Florida Atlantic isn’t far away as Sun Belt play approaches

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – There was a consistent theme sounded after Florida Atlantic’s 63-51 loss at Harvard on Thursday night. The message: this team is not there yet, and mental toughness is the big key to getting there.

“We’re close, but we’re not there,” said head coach Mike Jarvis. “We were in a position win, like we’ve been many, many nights this year, but we just haven’t had the mental toughness to finish off. We’re not finishing what we start.”

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Sun Belt Preview

Sun Belt Conference 2008-09 Preview

by Phil Kasiecki

The Sun Belt made some traction last season by getting two teams in the NCAA Tournament. Additionally, Western Kentucky got a lot of attention with its buzzer-beating first round win. The conference has had its share of good teams over the years, and the Hilltoppers have produced plenty of them, but last season was particularly noteworthy for the conference.

This season might be a slight step down, as at first glance the conference doesn’t appear to have two teams as strong as Western Kentucky and South Alabama were last season. Western Kentucky lost more, as South Alabama should still contend, and the two divisions should be more even this season after the East was noticeably superior last season, winning more conference games than West Division teams despite having one less team. Both divisions should have a good battle for the top, with South Alabama pushing Middle Tennessee and UALR pushing North Texas.

Three programs have new leaders this season, one of whom saw its coach resign before last season ended. Arkansas State hired former LSU head coach John Brady to lead its program after Dickey Nutt resigned before the season was over. Rex Walters left Florida Atlantic to head west for the San Francisco head coaching job, and the school hired Mike Jarvis to replace him. Western Kentucky saw Darrin Horn take the South Carolina job, replacing him with former Texas assistant Ken McDonald, who once was an assistant at the school.

Preseason Awards
Player of the Year: Desmond Yates, Middle Tennessee
Top Newcomer: Richard Delk, Troy
Top Freshman: Brian Stafford, Denver
Defensive Player of the Year: Shawn Morgan, Arkansas State
Coach on the Hot Seat: Sergio Rouco, Florida International
Best NBA Prospect: Carlos Monroe, Florida Atlantic

All-Sun Belt Team
Alex Galindo, Sr. F, Florida International
Carlos Monroe, Sr. F, Florida Atlantic
Domonic Tilford, Sr. G, South Alabama
Josh White, So. G, North Texas
Desmond Yates, Jr. F, Middle Tennessee

East Division

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (17-15, 11-7 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Kevin Kanaskie (11.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.2 spg)
Sr. G Demetrius Green (12.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.9 apg)
Sr. G Nigel Johnson (7.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.4 apg)
Jr. F Desmond Yates (16.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg)
Sr. C Theryn Hudson (9.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: Six non-conference home games are on tap, including visits from Tennessee, Houston, Southern Illinois and Ohio Valley contender UT-Martin. They also have challenging road games at Vanderbilt and Atlantic Sun contender Belmont, and will play Houston Baptist both at home and on the road. In December, the Blue Raiders will play three games in a Basketball Travelers event hosted by Missouri State. We’ll get an early feel for how good this team will be once Sun Belt play begins in earnest, as four of their first six games are on the road and all will be tough ones: North Texas, South Alabama, Western Kentucky and UALR.
Outlook: Fresh off a season where they made it to the tournament final without a senior, the Blue Raiders look poised to be the class of the conference this season. They return all five starters and get back Calvin O’Neil, who was forced to redshirt after tearing an ACL in the season opener. All three guards are steady and unselfish, and they all help the rebound-by-committee effort that improved once conference play began. If they can take better care of the ball – the Blue Raiders had 75 more turnovers than assists last season – they will be a complete unit. Yates is a legitimate Player of the Year candidate, and along with Hudson and junior Dino Hair forms a good frontcourt that does need to rebound better. There’s experience, good size and depth, and it all could add up to a conference title this season.

South Alabama Jaguars (26-7, 16-2 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Bryan Sheerer (junior college transfer)
Sr. G Domonic Tilford (12.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.0 apg)
Sr. F Brandon Davis (10.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.3 bpg)
Sr. F DeAndre’ Coleman (7.7 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.6 apg)
Sr. F Ronald Douglas (6.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.1 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Jaguars have six non-conference home games and some challenging road games as well. They host Arkansas in the Coors Classic and will play two in the USA Basketball Classic that they host in late November. They go to Louisville for two games in the Billy Minardi Classic and have true road games at Ole Miss, Southern Miss and Mississippi State. In Sun Belt play, they have a stretch starting at the end of January where they play four of five at home. In inter-division games, they get North Texas and UALR at home only.
Outlook: Although the Jaguars lose two key starters in Demetric Bennett and Daon Merritt, they return a solid core of upperclassmen and add junior college transfers that should help right away. Tilford and Davis are all-conference candidates, with the former having potential to contend for Player of the Year, and Coleman is back to anchor the inside again after leading in rebounding last season. Sheerer should step in and run the show from the outset, while fellow junior college transfer Lashun Watson should see plenty of minutes in the backcourt as well and could even push Douglas out of the starting lineup for the Jaguars to go a little smaller. If the Jaguars repeat their excellent defense and rebounding margin (only North Texas was better in that category last season and by just 0.1 per game), the Jaguars could be back in the NCAA Tournament once again.

Florida Atlantic Owls (15-18, 8-10 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Carderro Nwoji (10.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.7 apg)
Sr. G Paul Graham III (14.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.4 apg)
So. G Sanchez Hughley (6.4 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.1 apg)
Sr. F Carlos Monroe (15.4 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 1.1 spg)
So. F Brett Royster (3.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.3 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Owls’ non-conference schedule is very challenging, with just three home games. They play in the NIT Season Tip-Off in Arizona, starting with the host Wildcats and then taking on Santa Clara or UAB. Road games include trips to UAB, Kentucky and Miami. Early in Sun Belt play, they have five of seven at home, but they also close the season with four of five on the road and the lone home game in that stretch coming against Middle Tennessee.
Outlook: The Owls aren’t lacking talent, but they had some growing pains last season that make them a sleeper for this season, depending on how they adjust to new head coach Mike Jarvis. Monroe is one of the conference’s best players, and Royster showed some promise as a freshman to indicate that he can complement him well. The perimeter is where the talent lives, as Nwoji and Graham III are a good start. Graham can score, but has to cut down on turnovers and isn’t an all-world defender. Hughley and classmate Xavier Perkins, a well-built wing who seemed to get better as the season went along, will battle for minutes at the other perimeter spot. The Owls had over 100 more turnovers than assists last season, and that along with a defense that allowed more points than all but one Sun Belt team doesn’t equal a formula for success.

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (29-7, 16-2 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G A.J. Slaughter (7.6 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.1 spg)
Sr. G Orlando Mendez-Valdez (5.7 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 2.2 apg)
So. G-F Steffphon Pettigrew (3.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
Jr. F Jeremy Evans (5.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.5 bpg)
Jr. F D.J. Magley (4.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: Four home games are on tap in a challenging non-conference schedule, including visits from Southern Illinois and Georgia. Among the many road challenges are Ohio Valley favorite Murray State, Louisville, Tulane, Florida State and Mississippi State. In Sun Belt play, they get UALR twice and North Texas at home only among inter-division games. A three-game homestand in January that starts with Middle Tennessee is a chance to get something going.
Outlook: New head coach Ken McDonald takes over a team that lost three players who were crucial to the team’s success last season and may have a rebuilding year ahead. But he’s not starting from scratch, especially in the frontcourt as Evans and Magley are good building blocks there, and senior Japeth Aguilar is a serviceable backup. Add in Pettigrew’s potential to break out this season now that he will be asked to do more, and the Hilltoppers are in good shape in the frontcourt and on the wing. Slaughter and Mendez-Valdez are serviceable guards, but will need to do more as they step into the starting lineup. Freshmen Robbie Townsend and Jameson Tipping should be in the mix as well. The program has a good history, and McDonald is known as a solid recruiter, so the Hilltoppers might have a brief rebuilding year but should be back in contention before long.

FIU Golden Panthers (9-20, 6-12 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
So. G Josue Soto (transfer from Florida State)
So. G Tremayne Russell (5.2 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 1.7 apg)
Sr. F Alex Galindo (13.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.9 apg)
Jr. F Nikola Gacesa (5.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
Sr. C Russell Hicks (12.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 2.1 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: Seven home games are on tap in non-conference play, five of which come in two in-season tournaments. They get three home games as hosts of part of the CBE Classic, one of which comes against Horizon League favorite Cleveland State, and later host Ohio Valley contender UT-Martin and Fordham in the FIU Holiday Tournament. The toughest road games are at Washington, UCLA, Miami and Georgetown. In Sun Belt play, they get a break with inter-division games as they get both North Texas and UALR at home only.
Outlook: The Golden Panthers have some talent, but injuries early in practice won’t help. Seniors Galindo and Hicks are expected to lead the way and form a solid frontcourt, but Galindo suffered a dislocated right ankle and could miss the season. As if that’s not enough, backup center Badara Ndiaye and junior college transfer J.C. Otero have suffered knee injuries. That means Gacesa and junior Cedric Essola will need to do more, and massive freshman Freddy Asprilla may have to play more minutes right away than first planned, although he does have a chance to be a solid player in this conference. Soto should run the show right from the outset, while Russell showed some promise in his freshman season. Depth isn’t a strong suit here, which means junior college transfer Michael Dominguez will surely see a lot of minutes from the outset. If the Golden Panthers are to improve, they must take better care of the ball, as they led the conference in turnovers by a wide margin last season.

Troy Trojans (12-19, 4-14 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Brandon Hazzard (6.0 ppg, 1.6 rpg)
Jr. G Michael Vogler (6.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1.8 spg)
Jr. G Richard Delk (transfer from Mississippi State)
Jr. F Trayce Macon (7.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg)
Sr. C Tom Jervis (5.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.3 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: Although the Trojans’ non-conference schedule has just four home games, two are against very good teams in UAB and Colonial contender Georgia State. The Trojans will play UAB and UNC-Wilmington both at home and away. Early on, they travel for four games in the LSU Thanksgiving Tournament, then later travel to Dayton in early December. In Sun Belt play, they have four of five on the road in the latter half of January, including inter-division opponents North Texas and UALR.
Outlook: The Trojans had four senior starters last season and struggled to a 4-14 Sun Belt record, so expectations aren’t high for this group although there isn’t a freshman or sophomore on the roster. Delk should immediately be the team’s best player, while Vogler should benefit from his addition and Hazzard likely has the inside track on the other perimeter job. Macon, the only returning starter, looks to be the only holdover in the frontcourt who will start. Jervis has the inside track in the middle, but the Trojans could go smaller and start Chris Leggett or Antywan Jones, both junior college transfers. The recruiting class is a good group, which can only be a good thing since last season’s team was the worst defensive team in the conference and also shot below 41 percent from the field, which also ranked last, and was the worst rebounding team as well.

