Northeast Notebook

Northeast Conference Notebook

by Zach Smart

Working Overtime, Bobcats Get First W

It was around the mid-way mark of the second half when it hit Quinnipiac: capturing the first victory of the 2007-2008 campaign would entail a little less of DeMario Anderson, and a little more of their backcourt and bench players.

Anderson, a prolific scorer who’s already pegged as a Northeast Conference Player of the Year candidate, was mired in foul trouble. After establishing himself as the go-to-guy throughout the first half, the senior swingman fouled out with a little less than eight minutes remaining in regulation.

Starting four-man Louis Brookings and freshman center Justin Rutty were also swamped in foul trouble, before eventually fouling out.

But the Bobcats didn’t flinch. A pair of unlikely sources stepped up and filled Anderson’s Shaq-size sneakers.

Quinnipiac is front-loaded with outside shooters, an aspect so paramount to success in NEC basketball for a reason.

Three-point sniper Bryan Geffen and sophomore James Feldeine came off the bench to net 19 points apiece, connecting on several momentum-changing shots, and the Bobcats overcame dreadful free throw shooting to gut out a wild 85-79 double-overtime victory against the University of Hartford Sunday night.

Geffen, a 5-foot-10 combo guard, came out of the gates flat, misfiring on his first three shots from downtown. The junior would go lights out in the second half, playing with a savvy that helped catapult the Bobcats to their first victory of the Tom Moore era.

During one crucial juncture, Geffen pulled an ill-advised shot from behind the arc, as the Quinnipiac bench held its breath. But Geffen’s trey splashed through the bottom of the nylon, and the Boston University transfer pointed in the direction of his coach as a bi-partisan crowd of 2,218 at the TD Banknorth Sports Complex suddenly erupted.

Feldeine, an off guard who played sparingly last season, was equally impressive. The Bronx, N.Y. product garnered his first collegiate double-double, snaring 10 boards to go with his 19 points. With Quinnipiac trailing by three in the waning seconds of regulation, Feldeine nailed a huge trey from the right corner to lift the game into overtime.

Feldeine and Geffen were a combined 14-for-27 from the floor. Geffen connected on 5-of-10 from three-point territory.

The opportunities were there for the Hawks, who came out firing, but in the end Hartford couldn’t capitalize. They turned the ball over with four ticks remaining in regulation, and Warren McLendon’s 12-footer clanked off the rim to conclude the first overtime.

Sighs of relief from the Quinnipiac bench ricocheted throughout the arena. Despite several off-season boosts, few teams endured a tougher pre-season than the Bobcats. The ‘Cats played without their two senior captains, DeMario and Karl Anderson, both of whom were healing nagging injuries, and were forced to practice with a squad that didn’t bear any resemblance to what Moore expects to see on the floor this season.

Chemistry was also a concern. A callow crew took the court for the first time, with three freshmen logging significant minutes throughout.

Sporting new jerseys, the Bobcats already had a new look to the 2007-2008 campaign. That new look carried over to the hardwood, where they out-rebounded Hartford by an overwhelming 51-38 margin in two slopfest halves.

Former Bobcat coach Joe DeSantis’ penchant for undersized guards and problems with recruiting big men was a primary reason that rebounding and interior defense served as the Bobcats’ Achilles heel the past few seasons. (Although Victor Akinyanju, a generously-listed 6-foot-5 center, emerged as one of the conference’s premier rebounders last year.)

Enter Moore, who served under Jim Calhoun at UConn and is widely regarded as one of the nation’s top recruiters (see Allen, Ray or Hamilton, Richard for more details). Moore swooped in and fished out freshman bigs Ed Zajac and Rutty. The pair combined for 24 rebounds in their debut.

Hartford countered this with junior strongman McLendendon, who bulldozed his way to a game-high 24 points and 11 rebounds.

And so the Bobcats start the season off with a victory for the first time in recent memory, as a new journey kicks off. Last year, the Bobcats flirted with an upset over then-nationally ranked UConn, but Craig Austrie’s timely three pierced the upset-bid.

Not this time.

The Bobcats showed poise and kept their composure in the two grueling overtime sessions, although they struggled mightily from the line.

The Bobcats were an abysmal 11-for-26, going 3-for-14 over the final stretch. The Hawks weren’t much better in that angle, hitting a meager 18-for-34 and coughing up crucial ones.

Beyond Feldeine and Geffen, highly-touted freshman Evann Baker scored 16 points. DeMario Anderson chipped in with 16 on 7-of-14 shooting.

Joe Zeglinski paced Hartford with 20 points, and three-point marksman Rich Baker chipped in with 17.

Notes

Home Boys: Zajac, the only Bobcat to play on the Connecticut scholastic circuit (Cheshire Academy), scored six points and grabbed 12 boards while tusseling down low. The Hawks’ Brian Glowiak, a 6-foot-3 guard from New Britain, scored five points in 22 minutes but was wrapped up in foul trouble. Clint Kuban, the Hawks’ walk-on from Bethel, Conn., did not play.

Half-Baked: There were plenty of Bakers on Sunday, with Hartford’s Rich Baker along with Quinnipiac’s Baker brothers, Evann and Jeremy, the latter a JUCO transfer who is still waiting to be cleared by the NCAA. But the one that came with the most fanfare wasn’t on the floor. Former NBA All-Star Vin Baker, who had a storied stay at the University of Hartford, was spotted sitting behind the Hawks’ bench. At the end of the game, he retreated to the locker room with the defeated Hawks. Baker, one of the finest players to come out of Connecticut, is still a good friend of Scottie Burrell, the former UConn star and NBA player who’s now an assistant coach at Quinnipiac.

One Baker Named Choice Hotels/NEC Rookie of the Week: Quinnipiac freshman Evann Baker copped his first Rookie of the Week award for the week of Nov. 12. Baker, an instant lynchpin in the starting lineup, scored 16 points, hauled in five boards, and dished out four assists as Quinnipiac picked up the win against Hartford.

Army 64, Sacred Heart 49: At Fairfield, Army senior Jarell Brown scored a game-high 26 points and grabbed six rebounds as the Pioneers fell to 0-2 on the young season. Junior forward Kenny Brewer scored 13 off the bench to pace Army, whose lead ballooned to 25 at one point. Ryan Litke scored 10 points to lead the Pioneers.

Penn State 74, St. Francis (PA) 64: At Penn State, West Haven, Conn. product Geary Claxton led all scorers with 23 points for the Nittany Lions. St. Francis’ Grant Surprenant, a sophomore forward, came off the bench to score 20 points, going 6-for-9 from beyond the arc. Guards Devin Sweetney and Cale Nelson chipped in with 12 apiece for St. Francis, which fell to 0-2 with the loss.

Notre Dame 82, Long Island 50: At Notre Dame, senior forward Rob Kurz had a double-double with 19 points and 10 caroms. Luke Harangody added 15 points on 7-of-12 shooting. Kellen Allen came off the bench to score 16 points in 24 minutes for the Blackbirds.

Rutgers, Seton Hall Openers

Rutgers, Seton Hall Open With Wins

by Ray Floriani

NEWARK, NJ – The season is here. Rutgers opened up at home on Friday, while Seton Hall unveiled a new home on Sunday. Both the Hall and Rutgers survived challenges from mid majors. But if this young season has told us anything, it’s that anything can happen.

Rutgers opened the Blue Ribbon Challenge with a 70-64 victory over Tennessee Tech at the Rutgers Athletic Center on Friday. Rutgers enjoyed a first half double-digit lead, lost it in the second, then regrouped and made the key plays at crunch time. Suffice to say this might have been the type game Rutgers lost a year ago. With the returning players a year older and indoctrinated into coach Fred Hill’s system and talented newcomers on board, the outcome weighed in the Scarlet Knights’ favor.

The guards were impressive. Rutgers’ relatively young backcourt gave a respectable performance. The best of the group was freshman Corey Chandler. The Newark (NJ) product had seven points in the first two minutes and finished with 16. He showed no signs of freshman jitters and literally played like a seasoned veteran.

Classmate Mike Coburn of prep power Mount Vernon entered the game off the bench. On his initial possession Coburn penetrated and then hit a cutting Chandler with a beautiful pass that resulted in a textbook play layup. Overall, though, Coburn struggled, going 2-4 in 12 minutes.

“That will happen with freshmen,” Hill said. “Tonight Mike (Coburn) struggled a bit another night it will be someone else. Mike will bounce back tomorrow. He’s been working hard and will contribute for us.”

Anthony Farmer struggled from the field (1 of 6) but did pull down 6 rebounds.

Hill was pleased with the collective guard defense on Tech’s Anthony Fisher. The stat sheet shows Fisher, Tech’s senior point guard and one of the Ohio Valley Conference’s best players, pacing his team with 15 points. But he shot 5-11 and 0-4 from three. “He got loose once or twice in transition,” Rutgers assistant Darren Savino said, “but overall we made him work hard for everything.” Farmer started defensively on Fisher then virtually every Rutgers guard got a turn as Hill wanted fresh bodies on Fisher.

The work of J.R. Inman and Byron Joynes caught attention. Inman, a 6’9″ junior, led all scorers with 18 points. He knocked down the perimeter shots but also showed a nice explosiveness to the basket. Hill noted that Inman’s rigorous off season regimen has increased his stamina and quickness. Inman also got in foul trouble the first half, but came out in the second half just as hard, not showing any tentativeness due to foul trouble.

A 6’9″ senior, Joynes grabbed a game-high 11 boards, 5 of them offensive. He also drew a late charge that fouled Tech’s Fisher out of the contest in the waning minutes. Overall, Hill was pleased with Joynes’ 27 minutes.

