Southland Conference 2007-08 Preview

by Phil Kasiecki

One year after the Southland Conference’s representative in the NCAA Tournament pulled off one of the most notable upsets in the NCAA Tournament, it nearly happened again. In trying to follow Northwestern State’s lead, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi gave Wisconsin all it could handle in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before succumbing. Not only was it nearly another big win for the conference, but it was also big for the school, which made it to the NCAA Tournament in its first year in the conference after several good years as a Division I independent.

The Islanders don’t appear ready to repeat this season even though they have the reigning Player of the Year back. Chris Daniels is their only starter who returns, and they have a new head coach. That opens the door for teams like Lamar and consistent winners Northwestern State and Sam Houston State, along with dark horses like improving Stephen F. Austin and UT-Arlington. The Islanders won’t be down for long, though, as they have a solid recruiting class and should win a few key games late in the year as their newcomers round into form. The East Division looks to be the stronger of the two divisions, but not by a wide margin.

One interesting note about the conference is that many of the best players are in the frontcourt, which is unusual. It’s not that teams lack backcourt talent, but at this level, good frontcourt players can be more imposing since many teams don’t have a great deal of size compared to teams in BCS conferences. Additionally, a number of teams lost starting guards from last season and some of the returning guards are on teams that project to finish too low for their best players to be likely all-conference selections, at least on the first team.

Only one team had a coaching change after last season. As mentioned earlier, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi saw Ronnie Arrow leave to take the head coaching job at South Alabama and begin his second go-round at that school. In his place is Perry Clark, whose last job was as the head coach at Miami.

Preseason Awards
Player of the Year: Lamar Sanders, Lamar
Top Newcomer: Kenny Dawkins, Lamar
Top Freshman: Shannon Shorter, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Defensive Player of the Year: Shamir McDaniel, Sam Houston State
Best NBA Prospect: Jermaine Griffin, UT-Arlington

All-Southland Team
Jarvis Bradley, Sr. F, McNeese State
Ryan Bright, Sr. F, Sam Houston State
Chris Daniels, Sr. C, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Jermaine Griffin, Sr. F, UT-Arlington
Lamar Sanders, Sr. F, Lamar

East Division

Lamar Cardinals (15-17, 8-8 Southland)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Kenny Dawkins (junior college transfer)
Sr. G Darren Hopkins (13.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.8 apg)
Sr. G Currye Todd (10.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.6 apg)
Sr. F Lamar Sanders (12.2 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.3 apg)
Jr. F-C Lawrence Nwevo (4.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: Consecutive November matchups with Wyoming and Summit League contender Oral Roberts highlight the eight-game home slate in non-conference play. They have road dates with Mississippi, Brigham Young and Texas Tech. In Southland play, they have a stretch in February with four of five at home, and they lucked out with inter-division games as they get Sam Houston State and UT-Arlington at home only.
Outlook: The Cardinals have the most talent in the conference and plenty of experience as they bring back four starters. The one starter not back is a talent, but James Davis was suspended multiple times last season and thus his loss is addition by subtraction, especially since they have the talent to offset it. As if the four returning starters are not enough, they have talented newcomers such as Dawkins and Brandon McThay in the backcourt and Jay Brown in the frontcourt, all of whom will get plenty of minutes right away and push the holdovers to get better. Hopkins will be better playing off the ball, while Sanders should be the conference’s top player by doing a little of everything. Dawkins and McThay must do one thing in particular, which is take good care of the ball as the Cardinals had the worst turnover margin in the conference last season and averaged nearly 17 turnovers per game.

Northwestern State Demons (17-15, 10-6 Southland)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Keithan Hancock (6.4 ppg)
Sr. G- F Colby Bargeman (11.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.9 spg)
Sr. F Gerrell Thomas (5.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg)
Sr. F Trey Gilder (12.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.0 apg, 1.3 spg)
Sr. C Jerry Moody (6.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.2 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Demons open the season in the Basketball Travelers Classic at Stanford, where their opponents include Big West favorite UC Santa Barbara and the host team. Then they come home for four straight home games, then have two more after a trip to Centenary. They close out non-conference play with a tough road stretch with games at LSU, Arkansas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State. In Southland play, they have two three-game road trips, the first of which is a little more difficult as it begins with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and ends with McNeese State, and the next game is against Lamar at home.
Outlook: Mike McConathy’s teams have done plenty of winning lately, and now he has a team with plenty of experience despite some key personnel losses. Since the Demons routinely go deep into the bench, that experience pays off this season with plenty of options at the point, where Hancock will be pushed by Michael McConathy and Dominic Knight. Bargeman and Gilder are the leaders, while Moody is a steady middle man and Thomas a role player on the wing. There is some depth, so the Demons will be tough to beat again. The Demons will need to improve on defense, where opponents shot 48 percent from the field last year. That can negate the more than 20 turnovers per game they forced.

McNeese State Cowboys (15-17, 9-7 Southland)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G John Ford (11.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.9 spg)
So. G Diego Kapelan
Jr. F John Pichon (6.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.4 apg)
Sr. F Jarvis Bradley (15.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.0 bpg)
Sr. C Kleon Penn (2.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.5 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Cowboys have six home games on tap in non-conference play, highlighted by Coastal Carolina. They’ll go on the road to play at Texas A&M, LSU, Missouri, Southern Miss and Louisiana Tech, and they have an in-season home-and-home with Lipscomb. Although Southland play begins at home, it can’t be much tougher as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Sam Houston State are in town.
Outlook: Four starters return for the Cowboys, including two of the conference’s best players in Bradley and Ford. Ford is the floor leader at both ends, while Bradley should put up his share of double-doubles, especially if Penn gets better in the middle. Pichon helps Bradley on the glass, while Kapelan is one of several candidates to take over at shooting guard. The offensive end is the prime area for improvement if the Cowboys are to contend, as they were next-to-last in the conference in scoring, field goal percentage and assist/turnover ratio.

Nicholls State Colonels (8-22, 7-9 Southland)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Justin Payne (5.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 4.6 apg)
Jr. G Gil Verner (7.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.2 spg)
Sr. G Adonis Gray (13.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.1 spg)
Jr. F Ryan Bathie (12.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.3 apg)
So. C Mitch Boyce (5.8 ppg, 2.2 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: Just two home games are on tap in a very tough non-conference schedule that features a trip to Las Vegas for the Duel in the Desert at the end of December. There, the Colonels will play Minnesota, host UNLV and Kennesaw State. They open the season at Florida State, then a stretch of eight straight on the road includes Tulane, California, St. Mary’s, LSU and Alabama, and they play at North Carolina before heading to Las Vegas.
Outlook: The Colonels might be a year away from contending and have a big personnel loss to absorb in leading scorer Stefan Blaszczynski. There is something to build with, though, as the four starters include good scorers in Gray and Bathie and a steady floor leader in Payne. Gray is the only senior on this squad and is joined by nine freshmen (one redshirted last year). An important place to improve is on defense, as only one team allowed more points and opponents shot nearly 47 percent from the field against them, and they had the worst rebounding margin.

Central Arkansas Bears (10-20, 4-12 Southland)
Projected Starters:
So. G Marcus Pillow (11.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.2 apg)
Sr. G Nate Bowie (10.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.2 spg)
Jr. F Mitch Reuter (8.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.3 apg)
Sr. F Durrell Nevels (12.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 3.3 bpg)
Jr. C Landrell Brewer (junior college transfer)
Schedule Highlights: The Bears have seven home games in non-conference play, including half of two in-season home-and-home series with Jacksonville State and Idaho. They open the season in the 2K Sports Classic at Kentucky, then later travel to Tulsa.
Outlook: The Bears had some good moments in their inaugural season in the Southland en route to 10 wins overall. While they won’t be a contender this season, they should improve and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they knock off a contender or two along the way. There are just two seniors on the roster, but both will start and play key roles. Nevels anchors the inside and will get help from Brewer, while Pillow and Bowie are a nice backcourt combination that will need to cut down on turnovers. Reuter is the best marksman from long range on the team. A bright side is that the Bears were solid at the defensive end, as they led the conference in field goal percentage defense and were third in rebounding margin. If they repeat that performance, it wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine them pulling off a .500 record in Southland play.

Southeastern Louisiana Lions (16-14, 8-8 Southland)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Dekyron Nicks (3.5 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 2.1 apg)
Fr. G Derrio Green
Sr. G-F Kevyn Green (8.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.3 apg)
Jr. F Warrell Span (junior college transfer)
So. C Patrick Sullivan (4.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.7 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: The non-conference schedule has seven home games, including three straight after an early trip to LSU. They’ll play two more road games against SEC foes, at Alabama and Mississippi State, and will also travel to UTEP and Iowa. In Southland play, the Lions have a chance to get some momentum going about halfway through, as they have a stretch with six of seven games at home. After that, they close with a tough stretch: at Northwestern State, at McNeese State, and home against Lamar.
Outlook: The Lions lost three starters and seven players overall from last season’s team, and with them a great deal of scoring and rebounding. Eight newcomers will try to fill the void, led by Span and Derrio Green. Kevyn Green should be the team leader, while Nicks is the likely starter at the point. Sullivan had a good freshman season and will now be counted on for more in the middle, and with his size he should be able to give them that. If they are to avoid a long season, one thing they could repeat from last year is taking good care of the ball, as the Lions turned the ball over less than any other Southland team.

West Division

Sam Houston State Bearkats (21-10, 13-3 Southland)
Projected Starters:
So. G Ashton Mitchell (3.0 ppg, 2.1 apg)
Sr. G Shamir McDaniel (5.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.3 apg)
Sr. F James Barrett (7.7 ppg, 4.1 rpg)
Sr. F Ryan Bright (14.8 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.8 spg, 1.5 bpg)
Jr. F Reggie Rawlins (4.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Bearkats open the season with four straight home games out of their eight in non-conference play. The highlight is the second game of the season, when Texas Tech visits, while Fresno State and Central Florida also come to town. The most challenging road game looks to be at Saint Louis. Southland play begins with four of six at home, but the two road games will be a little more difficult since they are at McNeese State and Lamar. That’s also one way in which they didn’t make out well with inter-division opponents since that is the only time they play both schools.
Outlook: The Bearkats lose three starters from last season’s team, but still have a senior-laden nucleus and also get back forward John Gardiner after an injury forced him to redshirt last season. Mitchell will likely run the show now, while McDaniel started every game last year and will be counted on for more offensively. Bright is one of the best in the conference and does a little of everything and will be the man everything goes through. They will need more out of Barrett as a complementary player, and Rawlins will need to improve inside as he moves into a starting role. With their personnel losses, the Bearkats will be hard-pressed to match the 77.3 points per game they scored last season, so a repeat of their good defense and even some improvement there will be essential to coming out on top.

