Colonial Association Preview

Colonial Athletic Association Preview

by Matt Amis

The Colonial Athletic Association is primed for an interesting season to say the very least – it’ll be one that’s as wide open as it’s been in years. Gone are CAA superstars Brett Blizzard, Willie Taylor and Jesse Young; making room for a new class of Cinderella hopefuls. CAA coaches and media seem to have George Mason pegged as the early favorite, but several teams – strike that – most teams will make a swipe a the title and a visit to the Big Dance. Four teams received first-place votes in the Pre-Season media poll.

As the CAA grows in popularity and notoriety, thanks mainly to UNC Wilmington’s recent NCAA Tournament success, so does the talent in the conference. Both the Seahawks and George Mason appear in some Mid-Major rankings. But, in all honesty, nearly half the teams have a legit shot to make the list at some point this season.

So without further ado…

First team All CAA:
Kenny Adeleke, Jr Forward, Hofstra
Adam Hess, Sr. Forward, William & Mary
Mark Davis, Sr. G/F, George Mason
Mike Ames, Sr. G, Delaware
Domonic Jones, Sr. G, Va. Commonwealth

Honorable mention:
Mike Slattery, Jr. G, Delaware
Anthony Terrell, Sr. Forward, UNC Wilmington
John Goldsberry, So. Guard, UNC Wilmington

Conference MVP:

Mark Davis, Sr. G/F, George Mason – Davis looks to flank a highly talented Patriots team this year, arguably the best in the league, after averaging 15.5 ppg and a 2nd team All-CAA honors last season.

Honorable mention:

Adam Hess – A dangerous 2-way player, Hess averaged over 20 points and 6 rebounds last year, and is the Tribe’s lone returning starter. He was a first-team All-CAA selection last season.

Coach on the hot seat:

Brad Brownell, UNC Wilmington – Can the second year coach find success without two-time MVP Brett Blizzard? We’ll just have to wait and see…

1. George Mason Patriots (16-12 Overall, 11-7 CAA, 4th)

Projected Starters: Davis, Raoul Heinen, Richard Tynes, Jai Lewis, Lamar Butler

Expectations are sky-high for head coach Jim Larranaga, as his Pats reload for a third CAA title in five years. Three starters are returning, but gone from the lineup is CAA star Jesse Young, who guided GMU to a semi-finals appearance in last year’s playoffs. But this year’s buzz has been revolving around talented swingman Davis, along with guard Lamar Butler, who scored 10.2 ppg as a freshman before missing last season with an injury, and junior Terry Reynolds, who averaged 13.3 ppg in two years at Toledo. Look for the Patriots on Nov. 25 when they visit College Part to take on Maryland.

Two of their last three games are at home against Delaware and UNC-W – two games that could decide a lot.

2. Delaware Blue Hens (15-14 Overall, 9-9 CAA, 5th)

Projected Starters: Ames, Slattery, David Lunn, Calvin Smith, Rafael Madera

Four Delaware starters return from last year’s dangerous semifinals squad, making them a threat to go even further this year. The Hens feature one of the league’s top backcourt tandems in senior Ames (14.9 ppg), who was second in the CAA with 73 three-pointers, and junior Slattery (10.9 ppg), who topped the conference with 6.2 assists per game. Although the team lost popular guard Ryan Iversen to graduation, they gain junior forward Robin Wentt, who suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in last year’s opening game. Third-year head coach David Henderson has also added several newcomers who could see immediate action, including Virginia Tech transfer Harding Nana and freshman center Rafael Madera.

The Hens will look to ring in the New Year early when they meet up with Jameer Nelson and St. Joe’s on Dec. 30.

3. UNC Wilmington Seahawks (24-7 overall, 15-3 CAA, 1st)

Projected Starters: Terrell, Goldsberry, Aaron Coombs, Joel Justus, Andy Gunn

It will be known as A.B. – After Blizzard. Life without the two-time Player of the Year begins now for the Seahawks, who made four postseason appearances and captured three CAA championships during his storied career. The Seahawks return the bulk of their roster, but must replace nearly 69 percent of the scoring and 44 percent of the rebounding. Blizzard and All-CAA center Craig Callahan accounted for the majority of that load, combining to play in 244 games and collecting 3,336 points and 1,044 rebounds during their storied careers. But luckily, head coach Brad Brownell has nine players back from last year’s 24-7 squad, led by Terrell and Goldsberry. Among six newcomers who could make an impact for the Seahawks are junior guard Halston Lane, a transfer from Georgia Tech, and sophomore forward Taylor Lay, a transfer from Denver.

4. Virginia Commonwealth Rams (18-10 Overall, 12-6 CAA, 2nd)

Projected Starters: Jones, Troy Godwin, Nick George, Michael Doles, Jonnie Story

The Rams will reload under Jeff “don’t-call-me-rookie” Capel, with three returning starters featuring point guard Domonic Jones – a first-team All-CAA selection in 2001-02 who averaged 12.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists a year ago. The second year coach also has senior center Troy Godwin, who was solid in his first season at VCU, scoring 9.3 ppg and ranking 5th in the CAA in rebounds (8.2 rpg). Young guns who will look to carry some more of the load this year will be sophomore forward Nick George, the first Ram to earn CAA Rookie of the Year honors and junior forward Johnnie Story, who started 28 games and made the CAA All-Rookie team as a Ram in 2000-01.

5. Drexel Dragons (19-12 Overall, 12-6 CAA, 3rd)

Projected Starters: Phil Goss, Jeremiah King, Tim Whitworth, Kenell Sanchez, Sean Brooks

A huge void was left in Drexel last summer – a 6-8, 230 pound void to be exact. Two-time Defensive Player of the Year Robert Battle lead the Dragons to the NIT for the first time since 1997 and now third-year head coach Bruiser Flint returns with a crew of veterans to help fill the void.

Sean Brooks and junior Danny Hinds will try to fill the post left by Battle. Junior Phil Goss, who drained 72 three-pointers and averaged 11.5 ppg, and junior Jeremiah King, who started the final 18 games and finished ninth in the CAA in assists (3.5 apg). Senior forward Tim Whitworth (7.0 ppg) has started every game for the past two seasons. Sophomore swingman Kenell Sanchez (4.8 ppg) was one of Drexel’s top players down the stretch, earning CAA All-Tournament honors.

6. Old Dominion (12-15 Overall, 9-11 CAA, 6th)

Projected Starters: John Waller, Troy Nance, Alex Loughton, Isaiah Hunter, Kiah Thomas

Without CAA mainstay Ricardo Marsh, the Monarchs will look to move forward with their wealth of underclassmen (and the wealth of an awesome stadium), but also feature plenty of experience. Four players who started at least 13 games return, as do four top reserves. Third-year head coach Blaine Taylor has also brought in a highly-touted recruiting class that includes a pair of Top 125 signees in forward Arnaud Dahi and guard Abdi Lidonde.

Senior John Waller (8.3 ppg) is back on the court, looking to upkeep his strong 3-point shooting. ODU also has solid guard play in senior Troy Nance, who was 3rd in the CAA in assists (4.4 apg), and sophomore Isaiah Hunter (6.1 ppg, 2.7 apg).

7. Hofstra Pride (8-21 Overall, 6-12 CAA, 9th)

Projected Starters: Adeleke, Wendell Gibson, Danny Walker, Woody Souffrant, Michael Radziejewski

It’s safe to say Hofstra didn’t have it’s best season last year. Players, including the Pride’s leading scorer Rick Apodaca, missed a combined 103 games due to injury or suspension. But the Pride are optimistic heading into the 2003-04 campaign, thanks mostly Junior forward Kenny Adeleke, a 2nd-team All-CAA pick who averaged 16.1 points and a league-high 11.0 rebounds per game. Adelke headlines a group of four returning starters. Joining him up front will be junior center Wendell Gibson (6.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg) and senior forward Danny Walker, who averaged 7.8 ppg and 6.1 rpg in 2001-02 but missed all of last year with an ankle injury. The backcourt is comprised of junior point guard Woody Souffrant, who ranked 2nd in the CAA in assists (4.5 apg), and junior wingman Michael Radziejewski, who hit a team-high 56 three-pointers and averaged 9.8 ppg.

Check out Hofstra at the Pre-season NIT beginning Saturday, Nov. 22.

8. William & Mary Tribe (12-16 Overall, 7-11 CAA, 8th)

Projected Starters: Hess, Zeb Cope, Nick D’Antoni, Taylor Mokris, Reid Markham

The Tony Shaver-era is officially underway in Tribe country, as the former D-III powerhouse begins his first season with W&M. Shaver won more than 350 games and made 11 NCAA Division III Tournament appearances in 17 years at Hampden-Sydney.

W&M will build mainly around its lone returning starter, senior forward Adam Hess, a preseason POY candidate, who was selected to the All-CAA first team after ranking 2nd in the league in scoring (20.1 ppg) and 11th in rebounds (6.3 rpg). Senior forward Zeb Cope (3.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg) has made 22 starts over the past two seasons and provides a physical inside presence. Junior Nick D’Antoni (1.9), a CAA All-Rookie team pick in 2001-02, and sophomore Taylor Mokris (4.2 ppg) return in the backcourt along with junior Reid Markham, who scored 6.7 ppg two years ago but missed most of last season due to illness.

The Tribe travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Big East powers on Jan. 3.

9. James Madison Dukes (13-7 Overall, 8-10 CAA, 7th)

Projected Starters: Dwayne Broyles, Chris Williams, Daniel Freeman, David Cooper, Ulrich Kossekpa

What’s one way to rebuild? Ask the Dukes, who have undergone arguably the biggest transition in the league. The squad will have seven first-year players on their 13-man roster.

Head coach Sherman Dillard will have his hands full, as will his two returning starters, senior forward Dwayne Broyles and senior guard Chris Williams. Broyles was solid last year, and has had a good preseason thus far. He averaged 10.3 points and 4.4 rebounds, while draining 55 three-pointers. Williams is back for his fourth year at the point and contributed 7.7 ppg and a team-high 85 assists last season. Junior guard Daniel Freeman (3.8 ppg) is the only other returnee with significant experience.

Sophomore David Cooper, a transfer from Southern New Hampshire, and redshirt freshman Ulrich Kossekpa should see action up front.

10. Towson Tigers (4-24 Overall, 1-17 CAA, 10th)

Projected Starters: Jamaal Gilchrist, Cilk McSweeney, Laurence Hamm, Jake McCartney, Tony Dixon

Perennial basement-dwellers Towson will continue to reload, as third-year head coach Michael Hunt hopes to reap the benefits of his young lineup – three freshmen and a sophomore started for much of last season.

In the backcourt, senior Jamaal Gilchrist averaged a team-high10.6 points and 3.4 assists at the point and sophomore Cilk McSweeney (5.1 ppg) drained 30 treys at shooting guard. Sophomore forward Lawrence Hamm earned CAA All-Rookie team honors after contributing 8.8 points and a team-high 5.6 rebounds per game, while Jake McCartney (3.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg) started all 28 games as a freshman. In the middle, junior Tony Dixon (6.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg) ranked 13th in the nation with 2.9 blocked shots per game. The Tigers were plagued by nearly 21 turnovers per game last year, but young newcomers Mike Green and Trevan Jackson should help.

Missouri Valley Conference Preview

Missouri Valley Conference Preview

by Michael Ermitage

The Missouri Valley Conference is in a state of flux. Gone is the MVC’s premiere player Kyle Korver, a second-round draft pick (51st overall) of the New Jersey Nets, and gone is perhaps the conference’s best coach, Bruce Weber, off to the Big Ten. Since Korver’s Creighton and Weber’s Southern Illinois were the top two teams in the conference last season, the title is up for grabs this year. Despite Creighton’s loss, they certainly look to be in the mix. Wichita State brings back a veteran club that should compete for the crown. And Bradley’s playmaking guards make the Braves a contender. Three new coaches pepper the Missouri Valley, most notable of which is Dr. Tom Davis at Drake. The long-time Iowa coach hopes to resurrect the Bulldog’s basketball program.

1. Creighton Bluejays (29-5, 15-3, 2nd)

The Bluejays not only lost Korver, a second team All American, they also lost Larry House and DeAnthony Bowden. Without those three, it’ll be extremely difficult for coach Dana Altman to duplicate his 29-win season from a year ago. Altman, however, does have 10 letterman and three starters returning. Brody Deren, Tyler McKinney and Michael Lindeman are all two-year starters and will be needed to lend leadership to the rest of the group. Newcomers Johnny Mathies, a junior college transfer, and Anthony Tolliver, an incoming freshman, are expected to have an immediate impact. Sophomore Nate Funk, a three-point specialist, is also expected to play more minutes and provide more offense this season. The baby-faced Funk connected on 46.4 percent of his three-point shots in conference action.

2. Wichita State Shockers (18-12, 12-6, 3rd)

The Shockers are set to open the season in newly renovated Koch Arena on Sept. 29. The arena underwent $25 million in renovations during the offseason. It seems that no one wanted to help coach Mark Turgeon and the Shockers open the arena, as it took Turgeon quite some time to land an opponent. But after contacting about 250 Division I teams about the game, the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks finally agreed. Surely many coaches did not want to face an opponent energized by a raucous crowd enjoying a new arena. And surely many other coaches simply didn’t want to face the loaded Shockers. Wichita State returns four starters from its NIT team from last year. Juniors Randy Burns and Jamar Howard, along with senior Aaron Hogg, look to form a very dangerous trifecta on the outside. They combined for more than 40 points and 15 rebounds a game last year. Inside, Turgeon will look for a breakout year from Paul Miller, a 6-10 sophomore center that improved throughout last season.

3. Bradley Braves (12-18, 8-10, 5th)

Everything starts in the backcourt for the Braves. Phillip Gilbert, the league’s active scoring leader, and James Gillingham, a two-time member of the conference’s all-defensive team, form one of the league’s best duos. Bradley also returns starters Michael Stewart, Marcello Robinson and Mike Suggs. Coach Jim Les also adds transfer Marcellus Sommerville, who averaged more than 25 points a game at Southwestern Illinois. Rounding out the rotation will be Jason Faulknor and Jabbar Battle, along with 7-footer Brandyn Heemskerk, who is coming off a redshirt season.

4. Southwest Missouri State Bears (17-12, 12-6, 4th)

The Bears run to 12-6 in the conference surprised everyone last season. With four starters returning, the team is expecting a similar run in 2003-04. SMS relied heavily on its defense last season, which helped it run roughshod over lesser competition and kept it competitive against the elite teams. This season, however, the Bears would like its offense to catch up with its defense – a difficult task considering the Bears lost leading scorer Terrance McGee to graduation. Coach Barry Hinson does return Merrill Andrews, center Monwell Randle and forwards Kellen Easley and Tamarr Maclin. SMS also will bring in a highly regarded recruiting class featuring junior college transfer Anthony Shavies.

5. Southern Illinois Salukis (24-7, 16-2, 1st)

When the coaching dominoes first began to fall with Matt Doherty leaving UNC, few thought that they’d find their way to Carbondale, Illinois. But when all was said and done, the Salukis had lost Bruce Weber to the University of Illinois. Also gone are starters Kent Williams and Jermaine Dearman. That leaves new coach Matt Painter with the challenging task of repeating as conference champs. He’ll get help from returning guards Darren Brooks and Stetson Hairston. Brooks had a fabulous 2002-03 season, leading the team in assists, blocks and steals. Also returning is starting center Sylvester Willis.

6. Northern Iowa Panthers (11-17, 7-11, 7th)

It has been seven years since the Panthers finished with an overall winning record, but this season may break that string. Coach Greg McDermott returns all five of his starters from an 11-17 and hopes to make the jump to plus-.500 ball. Center David Gruber and forward Matt Schneider highlight the returnees. Gruber averaged 13.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game last season. Despite the five returning starters, UNI will have to find reliable depth from a group of 11 players, of which only three are not new to the program.

7. Illinois State Redbirds (8-21, 5-13, 9th)

The Redbirds welcome a new coach to town in Porter Moser, a 1990 Creighton graduate. Moser spent the past three seasons excelling at Arkansas-Little Rock (545-34 record). He gets four returning starters to work with in guards Vince Greene and Trey Guidry and forwards Gregg Alexander and Marcus Arnold. Illinois State was perimeter oriented last season and will need to establish an inside presence to move to the upper division in the conference.

8. Evansville Purple Aces (12-16, 8-10, 6th)

Despite the Purple Aces progress in coach Steve Merfeld’s first season, the team will be hard pressed to move any higher in the division in his sophomore campaign. Evansville returns three starters, but only one that averaged more than six points per game last season. Clint Cuffle, who dropped 16.5 points per game an averaged better than 44 percent from three-point range, will have to carry the majority of the load in 2003-04.

9. Drake Bulldogs (10-20, 5-13, 8th)

A venerable new face is in town to take the reigns of the Bulldog program in Dr. Tom Davis. Davis coached at the University of Iowa for 13 years, compiling a 269-140 record. His teams are known for an unconventional full-court style that features fake three-point shots and long bounce passes. He’ll have a nice returning core with four juniors and six sophomores returning. But Davis will look to senior Luke McDonald to lead them.

10. Indiana State Sycamores (7-24, 2-16, 10th)

Coach Royce Waltman is facing critics after two consecutive single-digit win seasons. The seven-year coach will need to improve his team’s offense, which ranked last in the league in 2002-03 at a miserable 56.4 points per game. He’ll look to sophomore David Moss to continue to improve and add to his 13.2 points per game average. But the Sycamores will need more than just Moss just to get to the middle of the pack of the MVC.

Sun Belt Conference Preview

Sun Belt Conference Notebook

by Michael Protos

The Sun Belt Conference is back for another season of intrigue. The Sun Belt Conference qualifies as a solid mid-major conference. It has several programs that every major conference team should respect, lest they be upset on the road or at home. Louisiana – Lafayette, Western Kentucky and New Mexico State are fully capable of surprising an unsuspecting and unprepared major conference squad.

The conference does it have its share of programs going through rebuilding periods. Florida International and New Orleans will likely struggle to win many games this season. But sometimes it’s the teams with no expectations that can overachieve. That’s why the play the games.

For everyone else, it’s business as usual. Work hard. Win division games to earn a good seed in the conference tournament. Then take care of business in the clutch and earn that cherished automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Sun Belt Preseason Awards:

Most Valuable Player:

James Moore, New Mexico State

Moore is the holdover from New Mexico State’s explosive trio from last season. It’s his team to lead. Moore should not only put up outstanding numbers but also make the rest of the team even better.

Newcomer of the Year:

Antonio Haynes, Western Kentucky

Haynes is a Hilltopper after leading the nation in assists last year at a junior college in Georgia. Haynes bears the responsibility of ensuring that Western Kentucky remains at the top of the Sun Belt standings. Look for a monstrous year from Haynes and a postseason award to follow.

Coach of the Year:

Jesse Evans, Louisiana – Lafayette

Evans has the good fortune of a talented lineup, but he must coach the squad to overcome a difficult schedule. More importantly, he must coach the Ragin’ Cajuns past Western Kentucky to claim dominance of the Sun Belt Conference. Evans should lead the team to the top of the standings, an NCAA Tournament bid and whispers across the nation about his team becoming a dominant mid-major program.

All-conference Team:
James Moore, New Mexico State
Brad Boyd, Louisiana – Lafayette
Tommy Gunn, Middle Tennessee
Nick Zachery, Arkansas – Little Rock
Chris Young – South Alabama

West Division

1. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns

Overall record: 20-9
Conference record: 12-3 1st place – West

Projected starting five:
Guard Brad Boyd, senior
Guard Laurie Bridges, senior
Forward Michael Southall, junior
Forward Cedric Williams, junior
Forward Chirs Cameron, sophomore

Key players lost:
Guard Kenneth Lawrence: 6.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg
Forward Anthony Johnson: 14.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg

Non-conference schedule highlights:
At Georgia Tech in Preseason NIT: 11/18
At Dayton: 12/9
At Xavier: 12/20
Valparaiso: 12/28

The Ragin’ Cajuns have a lineup built for success in the NCAA – senior leadership in the backcourt and ever-maturing, talented big men to pound opponents in the post. Look for several analysts to mention Louisiana – Lafayette as a team that deserves a critical look for a Top 25 ranking at some point this season.

2. New Mexico State Aggies

Overall record: 20-9
Conference record: 9-6 2nd place – West

Projected starting five:
Guard Detrius Roberson, junior
Guard Allen Haynes, junior
Forward Kelsey Crooks, senior
Forward James Moore, senior
Forward Andre Scott, junior

Key players lost:
Guard Brandon Mason: 12.0 ppg, 3.5 apg
Center Chris Jackson: 10.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg
Guard Will Morris: 4.2 ppg

Non-conference schedule highlights:
New Mexico: 12/3
At Tulsa: 12/14
At New Mexico: 12/22

The Aggies must overcome the losses of two major contributors and team leaders – Mason and Jackson. But the Aggies still have Moore, who should be the most valuable player in the Sun Belt Conference this year. As he goes, the Aggies go. After a splendid year last year, look for Moore to go far and carry New Mexico State to the top of the standings and competition with the Ragin’ Cajuns for the western division title.

3. Denver Pioneers

Overall record: 17-15
Conference record: 7-8 Tie 3rd place – West

Projected starting five:
Guard Erik Benzel, junior
Guard Rodney Billups, junior
Forward Carvell McAlister, senior
Forward Zelijko Zupic, senior
Center Brett Starkey, senior

Key players lost:
Guard Dusty Waldington: 4.6 ppg, 3.8 apg
Guard B.J. Pratt: 16.0 ppg

Non-conference schedule highlights:
At Gonzaga: 11/24
At Eastern Washington: 11/26
Colorado State: 12/13
Wyoming: 1/6

The Pioneers return an experienced and solid starting five. The question for Denver is on the bench. Are the Pioneers deep enough to support the starting five? Look for Denver’s starting five to play major minutes early in the season while the younger players continue to improve in practice. Denver plays a tough non-conference schedule with several firmly legitimate NCAA contenders.

4. South Alabama Jaguars

Overall record: 14-14
Conference record: 7-8 Tie 3rd place – West

Projected starting five:
Guard Chris Young, senior
Guard Ugo Ezekwe, sophomore
Forward Malerick Bedden, senior
Forward Richard Law, sophomore
Forward Justin White, junior

Key players lost:
Guard Demetrice Williams: 14.0 ppg, 4.9 apg, 76 steals
Forward Henry Williams: 11.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg

Non-conference schedule highlights:
At Mississippi State: 11/26
At Georgia State: 12/12
At Georgia: 12/18
At Alabama – Birmingham: 1/3

The Jaguars still have their leading scorer, Chris Young, from last season, and he must lead this lineup mixed with experience and youth. Young will probably put up strong numbers all season, but South Alabama needs another player or two to step forward as alternative options to help free Young from the focus of opposing defenses.

5. North Texas Mean Green

Overall record: 7-21
Conference record: 2-13 6th place – West

Projected starting lineup:
Guard Leonard Hopkins, junior
Guard Jerome Rogers, senior
Forward Michael DeGrate, senior
Forward Will Smith, senior
Forward Justin Barnett, sophomore

Key players lost:
Guard Chris Davis: 19.0 ppg, 7.2 rpg,
Forward Jermaine Green: 11.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg
Guard Lee Green: 6.5 ppg

Non-conference schedule highlights:
Baylor: 12/9
At TCU: 12/13
Indiana: 12/29
At Arkansas: 1/3

The Mean Green have one of the best nicknames in NCAA basketball, but will the players live up to the name? They must overcome the losses of two of their three top scorers. The Mean Green does have three seniors in the starting lineup, but North Texas should fare only slightly better than last season’s rough last place finish in the western division. Prediction:

6. New Orleans Privateers

Overall record: 15-14
Conference record: 7-8 Tie 3rd place – West

Projected starting lineup:
Guard A.J. Meredith, senior
Guard Kyle Buggs, senior
Guard Johnell Smith, senior
Forward Kentrell Martin, senior
Forward Victor Brown, junior

Key players lost:
Forward Hector Romero: 19.3 ppg, 9.3 rpg
Center Nerikus Lisauskas: 5.4 ppg

Non-conference schedule highlights:
At Tulane: 12/3
At Texas: 12/14
At Mississippi State: 12/16
At Auburn: 1/2

The Privateers lost an unstoppable scoring threat in Hector Romero and must find a go-to guy to replace him. New Orleans fortunately starts four seniors who have plenty of experience. New Orleans has few solid players in the post, which will be a problem all season.

East Division

1. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Overall record: 24-9
Conference record: 12-2 1st place – East

Projected starting lineup:
Guard Antonio Haynes, junior
Guard Mike Wells, senior
Guard Anthony Winchester, sophomore
Forward Todor Pandov, senior
Forward Jamaal Brown, sophomore

Key players lost:
Guard Patrick Sparks: 13.3 ppg, 5.9 apg
Forward David Boyden: 12.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg
Guard Filip Videnov: 9.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg
Forward Nate Williams: 10.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg
Center Chris Marcus: 3.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg

Non-conference schedule highlights:
Mississippi State: 11/29
Louisville: 12/4
At Ball State: 12/23

The Hilltoppers need instant production from several players who did not play for Western Kentucky last season. The squad welcomes transfers Antonio Haynes and center Nigel Dixon. Each must contribute to this lineup. Todor Pandov played only one game last season before suffering a season-ending injury. But don’t be fooled – Western Kentucky has one of the most talented lineups in the conference and may surprise a couple of the big name schools on their schedule.

2. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

Overall record: 16-14
Conference record: 9-5 2nd place – East

Projected starting lineup:
Guard Tommy Gunn, senior
Guard Keith Connor, senior
Guard Marcus Robinson, senior
Forward Darrio Scott, sophomore
Forward Steven Jackson, senior

Key players lost:
Forward William Pippen, 15.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg
Guard John Humphrey, 9.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg
Guard Eric Parham, 5.7 ppg

Non-conference schedule highlights:
At Tennessee Tech: 12/6
At Cincinnati: 12/20
Wyoming: 1/8

The Blue Raiders surprised many Sun Belt followers last season by making a run to the conference championship game before falling to Western Kentucky. This season’s team has that valuable experience under their belts. The Blue Raiders have a dominant player in Tommy Gunn, who has one of the better names in basketball, but they must find players who are willing to step forward to support Gunn. Middle Tennessee has a relatively small lineup that could become a liability against teams with better size down low.

3. Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans

Overall record: 18-12
Conference record: 8-6 3rd place – East

Projected starting lineup:
Guard Brandon Freeman, junior
Guard Nick Zachery, senior
Forward Columbus Willis, senior
Forward Jamal Holden, senior
Center Alexei Korolev, sophomore

Key players lost:
Guard Mark Green, 11.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg
Guard Jibrahn Ike, 13.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg

Non-conference schedule highlights:
At Arizona State: 11/22
At St. Bonaventure: 11/25
At Creighton: 12/20
Mississippi State: 1/3

The Trojans have their leading scorer from last season, Nick Zachery, returning for his senior year. He promises to carry the Trojans to some degree of success in the Sun Belt Conference. The Trojans have a strong balance of experience and youth, both inside and outside. If this team matures, they could become one of the stronger teams in the conference.

4. Arkansas State Indians

Overall record: 13-15
Conference record: 6-8 4th place – East

Projected starting lineup:
Guard Tevoris Thompson, senior
Guard Antonio Rambo, senior
Forward Kim Adams, senior
Forward Chris Moore, sophomore
Forward Evqueni Sokolov, junior

Key players lost:
Guard Tony Brown, 9.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg
Center Paris London, 11.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg
Guard Odie Williams, 7.5 ppg, 3.9 apg

Non-conference schedule highlights
At Mississippi: 11/21
Southern Mississippi: 12/13
At TCU: 12/22
Penn State: 12/28

The Indians have a handful of dangerous weapons in Tevoris Thompson, Kim Adams and Antonio Rambo. But they also have a plethora of inexperienced and unproven players who must learn quickly for the Indians to remain competitive in the Sun Belt Conference.

5. Florida International Golden Panthers

Overall record: 8-21
Conference record: 1-13 5th place – East

Projected starting lineup:
Guard Carlos Morban, junior
Guard Junior Matias, senior
Guard Marcus Robinson, junior
Forward Belco Bamba, senior
Forward Taurance Johnson, junior

Key players lost:
Forward Rodrigo Viegas: 8.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg
Forward Eulis Baez: 12.7 ppg, 8.2 rpg
Forward Al Harris: 10.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg
Guard Fab Fisher: 6.7 ppg
Forward Nikola Novakovic: 6.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg

Non-conference schedule highlights
At George Washington: 11/25
At Miami: 12/6
La Salle: 12/13
At Stanford: 12/15

The Golden Panthers struggled through last season and may have more challenging times ahead. Florida International loses several key players but will hope the new starters have hidden talents. Florida International should have strong guard play, which may create opportunities for the Golden Panthers to hang in several games and maybe upset some of the conference favorites.

Summary

Western Kentucky has established a winning tradition in the Sun Belt Conference and emerged as the team to beat. This year, Louisiana – Lafayette may have a squad worthy of bringing down the mighty Hilltoppers. Look for the Ragin’ Cajuns to peak in February and ride a wave of momentum through the conference tournament and into the NCAA Tournament. Western Kentucky, however, can earn its own bid to the NCAA Tournament with wins over crucial non-conference foes Mississippi State and Louisville. An at-large bid is far less likely, however, for any Sun Belt team that fails to win the conference tournament.

Morning Dish

The Morning Dish – Wednesday, November 12th

Billikens Official: Saint Louis officially joined Charlotte in jumping to the Atlantic 10 Conference yesterday, effective for the 2005-06 season. Saint Louis, decidedly not adjacent to the Atlantic, joins its fourth conference since 1990. After being in the Missouri Valley Conference for nearly 40 years, the Billikens were in the Midwestern Collegiate, the Great Midwest, and finally were a founding member of Conference USA, which it will play in this season and next. In the press conference, Athletic Director Doug Woolard seemed lukewarm, as he indicated that the affiliation with the A-10 may not last long with the constant conference shuffling, but did state that the A-10 was the best fit of any conference the school had been in.

Titan Extended: The University of Detroit-Mercy has extended the contract of head coach Perry Watson through the 2010 season. Watson, who has 194 wins in his ten seasons at the helm of the Titans, came to Detroit after two seasons as an assistant at Michigan during the Fab Five era, when Michigan lost in the National Finals two consecutive seasons. His previous experience was as a successful high school coach at Detroit Southwestern High School, tallying 302 wins in 13 seasons. In Watson’s ten seasons at Detroit, he has had three conference players of the year, and has won three conference titles, three NCAA appearances, and two NIT appearances. His 1998 and 1999 squads sprung surprise wins on St. John’s and UCLA, respectively, in the first rounds of the NCAA’s, and Detroit went to the NIT Final Four in 2001.

Center Suspended: Bradley University head coach Jim Les has announced that senior center Jabarr Battle has been suspended indefinitely, following an on-campus scuffle he was involved in Friday night. Les indicated that the suspension was for violation of team rules, which, apparently, include a “no fisticuffs on-campus” clause. Battle, a Chicago native who transferred to Bradley from Olney (Illinois) Central College prior to last season, was key reserve who averaged 4.6 points and 3.2 rebounds playing in all 30 games. In Bradley’s first preseason game November 1st against Team Nike, Battle scored four point and had four rebounds in 11 minutes of game action.

Hawkeye Charged: In another huge scandal, bigger than Arizona’s Isaiah Fox stealing a bagel and candy bar, Iowa senior center Sean Sonderleiter was charged with fifth-degree (fifth!) theft for leaving a metered parking lot without paying. Sonderleiter, who – get this – drove down an embankment behind Lot 33 in Iowa City to avoid paying the parking attendant, has a court case in two weeks, and is facing a maximum fine of $500 and 30 days in jail. Sonderleiter, who averaged 8.5 points and 4 rebounds per game last season as a reserve, had some legal difficulties last season, as he received a deferred judgment for marijuana possession. Head coach Steve Alford indicated that he would take no action until the Sonderleiter’s court case is determined.

Not Grandfathered In: The grandson of legendary Kansas coach Phogg Allen has lost his prime seats in Phogg Allen Fieldhouse due to Kansas’ introduction of new stricter seating policies. Forrest “Phogg” Allen said that he had dutifully submitted payment with the order form for his four seats in June, and after several weeks of waiting for the check to clear, was informed that University policies prohibit the transferring of tickets from parents to offspring. The tickets, which have been in the Allen family for 48 years, officially went up for grabs when the younger Allen’s mother Isabel passed on in April. Allen, who indicated he would have matched or beat any competitive offer, but never was given the opportunity, has only missed four games in the last 33 seasons, and is now sitting seven rows higher. He may lose those seats if he doesn’t pony up to $10,000 in Kansas’ new personal seat license program, which is expected to be introduced for next season.

Charges Dismissed: Former North Carolina All-American Joseph Forte had assault charges stemming from a pickup game altercation dismissed yesterday. Forte, who was cut by the NBA’s Seattle SuperSonics last month, was playing a pickup game on campus in Chapel Hill last May, when he struck North Carolina fullback James Gibson in the face. After mediation between the two parties this summer, the DA’s office dropped the charges. Forte left UNC after his sophomore season and entered the 2001 NBA Draft, where he was selected by Boston with the 21st overall selection. Forte was traded to Seattle in 2002.

Morning Dish

The Morning Dish – Tuesday, November 11th

Let’s not forget to take a moment this morning to remember those United States servicemen and women that gave the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our way of life on this Veteran’s Day.

Hawk Down: 16th-ranked Saint Joseph’s will lose a piece of their starting frontcourt for the beginning of the season, as sophomore forward Dave Mallon suffered a stress fracture in his right foot. Mallon, a 29-game starter last season who averaged 1.6 points and 2 rebounds per game, injured his foot in practice on Friday, and an MRI on Sunday revealed the fracture of the third metatarsal. He’ll be in a walking cast for the next three weeks, minimum, and may miss as many a six weeks. This is a tough blow to the Hawks, as they face No. 12 Gonzaga Friday in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic in New York.

New A-14: No it’s not a new aircraft to be used in the war on terror – it’s the new total of the Atlantic 10 Conference member institutions, as both Charlotte and Saint Louis have accepted invitations extended last week to join the conference. Yesterday, Charlotte formally announced their intention to move to the A-10, and Saint Louis will announce at a press conference later today. As part of the recent conference shuffle, both schools were left as the only non-football playing schools in the “new” Conference USA, and felt that a move to the A-10 would suit them better. Last week, the Big East took five C-USA members (Cincinnati, DePaul, Louisville, Marquette, and South Florida), and C-USA replaced them with WAC and MAC schools Central Florida, Marshall, Rice, SMU, and Tulsa. A-10 commissioner Linda Bruno told reporters that there is no initiative to re-name the conference, as there hasn’t been 10 members in the conference since 1990 (when Duquesne rejoined), and the conference just redid their logo.

New Baylor Lawsuit: The mother and stepfather of former Baylor basketball player Patrick Dennehy, murdered in June near the Waco campus, have hired an attorney and plan to sue Baylor University. This joins the wrongful death suit filed in August by Patrick Dennehy, Sr. against Baylor, former head coach Dave Bliss, and former AD Tom Stanton. Valerie and Brian Brabazon of Carson City, Nevada, have hired Dallas-based attorney Jim Skinner, and they will be filing a civil lawsuit against the school in the next few weeks. Dennehy was murdered in June, and his body was found in late July, following the arrest of former teammate and roommate Carlton Dotson, who pleaded innocent last week in Waco court. However, attorneys in the civil suit brought by Dennehy, Sr. have told the media the Dotson was not the real killer of Dennehy, though no other details have been released.

More Baylor Controversy: This time it has to do with Baylor’s Bear mascots. Animal-rights groups are up in arms against Baylor’s live mascot program, which has had more than 50 bears in the last 80 years. Though quiet the past few years, Baylor Bear mascot appearances Saturday at the football game and on a homecoming float have stoked the fire of controversy yet again. Apparently, the Baylor Chamber of Commerce, a student organization that oversees the bear mascot program, likes their bears smaller and young, and once they get too big, they are sent off to wildlife parks nationwide. The animal-rights group Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (ShARK) is pushing Baylor to stop the mascot program, citing a high turnover rate, substandard facilities, and inadequate care. Baylor recently unveiled Bear World, a habitat that meets many of the school’s critics’ recommendation, where current American Black Bear mascots Joy and Lady reside. New plans are in the works to expand the Bear World to provide even better care. ShARK cites past instances where the bears were mistreated, abused, and even fed Dr. Pepper for promotional purposes (Baylor has strong ties to the beverage maker). Joy and Lady are two of 14 non-domesticated mascots in the United States, which also includes LSU’s Mike V Bengal tiger, and North Alabama’s two African Lions, Leo III and Una. Not considered domestic is Big 12 rival Colorado’s Ralphie IV, an American bison donated by Ted Turner from his ranch in Montana. Colorado has had four buffalo mascots since 1966, each averaging 11 years on the job. Ralphie IV debuted in 1998.

Top Incoming Freshmen

The Top Incoming Freshmen

by Phil Kasiecki

Every year, a class of talented newcomers blesses the world of college basketball with their presence. Seemingly with each year, more and more freshman are in the national spotlight as key contributors. This is due in part to more and more players leaving school early for the NBA Draft, but the players coming into college are still great talents on their own merits.

Last year there was no shortage of freshmen who were immediate contributors, and stars in some cases. Carmelo Anthony and Gerry McNamara led Syracuse to the national championship. Raymond Felton, Rashad McCants and Sean May brought life back to North Carolina. Dee Brown, Deron Williams and James Augustine supported senior Brian Cook as Illinois had a big season. Anthony Roberson and Matt Walsh helped Florida become the nation’s number one team at one point. J.J. Redick and Shelden Williams were among the better players on a young Duke team. Chris Bosh showed a world of potential in helping Georgia Tech get back to the postseason, with help from fellow freshman point guard Jarrett Jack. Hassan Adams and Andre Iguodala were key parts of Arizona’s very deep team. Antoine Wright brought excitement to Texas A&M, as they had their most successful season under Melvin Watkins. Keydren Clark was among the nation’s top scorers as the lone bright spot for St. Peter’s. As usual, there were also the great unknowns who shined in low-profile conferences, like Montana guard Kevin Criswell, St. Francis (Pa.) guard Darshan Luckey, Grambling guard Brion Rush, and Albany guard Jamar Wilson.

On that note, we introduce some of the top newcomers for the 2003-04 season. Once again, many freshmen will have to take on pivotal roles for their teams, and will be a big part of whether the team plays as well as it is capable of or not. In some cases, a top freshman might be the missing piece for a team. Here is a look at twelve of the best freshmen we will see in college basketball this season.

Brandon Bass, F, LSU
A homegrown talent and the cornerstone of an excellent class, this strong and athletic combo forward could lead the young Tigers in scoring.

Andrew Bogut, F, Utah
After dominating the Junior World Championships this summer, the Australian native will give the Utes a big boost in the frontcourt.

Luol Deng, F, Duke
Deng is a winner who won’t make highlight-film plays; he just plays the game, and he does it well. He might put Duke over the top in the quest for the national title.

Kris Humphries, F, Minnesota
After being released from Duke and cleared to play, he can now take over for Rick Rickert on the hometown team.

Alexander Johnson, F-C, Florida State
Capping the Seminoles’ big class, he will give them a much-needed boost in the frontcourt and may help lead them back to the NCAA Tournament.

Michael Jones, G, Maryland
With four starters gone, the Terrapins will need freshmen to contribute immediately. Jones is the best of them, an athletic scorer and good shooter.

Andrew Lavender, G, Oklahoma
The Sooners are starting over in the backcourt, but the diminutive and ultra-quick Lavender will help ease the transition.

Cartier Martin, G, Kansas State
He could be the best player the Wildcats have had since Mitch Richmond. He gives them an instant scoring boost on the wing.

David Padgett, C, Kansas
The latest in a long line of top big men to play in Lawrence, he is a solid presence and can score inside and facing the basket. He’ll start and contribute right away.

Chris Paul, G, Wake Forest
He’ll take over the point guard spot immediately, and the Demon Deacons won’t miss a beat with his leadership.

Leon Powe, F, California
Fully recovered from a torn ACL before his senior year, Powe is a warrior and will instantly strengthen the Golden Bears’ front line.

Mustafa Shakur, G, Arizona
The Wildcats lost four-year starter Jason Gardner, but will be fine with the pass-first Shakur running the show. At 6’3″, he also presents matchup problems.

Other freshmen to keep an eye on:

Trevor Ariza, F, UCLA
Sean Banks, F, Memphis
Art Bowers, G, Massachusetts
Ronnie Brewer, F, Arkansas
Dwight Brewington, G, Providence
Michael Brock, F, Eastern Kentucky
Aaron Brooks, G, Oregon
Shannon Brown, G, Michigan State
Dion Dacons, F, Temple
Bennett Davis, F, Northeastern
Guillermo Diaz, G, Miami
Quincy Douby, G, Rutgers
Jared Dudley, F, Boston College
Olu Famutimi, F, Arkansas
J.R. Giddens, G-F, Kansas
Dion Harris, G, Michigan
Kenneth Harris, C, Valparaiso
Linas Kleiza, F, Missouri
Regis Koundjia, F, LSU
Demeon Mason, F, Marquette
Cartier Martin, G, Kansas State
Jimmie Miles, G, Valparaiso
Tyrone Nelson, F, Prairie View
Demetris Nichols, F, Syracuse
Derek Ravio, G, Gonzaga
Brian Randle, F, Illinois
Chris Richard, F, Florida
Terrence Roberts, F, Syracuse
Oumar Sylla, G, Valparaiso
Chris Taft, C, Pittsburgh
Ayinde Ubaka, G, California
Vakeaton Wafer, G-F, Florida State
Walter Waters, F-C, Cleveland State
Charlie Villanueva, F, Connecticut

Big East Conference Preview

Big East Conference Preview

by Stephen Murphy

The complexion of the Big East will soon be dramatically changed, causing resentment around the league. UConn Coach Jim Calhoun has publicly stated that he does not want to schedule any contests with Boston College after this season. Syracuse administrators had some charming comments for the Eagles officials, and Miami has filed a counter lawsuit.

In the latest chapter of conference musical chairs, the University of Miami filed suit against the Big East Conference and the University of Connecticut, Rutgers, Pittsburgh, and West Virginia. The suit alleges breach of contract and a conspiracy to defraud on the part of the conference and the individual schools. Miami also sued the University of Connecticut for defamation.

It’s the latest in a ‘he said, she said’ leaving some athletic administrations in the Big East just waiting for the final makeup of the league. Since the University of Miami gave its notice of intent to leave the Big East and paid the necessary $1 million exit fee, it has been subjected to lawsuits and verbal assaults, most notably by the Connecticut attorney general.

The Big East men’s basketball conference will consist of one division in 2003-04. The 14 conference members will all play each other at least once. Each school will play three others on a home-and-home basis, face five schools at home only and five schools on the road only. For 2005-06, the Big East will invite five C-USA schools. These schools are Louisville, Cincinnati and South Florida for all sports, and Marquette and DePaul for everything but football. Such a move would give the Big East eight football members and 16 overall members for men’s basketball. The Big East could also add Central Florida or a combination of Army and Navy as affiliate members in football. When will the war of words between Britton Banowsky and Mike Tranghese begin?

2003-04 All-Big East Team
Emeka Okafor – UConn (MVP)
Ben Gordon – UConn
Chris Thomas – Notre Dame
Ryan Gomes – Providence
Hakim Warrick – Syracuse

Second Team
Billy Edelin – Syracuse
Drew Schifino – West Virginia
Julius Page – Pittsburgh
Craig Smith – Boston College
Andre Barrett – Seton Hall

Comeback Player of the Year:
Uka Agbai – Boston College

Newcomers of the Year:
Charlie Villanueva – UConn
Tyler Relph – West Virginia

Connecticut Huskies (23-10, 10-6, 2nd in East)

The University of Connecticut men’s basketball team has been selected as the preseason No. 1 team. In addition, Hoopville has also chosen junior center Emeka Okafor as the preseason player of the year and a first-team preseason All-American. Jim Calhoun enters his 31st Season in Coaching, his 17th at UConn. His record and accolades speak for themselves. Strangely, the biggest decision in Calhoun’s career is one he didn’t make. Emeka Okafor, the best shot blocker in Big East history, chose not to apply to be a Rhodes Scholar. This is likely because he will be rejecting Allen Iverson and Kobe (assuming he is not playing for the Colorado Penal League) next year in the NBA. Coach Calhoun said it would not surprise him to see Okafor’s name prefaced by “Senator”, or “CEO” one day. By far the smartest defensive player to come along in some time, Okafor will be providing plenty of stuffing well after Thanksgiving this year, as he will lead the Huskies far in to the postseason. He is already compared to the greatest center in the league, and while comparisons are never fair, doubters are quick to point out his offensive deficiencies. But people of high roundball intelligence will tell you Alonzo Mourning, and Patrick Ewing never became good shooters until after they left for the NBA. You can’t doubt him; opposing teams will be unable to get off layups in non-transition play. His flexibility allows the Huskies to strengthen their defense out on the perimeter. Normally the game plan is to stretch out a team’s defense, allowing your team to get off a high percentage shot. Okafor is stretching defenses and it work’s in the Huskies favor. The kid is a rare breed; he will get numerous 2nd and 3rd chance opportunities. 20 points and 20 boards will not be uncommon, as Emeka will get the consensus selection for National Player of the Year.

UConn continued to dominate league play last year with a 23-10 record (overall) and a trip to the Sweet 16. Most will predict nothing less than a Final Four appearance. Another integral part of this upcoming season’s success will be the play of shooting guard Ben Gordon. Gordon averaged just under 20 points last season, torching teams with his shooting from the perimeter, reflecting the play of Ray Allen. Ben needs to put the ball on the floor more, which is necessary for UConn’s success. Note to Gordon: Call ex-Husky Kevin Ollie, have a sit down, learn a thing or two from the NBA point guard. If Gordon can add penetration to his game it will ease the pressure off Okafor. Gordon can be the catalyst, with little worry having Emeka there to clean up should there be a miss. Okafor will be the reason Ben Gordon is a 1st-Team Big East selection at the end of the season.

Prior to last season Calhoun said he would not be surprised to see Gordon lead the team in scoring, what will he have to project this year? Let us not forget Taliek Brown returns for his senior season, having him around for his superb defensive contributions will make this season one other teams might want to quickly forget

UConn has made some key additions, led by the versatile 6-10 Charlie Villanueva to a veteran team and is the preseason No. 1 team. In addition to Gordon and Okafor, the Huskies return senior point guard Taliek Brown, sophomore small forwards Denham Brown and Rashad Anderson and sophomore power forwards Hilton Armstrong and Marcus White. The Huskies lost reserve guard Tony Robertson and reserve forward Mike Hayes, but added talented freshman point guard Marcus Williams and backup center Josh Boone along with Villanueva, who is battling Armstrong for a starting slot. UConn will open play in the 2003 Preseason NIT with a home contest on November 17, 2003 against Yale at 7:00 p.m.

In addition to its home-and-home series with the Fighting Irish, Panthers and Orangemen, UConn will host matchups against Georgetown, Miami, Providence, Seton Hall and West Virginia. The Huskies will play road games at Boston College, Rutgers, St. John’s, Villanova and Virginia Tech.

Syracuse Orangemen (30-5, 13-3, 1st in West)

According to some westerners, the sun rises in the East but settles in a finer location. Last season the sun in northern New York (via New Orleans), as Carmelo made a pit stop for a year prior to becoming a Nugget.

The focus may stay on the Big East for the entire season, last year’s playmakers are back (with the exception of Carmelo) mature, and ready to contend. The Big East sent four teams to the NCAA Tournament and all of these teams made it to the Sweet 16, becoming the first conference to do so. Ultimately the ‘Cuse brought home the prize, and in compelling fashion. It is said that a team that wins dramatically early becomes stronger. Syracuse barely pulled away from Auburn, then went on to show Oklahoma the ‘Price’ wasn’t right for Hollis, then told T.J. his Ford didn’t have any turbo in the Final Four, and finally outdoing Kirk Heinrich, and Nick Collison and shocking the world.

The Orangemen will raise their 2003 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship banner before their game with the Harlem Globetrotters on November 11th. Maybe this will take away from the hard feelings and the interesting comments made by Syracuse Chancellor Kenneth Shaw, and AD Jake Crouthamel. These comments were attributed to Boston College departing our beloved Conference to join the ACC. Shaw and Crouthamel felt BC used questionable tactics by being involved in discussions to strengthen the Conference before accepting their belated invitation to the ACC. They feel the ACC has intentionally tied to destroy the Big East with the motive of attempting to eliminate it as a competitor.

Farewell, who cares? What was the consensus when the Big East raided other Conferences years ago prior to their inception? Get ready for two years from now when Rick Pitino forces UConn to play at the Hartford Civic Center due to the Gampel Pavilion not being able to hold 25,000 plus with these two teams ranked in the top five of the country. Both Shaw and Crouthamel contend that they made a commitment to the Big East, recommitted especially after these recent debacles, and look forward to a competitive and profitable future. Let’s move on to what counts, basketball.

The Orangemen lose Final Four MVP Carmelo Anthony and senior guard Kueth Duany (graduation), but have reinforcements ready to repeat last years triumph. Hakim Warrick who started all 35 games for Cuse, was second in points to the #3 overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft steps in to the lead role. Hakim Warrick, who was voted the Conference’s Most Improved Player, and is the most versatile player in the country, joins the sophomore duo of Gerry McNamara and Billy Edelin. McNamara also was a Big East All-Rookie selection after averaging 13.3 points, 4.4 assists, and leading the conference in free throw shooting. Mcnamara also made the Final Four All-Tournament Team. Edelin 6-4 from Silver Spring Maryland, overcame legal troubles and proved to be a big spark to the national champs looks to duplicate his 9 point average per game. Josh Pace who is a Junior will be a valuable reserve, and Louis McCroskey, a 6-5 big time recruit provide extreme depth.

Craig Forth with split time at center with Jermey McNeil. Forth is the tallest member of the Orangemen squad at 7-0, he averaged slightly under 4 points, and four boards per game. McNeil is the swatter of the squad, rejecting almost 3 shots per game. Demetris Nichols and Sophomore Matt Gorman will be auditioning for the small forward spot, Terrence Roberts will rotate between small and power forward. Assistant Coaches have made phenomenal strides in recruiting, especially Troy Weaver. These recruits in time will help dampen the effects of Carmelo Anthony’s early departure.

Pittsburgh Panthers (28-5, 13-3, 2nd in West)

Splitsburgh…Gone is Brandin Knight and Ben Howland

Ben Howland has replaced Steve Lavin at UCLA. Howland’s tenure was the shortest in at Pitt in 81 years. Howland gets Hollywood money, he gets his dream job, he gets a program that will always be nationally prominent, and he gets to take his family home to California. Howland replaces Steve Lavin, who was fired March 17 after the Bruins went 10-19 for their first losing season in 55 years. Lavin left with a record of 145-78 in seven years. He took the Bruins to round of 16 of the NCAA tournament five times in six years, a feat matched only by Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski.

“Ben Howland is an outstanding basketball coach, one of the best in the entire country, and he is the man we want to run our program,” athletic director Dan Guerrero said in a statement. “He has built winning programs throughout his career and we expect that he will return UCLA basketball to the nation’s elite.” Big Ben leaves behind a bunch of kids who came to Pitt thinking they were going to play four years for him. Howland’s seven-year contract only validated those expectations.

Pitt’s players feel betrayed, another one of the Big East’s NCAA Sweet 16, the Panthers look to perform under new tutelage. After failing to land Wake Forest Coach Skip Prosser, Pitt turned to Jamie Dixon. Dixon, a TCU grad and an integral figure in the University of Pittsburgh basketball program’ the last four seasons, was named the Panthers’ head coach on April 15, becoming the 14th coach in the school’s history. Pitt opens November 14th against Alabama hoping to duplicate the success of the last three seasons. Success should come, but without the contributions of Brandin Knight who helped the Panthers to their winningest four-year period in school history.

The Panthers will still have spectacular play and a balanced scoring attack. Julius Page, a Preseason All-American candidate with teammate Chevon Troutman. Named a consensus All-District and All-Big East selection in 2002-03, Page returns for his senior season after leading the Panthers in scoring. He netted double figures in 25 of 32 games, and hit 48 percent of his field goal attempts. In his three-year career, the six-foot-three-inch guard has started 92 of 100 games played, scored 1,116 points, hit 154 three pointers and averaged 3.0 rebounds.