West Division

North Texas Mean Green (20-11, 10-8 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
So. G Josh White (13.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.5 apg)
Sr. G Colin Dennis (13.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.1 apg)
Sr. G Adam McCoy (5.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg)
So. F Kedrick Hogans (2.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
Sr. F Harold Stewart (3.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Mean Green have six home games on tap in non-conference play, including three straight to start December. Most notable among the home games are visits from Southland contenders Sam Houston State (who they also play on the road) and UT-Arlington, as well as New Mexico State. Notable road games are at Oklahoma State, Houston and Arkansas. In Sun Belt play, the Mean Grean has two stretches where four of five are at home. They got no favors in inter-division games, as they get South Alabama and Western Kentucky on the road only and play Middle Tennessee twice.
Outlook: Johnny Jones has built this program nicely, as the Mean Green looks to have a good chance for its third straight 20-win season. Although they return just two starters, they’re both good, as White and Dennis lead a backcourt that should rival that of Middle Tennessee. They should help offset the loss of four of the top six scorers from last season, along with some good newcomers. While Hogans and Stewart could move into the starting lineup, don’t be surprised if newcomers like Arizona State transfer George Odufuwa and/or junior college transfer Eric Tramiel start right away. The veteran backcourt has some room for improvement, as only four Sun Belt teams turned the ball over more last season and they had over 100 more turnovers than assists.

UALR Trojans (20-11, 11-7 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Steven Moore (9.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.5 apg)
Sr. G Brandon Patterson (6.0 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.8 apg)
Sr. F John Fowler (6.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.1 spg)
Jr. F Mike Smith (9.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg)
Sr. F Shane Edwards (6.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Trojans have six home games in non-conference play, with five coming in a seven-game stretch early on. The toughest home game is against Missouri Valley favorite Creighton, and they also get a visit from Horizon contender Wright State. The Trojans will hit the road for games against Summit contender Oral Roberts and Memphis. In Sun Belt play, a key stretch starts near the end of January, when they play four of five on the road.
Outlook: Steve Shields has this program at a good point, as evidenced by the fact that the Trojans should still contend despite having a couple of players transfer out of the program after last season. All five starters return, and they’ll simply re-load off the bench. One should also expect them to continue the scoring balance since the starters return along with sophomores Matt Mouzy and Derrick Bails, and they could finish second in their division and not have any All-Sun Belt players. The Trojans were the best defensive team in the conference last season and had the third-best rebounding margin. While repeating that will go a long way towards winning again, some improvement at the offensive end wouldn’t hurt after they shot just under 43 percent from the field and turned it over more than all but one team.

Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (15-15, 11-7 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Randell Daigle (8.5 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 2.5 apg)
So. G Travis Bureau (7.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg)
Jr. G-F La’Ryan Gary (7.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg)
Jr. F Courtney Wallace (5.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg)
So. F Chris Gradnigo (9.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Ragin’ Cajuns will play six non-conference games in the Cajundome, including visits from Summit contender Oral Roberts and Southland contender Sam Houston State. They will hit the road for UAB and three SEC opponents: Alabama, Tennessee and LSU. In Sun Belt play, a January stretch with six of eight on the road could go a long way in determining how this season winds up, although they open with three straight at home that includes two in mid-December.
Outlook: With a roster composed of only sophomores and juniors, this might appear to be a year with some growing pains for the Ragin’ Cajuns. But the transfer of Elijah Millsap will stunt what could have been a big year considering the contributions of last season’s freshmen and sophomores. Despite not having a senior, much of this team got a chance to grow last season, and they’ll need more of it this season. The perimeter trio of Daigle, Bureau and Gary is solid and unspectacular, and there’s depth with juniors Brandon Dison and Corey Bloom. The frontcourt is where there’s more depth, and don’t be surprised if UNLV transfer Lamar Roberson pushes Wallace out of the starting lineup. They also add more size from the transfer ranks with Jeremy Barr (USC) and Emmanuel Adeife (UNLV), so there isn’t a shortage of bodies to help them attempt to improve on the boards after being out-rebounded last season. There’s enough talent and experience to contend for a division title, with some improvement needed offensively after only Troy shot worse from the field last season and no player averaged double-digit points.

Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (10-21, 4-14 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Brandon Roberts (redshirt)
Sr. G Tony Hooper (15.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.6 spg)
Jr. G Jarvis Hill (junior college transfer)
So. F Lawrence Gilbert (transfer from Miami)
So. F Raphelle Turner (6.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.0 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Warhawks will play five home games in a non-conference slate that has plenty of tough road games. They play Tennessee Tech and McNeese State both at home and away, and hit the road for games at Mississippi State, Auburn, improving Louisiana Tech and Colorado. Three of the first four Sun Belt games are on the road.
Outlook: The Warhawks will have to integrate some new faces this season, as two newcomers will likely move into the starting lineup along with Roberts, who redshirted last season and wasn’t cleared to do any contact drills in practice by the beginning of November. Hooper could lead the conference in scoring, though he could also lead in turnovers after he had nearly 50 percent more turnovers than assists last season. There is some good talent among the newcomers to help him at the offensive end, and chief among them is Gilbert, who should start right away and could form a nice inside tandem with Turner, who showed promise as a freshman. Hill is a journeyman who can shoot, and junior college transfers Malcolm Thomas and Reggie Lassiter also project to see good minutes. Lassiter could start at the point if Roberts isn’t ready to go at first, as could sophomore Kenneth Averette, who started 11 games there last season. Gilbert’s move into the starting lineup likely pushes senior Afam Nweke to the bench since Turner seems ready to start. There are many areas for improvement this season, but taking better care of the ball would be a good start after the Warhawks had over 130 more turnovers than assists last season.

Denver Pioneers (11-19, 7-11 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
So. G Kyle Lewis (8.4 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 1.4 apg)
Fr. G Brian Stafford
Jr. F Nate Rohnert (8.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.1 spg)
So. F Rob Lewis (8.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.4 apg)
Fr. F Andrew Hooper
Schedule Highlights: The Pioneers will play five non-conference home games, including three straight to close December starting with Colorado State. The toughest road game looks to be at Wyoming, and right after that they head to Montana for the Grizzly Basketball Classic against host Montana and Texas-Arlington. In Sun Belt inter-division games, they caught a break in getting Middle Tennessee and South Alabama at home only.
Outlook: With no seniors and just two juniors on the roster, this looks like a rebuilding year for the Pioneers. Both Kyle and Rob Lewis (no relation) and Rohnert are good building blocks, with Rohnert being the team captain. Stafford and Hooper look to be the newcomers most ready to start, and other than lanky freshman Justin Coughlin, there’s not much size up front among the potential reserves. The Pioneers were last in the conference in scoring by over seven points per game last season and allowed opponents to shoot just under 46 percent from the field, a combination this team hopes to improve upon. They went 0-16 on the road last season, and with just five home games on the non-conference slate this season it’s possible that wins will be hard to come by while looking toward the future with this young group.

Arkansas State Red Wolves (10-20, 5-13 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Ifeanyi Koggu (3.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 2.6 apg)
Jr. G Mike Lance (4.5 ppg, 1.4 rpg)
Sr. F Shawn Morgan (9.0 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.9 spg)
Sr. F Yima Chia-Kur (11.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
Jr. F JeJuan Brown (junior college transfer)
Schedule Highlights: Five home games are on tap in non-conference play, including a visit from Ohio Valley favorite Murray State. Road games on the slate include trips to Ole Miss, Ohio Valley contender UT-Martin and Oklahoma State. In mid-January, the Red Wolves have a chance to pick up some wins as they have a stretch with four of five at home, though the only road game is at Middle Tennessee.
Outlook: New head coach John Brady is starting over to a degree, as just two starters from last season remain with Ryan Wedel transferring to Drake after the season. But this isn’t a team lacking in experience, as there are five seniors and just three freshmen and sophomores on the roster. Morgan and Chia-Kur are good frontcourt bookends, and Brown could start right away to join them. The tallest players are 6’8″, so the Red Wolves won’t have a lot of size inside. Koggu should run the show, while Lance is the most likely holdover to start alongside him and sophomore Jeremy Thomas seems the likely backup. The first place the Red Wolves need to improve is the defensive end, as they allowed opponents to shoot a conference-high 48 percent from the field last season.

New Orleans Privateers (19-13, 8-10 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Destin Damachoua (junior college transfer)
Sr. G Kyndall Dykes (13.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.3 apg)
Sr. F T.J. Worley (6.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg)
Jr. F Obi Ikeakor (junior college transfer)
So. C Jaroslav Tyrna (3.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: Six home games are on tap in non-conference play, including visits from North Carolina State, Tulane and Ole Miss. The slate of road games is not overly difficult, but does have a trip to Colorado State included. In Sun Belt play, they close the season with four of five on the road.
Outlook: With Sun Belt all-time leading scorer Bo McCalebb and three other starters gone, a rebuilding season looks to be ahead for second-year head coach Joe Pasternack. Seniors Dykes and Worley, the only seniors on the roster, should snag two of the starting spots. Damachoua, a talented point guard, should be the third perimeter starter and give them a little more experience as a junior college transfer. Ikeakor has had a cup of coffee in Division I before, having started his college career at Saint Louis, and Tyrna should start in the middle. Many of the newcomers will get a chance to play right away, which is sure to lead to some ups and downs. Pasternack got the team off to a great start last season and still won 19 games despite an 8-10 showing in Sun Belt play, and now he starts building with his own players.

Conference Outlook

Two good division races should be in store this season, as well as more balance between the divisions. At first glance, the conference doesn’t look like it will be as strong at the top as last season, so we may not see an at-large team from here like last season. But the conference has some “potential” teams that certainly could turn out better than advertised, as was the case last season. A few of the bottom teams are rebuilding, but aren’t lacking talent, and by late in the season they might be able to play spoiler or surprise a team in the conference tournament.

Sun Belt Notebook

Sun Belt Conference Notebook

by Ryan Glenn

Middle Tennessee State is off to one of the best starts in the conference. The Blue Raiders are 6-3 and have an RPI of 41. Although 6-3 is not the best record in the league, it must be noted that two of the Blue Raiders’ losses came from an overtime loss to Indiana State and a close loss to Louisville on the road. A big part of their success is due to junior Kyle Young. Young is averaging 10.6 points and 6.3 rebounds a game. He is also sixth in the country with a 69.5 shooting percentage. The next three games for MTSU are against Austin Peay, Tennessee State and Memphis, all of which are in-state opponents.

Arkansas-Little Rock is off to a 6-4 start and also has looked good early on. The Trojans’ early losses include Illinois, Southern Illinois and a five-point loss to Michigan State. Rash Jones-Jennings has led the way for the Trojans in scoring and rebounds. Jones-Jennings has been the leading rebounder in all but one game this season. They will be looking for him to step up when they play in a tournament hosted by Utah State this week.

Western Kentucky, as expected, has played very competitively early on. Out of the Hilltoppers’ four losses, three of them easily could have been wins. In just their third game, they were edged out by Georgia 69-65. In mid-December, they were on the losing end of a close one once again against Bradley 78-76. Just two games later, they lost to a very good team in Arizona in overtime. This team is going to be looking to take over the Sun Belt in the next few weeks.

Dickey Nutt has to be worried about his Arkansas State team. Although losses are common for mid-majors, losing four straight games right before Sun Belt play begins is never good. The Indians are also going to have to learn how to win on the road. They are 0-4 on the road and are going to be playing at Oklahoma State on December 31. Kitus Witherspoon is going to need to improve from his eight points a game for them not to be in the bottom of the Sun Belt standings this season.

