Niang, who also will be back and ready to play after a medical redshirt season.

The experience of this season — which included a sweep of the WAC regular-season and tournament titles, a school-record number of wins and a pair of trips into the Top 25 polls — will undoubtedly benefit the Aggies.

But Morrill knows getting back to the NCAA Tournament will be anything but easy — especially in a conference that is not included among the country's traditional college basketball powers.

"The last thing I want to do is act like we're automatically going to be back in the NCAA Tournament. That's crazy. That's absurd," he said.

"We'll start up again in October and see what we can do. But certainly postseason experience is positive, and we have had a number of years where we have went back to back.

"And, gosh, that will be our goal."

E-mail: jeborn@desnews.com