UT-Arlington Mavericks (13-17, 8-8 Southland)
Projected Starters:
So. G Rog’er Guignard (10.9 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.5 spg)
Sr. G Rod Epps (9.7 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 3.1 apg)
Sr. F Larry Posey (8.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.0 apg)
Jr. F Anthony Vereen (11.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.2 apg)
Sr. F Jermaine Griffin (13.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.2 apg, 2.0 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Mavericks will play eight home games in non-conference play, including four straight and six of the first seven. Road highlights are at Wichita State and Oklahoma State. In Southland play, they have two three-game homestands, including one after they start the season after the road. With inter-division games, they get Northwestern State and Lamar on the road only.
Outlook: The Mavericks return all five starters and their top ten players, and that group closed out last season playing good basketball. Griffin and Vereen form the conference’s best duo inside, while Guignard and Epps are an underrated backcourt. Brandon Long and Tommy Moffitt are the key reserves along with forward Matt Read, who can come in to give the forwards a breather. If the Mavericks are to take the next step, they will need to cut down on turnovers as only one Southland team had more than they did, and improving on the more than 76 points per game they allowed is a must as well.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders (26-7, 14-2 Southland)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Matt Slatnick (2.9 ppg)
Jr. G Tim Green (junior college transfer)
Fr. G Shannon Shorter
Fr. F Isaiah Jackson
Sr. C Chris Daniels (15.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.6 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: After opening with Texas Southern at home, the Islanders head to College Station for a challenge in the NIT Season Tip-Off, where they play UTEP and either Oral Roberts or Texas A&M. They later host the Islander Invitational, which includes Atlantic 10 contender Rhode Island, and have road dates with DePaul, Oklahoma State and Auburn. The highlight of the six-game home slate in non-conference is a December 21 game against Mississippi State, and the Islanders also have an in-season home-and-home with Troy. In Southland play, they get a break in inter-division games, as they get Lamar and Northwestern State at home only.
Outlook: The Islanders have a new look this season with only Daniels and Slatnick back among key players, as well as a new head coach. Perry Clark doesn’t inherit a bare cupboard, however, as Green, Shorter and Jackson are all part of a fine recruiting class that will keep the talent level high. Daniels was the conference’s Player of the Year last season and could win it again, although a slip in the standings might hurt him there. He will also be the center of opposing team’s defenses even more so this season with new complementary parts in the lineup. Don’t expect the Islanders to lead the conference in scoring again with all that they lost, but leading in rebounding margin is possible with Daniels back.

Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (15-14, 8-8 Southland)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Eric Bell (junior college transfer)
Sr. G Gerald Fonzie (4.7 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 2.3 apg)
Jr. G Josh Alexander (13.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.2 spg)
Sr. F Scott Weaver (3.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.0 apg)
Jr. F Matt Kingsley (12.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Lumberjacks have seven home games in non-conference play, including part of an in-season home-and-home with Jackson State. Road games of note include Texas Tech, Oklahoma and the SMU Tournament. In Southland play, they get a bit of a break with inter-division games as they get Lamar and McNeese State at home only, and will play them in consecutive games in mid-January.
Outlook: The Lumberjacks might be the sleeper team in this conference, although they will count on a newcomer at the key point guard position. If Bell and freshman Preston Davis can run this team right away, Fonzie can move off the ball and become a better scorer to complement Alexander on the wing. Kingsley anchors the team inside and Weaver will be counted on for a little more in his complementary role. The Lumberjacks allowed the fewest points in the conference last season, but teams still shot 44 percent from the field against them. The Lumberjacks have ten newcomers on the roster, and they’ll have to integrate with the holdovers quickly if they are to contend.

Texas State Bobcats (9-20, 4-12 Southland)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Brent Holder (9.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.1 apg)
Sr. G Brandon Thomas (5.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.6 spg)
Jr. G-F Brandon Bush (14.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.4 spg)
Jr. F Dylan Moseley (9.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.2 spg)
Fr. C Ty Gough
Schedule Highlights: The Bobcats open the season with three straight at home and later play three more in San Marcos, with Rice being the highlight of it. They head to Kennesaw for the 100 Club Classic and later play in the SMU Classic, and have road dates with Texas A&M and Texas. The Bobcats also have an in-season home-and-home with Texas-Pan American. In Southland play, they have three straight at home early on and close the regular season with three of four at home.
Outlook: The Bobcats return four starters, but they return from a team that struggled and the one starter gone is a key one. A gaping hole is now present at the point guard spot, with Holder and newcomers Corey Jefferson and Ryan White likely to battle for the starting job. Gough is one newcomer who should start right away, and he’ll inject some size into the lineup and move Moseley to power forward. Bush is at the center of it all as a versatile wing and one of the conference’s best players. Although they will need to cut down on their league-leading turnover total, offense isn’t a big concern as they led the conference in scoring last season. Rather, the defense is an area of much concern as they allowed over 85 points per game and allowed opponents to shoot nearly 51 percent from the field last season, both of which were dead last in the conference.

UT-San Antonio Roadrunners (7-22, 3-13 Southland)
Projected Starters:
Fr. G Devin Gibson
Sr. G Melvin Smith (12.9 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.1 spg)
Sr. G Isaiah Allen (10.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg)
Sr. F Andrew Francis (10.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.5 bpg)
Sr. F-C Keith Spencer (8.6 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1.1 spg)
Schedule Highlights: Six home games are on tap in non-conference play, as well as a game against Navy at the Alamodome. The most notable home game is against SMU to close a three-game homestand. Notable road games include Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma State.
Outlook: The Roadrunners return four starters and also get forward Travis Gabbidon back after he was forced to redshirt last season. They’ll have scoring punch on the perimeter with Smith and Allen, but losing Kurt Attaway is not a minor blow. Gibson should be the only non-senior in the starting lineup, and while he is talented he won’t immediately reproduce what Attaway did last season. Francis and Spencer are a solid, if unspectacular, duo inside that will do the dirty work. Although there are a few areas for improvement, the biggest one is at the offensive end, as the Roadrunners were last in the conference in scoring and field goal percentage, and only two teams turned the ball over more.

Conference Outlook

Lamar has the most talent in the conference and has good experience, a combination that makes the Cardinals the favorite to come out on top. It won’t be easy, as Northwestern State has an experienced team and Mike McConathy has continued to win there, while teams like McNeese State, Sam Houston State and UT-Arlington can’t be counted out. TAMU-CC will be talented but young, meaning they will be dangerous late in the season.

Perhaps best of all for the conference, many of the bottom teams should be better this season, which bodes well. As long as the top teams remain strong and the bottom teams improve, the conference gets better. Several teams may have a freshman start right away, and while that is partly by necessity in some cases, it also speaks to the talent the teams brought in.

Southland Conference 2006-07 Preview

by Phil Kasiecki

The Southland Conference had one of the big moments in the 2006 NCAA Tournament, as Northwestern State became the first team in the conference to reach the second round in 21 years when they rallied from a 17-point deficit to defeat Iowa. The game also marked the 15th time a No. 14 seed beat a No. 3 seed.

It’s a new season now, and the Demons have a new look with a number of key players gone from that team. The Conference has a new look as well, as new Division I school Central Arkansas and recent independent Texas A&M-Corpus Christi join the conference. Louisiana-Monroe has departed for the Sun Belt, giving the conference 12 teams and a two-division look.

There have been some changes in the coaching ranks as well, as five teams have new coaches. Lamar hired Steve Roccaforte to replace Billy Tubbs, who moved back to the athletic director’s office. McNeese State fired Tic Price in late July, replacing him with Dave Simmons, who has been an assistant on three Southland champions. Three Texas schools also had changes: Texas-Arlington replaced Eddie McCarter with former assistant Scott Cross, Texas-San Antonio replaced Tim Carter with Brooks Thompson, and Texas State replaced Dennis Nutt with Doug Davalos. Meanwhile, Northwestern State gave Mike McConathy the first multi-year contract in the school’s history to keep him in town for another four years.

One new team, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, should contend instantly. The Islanders went 20-8 last season as an independent and return much of that squad. Look for them to battle Sam Houston State and Stephen F. Austin in the West Division, which looks to be the stronger division of the two.