Chevon Troutman only started three games, but his presence was always felt immediately. He has contributed primarily in the low-post but also can play on the perimeter. Troutman is a tough, talented rebounder, athletic defender, and fierce competitor. Troutman will expand his game with a starting role in 2003-04. He emerged as a key contributor towards the conclusion of his freshman season and carried that success over to the 2002-03 campaign.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish (24-10, 10-6, 3rd in West)

Decisions, decisions. As mentioned earlier, we know the impact on UConn with Emeka Okafor’s choice to return. Notre Dame felt the benefit of a similar decision, as junior point guard Chris Thomas withdrew his name from consideration for the 2003 NBA Draft. Thomas, a 6-foot-1-point guard, said in May he would stay in the draft if he thought he would be among the first 20 players drafted. He later changed his mind and said he would stay in the draft only if he were a first-round pick. He never hired an agent, which would have prevented him from returning.

Thomas is a First-team Preseason All American, a genuine playmaker with incredible ability, and is a great catalyst to an offense somewhat dwindled from last season. Retaining Thomas means everything to Brey, especially this year as the Irish get off to an early start with scrimmages in Barbados.

Losing to Arizona in the 2003 NCAA Tournament left the Irish with an empty feeling. The team approaches this season’s early start without Matt Carroll and Dan Miller. That means ND will have to turn to another hot hand in its next overtime game against Georgetown. Coach Brey loses two of his dependable weapons to graduation, and now has to search for replacements. I guess you can’t have ‘em all.

The early practices because of the Barbados trip will give the Irish a chance to see how freshmen guards Colin Falls and Russell Carter fit into the Irish system. Omari Israel, the third Irish freshman, may sit out the 2003-04 campaign while he recovers from knee surgery. ND should be solid defensively with Jordan Cornette and Torrian Jones, who have a defense-first mentality.

Brey had to quickly identify his core group of players; those being Cornette and Jones, along with Tom Timmermans, Chris Quinn, Chris Thomas and Torin Francis. During their short offseason Mike Brey named Torrian Jones a captain, which has been long awaited for by Jones. Jones will be relied upon as a leader. Rick Cornett and freshman Colin Falls could see significant playing time, possibly being two players to fill out an eight-man rotation. Falls comes to Notre Dame from Loyola Academy in Park Ridge, Ill. Throughout summer workouts, the Irish looked at Falls to fill the outside shooter role they lost with Carroll and Miller graduating. Receiving a bunch of passes on open looks from the outside, Falls passed up a number of chances and played the role of a shy new guy. Brey and the coaching staff have been telling Falls to be greedy.

Providence Friars (18-14, 8-8, 4th in East)

Coach Tim Welsh is ecstatic to welcome back guard Abdul Mills. Mills was the team’s leading scorer two seasons ago, but sat out last season with a hip injury. Welsh also welcomes back almost everyone from last season. The Friars finished 18-14, won eight of its last 11 games and played three games in the NIT. Mills can be teamed with guards Sheiku Kabba, who averaged 10.0 points last season and Donnie McGrath, who made the Big East All-Rookie Team. The Friars were 13-2 when Kabba reached double figures. McGrath, who saw most of his action at the point, averaged 9.1 points and 4.3 assists. Six-five freshman Dwight Brewington will provide some depth in the backcourt.

No one is happier than Ryan Gomes to get Mills back. Gomes, who is the key to success in the frontcourt, hopes to have a lot of pressure taken off by Mills’ return. The 6-7 junior was an All-Big East Second Team selection last season after leading the squad in scoring (18.4) and rebounding (9.7). He posted 17 double-doubles and led the Friars in free throw shooting (84.0). As a team, Providence was second in the nation from the line with a 77.9 free throw percentage.

Center Marcus Douthit brings back his defensive tenacity – he became a defensive force by blocking 3.0 shots per game, which placed him 11th nationally. The Friars have also gone global, as they have three forwards from Europe. Junior Tuukka Kotti, who is from Finland, averaged just fewer than eight points and four boards while starting 22 times. The other two are seniors Maris Laksa, an underrated forward, and Chris Anrin, an outside shooting threat. Laksa hails from Latvia while Anrin is from Sweden.

Junior Rob Sanders is also in the frontcourt mix. A starter in 10 games, Sanders was usually a spark defensively and on the boards. Six-nine freshman Herbert Hill, who was redshirted last season, has a reputation as a strong rebounder and shot blocker. Freshman Jeff Parmer, a 6-7 forward, will try to make the forward position a little more crowded. With experience, a little fortune, and a hungry team, look for the Friars to make some noise this season.

Seton Hall Pirates (17-13, 10-6, 4th in West)

Last season, Louis Orr earned Big East Coach of the year honors after starting out at 5-7. The New Jersey Legislature even saluted Seton Hall men’s basketball and Orr in their June 23rd Legislative Session. Orr will be looking to continue that momentum into 2003-04, and with four starters returning, another post-season bid could be in Seton Hall’s immediate future.

Senior returnee Andre Barrett runs the club. The 5-10 point guard, who has started every game in his career earned All-Big East Second Team selection last season after averaging 16.7 points and 5.3 assists per game. Barrett also averaged 37.9 minutes, the most in conference play. Barrett also brings experience he gained from joining the United States team in the Pan American Games.

Barrett teams with Pirate swingman John Allen. Allen a 6-5 junior and a strong mid-range shooter makes the transition to shooting guard to join Barrett as one of the best backcourt duos in the Big East. Allen netted 13.9 points per game last season. 6-6 forward Marcus Toney-El returns for his senior season after averaging 6.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.6 steals. Orr considers Toney-El one of the team’s top defenders and looks for the senior to add leadership and the intangibles to the Pirates this year.

A blow to the Pirates will be the loss of Kelly Whitney, who is going to miss part of the basketball season so he can concentrate on his studies. Whitney will practice with the team, but will not participate in games. Currently limited in practice with a torn tendon in his right thumb, Whitney started all 30 games last season, averaging 11.0 points and 6.1 rebounds. He shot a team-high 52.8 percent from the field and blocked 30 shots. He was selected to the Big East Conference’s all-rookie team.

Andre Sweet, who had to sit out the 2001-02 season, succeeded in his role as the team’s “sixth man” and became one of the most dependable Pirates. The 6-6 forward led all reserves in scoring (8.1 avg.), rebounding (4.5 avg.) and minutes (20.8 avg.). According to Orr, “it’s who’s on the court at the end of the game” Sweet will be one of those players.

Senior Damion Fray is by far the most athletically gifted Pirate, and can contribute in many ways. Fray can add great energy and intensity and is capable of making plays with his athleticism, especially rebounding on the break, and inside scoring. Fray and sophomore J.R. Morris can score on the offensive end.

The Hall also has a 7-footer that saw limited action, and has been making improvements. Alex Gambino can team with Eric Davis a 6-9 sophomore, who missed the first six games of the season with a stress fracture. This combo gives the Pirates good size.

Donald Copeland, a 5-10 sophomore, is Barrett’s backup at point guard. His ball handling ability allowed Orr to move Barrett to the two-guard. Copeland’s playing time increased during the season as he gave the Pirates a solid 3-point shooter and a top-notch defender.

West Virginia Mountaineers (14-15, 5-11, 6th in West)

If the fans in Morgantown can learn to behave after a victory, things might not be as bad this season. One upset on the gridiron, and students poured onto Mountaineer Field and tried to tear down the goal posts but were turned back by police who used pepper spray and force to clear the field. Within minutes, fires were set in the streets. More than 100 were reported.

The Mountaineers were a consensus pick to finish last in the West Division last season, the exceeded expectations, but only slightly. West Virginia only had one returning player who had started more than 10 games. Head Coach John Beilein was still able to muster a 14-15 season, with a 5-11 Big East record.

Things could be on the move upward, after starting three freshman and two sophomores last season. Beilein’s second Mountaineer team will be a little more seasoned. The three starting freshmen center Kevin Pittsnogle and guards Johannes Herber and Jarmon Durisseau-Collins all started every game. Pittsnogle made the All-BIG EAST Rookie Team after averaging 11.6 points and shooting 47.6 from 3-point range

Drew Schifino, who was clearly one of the league’s most improved players last season. A 6-3 junior, he was fifth in the Big East in scoring with a 20.1 average and earned third team all-conference honors. Schifino returns for his Junior season, and will be nicely complimented by Freshman point guard Tyler Relph..

Beilein has said its possible the Mountaineers could play both 6-foot-11 Kevin Pittsnogle and D’or Fischer at the same time. This could pose matchup problems for opposing defenses. Pittsnogle developed a reputation as one of the nation’s top shooting big men, connecting on 47.6 percent of this three-point attempts in 2003.

Starting young is key to helping a young team grow. Four freshmen should see significant playing time. Tyler Relph, the “Mr. Basketball” of New York State, will push for playing time at point guard. The other three rookies are forwards: 6-7 Brad Byerson, 6-5 Franklin Young and 6-7 Jerrah Young.

Beilein has some sketpicism about starting two centers at once. He is aware that there are some drawbacks to having two centers on the floor at the same time. This is just one of many phases in a multi dimensional world for the new coach, how the Mountaineers develop remains to be seen.

St. John’s Red Storm (20-13, 7-9, 5th in East)

Mike Jarvis seemed to lose his grip on the Red Storm in a game against Duke last season, when the Blue Devils defeated St. John’s behind a 9-1 run. But Jarvis rallied the troops, leading St. John’s to an NIT title. This season, St. John’s must follow that act without Marcus Hatten, a.k.a. “Mr. Clutch.” Fortunately, “Showtime” is still highlighting the Red Storm roster.

His name is Daryll Hill, who sat out all last season because of academic struggles. Hill was as a slasher in practice, at times outperforming Hatten. Showtime can light it up from the outside, reminding the Johnnies of alumnus and former thriller Bootsy Thornton.

Elijah Ingram will again run the point this season. His mission is to create opportunities for Showtime. Willie Shaw is also back. The swingman returns for his senior season along with Grady Reynolds and Kyle Cuffe. Reynolds battled legal problems last year based on allegations of assaulting his girlfriend.

At center, St. John’s lacks depth and inexperienced. Mohamed Diakite returns after missing all of last season with a bad back. Abe Keita, and Curtis Johnson will also be available to provide minutes. Freshmen Lamont Hamilton and Tyler Jones may be asked to contribute immediately.

Villanova Wildcats (15-16, 8-8, 3rd in East)

Coach Jay Wright thought last season could be the super-’Nova season with four returning starters, including phenom Gary Buchanon. The promising season turned disastrous, however, when tendinitis sidelined Jason Fraser and several Wildcat players received suspensions for abusing phone privileges. Some team members will miss some games at the start of the upcoming year.

This year’s club will have to replace guard Gary Buchanan and forward Ricky Wright. Buchanan led the team with 15.4 points per game and Wright averaged 12.5 points per game and 7.8 rebounds per game as a dependable low-post scorer.

Wright will depend on seven underclassmen among his top nine players. To complicate the Wildcats’ situation, senior guard Derrick Snowden could miss the season because of a knee injury suffered in August.

Georgetown Hoyas (19-15, 6-10 5th in West)

Gone are four-year starters Kevin Braswell and star forward Michael Sweetney. With Sweetney bolting G’town for the NBA, the Hoyas their most productive low-post players in Big East history. The Hoyas lack a go to star player; something Hoya fans have grown used to over the years.

What the Hoyas lack inside, they make up for with a wealth of athletic perimeter players. Esherick must shift his focus from pounding the ball into the post to Sweetney this season. Georgetown has a tradition of outstanding low-post players – Merlin Wilson, Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutumbo, Sweetney. This year, however, will be different.

Esherick and the Hoyas will depend on senior guard Gerald Riley. Riley, a 6-6 small forward, is back as a starter. One year ago, Riley started every game averaging 14.1 points a game. He was lethal beyond the arc, shooting 42 percent. Riley is the team’s most proven scorer. The 6-6 forward, who can also play the two, He hit 41.5 percent from 3-point range. Last season Georgetown looked to Kevin Braswell to provide consistency, there’s no question Gerald Riley will be counted on from Esherick and the Hoyas. Courtland Freeman returns as the Hoya with the most experience. Freeman is eager to contribute, having battled various injuries throughout his career. Amadou Kilkenny-Diaw, a forward/center looks strong coming off a redshirt freshman season.

With so much inexperience, the baby Hoyas will have ample opportunity to earn playing time. Freshman Matthew Causey is a solid point guard candidate. Rayshawn Reed will compete for time at both guard positions. A pair of 6-8 freshmen, Sead Dizdarevic and Ken Izzo, will also contribute.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights (12-16, 4-12, 7th in West)

The Knights were third in the Big East in turnover margin last season They didn’t shoot the ball well, however, finishing 13th in field goal percentage. In response, third-year coach Gary Waters brought in a recruiting class designed to deliver a more potent scoring punch to help the Scarlet Knights compete against several of the Big East’s loaded squads..

Swingman Ricky Shields and forward Herve Lamizana will be Rutgers’ leaders and must prove so on the court. Lamizana, a 6-10 senior, can play either forward spot. One of the league’s most versatile players, he averaged 10.6 points per game, 6.4 rebounds per game and 3.0 blocks per game. In two seasons, Lamizana has blocked 152 shots. Forward Sean Axani started fifteen games last season and averaged 4.2 points per game and 3.8 rebounds per game. He can play power forward or center.

Our Nearly Dearly Departed Brothers

Miami Hurricanes (11-17, 4-12, 7th in East)

In eight of the Hurricanes’ twelve Big East losses, Miami lost by five points or less. Two of those required overtime. Coach Perry Clark hopes last year’s experiences turn into this year’s victories. Superstar Darius Rice returns for his senior season, which will also mark Miami’s final Big East tour before joining the ACC. Rice averaged 18.7 points per game and 5.8 rebounds per game. Four times last year he hit a three-pointer at the end of regulation to either win a game or send it into overtime. An All-Big East Third Team selection, he should be one of the league’s premier scorers.

Miami has a trio of guards who played much of last season as freshmen. Robert Hite showed promise at shooting guard. Armando Surratt started fifteen games and frequently ran the point. Eric Wilkins earned nine starts and averaged 4.4 points per game while excelling defensively. Last year, Miami led the Big East in steals.

Boston College Eagles (19-11, 10-6, 1st in East)

The best Big East basketball program to bolt for the ACC, Boston College will have to find a way to play without its hero, Troy Bell, the program’s all-time leading scorer. Ryan Sidney, who would have been the Eagles team leader, will not return for his senior year because of personal reasons. In addition to these losses, Craig Smith had arthroscopic surgery on his knee and might not be available for the start of the season. Smith was named to the pre-season All-Big-East squad.

Smith was one of the nation’s top freshmen last year, starting 28 games and averaging 20 points per game and eight rebounds per game. Smith earned Big East All-Conference second team honors and All-Rookie first team honors. His 60.8 percent shooting percentage was tops among all Big East players.

Junior center Nate Doornekamp is also on the physically unable to perform list after suffering a fracture to the fifth metatarsal in his left foot. The injury will sideline Doornekamp for six to eight weeks. Boston College’s three returning starters must carry the Eagles until the other players heal. Uka Agbai, a 6-8 power forward, returns from a neck injury. Agbai averaged 12 points per game before the injury.

Virginia Tech Hokies (11-18, 4-12, 6th in East)

The Hokies are another Big East team entering its final season in the conference before joining the ACC. Virginia Tech will have a new coach at the helm in Seth Greenberg. Arriving from South Florida, Greenberg has the unenviable charge to resurrect a mediocre basketball program. A move to the tradition-laden ACC will not make his job easier, but an improved record in the Big East this season would be a fine start to his latest coaching challenge.

The only two seniors on the roster will be the team’s cornerstones. Bryant Matthews and Carlos Dixon are talented and experienced wing players. Last year, Matthews became the first player in Big East history to lead his team in scoring (17.3 points per game), assists (64), steals (48) and blocks (34). A starter in every game, he also led the team in minutes played.

Random Thoughts

We still may have underestimated Emeka Okafor’s ability . . . Mike Brey is in huge debt to Chris Thomas . . . Billy Edelin is eager to put the past behind him . . . Chevon Troutman won’t stay four years at Pittsburgh . . . It was very professional of Steve Lavin to predict success for his successor at UCLA Ben Howland . . . The academic troubles of Kelly Whitney are going to stall Seton Hall. . . Craig Esherick and Mike Jarvis could be feeling job insecurity after this season . . . Will Showtime be worth the price of admission at St. John’s? . . . In a few years we will refuse to believe Virginia Tech played in the Big East.

Mid-Continent Conference Preview

Mid-Continent Conference Preview

by Cory J. Danner

After the absolutely thrilling end to the season in March, the Mid-Con has been shaping up to have another great run this season. Valparaiso returns a familiar coach in Homer Drew, after Scott Drew took off for Texas and the head coaching position at Baylor.

Valpo’s Joaquim Gomes has been selected to the Angolan Olympic Team, which will compete in the 2004 Athens Games. You can just hear the whole state of Indiana in 2004 can’t you, Go Angola! Angola fever, catch it.

Mid-Con champion IUPUI reloaded with a fresh crop of talent, but might not be able to pull of the miracle that was performed in the conference tournament. It may take a whole year to recover from the loss to Kentucky in the NCAA tournament, and the loss of Josh Murray.

Oakland looks to be the expected favorite with “Too good to play in the Mid-Con” forward Mike Helms. Oakland should cherish every moment they have with this one because this is his last year. Helms was the leading scorer in the Mid-Con last season with 26.9 ppg. This broke the conference record for single season point average, and earned him Player of the Year honors.

All-Mid-Continent Conference Team
Mike Helms – Oakland
Rawle Marshall – Oakland
Odell Bradley – IUPUI
Craig Franklin – Chicago State
Joaquim Gomes – Valparaiso

Coach on the Hot Seat:

Southern Utah Coach Bill Evans. Two years removed from a 25-6 season, one more losing season might mean it’s time for a change in Utah.

Newcomer of the Year

IUPUI’s Harvey Harrington. Coming in from a JuCo last season, Al Harrington’s little brother looks to show off some skills of his own.

Player of the Year

Oakland’s Mike Helms. How can you look at this kid and not think he will dominate this conference? If he plays well enough, you could see him as a late second round pick next year.

Oakland Golden Grizzlies (17-11, 10-4, 3rd)

Starting Five:
Mike Helms – Sr.
Rawle Marshall – Jr.
Cortney Scott – Jr.
Jordan Sabourin – Sr.
Kelly Williams – Sr.

This is the year of Mike Helms. Put the money in the pool and close all bets, because Oakland will be representing the Mid-Con in the NCAA tournament. The humiliation that Southern Utah put on the Grizzlies will be just the amount of motivation the team needs to pound everyone in its way to the top.

The Grizzlies lost no starters, that’s right, none. They tout a core group of Helms, Rawl Marshall and Cortney Scott. Helms and Marshall were on the conference championship first team, and Scott was on the second team.

Don’t expect any newcomers to be playing right away. Head Coach Greg Kampe has the luxury of not having to adapt a new system to his players. The players know the system because they have ran it for years.

This team is so good, and they only have one player from outside of Michigan. Seven of the players are from Detroit and three just from one high school.

The Grizzlies hook up with Cincinnati, Michigan, and Missouri in the non-conference schedule. I will almost guarantee at least one win out of that bunch. The team will wake up a lot of people not only in the conference, but in the nation about Mike Helms.

In his 20th season, Kampe has to believe his team has the skills and talent to take it all the way.

Valparaiso Crusaders (20-10, 12-12, 1st)

Starting Five
Joaquim Gomes – Sr.
Greg Tonagel – Sr.
Roberto Nieves – Sr.
Miguel Ali Berdiel – Jr.
Ron Howard – So.

Homer Drew takes over at Valparaiso after his son and Crusader Head Coach Scott Drew bolted to Baylor to take the fun and exciting job of head coach (media liaison) for the basketball program. Homer knows the program well, since he was the coach before Scott took over.

The Crusaders lose Raitis Grafs, a member of the all-tournament team. Greg Tonagel will step into the leadership role for the Crusaders this year and hopes to lead them back to the conference championship.

The Drew’s take a different approach to recruiting than Oakland does. The Crusaders dress only one player from Indiana, and have five players from foreign countries. The most prominent foreign player is Joaquim Gomes, who was just named to the Angolan Olympic team. Gomes is a talented forward who hits the boards hard with his 6-8 frame.

Moussa Mbaye, out of Senegal, is going to be competing for significant playing time this season in the frontcourt. At 6-9 and 215, he can blow past defenders on the outside and can still compete on the inside.

The Crusaders play an easy non-conference schedule and could end the season with another 20 win season. The Crusaders will be better than last year, but in the end, they will be crushed by Oakland.

IUPUI Jaguars (20-13, 10-4, 2nd)

Starting Five
Dannorris Harvey – Sr.
Matt Crenshaw – Sr.
Odell Bradley – Sr.
Jason Miller – Sr.
Harvey Harrington – Jr.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that the IUPUI Jaguars put on quite a performance in the Mid-Con Conference Tournament. Powered by the offensive firepower of Josh Murray, the Jaguars stunned Valparaiso.

The Jaguars lost not only Murray, but five other seniors for the upcoming season. Odell Bradley is no Murray, but he will try and distribute the weight between himself and Matt Crenshaw.

Harvey Harrington will come into the rotation hopefully around mid-season. He will prove to be a valued addition to the squad.Ron Hunter will try and work some more magic this season, after signing a huge contract extension.

The Jaguars play a schedule of powerhouses and creampuffs, just like last season. I see the Jaguars pulling about the same record overall and in conference play, but as for the tournament, there is no magic this year.

Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (18-10, 9-5, 4th)

Starting Five
Luke Spencer-Gardner – Sr.
Josh Atkinson – Sr.
Jonathan Bluitt – So.
Ralph Charles – Sr.
Matt Gastel – Jr.

The Golden Eagles lost starters Reggie Borges, Tyrone Tiggs, and Kendrick Moore. For this, and the fact they didn’t reload, it will be tough for ORU to compete in the tournament.

Luke Spencer-Gardner and Josh Atkinson remain, but there might not be anyone else to help the situation. Those two and senior Ralph Charles will help the Golden Eagles stay off the bottom of the barrel, but no better than IUPUI, Oakland and Valparaiso.

In his fifth year as head coach, Scott Sutton will, as always, do a great job guiding less talent than everyone else. By the end of the season though, he will have sucked everything out of his players that he can.

The Eagles will probably pound out a 20-win season behind a soft non-conference schedule and nine or 10 conference wins.

UMKC Kangaroos (9-20, 7-7, 5th)

Starting Five
Brandon Lipsey – So.
Carlton Aaron – So.
Michael Watson – Sr.
Javon Clark – Sr.
Dan Leadbetter – Jr.

The Kangaroos look to make a huge leap, forgive the horrid pun, in the conference this season. No huge losses for UMKC, but Mark Sticker did add a certain amount of composure to this team. The point guard handled the ball well, but little else. Javon Clark will step in nicely at this role and the Kangaroos won’t miss a beat. Michael Watson has gotten better every year, and averaged 25.5 ppg.

Three JuCo transfers will add depth to an already talented bench. Mark Huppe transferred from Truman State, and will show off his 3-point ability to the conference. Blake Crawford will back up Carlton Aaron at the center position, and will probably see a lot of playing time.

Coach Rich Zvosec will lead the Kangaroos into his third season at the reigns. The team will probably hit 10 wins in the conference, and might make a huge push for the title. If the team doesn’t do it this year, the future looks bleak without Watson next season.

Southern Utah Thunderbirds (11-17, 5-9, 6th)

Starting Five
Robbie Warren – Sr.
Tim Gainey – Jr.
Jason Baker – Jr.
David Palmer – Sr.
Khalil Sikander – Sr.

The T’Birds lost their leading scorer and rebounder in Dan Beus, and might not have anyone to fill the shoes. Jay Collins will do his best to lead the Thunderbirds in a critical season for Head Coach Bill Evans.

Evans led the Thunderbirds to an NCAA birth and 25-6 record in 2001, but the past two seasons have been nothing but disappointment. Glimmers of hope have arisen though.

The T’Birds pulled off the huge upset of Oakland last season at the Mid-Con Tournament, but faltered severely against UMKC. The T’Birds beat Valpo by 16 in the regular season, and IUPUI by 12. Valpo was the conference champion, and IUPUI the tournament champion.

An early test against in-state rival Utah will be a good test to gauge where the team is. Other than Utah though, the T’Birds will have to wait for the conference season to really find some competition.

No matter what Evans does though, he will have the Joe Paterno free pass. Graduating and coaching at SUU, Evans will be able to go as long as he likes.

Centenary Gents (14-14, 0-0, New to Mid-Con)

Starting Five
Andrew Wisniewski – Sr.
Micharl Gale – Sr.
Chad Maclies – Jr.
DeMario Hooper – Sr.
Josh Thibodeaux – Jr.

The Gents are a solid team from top to bottom, but just lack that one standout player that most other team’s have. A lot can be said for team ball though. If there is a true leader on this team, it is Michael Gale. A shooting guard that has excellent ball handling and if you leave him open behind the arc can hurt you bad.

The Gents are another team with no significant losses from last season, but looks to have another average year. The Gents will have real trouble competing with the likes of Oakland and Valpo.

As is the growing trend in the Mid-Con, size will matter in a few years. The Gents recruited a 6-11 freshman named Stanley Turner. The days of shoot-outs in the Mid-Con are soon going to come to a halt. The big men are going to take over and you are going to see a 7-footer on a regular basis.

The Louisiana team will play some in southern foes that could tear the Gents heads off. LSU, Mississippi, and Texas all will be making a date with the Gents.

Kevin Johnson opens his seventh campaign up with Centenary in a new conference. The Mid-Con recruited Centenary two years ago and the team finally enters conference play this season.

Western Illinois Leathernecks (7-21, 3-11, 7th)

Starting Five
J.D. Summers – Sr.
Bobby Carter – Sr.
Andre Charles – Sr.
Will Lewis – Jr.
Anthony Lenoir – Jr.

Michael Covington will be a huge loss to the Leatherneck team that was a team full of close losses last season. Covington propelled the Leathernecks to a 7-21 record, but many of those games weren’t decided until the final minutes. Bobby Carter is going to have to really play a key role this season if the team is to improve.

Redshirt freshman David Genslinger will be the big 6-9 man inside and will probably win the starting role by mid-season. First year coach, a huge trend in the Mid-Con, Kevin Thomas will probably up the win total by three or four games.

The Leathernecks take it easy in the non-conference side of the season, bucking the conference trend. The only sure pummeling’s will be against Illinois and Minnesota.

WIU should stay out of the cellar for another year, but don’t look for a drastic improvement for a while. Thomas will do little to rejuvenate the struggling Leathernecks. He is a solid coach, as are so many in the Mid-Con, but the talent is just far greater at other schools.