Sun Belt Preview

Sun Belt Conference 2005-06 Preview

by Ryan Glenn

The Sun Belt conference is improving every year. The addition of Troy to the conference from the Atlantic Sun will pay off down the road. Louisiana-Lafayette is looking for their third straight NCAA tournament appearance and a conference championship. Also in the West, Denver will be looking to upset Louisiana-Lafayette and take over control of the division.

The East looks like it could be tougher to win with a load of talent on many teams. Western Kentucky has the talent and experience to win the conference and has come together even more from the passing of teammate Danny Rumph. Florida International and Middle Tennessee should stay in contention with the Hilltoppers the entire season. Ivan Almonte should continue to be a star for the Golden Panthers. For Middle Tennessee, Marcus Morrison and Kyle Young should play a key part in the quest for the championship.

This Sun Belt season should be a great one. There is more talent than ever in the conference and should make for some very good games and a great conference tournament. It would not surprise me to see two Sun Belt teams in the NCAA tournament a few years down the road.

Hoopville’s All-Sun Belt Team

1st Team
G Bo McCalebb, Jr., New Orleans
G Anthony Winchester, Sr., Western Kentucky
G Dwayne Mitchell, Sr., Louisiana-Lafayette
C Yemi Nicholson, Sr., Denver
F Ivan Almonte, Sr., Florida International

2nd Team
G Bobby Dixon, Sr., Troy
G Mario Jointer, Sr., South Alabama
G Marcus Morrison, Sr., Middle Tennessee
C Kitus Witherspoon, Sr., Arkansas State
F Courtney Lee, So., Western Kentucky

Hoopville’s Preseason Awards

MVP – Yemi Nicholson, Denver
The senior big man just has it all. Nicholson averaged eighteen points, eight rebounds, and three blocks a game last season and should improve those numbers greatly.

Newcomer of the Year – Kendrick Davis, North Texas
A transfer from Arkansas, Davis will make a great impact on a struggling Mean Green team. If Davis has an outstanding season, North Texas could sneak up in the standings and surprise someone.

Coach on the Hot Seat – Monte Towe
New Orleans has had a pretty good team the past few seasons, but has failed to reach the post season. Towe will have a tough time reaching the postseason, but will need to work hard with his players to reach the team’s expectations.

East Division

1. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
22-9 (9-5 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
G – Anthony Winchester, Sr.
G – Ty Rogers, So.
G – Courtney Lee, So
G – Orlando Mendez, Fr.
F – Boris Siakam, So.

Schedule Highlights: vs. Georgia 11-26, @ Eastern Kentucky 12-3, vs. Virginia 1-2

The sudden death of point guard Danny Rumph has brought this Hilltopper team together. They will be playing this season with a team bond that not many teams have. Anthony Winchester should lead the team this season after he led the league in three-point shooting and averaged 18.2 points a game last season. Courtney Lee, last year’s freshman of the year, will return and should put up impressive numbers. Ty Rogers, another returning sophomore, should put up consistent numbers all season. Western Kentucky has a great chance of winning the Sun Belt crown and a birth in the NCAA Tournament.

2. Florida International Golden Panthers
13-17 (4-10 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
G – Johwen Villegas, Jr.
G – Joey Cantens, Fr.
G – Alan Guyton, Jr.
F – Ismael N’Diaye, Sr.
F – Ivan Almonte, Sr.

Schedule Highlights: @ Notre Dame 12-10, @ DePaul 12-31

The Golden Panthers will be looking to capture the Sun Belt title if they can keep everybody healthy. Ivan Almonte, who currently has a minor hamstring injury, will lead this Florida International team. Almonte led the league in rebounding with 9.9 rebounds a game and also led the team in scoring with 17.2 points a game. Senior forward Ismael N’Diaye is expected to get off to a slow start after having a stress fracture repaired over the summer, but should be a big contributor by the time conference play begins. Junior Alan Guyton will provide excellent play as a starter after missing last season due to knee surgery.

3. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
19-12 (7-7 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
G – Marcus Morrison, Sr.
G Fats Cuyler, Sr.
G – Wes Durrant, Jr.
F – Alex Weekes, Jr.
F – Kyle Young, Jr.

Schedule Highlights: @ Memphis 1-4, vs. Western Kentucky 2-23

After a disappointing season last year, the Blue Raiders are looking to surprise a few people. Marcus Morrison will lead Middle Tennessee’s offense. Morrison will be more consistent this season as he gives the Blue Raiders a chance at a conference championship. Along with Morrison, Fats Cuyler and Wes Durrant will complete the backcourt. Both have gained valuable experience and should improve greatly this year. Junior Kyle Young should have a good showing in every game after coming off of a good season.

Middle Tennessee should be in contention for the conference championship. If the Blue Raiders can get hot around tournament time, they might surprise some people at the Sun Belt tournament in Murfreesboro.

4. Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans
18-10 (10-4 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
G – Zack Wright, Jr.
G – De’Andre Eggins, Fr.
G – Elijah Muldrow, Sr.
F – Rashad Jones-Jennings, Jr.
F – Lekheythan Malone, Fr.

Schedule Highlights: @ Illinois 12-5, vs. Western Kentucky 2-16

The Trojans come into the season after losing virtually all of their players of a division-leading team. Zack Wright, who averaged 11.1 ppg, will be the lone key player returning. Wright will be forced into the leadership role as there is not much experience to be found on the roster. DeAndre Eggans, a 6’1″ guard, should make an immediate impact along with Lorenzo Razz, a JuCo transfer. Do not expect too much from a Trojans team that is rebuilding this season.

5. Arkansas State Indians
16-13 (7-7 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
G – Jerry Nichols, Sr.
G – Dereke Tipler, Sr.
G – Jim Jones, Jr.
F – Kitus Witherspoon, Sr.
C – Theo Little, Sr.

Schedule Highlights: @ Mississippi St. 11-21, @ Louisville 12-4

Dickey Nutt will try to get Arkansas State their 1,000th all-time win this season with a team that could struggle after losing its top two scorers from the past two seasons. The Indians will be counting on Jerry Nichols to continue to be a three-point threat. Kitus Witherspoon will also be back and should have a great year on the boards. Elvin Jones and Korrel Henderson, two JuCo transfers should fit in with the team nicely. While Arkansas State should get their 1,000th win, don’t expect too much more from them.

West Division

1. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns
20-11 (11-4 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
G – Ed Turner, Jr.
G – Dwayne Mitchell, Sr.
F – Chris Cameron, Sr.
F – Ross Mouton, Jr.
C – Michael Southall, Sr.

Schedule Highlights: @ Tennessee 11-22, @ North Texas 1-5

After winning the conference tournament and earning a birth into the NCAA tournament, Ragin’ Cajun coach Robert Lee is going to have some work to do. Losing guards Orien Greene and Tiras Wade leaves the team with big shoes to fill in the backcourt. Dwayne Mitchell should lead the team in scoring after playing a smaller role with so much talent ahead of him. Expect him to lead this team and put up much improved numbers. Michael Southall will return this season after a two-year absence and should fit nicely down low for the Ragin’ Cajuns. Senior Chris Cameron is also back after earning a year because of academic work. Cameron will increase his scoring average quickly and should have an improved on-court presence. The Ragin’ Cajuns have a great shot at the conference championship and should get there unless something unexpected happens.

2. Denver Pioneers
20-11 (12-3 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
G – DaShawn Walker, Jr.
G – Alex Cox, Jr.
F – Andrew Carpenter, Sr.
F – Antonio Porch, Jr.
C – Yemi Nicholson, Sr.

Schedule Highlights: @ Stanford 12-19, vs. North Texas 2-18

Denver coach Terry Carroll has to be happy. In a league where NBA talent is usually a one or two year commodity, Player of the Year candidate Yemi Nicholson is back this season after he averaged 18.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 3 blocks a game last season. Andrew Carpenter returns after what was also a great season. Besides Carpenter, the Pioneers have had to fill a couple of guard spots. Junior Alex Cox should take over the point-guard role. Cox, who red-shirted after two years of JuCo play, will be able to run this offense nicely. Another JuCo transfer, DeShawn Walker, should fill in the perimeter nicely. Denver has the talent to win the league if they can just get everything together.

3. New Orleans Privateers
13-17 (7-8 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
G – Bo McCalebb, Jr.
G – Chad Barnes, Sr.
G – Jamie McNeilly, Jr.
C – Ben Elias, Jr.
F – Shawn Malloy, Sr.

Schedule Highlights: @ LSU 12-13, @ Vanderbilt 12-20, @ Kansas 12-29

With all of the starters returning from what was already a good team; New Orleans has a good shot of winning the conference. Bo McCalebb, who is a Sun Belt Player of the Year candidate, will once again lead the Privateers. McCalebb should keep up the extraordinary play he had last season. His only problem, shooting three-pointers, should improve over the course of the season. Senior guard Chad Barnes should also improve from the outside, while Shawn Malloy will make more of a presence underneath this season. The Privateers should improve this season, but their overall lack of depth will keep them from the conference championship.

4. South Alabama Jaguars
10-18 (6-9 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
G – Mario Jointer, Sr.
G – Carlos Smith, Jr.
F – Michael Phillips, Sr.
F – Richard Law, Sr.
C – Jason McGriff, Jr.

Schedule Highlights: @ Purdue 11-22, @ Tennessee 1-4

South Alabama is still in a rebuilding stage, but brings back most of its players with experience. Mario Jointer should once again lead the Jags after averaging 16.6 points a game to lead South Alabama in scoring last year. Richard Law is coming off a tremendous season and should continue to play a big role in the Jags offense. Jason McGriff, a JuCo transfer, should produce right away down low. Carlos Smith, another transfer, should help tremendously on the perimeter. The Jags could surprise some teams if some players surpass expectations.

5. North Texas Mean Green
14-14 (6-9 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
G – Calvin Watson, Jr.
G – Isaac Hines, Sr.
G – Kendrick Davis, Jr.
C – Jeffrey Simpson, Sr.
F – Quincy Williams, So.

Schedule Highlights: @ Tulsa 1-2, vs. Middle Tennessee 2-9

After a disappointing season for North Texas, they lost a huge part of their offense as they lost Leonard Hopkins. However, they have some returning talent and experience that will improve the team. Calvin Watson, the team’s leading returning scorer, is a quick tempo guard who will continue to produce this season. Senior Isaac Hines will play a huge leadership role and work on raising his 6.5 points per game average. Kendrick Davis, an Arkansas Transfer, should be a scoring leader after he averaged ten points a game as a freshman for the Razorbacks. North Texas should have a talented team, but they likely will not compete with the upper teams of the conference.

6. Troy Trojans
12-18 (10-10 in the Atlantic Sun)
Projected Starters:
G – Bobby Dixon, Sr.
G – Jacob Hazouri, Sr.
F – Sammy Sharp, Jr.
F – Jarvis Acker, Jr.
F – Cedric Jackson, Jr.

Schedule Highlights: @ Mississippi St. 12-10, vs. North Texas 2-23

Troy makes the jump to the Sun Belt after a disappointing season and a mediocre performance in the Atlantic Sun. The Trojans also lost two of their top three scorers from last season. Senior Bobby Dixon will take over leadership role and be expected to raise his scoring average. Along with Dixon, Cedric Jackson, a JuCo transfer, should make an immediate impact on the boards and scoring for Troy. Todd Martin, a sophomore transfer, will shine down low for the Trojans. As Troy makes the transition to the Sun Belt, do not expect too many surprises in a down year.