As part of the challenge Rutgers visits Florida on a November 17 trip. On December 20, North Carolina travels to the RAC, meaning Hill’s club will have faced the defending national champion and pre-season number one team prior to conference play.

Tech coach Mike Sutton is impressed with the job Hill is doing. “We played Kansas State last year and saw the tape of Rutgers game with them,” Sutton said. “In one year Fred (Hill) has done a great job brining talent in and getting them to play so well. He’s in a tough league, it’s not easy to play catch up in the Big East.”

Sutton also applauds the Big East’s decision to include all 16 teams in the conference tournament. “It’s a great move,” Sutton said. “The (Big East) tournament is a happening, why exclude a few teams? And watch a number 16 will beat a number one some year. Guaranteed.”

Pirates Open New Arena in Style

The first basketball game at the newly minted Prudential Center was one to remember. Seton Hall outlasted Monmouth 89-81 in an overtime thriller.

One of the highlights of the win for the Hall was the play of Eugene Harvey. The sophomore sensation tied a career high with 27 points and hit a succession of big shots down the stretch. In fact Harvey made the play that forced overtime. Monmouth led by two with eight seconds left as the Hall inbounded in the frontcourt. Harvey penetrated, drew a block and canned two free throws to force the extra session.

“We had our defense set up and did everything we wanted,” Monmouth coach Dave Calloway said. “Unfortunately we got there a split second late (to stop Harvey). You need to be perfect to stop him in that situation.”

Paul Gause came off the bench and infused his normal energy on the contest. Gause played 32 minutes, scoring eight points with five rebounds and a superlative eight steals. Seton Hall created a lot of their offense from defense, and a good part of it was sparked by Gause.

Big men were not a factor. “We decided to go small early,” Seton Hall coach Bobby Gonzalez said. “Monmouth can be tough to guard so we made a decision and it paid off.” A key for the Hall is getting 6’6″ freshman Michael Glover eligible.” We’re just waiting for the ok from the (NCAA) clearinghouse,” noted Gonzalez.

It’s a win. Say what you want about Monmouth being picked in the Northeast Conference’s second division yet scaring the life out of their in-state Big East opponents. The bottom line is Seton Hall won. “I’d rather win ugly than lose pretty,” said Gonzalez.

Ohio State, USC, Kentucky and Georgia Tech all had what they believed were very winnable games and came out on the short end.

“They (Monmouth) are not bad,” Gonzalez said. “And their kid (Jhamar) Youngblood (who went for 27 points) could be a significant player at the Atlantic Ten level.”

Seton Hall just hung on to force overtime, then asserted themselves by going on a 7-0 run to begin OT and never looked back.

Brian Laing had the type performance we’ve taken for granted from him. The senior swingman had an 18-point, 10-rebound outing. Laing enjoyed playing in the new arena. “I like it,” he said. “The crowd gets into it, there’s a good atmosphere. It’s just a little different shooting here. At practice (on campus) the walls are a lot closer. Here you have a different background but we’ll get used to it.”

Both teams struggled shooting the ball early. Midway through the first half Seton Hall was 3 of 19 and Monmouth 2 of 12. The Hall finished at 42 percent while the visiting Hawks were 48 percent.

How did Monmouth come back from a 13-point halftime deficit? First, the Hall had trouble matching up with the aforementioned Youngblood. Monmouth also got it to a slower tempo and exploited the Pirates on several backdoor cuts. They also found the range, hitting 60 percent from the field in the second half.

Notes

• Ok, I didn’t think we needed an arena in Newark, now I love it. Actually, Continental Airlines Arena is about 1.5 miles from home. The Prudential Center, aka “The Rock”, is only about seven, but the acid test will be when game nights are on weekdays. How will traffic going to the arena be? On the first game day, a Sunday, it was a breeze.
  The lighting is good, reminding me of Philly’s Wachovia Center. Seating is comfortable with good views. The hallways are extremely spacious, affording fan comfort. Hungry? Choose from the standard dogs and pretzels or try the following: there are stands for Mrs. Fields cookies, Boardwalk (like Jersey Shore) Sausage, sushi, Famiglia Pizza and Beers of Newark. There are also several lounges such as Belvedere Ice Lounge, which had patrons sipping brews while watching NFL pre game shows before the 1 P.M. tip-off. Finally, one that writing colleague George Rodecker will love: there is a cigar bar with a gentleman hand-rolling churchills. The press area is quickly accessible and very spacious. Overall the atmosphere seems more energized than the Hall’s last locale.
• Gonzalez had a wealth of praise for official Ed Corbett. (That’s no misprint.) Harvey stole the ball when Monmouth inbounded with seconds to go in regulation and the score tied. Harvey tried to call time out, but was airborn and landed out of bounds. As a result Corbett did not grant the “TO”. Seton Hall had no time outs remaining. After the play Corbett explained his ruling to Harvey. “I think it’s great,” Gonzalez said, “when officials talk to the kids and educate them.”
• Speaking of officials, Dave Calloway was mistakenly introduced at the post-game conference as Brian O’Connell. O’Connell was the referee with Corbett and Ray Perone on the crew.

On The Baseline

Give the Seton Hall cheerleaders credit for pointing out something about the student section that escaped yours truly. Discussing the new arena, Liz Pantaleo, a senior from Staten Island, NY, noted, “I like it better than Continental (Arena) because there is a student section on both sides, which creates a better atmosphere.” Classmate Courtney Senfert of Brick, NJ, added, “you just get a better feeling of crowd involvement and spirit here.”

NCAA: NCAA Headquarters Close Due to Fire

NCAA Headquarters Close Due to Fire: The NCAA museum and headquarters closed for the day because of a small fire apparently caused by an electrical problem, with some exhibits damaged by water from sprinklers. The damage occurred in a part of the museum’s second floor that contained interactive, electronic exhibits and displays of tennis and volleyball. The NCAA closed the adjacent headquarters as a precaution because the buildings share a ventilation system. Officials were trying to establish the degree of damage. [11/14/07]

Kentucky: Kentucky to Miss Top Three-Point Threat

Kentucky to Miss Top Three-Point Threat: Kentucky’s three-point specialist, guard Jodie Meeks, will miss at least a month after being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his pelvic area. The injury occurred during an exhibition game against Seattle and will leave the Wildcats, who are already missing point guard Derrick
Jasper, even more undermanned. Meeks tried to play through the setback for two more games, but was ineffective. Meeks averaged 22 minutes and nine points per game under former coach Tubby Smith last season. His injury could give way for senior Joe Crawford’s return to the starting lineup. Freshman Alex Legion is also a likely candidate to see more playing time. [11/14/07]

Duke: Decreases in Attendance Force Change in Duke Ticket Policy

Decreases in Attendance Force Change in Duke Ticket Policy: Duke will now have online ticketing to partially replace Krzyzewskiville. Students will now reserve tickets three days in advance and must be at Cameron Indoor Stadium an hour before tip-off to claim their seat. The change comes after more than half of last year’s home games for Duke were played before a student section that wasn’t packed. One game last year drew only 900 students. [11/13/07]

Kansas: Kansas’ Collins to Miss 6 Weeks

Kansas’ Collins to Miss 6 Weeks: Kansas guard Sherron Collins, who led the Jayhawks in scoring their first two games, will be out for six weeks after suffering a stress fracture in his left foot. The injury apparently occurred during the Jayhawks’ game against Missouri-Kansas City Sunday. The No. 4 Jayhawks are already missing guard Brandon Rush, who is out until December while he recovers from knee surgery. [11/13/07]

Michigan: Michigan Suspends Point Guard

Michigan Suspends Point Guard: Jerret Smith, a junior point guard for the Michigan Wolverines, was
suspended for the team’s opening game against Radford for violating a team policy regarding class attendance. Smith started one-third of Michigan’s games last year, averaging about six points and three assists a contest. [11/12/07]

California: Blue and Gold Are the Only Colors for Hardin

Blue and Gold Are the Only Colors for Hardin: California senior DeVon Hardin decided to stay in school after an injury-shortened junior year in which he only played 11 games, despite being a potential first-round draft pick. To show his focus, Hardin gave away all his NBA-related clothing to his teammates and said that until he leaves the school, he will only wear Cal gear. [11/12/07]

UNH Shows Promise In Defeat

Wildcats stand tall in loss; Gibbs, DiLiegro shine

by Sam Perkins

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass – Coach Bill Herrion isn’t one to turn a loss into a win, as he bluntly said “I’m not in to moral victories” after Saturday’s game.

On paper, New Hampshire lost by ten to a freshmen laden team missing two of its best players (power forward Shamari Spears and point guard Tyrese Rice, both suspended for the game). But looking at a box score won’t do an ounce of justice to the performance the Wildcats put on Saturday evening, one in which the positives far outweighed the negatives, and gave New Hampshire fans hope for the first time in a long time about the future of their team.

Herrion put a freshmen-laden squad, which lost nine players from last year, and was one of the biggest disappointments in the conference, on the floor and they played as a cohesive unit. But more than that, New Hampshire, picked to occupy the basement of the America East, went toe-to-toe with an ACC school and competed as equals for 40 minutes, as Herrion noted, “I’m not going to lie to you, that’s an ACC team, they have players.”

New Hampshire’s 67-57 loss to Boston College gave Herrion and all Wildcat fans a lot to look forward to.

“It was a positive for us, I saw a lot of great things out there,” he conceded. “The biggest fear I have, when you coach a young team, and a bunch of new guys, is just do they understand how hard they have to compete at the college level. We came down here and lost by 40 last year, and I saw a lot of good things today.”