Chicago State Cougars (3-27, 0-14, 8th)

Starting Five
Craig Franklin – Jr.
Rubeen Perry – Sr.
Geoff Richard – Sr.
Antoine Hansbro – Sr.
Nathan Carter – So.

The big banging body of Center Clark Bone will be sorely missed by the Cougars. Stepping up will be sophomore Nathan Carter. He saw some action last season and should fill the role nicely.

Holy Crap! Is that a 7-footer in the Mid-Con? Jeleel Akindele will step in the paint with Carter and try to take the inside presence of the Cougars to a whole new level. That level being decent since the team was abysmal last season and failed to win even one, ONE!, conference game.

New Head Coach Kevin Jones isn’t really all that new. He has been around the system for a while and even stepped in for the final 12 games of last season. This team could use some fresh blood.

The Cougars will make the rounds in December, not playing a single home game. Hopefully they will return home with their heads on, because they play some powerhouses. Purdue, Florida St. and Pittsburgh just to name a few.

The theory of playing better teams makes you better is something the Cougars will hear a whole lot of from Coach Jones this season. Primarily because every team will be better.

Hopefully Chicago State can do something to turn around their program in the next couple years. Bringing in a slew of freshmen might help in the long-term, but Cougar fans better be prepared to wait.

Ohio Valley Conference Preview

Ohio Valley Conference Preview

by Zach Van Hart

Welcome back to the OC, wait, I meant the OVC. Last year, Austin Peay swept the Ohio Valley Conference, tying Morehead State for the regular season crown, then defeating Tennessee Tech for the conference title and a birth in the NCAA Tournament. Scary enough, The Governors return all five starters from last year’s squad, making them the easy choice as conference favorite. Here is the list of picks for the OVC this year, along with some team descriptions.

Preseason Hardware

First Team All-OVC:
Ricky Minard, Morehead State
Cuthbert Victor, Murray State
Adrian Henning, Austin Peay
Brandon Griffin, SE Missouri State
Cameron Crisp, Tennessee Tech

MVP:
Ricky Minard, Morehead State

Defensive Player of the Year:
Brandon Griffin, SE Missouri State

1. Austin Peay (23-8, 13-3, 1st)

Basically, it’s the Governors and ten others this season. After winning both the regular season and tournament titles last year and then returning all five starters from a year ago, Peay is the heavy favored to repeat this year.

The starting five looks like this – senior guards Rhet Wierzba and Corey Gipson, junior guard Anthony Davis, senior forward Adrian Henning and senior center Josh Lewis. All four can score and the unit plays very well together. Henning, Davis and Lewis are the team’s top scorers, Henning averaged 15.5 points per game last year, Davis 14.0 and Lewis 12.8.

The Govs showed a knack for winning the close games last year. While usually not overpowering, they always find a way at the end to win games. With the starting five all back, expect more wins, perhaps by a wider margin, and another banner to hang in the rafters when the year is over.

2. Morehead State (20-9, 13-3, 2nd)

The Eagles are coming off its best season in nineteen years and only its second 20-win season in program history. MSU was lead by the Marks & Minard duo, guards Chez Marks and Ricky Minard. Half of the duo has departed, Marks graduated, but Minard’s return is all Eagles fans could ask for.

Minard, the reigning OVC Player of the Year, pondered skipping his senior year and declaring for the NBA. He eventually withdrew his name from consideration. Minard is the team’s leading returner in virtually every offensive category, averaging 22.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game last year. He will need to take on even bigger role this year, if that’s possible.

Inside, the leader will be junior forward Chad McKnight, who averaged 7.3 points and 3.8 boards per game. Joining him inside will be senior center Anton Kerley, who averaged 5.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game and lead the team with 20 blocks.

The Eagles are a step below Austin Peay, but they have a better chance than any to knock off the favorites.

3. Murray State (17-12, 9-7, 4th)

The Racers enter this year with a new head coach, former Louisville assistant Mick Cronin. Don’t expect to see too many changes though at Murray State as the team will likely finish towards the top of the league.

Leading the way for the Racers will be senior forward Cuthbert Victor, the team’s leading scorer from a year ago at 15.3 points per game, along as being the team’s top returning rebounder.

While Victor must control the inside, Murray State is more balanced in the backcourt. Seniors Rick Jones and Chris Schumate are capable scorers, both averaged in double digits last season, and like to shoot from deep. Jones averaged more than six three-point attempts a game last year. The two go toe-to-toe with any backcourt in the conference and where these two go, so go the Racers.

4. Tennessee Martin (14-14, 7-9, 6th)

While the Skyhawks struggled last season to a 7-9 conference mark, they have a key nucleus returning that will provide UT-Martin with a strong team in the OVC this season. This nucleus includes senior guard Earl Bullock, junior guard Jeremy Kelly and senior forward J. C. Howe. This trio is the key for the Skyhawks.

Bullock is the team’s leading returning scorer after averaging sixteen points per contest a year ago. If Bullock is shooting, he’s likely behind the three-point line. He took 278 shots from downtown last year, nearly 70 percent of his total attempts and an average of ten per game.

His partner in the backcourt, Kelly, averaged 3.4 assists last season but committed 84 turnovers in the process. He will need to take better care of the ball this season. Expect this to happen from the junior.

The leader in the frontcourt will be Howe. With bigman Joey Walker graduating, Howe will some help on the inside. Last year he averaged 13.9 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.

5. SE Missouri State (11-19, 5-11, 8th)

Experience is the key for the Indians this year. They return four out of five starters from the 2002-03 season and are hoping this until will improve upon its 11-19 record from a year ago.

Like many teams in the OVC this year, SE Missouri State’s strength resides in its backcourt. Juniors David Winans and Kevin Roberts are young but dangerous and could cause fits for opposing defenses.

Winans averaged 15.3 points per game last season while Roberts dropped 6.2 dimes a game. More importantly for Roberts, he lead the league in assist-to-turnover ration at 3.1. Winans is excellent from beyond the arc, shooting 41.3 percent from deep, and is also an excellent defensive player. He was third on the team in rebounding and led the team in steals.

Inside, senior center Brandon Griffin figures to be the man for the Indians. He was the league’s No. 2 rebounder last year, averaging 10.5 boards a game, to go along with 11.9 points per contest. If the Indians are going to make a run at the top of the conference, Griffin must have a breakout season.

6. Tennessee Tech (20-12, 11-5, 3rd)

The Golden Eagles finished last year third in the conference with a 11-5 OVC mark, then advanced to the conference tournament finals before losing to Austin Peay, 63-57. The team that steps out onto the court this season will look much different than the 20-12 squad of a year ago.

Gone are four of the team’s five starters. The only returnee is senior guard Cameron Crisp, the only player who serious contributions to the team a season ago. While the Eagles have capable players who were on the bench last year, this season could be a struggle.

Crisp last year averaged 13.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game, tops amongst all returnees to Tech. Simply put, the Golden Eagles will only go, especially early, as far as Crisp can take them.

7. Eastern Illinois (14-15, 9-7, 5th)

Henry Domercant is gone and there is nothing Panthers fans can do to bring him back. The star guard, who graduated last season, took with him his 27.9 points per game averaged, second in the country last year. His play will obviously be missed.

Filling the void will be senior center Jesse Mackinson, as the team will change its focus from outside scoring to inside. Mackinson is the top returning scorer and rebounder, having averaged 9.8 points and 5.0 boards a game. He will be joined in the middle by forwards David Roos and Andy Gobzcynski.

On the perimeter, Jason Wright will likely take over the point guard duties, even though he averaged only eleven minutes per game last year. Basically, the Panthers are going to struggle this season without their star.

8. Samford (13-15, 9-7, 3rd Place, A-Sun North)

The Bulldogs are one of two new teams to the OVC this season, having left the Atlantic Sun Conference. Last year Samford went 13-15 overall and 9-7 in conference play. They return four of five starters from a year ago and while they will likely not contend for the OVC title, they should be able to hold their own against almost any team.

Their top returner is 6-foot-10 senior center Phillip Ramelli, who averaged 11.5 points per game. Following Ramelli is senior guard Tyson Dorsey, who notched a 9.6 points per game average. Junior J. Robert Merritt is the swing man for the Bulldogs and netted 9.4 scoring average last year.

These three were the top three scorers a year ago so it’s plan to see Samford is a low-scoring team. They only averaged 64 points per a game during the 2002-03 season, proving to be their downfall. They will have to find their stroke this year to make some noise in its first year in the OVC.

9. Eastern Kentucky (11-17, 5-11, 7th)

The Coloniels struggled last year, finishing eighth in the then nine-team conference. But EKU returns several key contributors from a year ago and could improve upon last year’s results. Just don’t hold your breathe.

Sophomore guard Matt Witt could have a breakout season for the Coloniels. As a freshman he averaged 13.6 points per game, second on the team and tops for all returners. With Shawn Fields gone to graduation, he will be the go-to guy for EKU. But he also looks to distribute the ball, evident by his 5.1 assists last year. He will have several options to choose from on offense.

His counterparts include senior forward Jon Bentley, who averaged 11.9 points per game and was second on the team in rebounding. He trailed junior Michael Haney, who grabbed 5.9 boards per contest last year. With these three, EKU has an opportunity to move up some spots this year.

10. Jacksonville State (20-10, 10-6, 2nd Place, A-Sun North)

The Gamecocks are the second team to join the OVC this year from the Atlantic Sun Conference. Last year JSU went 20-10 and 10-6 in conference play. But the squad lost its top three scorers to graduation and will need to find someone to step up.

Yet again, the strength of this Gamecock team is in the backcourt. Seniors James Denson and Scott Watson will anchor the team. They are the top two returning scorers, Watson being the point guard, while Denson is the two-guard. They both averaged between seven and eight points a game last year, both need to step that by five to ten points for JSU to be competitive.

Fellow senior guard Emerson Brown will likely make the Gamecocks go with a three-guard lineup. This is the best bet for JSU. They will get to utilize their speed, cause other wise they could be in trouble.

11. Tennessee State (2-25, 0-16, 9th)

Speaking of trouble, that’s all you have to say to describe the state of Tennessee State’s basketball program. Cy Alexander has come to try and restore order at TSU. Order he may get, good basketball he will not. At least not yet.

His stud will be junior forward Roshuan Bowens, who averaged 15.4 points and 6.7 rebounds last year. A host of big men will share duties with Bowen, who figures to be the first half of a one-two punch on offense.

The other half is senior guard Garrett Richardson. The point averaged 12.6 points a contest and dropped 111 dimes on the year. He, also with Bowens, must step it up a notch to gain some respect, and some wins, in the OVC this year.

Patriot League Preview

Patriot League Preview

by Steve Sheridan

At the beginning of last season, it looked like Holy Cross would take the League title, and sure enough they did. It seemed predestined (by a higher being hanging out in Worcester, perhaps), that the Crusaders would waltz into the NCAA Tournament. Coming into this season; however, there does not appear to be a clear-cut favorite coming out of the gate.

What can be clearly seen is that this year may very well be the year of the guard in the Patriot League. With Holy Cross’ Jave Meade, Colgate’s Mark Linebaugh and Lafayette’s Justin DeBerry all returning this season, it looks to be a guard-oriented year. Even with the graduations of American’s Steven Miles and Glenn Stokes, Lehigh’s Matt Logie and Zlatko Savovic and Lafayette’s Andrew Pleick, the guard position looks to be as strong as ever in 2003-2004. With each team feeling the sting of graduation, it looks to be a wide-open year in the Patriot League. Right now, it looks as if Colgate and Holy Cross are to be the early favorites for the league title, but Lafayette’s squad is not to be overlooked. As has been proven in the past, anything can and usually does happen over the course of a season, and I expect this season to be no different.

Preseason All-Conference First Team
Jave Meade, Guard, Holy Cross
Mark Linebaugh, Guard, Colgate
Justin DeBerry, Guard, Lafayette
Kevin Blankenship, Guard, Bucknell
Nate Lufkin, Center, Holy Cross

Conference MVP
Jave Meade, Guard, Holy Cross

Team Capsules (In Order of Projected Finish)

Colgate (14-14, 9-5, 3rd)

The Raiders look poised to seriously challenge for the Patriot League title this season, as Colgate returns its top two scorers in senior co-captains Mark Linebaugh and Howard Blue from a team that finished with a .500 overall record (14-14), tying for second in the league with a 9-5 record. Linebaugh, a second-team all-Patriot Leaguer, heads a squad that loves to shoot the three-ball, including all-rookie team member Alvin Reed and junior Keith Williams, who missed half of last season due to a knee injury. With the graduation of point guard Dave Hardy, look for Linebaugh to direct the offense much more so than last season. Blue, along with fellow forward junior Andrew Zidar, gives Colgate a much needed inside presence.

It was not offense but defense that kept Colgate from doing better in the conference, as they were second-to-last and last, respectively, in scoring defense and field goal percentage defense. If the team can improve its defense and keep up the offensive attack, the Raiders will be a serious threat to Holy Cross’ stranglehold on the league title. Colgate’s non-league schedule includes Ivy League powers Princeton and Harvard, as well as the squad’s yearly jaunt to Syracuse to take on the defending national champions at the Carrier Dome.

Holy Cross (26-5, 13-1, 1st)

Last season, the Crusaders were expected to coast through their Patriot League schedule to another league title, and they didn’t disappoint, going 13-1 in the league (26-5 overall). This season; however, looks to be a little more difficult for Ralph Willard’s squad. For starters, the Cross is losing the last three Patriot League Players of the Year, in Tim Szatko (twice) and 2003 honoree Patrick Whearty. Along with guard Brian Wilson, the trio was Holy Cross’ three leading scorers, dropping a combined average of 35 points per game. Junior center Nate Lufkin and senior guard Jave Meade will be asked to step up and fill the large void left by the three. Meade was the catalyst of the Crusader offense all season long and played superb defense as well, while Lufkin showed what he is capable of by playing arguably his best game on the biggest stage, contributing greatly to the Cross’ near upset of Marquette in the NCAA Tournament. Junior Neil Fingleton, all 7-feet 6-inches of him, will also get a chance to contribute to the team in Whearty’s absence. With Meade at the helm, nobody doubts whether Holy Cross can make it a four-peat, but it is known that the road will certainly not be quite as easy as last year.

Lafayette (13-16, 6-8, 6th)

The Leopards should be much improved this season under Fran O’Hanlon, graduating only one senior while keeping the nucleus of last year’s team, which finished sixth in the league last season (6-8, 13-16 overall) intact, including the team’s top four scorers. The team reached the tournament semifinals last season behind the strong play of second-team all-Leaguer Justin DeBerry, who averaged over 16 points a game, and fellow senior Winston Davis. This duo should prove to be one of the best guard tandems in the Patriot League, as DeBerry looks to top the league in scoring after placing second this past season. What the team seeks this season is consistency from its starters, hoping to avoid the alternation of short winning and losing streaks throughout the season as tended to be the case last year. Senior center Rob Dill, the league’s top shot-blocker, and senior forward Mike Farrell should establish Lafayette once again with a solid tandem under the boards. The team’s non-league schedule is packed with Ivies, including trips to Penn, Princeton and Columbia.

Bucknell (14-15, 7-7, 5th)

The Bucknell Bison may very well be the most experienced team in the conference heading into the 2003-2004 season, as its roster is packed with seven seniors. This experience will help counteract the loss of four-year starting point guard Dan Blankenship and the team’s leading scorer and league’s leading rebounder, Boakai Lalugba, who was arguably one of the most dominating players in the league last season. Blankenship and Lalugba were two main reasons why Bucknell was able to stay even in the league last year (7-7) for a fifth place finish, while almost reaching the .500 mark overall (14-15). Patriot League Rookie of the Year Kevin Bettencourt will be one of coach Pat Flannery’s main offensive weapons, while senior guards Matt Quinn (co-captain) and Chris Rodgers will try and fill the large shoes of Blankenship. The guard duo will be sure to try and improve on an offense that ranked second-to-last in the conference last season, which offset the second-best defense in the league. The Bison have put together a competitive non-conference schedule, including Michigan State, who made the Elite Eight last year, as well as Ivy League champion Penn, and look to make a serious run at the league championship for all those seniors.

American (16-14, 9-5, 2nd)

The Eagles will try to return to the Patriot League championship game for the third consecutive year under coach Jeff Jones, but will have to do so without their two leading scorers from last year, who were considered by many to be the best guard tandem in the League. With Steven Miles (all-Patriot League first-team) and Glenn Stokes, two key figures in the Eagles’ second place finish last season (9-5 league, 16-14 overall), both leaving, American has a 32-point hole in its offense that needs to be filled. Senior guard Andres Rodriguez and senior forward Jernavis Draughn will be counted on to help supply points for the Eagles this season, as well as all-rookie team selection Raimondas Petrauskas, as the team hopes to finally win a League title, having come close the past two seasons. With a tough non-league schedule, including match-ups at Maryland and Notre Dame, American should be able to see very quickly how it matches up with some of the better teams in the country, not just the Patriot League.

Lehigh (16-12, 8-6, 4th)

Nobody saw the Mountain Hawks coming in coach Billy Taylor’s first year on the job in Bethlehem, when they stormed to the top of the Patriot League before fading to fourth place by season’s end. The team ended up with a respectable 8-6 league mark, while finishing four games above .500 for the whole season (16-12). The team loses star guards Matt Logie and team MVP and all-league performer Zlatko Savovic to graduation, and so will be counting on senior co-captains Ra Tiah and Austen Rowland to assume the vacated positions. Rowland enters his first year of play for Lehigh, having transferred from Delaware two seasons ago, and will be counted on to provide a viable scoring threat from the outside. All-rookie selection Mitch Gilfillan is also expected to chip in, as the sophomore proved himself a sharpshooter from downtown last season, connecting on 52% of his shots from beyond the arc. As is becoming custom with Patriot League teams, Lehigh has a tough non-conference schedule as well, highlighted by a contest against perennial powerhouse UConn in Storrs, CT.

Navy (8-20, 4-10, 7th)

The Midshipmen of Navy didn’t have the best of years last season (seventh place in the league with a 4-10 record, 8-20 overall), and after graduating its top two players, the team doesn’t appear to have much to look forward to in the 2003-2004 season. With their top four scorers all departing from Annapolis, the Midshipmen will field an inexperienced lineup for the upcoming campaign, and coach Don DeVoe hopes to bring out the best of the bunch. Sophomore guard David Hooper was named to the league’s all-Rookie team, and hopes to once again provide a legitimate scoring threat from the perimeter. Senior guard Kwame Ofori also showed some promise after taking over at point guard, and the team will be looking to him for some much-needed senior leadership when it comes to scoring. With the state of Navy, it looks as if the annual Army-Navy contests, aside from the bragging rights in the natural rivalry of the two academies, may once again also decide who gets to stay out of the Patriot League cellar.

Army (5-22, 0-14, 8th)

If you’re optimistic, you can say that the Black Knights couldn’t get any worse when it comes to Patriot League play. After going winless in their conference schedule (0-14) and winning only five games all year (5-22) in coach Jim Crews’ first season at the helm, Army must find some way to improve the league’s last-ranked offense from last season. This must also be done without the services of junior guard Andy Smith, the team’s leading scorer who left the Black Knight basketball program in April. Senior guard Sean O’Keefe, the team’s second-leading scorer last year, will play a big role in filling that hole, which will have to be filled and overflowed if Army is to be at all competitive in the Patriot League this season. In early December, the team will travel to Storrs, CT to take on UConn, who will most certainly challenge for the NCAA title this season, and if the squad could even remotely hang with the Huskies, it may bode well for its chances of a Patriot League rebound. Those chances; however, may be slim at best.

I can make no such predictions as were made last year, so I can only speculate that the team that lost the least due to graduation, Colgate and Lafayette, will be near the top of the standings. Ralph Willard will always have his Holy Cross team ready for action, so the three-time defending league champions certainly cannot be ruled out by any means. And as was the case with Lehigh, a team could always come up from nowhere to take down the expected leaders. In the Patriot League, there is no such thing as a sure thing.

Hoop Fool Comic

Morning Dish

The Morning Dish – Sunday, November 9th

Finding His Voice: Ohio State head coach Jim O’Brien is facing a challenge this season on the Buckeye sidelines. It’s not with one of his players, it’s a damaged vocal chord, which is forcing O’Brien to work practices with a microphone. O’Brien, who underwent neck surgery five weeks ago to repair neck and shoulder pain, was left with one of the two vocal chords damaged. O’Brien was aware of the risk prior to the procedure, and was instructed that it may take up to eight months for the chord to heal – well after this upcoming basketball season. O’Brien, whose coaching career may be threatened if the chord cannot be repaired, has been working on communication methods with his players that they can employ during the regular season. Another option may be to have assistant coach Rick Boyages, who joined the squad after three years at the helm of William & Mary, relay calls, or even take over as interim head coach. O’Brien will also investigate surgical options if he is still having difficulty after the eight-month recovery period.

Horned Frog Back: Texas Christian received some good news yesterday in that freshman center Oluwafemi Ibikunle has been given clearance by the NCAA to join the squad following an investigation into two secondary NCAA violations. Ibikunle, who was the recipient of two illegal benefits from former assistant coach Jai Steadman, who resigned amid the controversy in August. Steadman allegedly drove Ibikunle from the TCU campus in Fort Worth to Mexico to obtain an F1 student visa, and the transportation was also considered a non-approved trip by the NCAA. The cost of the transportation was repaid by Ibikunle, and the $386 was given to a local charity. Ibikunle was originally suspended for 20% of TCU’s games, pending the results of the investigation.

ACC Preview

Atlantic Coast Conference Notebook

by Michael Protos

A lot has happened in the ACC since the final games of last season when Maryland and Duke bowed out of the NCAA Tournament in the Sweet 16 in March. Now, the ACC’s teams embark on the conference’s final season as we know it.

After the dust settled from the tempestuous ACC expansion, Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College had become members of the ACC, increasing the number of schools to twelve. With the new teams, ACC teams will no longer be able to play each opponent twice, once at home and once on the road, during the basketball season. Some teams will only play an opponent once a year. The exact scheduling details remain unsettled because it is unclear when Boston College will officially abandon the Big East conference for the ACC. Virginia Tech and Miami will bolt the Big East for the ACC starting next season.

So as the new season starts, enjoy the final home-and-away series because the ACC is a conference moving into the 21st century of NCAA athletics – a century of superconferences and football championship games.

On the hardwood court, the ACC promises to regain its position atop the world of NCAA basketball. Duke and North Carolina have strong teams with plenty of sensational sophomores, many of whom already have an entire year of game experience. NC State features one of the nation’s best players in junior guard Julius Hodge. Wake Forest, Maryland and Florida State promise to compete for the middle three positions. Virginia, Clemson and Georgia Tech most likely will round out the bottom third of the conference as they rebuild after losing several key contributors.

With the season less than a month away, check out what you can expect to see this season.

Preseason ACC Most Valuable Player:
Julius Hodge, NC State

Hodge is one of the ACC’s most talented and most exciting players. NC State will ask him to lead the ‘Pack back to the top of the ACC standings and to the NCAA Tournament. Hodge has the ability to shut down the best opponents on defense while finding ways to score despite harassing pressure from opponents.

Preseason ACC Rookie of the Year:
Luol Deng, Duke

Duke likes to apply intense defensive pressure and to attack opponents on the offensive end, and Deng will offer the Blue Devils even greater flexibility. A 6’8 forward with the skills of a point guard, Deng can essentially play any position on the court. Deng may give up a few pounds to thicker forwards, but his tenacity to chase rebounds will produce solid numbers. Deng will be an instant contributor and could be the difference for Duke to reclaim the ACC regular season title.

Preseason ACC Most Improved Player:
Jamar Smith, Maryland

The Terrapins lost all five starters after last season, but forward Jamar Smith flashed moments of brilliance last season. Look for Smith to become the athletic runner that will frequently start and finish Maryland’s transition offense. Smith should put up big numbers in points and rebounds as he becomes a fixture in the starting lineup.

Preseason First Team All-ACC:
Julius Hodge, guard, NC State
Tim Pickett, guard, Florida State
Raymond Felton, guard, North Carolina
Vytas Danelius, forward, Wake Forest
J.J. Redick, guard, Duke

Preseason Second Team All-ACC:
Rashad McCants, guard, North Carolina
Chris Duhon, guard, Duke
Daniel Ewing, guard, Duke
Marcus Melvin, forward, NC State
Jamar Smith, forward, Maryland

1. Duke Blue Devils

Overall record: 27-6, Conference record: 11-5, 3rd place

Projected starting five:
Guard Chris Duhon, senior
Guard J.J. Redick, sophomre
Guard Daniel Ewing, junior
Forward Shelden Williams, sophomore
Forward Luol Deng, freshman

Key players lost:
Guard Dahntay Jones (17.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg)
Center Casey Sanders (4.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg)

Key additions:
Guard Patrick Davidson
Forward Luol Deng

Injuries:
Sophomore forward Shavlik Randolph had surgery in May for a labral tear and a bone spur on his left hip. Randolph spent the summer recovering from the surgery and should be good to go for this coming season. In 26 games as a freshman, Randolph averaged 7.4 points per game and 3.9 rebounds per game.

Non-conference schedule highlights:
Great Alaska Shootout, 11/27/03-11/29/03
At Michigan State, 12/3/03
St. John’s, 12/6/03
Texas, 12/20/03
Valparaiso, 2/26/04

Duke should return to the top of the ACC standings this season. The Blue Devils are the deepest team in the ACC with a lineup balanced by experienced leadership and energetic youth. Duhon will be the steadfast leader of this group while the youngsters Redick, Williams, Deng and company will provide the electrifying plays that inspire the Duke fans to make Cameron Indoor Stadium the most intimidating court in the nation.

2. North Carolina Tar Heels

Overall record: 19-16, Conference record: 6-10, 7th place

Projected starting five:
Guard Raymond Felton, sophomore
Guard Rashad McCants, sophomore
Guard Jackie Manuel, junior
Forward Jawad Williams, junior
Forward Sean May, sophomore

Key additions: Two
Forward Reyshawn Terry
Forward Justin Bohlander

Injuries:
Sophomore forward Sean May injured his foot last season and only returned for a cameo appearance in the ACC Tournament. He averaged 11.4 points per game and 8.1 rebounds per game before going down with the injury.

Non-conference schedule highlights:
Illinois, 12/2/03
Akron, 12/14/03
At UNC-Wilmington, 12/28/03
At Kentucky, 1/3/04
Connecticut, 1/17/03

Coaching change:
Matt Doherty resigned as North Carolina’s coach after pressure from the athletic department. He had a record of 53-43 in three seasons, but the department and other powerful North Carolina figures supposedly generally disagreed with Doherty’s coaching style. Roy Williams left Kansas to return to his alma mater to become the head coach. Williams brings a 418-101 record to Chapel Hill where he started his coaching career as an assistant under Dean Smith.

