Maybe the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi will be like last season's version of Abilene Christian, the surprise winner of the Southland Tournament that went on to play in the NCAA Tournament.

Or maybe the Islanders will resemble Nicholls State and Southeastern Louisiana, which rose from the depths of the league to share the league title in 2016-17.

After weighing the Islanders' strengths and limitations headed into the 2019-2020 campaign, this team looks like one that will have to find its chemistry early and get on a roll late to make any kind of impact in the Southland.

The team lost three of its top scorers from a 14-18 team that was 9-9 in the league.

Leading scorer Kareem South (13.8 ppg), who averaged 32.6 minutes and shot 82 percent from the free throw line, transferred to California. Also gone from the roster are 2018-2019 seniors Emmanuel Toney (7.8 ppg) and Tre Gray (7.1 ppg).

The loss of those players opens the door of opportunity for both veterans and newcomers.

The spotlight player of the group is senior Jashawn Talton-Thomas, the younger brother of former Islander all-time great Rashawn Thomas.

Thomas (9.2 ppg) soaked up 891 minutes and shot 45 percent from the floor, 75 percent on free throws and corralled 163 rebounds. He also had 38 assists, 15 blocks and 17 steals.

Thomas should get plenty of minutes and opportunities to shine.

Returners to the program are senior Elijah Schmidt (6.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg), senior Tony Lewis (6.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg), junior Myles Smith, sophomore Javae Lampkins, junior Perry Francois, junior Peyton Smith, sophomore Jalon Clark and senior Irshaad Hunte.

Smith appeared in 14 games, including 12 starts, before being sidelined with an injury. In 362 minutes, he scored 145 points with 42 rebounds and 32 assists while reaching double-digit scoring seen times.

Another player who is hoping for a healthy return to the court is Francois, a 6-foot-8 junior. He was redshirted last season after playing in 29 games with two starts in 2017-18, when he shot 49 percent from the field and scored 80 points with 78 rebounds and 18 blocks.

Schmidt, who has 51 starts the last two seasons, scored in double figures eight times with three games of more than 10 rebounds last year. He shot 58 percent from the field.

Hunte is a player who could play his way into a more prominent role. He averaged 4.7 points while playing 11.4 minutes per game as a junior. He was 56-of-114 from the field (49 percent). His 21 blocks in limited work suggests that he has more talent in the tank.

Clark (2.7 ppg) shot 48 percent from the field in limited time. The guard averaged a double-double (22 ppg, 10 rpg) as a senior in high school and should get more minutes as a sophomore, considering the Islanders' limited resources when it comes to returning scorers.

The list of newcomers includes sophomore Edgars Kaufmanis, freshman Jordan Hairston, freshman Aristotelis Sotiriou, Jalen White and Nolan Bertain.

Bertain, a 6-foot-4 transfer from UAB, averaged 14.3 points at Casper JC a year before being limited to six games at UAB because of an injury.

If he's healthy, he'll fit into the lineup immediately.

White, a 6-foot-5 guard from Florida, was the Source Hoops Florida 6A Player of the Year and a first-team all-state player who averaged 19 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists per outing.

Stranger things have happened than a team like the Islanders rising up and pulling off a surprise by contending in a league race.

But, all things considered, there is a healthy handful of other Southland teams with more promise and potential than Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

MVP: Senior Jashawn Talton-Thomas
The younger brother of former Islander great Rashawn Thomas, is about to rock and roll. He averaged a modest 9.2 points per game as a junior, but it's his all-around game that brings the value. His 163 rebounds and 15 blocks reflect that of a hustler, and he has more points and all-league honors on the way.

Game of the Year: Feb. 15 vs Abilene Christian

Impact First-Year Player:
Jalen White