New Hampshire took the floor as a team with few expectations and no hype, and the buzz among the media before the game was whether Boston College would win by more than they did when the two teams met last year (39 points). The Wildcats were smaller across the board than the Eagles, not to mention that UNH had been picked to finish last in the America East coach’s poll. In the early going, the game looked like it would be a repeat of last year, as 6’11″ senior Tyrelle Blair set the tone early by rejecting two shots and deterring several others. UNH couldn’t seem to hit water if they collectively fell out of a boat, and the Eagles were taking advantage of their superior size, as 6’5″ guard Rakim Sanders and 6’7″ wing Tyler Roche had no trouble shooting over smaller UNH defenders while Biko Paris filled in as a stunt double for Rice.

With 11:35 left in the half Sanders stripped freshman Tyrone Conley of the ball and took it coast to coast for a dunk, putting the Eagles up 20-5. Sanders’ dunk seemed to be the back-breaker, as Herrion called a timeout immediately, and the Eagles left the floor with all the momentum. This was not a new position for Herrion, as the Wildcats found themselves in almost an identical situation last year when they opened the season at The Heights, and a year ago when BC punched New Hampshire in the mouth, the Wildcats wilted.

Herrion wouldn’t elaborate on what he said during the timeout, but when they emerged from the timeout, it was clear that this was a different Wildcat team from last season.

“It was one of those danger points,” said Herrion “where either the floodgates are going to open, or your going to make a decision to dig in deep, play some defense, make some stops and get back in it. The kids did a great job.”

In true “gut-check time,” the Wildcats left the huddle with no fear in their eyes, and took the ball right at the Eagles. No one exemplified New Hampshire’s determination more than junior guard Tyrece Gibbs, as he nailed back to back three’s over Sanders coming out of the timeout to make it 22-11. Gibbs scored nine of New Hampshire’s first 11 points.

The turning point came one possession later, as following an Eagle free-throw, Gibbs penetrated down the middle and kicked it to freshman Dane DiLiegro on the right block. DiLiegro’s approach epitomized the new Wildcat attitude of “never say die,” as having already been stuffed twice, he launched himself towards the basket with 6’10″ center Josh Southern standing in his way. But DiLiegro, who won the opening tap over Blair, out-leapt Southern and emphatically slammed it home a two-handed dunk.

DiLiegro let out a yell as he ran down the court that made the message clear: UNH was there to play forty minutes of ball, and they weren’t backing down from anyone.

After DiLiegro’s dunk, it was back to the Tyrece Gibbs show, and what a show he put on. After nailing early threes over larger defenders, Gibbs took a different route, as he crossed over from his left to his right and left Corey Raji in his wake, and nailed his fourth three of the game to make the score 24-16. The next time down the court Gibbs took the ball at the top of the key, drove in on Sanders and banked a double-pump jumper off the glass to pull UNH within six. After a BC miss, Gibbs once again took it right at the Eagles, shaking Sanders out of his shoes before hitting a twisting lay-up around Southern to cut the lead to 24-20. Point guard Eric Gilchrese, a junior college transfer, then got into the action, as he went coast to coast and scored in traffic to bring the Wildcats to within two.

Following a Blair turnover, Gibbs hit Gilchrese with a perfect pass and Gilchrese knocked down an uncontested three to give New Hampshire its first lead. BC answered back with two free-throws, and was in position to once again take control of the game. However, DiLiegro forced Blair into traveling on two straight possessions, the second of which set up the play of the game.

A visibly upset Blair failed to get back on defense. As Gilchrese pushed the ball up court, Conley streaked down the right side behind the Eagles defense towards the basket. As Conley, whose 6’3″ listing seems a bit generous, took off, Gilchrese lofted a perfect pass from well behind the three-point arc. Conley seemed to hover with the basket at eye-level before catching the lob and throwing down a two-handed slam that left the Eagles in shock. Conley’s dunk gave New Hampshire the lead at 27-26.

Gibbs closed out the scoring with a free throw, and finished with a first half high 17 points, sending New Hampshire into the locker room with a 28-26 lead in one of the greatest first halves the Wildcats had played in recent memory.

The second half began with both teams ratcheting up the intensity, and neither willing to back down, as the Eagles and Wildcats traded shots, and the lead, several times. Boston College came out in he second half with a defensive strategy centering entirely on Gibbs, as they began to switch coming off of picks and double down on him as much as possible. While BC’s new defensive scheme limited Gibbs as a scorer in the second half, it also left other Wildcats open, with Gibbs taking on the role of a distributor. DiLiegro benefited from Gibbs passes early on, nailing two foul line jumpers to keep the Wildcats in the lead.

UNH looked as if they might pull away after senior Mike Christensen converted a lay-up to give New Hampshire a 39-35 lead. A Christensen steal on the following possession gave UNH a brief momentum boost, as the Wildcats had a three-on-two fast break, and a bucket there might have blown the doors off. Unfortunately they couldn’t convert, giving the ball, and the momentum, back to the Eagles.

Herrion felt the inability to convert and push the lead to six was a momentum killer, and impacted the outcome of the game.

“We had some opportunities to really create some separation, but we didn’t,” he commented. “We had one chance in the second half when we were up by four, and we had the momentum. We got out on the break and could have pushed the lead up to six, but we had poor shot selection and gave the game back to them.”

Following a BC bucket and free throw shot, UNH again pushed the ball and the tempo, but Christensen tried an ill-advised drive and turned the ball over, which led to a wide-open Sanders three at the other end, and a 41-39 BC lead. UNH fired back, however, as Conley nailed a jumper in traffic to tie the game at 41.

But BC began to wear down the Wildcats, as Raji and Sanders each scored four points apiece and Southern added a huge tip-in to give BC a 51-43 lead with eight and a half minutes remaining.

UNH clawed their way back, however, and with a little under five and a half minutes left freshman Alvin Abreu nailed a huge three pull UNH back to within three at 54-51. The Eagles scored four quick points, but Abreu once again nailed a huge three to make it 58-55. Unfortunately, that was a close as the game would get, as a final push put the game out of reach, and the Eagles closed it out 67-57.

Gibbs finished with 22 points (tied for the game high with Sanders), while DiLiegro finished with seven points and a game-high eleven rebounds and two blocks, while Abreu added ten points and Conley chipped in seven.

The loss was tough to take, but Herrion saw many things he liked, especially the play of his freshmen as he said, “Our freshmen were great. Great.”

Especially impressive was the play of DiLiegro, who forced senior Tyrelle Blair to commit several fouls, as well as turn the ball over several times. DiLiegro took Blair out of his game so much so that BC Coach Al Skinner kept him on the bench for almost the entire second half.

Herrion was clearly happy with the play of his young center, as he gushed, “DiLiegro played great, he’s a big physical kid, he plays hard he puts his body on people, I thought his post defense was terrific around the basket.”

You can only tell so much from a single game, as it can hardly be used as a barometer for the upcoming season. However, there appears to be much more hope than originally anticipated for the Wildcats. New Hampshire is much more athletic then they have been in previous seasons, which was not lost on their coach. Said Herrion: “We’re playing faster this year, up tempo… it’s a step forward, we had one dunk the whole year last season and we had two today.”

Gibbs, a junior captain, added, “We’re a lot quicker and more talented one through five.”

But the most significant discovery in the game had nothing to do with physical ability, it was simply this: the Wildcats, as a team, have heart. A lot of it. Once UNH fell behind last season, they never came back. Many UNH fans grew upset and lost faith in Coach Herrion following the departure of seven underclassmen from last year’s squad, however the word from behind closed doors was that the departing players did not have the physical toughness, nor the heart, that Herrion needed.

After watching UNH play on Saturday, it was obvious that UNH is in a much better position this year, and that it isn’t the time to lose faith in the third-year coach. Gibbs put it best, saying, “It would have been better to win, obviously, but they’re in the ACC and we played with them until the end, I thought it showed a lot of what our team is made of. We played harder tonight than we ever did last year, and were going much harder all year than we did last year, and were better as a team than we were last year. And we have heart.”

Morgan State Opens With Two Good Efforts

Bears show effort in 2K Sports College Hoops Classic

by Michael T. Lyle, Jr.

Morgan State kicked off their 2007-08 season with a strong performance against Big East powerhouse Connecticut in the first round of the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic. But Reggie Holmes 18 points weren’t enough as the Huskies avoided the upset with a hard-fought 69-65 win up in Storrs.

UConn’s Jerome Dyson led all scorers with 20 points and got key support from guards Jeff Adrien (12 points, 10 rebounds) and Curtis Kelly (13 points, 9 rebounds). Morgan standout guard Jamar Smith poured in 16 points in a losing effort.

Connecticut led this contest for most of the evening, with the Bears staging a late rally. A bucket from Smith cut the deficit to 66-62 with a little over a minute to play. After Adrien committed a turnover on the Huskies next possession, Morgan’s Marquise Kately missed on a lay-up, allowing Dyson and Doug Williams to seal the win for UConn with three free-throws in the closing seconds.

In the consolation game against Division II Ohio Valley, the Bears got a game-high 21 points from Holmes in a 77-66 win over the Fighting Scots. Kately poured in 15 points and Jerrel Green added 12.

Rhode Island Shows Their Strengths

Rams’ Strengths Are Evident in Season Opener

by Phil Kasiecki

SOUTH KINGSTON, R.I. – Rhode Island clearly has a lot of parts, and that was evident in Friday night’s 90-63 win over Florida Atlantic. It didn’t start out picture-perfect by any means, but the Rams came alive early enough and well enough to make the game a blowout.

“We were too excited – we had to settle down in the locker room for the second half,” said sophomore guard Keith Cothran, who led the big bench uprising for the Rams by scoring 17 points.

Jimmy Baron will probably get the headlines as players go, but he certainly didn’t do it alone. Baron scored a career-high 30 points on 11-18 shooting, including 5-10 from behind the arc. When the Rams had some struggles in the first half, he was one of the only cogs they had offensively. In the second half, he just kept doing it, making one heady play after another.