Roy Williams returns to Chapel Hill at a time of impending prosperity. Although Doherty was apparently not the right coach for the team, he built a solid team that should return to the top third of the ACC standings. Because North Carolina depended on their freshmen to contribute last year, they have invaluable experience in pressure situations. Expect Felton, McCants and May to play far better than the average college sophomore. North Carolina should have no troubles returning to the NCAA Tournament after an uncharacteristic two-year absence. Predicted finish: Second

3. NC State Wolfpack

Ovrall record: 18-13, Conference record: 9-7, 4th place

Projected starting five:
Guard Julius Hodge, junior
Guard Scooter Sherrill, senior
Forward Ilian Evtimov, sophomore
Forward Marcus Melvin, senior
Forward Levi Watkins, junior

Key players lost: Two
Guard Clifford Crawford (9.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.2 apg) (Graduated)
Forward Josh Powell (12.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.3 blocks per game) (NBA Draft)

Key additions: Four
Guard Engin Atsur
Guard Tony Bethel
Guard Chris McCoy
Guard Mike O’Donnell

Injuries:
Sophomore forward Ilian Evtimov returns to the Wolfpack’s lineup after tearing an ACL during NC State’s first exhibition game last year. Evtimov received a medical redshirt classification and therefore did not lose a year of eligibility.

Non-conference schedule highlights:
At Michigan, 12/2/03
Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 12/7/03
UNC-Wilmington, 1/3/04
BTU, 1/7/04
At Boston College, 1/20/04

Under the stewardship of Herb Sendek, the Wolfpack have reemerged as a force to be reckoned with in the ACC. Sendek likes to play a positionless offense that features many athletic guard/forward combo players. Hodge is the perfect player for the system as he can lead a break, hit the jumper and attack the rim. Hodge also plays shutdown defense and can carry this team to the top of the standings, much like Josh Howard did for Wake Forest last season. But is the Wolfpack’s supporting cast strong enough to complement Hodge’s talent and deliver a conference championship? Predicted finish: Third

4. Florida State Seminoles

Overall record: 14-15, Conference record: 4-12, 9th place

Projected starting five:
Guard Tim Pickett, senior
Guard Andrew Wilson, sophomore
Guard Nate Johnson, senior
Forward Anthony Richardson, junior
Forward Michael Joiner, senior

Key players lost: One
Center Trevor Harvery (8.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg)

Key additions: Four
Guard Von Wafer
Forward Alexander Johnson
Forward Diego Romero (JUCO transfer)
Forward Al Thornton

Injuries:
Oft-injured junior guard Andrew Wilson returns to the Seminoles lineup after playing only five games last season. He injured his wrist against Miami and missed the remainder of the season. The previous season he played in only one game before tearing his MCL and missing the rest of that season.

Non-conference schedule highlights:
Mississippi, 12/3/03
Pittsburgh Invitational, 12/16/03-12/22/03
At Florida, 1/3/04

Watch out for Florida State. The Seminoles feature an experienced lineup with gifted athletes and wise leaders. Leonard Hamilton is a great coach and is in his second year at Florida State. So his players should have a better grasp of his style. Look for Pickett to contest Hodge for conference MVP. Perhaps the only knock on Florida State is a relatively weak non-conference schedule that may leave them susceptible to hardened conference opponents that play more challenging schedules. But that shouldn’t matter for a truly talented and well-coached team. Predicted finish: Fourth

5. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Overall record: 25-6, Conference record: 13-3, 1st place

Projected starting five:
Guard Justin Gray, sophomore
Guard Taron Downey, junior
Forward Vytas Danelius, junior
Forward Jamaal Levy, junior
Center Eric Williams, sophomore

Key players lost: One
Forward Josh Howard (19.5 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1.5 blocks per game)

Key additions: Four
Guard Jeremy Ingram
Guard Chris Paul
Forward Todd Hendley
Center Kyle Visser

Injuries:
Sophomore forward Chris Ellis broke his right foot during Wake Forest’s first practice on Saturday. He had surgery Oct. 20, and the timing of his return remains unclear. Ellis was a reliable bench player last season, averaging 2.8 points per game and 2.5 rebounds per game. He would likely have seen more playing time this year as the Demon Deacons attempt to replace Howard.

Non-conference schedule highlights:
Memphis, 11/13/03
Indiana, 12/2/03
Richmond, 12/6/03
At Texas, 1/13/04
Cincinnati, 2/15/03

Wake Forest is a difficult team to predict. The Demon Deacons certainly have a talented roster. Danelius might be one of the best post players in the conference. The question is how effective will this team be without the presence of Josh Howard. If opponents can stymie Danelius and pressure Wake Forest’s young backcourt, the Demon Deacons may struggle. But if Danelius has a breakout season, Wake Forest could easily be a serious threat in the NCAA Tournament come March. Predicted finish: Fifth

6. Maryland Terrapins

Overall record: 21-10, Conference record: 11-5, 2nd place

Projected starting five:
Guard John Gilchrist, sophomore
Guard Mike Jones, freshman
Forward Nik Caner-Medley, sophomore
Forward Travis Garrison, sophomore
Forward Jamar Smith, senior

Key players lost: Five
Guard Steve Blake (11.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 7.1 apg)
Guard Drew Nicholas (17.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg)
Forward Tahj Holden (8.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg)
Forward Ryan Randle (12.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg)
Forward Calvin McCall (4.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg)

Key additions: Five
Guard Mike Jones
Guard D.J. Strawberry
Forward Hassan Fofana
Forward Ekene Ibekwe
Center Wil Bowers

Non-conference schedule highlights:
Wisconsin, 12/2/03
BB&T Classic, 12/6/03-12/7/03
At Florida, 12/10/03
Pepperdine, 12/14/03

The Terrapins have enjoyed experienced teams for the previous two seasons in a conference in which most other schools had very young lineups. Experience led Maryland to great conference finishes and a national championship two years ago. But now Maryland must deal with its own youth movement, having lost all five of its starters from last year. Despite the lack of experience, Maryland has many talented players and a fantastic recruiting class. Much like North Carolina did last year, Maryland will rely heavily on freshmen and sophomores to carry the team. That means the Terrapins will have an always exciting but sometimes inconsistent squad. Predicted finish: Sixth

7. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Overall record: 16-15, Conference record: 7-9, 5th place

Projected starting five:
Guard B.J. Elder, junior
Guard Marvin Lewis, senior
Guard Jarrett Jack, freshman
Forward Isma’il Muhammad, junior
Center Luke Schenscher, junior

Key players lost: Two

Forward Chris Bosh (15.7 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 2.1 blocks per game) (NBA Draft)
Forward Ed Nelson to Connecticut (8.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg) (Transferred)

Key additions: Two
Forward Will Bynum (Transfer from Arizona, eligible after fall semester)
Forward Clarence Moore (Returns to team as a senior)

Non-conference schedule highlights:
Preseason NIT, 11/18/03-11/28/03
St. John’s, 12/21/03
At Georgia, 1/3/04
At Tennessee, 2/7/04

I admit it – I was wrong about Chris Bosh. He left Georgia Tech for fortune and glory in the NBA when I thought he’d stay one more year. I bet the Yellow Jackets wish I was right. Rather than becoming a legitimate threat to win the ACC, Georgia Tech will struggle to avoid the bottom of the ACC’s standings. In addition to Bosh, Nelson left the Yellow Jackets’ program. Georgia Tech’s greatest addition is Will Bynum, a transfer from Arizona, but he will not be eligible until December. Someone for Georgia Tech must become the dominant post player to replace Bosh and Nelson. The Yellow Jackets have a strong backcourt but, without a serious threat in the paint, opponents can shift their defense to minimize their ability to take over games. Predicted finish: Seventh

8. Clemson Tigers

Overall record: 15-13, Conference record: 5-11, 8th place

Projected starting five:
Guard Chey Christe, junior
Guard Shawan Robinson, sophomore
Forward Olu Babalola, junior
Forward Chris Hobbs, senior
Forward Sharrod Ford, junior

Key players lost: Three
Guard Ed Scott (17.7 ppg, 5.8 apg)
Forward Ray Henderson (5.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg)
Forward Tomas Nagys (6.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg)

Key additions: Three
Guard Vernon Hamilton
Guard Jimmy Hudson
Forward Lamar Rice (JUCO transfer)

Non-conference schedule highlights:
At Purdue, 12/3/03
South Carolina, 12/6/03
At Georgia, 12/13/03
At Cincinnati, 12/17/03
Boston College, 12/30/03

Coaching change:
Clemson let Larry Shyatt resign as head coach. Oliver Purnell replaces Shyatt as coach. Purnell was last seen guiding the Dayton Fliers to a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament. He has a career record of 256-191 and looks to establish a winning tradition at Clemson.

Clemson will probably struggle this season. Purnell has to find a way to replace Scott and Henderson who were the backcourt and frontcourt team leaders, respectively. Clemson still has a strong frontcourt but a suspect backcourt. If Purnell can get Clemson out of the bottom third of the ACC standings, he should be considered a candidate for coach of the year. Predicted finish: Eighth

9. Virginia Cavaliers

Overall record: 16-16, Conference record: 6-10, 6th place

Projected starting five:
Guard Majestic Mapp, senior
Guard Todd Billet, senior
Forward Derrick Byars, sophomore
Forward Devin Smith, junior
Forward Elton Brown, junior

Key players lost: Four
Graduated:
Forward Travis Watson (14.3 ppg, 10.4 rpg)
Transferred:
Guard Jermaine Harper to California State – Fullerton (3.9 ppg)
Forward Nick Vander Laan to Concordia University (5.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg)
Left the team:
Guard Keith Jenifer (5.6 ppg, 5.5 apg)

Key additions: Five
Guard T.J. Bannister
Guard Gary Forbes
Guard J.R. Reynolds
Forward Jason Cain
Forward Donte Minter

Injuries:
Although senior guard Majestic Mapp rejoined the Cavaliers last season, this season will be his first full season since blowing out his right knee – twice. Mapp’s charisma provides instant energy for the Cavaliers and their home-court crowd.

Non-conference schedule highlights:
Minnesota, 12/3/03
Iowa State, 12/31/03
Providence, 1/3/03

Virginia must find a way to replace Watson’s ability to dominate in the post. Expect the Cavaliers to struggle early as they try to integrate last season’s players with their talented recruiting class. Several of the freshmen must have monstrous seasons for Virginia to have a shot at a good finish in the ACC. Most likely, Virginia will undergo a rebuilding year and give the freshmen an opportunity to learn through experience. Predicted finish: Ninth

Summary

The ACC should get five teams into the NCAA Tournament this year. It would not shock me if Maryland finishes strong and receives serious consideration for a bid if one or two other major conferences have only a few teams dominate.

With the ACC adding more teams after this season, enjoy the home-and-away series because this season will mark the final time the conference schedule features the equal matchups. And if you get a chance, check out Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College to see how the ACC’s future competition fares.

Big West Conference Preview

Big West Conference Preview

by Marcus Vanderberg

Tragedy, an NCAA investigation, grand theft auto and a change in the conference tournament: Just your average summer in the Big West conference.

If Big West Commissioner Dennis Farrell wanted to get his conference more publicity, he was successful. Unfortunately, most of the PR was negative.

The most significant news is the change in the Big West Tournament. Dubbed the “Get UC Irvine to the Big Dance theory” by yours truly, no longer will a team have to three consecutive games in order to win the tournament. The top two seeds will automatically be placed in the tournament semifinals and would just be two wins shy of advancing to the Big Dance.

Are we listening UCI, you just need to win two games in a row this year to win the tournament, a feat that has alluded them.

The third and fourth place teams will earn a bye in the first round but still will have to win three games to win the tournament.

Here comes the kicker.

The fifth through eighth teams have to win a whopping four times over four days to win the tournament.

Just like in the past, the ninth and tenth teams will not qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

If you were to ask Cal State Fullerton guard Ralphy Holmes what he did on his summer vacation, he might respond with something along the lines of “I stole a car, got into an accident, and was sentenced to 60 days of jail”

Holmes pleaded guilty on October 7 and was suspended by Cal State Fullerton for the first 18 games of the 2003-04 season. With Holmes gone, the Titans can almost forget about any outside shot of winning the Big West title.

Cross town, Cal State Northridge spent part of the summer holding their breath as they were being investigated by the NCAA for an apparent grade tampering incident involving guard John Clark. Assistant coach John Dahlager’s contract was not renewed as he was identified as being involved in the tampering situation. Currently, all is quiet on the CSUN front as they are waiting to hear back from the NCAA on their final decision.

The most tragic news of the summer was the death of UC Riverside guard Kellen Dixon. Dixon was killed when riding back with two other UCR basketball players from Las Vegas on Interstate 15.

Even though the Big West regular season title goes through Santa Barbara, don’t be surprised if the Gauchos lose five or six games in conference. Utah State and UC Irvine always poises as a threat year in and year out. The real question marks of the conference are the remaining seven teams. A team like Cal State Northridge or Idaho could finish 4th or 9th depending on how the ball bounces.

Big West All-Conference 1st Team
F – Ian Boylan – Cal State Northridge
F – Varnie Dennis – Cal Poly
G – Nate Carter – UC Riverside
G – Branduinn Fullove – UC Santa Barbara
F – Pape Sow – Cal State Fullerton

Big West All-Conference 2nd Team
F – Shane Schilling – Cal Poly
C – Adam Parada – UC Irvine
F – Spencer Nelson – Utah State
F – Vili Morton – UC Riverside
F – Tyrone Hayes – Idaho

Big West All-Conference 3rd team
G – Davin White – Cal State Northridge
G – Mark Brown – Utah State
F – Anthony Bolton – Cal State Fullerton
F – Kevin Roberts – Long Beach State
F – Christian Maraker – Pacific

Player of the Year: Pape Sow – Cal-State Fullerton

I had my player of the year speech all written out for Cal State Fullerton guard Ralphy Holmes and what does he go out and do? He gets arrested and sentenced to 60 days in jail along with an one year suspension from school. So his teammate Pape Sow, if he, himself, can stay out of more legal trouble should win this award even if Fullerton has a .500 season.

With Sow missing a majority of the season due to a team suspension, the 6-10 senior finished the season in a big way. The last six games of the year Sow averaged 13.1 points and 10.8 rebounds before spraining his MCL and twisting his left ankle in Fullerton’s first-round conference game against Utah State. With Holmes gone, Sow will pick up a bulk of the scoring. Don’t be surprised in June if Sow becomes the first player from the Big West conference to get selected in the NBA draft since Michael Olowokandi of Pacific.

Freshman of the Year: Thomas Shewmake – Cal State Northridge

In a year when the Big West Conference is dominated by upperclassmen, Thomas Shewmake, a 6-10 center from Cathedral City, CA could win this award based on the amount of playing time he will see in the post for the Matadors. Shewmake, who redshirted last season, was one of the Top 25 centers in the nation in 2002.

Coach on the hot seat: Larry Reynolds – Long Beach State

49ers fans let Reynolds slide after a disappointing 5-22 season but if he wants to hang around after this year, Long Beach State might have to at least make the Big West Conference Tournament. It won’t be easy as UC Riverside is eligible for the post-season fun, meaning two of the 10 teams in the conference will be sitting at home come March 10.

1. UC Santa Barbara Gauchos 18-14, (Big West 14-4, 1st )

G – Jacoby Atako (Sr., 4.7 ppg, 3.2 apg)
G – Nick Jones (Sr., 12.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
F – Branduinn Fullove (Sr., 14.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg)
F – Cameron Goettsche (So., 9.6 ppg, 7.5 rpg) *
C – Bryan Whitehead (Sr., 3.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg)

* – Stats at Salt Late Community College

To be the man, you got to beat the man. This is the case for UC Santa Barbara who returns Big West player of the year Branduinn Fullove along with three other starters.

It took nearly 20 years but the Gauchos won its first Big West regular season championship title outright. While they didn’t make it through the conference tournament, they were selected to participate in the NIT where they were defeated in the 1st round by San Diego State 67-62.

While the departure of forward Mark Hill is a major blow, the Gauchos have the deepest team in the conference. Transfers Joe See, a guard from Oregon State and Cameron Goettsche from Salt Lake Community College will see a majority of playing time in the off guard and power forward position respectively.

Returning players like Josh Davis, Cecil Brown, Brad Skultety and Chrismen Oliver add to the depth as coach Bob Williams could easily go 10 or 11 players deep off his bench.

Besides Fullove, Nick Jones, Jacoby Atako and Bryan Whitehead return as starts off last season’s team. Jones, a 6-4 senior guard was quietly overlooked as he had a solid season, averaging 12.4 points and 4.3 rebounds. Point guard Atako is the defending Big West Defensive Player of the Year.

In order to make a run through the conference tournament, the Gauchos will have to improve on crashing the boards. UCSB finished 9th in the conference in rebounding. Whitehead averaged 4.2 rebounds per game but what makes that average even more unimpressive is that Jones out-rebounded the 6-8 center.

Even if the Gauchos win the conference, they will probably fall short of a 20 win season once again. Last season UCSB struggled in non-conference play with defeats to Jacksonville State, Bucknell, Nebraska and Detroit. Luckily for the Gauchos, it had little impact on how they performed in their final 18 games of the season. UCLA, Kansas, Hawaii and Pepperdine highlight an even tougher non-conference schedule than last year.

2. Utah State Aggies 23-9, (Big West 12-6, 3rd)

G – Mark Brown (Sr., 8.6 ppg, 4.5 apg)
G – Cardell Butler (Sr., 8.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg)
F – Nate Harris (So., 5.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg)
F – Spencer Nelson (Jr., 10.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg)
C – Mike Ahmad (Sr., 3.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg)

Utah State will win 20 games.

Let’s get that out of the way now.

Aggies head coach Stew Morrill year in and year out proves that he knows how to get the most out of his players. While he heavily recruits JC players, Morrill has found a way to lead his team to four straight 20 or more win seasons including two appearances in the NCAA tournament.

Gone from last season are Desmond Penigar, Toriano Johnson and Ronnie Ross. The JC players that look to fill those shoes are Jason Williams and Quenton Harvey. Williams, a 6-6 forward from Vallejo was expected to compete for a spot in the starting lineup but he has struggled in practices so far.

“Jason is having a hard time adjusting to Division I college basketball and he is trying to find minutes,” Morrill said.

Harvey will compete with Cardell Butler for the off guard spot.

Up front, the agile Spencer Nelson will be a force to deal with. Weighing in at 225 pounds, he uses his quickness and jumping ability to cause havoc on the boards. Nelson averaged 7.4 rebounds to go along with his 10.2 points per game. Senior Mike Ahmad, who redshirted last season returns for the Aggies and will provide the closest thing to a true center.

A flaw of Utah State’s was exposed last season and they might run into trouble with again. Force the Aggies to shoot from the perimeter. With their two best shooters in Penigar and Ross gone, this plan might be used this season. Point guard Mark Brown, who did an excellent job in distributing the basketball at times struggled in getting his offensive game going. He did, however, shoot 36 percent (29-81) from three point range. As a team, they made the least amount of three pointers in the conference but was number one in field goal percentage.

The one real knock on Morrill is he sometimes has the tendency to play a soft non-conference schedule. Outside of playing the big three programs in Utah (BYU, Weber State, Utah), contests with Ft. Lewis College, Illinois State, Jackson State and Texas-San Antonio leave much to be desired.

Even with a few cupcakes on the schedule, Utah State should get through conference play and will attempt to make the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive year.

3. Cal Poly Mustangs 16-13, (Big West10-8, 4th )

G – Eric Jackson (Sr., 4.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
G – Shane Schilling (Sr., 13.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg)
F – Nick Enzweiller (Jr. – 6.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg) *
F – Varnie Dennis (Sr., 17.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg)
C – Phil Johnson (Jr., 4.2 ppg, 2.5 rpg)

* – Stats at UTEP

Cal Poly was possibly a three pointer away from becoming the ultimate Cinderella team. After a reasonable 10-8 conference record, the Mustangs defeated Idaho and UC Santa Barbara in the first two rounds of the Big West conference tournament, setting up a showdown with the heavily favored Utah State.

The Aggies and the Mustangs battled back and forth with Cal Poly guard Jason Allen missing a three pointer that would have tied the game with three seconds left.

The state of the Mustangs team this season might rely on the knees of Varnie Dennis. Dennis, Cal Poly’s superstar power forward has struggled throughout his career with bad knees and there was even some talk about the 6-7, 265 pound senior redshirting this season. Last season he averaged 17.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while being selected to the All Big West first team.

Shane Schilling, a transfer guard./forward from the University of Minnesota struggled with his consistency at the start of the season but turned out to be the second scoring option head coach Kevin Bromley long desired. The duo of Dennis and Schilling combined for 40 percent of the Mustangs scoring.

To complement Dennis on the front line, returning center Phil Johnson will see an increase of playing time with big men Diaby Kamara and Jared Patterson gone.

Transfer forward Nick Enzweiller from UTEP will compete for the small forward position. As a sophomore in 2001-02, Enzweiller averaged 6.6 points per game before sitting out last season due to the transfer.

Even with Dennis and Schilling, Cal Poly has a few question marks, starting with his depth in the backcourt. Gone are their third and fourth leading scorers in Jason Allen (12.2 ppg) and Steve Geary (8.0 ppg). Senior Eric Jackson has the experience but is not much of a scorer. Seldom used sophomore guard Fernando Sampson and transfer point guard Kameron Gray, who Bromley said, “was the best JC point guard in California,” will have to fill the voids.

The senior Dennis feel this year everything will come together for the Mustangs. “This will be our year. I see us winning the conference and the tournament,” Dennis said. Thanks to a challenging non-conference schedule which includes California, Colorado and USC, the Mustangs should be ready to go when conference play rolls around on January 3rd. Their first test – UC Irvine at the Bren Events Center.

4. UC Irvine Anteaters 20-9, (Big West 13-5, 2nd )

G – Jeff Gloger (So., 8.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
G – Mike Efevberha (So., 5.0 ppg, 1.5 rpg)
F – Matt Okoro (Sr., 5.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg)
F – Stanislav Zuzak (Sr., 7.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg)
C – Adam Parada (Sr., 12.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg)

Year in and year out, UC Irvine seems to be near or at the top of the Big West Conference. With three consecutive 20+ win seasons, you would have expected the Anteaters to qualify for the NCAA Tournament but it has been quite the opposite. Head coach Pat Douglass has been unable to get his team through the Big West conference tournament, stumbling last year in the semifinals to Cal Poly.

With his entire frontcourt graduating this year, this might be Douglass’ best shot to get the Anteaters to the promise land. Senior center Adam Parada is coming off a disappointing year where he was unable to live up to the unfair expectations placed upon the 7-footer. When he wasn’t on the bench in foul trouble, Parada led his team in points and rebounds with 12.2 and 6.2 respectively. Also in the front court is sharpshooter Stanislav Zuzak and Matt Okoro.

Redshirt freshman Jeff Gloger took the conference by surprise last year with his tough defense and his solid offensive numbers all the way around (8.2 ppg, 4.3 rbg, 3.0 apg). Younger brother of guard Spencer Gloger at Princeton, he will be joined in the backcourt by Mike Efevberha, who at times made costly mistakes on the court.

A lack of depth is the one thing that could possibly hurt the Anteaters in their run for the NCAA Tournament. Outside of guards Ross Schraeder, Aras Baskauskas and center Greg Ethington, the bench is unproven. Freshman Mark Hill, a 6-5 recruit from Las Vegas should see his share of playing time backing up Matt Okoro at the small forward position.

Douglass expects a change of pace in this year’s team. “We are going to be a little more up-tempo. These players can run the court,” Douglass said.

The Anteaters arguably have the toughest non-conference schedule of the conference. UCI opens the season in the BCA Classic hosted by Xavier University, host the Stanford Cardinal at the Bren Events center before traveling north to take on California. But wait, there’s more as Irvine will take part in the Fresno State Tournament followed by coming home and hosting Pepperdine.

5. Cal State Northridge Matadors 14-15, (Big West 8-10, 7th )

G – Davin White (Jr., 28.0 ppg, 6.0 apg) *
G – Joseph Frazier (Jr., 6.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg)
F – Ian Boylan (Jr., 15.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg)
F – Chris Davis (Jr., 8.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg)
C – Thomas Shewmake (Fr. 18.1 ppg, 15.0 rpg) **

* – Stats at Chandler-Gilbert Junior College
** – Stats at Cathedral City High School

Maybe the third time will be the charm for Cal State Northridge.

The Matadors enter their third season as part of the Big West Conference and are coming off back-to-back losing seasons. Head coach Bobby Braswell faces a challenge replacing the scoring of 6-7 guard Curtis Slaughter but might have found a replacement in JC transfer Davin White. White, a 6-2 guard from Chandler-Gilbert Community College averaged 28 points and six assists in 2001-02. He will have to shake the rust off after sitting out last year from professional basketball.

Braswell didn’t stop there; landing the high-flying Eto Onyenegecha (City College of San Francisco) and power forward Austin Waggener (Culver City HS). While being recruited from such Pac-10 schools as Arizona State and Oregon State, Onyenegecha is expected to come in right away and compete for the starting small forward position.

All-conference swingman Ian Boylan will look to step up and take the leadership role as a junior. Last season Boylan averaged 15.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists.

“Even though Boylan is only a junior, he’s going to be my leader on the court,” Braswell said. “He is one of the toughest guys I have seen while coaching and hasn’t missed a practice in his two years at Northridge.”

In the frontcourt, the Matadors lack depth and experience. Junior Chris Davis, fresh off a summer where he attended Pete Newell’s Big Man Camp, will be looked upon to improve on his solid sophomore season. The 6-9 forward doubled his scoring average from his freshman year (8.2) but lacked in strong rebounding skills with just 3.9 rebounds per game.

For the first time in a few years, Braswell lacks a real deep bench. In the past, he was never afraid to go up to 11 deep with his team as the Matadors play an aggressive style of defense and high-paced offense.

Junior Joseph Frazier led the Matadors in steals at 2.2 per game and is a spark of energy every time he hits the court. Frazier has the ability to play the point guard position but his natural position is shooting guard. Braswell will have to look to some of his freshmen to provide minutes off the bench such as Austin Waggener and Robert Locke, both local players from the Los Angeles area.