Preseason Awards

Player of the Year: Jejuan Plair, Sam Houston State
Newcomer of the Year: James Davis, Lamar
Primed to Break Out: Colby Bargeman, Northwestern State

All-Southland Team
Josh Alexander, So. G, Stephen F. Austin
Stefan Biaszczynski, Sr. F, Nicholls State
Chris Daniels, Jr. C, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Jejuan Plair, Sr. G, Sam Houston State
Luke Rogers, Sr. G, Northwestern State

West Division

Sam Houston State (22-9, 11-5 Southland)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Jejuan Plair (12.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 5.6 apg, 1.7 spg)
Jr. G Shamir McDaniel (5.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.2 spg)
Jr. F Ryan Bright (11.5 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.6 spg)
Sr. F Aaron Wade (6.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
Sr. F John Gardiner (7.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.1 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Bearkats have five non-conference home games, highlighted by December dates with West Coast contender Loyola Marymound and Wisconsin-Milwaukee. They also play in the South Padre Invitational at Oklahoma State, where they play the host Cowboys and could get SWAC contender Southern or MEAC contender Delaware State. Highlights of the road slate include Texas Tech and UCLA, and they will be on the road for a game in BracketBusters as well. Southland play begins with four of six games on the road.
Outlook: Four starters return from last season’s 22-win team, and it’s an experienced bunch led by player of the year candidate Jejuan Plair. McDaniel will step in for the lone departed starter, all-conference guard Chris Jordan. There isn’t a lot of depth on the perimeter, as Jeremy Thomas is the only other Bearkat guard with experience. There are more riches in the frontcourt, where Bright is a solid rebounder and role players Wade and Gardiner have plenty of help, including promising sophomore Reggie Rawlins. The Bearkats play good defense and have plenty of scoring, so they should be right in the hunt come tournament time.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (20-8)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Rashad Mintz (3.9 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 2.3 apg)
Sr. G Josh Ervin (7.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.7 apg, 1.5 spg)
Sr. F Cedric Smith (12.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.3 apg)
Fr. F Manuel Johnson
Jr. C Chris Daniels (15.0 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.6 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Islanders play six non-conference home games, two of which come in the Flint Hills Invitational that they host in late December. The home slate includes Northeast contender Monmouth and Kent State. Road games include Oklahoma State, Mississippi State and Purdue, and they will also play in the Duel in the Desert in Las Vegas against UNLV, USF and Norfolk State. Conference play gets tough quickly: after opening at home against McNeese State, five of the next six games are on the road.
Outlook: The Islanders have a vehicle to get to the NCAA Tournament, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they made it in their first try. This team has good experience as well as talent, as five players started at least 14 games last season and there are high hopes for freshman Manuel Johnson. He joins Daniels and Smith in what should be the best frontcourt in the conference, while Mintz and Ervin are a capable backcourt that will need to improve to help the frontcourt players do their jobs. Seniors Josh Washington and Taurean Mitchell are capable backups, with classmate Kevin Menifee sure to be among the key reserves on the wing. All three played good minutes last season.

Stephen F. Austin (17-12, 9-7 Southland)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Gerald Fonzie (3.9 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 1.3 apg)
So. G Josh Alexander (14.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.4 spg)
Sr. G Keith Hardaway (6.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.3 apg)
Sr. F Antuane Miller (13.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg)
So. F-C Matt Kingsley (4.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Lumberjacks have seven non-conference home games, highlighted by San Diego. They have a few noteworthy road games, as they play at TCU, Arkansas, Missouri and SWAC contender Southern. A couple of early home games to start Southland play gives them a chance for some early momentum.
Outlook: If the Lumberjacks were in the East Division, they might have a chance, but they’re in the tough West and will have a tough time contending. Alexander had an excellent freshman campaign and should only get better, with Hardaway and Fonzie needing to improve if they are to keep up the late-season momentum the team gathered last season. Miller anchors the frontcourt with Kingsley, the other top holdover in the frontcourt. The Lumberjacks take good care of the ball, but they’ll need to improve at the defensive end, where they allowed opponents to shoot just under 45 percent last season.

Texas-Arlington (14-16, 7-9 Southland)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Rodrick Epps (4.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.8 apg)
So. G Brandon Long (6.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg)
Fr. F Tommy Moffitt
Jr. F Larry Posey (6.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg)
Jr. F-C Jermaine Griffin (8.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.0 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: Four home games are on tap in a non-conference schedule with a few tough road games, notably at TCU, Illinois State, Oklahoma and Texas. Also notable is a home-and-home in consecutive games with Texas-Pan American. In Southland play, they have a three-game road slate early on, but the toughest stretches are probably two sets of back-to-back games Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Sam Houston State – both at home in late January, and both on the road about a month later.
Outlook: Here’s the dark horse of the division, a team that might have a chance if not for the strength of the top teams. New head coach Scott Cross inherits a team that doesn’t have much firepower, but has some capable bodies. Posey and Griffin lead a frontcourt that has a little size, with sophomore Anthony Vereen also in the mix. The backcourt needs to get better, and they could get a boost if sophomore Terrell Henry makes some strides and earns more minutes. A good recruiting class, with a few players that could start at some point, will also help. Moffitt and Trey Parker look to be the most ready to contribute. The Mavericks play good defense, and they’ll need to do that again with the lack of proven scoring. It wouldn’t hurt if they took better care of the ball as well, as only one team turned it over more last season.

Texas-San Antonio (11-17, 6-10 Southland)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Kurt Attaway (5.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.1 spg)
So. G Aldric Reynolds (6.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.9 apg)
Jr. G Melvin Smith (junior college transfer)
Jr. F Travis Gabbidon (junior college transfer)
Jr. F-C Keith Spencer (junior college transfer)
Schedule Highlights: A difficult non-conference slate includes seven home games, notably against TCU and Big West contender Cal State Fullerton, both of whom they also play on the road. Where the challenges come in are on the road, as they travel to take on Washington State, Gonzaga and Oklahoma State. In Southland play, they have consecutive games twice against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Sam Houston State, while they didn’t catch a break in getting Northwestern State only on the road.
Outlook: The Roadrunners have a good starting point with Attaway, meaning they won’t be hurting for floor leadership. He’s one of just two seniors, with the other being little-used center Dwain Hall, so they are certainly building for the future under new head coach Brooks Thompson. Reynolds started six games last season and led the team in scoring in their final game, so he could become a scorer this season. Junior college transfers figure to get the bulk of the minutes in the frontcourt. The Roadrunners are unlikely to score over 73 points a night like they did last season, so they’ll need to reduce their league-leading turnover total and play the same solid defense that ranked first in the conference in field goal percentage defense if they want to have a chance on most nights.

Texas State (3-24, 1-15 Southland)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Antwoine Blanchard (5.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.3 spg)
So. G Brandon Bush (9.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg)
Sr. F Charles Dotson (11.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.4 apg)
Jr. F Chris Agwumaro (junior college transfer)
Jr. F Matt Fullenwider (junior college transfer)
Schedule Highlights: Seven home games are on tap in non-conference play, three of which are against non-Division I teams. Two of those games are part of in-season home-and-homes with Centennary and Texas-Pan American. Notable road games include Baylor, Texas and UTEP. They open Southland play with two home games, then have a three-game road stretch.
Outlook: The roster has just two seniors on it, so the future is clearly the focus with this team, although there are seven juniors. Dotson and Blanchard figure to lead the way as the lone seniors, while Bush could develop into one of the team’s best players. Junior college transfer Brian Hill should get good minutes on the perimeter as well. A number of junior college transfers are among the frontcourt players, so that unit enters the season as an unknown.

East Division

Northwestern State (26-8, 15-1 Southland)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Luke Rogers (9.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.5 spg)
Sr. G Keenan Jones (4.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 3.2 apg)
Jr. G Colby Bargeman (5.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg)
Jr. F Demetrius Bell (redshirt)
Sr. F Jermaine Spencer (5.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Demons have four non-conference home games, highlighted by the season opener against Utah State and a later date with SWAC contender Southern. Notable road games include Oklahoma State, Louisville, Sun Belt contender New Orleans, Hawaii, DePaul and Northwestern. The Demons will also play in the Pepsi and Gold Classic, where they get Marquette and possibly Princeton, and in the BracketBusters in February. In Southland play, they lucked out by getting both Sam Houston State and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at home only.
Outlook: Last season, the Demons broke through for an NCAA Tournament win, then extended head coach Mike McConathy’s contract for the job he has done. That win was not isolated, as they scored several good wins during the season as well. Five of the top six scorers from that team are gone, but role players with winning experience return, and they aren’t young. Rogers is a solid floor leader, which is always a key, and players like Jones, Bargeman and Spencer could all blossom now that they will play more. The Demons shouldn’t fall far with that experience as well as what they have on the bench, but they can’t be considered the favorite with what they lost.

Southeastern Louisiana (16-12, 10-6 Southland)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Terry Bryant (7.6 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 4.1 apg)
Sr. G Daryl Cohen (7.8 ppg, 1.4 rpg)
Jr. G Kevyn Green (junior college transfer)
Sr. F Quennell Green (12.1 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.6 apg)
Sr. F Joseph Polite (5.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: Three home games are on tap in non-conference play, with SWAC favorite Jackson State being the only Division I opponent. They open the season on the road in the Oregon Rain Classic in Corvallis, where host Oregon State figures to be the toughest opponent. Later, they head to New Mexico State for two games in the Lou Henson Classic, and other road dates include Florida State, Penn State, Minnesota and SWAC contender Southern. Southland play begins with four of five games at home, giving them a chance to gather some early momentum.
Outlook: The Lions have an experienced team that could unseat the Demons at the top in this division. The backcourt led by seniors Bryand and Cohen, the former a solid floor leader, leads a team with six seniors on the roster. Green figures to give them a good boost, and senior Michael Cyprien and a couple of freshmen could be in the mix as well. The frontcourt has good experience as well, with Green leading the way, although he could improve on the glass, like the rest of the team as they were out-rebounded last season. With the experience on this team, they should improve on being ninth in the conference in scoring, and a little improvement on defense, where opponents shot nearly 44 percent against them last season, will make them contenders.

Lamar (17-14, 9-7 Southland)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Brandon Chappell (8.0 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 4.0 apg)
So. G Matthew Barrow (12.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1.3 spg)
Jr. G-F Currye Todd (junior college transfer)
Jr. F Lamar Sanders (junior college transfer)
Jr. C James Davis (junior college transfer)
Schedule Highlights: Six home games are on tap in non-conference play, highlighted by Sun Belt contender New Orleans and Brigham Young. The first road games are in the Shelby Metcalf Classic at Texas A&M, where they will be tested by the host Aggies, Atlantic 10 contender Saint Louis and Louisiana Tech. Later, they travel to Tulsa, Mid-Continent favorite Oral Roberts, Rice, Wyoming and Memphis. In Southland play, they caught a break in getting Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at home only, but have Sam Houston State only on the road.
Outlook: The Cardinals may have as much talent as anyone, but they’ll be relying on newcomers for a fair amount of contributions. The bright spot is that the main holdovers are in the backcourt, where Chappell gives them an experienced floor leader and Barrow is a budding star. That, plus Davis giving them good size to lead a good incoming group, could help them overcome the loss of conference scoring champ Alan Daniels in the scoring department. Even so, they’ll have to stop opponents better than they did last season, when they allowed nearly 77 points per game and were out-rebounded.