Baron spent some of the off-season working out in Las Vegas, and it’s clear that his work is bearing some fruit. Watch him play, and one can see that he’s really worked at being more than just a shooter. He thoughtfully dribbles inside the arc to create for others, and has made some pull-up shots. In addition, he had three steals on Friday night, about which his father quipped, “is unbelievable for a Baron.”

And it was all in a day’s work for the junior guard, whose day started with a late night preparing for three exams on Friday.

“He’s really prepared himself,” said head coach Jim Baron. “He works very hard, and I’m not at all surprised because he puts a lot of time into it.”

Baron’s main help came from the bench, where the Rams had a 37-16 edge over the Owls. Besides Cothran’s 17 points, four assists and three steals, Joe Mbang had 12 and six rebounds and Lamonte Ulmer had eight on 4-4 shooting from the field.

Where the bench also came in is where the frontcourt starters did not. Will Daniels had some early foul trouble and struggled, finishing with seven points on 3-9 shooting, though he did grab eight rebounds. Kaheim Seawright had a tough night, as he couldn’t hang on to a rebound, pass or loose ball and likewise struggled with just four points and one rebound. But Mbang and Ulmer did the job in their place, as did the guards. It’s more evidence of how deep this team is and how a number of players can help them.

“I think our bench really came on and wore them down,” said Baron in a sentiment that was echoed by Florida Atlantic head coach Rex Walters. “We need to have that kind of depth. I think that’s going to be a big part of our basketball team, to have eight, nine, ten guys ready to go.”

Besides the Rams’ depth, their ability to run, especially off turnovers, was evident and a big reason they won. They scored 31 points off 25 Florida Atlantic turnovers, breaking it open with one basket after another off a turnover in the second half.

When he was on the court, Cothran caused a good number of those turnovers even though he had just three steals. He was a pest on the ball and showed his excellent feel for defending off the ball and made plays happen that way, often unforced.

“I think his greatest strength is that he just gets in the passing lanes and gets steals,” Jimmy Baron said of Cothran. “With him putting pressure on the ball, it makes things a lot easier on everyone else.”

Friday night showed a couple of the Rams’ strengths. If the Rams keep this up, they should certainly contend in the Atlantic 10, as many project them to. They certainly made that impression on the opposing head coach.

“I think they’re going to have a pretty good year,” said Walters.

UConn Gets Big Night from Price, Robinson

Price, Robinson Power UConn

by Zach Smart

STORRS, Conn. – If you thought Wednesday’s lackluster 69-65 victory over Morgan State was ugly, then consider much of the first half of Thursday’s UConn/Buffalo game a horror flick. The Huskies came out Kansas-flat, misconnecting on set shots, blowing shots underneath the cup, and playing matador defense that allowed Buffalo to play neck-and-neck with them for the game’s first 15 minutes.

Stiff as ever, the Huskies looked like they could use some vodka in their Gatorade. They needed anything that would loosen them up and allow them to play the physically intimidating brand of basketball that makes them such a unique threat in the Big East.

Enter the Stanley Robinson block party.

Robinson, a freakishly athletic but inconsistent 6-foot-9 swingman, ignited the Huskies defensively, changing shots during a vicious 17-0 run spurred by A.J. Price’s shot clock-muting three-pointer.

Robinson was a major presence during a second half that UConn’s suffocating defense played a significant role in. Robinson finished with 10 points, 13 caroms, and six swats en route to recovering from an abysmal zero-point, five-turnover mess the previous night.

“Whatever minutes he played were probably three more minutes than he deserved,” Jim Calhoun said after watching Robinson disappear in 13 minutes against Morgan State.

Following Robinson’s redemption night at Gampel Pavilion, Calhoun went from embarassed to awestruck.

“I’ve seen Stanley now for two years, that was certainly the best I’ve ever seen him play,” the longtime Husky coach explained. “He played where only rarefied athletes can play tonight. He made a catch that, I don’t know, maybe Rudy (Gay) or Scottie Burrell, can make. He really, really made a big difference.”

Price operated the offense with a savvy and maturity that was sorely lacking last year. He would finish with finish with a game-high 24 points, as the Huskies rolled to an 82-57 drubbing in the regional round of the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic, benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer.

Price was named MVP of the Storrs Regional, as the Huskies advance to play Gardner-Webb, which pulled off a shocking victory over Kentucky in the Lexington Regional Finals at Rupp Arena Wednesday night. The two teams will meet at Madison Square Garden.

In the season-opener, Price, the floor general from New York, handed out nine assists. “Tonight he (Price) showed he can score, and we’ve seen both aspects from him in two games, so I think he’s playing with a lot of confidence,” said Calhoun.

Price and UConn emphasized the running game, which certainly worked to their advantage. It had Buffalo sucking in wind eight minutes into the second half, when UConn began to turn it on.

Combo guard Jerome Dyson scored on back-to-back fast breaks and almost completed a personal 6-2 surge with an off-balance shot, but Robinson was there for the putback as UConn’s bulge ballooned to 19 points.

Price then pick-pocketed Bulls guard Sean Smiley at half-court, jetting back to the hoop for an easy lay-in that made it 64-43. A wash-out then ensued.

Was the 17-0 surge the biggest momentum-changer?

“I think it was our defensive intensity (during the run),” said Price. “We were everywhere. We really wanted to dig in, and only give them what we wanted. They didn’t get any easy shots in the second half.”

They certainly didn’t. Robinson, who had back-to-back eye-popping blocks (around three minutes before the half), Jeff Adrien, and 7-foot-3 behemoth center Hasheem Thabeet all changed shots during the run, as UConn racked up 15 blocked shots on the evening.

“After a tough game last night we really wanted it,” said Price, noting that UConn allowed Morgan State to shoot 11-of-22 from beyond the arc.

Sophomore guard Doug Wiggins, upgraded from his spot in the Calhoun doghouse, came off the bench and scored five points in 57 seconds during the run.

The Huskies, despite blowing some early opportunities to rip off a run, shot 46 percent from the floor. Free throws, however, were a different story. The Huskies shot just 25-37 (67 percent) from the charity stripe.

But it did little to help their Mid-American Conference foe, which couldn’t permeate any cracks in the defense.

Robinson’s six blocks established a new career-high.

“The sky is the limit for Stanley,” opined Price. “After being ripped by coach, knowing he didn’t play well, to come back and respond the way he did tonight really showed some character.”

Horizon Preview

Horizon League 2007-08 Preview

by Nick Dettmann

It’s an exciting time to be a fan of the Horizon League.

First, the Horizon League welcomes the Valparaiso Crusaders into the conference this season.

The Crusaders come to the league from the Mid-Continent Conference where they won a number of MCC regular season and tournament titles. In all, the Crusaders have appeared in seven NCAA tournaments. And the rich history doesn’t end there.

Valparaiso will be guided yet again by Homer Drew. Drew sports a 571-362 overall record in 30 seasons in northwest Indiana. At Valparaiso, Drew is 302-240 in 18 seasons.

The Horizon League got richer with the addition of VU on July 1.

In addition, the Crusaders will celebrate all season long the 10-year anniversary of Valparaiso’s magical run into the Sweet 16. The highlight of that run was Bryce Drew – now the associate head coach of the Crusaders – sinking the buzzer-beater against Ole Miss.

Even as a new team in the league, the Crusaders are right in the thick of the league title race. Add in a talented Butler, which won a school-record 29 games last season, reached the Sweet 16, and cracked the top 10 in the AP poll, and Wright State teams and you’ve got one of the toughest conference races in the country that probably nobody knows about.

Then throw in teams like UW-Green Bay and a more experienced UW-Milwaukee squad and it could be anyone’s guess who’s going to win the league.

But the biggest challenge facing the Bulldogs is a new coach. Todd Lickliter, who led the Bulldogs for six seasons, left Butler to take the head coaching vacancy at Iowa. During his tenure at Butler, the Bulldogs were 131-61. Replacing him is Brad Stevens, an assistant under Lickliter the past six seasons, and also worked under current Ohio State coach Thad Matta.

Butler finished No. 13 in the coaches poll after last season.

It will be an exciting season in the Horizon League

Below is the league’s predicted order of finish.

Butler Bulldogs (29-7 overall in 2006-07, 13-3 league)
Head coach: Brad Stevens (first season)
Assistants: Matthew Graves, Brandon Miller, Terry Johnson
Projected starters
A.J. Graves
Mike Green
Pete Campbell
Julian Petko
Drew Streicher
Key losses: Brandon Crone, Brian Ligon
Schedule highlights
Nov. 21-24 Great Alaska Shootout, Anchorage, Alaska
Dec. 1 vs. Ohio State
Dec. 15 vs. Florida State at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis
Dec. 28 at Southern Illinois
Feb. 23 ESPN BracketBusters
Outlook: The Bulldogs return their top two scorers from last year in Graves and Green. Butler had solid depth last season, and it will need the same thing again this year. Take away the total starts by Graves and Green last year, Betko started 36 games last season, but the rest of the returners have two total starts last year (Streicher). Green was the league’s Newcomer of the Year last season, and incoming Matt Howard turned down scholarship offers to Big Ten schools to come to Butler. If he plays, Howard will be a tremendous addition.