In an off-season that saw nearly the entire assistant coaching staff leaving and an investigation by the NCAA regarding former guard John Clark, the Matadors will just be happy to hit the floor on November 21 when they take on Menlo College. Yes, Menlo College.

6. Idaho Vandals 13-15, (Big West 9-9, 5th)

G – Tanoris Shepard (Jr., 12.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg)
G – Dwayne Williams (Sr., 10.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
F – Tyrone Hayes (Sr. 13.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg)
F – Rashaad Powell (Sr., 5.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg)
C – Jon Tinnon (Sr., 8.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg)

Yes, Idaho is still in the Big West Conference

Often forgotten about because it is one of the two teams in the Big West not in the state of California, the Vandals could be participating in what might be their last season in the Big West. Idaho and Utah State are scheduled to move to the Sun Belt conference in time for the 2004-05 season.

Head coach Leonard Perry has quietly turned around a sub-par program into a team that could possibly do some damage in conference play. The Vandals have five seniors including Tyrone Harris, the team’s leading scorer and rebounder from last year. He was selected to the All-Big West second team for his all around play, averaging 13.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.

While a bit undersized, the Vandals should have no problem putting up points this season if everyone remains healthy.

Prior to going down with a season-ending knee injury, guard Tanoris Shepard was averaging 12.7 points in seven games. All accounts so far is that he is nearly at 100 percent physically. With point guard Justin Logan gone, Shepard should see a majority of time handling the rock. Also returning in the backcourt is Dwayne Williams, a shooting guard who didn’t see a three pointer he didn’t like, jacking up 169 attempts from beyond the arc.

With Jack May transferring, Jon Tinnon is left as the lone proven player of any height. The senior Tinnon averaged 8.0 points and 4.6 rebounds last season. Sophomore center David Radlovic some limited playing time last season and is steadily improving his game.

After last’s year success, Perry feels that his team won’t be able to surprise people like last season.

“Will we sneak up on teams this year? No, I don’t think so,” Perry said. “Hopefully when the pre-season polls come out, the players will take some pride in themselves.”

Perry did a great job of recruiting, landing Zack Proett and Armend Kahrimanovic. Proett is expected to redshirt this season after going through knee surgery in the spring. Idaho is facing probably their toughest schedule in the past 10 years. With contests against mid-major powerhouse Gonzaga, Washington State and possibly South Carolina in the Guardians Classic tournament, the Vandals will be put to the test well before conference play.

7. Cal State Fullerton Titans 10-19, Big West 8-10, 6th )

G – Zakee Smith (Sr., 4.2 ppg, 4.7 apg)
G – Derick Andrew (Sr., 9.6 ppg, 2.2 apg)
F – Anthony Bolton (Sr., 10.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg)
F – Babacar Camara (Sr., 0.4 ppg, 0.6 rpg)
C – Pape Sow (Sr., 13.8 ppg, 8.8 rpg)

Welcome to the Cal State Fullerton family, Bob Burton.

You take the position as the new Titans coach on June 6 with hopes of possibly being the “sleeper” team of the conference only to find out that your star all-conference player, Ralphy Holmes, was charged with felony auto theft and a misdemeanor hit-and-run 10 days later. Holmes pleaded guilty October 7 and was sentenced to 60 days in jail and was suspended for the entire 2003-04 season.

Without Holmes, reality of Fullerton basketball has settled back in and a finish in the bottom half of the conference is expected.

There is still one player the conference worth fearing and that’s in the form of 6-10 senior center Pape Sow. After battling his own legal issues last season, Sow finished the season strong before getting injured in the Titan’s first round conference tournament match up against Utah State. In just 18 games last season, Sow averaged 13.8 points and 8.8 rebounds.

Rounding out the starting five are three returning starters in Zakee Smith, Derick Andrew and Anthony Bolton. The 6-7 swingman Bolton made drastic improvement in the second half of the season to average 10.8 points per game and scored a combined 49 points in his final two games.

Smith, a senior point guard from Philadelphia led the Big West in assists with 4.7 per game but struggled with his shooting skills. He shot a Shaquille O’Neal like .443 from the free throw line and .315 from the field.

Burton’s coaching experience has already made an immediate impact as a recruiting tool. Jermaine Harper, a transfer guard from the University of Virginia will redshirt this year. He averaged 5.8 points as a freshman and 3.9 points as a sophomore. Ceylon Taylor, the sixth ranked point guard on the west coast from San Jose, CA, verbally committed to the Titans for the 2004-05 season. And if it weren’t for the Admissions and Records office at Cal State Fullerton, the Titans would have landed the number one power forward JuCo recruit in Chris Adams. From City College of San Francisco, the 6-10 Adams was denied late admission into the school by Jim Blackburn, director of Admissions and Records.

8. UC Riverside Highlanders 6-18, (Big West 5-13, 9th)

G – Ted Bell (Sr., 9.5 ppg, 1.4 rpg)
G – Kevin Butler (Sr., 8.5 ppg, 2.9 apg)
F – Nate Carter (So., 16.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg)
F – Vili Morton (Jr., 10.9 ppg, 9.3 rpg)
C – Klaus Schille (So., 3.9 ppg, 2.4 rpg)

Whatever the outcome might be of the UC Riverside basketball team this year won’t be important. For the Highlander players and coaching staff, they realized that basketball doesn’t matter nearly as much as it once seemed to.

On September 13, UC Riverside lost one of their own in guard Kellen Dixon. He, along with Mark Peters and Mike Ferrera were returning from a concert in Las Vegas on I-15 when the car they were riding in was involved in an accident with a big-rig truck. Both Peters and Ferrera suffered minor injuries but the memory of Dixon will live on in each and every Highlander player’s heart.

Returning this season to UC Riverside is power forward Vili Morton. In 2001-02, Morton averaged 10.9, 9.3 rebounds and 3.2 blocks. The 6-8 forward redshirted for the Highlanders program because this is the first season that UC Riverside is post-season eligible.

The decision to redshirt Morton was a hard decision for head coach John Masi but one he does not regret. “It was hard to pull the trigger on sitting Morton for the year,” Masi said. “I would look down at the end of the bench at times during last season and see Vili sitting there and just wanted to bring him in for a few minutes.”

What Morton didn’t know when he sat out is that he would have the Freshman of the Year playing next to him. Nate Carter, who could have easily been Big West Player of the Year if the Highlanders didn’t go 6-18, averaged 16.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game along with shooting .491 from the field.

Ted Bell and Kevin Butler make up a senior backcourt that were the second and third leading scorers from last season. Bell is especially dangerous from three point range, shooting an impressive .431 percent (50-116).

As for the rest of the team, the jury is still out. The Highlanders took a minor blow losing such seniors as Mark Miller, Jake Wessel, John Galbreath and Aaron Hands.

Transfers Brett Ost and David Jobe, along with freshman recruit Larry Cunningham will headline the bench. Jobe, a 6-8 power forward transferred from Diablo Valley College and played well during summer league action.

The bench will be the one hurdle that prevents UCR from making the climb out of the Big West basement.

9. University of the Pacific Tigers 12-16, (Big West 7-11, 8th)

G – David Doubley (Jr.,16.0 ppg, 9.1 apg) *
G – Miah Davis (Sr., 10.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg)
F – Tom Cockle (Sr., 6.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
F – Christian Maraker (So., 11.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg)
C – Matt Kemper (Jr., 7.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg)

* – Stats at Skyline Junior College

The University of the Pacific Tigers were on top of the world.

With victories over Western Kentucky and Saint Joseph’s, the Tigers suddenly went from a team predicted to finish in the bottom of the pack to possibly winning the Big West conference.

Then reality set back in.

Thanks to a stretch where they dropped 12 out of their last 16 games, the Tigers finished with a 12-16 overall record.

Head coach Bob Thomason is in a good position for a winning season with three seniors and eight juniors on this year’s roster. Unfortunately, only six of those players saw significant playing time as the Tigers used just 10 players all of last season.

The success of the Tigers this season rides on the play of Christian Maraker. The injury prone 6-10 forward is currently battling a mid-foot sprain. Last season, the sophomore tore his plantar fascia in his right foot. The season prior, Maraker broke a bone in his left wrist, sideling him for the season as he used his redshirt year.

If you notice an improvement in Maraker’s game, it was from playing for the Swedish National team where he took on current NBA players such as Dirk Nowitzki and Tony Parker.

Miah Davis and Myree Bowden return in the backcourt from last season. Davis started all 28 games last season as a JC transfer, averaging 10.1 points per game. Junior college transfer David Doubley is expected to the start in the backcourt with Davis. Doubley averaged 16.0 points and 9.1 assists per game at Skyline Junior College in San Bruno, Calif.

Thomason gives his players the green light when shooting three pointers and this is apparent when looking at forward/center Matt Kemper. You wouldn’t be able to tell by looking at the 6-9, 250 pounder that he shot .344 percent from three-point range. Just because Kemper might be seen hanging out on the perimeter doesn’t mean he’s not afraid to bang it up inside, averaging 5.9 rebounds per game.

Thanks to a new found sense of some depth, Thomason won’t be afraid to miss and match lineups.

“We are flexible on how we can play every night,” Thomason said. “We can play small or big and adjust depending on the tempo of the game.”

Injuries to Maraker and Jason Korajkic have slowed the team’s progess early on. At practice on Tuesday, the Tigers had five players sitting out due to injuries. “Things are going slow, real slow right now,” Davis said.

The Great Alaskan Shootout highlights Pacific’s non-conference schedule, as they take on the Duke Blue Devils in the first round on ESPN2 on Thanksgiving night. Also, a trip to the city of Brotherly Love where they take on Saint Joseph’s who will be seeking redemption from last year’s game.

10. Long Beach State 49ers 5-22 (Big West 4-14, 10th)

G – Mark Bowens (So., 1.4 ppg, 0.4 rpg)
G – Jibril Hodges (So., 6.0 ppg, 2.1 apg)
F – Cody Pearson (Jr., 4.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
F – Kevin Roberts (Sr., 12.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg)
C – Antoine Jackson (Sr., 3.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg)

If you are a Long Beach State fan, you probably were riding high this off-season after what was thought to be a great recruiting year. Anthony Coleman, a transfer from Xavier University, along with Louis Darby, Kevin Houston and Travon Free all committed to Long Beach State.

Even without the addition of Hawkins, head coach Larry Reynolds can’t do much worse than last year’s 5-22 campaign. It was the first time the 49ers didn’t qualify for the post-season tournament since 1996.

Senior Kevin Roberts is the leader of this team as he will be surrounded with 10 returning lettermen.

The 6-7 forward who started all 27 games last year for the 49ers averaged 12.3 points and 6.0 rebound per game. With the losses of Vance Lawhorn and Tony Darden, Roberts will be looked upon as the go-to-guy in clutch situations.

From what Roberts has seen of the other freshmen in practice, he is confident about this season.

“The freshmen are freshmen, but they are at least open minded,” Roberts said. “They have their ups and downs in practice like anyone else.”

The backcourt will miss the presence of Tony Darden and his 15.9 points per game. Sophomore point guard Jibril Hodges, the son of former Chicago Bulls rifleman Craig Hodges was thrown into the starting lineup towards the end of last season and held his own.

Cody Pearson, who at times have show flashes of talent and his aggressive style of play will have to take his game to the next level. If not, expect Darby to take his playing time.

Adding some depth to the front court will be Coleman when he becomes eligible on December 23rd.

“It is hard for a player to mix six games and then work his way into the loop,” Reynolds said. “He will have to come in and find his niche.”

Wayne Morgan left a parting gift for last season’s team before his departure to Iowa State. The 49ers had a brutal non-conference schedule for the 2002-03 season with contests against Pepperdine, UCLA (OK, OK, I know they tanked), San Diego State and Gonzaga. Their only win in non-conference play was against DIII Cal State Monterey Bay. Even more remarkable is they only won the game by 11 points and it was at the Pyramid. This year is not nearly as bad with Reynolds would hope will be easy “W’s” against Cal State Stanislaus, Sacramento State and Colgate.

Goodbye Old C-USA

Farewell to the “Old” Conference USA

by Zach Van Hart

Finally, it’s official. The best Conference USA has to offer in college basketball is bolting for the “new” Big East. In two years, the likes of Marquette, Cincinnati and Louisville will be replaced by SMU, Marshall and Rice. So before C-USA goes through its major changes, let’s take a stroll down memory lane and remember what the “old” C-USA was all about.

During the early days, all of eight years ago, C-USA looked like a great idea gone bad. Remember how solid teams like DePaul, UAB and Saint Louis were during the early ’90s? With the always dominant Louisville, resurgent Cincinnati, spectacular Memphis and the steadiness of Marquette and Tulane, it seemed like C-USA was going to be the next powerhouse in college basketball. Yet as soon as the engine turned on, the wheels fell off.

DePaul went into the dumps. UAB suddenly was not as strong as it had been. Coaching strongholds Charlie Spoonhour, Larry Finch, even Denny Crum, were out or heading on their way. Basically, a basketball dream was becoming a basketball nightmare.

Cincinnati kept C-USA afloat for quite a few years, only to reinforce the conference’s mediocrity by bowing out of the NCAA Tournament during the second round every year.

A flash in the pan would come almost every season, like the 1999 DePaul squad. Led by Quentin Richardson, the Blue Demons spent most of the season in the Top 25. But then Richardson bolted for the NBA and DePaul went downhill soon after.

Then came the 1999-2000 season, the year it seemed C-USA would finally get on the map. Cincinnati held the No. 1 ranking for most of the season and appeared to be the overwhelming favorite to win the national championship. Until a fluke leg injury happened to Kenyon Martin, the National Player of the Year, during the opening few minutes of the Bearcats’ opening round conference tournament game ended his season. Cincinnati lost in the second round, again.

The following season may have been the worst in C-USA history. No team was good. Two teams made it into the NCAA Tournament; Charlotte because they won the conference tournament (someone had to) and Cincinnati because its name is Cincinnati.

But that was also the year it appeared like the conference would be saved. John Calipari became head coach at Memphis, starting a string of big-time coaches coming to C-USA breathing new life into the corpse of a conference. At the end of the season, Rick Pitino became head coach at Louisville. The resurrection was on.

Two seasons later, the 2002-2003 season, C-USA was finally the power conference it set out to be eight years ago. Cincinnati, who had won the regular season title every year since its inception, finished fifth. Louisville reached as high as No. 2 in the national rankings, and only finished third in the conference. And as we all know, Marquette advanced to the Final Four, the first C-USA team to accomplish that.

Then just like that, the conference is now staring at a two-year trial before it will likely sink back into the ranks of a mid-major conference. So let’s say goodbye to these five schools who will taking their sneakers and rafters eastward.

Goodbye Marquette. Your Golden Eagles made everyone proud of C-USA last year with your magic run to the Final Four, knocking off tournament-favorite Kentucky in the Elite Eight to get there. You also play smart, unselfish basketball, the way it should be. Your coach Tom Crean is a class act and is one of the top up-and-coming coaches in the college ranks. You will do well in the Big East.

Goodbye Cincinnati. You kept C-USA going during the late ’90s when seemingly every other school could not put successful back-to-back seasons together. You have advanced to twelve-straight NCAA Tournaments and played with a target on your back every single time you have stepped on the court for a conference game. You will also do well in the Big East.

Goodbye Louisville. Last year you announced your return as one of the elite programs in college basketball. With Pitino at the helm, we expect nothing but greatest from you. This season, your sophomore stud Francisco Garcia has been anointed the C-USA Preseason Player of the Year by the coaches. In a few years, you very well could become the best team in the Big East. You will do fine.

Goodbye DePaul. Lost in all of the hoopla of Louisville’s awesome start, Marquette’s late finish and UAB’s surprising turnaround last year was the Blue Demons’ improvement. First-year head coach Dave Leitao has turned the program around, not into a NCAA Tournament team, but a NIT team nonetheless. They will be a good, solid team in the Big East.

Goodbye USF. While the Bulls have been a decent team in the past, the main reason they are going to the Big East is so the conference maintains a football presence in the Florida market. USF is going to struggle during the next few seasons, but with new head coach Robert McCullum at the helm, the Bulls have potential to succeed in the Big East.

Next time, we will take a look at the new teams coming to C-USA for the 2005-06 season.

MEAC Preview

Mideastern Athletic Conference Preview

by Joaquin Mesa

While taking a shower I noticed something, I’m not black. Now, this might come as a surprise to some of you because I am writing the conference preview for the MEAC, which is chock full of traditionally black colleges and universities. Don’t fret, I’m not going to bias myself at all. I am a respectable journalist who stakes his reputation on the fact that I will provide a sophisticated and detailed look at the top teams in the MEAC this year.

Now, I was enjoying some chips and salsa while watching some telenovelas when I thought to myself, what better way to get to know the psyche of an African-American college basketball player then to reacquaint myself with my own heritage and culture. So, off I went to the adoption agency to figure out what the heck my mother was. When I found out my mother was Polish, I decided to learn more about my father’s side of the family. As I soon found out, being Mexican is more then speaking Spanish and loving soccer. There was also a basketball aspect to it. No, it wasn’t a simple fascination with Eduardo Najera, it was deeper. Apparently, the Aztecs would play a sport called Tachtli, which was a combination of soccer and basketball. Instead of a hoop, there was a vertical ring, and instead of a losing team, there was a bunch of dead guys that were offered up to the Gods.

Perhaps this is where I got my love for the game; perhaps this is where I fostered my competitive spirit. One thing is for sure, I’m glad I didn’t live in that time or I would have been offered up to the Gods before I turned thirteen.

I jest because I know that being black doesn’t guarantee success on the basketball floor just like being Mexican doesn’t mean I enjoy Bandera music and roach coach burritos, and nothing speaks louder then the lack of success by this conference. Last year, the conference champion South Carolina lost its tournament game to Oklahoma, a game where no Bulldog other then a starter really put a dent in the scoreboard. This year might be the year that a Hampton or a Florida A&M makes a stand and finally wins the battle of the boards in the tournament. Notice that I’m not getting ahead of myself and saying the game. Only time will tell, so let me kill some of it by filling you in on the conference blokes and jokes.

All Conference Team
PG – Tee Trotter, Maryland-Eastern Shore
SG – Terrence Woods, Florida A&M
SF – Jimmy Boykin, Coppin State
PF – Thurman Zimmerman, South Carolina State
C – Pape Ba, Bethune-Cookman

This team is experienced, road-tested and ready to prove that this conference is better then the collective 31-89 record it had out of conference. Now, this might seem like a little bit of a stretch for a team with only one interesting name on it (Pape Ba), but these guys are tough. Four seniors and one junior round out this hard working bunch, and Terrence Woods has led the nation in pretty much every three point category possible. This guy is absolutely unstoppable, and anyone who averages twenty points in Division 1 is okay in my book. Look for him to break many more records, and lead his team to a championship.

Conference MVP: Terrence Woods, Florida A&M

Yes, it’s true. Sometimes big men have to take second fiddle to those who throw up the bombs.

Freshman of the Year: Brandon Streeter, Hampton

If a big man isn’t going to win the MVP, he might as well win something.

Most Improved Player: Frank Russell, Hampton

This 6-11 monster is going up against a bunch of guys that can’t even see eye to eye to him. Its only a matter of time before he understands that all he has to do is reach his arm out and dunk it over other players.

1. Florida A&M Rattlers (17-12, 11-7, 5th)

Projected Starting Five:
G – Moses White
G – Terrance Woods
SF – Demarcus Wilkins
F – O.J. Sumter
C – Michael Harper

This team must learn to not rely to heavily on Terrance Woods, who will probably be the bulk of the scoring on this team. They don’t have size, but they have the potential to score every single time down the court. Michael Harper is a JuCo transfer, and at 6-8 is undersized at the post, but this isn’t going to hurt him in conference games as there are only a few other people bigger than him. Wilkins, Woods and White have to dictate pace, and if they do this, the sky is the limit. Four starters return on this squad, not bad.

2. Hampton Pirates (19-11, 13-5, 3rd)

Projected Starting Five:
G – Donald Didlake
G – Jeff Granger
SF – Devin Green
F – David Johnson
C – Frank Russell

Two 6-11 sophomores are looking to have remarkable seasons. Frank Russell and Bruce Brown have all the potential in the world, but have yet to prove anything. What is stopping these giants from pounding bodies? Well, they are young, and since they are not in a big conference with eyes on them 24-7 they will have the chance to grow into worthy sophomores. Freshman Brandon Streeter will add size to a big team, and look for Devin Green to carry a lot of the scoring until they wise up and start pounding the post.

3. South Carolina State Bulldogs (20-11, 15-3, 1st)

Projected Starting Five:
G – Demeco Heath
G – Brandon Trapp
SF – Jermaine Cannon
F – Thurmann Zimmerman
C – Cory Seals

I would have picked the Bulldogs higher had not Moses Malone Jr. left to pursue other ventures. I’m not being sarcastic, he was a 16 points per game guy. This team has lost three of its top four scorers, but kept the one that mattered most. Thurmann Zimmerman is a body underneath, and he gets the rebounds where nobody else in the conference does. Not only that, he shoots 50% from the field. Put him with two capable backcourt teammates in Heath and Trapp and you have a team that can run with anybody (except teams in the major conferences). This team won the conference title last season, but has a road ahead of it. Good luck.

4. Howard Bison (13-17, 9-9, 7th)

Projected Starting Five:
G – Louis Ford
G – Hekima Jackson
SF – Ronald Miller
F – Seye Aluko
C – James Wilkinson

The top two scorers on this team are history (Ron Williamson and Kyle Williams), but the team returns some promising big men in Seye Aluko and James Wilkinson. These two guys both scored just under ten points a game, and could get some serious rebounds if their teammates would only miss a few shots. What is unique about this team is that it is bringing in some talented guards in Will Grant, Darryl Hudson and Derek Mitchell. One of these guys should play his way into Hekima Jackson’s starting spot, no problem. While trying to get there, they should miss a few shots for the big men to grab. This team won’t be half bad come next season.

5. Delaware State Hornets (15-12, 13-5, 2nd)

Projected Starting Five:
G – Miles Davis
G – Carlos Hawkins
SF – Aaron Matthews
F – Terrance Hunter
C – Marques Gantt

This team also lost its top two scorers (Andre Matthews and James Bowen), but don’t give up you faithful Hornets. There is still hope, and he comes in the form of Fairfax High School star Jahsha Bluntt. Yes, the infamous Fairfax high school, where I learned to play soccer and wrecked havoc on those in my volleyball league. Only good can come of those Los Angelinos exported to other parts of this country. Look for Bluntt to make moves on someone’s starting position, maybe even center. Los Angelenos can do anything, we are that good. Well, this team is not fantastic, but they are not nearly as bad as some of the team coming after them which is why I have them in the middle of the pack. Also, their point guard is 5-5 . . . somebody get a high chair.

6. Norfolk State Spartans 14-15, 10-8, 6th)

Projected Starting Five:
G – Derrick Smith
G – Chakowby Hicks
SF – Ryan Grier
F – Tynell Dunkley
C – Karandick Ogunride

This team didn’t have anybody over 2.6 assists per game last season. I know that this might seem normal in college, but when your biggest guy is 6-8, I hope that you have some sort of game to impress on other teams so as not to get trounced each and every time. Its true, Karandick Ogunride is only 6-8. Lucky for him that this conference boasts very little in size, but don’t say anything to them, it might embarrass. I must admit that I feel a bit of sympathy for the announcer for the Spartans. You try and say Chakowby Hicks, Tynell Dunkley and Karandick Ogunride three times fast. Tynell Dunkley has a great name though, and it will earn him a spot on the starting line-up as a freshman, along with his size and strength. These guys are going for a three-guard line-up, so bring your extra hands and feet to keep track of the scores in these games.

7. Coppin State Eagles (11-17, 11-7, 4th)

Projected Starting Five:
G – Raheem Scott
G – Darron Bradley
SF – Jimmy Boykin
F – Chad Yates
C – Henry Colter

The big Deke Thompson transferred because he realized that the MEAC was, well, sub-par. However, he left a talented group of miscreants that rivals North Carolina A&T for futility. No, it’s not that bad. Nobody is as bad as North Carolina A&T. No, with promising big man Nick King coming off the bench as a freshman, only good things can happen in the state of Coppin. However, if King follows in the footsteps of his predecessor, he might only be here for one year. They also have one of the few 7 footers in the conference on their team in Henry Colter, who might actually score a few points. They get Chad Yates back from a season sitting out, and Jimmy Boykins will be their leader in scoring.

8. Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks (5-23, 5-13, 10th)

Projected Starting Five:
G – Gregory Brown
G – Tee Trotter
SF – Aaron Wellington
F – Javes Wiggins
C – Jason Scott

This team has so much potential it is killing me that they are down here at the bottom of the conference. I so much want to have the stones to put them closer to the top. Five newcomers to the team are over 6-6, the other is 6-4. Two are 7 footers. They return forward Didier Socka who is 6-7. Combine this with a 20 points per game player in Tee Trotter and you have an amazing team, that could be the favorite for ‘most likely to make me feel stupid for not putting the in the top three or four’. These guys have so much potential, I might actually make the effort to watch one of their games, go figure.

9. Morgan State Bears (7-22, 6-12, 8th)

Projected Starting Five:
G – Cedrick Barrow
G – Sam Brand
SF – Ronald Timus
F – Reginald Wingfield
C – Aaron Andrews

If you have read my other articles, you will know that I hate colleges and universities that don’t know how to promote their teams. Any Division I college team that does not have a functioning website is on my list of worthless school that should never be attended. Unfortunately, Morgan State is now on my list. Congratulations! Now is the time when you could not thank your mother and father because of your lack of a media medium. Better luck next year. I had a friend named Morgan once, she was a fox. That’s all I got folks. Lets all give thanks to the Morgan State Bears for making recruiting for their coaches that much harder. Well, we do know that Morgan State returns four of their top five scorers. Reginald Wingfield is apparently a proven scorer that was injured last year, but is ready to take on the mean MEAC this year. However, and I have to hold back the laughter as I say this, it might be the year for 6-5 center Aaron Andrews to really show his stuff. Tee-hee.

10. Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (8-22, 5-13, 9th)

Projected Starting Five:
G – Markey Picard
G – O’Neal Carter
SF – Diondre Larmond
F – Michael Williams
C – Pape Ba

Pape Ba is the only guy worth anything on this team. I made the note that Preston Daniels is coming off the bench, and that he was a junior of note, but I take it back. He is only a JuCo on a losing team. This team lost its top two scorers, a trend in this league. Apparently it takes four years to become a threat when playing in the MEAC. Anyway, Pape Ba is going to be a monster. He only scored 10 points a game last year, but grabbed 6.7 rebounds. Its now his turn to lead the team.