Nicholls State (9-18, 5-11 Southland)
Projected Starters:
So. G Michael Czepil (7.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.1 apg)
Jr. G-F Aaron Scott (transfer from East Tennessee State)
Jr. G-F Adonis Gray (12.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.5 apg)
Sr. F Stefan Biaszczynski (16.4 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 2.1 apg)
So. C Chris Paige (5.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.1 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Colonels will spend most of the non-conference slate on the road, as the only home games are against North Texas and Atlantic 10 favorite Xavier. Before those two are nine consecutive road/neutral site games to start the season, which include Mississippi State, LSU, Texas, Ole Miss, Auburn, and three games in the Basketball Travelers Classic in Seattle against host Washington, Northern Iowa and an improved Pepperdine team. They also play at Vanderbilt. In Southland play, they have three straight games at home early on, the first of which is against Sam Houston State.
Outlook: The Colonels could make a jump if they get good support for Biaszczynski, a versatile forward who is one of the conference’s top players. Gray is a fast rising star, but they need players like Scott and Czepil, who is likely to run the show, to emerge. The Colonels need to improve on the defensive end if they are to rise in the standings, as they were last in every major defensive category last season and had the worst rebounding margin.

McNeese State (14-14, 9-7 Southland)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G John Ford (9.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.8 spg)
Sr. G Troy Aaron (6.0 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.9 apg)
Sr. G Ryan Price (6.9 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.3 apg)
Sr. F Quentin Gonzales (7.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg)
Jr. F-C Jarvis Bradley (5.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Cowboys have five home games on tap in non-conference play, highlighted by Louisiana Tech. They open the season in the Seminole Colonial Classic in Tallahassee, taking on host Florida State and Illinois State. Among the later road games are LSU, Mississippi State and Big South contender Coastal Carolina. Southland play is tough right away, as the first two games are road dates with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Sam Houston State.
Outlook: Tic Price was fired at an odd time in late July, but Dave Simmons inherits a team with three returning starters. What hurts is that they had a fourth, but leading returning scorer Dwight Boatner left the program in September. That means Ford becomes the likely go-to guy, while Aaron and Price need to improve to keep the backcourt as strong as it looked to be a couple of months ago. The frontcourt needs to improve at the offensive end, where the Cowboys made less than 42 percent of their field goal attempts, but their biggest area for improvement is on defense, where only one Southland team allowed opponents to shoot better.

Central Arkansas (18-10 in Division II)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Nate Bowie (junior college transfer)
Sr. G Frederick Campbell (7.6 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.3 spg)
Sr. G-F LeMar Phillips (12.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg)
Jr. F Durrell Nevels (junior college transfer)
Sr. C Fernando Johnson (2.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Bears have four home games in non-conference play, with Mississippi Valley State (whom they also play on the road this season) being the only Division I opponent. Notable road games start in the Hispanic Fund Classic in Hartford against host Connecticut, Mississippi and Fairfield, then later include Bowling Green and Mid-Continent contender UMKC. They also head to the Marist Classic in December, where they will play Patriot League favorite Bucknell and possibly the host Red Foxes, who are favored to win the MAAC. Four of the first six Southland games are on the road.
Outlook: New to Division I, the Bears have some experience but will need to adjust to the level of competition. Phillips looks to be their best player, while their first Division I incoming group should get their share of minutes, led by Bowie. Johnson will need to improve if he is to be serviceable inside. The Bears are in the weaker of the two divisions, but starting with four of six on the road won’t help them establishing any early momentum.

Conference Outlook

The strength is clearly in the West, as the two best teams look to be there and Stephen F. Austin is a solid third team. Northwestern State should get a good push from Southeastern Louisiana in the East, but their good veterans may be enough. This should be a one-bid league again, but if Sam Houston State or Texas A&M-Corpus Christi plays to their potential and emerges with the NCAA Tournament bid, the conference will have a dangerous team representing it.

Southland Conference 2005-06 Preview

by Neal Heston and Zach Smart

It’s been said that there is no substitute for experience, and that saying could prove especially true in the Southland Conference in 2005-06. Experience may be the deciding factor in which teams compete for the title, and it’s reflected in the experience of the teams projected to finish at the top. Senior-dominated Northwestern State returns five starters; Lamar returns four seniors. Texas-Arlington could be a sleeper since they return five starters as well, though they return from a team that went 13-15 last season.

Experience also shows in the conference’s top players. All five of the preseason All-Southland selections are seniors, and in a conference with a lot of schools utilizing junior college recruits, there aren’t many freshmen getting a lot of mention.

In the spirit of experience, only two teams have new head coaches this season. Jim Yarbrough takes over at defending champion Southeastern Louisiana, while Louisiana-Monroe is now led by Orlando Early. Yarbrough has prior head coaching experience at the Division II level, while Early is in his first season as a collegiate head coach.

Player of the Year: Alan Daniels, Lamar
Newcomer of the Year: Antuane Miller, Stephen F. Austin

All-Southland Team
Marcus Clark, Sr. G, Stephen F. Austin
Alan Daniels, Sr. F, Lamar
Steven Thomas, Sr. F, Texas-Arlington
Jermaine Wallace, Sr. G, Northwestern State
Ricky Woods, Sr. F, Southeastern Louisiana

Northwestern State (21-12, 13-3 SLC)
Predicted finish: First, SLC
It’s do-or-die for this senior-dominated team, and you can bet Northwestern State is ready to complete its unfinished work from last winter. NSU entered the Southland Conference Tournament as the top seed but was upset at home in the championship game by Southeastern Louisiana. A much-anticipated NCAA berth vanished in a poor offensive showing.

The nucleus is definitely there for Northwestern State to succeed in 2005-06. The top seven scorers return, which includes all five starters. This brings back 90 percent of the team’s scoring and rebounding from last season – one of the top return percentages in the nation. Four All-Southland team members will slip on an NSU uniform again: Jermaine Wallace, Jermaine Spencer, Byron Allen and Tyronn Mitchell.

NSU’s non-conference slate will give the team a lot of preparation for the SLC slate. Major opponents include Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and Wichita State, and a trip to the Rainbow Classic provides possible matchups against Iowa State, Hawaii and Western Michigan. NSU will be the best tested team when the conference slate begins.

With seven seniors on the squad, now is the time to make a strong run to the NCAA Tournament, and NSU definitely has all the pieces for the puzzle. The key is putting them all in the right place at the end of the season.

Lamar (18-11, 9-7 SLC)
Predicted finish: Second, SLC
A team that could likely surprise Northwestern State is the Lamar Cardinals, who enter this winter coming off their best season since going 20-11 in 1987-88.

Four of the Cardinal’s top six scorers from last year return this season, and senior preseason Mid-Major All-American candidate Alan Daniels will be looked at to lead Lamar. Daniels brings back a team-high 19.9 points per game. Also attempting to send the Cardinals to a Cinderella run are seniors Nashid Beard and Jeremy Long, as well as Josh Goodwin and Thomas Fairley. Sophomore guard Matthew Barrow will also get his chance to shine on the court.

The losses of Raymond Anthony and Teddy Davis will be roadblocks for this squad. With those two departed, the Cardinals will miss out on almost 23 points per game.

Southeastern Louisiana (24-9, 13-3 SLC, NCAA Tournament)
Predicted finish: Third, SLC
The reigning Conference champions, fresh off of the school’s first ever NCAA tournament appearance, should return to their throne at the peak of the Southland mountain. Their key to success is, of course, defense. The Lions backed up that old saying “Defense wins championships” and echoed the message sent by the Detroit Pistons in 2004, after frustrating opponents with suffocating defense. They were fourth in the NCAA in scoring defense, holding opponents to an average 55.8 points per game.

In the Southland championship, the Lions held Northwestern State below freezing (under 30% shooting) from the field and came out on top with a 49-42 victory.

SE Louisiana should fit right in to new head coach Jim Yarbrough’s system. Yarbrough, like previous head coach Billy Kennedy, loves to lockdown scorers and get after the ball. Yarbrough’s previous college, Division II Valdosta State, finished third in D-II in scoring defense (allowing just 60.9 ppg). During his stay at Georgia’s Valdosta State, Yarbrough averaged almost 20 wins a season.

The top holdover is reigning Conference Newcomer of the Year Ricky Woods, who was second in the conference in scoring with 17.2 points and eight rebounds last season. A 6-foot-6 inch forward, the former JUCO standout averaged was named All-Louisiana and First Team All-Southland. In leading a sturdy nucleus of players, Woods will need to take his game to the next level.

The Lions are without Nate Lofton (11.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 91 assists) and Jonathon Patton (11.2 ppg), but they have a handful of newcomers who should contribute right out of the gates. Among them is 6-7 power forward Joseph Polite, who starred alongside LSU’s Kentrell Gransberry at San Jacinto, one of the country’s premier junior college programs. Polite should be polite and attend to the Lions’ need for more efficiency on the boards this year.

With their swarming pressure defense that constantly throws high-scoring teams out of rhythm, the Lions will be a very tough team to beat.

Sam Houston State (18-12, 11-5 SLC)
Predicted finish: Fourth, SLC
After posting an overall record of 18-12 (11-5 in conference play) and falling just one game short of the conference title game, Bob Marlin (116-84 at SHSU, 239-119 overall) and the Bearkats hope to roar their way back to the semifinals and reemerge as one of Southland’s premier teams. Last season, a heartbreaking 72-61 loss at the hands of eventual champs Southeastern Louisiana was the end of the road for them.

Picked fourth in the Southland Coaches Pre-season poll, the Bearkats need to fill the scoring and leadership void left by 2005 conference Player of The Year Joe Thompson. Thompson, an honorable mention All-American at Forward, averaged 16 points, 5 rebounds, and three assists per game last year.

This means that reigning Southland Freshman of the Year Ryan Bright needs to come into his own. Bright, a lanky 6-foot-6 Forward, averaged 8.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game last year while scoring in double digits fourteen times. Bright proved that he can connect from behind the arc, registering the team’s highest three-point percentage (.417). Though they lose three solid starters, the Bearkats return a strong backcourt with sophomore point man Brandon Streeter and senior off guard Chris Jordan (11.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.0 apg, .491 FG%), a third-team all-conference pick. Streeter must step into a bigger role operating the offense this season.