Sun Belt Championship Recap

Sun Belt Conference Championship Recap

by Ryan Glenn

No. 2W Louisiana-Lafayette 88, No. 1W Denver 69

Louisiana-Lafayette earned their second straight trip to the NCAA tournament last night. The Ragin’ Cajuns finished with a strong second half as they were able to take down Denver 88-69. Denver beat Louisiana-Lafayette two times during the regular season, but in the one that mattered, they just could not get things done.

Denver controlled play early. They were up by seven midway through the first half, as Rodney Billups was on fire early for the Pioneers. Tiras Wade brought Louisiana-Lafayette storming back to tie the game. The game went back and forth for the rest of the half and the half ended with the two teams tied.

Louisiana-Lafayette came out in the second half and dominated Denver. Wade scored 21 of his 30 points in the half, as the Ragin’ Cajuns got the lead and didn’t look back.

Even with the great play from Louisiana-Lafayette, their coach was still getting on the referees. Robert Lee, Louisiana-Lafayette’s head coach, was assessed with a technical for stepping outside of the coaches’ box and on to the floor.

Dwayne Mitchell followed Wade in scoring with 16 points and pulled down eight rebounds for Louisiana-Lafayette. Billups finished with 16 points and Erik Benzel had 15 to lead Denver.

Sun Belt Tournament Recaps

Sun Belt Conference Tournament Recaps

by Ryan Glenn

First Round

No. 4E Arkansas State 84, No. 5W North Texas 76

Arkansas State, led by J.J. Montgomery with 25 points, was able to win pretty easily against North Texas. Arkansas State was just on fire from behind the arc, hitting ten three-pointers in the game. North Texas tried to make a run in the second half, as Leonard Hopkins scored 20 of his in 26 points the half, but it wasn’t enough to get the win.

No. 5E Florida International 60, No. 4E South Alabama 57

Florida International was able to contain Mario Jointer, South Alabama’s leading scorer, as they earned a spot in the quarterfinals. Though Florida International had just one scorer in double-digits, it seemed to be all they needed. Ivan Almonte, the first-team All-Sun Belt selection, was able to put 19 points on the board and pull down 14 rebounds to lead the Golden Panthers to the win. South Alabama’s leading scorer was Carlos Smith, who scored 14 points, as Jointer was held to eight.

No. 3E Middle Tennessee 77, No. 6 New Mexico State 63

In one of the more lopsided games in the first round, Middle Tennessee State was able to get by New Mexico State fairly easily, 77-63. The Blue Raiders were led by Steve Thomas, who scored 17 points and had 17 rebounds in the win. Marcus Morrison added 17 off the bench. The Aggies’ leading scorer was Josh Jenkins with 18 points.

Quarterfinals

No. 1W Denver 64, No. 4E Arkansas State 57

Eric Benzel scored 16 of his 20 points in the first half as the west favorite earned its way into the semifinals. Arkansas State just could not seem to get things under control, as they had 19 turnovers in the game. Yemi Nicholson had all 13 of his points in the second half for Denver. Issac Wells and J.J. Montgomery had 13 points apiece to lead scoring for Arkansas State.

No. 2E Western Kentucky 78, No. 3W New Orleans 67

Bo McCalebb just could not keep his New Orleans team in the game against Western Kentucky. The freshman star for New Orleans had 23 points, but it wasn’t enough as Western Kentucky took home a 78-67 win. Antonio Haynes led the Hilltoppers with 22 points and Anthony Winchester added 19. New Orleans had a first half lead of five points, but after Western Kentucky went on an 11-0 run, the Privateers couldn’t recover.

No. 5E Florida International 69, No. 1E Arkansas-Little Rock 64

In the biggest upset of the tournament thus far, Florida International was able to knock of the number one seed from the east. Junior Matias scored a game-high 26 points, as the Golden Panthers earned their first Sun Belt semifinal birth since 1999. The game was close for about 30 minutes, but Ismael N’Diaye got a layup midway through the second half to give Florida International a lead they would not give up. Arkansas-Little Rock was lead by Brandon Freeman and Zack Wright, who had 15 and 13 points respectively.

No. 2W Louisiana Lafayette 71, No. 3E Middle Tennessee 57

In what was supposed to be a highly competitive game, Louisiana Lafayette came out and controlled the boards and tempo of the game en route to a 71-57 win over Middle Tennessee. Middle Tennessee shot just 35% from the field and had 19 turnovers in the loss. Tiras Wade scored 27 points for Louisiana Lafayette and Orien Greene added 13. Middle Tennessee did not get much from production from Steve Thomas, their star center, who sat most of the game with foul trouble. Mike Dean was the leading scorer for the Blue Raiders with 17 points.

Semifinals

No. 1W Denver 77, No. 2E Western Kentucky 68

Denver, still hoping for their first ever NCAA Tournament birth, was able to edge Western Kentucky in the semifinals. Neither team led by more than six until about midway through the second half, when Denver went on a decisive 15-4 run. Eric Benzel was able to net six during the run and finished with a game-high 19 points. Western Kentucky was led by Courtney Lee with 18 points.

No. 2W Louisiana Lafayette 80, No. 5E Florida International 69

The Cinderella of the Sun Belt Tournament, Florida International, could not make it any further after beating the No. 1 seed, Arkansas-Little Rock. The Ragin’ Cajuns jumped out to a 10-2 lead just four minutes into the game and did not look back. Tiras Wade once again led the way for Louisiana Lafayette with 25 points. Junior Matias was Florida International’s leading scorer with 17 points.

Sun Belt Preview

Sun Belt Conference Season Preview

by Zach Van Hart

The entire Sun Belt Conference rejoiced during the 2003-04 season as Western Kentucky, who had dominated during the first few seasons of the millennium, finally returned back to earth. With the fall of the Hilltoppers to a fifth-place finish and quarterfinal loss in the conference tournament (on their home court no less), several teams made a run at claiming the newly departed throne. While many teams stepped up to the challenge, the Ragin’ Cajuns of Louisiana Lafayette proved to be a notch above the rest. The Cajuns claimed both the regular season and conference championships.

This season, the top teams from ’03-’04 will again remain near the top, while the league’s bottom half will also stay put. Louisiana Lafayette and Arkansas-Little Rock, the defending Sun Belt West Division champs, are the league’s top two teams this season and will battle for the title. Arkansas State will make the biggest improvement, as its two stars will finally carry their team on their backs. New Orleans will slip a bit from its surprise finish last season, despite the services of sophomore sensation Bo McCalebb. And the dark horse candidate to win the league is Middle Tennessee State.

Towards the bottom of the league, New Mexico State, Denver, South Alabama and North Texas will go head-to-head twice to determine who qualifies for the conference tournament whose season will end with the close of the regular season. Florida International will once again bring up the rear. And the once feared Hilltoppers? Middle of the pack seems to be their new role.

Preseason Awards

First Team All-Sun Belt
Bo McCalebb, New Orleans
Mike Dean, Middle Tennessee State
Brian Mitchell, Louisiana Lafayette
J.J. Montgomery, Arkansas State
Dewarick Spencer, Arkansas State

MVP – McCalebb, New Orleans

Team-by-team capsules (In order of Hoopville’s predicted finish)

1. Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans

(17-12, 9-5) 1st in Sun Belt East Division

Projected Starting Lineup
Zack Graber, G
Brandon Freeman, G
Josh Jacobs, F
Richard Hardman, F
Darius Eason, C

Key games – Non-conference: vs. Southern Illinois (Dec. 7); Conference: home-and-home with Arkansas State and Western Kentucky, vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (Feb. 26).

The Trojans are not flashy. They do not win games with style and flair. Plenty of other Sun Belt teams receive more attention. But in 2004-05, they will be the best team and that’s all that matters. Returning four of five starters and a solid bench, Arkansas-Little Rock should have enough firepower and experience to upend defending champion Louisiana Lafayette. But it will not be easy.

Brandon Freeman returns as the team’s leader following a solid first season with the Trojans. The senior junior college transfer averaged 13.5 points per game last season, a number he will likely stay close to this season. An excellent outside shooter, Freeman can take games over but will not need to with ALR’s balanced attack. Josh Jacobs plays more like a guard, making the combination of Jacobs, Freeman and Zack Graber a formable backcourt.

The Trojans are small upfront, yet overcame the same problem last season. Despite having no regular players taller than 6-foot-9, ALR out-rebounded its opponents last season (37 to 35.1). Last season the team rebounded by committee, led by Richard Hardman (6.3) and Darius Eason (4.6). The team is solid on both ends of the floor; not spectacular, simply efficient.

Southern Illinois will pose the Trojans a winnable non-conference game against a upper echelon opponent, opposed to their road matches against Oklahoma State, Georgia Tech and Mississippi State. Earning a split against Arkansas State and Western Kentucky should suffice en route for a conference championship. A sweep against either would be bonus, being swept by either will be detrimental. More than likely, its season finale against Louisiana Lafayette in Little Rock will determine this season’s regular season champ.

2. Louisiana Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns

(20-9, 12-3) 1st in Sun Belt West Division

Projected Starting Lineup
Tiras Wade, G
Orien Greene, G
Dwayne Mitchell, F
Brian Hamilton, F
Chris Cameron, C

Key games – Non-conference: at North Carolina State (Dec. 15), against Southern Illinois (Jan. 5); Conference: against Western Kentucky (Jan. 27), against Middle Tennessee State (Jan. 29), at Arkansas State (Feb. 24), at Arkansas-Little Rock (Feb. 26).

A projection of repeating as West Division champions and a second-place overall finish of the Cajuns is a true testament to their dominance last season. Louisiana Lafayette lost three starters and a key reserve from the team that coasted to the regular season and conference championship and nearly upset North Carolina State in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Despite the losses, the Cajuns return plenty of talent to make another run at the conference crown.

Brian Hamilton was arguable the team’s best overall player last year, finishing third in scoring (11.4) and first in rebounding (6.9) on the team. He excelled on the offensive glass with nearly three offensive rebounds per game. Hamilton is an explosive 6-foot-6 forward that combines the skills of a big man and a guard. He rarely shoots from beyond the three-point line and is a tenacious defender who averaged two steals per game last year.

Dwayne Mitchell was the Sun Belt’s Sixth Man of the Year in ’03-’04 and could become the team’s scoring leader this season. The Cajuns also have a new, but experienced and talented backcourt, in senior Orien Greene and Tiras Wade. Greene was the backup last season and made key contributions. Wade is a transfer from East Tennessee State and could be the X factor for Louisiana Lafayette.

The bench is not as deep, or at least not as proven, as last year’s team. This appears to be the Cajuns chink in the armor as last season they beat teams with their depth. Early on they have a shot at revenge against the Wolfpack. Once the conference season starts though, it could smooth sailing up until the final week. The Cajuns can repeat if they build a big enough lead, because winning at either Arkansas State or Arkansas Little Rock will be a tough proposition.

3. Arkansas State Indians

(17-11, 7-7) 4th in East Division

Projected Starting Lineup
J.J. Montgomery, G
Dewarick Spencer, G
Andre King-Holland, G
Isaac Wells, F
Marcus Ardison, F

Key games – against Mississippi (Dec. 1), at Georgia Southern (Dec. 15); Conference: home-and-home with Western Kentucky and Arkansas-Little Rock, at Middle Tennessee State (Feb. 17), against Louisiana Lafayette (Feb. 24).