Wright State Raiders (23-10, 13-3)
Coach: Brad Brownell (second season, 23-10; sixth season, 106-50 overall)
Assistants: Mike Winciecki, Bill Donlon, Victor Ebong
Projected starters
Jordan Pleiman
Vaughn Duggins
Todd Brown
Scott Wilson
William Graham
Key losses: DaShaun Wood, Drew Burleson
Schedule highlights
Dec. 15 vs. Miami
Dec. 29-30 Dr. Pepper Classic, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Feb. 23 ESPN BracketBusters
Outlook: Wood won the league MVP honors last season after leading the league in scoring (19.6 per game) and steals (1.94 per game). Wood scored 27 points with eight rebounds and five assists in the Raiders’ upset of Butler in the league tournament championship game, which gave WSU its first NCAA appearance since 1993. Replacing Wood will be tough, but the Raiders under second-year coach Brownell return three starters, led by Duggins (9.0 points per game). The Raiders also get two talented transfers in John David Gardner (UNC-Wilmington) and Ronnie Thomas (Duquesne). Pleiman brings veteran leadership, but will need to improve his seven points per game clip he averaged last season after averaging more than 10 a game two seasons ago.

Valparaiso Crusaders (16-15, 9-5 Mid-Continent Conference finish)
Coach: Homer Drew (19th season, 302-240; 31st season, 571-362 overall)
Assistants: Bryce Drew, Luke Gore, Chris Sparks
Projected starters
Shawn Huff
Urule Igbavboa
Samuel Haanpaa
Brandon McPherson
Jake Diebler
Key losses: Moussa Mbaye, Arden Skoglund
Schedule highlights
Nov. 20 at Vanderbilt
Nov. 23-24 at South Padre Island (Texas) Invitational
Dec. 22 at Wisconsin
Dec. 30 at North Carolina
Feb. 23 ESPN BracketBusters
Outlook: The Crusaders join the Horizon League from the Mid-Continent Conference (now the Summit League), and right away Valparaiso will have a tough schedule. Dec. 22 will be interesting as two of college basketball’s best and most-respected coaches square off (Drew and Bo Ryan). North Carolina is a perennial national champion contender, if not favorite, and Vanderbilt made it to the Sweet 16 last year. Valparaiso will return four double-digit scorers from last season, led by Haanpaa at 12.0. Igbavboa, Huff and McPherson all averaged at least 10 points per game.

UW-Green Bay Phoenix (18-15, 7-9)
Coach: Tod Kowalczyk (sixth season, 77-73)
Assistants: Dale Race, Jon Harris, Brian Wardle
Projected starters
Mike Schachtner
Ryan Tillema
Terry Evans
Troy Cotton
Randy Berry
Key losses: Ryan Evanochko, Josh Lawrence
Schedule highlights
Nov. 12-17 Preseason NIT Tip-Off
Dec. 15 at Wisconsin
Dec. 29 at Michigan State
Feb. 23 ESPN Bracket Buster
Outlook: This team is young by year in school, but they are experienced. Last season, the underclassmen averaged 130.5 minutes of playing time per game, 65 percent of the team’s total. And nothing changes much as the Phoenix have just one senior (Tevah Morris). Otherwise, there are five juniors, four sophomores and five freshmen. One of the freshmen will not be available this season, as D’Angalo Jackson will sit out this season after transferring from Creighton due to NCAA transfer rules. But it will be easy to confuse UWGB as a Big Ten team. Three teams from the conference will play the Phoenix this season, including Ohio State in the NIT Season Tip-Off.

UW-Milwaukee Panthers (9-22, 7-9)
Coach: Rob Jeter (third season, 31-31)
Assistants: Brian Bidlingmyer, Chad Boudreau, Duffy Conroy
Projected starters
Paige Paulsen
Avery Smith
Ricky Franklin
Allan Hanson
Marcus Skinner
Key losses: Kevin Massiah, Ryan Thornton
Schedule highlights
Nov. 18 vs. Northern Iowa
Nov. 30 at Marquette
Dec. 29 at Wyoming
Feb. 23 ESPN BracketBusters
Outlook: The city of Milwaukee is getting the college basketball matchup they’ve longed for since 1998. The Panthers and Marquette will play for the first time since the ’98 season. After a rough 2006-07 campaign, the Panthers are older and more experienced, unlike last year where there were a combined nine collegiate starts on the roster. Paulsen and Smith are two of the best in the league, and will have big seasons. In addition, the Panthers assembled one of the best mid-major recruiting classes in the country. But UWM will need to improve on having the league’s worst offensive field goal percentage and worst defensive field goal percentage (38.7 percent to 47.5 percent, respectively).

Detroit Titans (11-19, 6-10)
Coach: Perry Watson (15th season, 254-175)
Assistants: Kevin Mondro, Carlos Briggs, Garland Mance
Projected starters
Brandon Cotton
Jon Goode
Chris Hayes
Zach Everingham
Eulis Stephens
Key losses: Ryvon Coville, Brandon Bell
Schedule highlights
Dec. 17 at Texas A&M
Dec. 29 DePaul
Feb. 23 ESPN BracketBusters
Outlook: The Titans returned a talented group of players back from last season. Leading the list is former Michigan State transfer Cotton. Cotton led the Titans in scoring last season with 18.1 points per game. However, the Titans lost double-double man Ryvon Coville (13.7 points and 10.6 rebounds per game last season). But Watson’s teams always play stingy defense, and look for that defense to carry this team. Cotton is the leading returning scorer in the entire league, and the Titans will look to rebound this season after collapsing late last season.

Loyola Ramblers (21-11, 10-6)
Coach: Jim Whitesell (fourth season, 53-39; 331-223, 20 seasons overall)
Assistants: Patrick Baldwin, Lance Randall, Shay Boyle
Projected starters
J. R. Blount
Andy Polka
Leon Young
Tracy Robinson
Tom Levin
Key losses: Blake Schilb, Majak Kou
Schedule highlights
Nov. 24 at Purdue
Dec. 15 vs. Northern Iowa
Feb. 23 ESPN BracketBusters
Outlook: The early stages of this season will be tough and Whitesell may be the first to tell you so. The Ramblers lost four starters, and with them 48 percent of its offense from last season. The leading returning scorer (Blount) averaged 12.9 points per game. After that, the production dips tremendously. Blount is a rising star for the program after averaging double figures in points in each of his first two seasons on Chicago’s North Side (a first in school history since 1998-2000 with Chris Williams).

Illinois-Chicago Flames (14-18, 7-9)
Coach: Jimmy Collins (12th season, 176-156)
Assistants: Mark Coomes, Tracy Dildy, Bryant Lowe
Projected starters
Josh Mayo
Robert Bush
Scott VanderMeer
Karl White
Spencer Stewart
Key losses: Othyus Jeffers, T.J. Gray, Jovan Stefanov
Schedule highlights
Nov. 17-19 Paradise Jam, U.S. Virgin Islands
Feb. 23 ESPN BracketBusters
Outlook: The Flamers lost two of their top three scorers from last season (Jeffers, Gray) to transfers, as Jeffers transferred to Robert Morris and Gray to Southern Illinois-Edwardsville. But they do return Mayo, who averaged 12.2 points per game. Unfortunately after that, the next top returning scorer is Bush, who averaged 6.8 points per game. Bush will need a big season, as will VanderMeer. UIC will get the services of Texas Tech transfer Jeremy Buttell. Buttell, a 6-foot-7 sophomore forward, worked under legendary coach Bobby Knight and should provide a spark off the bench. He may work into the starting lineup by season’s end.

Youngstown State Penguins (14-17, 7-9)
Coach: Jerry Slocum (third season, 21-38; 33rd season, 601-363 overall)
Assistants: Michael Wernicki, Byron thorne, Brian DePaoli
Projected starters
Byron Davis
Jack Liles
John Barber
Dwight Holmes
George Cotal
Key losses: Quin Humphrey, Keston Roberts
Schedule highlights
Nov. 12-13 at CBE Classic, Los Angeles (will play UCLA on Nov. 12)
Nov. 24 at Notre Dame
Dec. 21 at Akron
Feb. 23 ESPN BracketBusters
Outlook: Humphrey and Roberts were the heart-and-soul of the Penguins last season, literally. The two combined to average 35.1 points per game on a team that averaged 66 points a game. Davis provides a little punch at 8.6 points, but not too much is there after that. YSU will be tested early with a matchup against UCLA, who has reached the Final Four in each of the past two seasons. Barber does provide experience as a three-year letterwinner. Gemayl Johnson will be a spark off the bench and may start by the end of the season. Johnson, a junior college transfer from Montgomery (Md.), averaged 19 points and nine rebounds a game last season. He was an All-American last season at the JC ranks.

Cleveland State Vikings (10-21, 3-13)
Coach: Gary Waters (second season, 10-21 at CSU; 181-156 in 11 years overall)
Assistants: Jayson Gee, Larry DeSimpelare, Jermaine Kimbrough
Projected starters
J’Nathan Bullock
Joe Davis
Cedric Jackson
Kevin Francis
Chris Mooris
Key losses: Raheem Moss, Carlos English, Victor Morris, Bahaadar Russel, Patrick Tatham
Schedule highlights
Nov. 13 at George Mason
Nov. 17 vs. Florida State in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Feb. 23 ESPN BracketBusters
Outlook: The Vikings have been consistently at the bottom of the league for a number of seasons and nothing is going to change that anytime soon unfortunately. CSU lost a lot of experience last season and will need a lot of untested players to fill in those voids. A relatively easy schedule should help CSU with that problem. CSU did lose four conference games last year by five points or less.

Atlantic 10 Preview

Atlantic 10 Conference 2007-08 Preview

by Phil Kasiecki

The Atlantic 10 has had its ups and downs ever since it seemed on the verge of competing with the BCS conference back in the mid-1990s. Back then, Temple and UMass ruled the conference and formed a big rivalry, Xavier was a consistently good team and St. Bonaventure had several good teams while Jim Baron, who changed addresses but not conferences, was the head coach. But aside from the 2003-04 season, when the conference put four teams in the NCAA Tournament, it’s been a bit of a struggle to attain the kind of success the conference had a decade ago.