Marlin, now in his seventh season with the Bearkats, will once again place high emphasis on team defense. A stingy defense is what led the Bearkats to a conference title back in 2003 and could produce some late season mayhem in Huntsville, TX this year.

Texas-Arlington (13-15, 7-9 SLC)
Predicted finish: Fifth, SLC
Southland Player of the Year candidate Steven Thomas will lead a very experienced group which returns all five of its starters from last season. The Mavericks struggled at times last season, but they were a young team and had some trouble finding chemistry. Thomas, a 6-foot-5 forward, averaged 17.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per game last season and has already been selected to the preseason all-conference first team. Thomas hit the 1,000-point milestone last year and is an explosive scorer who cleans the glass. He’s a force at the other end of the floor as well, as he currently sits at tenth on the school’s career blocked shots list.

The go-to-guy has plenty of talent to work with. He should form an effective inside/outside tandem with three-point marksman Jarret Howell. Howell, a senior guard, averaged 12.0 ppg last year and shot an impressive .506 from downtown. Look for 6-7 freshman forward Anthony Vereen, a product of the prestigious Gulf Shores Academy in Houston, to make an immediate impact. He’s a physical specimen who can put points on the board and crash.

Texas-San Antonio (15-13, 10-6 SLC)
Predicted finish: Sixth, SLC
For the Roadrunners, it’s really a matter of rebuilding and finding new players to take on scoring roles. But boy do they lose a lot from last season: the Roadrunners said goodbye to four starters who averaged a combined 53.5 ppg in May, which was pretty damaging to the program. This quartet of players also combined for an average of 24 rebounds per game while leading the Roadrunners to a 10-6 conference record. They finished with an overall record of 15-13 as the fourth-best team in Southland. Head Coach Tim Carter adds seven new faces this year, in what ESPN describes as one of the largest roster turnovers in Carter’s 11-year stay with San Antonio. The go-to-guy will likely be Andre Owens, the Roadrunners’ lone returning starter. Owens averaged 11.2 ppg and 4.0 rpg last season at the 2-spot. The point guard duties will be handled by 6-0 junior Kurt Attaway. Attaway showed promise in various games last season, though he must evolve into a more aggressive scorer this season.

McNeese State (13-15, 8-8 SLC)
Predicted finish: Seventh, SLC
McNeese State will probably look a little sloppier early this winter than it really is, because this team is very young. Eight underclassmen – including three freshmen – form a large part of this roster. With non-conference tilts against Richmond, Auburn, LSU and La Lafayette, the Cowboys could look downright ugly early on, but it definitely shouldn’t be a sign of what’s to come. MSU will be a team nobody wants to play come February.

Three starters who will look to lead the Cowboys to a strong run in the Southland are junior guard Troy Aaron, senior forward J.T. Williams and sophomore forward Aldryan Wardell. The trio combined for 23.3 points per contest last winter. Major losses include Edward Garriet (11.9 PPG) and forward Bryce May (6.9 PPG, 4.4 RPG).

Incoming transfers who should give the Cowboys a nice spark include Colorado State transfer Dwight Boatmer and junior college transfers Jarvis Bradley and Chris Prince.

Stephen F. Austin (12-15, 6-10 SLC)
Predicted finish: Eighth, SLC
What a down year it was in Nacogdoches, TX last year. During what was essentially a rebuilding year, the Lumberjacks managed to collect just six wins in conference play, finishing just a few wins above the basement in ninth place. They finished with an overall record of 12-15, after putting together consecutive 21-win seasons prior to this.

But the outlook is solid – particularly because they return their top three scorers from last season. The trio of Marcus Clark (13.0 ppg, 3.9 apg), Josh Porter (12.5 ppg), and Anthony Paez gives sixth-year head coach Danny Kaspar something to smile about. He sure didn’t sport too many smiles last season. No, not after the Lumberjacks managed to lose nine of their 12 road games and conclude the season with one of the school’s worst records in recent memory.

Clark earned Second-Team All-Southland honors last season, and is a unanimous preseason First-Team selection. He’s a veteran point guard who can take on a bulk of the scoring duties, and he’s capable of creating offense and setting up his teammates for the easy bucket. Clark also excels at creating his own shots off the dribble. He was instant-offense at times last season. The Marshall, TX native scored over 20 points in nine games, including a 29-point outburst in an 85-67 thrashing of Nicholls state.

Texas State (14-14, 8-8 SLC)
Predicted finish: Ninth, SLC
The Bobcats lose three starters from last year’s 14-14 team that finished with an 8-8 conference record. The loss of Anthony Dill (14.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and Josh Naylor (13.0 ppg, 68 assists) will be hard to swallow at first, but the ‘Cats will look to a bevy of newcomers to step in and contribute.

Head coach Dennis Nutt has seven new names on the roster this season. He should expect big things from Stetson transfer Evan Patterson. A versatile 6-6 forward, Patterson can play both inside and outside, and is strong as both a power forward and swingman. Junior transfer Charles Dotson is a scoring threat who mans the boards as good as anyone.

6-7 Forward Markee White (7.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg) is the top veteran and this should be a breakout year for him.

The Bobcats have made the conference tournament nine years in a row, a current best among league schools. If the ‘Cats large rookie class can come in and clique with the seniors, you can already pencil in a returning trip to conferences.

Louisiana-Monroe (8-19, 2-14 SLC)
Predicted finish: Tenth, SLC
First-year Head Coach Orlando Early is disappointed with the expectations the media places on his team, and it’s difficult to disagree with him. Though only two players return who started in at least 50 percent of games in ’04-05, several who averaged more than 20 minutes per game will slip on La-Monroe uniforms again this winter.

Daryl Mason, who averaged 8.4 points per game last season, and Gary Robinson, who sunk 5.8 tallies per contest, are the only two returnees who have any sort of starting experience. Almost another 25 points per game returns with Cecil Hood (9.9), Adrian Harper (8.6) and RoShon Jacobs (6.2).

Similar to McNeese State, it’s hard to see this team getting walked on toward the end of the season, though it may be a long non-conference slate. Nine underclassmen occupy this roster, which includes six true freshmen. These young guys will have to face the likes of Texas, Florida State, Missouri, West Virginia and Fairleigh Dickinson early on.

Don’t worry, though, La-Monroe fans – Orlando Early’s preseason expectations seem a higher possibility than the media.

Nicholls State (6-21, 1-15 SLC)
Predicted finish: Eleventh, SLC
Much like a lot of teams in the Southland, Nicholls State is dominated by young players – good news for the future, but not necessarily this winter. Ten of the 15 players on Nicholls’ roster are underclassmen – nine of them true freshmen. Among those nine, four were plucked from Australia: Ryan Bathie, Mitch Boyce, Michael Czepil and Dominic Friend.

The lone newbie who isn’t a freshman played a large part in helping his school earn a NJCAA Division II national title. 6-7 forward James Dixon sunk 12.4 points per game and grabbed 10.9 rebounds per contest while helping Brown Mackie College earn some hardware last winter.

Give credit to Nicholls State for getting this young group up against quality competition immediately. Non-conference matchups include contests against Indiana, LSU, Penn State and Maryland. It may be a little too soon to expect victories in those games.

Southland Conference Championship Recap

by Phil Kasiecki

No. 2 SE Louisiana 49, No. 1 Northwestern State 42

Southeastern Louisiana held host Northwestern State below 30 percent shooting and got 16 points and eight rebounds from Ricky Woods en route to a 49-42 win in the Southland Conference championship game.

A run of ten unanswered points by the Lions (24-8) gave them a 41-32 lead, which they would never relinquish. The Demons would score the next eight points, but they could never tie the game or take the lead. The Demons posted their lowest point total of the season and had their 10-game winning streak stopped.

The Lions’ 24 wins are a school record as they now prepare for their first NCAA Tournament appearance.

Jonathan Patton added 13 points for the Lions and Nate Lofton had nine points and 10 rebounds. Jermaine Wallace led Northwestern State (21-12) with 12 points.

Southland Conference Tournament Recaps

by Phil Kasiecki

Unlike many conference tournaments, the 2005 Southland Conference Tournament is held entirely at campus sites instead of one site for all or most rounds. That gives teams a homecourt advantage based on their finish in the regular season, with the regular season champion potentially being able to play on their home court throughout the tournament. More and more mid-majors are trying to better protect their top seeds, and this is the Southland’s way of doing it.

In the quarterfinals, three of the top four seeds won, bearing out the homecourt advantage, and both home teams won in the semifinals. It all leads up to a championship game on Sunday that will feature the two teams that tied for the regular season championship.

Quarterfinal Recaps

No. 1 Northwestern State 81, No. 8 Texas-Arlington 67

Northwestern State got 26 points from Jermaine Wallace and never trailed en route to an 81-67 first round win over Texas-Arlington. The Demons broke open a close game in the second half and pulled away, aided by taking good care of the ball. Texas-Arlington (13-15) ended its season getting 16 points from both Jarrett Howell and Larry Posey.

No. 2 SE Louisiana 75, No. 7 Texas State 58

Southeastern Louisiana used a strong second half on the defensive end to turn a two-point halftime lead into a 75-58 victory over Texas State. Jonathan Patton led the Lions with 21 points, while Ricky Woods added 19 and Nate Lofton filled the stat sheet with 11 points, eight rebounds, six steals and five assists. Texas State (14-14), which was led by Josh Naylor’s 14 points, had the last tie of the game at 36 less than three minutes into the second half.

No. 3 Sam Houston State 88, No. 6 McNeese State 70

Defending champion Sam Houston State got a big effort inside from Eddy Fobbs with 20 points and 15 rebounds, and the Bearkats shot 56 percent from the field en route to an 88-70 win over visiting McNeese State. Fobbs made 9-of-10 from the field and was supported by Joe Thompson’s 18 points. John Ford led McNeese State (13-15) with 21 points and seven rebounds.