Disappointing is the word to describe last season for the Indians. No way should a team with two of the most explosive players in the league, J.J. Montgomery and Dewarick Spencer, finishing seventh overall and fourth in its division. This year, despite losing some of the their supporting cast of a year ago, Montgomery and Spencer will spark a turnaround at Arkansas State and carry the team to the cusp of a conference title.

Now do not let this lofty preseason position fool you; if Montgomery and Dewarick do not become leaders and learn to integrate their talents into a team concept, a fourth place in the East Division will occur again. We’re not counting on this being the case. Spencer, the league’s leading scorer last year with a 19.0 average, is the duo’s outside shooter threat. Spencer made 47.8 percent from the field and 45.7 percent from the three-point line last year. Montgomery (17.9 points per game) prefers dribble penetration and getting to the free-throw line. He averaged nearly eight free throws per game last season.

The rest of the squad though remains a bit of a question mark. A key to success for the Indians is the play of Isaac Wells and Marcus Ardison, two transfers into the program who will likely serve as the starting frontcourt. If these two hold their own against the rest of the league and the bench produced an ample amount of playing time, this could a bright season for ASU. Two of their last three games come against Middle Tennessee State and Louisiana Lafayette, games that could determine if ASU are contenders or pretenders.

4. Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders

(17-12, 8-6) T-2nd in East Division

Projected Starting Lineup:
Bryan Smithson, G
Mike Dean, G
Marcus Morrison, F
Michael Cuffee, F
Kyle Young, C

Key games – Non-conference: San Jan Shootout, (Dec. 20-22), at Villanova (Dec. 27); Conference: home-and-home against Arkansas-Little Rock, Arkansas State and Western Kentucky, at Louisiana Lafayette (Jan. 29).

Make no mistake about it; the Blue Raiders are the dark horse candidate to win the Sun Belt. With plenty of experience returning, a star in Mike Dean and a few fresh faces that make an immediate impact, Middle Tennessee State can hang with anyone in the conference. If you cards fall in the right places, they are capable of winning the whole thing.

Departing from last season’s team is Tommy Gunn, their leader and second leading scorer. The Raiders will need to replace both his scoring and on-court presence. They have the talent to do both. Scoring wise, Mike Dean will become the undisputable No. 1 option. The 6-foot-3 shooting guard led the team in scoring in ’03-’04 (16.2 points per game), but it truly was a one-two punch of Dean and Gunn. Dean is team-orientated though and will know how to handle his role of go-to player.

Bryan Smithson started 28 games last season at point guard as a freshman, gaining limitless experience and gelling into the role as floor general. He’s steady improvement and development as a team leader will mark how far the Raiders go this season. Michael Cuffee was MTSU’s top rebounder (5.9 per game) last season, and is joined by the solid Kyle Young at center and Marcus Morrison at small forward.

If the Blue Raiders receive contributions from a few bench players, they could be tough to beat. Their starting five is arguable the best in the conference. In fact, upon reading this preview it’s hard to wonder why MTSU is picked to finish fourth overall. A tough conference schedule, a road game against Louisiana Lafayette and home-and-homes against three of the remaining top four teams, is the major road block to that title. But the title is definitely within reach.

5. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

(15-13, 8-6) T-2nd in East Division

Projected Starting Lineup
Antonio Haynes, G
Anthony Winchester, G
Boris Siakam, F
Courtney Lee, F
Elgrace Wilborn, C

Key games – Non-conference: at Murray State (Dec. 4), at Virginia (Jan. 5), Bracket Buster Saturday (Feb. 19); Conference: home-and-home vs. Arkansas-Little Rock, Arkansas State and Middle Tennessee State, at Louisiana Lafayette (Jan. 27)

Darrin Horn probably spent some soul-searching during the offseason. Not only did his Western Kentucky team underachieve during his first season as head coach, but that was just the start. After the season, three players transferred for personal reasons. Coupled with the transfer last year of Patrick Sparks before Horn even coached one game at WKU and Horn must wonder what he got himself into. The bright side? The Hilltoppers are still good.

After deferring to the departed Nigel Dixon and Mike Wells in ’03-’04, guards Anthony Winchester and Antonio Haynes step into leadership roles this year. Winchester averaged 14.1 points, while Haynes averaged 11.9 points and 4.0 assists per game last season, numbers that will all go up. Both are excellent outside shooters and Haynes is deft at creating shots for teammates and still getting his own shot. This year he will likely have to worry more about involving his teammates since many are inexperienced.

The Hilltoppers have seven new members on the squad, including the rest of the starting lineup. Siakam, Lee and Wilborn will start the season in the starting lineup, but none of their positions are sewed up. The first month will be an audition for the frontcourt. The sooner a rotation is established, the better. WKU faces a tough conference schedule and even plays the Bracket Buster game in late February. With so many new faces, the Hilltoppers could easily slide up or down several positions in the conference standings.

6. New Orleans Privateers

(17-14, 9-6) 2nd in West Division

Projected Starting Lineup
Chad Barnes, G
Bo McCalebb, G
Todd Bostic, G
Shawn Mallory, F
Ben Elias, F

Key games – Non-conference: against Mississippi State (Dec. 13), against Southern Miss (Dec. 30), at Alabama (Jan. 1); Conference: home-and-homes against Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee State, against Arkansas State (Feb. 3)

Say hello to the Bo McCalebb show. After an incredible freshman season, the Privateers outstanding guard is ready to take on the Sun Belt; make that the world. He’s already been tapped as the league’s Preseason Player of the Year, by both Sun Belt head coaches and Hoopville.com. However, the departure of his entire supporting cast from last season will make repeating UNO’s unlikely success last season (reaching the conference title game after being picked last in the preseason) a difficult task.

Last year, McCalebb did not start until mid-way through the season but still led the team in scoring by season’s end (13.1 points per game). The 6-foot guard is not a great shooter, just a great scorer. More important, he is a natural leader. This will be important this season thanks to the departure of five seniors and Victor Brown, who left the team for unspecified reasons.

The Privateers ability to remain in the upper echelon of the Sun Belt depends on the development of McCalebb’s supporting cast. The will have to mature by the end of the January. Thanks to quirky scheduling, the Feb. 3 home game will be its second-last conference game of the season, with six of its last seven coming on the road. New Orleans must be a cohesive unit, not the McCalebb show only, by then if it holds any hope of finishing near the top of the Sun Belt.

7. Denver Pioneers

(14-13, 6-9) T-4th in West Division

Projected Starting Lineup
Rodney Billups, G
Erik Benzel, G
Andrew Carpenter, G
Antonio Porch, F
Yemi Nicholson, C

Key games – Non-conference: vs. Stanford (Dec. 13), at Colorado State (Dec. 30); Conference: vs. Arkansas State (Jan. 20), vs. Arkansas-Little Rock (Jan. 22), vs. Middle Tennessee State (Feb. 12).

Last season the Pioneers started hot and struggled down the stretch. This season will shape up similar to last year, with Denver finishing near the middle of the pack. Seemingly just like every team in the Sun Belt this year, the Pioneers return an experienced backcourt that will be the team’s leaders this season. For Denver, those guards are Rodney Billups and Erik Benzel.

Benzel was the team’s leading scorer last year with a 14.4 points per game average. Benzel lived behind the three-point line, where he attempted 75 percent of his field goal attempts. He shot 42.2 percent from deep and averaged more than three treys per game. He is balanced out by Billups, who averaged 10.4 points and 5.0 assists per game last year. Billups is a solid point guard and is no stranger to leading his team.

Again, seemingly like the rest of the league, how Denver’s inexperienced frontcourt will be a determinant on how the team performs. For the Pioneers, this responsibility falls on Antonio Porch and Yemi Nicholson. The two averaged 12.5 and 14.5 minutes per game last season, respectively. If they produce marginally on the offensive side and defend well, Denver could benefit from facing some of the league’s big boys at home and not on the road.

8. South Alabama Jaguars

(12-16, 6-9) T-4th in West Division

Projected Starting Lineup
Shane Spencer, G
Jeffrey Collins, G
Mario Jointer, G
Richard Law, F
Jacque Pate, C

Key games – Non-conference: against Southern Miss (Dec. 20), against UAB (Dec. 31); Conference: home-and-home against North Texas, New Orleans, Denver and New Mexico State.

South Alabama seemed to be in every game last season. They were the gnat that never goes away, always flying around your face. The Jaguars were able to win some of those games, but lost quite a few too. This season USA will feature a few new players, but for the most part expect to play a similar kind of basketball: defensive, hang-around-until-the-end ball with hopes of squeaking out wins in the final seconds.

Surprise, surprise – the Jaguars’ top two returning players are guards. Shane Spencer and Jeffrey Collins both received considerable playing time last season, both coming off the bench and in the starting lineup. Collins averaged 8.8 points per game, third on the team, while Spencer led the team in assists with 2.8 per game. Spencer and Collins will hold the responsibility on offense, not so much to score but to control the tempo, which must be slow for South Alabama to be effective.

That means the defensive pressure rests solely on the frontcourt. They must control the glass, vital for the Jaguars’ success. In ’03-’04, South Alabama was out-rebounded by nearly four boards per game, (35.9 to 32.1), a big reason for the Jags’ struggles. Richard Law and Jacque Pate, both new to the program, will shoulder this responsibility. USA goes against all of the middle-of-the-road teams twice this season. These games will determine where they finish.

9. North Texas Mean Green

(13-15, 8-7) 3rd in the West Division

Projected Starting Lineup
Leonard Hopkins, G
Isaac Hines, G
Calvin Watson, G
Michael Jones, F
Justin Barnett, C

Key games – Non-conference: against TCU (Dec. 4), Dr. Pepper Classic (Dec. 29-30); Conference: home-and-home against New Orleans, Denver, South Alabama, New Mexico State

The Mean Green lost four of its five starts from last season and will take the biggest fall of any team in the Sun Belt this season. The lone returning starter, Leonard Hopkins, takes over the reigns as team leader. Hopkins was the team’s leading scorer last season (14.0 points per game) and is a solid player on both ends. He is a good rebounding guard and passes and guards well.

The rest of the North Texas squad received plenty of playing team last year, even if it was from the bench. Watson, Jones and Barnett each played more than ten minutes per game last year, which bodes well for this season. Watson and Jones each averaged 3.5 boards per game, an area they must improve upon. NTU likes to get up and down the court, which will hinder them against the top teams in the conference but could benefit them against the lesser teams.

Similar to South Alabama, North Texas plays home-and-homes with four the other middle-of-the-road teams in the Sun Belt. If the Mean Green finds a rhythm early this season, expect a higher finish than predicted now.

10. New Mexico State Aggies

(13-14, 6-9) T-4th in West Division

Projected Starting Lineup
Mike Mitchell, G
Byron Davis, G
Robert Frazier, G
Jeff Jones, F
Josh Jenkins, F

Key games – BP Top of the World Classic (Nov. 19-21), against Tulsa (Jan. 10); Conference: home-and-home against North Texas, New Orleans, South Alabama, Denver

The Aggies are a work-in-progress this season, replacing several players from a team that struggled last year. The up side is that new blood could be just what New Mexico State needs. The ’03-’04 season was a disappointing one, as the Aggies finished well below expectations. With home-and-homes against the other four already mentioned squads, NMSU will have plenty of chances to improve its standings and fight for a spot in the conference tournament.