That could be changing if recent times are any indication. Entering 2007-08, most teams in the conference project to be better than last season, and many that don’t project favorably aren’t likely to drop off much. There is also some good coaching stability right now, as no coach can really be said to be on the hot seat and a number of coaches look to be in very good standing. That could later lead to some bolting for jobs elsewhere, but right now the stability is a very positive thing.

This season, the conference projects to be very competitive for the top spot. Even teams that contended last season and lost a lot don’t figure to drop off much, and they could certainly still knock off the top contenders in an individual matchup. Two of the teams picked in the top three return over 90 percent of their scoring from last season. Showing the experience that teams have this season, only two teams return less than half of their scoring. Conference-wide, 11 of the top 13 and 16 of the top 20 scorers from last season return, and the top nine three-point shooters return as well.

The conference also boasts good balance in where the talent is as far as positions go. It isn’t a guard-dominated conference, as important as they are to a team’s success, especially among the elite talents as the preseason first team All-Atlantic 10 has a traditional lineup of two guards, two forwards and a center. The projected top newcomers also include a good mix, from Duquesne’s Kojo Mensah and Shawn James (transfers) to Xavier’s C.J. Anderson (another transfer) and Dayton freshman Chris Wright.

Two teams changed coaches in the off-season, and each made its share of news for one reason or another. St. Bonaventure had a drawn-out search that saw Albany head coach Will Brown turn down an offer and several other candidates drop out of consideration before an offer could be made. They eventually hired former Robert Morris head coach Mark Schmidt. Saint Louis fired Brad Soderberg in a very questionable decision, not only because of the timing (right in the middle of the April live recruiting period) but also because he was fresh off a 20-win season and had led the program into a successful move into the Atlantic 10. Former Utah head coach Rick Majerus, who was most recently an analyst at ESPN, replaces him amid continuing questions about his health.

Preseason Awards
Player of the Year: Brian Roberts, Dayton
Top Newcomer: Shawn James, Duquesne
Top Freshman: Chris Wright, Dayton
Defensive Player of the Year: Shawn James, Duquesne
Best NBA Prospect: Shawn James, Duquesne

All-Atlantic 10 Team
Will Daniels, Sr. F, Rhode Island
Bryant Dunston, Sr. F, Fordham
Drew Lavender, Sr. G, Xavier
Ahmad Nivins, Jr. C, Saint Joseph’s
Brian Roberts, Sr. G, Dayton

Xavier Musketeers (25-9, 13-3)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Drew Lavender (11.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 4.8 apg, 1.3 spg)
Sr. G Stanley Burrell (12.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.4 apg)
Jr. G-F C.J. Anderson (transfer from Manhattan)
So. F Derrick Brown (6.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg)
Sr. F Josh Duncan (9.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Musketeers play a very challenging non-conference schedule that includes nine home games. They will play in the Chicago Invitational Challenge against Kent State and either Indiana or Illinois State. Highlighting the home games are matchups with Summit League contender Oakland, Atlantic Sun contender Belmont, Creighton, Cincinnati, Tennessee and Virginia. They go on the road to play MAC contender Miami (Ohio), Arizona State, Kansas State and Auburn. In Atlantic 10 play, they get Dayton, Saint Joseph’s and George Washington twice, and they get Rhode Island and UMass on the road only.
Outlook: The Musketeers have a solid core of players with good experience, and they’ll be challenged a great deal in non-conference play. Lavender and Burrell form a terrific backcourt, though Burrell needs to be better with his accuracy as he shot just over 38 percent from the field. With them and Anderson, the perimeter is in good hands at both ends of the floor. Junior swingman B.J. Raymond will see good minutes off the bench and is a solid reserve. Duncan will take big men out to the perimeter with his ability to make shots from long range, while Brown has reportedly improved significantly in the off-season. The Musketeers don’t have great proven depth inside, although junior college transfer Charles Bronson played at East Carolina before going to junior college. The Musketeers shot nearly 48 percent from the field, which helped them rank third in the conference in scoring last season. They figure to be near the top in both categories again this season and will be tough to beat.

Rhode Island Rams (19-14, 10-6 A-10)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Parfait Bitee (7.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.2 apg)
Jr. G Jimmy Baron (14.6 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 2.0 apg)
Sr. F Will Daniels (17.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.5 apg)
Jr. F Kaheim Seawright (11.3 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.8 apg)
Jr. C Jason Francis (junior college transfer)
Schedule Highlights: The Rams’ non-conference slate features seven home games, highlighted by visits from Toledo, in-state rival Providence and Hofstra. Away from home, they play three games in the Glenn Wilkes Classic in Daytona Beach (the first game is their season opener at home against Florida Atlantic), where they will take on USF and UAB in two games. Other road highlights are Boston College and Syracuse. In Atlantic 10 play, they get Dayton, George Washington and UMass twice.
Outlook: The Rams almost reached the NCAA Tournament last season, and have a chance to get there this season. They have good depth with plenty of energy and athleticism, as well as a bevy of upperclassmen. They also have good balance between backcourt and frontcourt production. Bitee and Baron will form a quietly solid backcourt, with Baron being one of the best shooters in the country and constantly trying to improve his game off the dribble to keep defenses honest. Sophomore Keith Cothran will get plenty of minutes off the bench as the third guard and fits with their style, and Marquis Jones gives them more depth. Daniels will play both forward spots and looks primed to close out his college career on a good note, while Seawright battles inside and has a multitude of skills. Sophomore Lamonte Ulmer might be the first guy off the bench, and he gives them plenty of energy and athleticism that includes some high-flying dunks. Francis looks to start at center and will give them the inside presence they need, and he runs the floor very well for a 285-pound man and won’t slow them down. With the Rams’ style, defense and turnovers are often a concern, and they didn’t post the best numbers in field goal percentage defense (opponents shot over 45 percent from the field) or in turnovers (only three teams turned it over more). They will need some improvement in both areas to break through as a title contender.

Fordham Rams (18-12, 10-6 A-10)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Kevin Anderson (3.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 4.0 apg, 1.4 spg)
Sr. G Marcus Stout (15.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.6 spg)
Sr. F Sebastian Greene (9.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.2 spg)
Sr. F Bryant Dunston (14.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.3 apg, 2.4 bpg)
Sr. F Michael Binns (5.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Rams don’t have a home game until after Thanksgiving, when they host the College of Charleston. In December, they have five straight at home, highlighted by a visit from Hofstra. After they open the season at Ivy League contender Columbia, they go to Missouri for the College Basketball Experience Classic, and they later travel to Georgetown. Atlantic 10 play begins with two road tests at Duquesne and Xavier. The teams they get twice are Charlotte, Duquesne and Temple.
Outlook: This is potentially the big year for the Rams, as Dereck Whittenburg’s first recruiting class enters their senior year and all five starters are in that class. No team returns more of its scoring than the Rams, who lose less than three percent. Anderson has quietly run the show and Stout is a capable passer as well as scorer from the shooting guard spot, giving the Rams a solid but underrated backcourt. Add in sophomores Brenton Butler and Herb Tanner off the bench, and the Rams’ backcourt is in good shape and only gets better with freshman wing Mike Moore, who should get minutes this season. Dunston has been a star from day one and remains a double-double machine with an expanding offensive game. Binns is a tough inside player who won’t put up big numbers, but makes plays, and Greene improved nicely last season. Junior Chris Bethel plays bigger than his size and is the most experienced frontcourt reserve. An area for improvement up front is rebounding, as the Rams were out-rebounded last season. The Rams are already a good defensive team, but they’ll need to improve on their 43 percent shooting to take the next step with this team.

Dayton Flyers (19-12, 8-8 A-10)
Projected Starters:
So. G London Warren (2.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 2.6 apg)
Sr. G Brian Roberts (18.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.7 apg)
So. G Marcus Johnson (6.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.2 apg)
Jr. F Charles Little (10.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.2 apg)
So. C Kurt Huelsman (3.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Flyers will play nine non-conference home games, including five in a row to close out the slate. Included are matchups with Atlantic Sun favorite East Tennessee State, Toledo, Big South favorite High Point, MAAC contender Loyola (Md.), Pittsburgh and MAC contender Akron. They have several challenging road games as well: George Mason, Miami (Ohio), Patriot League favorite Holy Cross and Louisville. In Atlantic 10 play, they get Rhode Island, Saint Louis and Xavier twice.
Outlook: With four starters returning along with two key reserves and the addition of a couple of good freshmen, the Flyers are a solid dark horse. Warren looks ready to move into the starting point guard spot, though Roberts can handle the ball and isn’t a selfish scorer. They team with Johnson, who has plenty of potential, in a solid perimeter unit. Little moved into the starting lineup without a hitch, and Huelsman started right away and should continue to play his role well inside. Senior Andres Sandoval provides good depth in the backcourt as he can play both guard spots, and classmate Jimmy Binnie is a good role player at the forward spot. Freshman Chris Wright, an excellent athlete, should get plenty of minutes right away, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he starts before the season is over, and Devin Searcy adds size up front but must get stronger. Junior college transfer Thiago Cordeiro will probably be the first post player off the bench. The Flyers will need to improve on the road if they are to contend, as they tied two other teams in the conference for the fewest road wins with just two.