11. North Carolina A&T Aggies (1-26, 1-17, 11th)

Projected Starting Five:
G – Tyrone Green
G – Steven Koger
SF – Joe Holmes
F – Chris Ferguson
C – Abraham Traore

I really don’t want to say anything about these guys. My mother always taught me that if I had nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all. Well, I can always speak the truth. Last year, they won a game. That’s right, a game, one solitary game. They were one of two teams not to win a game outside of conference. They do boast a 6-11 starting center, Abraham Traore, who weighs in at 265 pounds, but then, he is no Shaq, and North Carolina A&T is no LSU. They did get a good recruit in Sean Booker who might add a little bit of flare to their transition game, but don’t expect too much, it won’t ease the pain.

Wrap-up

I really don’t mean to be so mean. There are a lot of positives in this conference. There is the definite possibility that one of these teams could beat a UCLA or a Utah. But, they have to get ranked higher then 16th in the conference tourney to do that because the teams that they can beat are ranked no higher then 10th. Florida A&M does have a good squad though, and if they make it to the tourney, I will be there to root them on.

Southland Conference Preview

Southland Conference Preview

by Adam Shandler

If you’re a college coach, you gotta love the junior colleges. They’re like the minor leagues for NCAA Division I programs. You may get a guy that can only give you two years, but those are two quality years. Players out of the JuCo system are a little more seasoned than your high school recruit, and for a couple of seasons have been incubating in the same hatchery with bigger, faster, quicker and hopefully more mentally mature guys. What can possibly be the downside? I’m not pontificating on anything that coaches in the Southland Conference don’t already know, which is why they went ga-ga on the JuCos like Star Jones at a Payless.

Kudos to the SLC commissioner for a positive formatting change. Up until this year, the 11-team Southland required that its teams play fellow members twice a year. With every team playing 20 conference games, that left very little scheduling room for out-of-conference games against teams with higher RPIs and deep pockets. This format terribly affected the Southland, as Sam Houston State won the automatic bid, but left 21-game winner Stephen F. Austin without any kind of postseason appearance. Beginning this year, each Southland team is only mandated to play 16 in-conference games. Schools like Louisiana-Monroe took advantage of the breathing room by slating LSU, Baylor, Mississippi, and Texas A&M. Meanwhile schools like SFA did nothing to aid their cause, creampuffing their docket with small, regional clubs like Oklahoma Panhandle, Cameron, and Alcorn State. Twice.

Texas-Arlington is ready for a title run. The Mavericks will remind fans of what Wisconsin-Milwaukee was last year in the Horizon: a team that paid its dues, had players that matured and were ready for a championship. Stephen F. Austin will be breathing down UTA’s neck, and will probably collect 20 wins or more. But will the Lumberjacks have enough gas for the conference tourney? Sam Houston State, who posted a remarkable run to the Big Dance last year goes from Conference Champs to Conference Cramps. Texas State (formerly Southwest Texas State), who landed a trip to the Great Alaska Shootout, could be the spoiler.

Preseason Awards

All-Conference
G/F Terry Conerway, Senior, Texas State
G LeRoy Hurd, Senior, Texas-San Antonio
G Amir Abdur-Rahim, Senior, Southeast Louisiana
G Jermaine Wallace, Sophomore, Northwestern State
C Roy Johnson, Senior, Texas-Arlington

Player of the Year
Terry Conerway, guard/forward, Texas State

Rookie of the Year
Daryl Mason, guard, Louisiana-Monroe

1. Texas-Arlington Mavericks (16-13, 13-7 Southland)

Projected Starters:
Roy Johnson, Sr., F, (11.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg)
Derrick Obasohan, Sr., F, (11.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg)
Steven Thomas, Sr., F, (6.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg)
Keith Howell, Sr., G, (11.3 ppg, 5.9 rpg)
Brady Dawkins, So., G (2.0 ppg, 20 assists)

Top Newcomer: Jay Neukomm, Fr., C

Depth, leadership, balance. What coach could ask for anything more? The Mavericks return three starters who know what they’re doing. All-Southland pick Roy Johnson anchors a squad not of superstars, but consistent, unselfish players. Center Johnson, forward Derrick Obasohan and guard Keith Howell all average a sliver over 11 points but need to step it up offensively. Howell prefers the 2-guard spot but may need to take some time at point while Josh Daniel’s replacement is found. The Roadrunners are not very big inside, but coach Eddie McCarter was impressed with the big ups and long stretch of 6-5 Steven Thomas last year. Depending on his off-season development, 6-10 freshman center Jay Neukomm may be accelerated into the lineup as well.

2. Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (21-8, 16-4 Southland)

Projected Starters:
Antonio Burks, Sr., F (9.1 ppg, 51% FG)
Taylor Moore, Jr., F (4.2 ppg)
Jasen Gast, Sr., G/F (9.2 ppg)
Marcus Clark, So., G (9.2 ppg)
B.J. Banks, Sr., G (7.9 ppg)

Top Newcomer: Rodrigo Segantim, Jr., F

Last year’s regular season and conference tourney runner-up is coming off a storybook 21-win season that only Sam Houston State eclipsed. Point guard controversy is a good problem to have and SFA has it in spades. During the regular season sophomore Marcus Clark came off the bench to score 9 ppg and lead the team with 3.4 assists. Senior B.J. Banks will challenge the young Clark but both are good enough to be on the floor at the same time. With big man Percy Green gone, Coach Danny Kaspar will assign junior Taylor Moore (4.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg) as the frontcourt leader. Moore, one of the more active reserves, will be joined by ‘Jacks leading scorer Antonio Burks (9.1 ppg) and Nebraska JuCo rookies Rodrigo Segantim and Henry Rivers.

3. Texas State Bobcats (17-12, 11-9 Southland)

Projected Starters:
Nick Ponder, Jr., G (Transfer)
Terry Conerway, Sr., G (15.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 40% 3-Pt. FG)
Roosevelt Brown, Sr., G (7.7 ppg)
Josh Naylor, Jr., F (Transfer)
Jeremiah Coleman, Sr., F (13.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg)

Top Newcomer: Nick Ponder, Jr., G

First order of business: name change. Oh, they’re still in the Southwest of Texas, they just won’t be Southwest Texas State anymore. The Bobcats now hail from lingually friendly Texas State. TSU acted fast and made the most of the league’s new schedule-flexibility ruling. Tulsa and New Orleans grace the Bobcat docket this year as does a first-round clash with Purdue in the Great Alaska Shootout. And Dennis Nutt’s club has goods to compete with such formidable competition. Hoopville SLC Player of the Year Terry Conerway is coming off a career year (15.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg) and should get backcourt assistance from junior college transfer Josh Naylor (Northern Oklahoma JC). Another JuCo face helps out up front – Redlands CC’s Nick Ponder.

4. Lamar Cardinals (13-14, 10-10 Southland)

Projected Starters:
Brian Rowan, Jr., C, (3.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 21 blocks)
Jason Grant, So., F/C (5.7 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 52 blocks)
Terrell Petteway, Sr. F (Redshirt)
Jonathan Burnet, So., G, (10.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg)
Hayes Grooms, Jr., G (26 assists, 75% FT)

Top Newcomer: Teddy Davis, Jr., G

Lamar didn’t have to go far to find its new coach. Er, old coach, who interviewed with an athletic director, who was himself. Yeah, Billy Tubbs got so sick of seeing his Cardinals go 13-14 last year, he reinstated himself as coach. He needs just five wins to become only the 28th coach in NCAA history to earn 600 wins. Tubbs re-ups with a Cardinals team that’s not too heavy on senior leadership. But sophomore leadership ain’t bad when it comes in the form of 6-0 point guard Jonathan Burnett and 6-9 center Jason Grant, who was an all-SLC pick in some polls. Burnett averaged over 10 points per game before a season-ending ACL injury against Texas-San Antonio. He’s back, he’s healthy, he’s ready to rock and he’s going to be needed. Tubbs, like many Southland coaches, dipped into the JuCo well and pulled out SE Illinois CC’s Teddy Davis, a versatile 6-3 shooting guard.

5. Louisiana-Monroe Indians (12-16, 10-10 Southland)

Projected Starters:
Daryl Mason, Jr., F (Transfer)
Chavis Thompson, Sr., F (7.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 52% FG)
John Andrews, Sr., G (8.2 ppg)
Brandon Horn, Sr. G (7.1 ppg, 79 assists)
Mark Keith, Sr., G/F (9.4 ppg)

Top Newcomer: Daryl Mason, Jr., F

The Indians lost Lemons – all-forward Kirby Lemons, that is – but have made lemonade with, what else, JuCo recruits. Lemons powered through last season with averages of 16.5 ppg and 10 rpg and was largely responsible for ULM getting into the postseason tournament. Daryl Mason, our Southland newcomer of the year, may not be the Shaqesque player that Lemons was, but he’s a flexible 6-6 swingman who averaged 13 ppg with national JuCo power San Jacinto. Seven other strangers fill out the roster, but don’t think of this as a rebuilding year for ULM. Five of their guys have ample experience, especially in the backcourt with returning starters Mark Keith and John Andrews.

6. Northwestern State Demons (6-21, 6-14 Southland)

Projected Starters:
Jermaine Wallace, So., G (11.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg)
Tyron Mitchell, So., G (6.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.3 apg, 70 steals)
Jermaine Spencer, So., F (7.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg)
Clifton Lee, So., F (10.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg)
Byron Allen, So., C (10.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg)

Top Newcomer: Greg Tyler, Fr., F

Few teams can boast every player returning. The youngest team in the nation last year is a touch older and should be more competitive. All-SLC guard Jermaine Wallace came out of nowhere last season and his 11.1 ppg and natural groove for the floor salvaged an otherwise unforgettable season. Another Jermaine – 6-7 forward Jermaine Spencer – will likely improve upon his 7.1 ppg average, which was a little lower than last year’s expectations. 6-11 sophomore center Tim Van has already shown promise in intercollegiate preseason games. With a team of predominantly sophomores and an out-of-conference schedule featuring Tulsa, Oklahoma State and the Demons’ namesake Northwestern, Mike McConathy’s club could be one of the more intriguing stories this year.

7. Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners (10-17, 7-13 Southland)

Projected Starters:
LeRoy Hurd, Sr., F (17.6 ppg, 8.0 rpg)
John Milsap, Jr., F (Transfer)
Anthony Fuqua, Jr., C (Transfer)
Sammie Cole, Sr., G (9.4 ppg, 37% 3-Pt. FG)
David President, Sr., G (5.4 ppg, 3.3 apg, 3.8 rpg)

Top Newcomer: Anthony Fuqua, Jr., C

The Roadrunners have their own “Thundering Hurd”: Leroy Hurd, who led the SLC in scoring last year at a 17.6 ppg clip. He’ll sizzle again, but the rest of the offense remains a mystery. Someone is going to have to replace the departed Ike Akotaobi’s 3-point shooting, and that someone just may be senior guard Sammie Cole (9.4 ppg). Scrapping underneath with Hurd are JuCo additions Anthony Fuqua, a 6-10 center and 6-6 power forward John Milsap.

8. Southeastern Louisiana Lions (11-16, 9-11 Southland)

Projected Starters:
Terry West, Sr., F (11.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg)
Nate Lofton, Jr., F/C (Transfer)
Jonathan Walker, So., C (5.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg)
Michael Gardener, Sr., G (3.4 ppg, 47 assists)
Amir Abdur-Rahim Sr., G (15.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg)

Newcomer of the Year: Nate Lofton, Jr., F/C

If all-SLC selection Amir Abdur-Rahim (15 ppg) doesn’t get some help this year, the Lions may be one of three teams that don’t make the postseason tournament. It looks like Abdur-Rahim will get his help, although SELA is a perfect example of how returnees need to gel with newcomers quickly. With Abdur-Rahim and veteran Michael Gardener in the back, the frontcourt will have old and fresh faces. Heralded JuCo Center Nate Lofton, of Arkansas-Fort Smith, will probably step into a starting role immediately. The 6-10 big man will be joined by steady senior forward Terry West and sophomore forward/center Jonathan Walker. Redlands CC guard Jonathan Patton adds depth at the 1 or 2 position.

9. Sam Houston State Bearkats (23-6, 17-3 Southland)

Wilder Auguste, Jr., F (Transfer)
Joe Thompson, Jr., F (Transfer)
Sam Onwuchekwa, So., F
Marcus Ebow, So., G, (2.3 ppg, 61 assists)
Jason Stephenson, Sr., G (5.5 ppg)

Top Newcomer: Joe Thompson, Jr., F

Things go south for the Bearkats, who swept the regular season and conference tourney for a well-earned trip to the dance. But all five starters went cap-and-gown in May, leaving the conference champs with a blank page. Senior forward Eddy Fobbs, the most experienced and highest scoring returnee, had knee surgery in September, and will miss the upcoming season as a medical redshirt. The Bearkats were dealt another blow in the classroom, when senior Rodrick Winters and junior Mario Kinsey failed to meet academic requirements. Backup point guard Marcus Ebow, who saw about 9 minutes a game last year, will be one bright spot, while 6-2 guard Jason Stephenson – the only returning senior – joins him.

10. McNeese State Cowboys (15-14, 10-10 Southland)

Projected Starters:
Monte Farmer, Sr., F (4.2 rpg, 52% FG)
Marcus Watts, So., C (4.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
Eldridge Lewis, Sr., G (4.15 apg)
Greg Tucker, Sr., G (7.1 ppg, 72% FT)
Edward Garriet, Sr., G (7.1 ppg, 45% 3-Pt. FG)

Top Newcomer: Erkan Oguz, Jr., G/F

Two years ago the Cowboys showed the basketball world that they were not just a football school, by winning the conference tourney and going to the dance. McNeese isn’t a surefire pick this year, but Tic Price’s team is gunning for a fourth straight winning season. Senior guard Eldridge Lewis (5.3 ppg, 4.3 apg) and sophomore center Marcus Watts are the only returning starters, and neither one was a scoring machine. But according to reports out of Lake Charles, coach Price is running more intense, high-scoring scrimmages to get his team to used to up-tempo games. The week of November 3rd was a bad one for McNeese Basketball. Two key players – forward Brett Teeter and 2-guard Erkan Oguz – are out with extensive thumb and knee injuries respectively and three players returned home due to deaths in the family.

11. Nicholls State Colonels (3-25, 1-19 Southland)

Projected Starters:
Markeith Brown, Sr., G (5.5 ppg, 2.5 apg)
Shaun King, Fr., G (Rookie)
Stefan Blaszczynski, Fr., G/F (Rookie)
Eric James, Jr., F (6.2 ppg, 3.4 apg)
Kieran Gleeson, Fr., C (Rookie)

Newcomer of the Year: Stefan Blaszczynski, Fr., G/F

You might say after a 3-25 season, you can only go up, but the Colonels find themselves in another rebuilding year. Coach Ricky Blanton returns only three players this season, none of them starters. Second-year Blanton didn’t rest on his proverbial laurels. He went out and got a two-for-one deal by landing Wilkinson County High (Milledgeville, GA)’s Shaun King (5-11 point guard) and 6-8 power man Maurice Veal. Then Blanton went down under and scored a pair of Aussies. 6-6 big man Stefan Blaszczynski scored 30 ppg with his New South Wales traveling club and 6-9 Kieran Gleeson put up nightly double-doubles and was selected to the All-Australian high school team. The Colonels will put their AusGeorgia formula to the test when they face Arkansas and Florida State in their first two games.

Where’s My College Star?

Have You Seen My College Star?

by Nicholas Lozito

Ever wonder why your favorite college star is currently passing the ball to a guy whose name you can’t pronounce in a country you’ve never heard of? Or maybe you thought he ventured into a high school coaching career until you caught a glimpse of him mingling with a tall blonde at the end of an Eastern Conference bench. It’s a frustrating situation for both you and your local hero, but there is also a logical explanation to this phenomenon: Certain players just aren’t cut out for NBA hoops. And these players fall into three different categories:

1. The sharp-shooting guard who lacks all skills, with the exception of the aforementioned smooth 3-point stroke. It’s obvious that this youngster — let’s call him Trajon Langdon — spent most of his childhood squaring his feet to the basket and flicking his wrist. You see, players like Langdon grew up in rural areas where the competition was either garbage or non-existent. Therefore, skills that could only be picked up through playing top-flight competition, such as ball handling, defense and court awareness, were never developed.

On an elite college team — let’s say Duke — this player often used double teams on teammates down low to free himself for open jumpers. But when it came to NBA ball, where scorers must be able to create their own shot, Langdon’s offensive game was rendered useless. In college ball, his poor defense could be disguised within a zone. In the League, it’s all broken ankles. Other recent collegians who suffer from shooter-itis are A.J. Guyton and Casey Jacobsen. Duke’s J.J. Reddick is a prime candidate.

2. Our second sad story lies within the undersized center who attempts to make up for a lack of height and athleticism with excess muscle or weight. This scheme often works at the collegiate level, where centers can be as short as 6-foot-7. However, when they enter the NBA, most of these big men are forced to develop an outside game and move to a forward position. Some players, such as Kenyon Martin and Elton Brand, are able to make an easy transition. Others like former Maryland star and No. 1 pick Joe Smith find themselves searching for a position, a team and a few extra inches.

Good footwork and a variety of low-post moves will only get you so far. A knack for the ball and sheer hustle (see Sir Charles) needs to kick in at some point in order to succeed as an undersized big man in the NBA. If not, were looking at the next Danny Fortson, Ed O’Bannon or Corliss Williamson.

3. Your final classic NBA failure story isn’t so sad, because it often ends with a lucrative coaching career. We’re talking about the unathletic and undersized point guard who looks to slow down the game at every opportunity and get the ball into the hands of his scorers. Usually a conference leader in assists, this coach-on-the-court is almost always pulled aside by reporters following the game, leading many fans to believe he is a sure-fire first round pick in the upcoming draft. This presumption would be dead wrong, as athleticism currently reigns supreme in the NBA — “headsy” players may want to start working on their play-by-play skills.

The poster child for the point guard-turned-coach trend is former Duke standout Steve Wojciechowski, who now serves as an assistant under Mike Krzyzewski. (By the way, if I changed the spelling of my last name to Lqowzeyitoe (the “q” is silent), would my basketball I.Q. not shoot up about 20 points?)

So if you’re still waiting for the second coming of Boston College’s Bill Curley, Arizona’s Michael Wright or Wake Forest’s Randolph Childress, forget about it. It’s not going to happen. Your better off waiting for “Gigli 2.”

Conference USA Preview

Conference USA Preview

by Zach Van Hart

Last season was a first for Conference USA – the first time a conference member made it to the Final Four. Marquette’s trip through the NCAA Tournament now seems long forgotten, as the probable reshuffle of C-USA will start to take place during the next few weeks. Regardless of what happens during the upcoming seasons, there is no change to the 14 teams who will compete for the 2003-2004 conference title. As the season opens, there is no clear-cut favorite to take the crown. Seemingly half the conference has a legitimate shot at the title.

New this season is the dismantling of two divisions; the league is now just one conglomerate of 14 teams. Everyone will play each other once, plus three extra games with conference rivals.

Preseason Awards

All-Conference
Francisco Garcia, Louisville
Travis Diener, Marquette
Demon Brown, Charlotte
Andre Brown, DePaul
Morris Finley, UAB
Antonio Burks, Memphis

MVP
Morris Finley, UAB

Newcomer of the Year
Robert Whaley, Cincinnati

Freshman of the Year
Martin Iti, Charlotte

Coach on the Hot Seat
Shawn Finney, Tulane

Best Player Nobody Talks About
Cory Santee, TCU

Defensive Player of the Year
Andre Brown, DePaul

Well it’s time to break down the C-USA 2003-2004 season and survey the contenders, the pretenders, and the bottom of the pack.

1. Cincinnati Bearcats (17-12, 9-7, T-3rd)

Last year was a season to forget in Bearcat land. Cincinnati did not win the C-USA regular season title for the first time ever, then lost during the first round of the conference tournament and the NCAA Tournament. This season figures to be different.

Cincinnati returns several key players from last season, in addition to one of the top recruiting classes in the nation. The results, if the team learns to play together, should result in another conference title.

The main man back for the Bearcats is junior power forward Jason Maxiell. While Maxiell failed to live up to the hype from a year ago, he constantly drew the attention of two or three defenders. The opposition cannot afford that this season as Maxiell will have reinforcements. They include transfers James White and Robert Whaley, two of the most-sought after big men in the nation.

In the backcourt, seniors Field Williams and Tony Bobbitt will share shooting guard duties, while a plethora of potential point guards will battle out for the starting position.

Cincinnati’s bench will go at least ten deep, this in fact could be Bob Huggins’ deepest team during his fifteen-year tenure.

The Bearcats have a fairly weak schedule prior to conference play, but have a difficult conference schedule. They must go on the road to Marquette, UAB and Southern Miss, along with non-conference road games against Xavier and Wake Forest. Throw in a home-and-home with Louisville, and this Cincinnati will have to earn their eighth C-USA title the hard way.

2. Louisville Cardinals (25-7, 11-5, 2nd)

The Cardinals have big shoes to fill with the departures of Reece Gaines, Marvin Stone, Erik Brown and Bryant Northern. In typical Rick Pitino style, Louisville will counter with athletes, athletes, and more athletes.

Stepping into the spotlight this season is sophomore forward Francisco Garcia. Last year, Garcia made a name for himself with deadly three-point shooting. He finished second on the team in scoring, averaging 11.2 points per game. This year, Louisville will look at him when it needs a basket.

Despite the loss of four key players, the Cardinals return several contributors from last season. In the backcourt, sophomore Taquan Dean will provide leadership and points. Dean started 22 games as a freshman and is also capable of making the big shot for the Cards. He showed this in the C-USA Tournament, nailing a three-pointer with eleven seconds remaining to knock off Memphis.

Inside, Pitino is hoping Kendall Dartez steps up and someone else fills the roll of rebounder. Dartez showed signs of brilliance last year; the senior center will be the main inside score this year. Ellis Myles is redshirting so his right knee, injured last season, can fully heal. A host of Cardinals will fill his void.

Louisville does get UAB and Southern Miss at home, but must face Cincinnati, Memphis and Marquette twice. In the new one division format, that’s as brutal as it gets.

3. UAB Blazers (21-13, 8-8, T-2nd)

The Blazers were the surprise of C-USA last season. Predicted by many to finish last in the National Division, UAB finished second, barely lost in the C-USA Tournament finals and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NIT. Not too bad a season for first year head coach Mike Anderson.

The (very) bright side for the Blazers is all but one starters return from a year ago. Senior Morris Finley is the one of the top two favorites to win the scoring title this season in the conference, finishing second last year with 18.3 points per game. He is deadly from outside and gets his shot off at any moment.

Another bright side for UAB is it probably does not need Finley to score as much this season. A formable frontcourt, lead by Sidney Ball and Demario Eddins, will provide scoring and rebounding for the Blazers.

The lone downer is the player who graduated last year, point guard Eric Bush. He was the pulse and leader of the team, along with being a good scorer and excellent defender. The team will miss Bush, on and off the court.

UAB must travel to Memphis, Louisville and DePaul, but they have home-and-homes with USF, East Carolina and Tulane. If they beat who they should and knock off a couple of big guns, this could be one of the best seasons in school history.

4. Marquette Golden Eagles (27-6, 14-2, 1st)

Yes, Dwyane Wade is gone. Yes, Robert Jackson is gone. Marquette is good anyway. While the Golden Eagles may not have the talent to repeat last season’s run to the Final Four, they still have enough talent to challenge for another C-USA title.

The man for Marquette this season will be junior point guard Travis Diener. Lost in Wade’s sick tournament was how big Diener performed. He will carry a larger scoring role this season, along with his point guard duties.

Look for Scott Novak to become the team’s No. 2 scorer. The 6-foot-10 sophomore forward is deadly from outside. This year, look for Novak to take his scoring both inside and out.

A big deciding factor for the Eagles will be the health of senior center Scott Merritt and how well he performs. With Jackson gone, Marquette is expecting a breakout season from him. He has the talent to do it, now it’s just a matter of Merritt stepping up to the plate.

Marquette will see what it is made of early, with non-conference games against Notre Dame, Arizona and Wisconsin. In conference play, they must travel to UAB and Southern Miss, plus have home-and-homes against Louisville and DePaul. The schedule is a monster, but this is nothing new to the Eagles.

5. Memphis Tigers (23-7, 13-3, 1st)

Wherever John Calipari has coached, his offense has usually revolved around a big man. Being it Marcus Camby, Kelly Wise or Chris Massie; a big man was a big part of the offense. For 2003-2004, this strategy will be thrown out the window.

Instead, guards and athletic forwards will lead the way for the Tigers. With Massie and John Grice gone, Memphis’ strength now resides in its backcourt. Leading the charge is senior point guard Antonio Burks.

Burks averaged 9.7 points and 5.6 assists last season, and was always making big plays down the stretch. This year he will be encouraged to pull the trigger more, but with so many offensive weapons this may not happen.

Jeremy Hunt will provide balance in the backcourt. Hurt for a big part of last year, and coming off an injury to start this season, Hunt is a solid point and may allow Burks to play some two-guard.

The top returning scorer is sophomore forward Rodney Carney. The slashing small forward should have an even easier time driving to the hoop this year without Massie clogging the lanes.

Now the question is, who will rebound the ball and defend the opposition’s best big man? Honestly, this question is up in the air right now. Center will be by committee for Memphis.

The Tigers face Illinois and Missouri during December before heading into C-USA play. They finish their season on the road against Cincinnati, a game that could decide the league champion.

6. Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (13-15, 5-11, 6th)

Yes, Southern Miss went 5-11 in conference play last year and finished sixth in the National Division. Last year was a young but talented squad, still figuring out how to play as a team. This year they have the experience and the talent and are prepared to turn some heads in C-USA.

The Eagles have the top frontcourt in the league. Seniors Charles Gaines and Greg Johnson, along with sophomore Jasper Johnson, can each average fifteen points and ten rebounds if they choose to. It will be impossible for any defense to stop all three during a given night.

Southern Miss’ fortunes could fall upon junior point guard Dante Stiggers’ shoulders. If Stiggers can play smart basketball and get all three of the big men involved, good things could happen for the Eagles.

Southern Miss must travel to Memphis and Marquette, plays UAB and Cincinnati at home, and has a home-and-home with Louisville. The schedule is not easy, but will allow the Eagles to challenge for the conference title.