Bryon Davis and Robert Frazier are the top returning players for Aggies. Davis started sixteen games last season, averaging 26.9 minutes and 5.4 points per game. Frazier contributed 12.8 minutes per game. The rest of the starting lineup, Mike Mitchell, Jeff Jones and Josh Jenkins, are new but highly-touted by the coaching staff. Similar to North Texas, the early season will be a big determinant to how New Mexico State performs this season.

11. Florida International Golden Panthers

(5-22, 1-13) 5th in the East Division

Projected Starting Lineup
Antonio Jones, G
Junior Matias, G
Ivan Almonte, F
Ismael N’Diaye, F
Bryon Burnett, C

Key games – Non-conference: at South Florida (Dec. 20), FIU Holiday Classic (Dec. 27-28); Conference: against Denver (Jan. 15), against North Texas (Jan. 17), against New Mexico State (Jan. 24).

After an ugly season, the Golden Panthers are hoping to turn over a new leaf with new head coach Sergio Rouco, who came to Florida International from Texas-El Paso. The bright side for Rouco is most of last season’s team returns, giving him experienced players to work with. The bad news is that this team must prove it can win conference games and have the confidence to compete.

Unlike almost every team in the Sun Belt, FIU relies on its big man for big plays and leadership. Six-foot-8 center Bryon Burnett is the team’s top returning rebounder and one of its top returning scorers. He will need to lead by example for the Panthers. Despite Burnett’s efforts, not much is expected from Florida International in ’04-’05.

What to look for in the Sun Belt

This is a guard-orientated league, providing a plethora of three-pointers and fast-paced action. From the bright star of McCalebb, do-it all Dean, scoring machines Montgomery and Spencer and plenty of others, how these little guys perform will determine how their respective teams fare. But with all of those big names in the league, when it’s all said and done, look for the no-name Trojans of Arkansas-Little Rock to bring home the ’04-’05 title.

Sun Belt Season Recap

Sun Belt Conference 2003-04 Season Recap

by Zach Van Hart

If any coach had to guess which team would start off the season 0-5, none would have answered defending champion Western Kentucky. What the coaches did guess was that New Orleans would finish last in its division. By mid-December, the Hilltoppers had gone 0-5. And by March, the Privateers were second in their division and advanced to the conference finals. Basically, it was a goofy year in the Sun Belt.

The 2003-04 season must start with the Louisiana-Lafayette Cajuns. A team with tremendous depth, they represented the conference well with a tough showing during its non-conference schedule. Then they turned it up a notch during conference play, losing only once on its home floor and cruising to the regular season championship with a Sun Belt mark of 12-3.

There were plenty of other good stories to come out of the league. Arkansas Little-Rock won its first share of a conference title since the 1995-96 season, Monty Towe did a terrific job leading New Orleans to a surprise third-place finish and Middle Tennessee State’s backcourt duo wrecked havoc on guards throughout the league.

Of course on the down side, the Hilltoppes struggled all season and looked like a far cry from the team everyone has come to expect. Arkansas State did the least with the most talent, and Florida International lost its head coach and the majority of its games. In the end though, it was an exciting regular season.

Conference Tournament

The quarterfinals provided two thrillers and two blowouts. No. 7 Arkansas State was on the brink of upsetting No. 2 Arkansas Little-Rock, but Brandon Freeman’s three-pointer with three seconds remaining forced overtime, and the Trojans prevailed 83-78. New Orleans needed double overtime to knock off North Texas, 91-89. Also, No. 5 Middle Tennessee State shocked No. 4 Western Kentucky on its home floor, 76-62, while the top seed Cajuns cruised by 26 against South Alabama.

During the first semifinal game, Louisiana Lafayette watched its fourteen-point lead dwindle to one, before holding on to beat the Blue Raiders, 70-66. Freshman Bo McCalebb continued his late-season surge to lead the Privateers into the finals with an 80-65 win. But McCalebb could not get it done during the finals, scoring nine points and shooting 3-of-14 from the field. The Cajuns played well enough to win and clinched a berth in the big dance with a 67-58 win.

NCAA Tournament

Louisiana Lafayette – No. 14 seed in the Phoenix Region

Lost to No. 3 NC State, 61-52

The Cajuns battled the entire game, only trailing by double digits once, but in the end could not make enough shots to pull of the upset. They shot 25 percent during the first half, including only making 1-of-12 from deep during the first 20 minutes. Antoine Landry led the team with sixteen points.

Hardware (Hoopville’s Picks)

First Team All-Sun Belt:
Nigel Dixon, Western Kentucky
Dewarick Spencer, Arkansas State
Tommy Gunn, Middle Tennessee State
Shawnson Johnson, North Texas
J. J. Montgomery, Arkansas State

MVP – Dixon

Defensive Player of the Year – Johnson

Freshman of the Year – Bo McCalebb, New Orleans

Sixth Man of the Year – Dwayne Mitchell, Louisiana Lafayette

Coach of the Year – Monte Towe, New Orleans

Team by team

Louisiana Lafayette (20-9, 12-3)

The Cajuns started off the season with a tough non-conference schedule and almost scored victories at Xavier (78-74) and at Arizona (72-69). Once conference play started, Louisiana Lafayette took off, winning nine of its next ten. They won the regular season title by 2.5 games, then won the conference tournament and hung tough in its NCAA Tournament game before losing to No. 3 seed NC State, 61-52.

MVP – Brian Hamilton

Top scorer – Antoine Landry (13.3)
Top rebounder – Hamilton (6.9)
Top assists – Brad Boyd (3.7)

Starters leaving – Boyd (graduating), Landry (graduating), Laurie Bridges (graduating)

Head coach Jessie Evans left to take the head coaching job at San Francisco. Glynn Cyprien, who spent the last four seasons as assistant coach at Oklahoma State, was named the new head coach. On July 16th, Cyprien was dismissed for falsifying his resume. Former assistant Robert Lee has since been named the new head coach.
Next season – Sure, the Cajuns lose three integral parts of their championship team, but they eight players received more than eighteen minutes per game last season. Hamilton will star and the Louisiana Lafayette will be the early favorite to repeat.

Arkansas Little-Rock (17-12, 9-5)

At the end of January, the Trojans were 11-9 and coming off a heartbreaking-loss to intra-state rival Arkansas State. But February was much kinder, as Little-Rock went 5-2 and clinched the East Division title. Then during the quarterfinals of the conference tournament, they enacted revenge upon Arkansas State, as Brandon Freeman hit a three-pointer with three seconds left to force overtime, which the Trojans won. Their season ended during the semifinals to New Orleans.

MVP – Brandon Freeman

Top scorer – Freeman (13.5)
Top rebounder – Richard Hardman (6.3)
Top assists – Zack Grabar (4.1)

Starters leaving – Jamal Holden (graduating)

Next season – Look for the Trojans to give Louisiana Lafayette a better run for its money next season for the conference title. Four of its starters, along with super sixth man Darius Eason, return and Little-Rock will be a force to reckon with.

New Orleans (17-14, 9-6)

The Privateers were picked to finish last in the West Division by the Sun Belt head coaches during the preseason. Of course, none of the coaches had an idea what kind of freshman Bo McCalebb would be. He only got better as the season rolled along, eventually earning New Orleans a No. 3 seed in the conference tournament. They marched into the finals before falling to Louisiana Lafayette.

MVP – Bo McCalebb

Top scorer – McCalebb (13.1)
Top rebounder – Victor Brown (6.1)
Top assists – Johnell Smith (3.0)

Starters leaving – Smith (graduating), Kentrell Martin (graduating), Kyle Buggs (graduating)

Next season – With McCalebb and Brown returning, the Privateers have an exciting inside-out duo. Head coach Monte Towe is a talented coach and even though he has less talent than many in the Sun Belt, his team will be near the top again next year.

Middle Tennessee State (17-12, 8-6)

The Blue Raiders rode their two stars – Tommy Gunn and Mike Dean – all season. The two guards led the Blue Raiders to the No. 5 seed in the conference tournament. When Dean went down with a season-ending injury though, it appeared MTSU was done for its quarterfinal match against Western Kentucky on their home floor. But the Raiders played their most inspired game of the season, winning 76-62. They would fall in the semifinals to Louisiana Lafayette, 70-66.

MVP – Tommy Gunn

Top scorer – Mike Dean (16.2)
Top rebounder – Michael Cuffee (5.8)
Top assists – Bryan Smithson (3.9)

Starters leaving – Gunn (graduating)

Next season – Losing Gunn will be difficult, but the Blue Raiders have the horses to make up for the loss. They won four of their last five regular season games and finally gelled at the end. Look for them also to compete for the league title next year.

Western Kentucky (15-13, 8-6)

It was a disappointing season in Bowling Green, right from the get go. Thanks to a brutal non-conference schedule, the Hilltoppers started the season 0-5 and didn’t climb above .500 until the second week of February. Behind Nigel Dixon, WKU won seven of its final nine games to enter the conference tourney hot and as the dark horse, since they were the host school. But Middle Tennessee State stunned them in the quarterfinals to end their year.

MVP – Nigel Dixon

Top scorer – Dixon (15.9)
Top rebounder – Dixon (10.3)
Top assists – Antonio Haynes (4.2)

Starters leaving – Dixon (graduating), Mike Wells (graduating)

News – Three players, Nick Hill, Ryan Lambert and Kevin Massiah, all left the WKU program following the end of the season for personal reasons.

Next season – Even with the loss of Dixon and Wells, the team’s top two scores of a last year, the Hilltoppers return a lot of talent. Anthony Winchester and Haynes will assume role of team leaders.

North Texas (13-15, 8-7)

The Mean Green was one of only three teams to defeat conference champions Louisiana Lafayette. The defeated Arkansas Little-Rock and New Orleans on the road. But they also were swept by New Mexico State and lost to South Alabama. The inconsistent season landed them in the middle of the conference standings. During the quarterfinals of the Sun Belt tournament, they lost a classic, double-overtime thriller to New Orleans, 91-89.

MVP – Shawnson Johnson

Top scorer – Leonard Hopkins (14.0)
Top rebounder – Johnson (8.4)
Top assists – Jerome Rogers (2.5)

Starters leaving – Johnson (graduating), Rogers (graduating), Michael DeGrate (graduating), Will Smith (graduating)

Next season – This is Hopkins’ team now. A junior last year, Hopkins will be the team’s go-to player and team leader. Expect the Mean Green to take a mean drop in the conference standings next year.

Arkansas State (17-11, 7-7)

When you have the top two scores and the second-best rebound in the conference, common sense would say you’re one of the best teams in the conference. That was not the case with Arkansas State. The Indians lost five straight games in January and never clicked as a team. Dewarick Spencer and J.J. Montgomery finished 1-2 in the league in scoring.

MVP – Dewarick Spencer

Top scorer – Spencer (19.0)
Top rebounder – Kim Adams (9.8)
Top assists – Spencer (2.6)

Starters leaving – Adams (graduating), Antonio Rambo (graduating)

Next season – Talent is not the question here, the Indians are loaded with it. The question is, can they play as a team? Spencer and J.J. Montgomery (17.9 points per game) are great scorers, but they need to share better in order for ASU to improve next year.