Massachusetts Minutemen (24-9, 13-3 A-10)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Chris Lowe (7.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 4.2 apg, 1.1 spg)
Sr. G Gary Forbes (13.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.5 apg)
So. G Ricky Harris (4.5 ppg, 1.0 rpg)
Sr. F Etienne Brower (2.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.1 apg)
Sr. F Dante Milligan (3.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The non-conference schedule isn’t that of last season, but it still has some challenges and includes six home games. They open the season at Northern Iowa in the BTI Tip-Off Tournament, where they will also play Big West contender Cal Poly. Highlighting the home games are dates with Ivy League favorite Yale, Horizon contender Wisconsin-Green Bay, Toledo, Northeast favorite Central Connecticut State, America East favorite Boston University and Houston. They head on the road for challenges against Syracuse, Summit League favorite IUPUI and Vanderbilt. The Minutemen also have a neutral site game at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut against Marist. In Atlantic 10 play, they get Rhode Island, Saint Joseph’s and Saint Louis twice.
Outlook: The Minutemen lost their two big guns in Stephan Lasme and Rashaun Freeman, but don’t count them out just yet. This year’s team still has several seniors and will be better suited to playing the way Travis Ford wants to. Forbes figures to be the star on this team, as he is primed to have a big senior year. Lowe has improved ever since he set foot on campus, and now he has the point guard spot all to himself. Harris is the most experienced wing, but don’t be surprised if a freshman like 6’7″ shooter Matt Glass snags that spot. Two more freshmen, combo guard Gary Correia and Max Groebe, will also see minutes, with Correia known for his shooting. Brower and Milligan are the incumbents up front, with Milligan having had his moments, but they should be pushed by freshmen Trey Lang and Papa Lo. Junior Tony Gaffney, who transferred in from Boston University, has always had the potential but not the consistency. It will be tough for the Minutemen to lead the conference in rebounding margin again, so they’ll need to play tough defense like last year and cut down on turnovers, which they led the conference in last season.

George Washington Colonials (23-9, 11-5 A-10)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Maureece Rice (15.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.4 spg)
So. G Travis King (5.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.5 spg)
Jr. G-F Cheyenne Moore (4.3 ppg, 1.6 rpg in 16 games)
So. G-F Damian Hollis (5.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
Jr. F Rob Diggs (10. 5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.9 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Colonials have boosted the non-conference schedule the past couple of seasons, and this one is no different. Their four home games include a visit from America East favorite Boston University, and they will also play Auburn across town in the BB&T Classic. They will travel to play UCLA, Virginia Tech and Alabama. Atlantic 10 play opens with a challenging stretch in January: Saint Louis at home, at Fordham, Xavier at home, then at Rhode Island and Duquesne before a home date with Saint Joseph’s. They play Rhode Island, Saint Louis and Xavier twice.
Outlook: With Rice and little-used Dominic Green being the only seniors, the Colonials don’t have experience on their side, and they lost key players in Carl Elliott, Regis Koundkia and Dokun Akingbade. But with Rice and improving Rob Diggs leading the holdovers, they can’t be counted out, especially after Rice was the conference tournament Most Outstanding Player last season. Moore should flourish with a larger role in this up-tempo system if he can stay healthy, while King is the top sniper from long range. Junior Noel Wilmore has played relatively limited minutes thus far in his career, but he’ll be pressed into a larger role as the most experienced reserve guard. Diggs anchors a frontcourt that will get a boost from Virginia Tech transfer Wynton Witherspoon, and it’s a needed one as after those two and Hollis are players who played limited minutes and raw freshman Jabari Edwards. The Colonials are an excellent defensive team, and that will help them try to contend again despite the personnel losses.

Saint Joseph’s Hawks (18-14, 9-7 A-10)
Projected Starters:
So. G Darrin Govens (7.3 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 2.5 apg)
Jr. G Tasheed Carr (transfer from Iowa State)
Sr. G-F Pat Calathes (13.9 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 3.6 apg)
Sr. F Rob Ferguson (11.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.3 apg)
Jr. C Ahmad Nivins (16.6 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.0 bpg, 1.0 spg)
Schedule Highlights: The Hawks will be challenged in non-conference play, where they have six home games, three of which will be played at the Palestra. Home games of note are against Gonzaga, Penn State (Palestra), Patriot League favorite Holy Cross, Drexel and Villanova (Big Five, Palestra). They open the season at Syracuse in the NIT Season Tip-Off, where they will play either Siena or Syracuse in the second game. Other road games of note include America East favorite Boston University, Creighton, MAAC favorite Siena and Penn (Big Five). In Atlantic 10 play, they take on UMass, Temple and Xavier twice.
Outlook: The Hawks had some ups and downs last season, but should be better this time around with more experience and depth. Their strength will be in the frontcourt, where they’ll have great size with Calathes on the wing and steady senior Ferguson and improving junior Nivins inside. Nivins has all the tools to be the conference’s best post player and anchors the inside defense. The reserves who return didn’t play much last season, so there’s not much proven depth and freshman Idris Hilliard could emerge as one of the key reserves there. In the backcourt, Carr give them a nice boost as he is eligible and playing close to home, while sophomores Govens and Garrett Williamson assure that the point guard spot is in good hands. Their depth will take a slight hit early as D.J. Rivera is academically ineligible for the first semester, meaning freshman Charoy Bentley could get a chance early on. The Hawks will need to cut down on their nearly 15 turnovers per game from last season, which is one thing that more backcourt experience could lead to.

Saint Louis Billikens (20-13, 8-8 A-10)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Dwayne Polk (5.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.4 apg)
Jr. G Tommie Liddell (15.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.6 apg)
Jr. G Kevin Lisch (14.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.0 spg)
Sr. G-F Luke Meyer (9.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.0 spg)
Sr. C Bryce Husak (2.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Billikens have eight home games in a quietly challenging non-conference slate. They will open the season on the road in the Hispanic College Fund Classic at Pittsburgh, and later go on the road to play at Missouri State, Kent State and Boston College. Highlighting the home games are visits from Big West contender Pacific, Southland contender Sam Houston State, Southern Illinois and Summit League favorite IUPUI. Among Atlantic 10 opponents, they play Dayton, George Washington and UMass twice. Early on in Atlantic 10 play, they have three straight at home.
Outlook: New head coach Rick Majerus inherits a team with some good experience, especially in the backcourt as juniors Liddell and Lisch lead the way and Polk is the senior leader. Liddell should continue to get double-doubles and will be a candidate for first team All-Atlantic 10 honors. Senior Danny Brown is a capable reserve, and freshman Paul Eckerle was a big scorer in high school. The frontcourt takes a big hit with the graduation of Ian Vouyoukas, as Husak and Meyer will be pressed into significantly larger roles this season unless junior college transfer Barry Eberhardt or freshman Marcus Relpohrde take most of the minutes. How quickly this team adapts to Majerus will be a big factor in how well they do, as they have the talent and experience to be a sleeper team.

Duquesne Dukes (10-19, 6-10 A-10)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Kojo Mensah (transfer from Siena)
Jr. G Aaron Jackson (11.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1.4 spg)
Fr. G-F Bill Clark
Jr. F-C Sean James (transfer from Northeastern)
Sr. F-C Kieron Achara (15.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.4 apg, 2.6 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: The non-conference schedule has plenty of winnable games, although there are some opponents who will be tougher than some will think. The Dukes have seven home games, highlighted by a visit from cross-town rival Pittsburgh and one from MAAC contender Niagara and Northeast contender Robert Morris. They go on the road for games at Summit League contender Oakland and West Virginia, and they head to Iowa for the Iowa Realty Drake Tournament. In Atlantic 10 play, they get a break in who they play twice save for Fordham, as they play La Salle and St. Bonaventure twice as well.
Outlook: Ever since Everhart took over last season, fans in Pittsburgh have looked forward to this season as the Dukes have two key transfers eligible. Last season’s team overachieved, leading to even higher expectations of this team as three starters return, one of whom will likely be pushed to the bench. Mensah should run the show right away, although Jackson will probably handle the ball often since Mensah can score. Clark should make an immediate impact on the wing, as he’s athletic, tough and can shoot it from long range. Reggie Jackson, one of just two seniors on the team, now becomes the first guard off the bench, while classmate Gary Tucker and junior Philip Fayne should figure into the mix as well after each started 11 games last season. James led the nation in blocked shots two years ago and had a developing offensive game, and could win his third Defensive Player of the Year award in as many conferences, and alongside Achara should ensure that the Dukes will be tough to score on inside. There isn’t great depth up front, as newcomers Ricky Jackson (sophomore) and Brandon Harris and David Theis (freshmen) are the next in line. Expectations are high, and if the newcomers mesh well with the holdovers and players adapt to roles, the Dukes could certainly finish higher.

Temple Owls (12-18, 6-10)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Dionte Christmas (20.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.4 spg)
Jr. G Semaj Inge (4.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.3 spg)
Sr. G Mark Tyndale (19.4 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.5 spg)
Fr. F-C Michael Eric
Jr. C Sergio Olmos (2.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: Like his predecessor, Fran Dunphy will challenge his team in non-conference play, and this season lives up to that. They open at Tennessee before going to Puerto Rico for three games, starting with Providence, and later road games are at MAC contender Akron, Drexel and Florida at a neutral site in Florida. Their six non-conference home games are full of challenges: MAC contender Ohio, Villanova (Big Five), Duke and Penn (Big Five). In Atlantic 10 play, they have Charlotte, Fordham and Saint Joseph’s twice.
Outlook: Year two of Dunphy’s process will revolve again around the top two scorers from last season, as Christmas and Tyndale will carry this team as far as they will go. Tyndale was also second on the team in rebounding and could lead them in that category this season. Inge and senior Chris Clark are capable reserves, with Clark posting a 3:1 assist/turnover ratio last season. The frontcourt, meanwhile, is hurting in terms of experience but not in size. With Olmos being the most experienced holdover, freshmen Eric, Lavoy Allen and Craig Williams are sure to get plenty of minutes right away. Eric has the talent to be a good big man in this conference, while both Allen and Williams stand at least 6’8″. Only two teams were out-rebounded worse than the Owls were last season, and the frontcourt has less experience this time around, making that a big area of concern.