No. 5 Lamar 91, No. 4 UT-San Antonio 83

The lone first round upset was a mild one as Lamar got a career-high 34 points from Raymond Anthony and finished the game with a 14-2 run for a 91-83 win over host UT-San Antonio. Anthony scored 10 points in the decisive run, including five free throws, and he added seven rebounds. Alex Daniels supported Anthony with 27 points. 21 offensive rebounds helped keep UT-San Antonio (15-13) in the game, as did Justin Harbert’s 24 points and John Millsaps’ 20.

Semifinal Recaps

No. 1 Northwestern State 90, No. 5 Lamar 75

Northwestern State shot 57 percent from the floor and got 48 points from its bench as they advanced to the championship game with a 90-75 win over Lamar. Clifton Lee led the balanced attack with 17 points and eight rebounds, as four Demons scored in double figures, including reserves Alfonse Dyer (14 points) and Kerwin Forges (12). Lamar (18-11) shot just 39 percent from the field and was led by Alan Daniels’ 30 points. Northwestern State (21-11) never trailed in the game.

No. 2 SE Louisiana 71, No. 3 Sam Houston State 62

Ricky Woods scored 19 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as SE Louisiana overcame foul trouble to All-Southland player Nate Lofton in their 71-62 win over defending champion Sam Houston State. Lofton played just 21 minutes and scored eight points, but Woods, Jonathan Patton (14 points) and Terry Bryant (13 points, including 6-6 from the foul line) all picked up the slack as the Lions (23-8) beat the Bearkats for the third time this season. Sam Houston State (18-12) was led by Chris Jordan’s 15 points.

Southland Conference 2004-05 Season Preview

by Matt Isam

The 2005 season in the Southland Conference should be very entertaining with recent powerhouses falling and new teams starting to earn the respect and compete at the top of the conference.

Of course there will be some familiar teams such as University of Texas-San Antonio, Sam Houston State University, Southeastern Louisiana University and University of Texas-Arlington battling for the conference crown, this season could be full of surprises with teams such as Lamar University rising up and Teams such as Stephen F. Austin falling down.

Also, the conference as a whole got great news this off-season landing a multi-year corporate sponsorship agreement with O’Reilly Automotive. O’Reilly will be hosting the championship tournament along with being the feature television sponsor for the SLC. This is a huge boost to the 11 team conference and O’Reilly Automotive.

Hoopville All-Southland Conference Team
Senior forward Joe Thompson, Sam Houston State
Senior guard Raymond Anthony, Lamar
Senior guard Willie Depron, Nicholls State
Junior guard Jermaine Wallace, Northwestern
Senior center Nate Lofton, Southeastern Louisiana

Conference MVP

Senior guard Raymond Anthony, Lamar

Honorable Mention

Senior forward Joe Thompson, Sam Houston State

Freshman of the year

Guard John Ford, McNeese State

Newcomer of the year

Junior guard Jeremy Long, Lamar

Defensive player of the year

Senior center Nate Lofton, Southeastern Louisiana

Most Improved Player

Senior forward Eddy Fobbs, Sam Houston State

Coach of the Year

Billy Tubbs, Lamar

Team Previews (In projected order of finish)

Texas San Antonio Roadrunners

(19-14 overall, 11-5 SLC)

Projected starting five:
Sophomore guard Kurt Attaway (last year’s freshman of the year in SLC and led the team with 105 assist)
Senior guard David President (led team with 55 steals last season)
Senior forward Raphael Posey (second on team last season with 11.4 ppg)
Senior forward John Millsap (started 16 games in ’03, has tremendous upside)
Senior center Anthony Fuqua (led the team with 42 blocked shots)

Coach Tim Carter is really going to miss the SLC’s leading scorer LeRoy Hurd from last year’s championship squad, but he has four returning starters and a lot of depth on the bench. Add that with junior college transfers center Ray Salvage, guard Andre Owens and high school recruit Adam McCoy and you get another SLC championship. Many polls and sports gurus have the Roadrunners earning another NCAA tournament bid and I have to agree, because in my mind they are still the champions until another team beats them for the SLC crown.

Sam Houston State Bearkats

(13-15 overall, 8-8 SLC)

Projected starting five:
Junior guard Chris Jordan (9.8 ppg last season)
Junior guard Marcus Ebow (top ten in assist in SLC last season with 3.9pg)
Senior forward Joe Thompson (led the team last season with 15.3 ppg)
Senior forward Wilder Auguste (led the team in field goal pct. with .573 last season)
Senior center Eddy Fobbs (very dominant post player, comes back after a medical red shirt last season)

This team is for real; they led the nation in assists last season and return four starters. Bearkat fans are pumped to have Eddy Fobbs back who has something to prove after missing last season with an injury. This team could be very dangerous this year and will be one of the only teams who can knock off UTSA. Coach Bob Marlin recruited a great freshman class with forward Ryan Bright leading the way.

Lamar Cardinals

(11-18 overall, 5-11 SLC)

Projected starting five:
Senior guard Raymond Anthony (15.5 ppg last season could be conference MVP)
Senior guard Teddy Davis (13.2 ppg last season but could lose starting job to Jeremy Long)
Junior forward Alan Daniels (NJCAA All-American last season)
Junior forward Thomas Fairly (Junior college transfer with loads of talent on the inside)
Junior center Jason Grant (led SLC with 71 blocked shots last season)

Coach Billy Tubbs has finally turned this program into a powerhouse this year. The Cardinal’s have two of their top three scorers returning and this could be a great defensive year for Jason Grant. Tubbs recruiting class has been ranked as high as third in the nation. The class includes junior college transfers center Nashid Beard, forwards Thomas Fairly and Alan Daniels who are expected to contribute immediately, and guard Jeremy Long who could very well take over the starting spot from Teddy Davis. Also Tubbs brought in freshman standouts guard Chuck Foster and forwards John Mertz and Larry Handy, who will all see playing time this season. There is also some experience coming off the bench with sophomore guards Blake Whittle and Kevin Smith. This team is my surprise pick this season and could give all the tops team trouble during the championship run.

Texas Arlington Mavericks

(17-12 overall, 11-5 SLC)

Projected starting five:
Junior guard Jarrett Howell (Started last 9 games averaging 7.7 ppg and 3 apg last season)
Junior guard Brady Dawkins (Considered most dangerous threat from outside and was second in SLC in three point pct. last season)
Junior forward Steven Thomas (Lone starter from last season, all-SLC honors, 12.1 ppg and 5 rpg)
Sophomore forward Stephen Floyd (Considering a scoring threat from perimeter)
Sophomore center Jay Neukomm (Played in final 18 games last season)

This could be a good year for the Mavericks even though they only have one returning starter. They get senior forward Stevin Ozier back after sitting out because of transferring. Ozier was freshman of the year in the 2001-2002 season while playing for Stephen F. Austin. Also this could be the best recruiting class coach Eddie McCarter has ever had at UTA. The class includes guards Roderick Epps, Myles Guidry, Baron Sauls and forwards Larry Posey and Jermaine Griffin. Not to mention the returning lettermen Senior forwards Chris Hairfield and DeMarcus James. I predict the Mavericks to be near the top of the standings when it’s all said and done.

Southeastern Louisiana Lions

(20-9 overall, 11-5 SLC)

Projected starting five:
Senior guard Jonathan Patton (6 ppg last season)
Senior guard Neil Berry (2.6 ppg but brings experience)
Junior forward Ricky Woods (Junior college transfer, 18 ppg and 8rpg last season)
Junior forward Jonathan Walker (Started 26 games last season)
Senior center Nate Lofton (Averaged a double-double with 13.2 ppg and 10.9 rpg, which was fourth in the nation)

Well the Lions had a great season last year finishing first in the regular season but losing in the SLC tournament. Nate Lofton is poised to dominate the boards this season and junior college transfer Ricky Woods is expected to start immediately. Also J/C transfers Chris Lee and Leonard Harden are expected to see significant minutes as well as freshman recruit Thomas Woods. This should be another successful season for the Lions but I see a couple of teams pushing them out of the way by the end of the season.

Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks

(21-9 overall, 10-6 SLC)

Projected starting five:
Junior guard Marcus Clark (9.4 ppg, 117 assists vs. only 53 turnovers last season)
Junior guard Jerry Cheves (Junior college transfer, 19.3 ppg and 4 rpg last season)
Senior forward Taylor Moore (9.9 ppg and 6.3 rpg last season)
Junior forward Anthony Paez (Junior college transfer, 17.3 ppg last season)
Senior center Hank Rivers (7.2 ppg and 5.1 rpg last season and started the final 18 games)

The Lumberjacks will have a tough time this season defending the nations longest home-winning streak at 30 games. Coach Danny Kaspar has to find replacements for the top scorer and top rebounders from last year’s team. He might have found some hope though in junior college transfers Anthony Paez, Jerry Cheves, Justin Thomas along with freshman recruits Scott Weaver and Matt Kingsley. Also returning role players Josh Porter, Rodrigo Segantin, Patrick Hannaway and Leonard Brown should add some help off the bench. I predict SFA will be a good team, just not as good as last year.

Texas State Bobcats

(13-15 overall, 8-8 SLC)

Projected starting five:
Senior guard Josh Naylor (11.3 ppg last season)
Junior guard Andre Oupoh (Junior college transfer, 13 ppg, 7 rpg last year and earned 1st team all-Conference honors)
Senior forward Anthony Dill (led team in rebounding last season with 4.7 pg)
Junior forward Terrell Broussard (Junior college transfer, 12 ppg and 8 rpg last season and earned 1at team all-Conference honors)
Senior center Zach Allison

Coach Dennis Nutt has some promising talent this season with three returning starters and junior college transfers Andre Oupoh, Terrell Brousard and Rory Green, who can play either one or two guard. All three are expected to contribute immediately to a team that hung in there with the best of them last season. Freshman recruits Roderick Adams and Matt Canady are also expected to see some playing time while developing under coach Nutt’s wing. I think that the Bobcats will finish in the middle of the pack and make the SLC tournament, but I don’t see them beating the tops teams, but you never know.