Denver (14-13, 6-9)

As late as January, the Pioneers were listed in ESPN’s Mid-Major Top 10. The season went downhill shortly after that, as Denver closed out the year losing six of its last seven games. Needing a win to clinch a spot in the conference tournament in their final regular season game, the Pioneers lost 74-73 in double overtime to New Orleans.

MVP – Rodney Billups

Top scorer – Erik Benzel (14.4)
Top rebounder – Brett Starkey (7.1)
Top assists – Billups (4.9)

Starters leaving – Starkey (graduating), Zeljko Zupic (graduating), Carvell McAlister (graduating)

Next season – The Pioneers started hot last year but faded during conference play. They lose three key contributors, but have a strong bench coming back. How the team starts during conference play will determine the course of its season.

New Mexico State (13-14, 6-9)

The Aggies started the year off great, going 4-0 and whipping intra-state rival New Mexico by nineteen. But transfer Duane John had less of an impact that was expected and NMSU struggled during conference play. They hosted Arkansas Little-Rock and Arkansas State during the final week of the regular season needing one win to reach the conference tourney. The win never came.

MVP – James Moore

Top scorer – Moore (15.4)
Top rebounder – Moore (6.6)
Top assists – Kelsey Crooks (2.8)

Starters leaving – Moore (graduating), Crooks (graduating), James Felder (graduating)

Next season – The Aggies never found a working combination last year and it showed. Transfer Duane John showed glimpses of stardom last year, next year he will need to step up if NMSU make some noise in the conference.

South Alabama (12-16, 6-9)

One team beat Louisiana Lafayette on its home court last season: South Alabama. The Jaguars’ slow, deliberate style allowed them to compete in almost every game last year and even pull the occasional upset. South Alabama even overcame a seven-game losing streak to win its last three and sneak into the Sun Belt tournament as the No. 8 seed. The Cajuns awaited them and got their revenge, winning by 26 to end the Jags season.

MVP – Chris Young

Top scorer – Young (12.8)
Top rebounder – Henry Williams (5.8)
Top assists – Shane Spencer (2.8)

Starters leaving – Young (graduating), Williams (graduating), Malerick Bedden (graduating)

Next season – The Jaguars were very similar to the Aggies as they used many starting lineup combinations. Their slow, deliberate style kept them competitive in nearly every game last year and expect similar results next year.

Florida International (5-22, 1-13)

Talk about a year to forget for the Golden Panthers. If not for its 63-58 win against New Orleans, Feb. 21, and Florida International would have been shutout in conference play. From Nov. 9 to Feb. 12, the Panthers won one game, losing fifteen of sixteen in the process. That says it all.

MVP – Carlos Morban

Top scorer – Morban (12.0)
Top rebounder – Byron Burnett (4.9)
Top assists – Morban (2.6)

Starters leaving – none

News – Donnie Marsh was fired as head coach and former Texas-El Paso head coach Sergio Rouco was named the new coach.

Next season – Well it can only get better for the Golden Panthers. Nearly the entire team returns and Rouco proved he was a solid coach at El-Paso, but expectations are low for next season.

Look ahead to 2004-05

After several years of dominance, the Hilltoppers came back to earth with the rest of the Sun Belt. So will they catapult back to the top next year? Don’t count on it. A lot of last year’s talent is coming back, making the league more competitive than ever. The early leaders at the title are the top two teams from a year ago: Louisiana Lafayette and Arkansas Little-Rock. The dark horses: Middle Tennessee State and Arkansas State. In the end, expect the Trojans of Little-Rock to take home the title.

Day 1

Sun Belt Quarterfinals Recap
		Recap by Zach Van Hart No. 1 Louisiana Lafayette 84, No. 8 South Alabama 58 The Ragin’ Cajuns looked every bit of the top seed in the quarterfinals of the Sun Belt Tournament, whipping the Jaguars 84-58. While they are known for their offensive production, Louisiana Lafayette’s defense was the catalyst for the win. They forced eleven first half tournaments and held South Alabama to 36 percent shooting. After the Jags pulled within one point, 17-16, halfway through the first half, the Cajuns turned up the heat on both sides of the ball. They finished the rest of the half on a 28-10 run and were never tested during the second half. Dwayne Mitchell, the Sun Belt Sixth Man of the Year, led the Cajuns with seventeen points and was one of six players in double figures. Mitchell was also tied for the team lead in assists, with five. Louisiana shot 59.3 percent from the field and dished out nineteen assists while only turning the ball over ten times. With thoughts lingering from several early exits now gone, it appears the Cajuns are primed for a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Louisiana Lafayette will now await the winner of Sunday’s Middle Tennessee State versus Western Kentucky match. No. 2 Arkansas-Little Rock 83, No. 7 Arkansas State 78 With the season on the line and his Trojans about to go down against their rivals, Arkansas-Little Rock’s Brandon Freeman took matters into his own hands. The junior hit a game-tying three-pointer with three seconds remaining in regulation. The triple forced overtime and in the extra session, the Trojans held on for the 83-78 overtime win. Freeman scored a career-high 31 points to lead Little Rock. It appeared the Indians had the game sewed up late, but missed free throws set up Freeman’s heroics. After failing to lead during the entire second half, the Trojans grabbed took the lead with early during the extra session and took the lead for good on a Darius Eason jumper with 2:19 to go. Freeman was one of four Trojan players to score in double figures. Dewarick Spencer and J.J. Montgomery, Arkansas State’s two First Team All-Sun Belt players, scored 38 combined points but struggled with their shots. They combined nine for 26 from the field and were aided by Montgomery’s 14-of-17 performance from the free-throw line. The Trojans out-rebounded the Indians by seven and went seven of seventeen from the beyond the arc. Little Rock will now await the winner of Sunday’s New Orleans versus North Texas game.

Day 2

Sun Belt Quarterfinals Recap
		Recap by Zach Van Hart No. 5 Middle Tennessee State 76, No. 4 Western Kentucky 62 OK, anyone who thought the Blue Raiders would walk into E.A. Diddle Arena, home court for the Hilltoppers, with their leading scorer out with a broken hand suffered three days prior in practice and walk out with a dominating win, please raise their hand. For all those doubters, there is no arguing with the final score, as Middle Tennessee State shocked Western Kentucky with a 76-62 win. In the absence of Mike Dean, who averaged 16.2 points per game, four players stepped up to score in double digits. The leading man Sunday night was Michael Cuffee, who scored a season-high 22 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field and 7-of-8 shooting from the line, in addition to grabbing a team-high nine rebounds. The Hilltoppers led for nearly all of the first fifteen minutes of the game. But MTSU went up with 4:53 remaining in the half and never trailed again. The Raiders eventually took a ten-point lead going into halftime. Western Kentucky tried to come back but was done in by its poor three-point shooting (six of 26). The loss had to come as a double shock for the Toppers, as they not only lost at home, but also lost in the tournament for the first time since the 1999-2000 season, breaking a nine-game winning streak in the tourney. For the Raiders, their road does not get any easier: next up is No. 1 seed Louisiana Lafayette. No. 3 New Orleans 91, No. 6 North Texas 89 Another instant classic in the Sun Belt quarterfinals, as the Privateers defeated the Mean Green in double overtime, 91-89. True to form, New Orleans was able to advance the game to overtime, their fourth extra session game out of its last five, and took over. They had trailed by twelve halfway through the second half before North Texas came back. Both award winners on each team came up with a huge game. Lester “Bo” McCalebb, the Freshman of the Year, scored a career-high 31 points, eight during the final two minutes of the second overtime, and the game-winning layup with twelve seconds remaining. On the other side, Defensive Player of the Year Shawnson Johnson did everything he could to keep the Mean Green in the game. Johnson finished with a tournament record 21 rebounds and eight blocks, which tied a tournament record. Junior Leonard Hopkins scored a season-high 27 points, going five of ten from beyond the arc, but it was not enough. Senior Kyle Buggs also scored a season-high (26) for the Privateers, who advanced to the semifinals where they will face No. 2 seed Arkansas-Little Rock Monday night.

Sun Belt Semifinal Preview

Sun Belt Conference Semifinals Preview
		Preview by Zach Van Hart No. 1 Louisiana Lafayette verses No. 5 Middle Tennessee State The Blue Raiders will have to hurry up and catch their breath after Sunday’s upset over Western Kentucky as they prepare for top seed Louisiana Lafayette. The Ragin’ Cajuns have the benefit of an extra day’s rest after easily disposing of No. 8 seed South Alabama Saturday, 84-58. These teams only met once during the regular season, as Middle Tennessee State got the best of Louisiana Lafayette, 74-64, in Murfreesboro, Tenn. However, the circumstances are much different this time and all of the differences are in favor of the Cajuns. One, they are on a neutral floor. Two, Mike Dean as mentioned earlier is out with a broken hand. Three, the Cajuns have the look of a team determined on one goal – advancing to the NCAA Tournament. In light of Dean’s absence, Michael Cuffee, Bryan Smithson and Marcus Robinson all stepped up in Sunday’s win against Western Kentucky. Cuffee scored a season-high 22 points, Smithson’s sixteen points was his highest total in two months and Robinson’s thirteen points was his second highest total of the season. The Raiders will need similar performances Monday, but even more so they will need a monster game from Tommy Gunn. The team’s second leading scorer on the season, he averaged 16.0 points per game, but had six games with 20-plus points. The Cajuns played an all-out team effort Saturday, with six players scoring in double figures and no player breaking the seventeen-point barrier. Their defense forced the Jags to shoot less than 40 percent. Monday expect Lafayette to keep it going and advance to the tournament finals. No. 2 Arkansas-Little Rock versus No. 3 New Orleans This could very easily be an Arkansas State vs. North Texas matchup, as both teams advanced with overtime wins. Instead, two of the top three teams in the Sun Belt will duke it out with a trip to the conference finals on the line. The Trojans will have an extra day of rest after playing Saturday night, while the Privateers will have to recover from a double overtime affair Sunday. It became evident during its win against North Texas that freshman Bo McCalebb has become the go-to guy for New Orleans. His 31-point performance was one of the best tournament performances ever by a freshman, but the Privateers may need a similar game to defeat Arkansas-Little Rock. Their first meeting of the year was a high-scoring affair as the Privateers won in New Orleans, 100-95. Expect another up-and-down game, although the score will probably not reach past the 80s. Saturday’s win was in atypical fashion, as Brandon Freeman took on a heavy scoring load, matching McCalebb’s number of 31 points. Usually the Trojans are very balanced on offense; look for this balance to return. This balance will also be the key for Arkansas-Little Rock. While it should be able to get points from many different people, New Orleans will likely try to rally around McCalebb. But the Trojans are excellent at stopping a high scorer, just ask Arkansas State’s Dewarick Spencer. Look for the favorite Trojans to advance to the finals.