7. DePaul Blue Demons (16-13, 8-8, T-5th)

If not for UAB, the Blue Demons would have been last season’s surprise in C-USA. Predicted by some to finish last in the American Division, DePaul finished 8-8 and advanced to the NIT. This year should see steady improvement under second-year coach Dave Leitao.

The big loss for the Demons is Sam Hoskin., who led the team in scoring last year with a 15.6 average. He was the team’s go-to guy in the clutch. Luckily for Leitao, a few different players can fill that role this year.

Key for DePaul will be the consistency of senior center Andre Brown. Brown sat out eleven games last year because of a nagging knee injury and never performed up to his potential. He still finished fourth in rebounding in C-USA and again will be near the top. This year, look for him to take on more of a scoring load for the Demons.

A host of returnees including Delonte Holland, Drake Diener and Quemont Greer will figure to form one of the top starting lineups in the league. The wildcard for DePaul will be the play of its five freshmen. If they can produce solid minutes, the Blue Demons could also contend for the title.

8. Charlotte 49ers (13-15, 8-8, T-5th)

Demon Brown can almost single-handedly win games. This season, head coach Bobby Lutz will probably need him to. Brown is perhaps the top three-point shooter in the country. Last year Brown averaged 16.8 points and four three-pointers per game. He also attempted nearly twelve shots from deep per game. Just call him Downtown Brown.

He will be assisted by sophomore forward Curtis Withers and junior forward Eddie Basden. They will provide the scoring inside for Charlotte and serve as the yin to Brown’s yang.

This is where it gets hazy for the 49ers. With loss of Curtis Nash to graduation and Butter Johnson, who transferred, Lutz needs someone or a few others to step up. Unfortunately, Charlotte is not as deep as it used to be.

However, the difference maker could by freshman center Martin Iti. The 7-foot stud from Mt. Zion Academy is getting mad hype and could end up as Freshman of the Year in the conference. He may have to shoulder a lot for the 49ers to make a run at the postseason.

9. Saint Louis Billikens (16-14, 9-7, T-3rd)

Despite the departure of Wade at Marquette and Gaines in Louisville, the biggest loss by any team in C-USA is Saint Louis losing Marque Perry to graduation. Perry did so many things for last year’s Billiken squad and will be sorely missed.

This year will be an interesting mix for Saint Louis; while there are a few returning starters from a year ago, the team has five newcomers, who all plan on challenging for playing time. Head coach Brad Soderberg could have a rough time finding a rotation he is happy with at any point throughout the season.

This year’s top returnee is senior guard Josh Fisher, who averaged 8.2 points and 3.7 assists per game last season. He will need to be the team’s leader on and off the court, though he has big shoes to fill.

Forward Chris Sloan and guard Anthony Drejaj will also take on larger roles in the offense, while forward/center Izik Ohanon will be the team’s defensive stopper and top rebounder.

The Billikens non-conference schedule is challenging, with games against Arizona, Dayton and Butler. Their C-USA schedule is brutal, with road games at Memphis, Cincinnati and UAB and home-and-homes with DePaul and Marquette.

10. East Carolina Pirates (12-15, 3-13, 7th)

Last year, the Pirates season fell apart on Jan. 16. At the time, East Carolina was 10-3 and had again defeated Marquette at home. They had Louisville coming into Mingis Coliseum, with a national television audience to watch. They were blown out, 87-70, and would only win two more games all season.

This year East Carolina is looking to avoid such a collapse. They return four of five starters and six of their eight top players. The question is, can they move up from the league’s bottom tier.

The Pirates strength is their frontcourt. They have four solid returnees, including Erroyl Bing and Gabriel Mikulas. In the frontcourt, guard Derrick Wiley was the team’s top scorer a year ago, averaging fourteen points per game.

The question mark is at the point guard. Travis Holcomb-Faye is gone to graduation. Waiting in the wings in Belton Rivers, who saw some action last year but must step up this season for the Pirates.

The Pirates schedule is by no means easy. They travel to Cincinnati, have a home-and-home with UAB and close out the season on the road against Marquette and Southern Miss. If East Carolina plans to climb the C-USA, this is the year to do it. They just do not have enough ammunition to get it done.

11. Tulane Green Wave (16-15, 8-8, 2nd)

While Saint Louis and Marquette will feel the affects of losing one key player, Tulane must deal with the loss of five key players. Five seniors graduated from a Green Wave team that finished second in the National Division with an 8-8 conference mark. This season, the pressure to carry this suddenly green (no pun intended) team will reside on the shoulders of Wayne Tinsley.

The senior forward is the team’s leading returnee in minutes, scoring, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals. He also ranks 10th all-time in games started (84) at Tulane. The team will go only as far as he takes them.

Senior center Ivan Pjevcevic stepped up last season, jumping into the starting lineup midway through the year. While standing 7-foot, Pjevcevic is a threat from deep, going 34-of-80 from behind the line last year. On the other side of the ball, Pjevcevic will be called upon to contain the middle.

He will be joined by senior center/forward George Brown, who will see extended action for the first time during his career. Tinsley will be teamed with junior point guard Marcus Kinzer. After that, Tulane is very young, including five freshmen.

The Green Wave starts out the conference season at home against Cincinnati, but from there they will travel to face the likes of Louisville, Marquette and DePaul. Expect a rude awakening for this young squad, but for Tinsley to will the team to some wins.

12. South Florida Bulls (15-14, 7-9, 4th)

Always a solid program, USF has fallen upon hard times. Seth Greenberg bolted to take the head coaching job at Virginia Tech. Reggie Kohn and Will McDonald, last year’s lone bright spots, graduated. During the offseason, Yusuf Baker was dismissed from the team. Not a good summer for the Bulls.

The players USF will be depending on are senior guard Jimmy Baxter, junior guard Marlyn Bryant and junior forward Terrance Leather. Baxter averaged 14.6 points and 5.1 rebounds last year, Leather averaged 7.6 points and 5.3 rebounds and Bryant 7.1 points and 4.9 rebounds.

The Bulls C-USA schedule is somewhat favorable, with Marquette, Louisville, DePaul and Southern Miss all traveling to Tampa, plus a home-and-home with UAB. Still, the Bulls will simply not be that good this season.

13. TCU Horned Frogs (9-19, 3-13, 7th)

TCU is the perfect example for the age-old adage, “Defense wins games.” That’s because it doesn’t have any and that’s why the Horned Frogs finished last in the National Division during 2002-2003. Plus, gone from last year’s team are Junior Blount, Bingo Merriex and Jamal Brown, three of the team’s top four scorers.

In the backcourt, the leader will be junior Cory Santee. The 6-foot-2 Santee finished second in scoring and first in assists last year for the Horned Frogs, averaging 16.3 points and 5.0 assists per game. This season, he needs to distribute just as much while kicking his scoring up a notch for TCU to contend.

Inside the leader will be 6-7 sophomore Chudi Chinweze. Last year Chinweze was a pleasant surprise, providing 8.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game off the bench. This year he will lead a team with little experience playing together.

The Horned Frogs have Cincinnati, UAB, Marquette and Memphis on the road. Might as well stick a fork in them, they’re done.

14. Houston Cougars (8-20, 6-10, 5th)

All-world Louis Truscott is gone. But the second half of last year’s one-two punch, Andre Owen, is not. Owens averaged 13.9 points and 3.2 assists per game last season. This year, not only will he lead the offense, but the offense will go through him.

The strength of the Cougars resides in their backcourt. Joining Owens is Cedrick Hensley and Bryan Shelton. The sophomore Hensley averaged 5.8 points last year while starting 17 games; the junior Shelton averaged 4.8 points while starting 25 games.

Inside, Anwar Ferguson will do the best he can to fill the void left by Truscott. While Truscott provided rebounding, Ferguson specializes in blocking shots. He finished last year second in C-USA with a 1.7 blocks per game average. At 7-foot, rebounding should not be a problem now that he will be depended upon to control the boards.

The Cougars must travel to Memphis, Louisville and UAB, while they get Cincinnati and Marquette at home. Houston just does not have the talent to hang with the big boys in C-USA.

Wrap-up

The switch to no divisions will make a huge difference this year. Teams that are used to home-and-homes, (such as Marquette and Cincinnati), now must adjust to only one game all year. On the court though, C-USA is very balanced at the top half of the conference. While seven teams have a realistic shot at the title, look for Cincinnati to pull away late in the season and reclaim their throne as conference champs.

Mid-American Conference Preview

Mid-American Conference Preview

by Jeremy Speer

It its constant struggle for national recognition, the Mid-American conference again proved it could compete at the big stage. Led by 7-foot center Chris Kaman, Central Michigan completed a storybook season with a first-round victory over Creighton in the NCAA Tournament. The Chippewas dominated the conference all season, despite strong seasons by Kent State, Northern Illinois and Western Michigan.

The will be no dominant team in the MAC this season. Parity is what the conference will offer from the season’s start. With the absence of first-team All-MAC performers like Kaman, Ball State’s Chris Williams, KSU’s Antonio Gates, Ohio’s Brandon Hunter and Marshall’s Ronald Blackshear, many fresh faces will be expected to shoulder a large load.

Despite the unknown elements of most teams, some teams are looking to separate from the pack. In the West, Northern Illinois returns a pair of clutch performers, while Bowling Green returns a healthy and deep team. In the East, Miami coach Charlie Coles has a talented group of athletes to engineer his defensive-minded system. And Akron returns the MAC’s most dangerous group of starters.

Another sidebar to watch will be the development of Marshall’s potential move into Conference USA. Numerous coaches and athletic directors expressed their displeasure of the Thundering Herd flirting with another conference during the MAC’s recent media day. If they were to leave, it would change the landscape of the conference not just in football, but in basketball as well.

My Preseason All-MAC First Team
G P.J. Smith, Northern Illinois
G Derrick Tarver, Akron
F Juby Johnson, Miami
F Marcus Smallwood, Northern Illinois
F Anthony Kann, Western Michigan

All-MAC Second Team
G Turner Battle, Buffalo
G Keith Tripplett, Toledo
G Johnny Hollingsworth, Akron
F Cameron Echols, Ball State
C Kevin Netter, Bowling Green

Player of the Year:
Marcus Smallwood, Northern Illinois

Newcomer of the Year:
Steven Wright, Bowling Green

Most Athletic:
Marcus Smallwood, Northern Illinois

Best Shooter:
Eric Haut, Kent State

Most Versatile:
Marcus Smallwood, Northern Illinois

Best Offensive Player:
Derrick Tarver, Akron

Best Defensive Player:
Juby Johnson, Miami

Best Ballhandler:
A.W. Hamilton, Marshall

Best Leader:
T.J. Meerman, Central Michigan

Best Rebounder:
Cameron Echols, Ball State

Rising Coach:
Rob Judson, Northern Ilinois

Coach on the Hot Seat:
Reggie Witherspoon, Buffalo

West Division

1. Northern Illinois Huskies

Last Season: 17-14, 11-7

Key Losses: G Jay Bates, C Mike Morrison

Projected Starters:
G Anthony Maestranzi, Sophomore, 3.5 PPG, 43 % 3PT
G P.J. Smith, Senior, 14.7 PPG, 3.6 RPG
F Marcus Smallwood, Senior, 13.3 PPG, 10.1 RPG
F Jamel Staten, Junior, 5.6 PPG, 4.0 RPG
F Rome Sanders, Sophomore, 5.3 PPG, 4.0 RPG

Top Newcomer: PG Ryan Paradise

Big Non-Conference games: at Notre Dame; at Iowa Hawkeye Challenge

The Huskies were the talk of the MAC last season before hitting a rough spot late in the season. Despite this, the Huskies turned eyes during their first season in the NIU Convocation Center.

This year, NIU has something many MAC teams not, two legitimate all-conference candidates. Despite his 6’6″ frame, Smallwood is the leagues best player. He possesses an immense amount of athleticism, as he regularly snags rebounds over much bigger players. The Huskies will get the ball to Smallwood more this season, so his scoring average should go up.

P.J. Smith is an athletic, solid guard, who possesses the ability to drive or shoot. His development could hinge on that of point guards Anthony Maestranzi and Ryan Paradise, each of whom will be asked to distribute and take care of the ball. Staten and Sanders are solid role players. Slick-shooting Todd Peterson provides instant offense off the bench and 6’10″ Bryson McKenzie will see plenty of action inside.

It’s looking as if Coach Rob Judson’s stay in DeKalb will be short. If the Huskies reach expectations this year, look for the bigger schools to throw offers Judson’s way.

2. Bowling Green Falcons

Last Season: 13-16, 8-10

Key Loss: G Cory Ryan

Projected Starters:
G Jabari Mattox, Senior, 5.4 PPG, 4.4 APG
G Ronald Lewis, Sophomore, 12.1 PPG, 5.0 RPG
F John Reimold, Junior, 15.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG
F Germain Fitch, Sophomore, 6.5 PPG, 3.5 PPG
C Kevin Netter, Senior, 15.3 PPG, 4.6 RPG

Top Newcomer: G Steven Wright

Big Non-Conference Games: at Michigan; at Honolulu Rainbow Classic

It got so bad for the Falcons last season that coach Dan Dakich was forced to start two football players (Cole Magner, Keon Newson). Expected key players Josh Almanson, Mattox and Fitch all went down for the season while freshman Steven Wright was ineligible.

For all of his struggles, Dakich will reap the benefits this year. Everyone is back, forming the MAC’s deepest team. Netter and Reimold blossomed with the increased playing time, and all have the potential to score quickly.

Lewis emerged as the team’s best player toward the end of the year, and his teaming with the highly-anticipated Wright will give the team two dangerous wing scorers. With Reimold’s shooting touch and Netter’s inside presence, the Falcons will challenge for the MAC title.

3. Western Michigan Broncos

Last Season: 20-11, 10-8

Key Loss: G Robby Collum

Projected Starters:
G Rickey Willis, Junior 2.1 PPG, 32 % 3PT
G Reggie Berry, Senior 5.6 PPG, 35 % 3PT
G Ben Reed, Junior, 7.4 PPG, 4.4 RPG
F Mike Williams, Senior 13.6 PPG, 5.7 RPG
C Anthony Kann, Senior, 14.4 PPG, 8.8 RPG

Top Newcomer: G Mike Jefferson

Big Non-Conference games: USC; at Tempe Hoops Classic

Reggie McCullum did an excellent job in Kalamazoo and he was rewarded with the South Florida job in the offseason. New coach Steve Hawkins wants to continue to upward movement of the program and he has some weapons to help him.

Kann is one of the top inside players in the conference and will dominate in the Kaman-less MAC West. The stringy Williams is a slasher in the mold of Marcus Smallwood. Reed was the MAC Freshman of the Year last season, but injuries derailed his performance last season.

Question marks abound in the backcourt, as Willis and Berry may not have the experience or skill. Newcomers Mike Jefferson and Silver Laku will have a chance to step up.. If these questions are answered, the Broncos will be among the MAC’s top teams.

4. Central Michigan Chippewas

Last Season: 25-7, 14-4

Key Losses: C Chris Kaman, F Mike Manciel, G J.R. Wallace, G Whitney Robinson

Projected Starters:
G T.J. Meerman, Senior 5.6 PPG, 45% 3PT
G Tony Bowne, Junior 4.9 PPG, 44% 3PT
G Kevin Nelson, Sophomore 2.4 PPG, 37% 3PT
F Brandon Voorhees, Sophomore 1.5 PPG, 35% 3PT
C Gerrit Brigitha, Senior 1.9 PPG, 1.2 RPG

Top Newcomer: G Dave Hoskins

Big Non-Conference games: at Notre Dame, at Michigan, at Maui Invitational

Fans in Rose Arena may not recognize this year’s CMU team from last. After losing the four leading scorers off last season’s MAC Championship team, the Chippewas must undergo a complete rehaul.

The two starters that do return, Meerman and Bowne, are gritty leaders, but are not proven scorers. The scoring punch must come from somewhere, and it could be from newcomers Dave Hoskins, Robert Sevalia or Sefton Barrett.

The key to this team is how it will fare in the post, now that the Kaman era is over. Brigitha was on the All MAC Freshman team three years ago, but has been a disappointment the past two. If he and steady Dentlinger step up and if last season’s sophomore class (Voorhees, Kevin Nelson, Joe Carr) develops, it won’t be as bad a season as anticipated in Mount Pleasant.

5. Toledo Rockets

Last Season: 13-16, 7-11

Key Loss: G Nick Moore

Projected Starters
G Rashay Russell, Freshman
G Keith Tripplett, Senior, 16.9 PPG, 5.8 RPG
G Sammy Villegas, Sophomore, 10.8 PPG, 3.6 APG
F Florention Valencia, Freshman
C Allen Pinson, Freshman

Top Newcomer: F Florentino Valencia

Big Non-Conference games: at DePaul, at Louisville

The Rockets hit a high point last season in a win at Michigan State. After that, it was downhill, as the team’s lack of an inside presence proved to be the overhaul.

Stan Jopplin, one of the Mac’s most successful coaches over the past few seasons, has brought in a talented group of recruits to help remedy the team’s holes. Three freshman will likely start when the team tips off November 21 at Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne.

Providing the glue for the team is the return of two of the conference’s best wing players- Tripplett and Villegas. Tripplett finally began to live up to the hype he received when the hometown product was considered the school’s best ever recruit. Villegas was named MAC Freshman of the Year and looks for continued improvement.

It still comes down to the inside game, but if some of the freshman step up, the Rockets could vault back into the MAC’s upper echelon.

6. Eastern Michigan Eagles

Last Season: 14-14, 8-10

Key Loss: F Steve Pettyjohn

Projected Starters:
G Michael Ross, Junior, 11.1 PPG, 5.4 APG
G Ricky Cottrill, Senior 6.9 PPG, 2.0 APG
F JaQuan Hart, Junior 7.2 PPG, 2.9 APG
F Markus Austin, Junior 14.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG
C John Bowler, Sophomore 4.3 PPG, 3.2 RPG

Top Newcomer:G James Douglas

Big Non-Conference Games: at Pittsburgh Invitational, at Nebraska

Jim Boone has done a nice job turning around a program left in shambles following the departure of successful coach Ben Braun, as the Eagles made a major improvement last season.

The Eagles have a lot of talented scorers, but can sometimes be an enigmatic team. Cottrill averaged just under 20 points a game as a sophomore and was among the MAC’s leaders in three-point percentage, but last season his average dipped to seven points and shot a disappointing 20 percent from behind the arc.

Hart, who couldn’t make the grade at Michigan and Ohio State, could be the conference’s most talented player. He sometimes gets a little out of control when Boone does not keep him on a tight least. Ross developed as one of the MAC’s best point guards, and Austin gives steady performance. Like most MAC teams, if the Eagles have some sort of post presence, they could be decent.

7. Ball State Cardinals

Last Season: 13-17, 8-10

Key Loss: G Chris Williams

Projected Starters:
G Matt McCollom, 11.9 PPG, 2.6 APG
G Dennis Trammel, Junior, New Mexico State transfer
F Robert Owens, Senior, 10.2 PPG, 4.9 RPG
F Cameron Echols, Senior, 13.1 PPG, 8.7 RPG
C Kevin Cates, Sophomore, 3.4 PPG, 5.1 RPG

Top Newcomer: G Dennis Trammel

Big Non-Conference Games: Xavier, at Connecticut

The Cardinals were hit hard last season with the season-ending knee injury to Theron Smith. They were hit even harder in the offseason, when Smith declared for the NBA draft and last season’s MAC leading scorer Williams graduated.

The team still could contend in a jumbled West Division with the help of junior college reinforcements Trammel and guard Jesse McClung. Echols is one of the top inside players in the conference, and Owens and McCollom have much starting experience.

Depth will be an issue, especially with a preseason injury to backup center Tom Howland. If the Cardinals can mesh as a unit, it may not be a bad season in Muncie.

East Division Preview

1. Akron Zips

Last Season: 14-14, 9-9

Key Loss: None

Projected Starters
G Johnny Hollingsworth, Senior, 17.4 PPG, 4.1 APG
G Derrick Tarver, Senior, 20.6 PPG, 2.8 RPG
F Andy Hipsher, Senior 9.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG
F Darryl Peterson, Junior, 13.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG
C Matt Futch, Sophomore

Top Newcomer: F Romeo Travis

Big Non-Conference games: at Cincinnati, at North Carolina

Talent abounds on the Akron roster. They return the MAC’s leading scoring punch in Hollingsworth and Tarver. Peterson has been steady in his two seasons, and if Hipsher’s back holds up (he had offseason surgery), the Zips will be the MAC’s best offensive team. And they also have two nationally known recruits, Romeo Travis and Dru Joyce III, teammates of LeBron James at Akron’s St.Vincent-St. Mary High School last year.

Defense is the one issue, and coach Dan Hipsher has worked hard in the offseason to shore this liability up. He hopes the presence of Futch will make a difference.

The East Division’s two best teams (Akron and Miami) offer completely different styles. The Zips are a run and gun offensive team while the RedHawks grind it out with a defensive game. It will be interesting when the teams first hook up January 10 in Oxford.

2. Miami RedHawks

Last Season: 13-15, 11-7

Key Loss: G Eugene Seals

Projected Starters:
G Josh Hausfeld, Sophomore 7.4 PPG, 40% 3PT
G Chet Mason, Junior, 10.0 PPG, 6.2 RPG
G Juby Johnson, Senior, 14.8 PPG, 3.0 RPG
F Danny Horace, Junior, 11.5 PPG, 6.1 RPG
C Nate VanderSluis, Sophomore 1.6 PPG, 1.4 RPG

Top Newcomer: C Nathan Peavy

Big Non-Conference games: at Dayton, Cincinnati

Coach Charlie Coles knows this team could be his best since Wally Szczerbiak’s graduation. The RedHawks mold perfectly in to Coles’ system, which should pay dividends.

Johnson is the best two-way player in the conference. Just like most of the RedHawks, Johnson takes defense just as seriously as offense.

Caution points come in the post, where VanderSluis has struggled to be healthy. A trio of newcomers (Peavy, Monty St. Clair and Eric Van Buskirk) need to contribute.

If all pieces come together, Miami will flourish this season and potentially rise itself to the top of the MAC.

3. Kent State Golden Flashes

Last Season: 21-10, 12-6

Key Loss: F Antonio Gates

Projected Starters:
G DeAndre Haynes, Sophomore 5.4 PPG, 4.3 APG
G Eric Haut, Senior, 14.1 PPG, 41% 3PT
F Brian Bedford, Senior 3.6 PPG, 2.0 RPG
F Nate Gerwig, Junior 7.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG
C John Edwards, Senior 7.1 PPG, 3.4 RPG

Top Newcomer: G Armon Gates

Big Non-Conference games: at Kentucky BCA Classic, at Boston College

The Rockets had their third coach in as many seasons last year, and still were a successful group. They advanced to the MAC championship game and slipped into the NIT.

Despite the loss of Gates, this team is still talented. The problem lies in health, as Haut, Gerwig and Edwards all underwent offseason surgeries. If healthy, Haut is the conference’s best shooters, and Gerwig and Edwards are among the best big guys.

The success at Kent totally depends on health. If the team is healthy, they will again challenge for the title. If they are not, it will be an uncharacteristic bottom of the pack finish, or worse.

4. Marshall Thundering Herd

Last Season: 14-15, 9-9

Key Loss: G Ronald Blackshear

Projected Starters:
G A.W. Hamilton, Junior 5.0 PPG, 5.5 APG
G Ronny Dawn, Junior 5.4 PPG, 42% 3PT
F Marvin Black, Senior, 11.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG
F Mark Patton, Senior 3.6 PPG, 2.9 RPG
C Ardo Armpalu, Senior 7.3 PPG, 3.2 RPG

Top Newcomer: Coach Ron Jirsa

Big Non-Conference games; Kentucky, at UMass

Former coach Greg White is gone and that could be a good thing for folks in Huntington. Over the past few seasons, White had the MAC’s best talent in players like Tamar Slay, J.R. VanHoose and Ronald Blackshear, but never was able to charge the Herd out of the middle of the pack.

Former Georgia head man Jirsa takes over, and inherits a team with enough talent to be good.

Chemistry issues abounded with Blackshear last season, and his departure may be welcomed, as well. Black is a great scorer and rebounder, and Armpalu provides an inside presence.

The ball is good hands with Hamilton and Dawn, the MAC’s best ballhandling duo. Sixth man David Anderson also can provide an offensive spark.

Marshall’s top six players are extremely talented. The Herd needs to build depth and chemistry in order for Jirsa’s first season to be a successful one.

5. Ohio Bobcats

Last Season: 14-16, 8-10

Key Losses: F Brandon Hunter, F Sonny Johnson, G Steve Esterkamp

Projected Starters:
G Thomas Stephens, Senior 5.9 PPG, 2.5 APG
G Jaivon Harris, Senior 7.8 PPG, 3.1 APG
F Jeff Halbert, Sophomore 7.0 PPG, 40% 3PT
F Terren Harbut, Junior college transfer
F Delvar Barrett, Sophomore 5.0 PPG, 2.5 RPG

Top Newcomer: F Terren Harbut

Big non-conference games: Wisconsin, DePaul

The Bobcats lost their three best players from last season. Scoring must from somewhere, and coach Tim O’Shea is hoping it comes from a pair of highly-touted junior college transfers in Harbut and guard Diamond Gladney. Old Dominion transfer Clay McGowan also is expected to provide a scoring punch.

Harris had strong games last season, and has all-conference potential. Barrett’s touching story of helping his mother with diabetes got him national attention. This season, those in Athens are hoping his post presence will gain him accolades.

The bottom line is that Ohio needs a lot of its X-factors to step up in order for success. Much like the Chippewas in the West, the development of the Bobcats will depend on how the newcomers and leftovers mesh.

6. Buffalo Bulls

Last Season: 5-23, 2-16

Key Loss: None

Projected Starters:
G Turner Battle, Junior 12.7 PPG, 4.6 APG
G Jason Bird, Junior 8.7 PPG, 2.0 RPG
F Daniel Gilbert, Junior 5.9 PPG, 3.5 RPG
F Mark Bortz, Junior 7.7 PPG, 6.3 RPG
C B.J. Walker, Sophomore 7.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG

Top Newcomer: F Parnell Smith

Big non-conference games: at Rutgers, Penn State

Ever since their inception into the MAC, a game against Buffalo has all but been a guaranteed victory.

Coach Reggie Witherspoon has the tools to change this. Battle is the most underrated player in the conference, and may just be the most versatile player in the MAC. After showing improvements in January, Battle’s midseason injury killed any gained momentum.

Battle can’t do it alone. Walker had a solid freshman season and his development could be a gauge of Buffalo’s success. Depth is still an issue as the Bulls have few tested players on the bench.