Charlotte 49ers (14-16, 7-9 Atlantic 10)
Projected Starters:
So. G DiJuan Harris (junior college transfer)
Sr. G Leemire Goldwire (14.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.3 spg)
So. G Ian Andersen (4.6 ppg, 1.6 rpg)
Jr. F Charlie Coley (junior college transfer)
So. C Phil Jones (Prop 48)
Schedule Highlights: Eight home games are on tap in a challenging non-conference schedule, which features an appearance in the Paradise Jam starting with Georgia Tech. Highlighting the home games are Big South contender High Point, Wake Forest, Southern Conference favorite Davidson, Southern Illinois and Maryland. They go on the road to play Hofstra, Tulsa and Clemson. In Atlantic 10 play, they get Fordham, Richmond and Temple twice.
Outlook: This year is a bit of a rebuilding year for the 49ers, who return just five players from last season’s team and have four freshmen. Goldwire is a good starting point as their go-to guy, and he should see most of his time off the ball with Harris as the likely starter at the point. Anderson is one possible starter on the wing, with freshman An’Juan Wilderness also being a potential starter and giving them someone who plays bigger. The frontcourt is where the change is even more apparent, as senior Sean Phaler is the only holdover. Jones sat out last season due to academics, but should start right away, while Coley and fellow junior college transfer Lamont Mack give them more college experience although not at the Division I level. The 49ers struggled to make shots last season, as they were last in the conference in field goal percentage, and that exacerbated the fact that opponents shot over 46 percent from the field against them last season.

Richmond Spiders (8-22, 4-12 A-10)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G David Gonzalvez (9.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.2 apg)
So. G Ryan Butler (6.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.8 apg)
Sr. F Oumar Sylla (6.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.1 apg in 16 games)
So. C Dan Geriot (11.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.5 apg)
Jr. C Drew Crank (5.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Spiders have seven non-conference home games, highlighted by visits from South Florida, Old Dominion and Virginia Tech. They open the season in Memphis at the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic, and the toughest road game later is across town at VCU. In Atlantic 10 play, they take on Charlotte, La Salle and St. Bonaventure twice. Early on, they have a three-game homestand.
Outlook: In Chris Mooney’s third season, the Spiders hope to see improvement in his system after struggling the past two seasons. They were a young team last season, so youth was part of their struggles, but they have six freshmen and just two seniors this season, so they aren’t much older as a whole. They aren’t lacking in size, as they don’t figure to start a player shorter than the 6’4″ Gonzalvez, who teams with Butler and sophomore Kevin Hovde as the most experienced perimeter players. Sylla is versatile offensively and is their best defensive player, while the frontcourt could start all-rookie selection Geriot and Crank for some size or replace Crank with Gaston Moliva, who redshirted last season. Junior Jarhon Giddings and freshman Justin Harper figure to be in the mix as well. The Spiders need to improve defensively if they are to improve, as they allowed opponents to shoot over 47 percent from the field last season. They were also badly out-rebounded last season, something they must improve upon with the size they have.

La Salle Explorers (10-20, 3-13 A-10)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Darnell Harris (14.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.6 apg)
So. G Rodney Green (12.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.1 spg)
So. G Ruben Guillandeaux (8.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 2.6 apg)
So. F Kimmani Barrett (8.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
So. F Yves Mekongo Mbala (8.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.4 apg)
Schedule Highlights: John Giannini is known for going light on the schedule when he doesn’t have his best teams, and he’s done that this season although there are a few challenges mixed in. Additionally, there are just four home games in the non-conference slate, highlighted by Northeast favorite Central Connecticut State. The toughest road games look to be at Bucknell, Penn, Villanova and Florida State, and they will also play Mississippi in the San Juan Shootout. In Atlantic 10 play, they take on Duquesne, Richmond and St. Bonaventure twice.
Outlook: The youth movement continues this season for the Explorers as just two seniors and two juniors are on the roster. The sophomore core of Green, Guillandeaux, Barrett and Mbala showed a lot of promise last season, helping the Explorers rank second in the conference in rebounding margin despite not having great size. Green is a good scorer, while Harris can run the team and shoot it well from long range, the latter of which is also Guillandeaux’s specialty. Freshmen Darryl Partin and Kyle Griffin add depth, while senior Sherman Diaz will see minutes on the wing. Junior Paul Johnson adds depth at the forward spot, which also gets a boost from freshmen twins Terrell and Jerrell Williams, while 7’3″ late signee Jameson Keefe adds size but isn’t the most mobile or skilled inside player. The Explorers will need to take better care of the ball after only one Atlantic 10 team turned it over more last season.

St. Bonaventure Bonnies (7-22, 4-12 A-10)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Tyler Relph (9.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.8 apg)
Sr. G Zarryon Fereti (12.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.0 apg)
Fr. F Hillary Hailey
Jr. G-F Tyler Benson (3.9 ppg, 1.5 rpg)
Sr. F Michael Lee (12.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.2 apg)
Schedule Highlights: The Bonnies’ non-conference schedule has an oddity: save for three games in a row at the BTI Invitational in New Mexico, they alternate home and road games throughout the slate. The six home games include visits from America East contender Albany and Patriot League contender Bucknell. Challenging road games are at America East favorite Boston University, MAC contender Ohio and MEAC favorite Hampton. They also have an in-season home-and-home with Binghamton. In Atlantic 10 play, they take on Duquesne, La Salle and Richmond twice.
Outlook: Although the Bonnies have some experience on their roster, they are from teams that have struggled mightily in recent years and they have to adapt to new coach Mark Schmidt. Fereti is a good starting point in the backcourt, as he returns after being dismissed from the team by the previous coaching staff. Relph can score from the point guard spot, and there isn’t much experience behind them save for Benson, so freshman Malcolm Eleby could get minutes right away. The frontcourt has Lee as the only holdover, so newcomers like Hailey, classmate Matt Morgan and junior college transfer D’Lancy Carter should see plenty of minutes right away. It’s just the beginning of Schmidt’s rebuilding, so the Bonnies won’t be contenders just yet.

Conference Outlook

While Xavier looks like the favorite, and potentially the one who could have the best chance at an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament if they don’t win in Atlantic City, they aren’t prohibitive favorites. Rhode Island has good depth and can run, while Fordham has a solid senior starting lineup. Dayton and UMass are dark horses, and while George Washington may have lost too much to be seen as a serious contender, Karl Hobbs has done some excellent coaching and is certainly capable of leading his club back to the NCAA Tournament. There is plenty of reason to think Saint Joseph’s will be better as well.

Additionally, look for several teams not picked high to make a jump from last year, although in a couple of cases that might not mean many more wins than last season. Duquesne has its transfers eligible, while Temple will have a nice offensive backcourt, Richmond’s players have another year in Chris Mooney’s system and La Salle’s four sophomores continue to grow.

UCLA: Collison Hopes to Play in Kansas City

Collison Hopes to Play in Kansas City: UCLA junior point guard Darren Collison will miss the opening games of the CBE Classic against Youngstown State. Assuming the Bruins win, he’d also miss the game against the winner of Weber State and Cal State-San Bernanardino. Collison is recovering from a sprained left knee. Doctors must give him approval to practice first, which could come today if Collison can run on a treadmill without trouble. The Bruins would play in Kansas City in the finals of the CBE Classic starting Nov. 19. [11/12/07]

Gonzaga: Heytvelt’s Return Delayed

Heytvelt’s Return Delayed: Senior forward Josh Heytvelt must wait until December to play again because he will have surgery today to correct a stress fractucre in his right ankle. Heytvelt was suspended in February for drug possession and was allowed to return to the team last month. He averaged 15.5 points and 7.7 rebounds per game last season before the incident occurred. [11/12/07]

Tennessee: Tennessee’s Prince Has Shoulder Surgery

Tennessee’s Prince Has Shoulder Surgery: Tennessee’s J.P. Prince, a sophomore guard, had arthroscopic shoulder surgery and will be out four to six weeks. Prince transfered to Tennessee in December from Arizona and is the cousin of Tayshun Prince of the Detroit Pistons. Prince won’t be eligible to play for the Vols until December 15. [11/11/07]

Florida State: Florida State Extends Hamilton’s Contract

Florida State Extends Hamilton’s Contract: Florida State has extended coach Leonard Hamilton’s contract two years, lengthening the deal through 2012. Hamilton, who is in his sixth season at the school, is 87-71 at FSU, but has not yet made an NCAA Tournament appearance. Some people have speculated that his job could be in jeopardy if the Seminoles do not get over the hump and into the tournament this season. [11/11/07]

Wisconsin-Milwaukee: Avery Smith Booted from Wisconsin-Milwaukee Team

Avery Smith Booted from Wisconsin-Milwaukee Team: Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s basketball star Avery Smith was dismissed from the team Wednesday, a day after his suspension. Smith, who last season averaged 15.5 points per game, was suspended for an unspecified violation of team rules before Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s preseason opener against Wisconsin-Parkside on Thursday night. Smith was also a Horizon League preseason all-conference pick this year. The school said Smith would remain on scholarship. [11/08/07]

Big East: All Big East Teams to Play in Tournament in 2009

All Big East Teams to Play in Tournament in 2009: The Big East men’s and women’s basketball will no longer leave four teams out of their postseason tournament, deciding to include all 16 conference members beginning in 2009. Teams seeded ninth through 16th will play first. The four winners will take on seeds 5 through 8 while the top four seeds will still receive a bye to the quarterfinals and await the winners of the second day’s games. The expansion will add an extra day to the tournaments. The men play at Madison Square Garden while the women play at the Hartford Civic Center. [11/08/07]