Northwestern State Demons

(11-17 overall, 8-8 SLC)

Projected starting five:
Junior guard Jermaine Wallace (15.5 ppg last season and was on all -SLC team)
Junior guard Kerwin Forges (6.7 ppg last season)
Sophomore forward Demetrius Bell (4.9 ppg last season)
Junior forward Clifton Lee (13.2 ppg last season and was on all-SLC team)
Junior center Byron Allen (8.3 ppg last season)

This season the Demons have a lot of young talent with a lot of experience. I pick this team to surprise some people and win games, but I don’t pick them to win the whole thing. There just aren’t enough talented role players behind Wallace and Lee. However Coach Mike McConathy would probably disagree and argue the fact that he has recruited a few players and made it to the SLC tournament last season.

Louisiana Monroe Indians

(12-19 overall, 8-8 SLC)

Projected starting five:
Senior guard Aaron Branch (4.5 ppg and 2.1 apg last season)
Sophomore guard Roshon Jacobs (two sport standout, 4.5 ppg last season as a freshman)
Sophomore forward Isaac Gay (only returning starter and teams best defender as a freshman last season)
Senior forward DeAndre Alexander (top returning scorer with 6 ppg last season)
Junior F/C Daryl Mason (team’s most promising junior college transfer)

Coach Mike Vining has won more championships and games than any other coach this season has a very tough job. How his team plays this season depends heavily on their talent, which the Indian’s have plenty of. With two sophomores Isaac Gay and Roshon Jacobs gaining more experience this season, the Indians will be a force in the SLC for the next couple of seasons. Vining is also pumped about his junior college transfers including guard Cecil Hood, center Darien Bynum, and forwards Gary Robinson and Adrian Harper.

McNeese State Cowboys

(11-16 overall, 7-9 SLC)

Projected starting five:
Senior guard Edward Garriet (14 ppg and 4.1 rpg last season and ranked among the nation’s top three point shooters)
Sophomore guard Ryan Price (8.3 ppg last season)
Senior forward Ronald Dorsey (4.4 ppg 3.2 rpg last season)
Junior forward Lance Hood (Junior college transfer who averaged 21 ppg and 8.5 rpg last season)
Junior center Darrius Manciel (Junior college transfer who averaged 15 ppg and 15 rpg last season)

This is a rebuilding year for head coach Tic Price and the only thing good coming out of this season will be for his team to gain experience for the 2006 season. He brought in two junior college transfers who are expected to start immediately. He also recruited high school phenom guard John Ford, and he has guard Troy Aaaron back from last year’s sit out because of transferring from Tulane. Love me or hate me Cowboy fans but I think it will be a long season for your team and I predict them to finish close to last.

Nicholls State Colonels

(6-21 overall, 1-15 SLC)

Projected starting five:
Senior guard Willie Depron (15.4 ppg and 5.7 rpg last season)
Junior guard Cyril Djoukeng (Junior college all-American last season with 16.7 ppg and 7.8 apg)
Senior forward Jason Wilkins (11.1 ppg last season)
Senior forward Dominique Gleason (6.4 ppg last season)
Sophomore center Kieran Gleeson (Big body, lots of talent and potential to excel)

Just when you thought it couldn’t get worse for the Colonels, their head coach Ricky Blanton resigned for personal reasons on Oct. 18th. Man o Man, they are going to have a long season. Top assistant J.P. Piper was tabbed as the new head coach. Piper has been at the school for two years, and prior to that was a successful high school coach for eight seasons. They do have some talent, and they do have a great freshman recruit Adonis Gary, but they don’t have a chance this season and whoever inherits the head coaching job will probably pull his hair out by the season’s end.

(Ed note: Just yesterday, November 8th, center Kieran Gleeson and forward Maurice Veal were ruled academically ineligible for the entire season.)

Overall Conference Outlook

This will be a very exciting season for SLC men’s basketball fans. I see a lot of teams being able to fill in hole with junior college players right away, and on the flip side I see some teams having disastrous seasons. When it’s all said and done, every fan should applaud the winner of the SLC crown because this year it won’t be a cakewalk.

Southland Conference 2003-04 Season Recap

by Zach Ewing

After a regular season that finished with three teams tied atop the standings and another just a game behind, it came as no surprise that parity ruled the Southland Conference Tournament.

The top four teams all survived the first day of quarterfinals, but on semifinal day, the No. 4 seeded Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks took out top seed Texas-Arlington in a thriller won by an Antonio Burks three-pointer with four seconds left. The other semifinal also did not disappoint. Texas-San Antonio’s Justin Harbert hit all three free throws after being fouled on a three-point attempt in the last 20 seconds to lead the Roadrunners to an 87-85 win. UTSA came back from seven points down at halftime to advance to Friday’s final.

In the championship, UTSA made the most of their opportunity, holding off a game Stephen F. Austin team at home 74-70. The Roadrunners took the lead at 12-11 and, although the game remained close, the Lumberjacks could do better than tie the score from that point on. Late in the game, SFA had the ball down by two, but couldn’t score. When LeRoy Hurd hit two free throws seconds later, Texas-San Antonio was dancing for the third time in its history.

It didn’t last long. Stanford easily ended UTSA’s season in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. But for this conference, getting to the Big Dance is an accomplishment in itself. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the final standings and awards for the Southland Conference in 2003-04.

Southland Conference Tournament Results

Quarterfinals – Monday, March 8
(1) Texas-Arlington 77, (8) Louisiana-Monroe 62
(4) Stephen F. Austin 85, (5) Sam Houston State 53
(3) Texas-San Antonio 78, (6) Texas State-San Marcos 73
(2) Southeastern Louisiana 72, (7) Northwestern State 64

Semifinals – Wednesday, March 10
(4) Stephen F. Austin 69, (1) Texas-Arlington 68
(3) Texas-San Antonio 87, (2) Southeastern Louisiana 85

Championship – Friday, March 12
(3) Texas-San Antonio 74, (4) Stephen F. Austin 70

Postseason
NCAA Tournament Phoenix Regional
(1) Stanford 71, (16) Texas-San Antonio 45

Hoopville All-Southland Conference Team
Senior forward LeRoy Hurd, Texas-San Antonio
Junior guard Amir Abdur-Rahim, Southeastern Louisiana
Senior forward Derrick Obasohan, Texas-Arlington
Junior forward Michael Gardner, Southeastern Louisiana
Senior guard Antonio Burks, Stephen F. Austin

Player of the Year:

LeRoy Hurd, Texas San Antonio – 19.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg

Honorable Mention:

Rafael Posey -Texas-San Antonio, Terry Conerway – Texas State-San Marcos, Joe Thompson – Sam Houston State, Raymond Anthony – Lamar, Terrell Petteway – Lamar

Hoopville All-Southland Freshman Team
Forward Kelvin Williams, Sam Houston State
Guard Ryan Price, McNeese State
Guard Kurt Attaway, Texas-San Antonio
Guard Stephen Floyd, Texas-Arlington
Forward Demetrius Bell, Northwestern State

Freshman of the Year:

Kelvin Williams, Sam Houston State – 7.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg

Honorable Mention:

Jonathon Walker – Southeastern Louisiana, Othello Alford – Sam Houston State, Ryan Griffith – Sam Houston State, Blake Whittle – Lamar, Shaun King – Nicholls State

Around the Southland

Lamar Cardinals (11-18 overall, 5-11 Southland)

Key players lost:
F Terrell Petteway (15.1 ppg, 7.8 rpg)

Key players returning:
G Raymond Anthoney (15.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.8 apg)
G Teddy Davis (13.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg)
G Gil Goodrich (12.9 ppg)

2004-05 Outlook: Lamar, though it failed to even make the Southland tournament this year, could put the conference on the map. That’s because Billy Tubbs, formerly of Tulsa, Oklahoma and TCU, started his career at Lamar and is back for his second season of his second stint. Not only do his Cardinals have everyone significant back save Petteway, but they had a superb recruiting class. This seems ridiculous, but little Lamar’s nine-player signing class was rated No. 3 in the country according to some websites. The only downside is the lack of any experienced players returning in the paint.

Louisiana-Monroe Indians (12-19, 8-9)

Key Players Lost:
G John Andrews (10.1 ppg)
G Larry Parker (9.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg)
C Chavis Thompson (8.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg)

Key Players Returning:
F DeAndre Alexander (6.0 ppg, 6.4 rpg)

Outlook: Not good. The Indians, senior-laden last year but still unable to accomplish anything, return only one player with a scoring average above six points. It will be interesting to see where ULM gets its offense.

McNeese State Cowboys (11-16, 7-9)

Key Players Lost:
F Jerrick Oliver (10.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg)
G Edward Garriet (14.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg)
G Greg Tucker (10.9 ppg)

Key Players Returning:
G Ryan Price (8.3 ppg, 2.1 apg)

Outlook: The Cowboys will likely battle for the cellar of the conference in ’05. Price will be a promising sophomore, but he will have to lead a very young team that won’t be able to replace its three leading scorers from this year.

Nicholls State Colonels (6-21, 1-15)

Key Players Lost:
G Markeith Brown (8.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg)

Key Players Returning:
G Willie Depron (15.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg)

F Jason Wilkins (11.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg)

Outlook: The Colonels have a long way to go, but they won’t be an easy opponent next year. They lose mostly minor players and will have a senior-laden team. And keep in mind, NSU did keep it close against Texas-San Antonio at beat Lamar at home this year.

Northwestern State Demons (11-17, 8-9)

Key Players Lost: None

Key Players Returning:
F Clifton Lee (13.3 ppg, 7.6 rpg)
G Jermaine Wallace (15.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg)
G Byron Allen (7.7 ppg, 4.6 rpg)

Outlook: The Demons are a team that has been dangerous in this conference in the past and may be headed in that direction again next year. A great sophomore class will become juniors, and the Demons may be able to turn close losses into close wins with the added maturity.

Sam Houston State Bearkats (12-15, 8-9)

Key Players Lost:
G Jason Stephenson (9.4 ppg, 2.4 apg)

Key Players Returning:
F Joe Thompson (15.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.7 apg)
F Wilder Auguste (10.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg)
G Chris Jordan (9.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
F Kelvin Williams (7.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg)

Outlook: The Bearkats have quite a ways to go to get into the upper echelon of the conference, but they have a load of talent coming back next year. Thompson, along with Amir Abdur-Rahim, is one of the most complete players in the conference, and Williams is a force inside.

Southeastern Louisiana Lions (19-9, 12-5)

Key Players Lost: None

Key Players Returning:
G Amir Abdur-Rahim (15.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.2 apg)
F Michael Gardner (13.2 ppg, 5.0 apg)
F Terry West (12.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg)

Outlook: The Lions won their first conference tournament game this year and should continue the trend and win the whole tournament next year. Abdur-Rahim will be hungry to redeem himself for two silly fouls in the closing minutes of this year’s semifinal loss, and SE Louisiana should improve on this year’s 12-5 record.

Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (21-9, 11-6)

Key Players Lost:
Guard Antonio Burks (15.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg)

Key Players Returning:
F Taylor Moore (9.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg)
G Marcus Clark (9.3 ppg, 4.0 apg)

Outlook: The loss of Burks means the Lumberjacks will need a new scorer and a new leader. Taylor Moore and Marcus Clark may be ready to step into those roles, but if they don’t find them, it may be a long season for Stephen F. Austin.

Texas-Arlington Mavericks (17-12, 12-5)

Key Players Lost:
F Derrick Obasohan (16.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg)
F Donny Beachem (9.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg)
G Keith Howell (10.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.3 apg)

Key Players Returning:
F Steven Thomas (12.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg)

Outlook: Texas-Arlington’s window of opportunity may have passed when Antonio Burks sunk a three-pointer in the Southland semifinals to end the Mavericks’ system. With teams like Lamar, Sam Houston State and Southeastern Louisiana improving from last year, Arlington will have a hard time keeping up next year.

Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners (19-13, 12-5)

Key Players Lost:
F LeRoy Hurd (19.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg)

Key Players Returning:
G Rafael Posey (11.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg)
G Justin Harbert (10.4 ppg)
F Justin Millsap (8.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg)
G Kurt Attaway (7.3 ppg, 3.3 apg)

Outlook: The majority of the Roadrunners’ conference championship team returns, but you can’t lose the leading scorer and rebounder in the conference and not fall a bit in the standings. Then again, never count out a champion. UTSA will be looking for a back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearance like they had in 1998-1999.

Texas State-San Marcos Bobcats (14-14, 8-9)

Key Players Lost:
G Terry Conerway (13.7 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.9 spg)
guard Roosevelt Brown (9.9 ppg, 2.6 apg)

Key Players Returning:
G Josh Naylor (11.1 ppg, 2.7 apg)
F Anthony Dill (8.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg)
F Zach Allison (8.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg)

Outlook: The Bobcats lose a lot in the backcourt for next season, and Naylor will be hard-pressed to pick up the slack. The frontcourt should be improved, but don’t look for the artist formerly known as Southwest Texas State to be anywhere but where they were this year: the middle of the pack.

Southland Conference Notebook

by Adam Shandler

Lamar: Terrell Petteway is lighting it up for the Cardinals. Problem is, his efforts may be sneezed upon by the hoops elite. Petteway opened the season with both a 23 and 10 double-double and a 30 point outing. Those stellar performances, however, came against small schools LeTourneau and Hardin Simmons, respectively…Billy Tubbs’s team smote North Texas, 88-72, in its first D-I game of the season on November 29. Junior Gil Goodrich led the Cards with 21. With that victory, coach Tubbs is now just two away from 600.

Louisiana-Monroe: The Indians opened up the season slow out of the gate, but give them credit; they had to tussle with the likes of LSU, Miami, FL, and Rhode Island — teams from conferences with higher RPIs. But Mike Vining’s team got a much needed reprieve. On November 30 ULM finally notched its first W on the year with an 83-53 trouncing of Central Methodist College. The Indians held CMC to 8-of-31 shooting and hit for 52% themselves. Tank Thompson finished the home opener with 12 points, 10 boards and Mark Keith had 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting…It’s back into the fire for ULM. They challenge Mississippi State in Starkville on Dec. 3.

McNeese State: The Cowboy campus is still commiserating over their humbling 35-3 defeat at the hands of Northern Arizona in the I-AA football playoffs. Ranked No. 1 in the nation with a 10-1 record going into the game, hopes were sorely dashed Thanksgiving weekend. Now McNeese sports fans can look to a basketball team that is 3-2 and which put up a good fight against LSU, 77-87. Most recently, Tic Price’s boys fell to Mississippi State, despite seven three-pointers and 23 points from Edward Garriet…The Centenary Gents are next for MSU, a Dec. 6 matchup in Shreveport, LA.

Nicholls State: After getting thumped by Florida State and Arkansas to open the season, the Colonels dialed it down and got much needed confidence-boosters against Wiley College (96-59) and Dillard (79-68). NSU does not play another game until December 10, when they face Southern at home…The Colonels are led in points and rebounds (15.0 and 6.5) by Jason Wilkins. Wilkins had 21 points, eight rebounds against Arkansas and 19 points in the loss to the Seminoles.

Northwestern State: This past Thanksgiving weekend, the Spirit of Giving was the theme for the Demons. In more ways than one. While in Chicago to face namesake Northwestern, Mike McConathy’s team united with two Aurora, Ill., churches to feed the needy. Shortly after on the 29th, the Demons fed the Wildcats a 69-61 victory. NSU did a nice job defensively on Northwestern’s leading scorer Jitim Young (9 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists) but four other purple players hit for double-digits. All-Southland forward Jermaine Wallace scored 15 for the Demons, while the other Jermaine – Spencer – had13 points and brought down 9 boards…NSU got even more generous with Centenary as the Gents took a 44-21 halftime lead and turned it into a 90-67 triumph. The 1-4 Demons got 14 from Wallace; the next highest scorers were Jermaine Hancock and Demetrius Bell with 8 each.

Sam Houston State: The Bearkats are already building for next year. Bob Marlin just signed local high school forward Ryan Bright from Deer Park. The 6-6, 200 lb. big man averaged 17.9 ppg and 10.4 rpg as a junior and was named his district’s MVP…The Kats have beat up on some lower-division squads so far (Jarvis Christian, 74-60, and Central Arkansas, 68-57) but their pride got whacked by a two-by-four in the form of the Texas Longhorns (122-71). Sam Houston has some games they can win coming up, namely against Texas-Corpus Christi, Arkansas State and Texas-Pan American. Then it’s another Lone Star juggernaut: Bobby Knight’s Red Raiders on December 17…Auguste Wilder is SHSU’s points leader with just over 11 a game.

Southeastern Louisiana: The 2-2 Lions showed Bellhaven what D-I is all about by handing the Blazers an 83-67 drubbing on Dec. 2. Guess SELA was still charged up after giving Ole Miss a scare on Nov. 29 and posting a valiant effort against Alabama on the 25th. Against Mississippi, the Lions came down from 31-14 at the half to outscore the Rebels 34-21 in the second stanza. A fast-paced 11-4 run made this one interesting, but down the stretch clutch shooting by Ole Miss’s Justin Reed – both from the floor and the line – put the game just slightly out of reach, and SELA went home with a 52-48 loss. Lions Center Nate Lofton posted a 14-11 double-dandy, the first of two on the year…Against Alabama, it was again a game of second-half catch-up. With the Tide up 38-31 at the break, SELA went bucket for bucket with ‘Bama but came up short, 83-76. All-Southland forward Amir Abdur-Rahim had a season best 17 to lead the Lions. Earnest Shelton scored 28 for the Crimson Tide.

Stephen F. Austin: The Jacks are 3-0 and looking like the hungriest team in the Southland field. SFA rolled over Alcorn State, 80-63, and embattled Baylor, 79-57, and opened with a hurtin’ of Houston Baptists 98-83. Senior forward Antonio Burks has been a man possessed. He’s put up big numbers, 20, 28, and 17 and his rebounding, at 6-per-game, ain’t half bad either. Thus far, Burks is the runaway favorite for postseason player of the year, but TCU is up next for the Lumberjacks.

Texas-Arlington: The Mavs wasted no time in the early signing period, recruiting two of the most highly touted prep players in all of Texas. Myles Guidry, a 6-4 forward who is regarded as one of the 300 best high school seniors, averaged 12.5 points and eight boards last year. He led Elsik High School to a 29-6 record and was named to the Adidas Big Time AAU All-Tournament team in Las Vegas. Guidry will be joined by Houston Milbry’s Larry Posey, a 6-5 forward and two-time all-district selection. Posey, who put up 15.8 ppg, 9.7 rpg and 2.1 bpg, is also listed as one of the top 50 prep players in the Lone Star State…The 0-2 Mavericks had a chance to redeem themselves greatly against New Mexico State on Nov. 24, but the Aggies pooled together a 21-5 run in the second half to record a 72-62 W. The game featured 10 lead changes over a 7:16 span. UT-A got their first victory on November 29, an 81-75 squeaker over Texas-Pan American. Steven Thomas poured in 23 in the Mavs’ unconvincing showing…Texas-Arlington doesn’t face another D-I opponent until Dec. 22 when the Mavs visit Wichita State.

Texas-San Antonio: If the Roadrunners’ season-opening loss to Alaska-Fairbanks is any omen for the rest of the season, then it’s going to be a long year in San Antone. 1-3 UTSA notched their lone victory against VMI in the consolation bracket of the Top of the World Classic, then regressed against Idaho State and Illinois-Chicago. Raphael Posey scored 16 against the Flames in the home opener…On Dec. 3, things get even dicier as the Roadrunners travel to Stillwater to face an Oklahoma State team that wants in on the Hoopville Top 25…All-Southland pick LeRoy Hurd leads his team with averages of 13.5 points and 6 rebounds.

Texas State: The Bobcats join a troubled fleet of Southland teams with their 1-4 mark. The troubles began with a 77-64 loss to New Orleans, then TSU took their problems out on Texas-Lutheran, 73-39. After the temporary glee, the Cats traveled up – way up – to Anchorage and posted three straight losses to Purdue, Alaska-Anchorage and Pacific in the Great Alaska Shootout. Texas State now prepares for the Southwest Missouri State Tournament (Dec. 5-6) where it draws Weber State in round one and will face either the host Bears or Coppin State in the next wave.