Sun Belt Semifinals Recap

Sun Belt Semifinals Recap
		Recap by Zach Van Hart No. 1 Louisiana Lafayette 70, No. 5 Middle Tennessee State 66 It’s becoming a trend that teams are winning after grabbing a big lead, letting their opponents come almost all the way back, but never relinquishing the lead and holding on for the win. This happened again Monday night, as the Ragin’ Cajuns saw their at one time fourteen-point lead whittle down to one, before securing a 70-66 win against the Blue Raiders. The victory propelled the Cajuns to Tuesday’s tourney finals against New Orleans. Balanced scoring from the starters and the bench again proved to be crucial for Louisiana Lafayette. Its bench out-scored Middle Tennessee State’s 27-11, while four players scored in double figures. Junior forward Brian Hamilton led the team with seventeen points on 8-of-9 shooting. Lafayette took its biggest lead of the game late in the first half with the score at 35-21. It would lead by eleven at the half, but MTSU repeatedly made big shots to keep the score close. In the end, it was ball management that doomed the Raiders and sent the Cajuns to victory. Middle Tennessee State turned the ball over nineteen times while only dishing seven assists. Lafayette had seventeen assists and only eleven turnovers. Tommy Gunn, needed more than ever with the hand injury to Mike Dean, came through with a game-high 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting, which included going 3-of-4 from behind the arc. Michael Cuffee turned in another solid performance of fifteen points, but it was not enough. The closest the Raiders would get is 58-57 at 5:44 mark, but never took the lead and the Ragin’ Cajuns hit their free throws down the stretch to ice the game. No. 3 New Orleans 80, No. 2 Arkansas-Little Rock 65 Bo knows basketball and New Orleans knows about proving its doubters wrong. It’s safe to say when the collective head coaches from the Sun Belt predicted the Privateers to finish last in the West Division at the beginning of the season, they knew little about freshman Lester “Bo” McCalebb. Everyone is getting to know McCalebb real well now. He led the Privateers with nineteen points Monday, one of five players in double digits for UNO, as they advanced to the tournament finals with a convincing 80-65 win against Arkansas-Little Rock. The win sets up an all-Louisiana final Tuesday, as the Privateers will face No. 1 seed Louisiana Lafayette at 8 p.m. on ESPN2. After going back and forth during the first 20 minutes, New Orleans held the slimmest of leads, 38-37. But behind McCalebb, they proved to be too much for the Trojans to handle. Little Rock did not help its case either, shooting 19-of-31 from the free-throw line and 1-of-10 from behind the arc during the second half. The key stat for New Orleans: six turnovers. This enabled the Privateers to take ten more shots than their opponents did, which proved to be the difference since both squads shot 42 percent from the field. Darius Eason, Brandon Freeman and Jamal Holden each scored fifteen points, but in the end it was too much McCalebb and New Orleans.

Sun Belt Finals Preview

Sun Belt Conference Finals Preview
		Preview by Zach Van Hart No. 1 Louisiana Lafayette versus No. 3 New Orleans Not since Ervin Johnson, (not Magic, the other one) has New Orleans been so excited about their Privateers. But before UNO goes dancing for the first time in eight seasons, they have a little road block in its way: a Louisiana Lafayette team that is playing at a level above everyone else in the Sun Belt. Something is going to have to give Tuesday as the two teams square off with a birth to the NCAA Tournament on the line. The two teams split their games this year, with the home team winning in convincing fashion both time. This will be the third trip to the finals in the past five seasons for the Ragin’ Cajuns; they lost in 2002 but won in 2000, their last trip to the dance. The 1996 win in the tournament finals was also the last time the Privateers have advanced to the final game. For Louisiana Lafayette on defense, it’s simple: contain Bo McCalebb. The freshman guard is averaging 25 points during the tournament and has an aura of invincibility. For New Orleans on defense, it’s simple: stop everyone. The Cajuns have produced nine double-digit performances during the first two games and always has five guys on the court very capable of scoring. Both teams have been successful on offense by keeping better care of the ball than their opposition, so whichever team limits its turnovers will have a big advantage. McCalebb can get into foul trouble on occasion; look for Lafayette to try and exploit him on defense. Last, New Orleans can sometimes depend too much on the three ball. If the Privateers played an outstanding game, they will be dancing on Bourbon Street. Baring a McCalebb show though, the Ragin’ Cajuns just look too good right now to lose right now and should take the 2004 Sun Belt Tournament.

Sun Belt Finals Recap

Sun Belt Finals Recap
		Recap by Zach Van Hart No. 1 Louisiana Lafayette 67, No. 3 New Orleans 58 Plenty of moments told the story of the Ragin’ Cajuns win Tuesday night. When Brandon Boyd hit a transition three-pointer at the seven-minute mark, giving Louisiana Lafayette its biggest lead of the game at the time, eleven. When the Privateers had a chance to cut the lead to eleven with 3:30 remaining, attempted four shots from point blank range and missed them all. When Bo McCalebb scored a meaningless layup during the final minute, only his ninth point of the game. But the moment that told the story best was once the final buzzer sounded and the Ragin’ Cajuns huddled at halfcourt, having achieved the dream of every small school in Division I every season – advance to the NCAA Tournament. After trailing for most of the first half, up to eight points, the Cajuns grabbed a three-point lead by halftime and gradually built its lead up during the second half. Senior Boyd led Lafayette with fifteen points, going 5-of-12 from the field, including the back-breaker three-point basket during the second half. He hit four three-pointers on the game. Antoine Landry scored sixteen points, one of four Cajuns to hit double figures. Laurie Bridges also contributed eight points and twelve rebounds. Johnell Smith led the Privateers with eleven points, while Kyle Buggs was the only other player to score double figures, with ten. New Orleans, and their star McCalebb, struggled mightily from the field during the second half, as they watched their first half lead trickle away like a slow death. UNO shot 33 percent from the field for the game, including 3-of-21 from beyond the arc, while McCalebb shot 3-of-14. After a great run by the Privateers, the Cajuns proved to be too much down the stretch and come next week will get its shot to become the 2004 Cinderella.

Sun Belt Notebook

Sun Belt Conference Notebook

by Zach Van Hart

Coming on strong

They started out the conference season hot. Now they have finished it hot too. South Alabama, which lost eight straight Sun Belt games during the middle of the season, won its last three conference games to sneak into the conference tournament as the eighth and final seed. While they are only 12-15 on the regular season and 6-9 in the Sun Belt, they have one thing going for them heading into their quarterfinal match with No. 1 Louisiana Lafayette – they are only one of three conference teams to beat the Cajuns this season.

Playing three games last week, the Jaguars went on the road to defeat lowly Florida International, 62-46, before coming home to beat Denver, 73-54, and North Texas, 80-63. Still, South Alabama needed help. The only way they were getting into the tournament was if Denver and New Mexico State lost their final regular season game. They did, one in dramatic fashion. Arkansas State defeated the Aggies, 82-73, while New Orleans knocked off Denver in double overtime, 74-73.

The key to last week was the return of the Jaguars bread and butter – their defense. During the three wins they surrendered just 54.3 points per game. They had allowed 79.3 points during the previous three games, all losses. Senior guard Chris Young has also finally broken out of his scoring slump, averaging 18.7 points during the win streak. Look out Sun Belt, the Jags are back.

“Operation Full House”

Thursday, A. Murphy Center held a record crowd of 11,807 for the Middle Tennessee State versus Western Kentucky game. “Operation Full House” was the coined phrase by longtime MTSU professor Aaron Todd, whose dream was for capacity crowds every night. The attendance was the second highest ever between to Sun Belt teams. The Blue Raiders did not send the fans home disappointed either, whipping the Hilltoppers, 73-59. WKU will get its revenge, as the two teams will face off in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament.

Privy to overtime

By now, New Orleans is probably hoping its games go to overtime. OK, that might be pushing it, but after playing six overtime games during the regular season and winning four of them, the Privateers are completely comfortable playing an extra five minutes, or more.

Saturday was one of those and more games, as New Orleans went to double overtime to defeat Denver, 74-73. This one was especially sweet for a few reasons: they trailed by nineteen during the first half, they trailed by six late during the first overtime, they clinched the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament and they guaranteed their fourth straight winning season.

With wins against Louisiana Lafayette, Arkansas-Little Rock and Western Kentucky, the other top four seeds, New Orleans has proven it can beat anyone in the conference. They will have as good a chance as any to take the title and go dancing in the NCAA Tournament.

And that’s a wrap

Denver, New Mexico State and Florida International all brought the curtain down on their 2003-04 season during the past few days, all in losing fashion. The Pioneers and Aggies both finished with 6-9 conference marks, while the Golden Panthers struggled to a 1-13 Sun Belt record. Both New Mexico State and Denver could have clinched a spot in the conference tournament with a win over the weekend but failed to do so. The Pioneers lost a heartbreaker in double overtime to New Orleans, while the Aggies lost at home to Arkansas State.

The rest of the Sun Belt

Arkansas-Little Rock (16-11, 9-5)

The Trojans won the Sun Belt East title, their first crown since the 1995-96 season and their first outright title since the 1986-87 season. Despite losing the season finale to Louisiana Lafayette, Arkansas-Little Rock clinched the title by winning their previous four games.

The biggest win came Thursday against New Mexico State, as both teams battled to the final seconds. The Trojans squeaked out a close, 58-55 win. Zack Graber was the hero, hitting a crucial three-pointer during the final minutes to secure the lead. The Trojans enter the Sun Belt Tournament as the No. 2 seed.

Arkansas State (17-10) 7-7

With conference play all wrapped up, the Indians closed out the regular season Monday with a 83-70 win against Texas Pan American, one of four independents in Division I basketball. Dewarick Spencer sailed to the conference scoring title by scoring 30 points, shooting eight of fourteen from the field and seven of ten from beyond the arc.

Prior to Monday’s game, ASU stopped 40 years of futility against New Mexico State and in the process eliminated them from the conference tournament. The last time the Indians had defeated the Aggies, John Kennedy was in the White House. They had to go to overtime to do it, but behind Spencer’s 32 points, ASU defeated New Mexico State 82-73, their first win against them since the 1962-63 season. Going into the conference tournament, they will have the No. 7 seed and face rivals Arkansas-Little Rock

Louisiana Lafayette (17-8, 12-3)

The Ragin’ Cajuns had their bracket busted, but they are still the favorites heading into the Sun Belt Tournament. After losing to Rice, 81-76, on Bracket Buster Saturday and at North Texas by three points the next game; Louisiana Lafayette won its final two games of the regular season, clinching the No. 1 seed and the West division title.

Against Arkansas State Thursday, five players scored in double figures as the Cajuns cruised to a 82-62 win. Their bench out-scored the Indians 37-18, keying the win. Saturday was more difficult, as the top two seeds battled it out with Louisiana Lafayette defeating Arkansas-Little Rock, 70-66. Playing his last home game of his career, senior guard Antoine Landry scored 24 points to lead the Ragin’ Cajuns.

North Texas (13-14, 8-7)

The Mean Green may have lost its last game of the regular season, 80-63 to South Alabama, but their previous two wins more than made up for it. Feb. 21 North Texas beat the best the Sun Belt has to offer, the Ragin’ Cajuns, by the score of 71-68. Then for an encore, they went into New Orleans and left with a 84-81 win against the Privateers. Heading into the conference tournament, the Mean Green has the No. 6 seed.

Awards time

Without further to do, here are the award winners for the 2003-04 season in the Sun Belt conference. Five awards will be handed out: MVP, Coach of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year. In addition there is the First Team All-Sun Belt. Enjoy.

Most Valuable Player

Nigel Dixon, Western Kentucky

This 6-foot-11 senior from Orlando, Fla., was the backbone of a Hilltopper squad that came on strong after a dismal 0-6 start. He led the team in scoring (16.0) and rebounding (10.3), placing him fifth and first in the conference, respectively. How valuable was he? During the last eleven games of the season WKU went 8-3. During their eight wins, Dixon averaged 20.3 points per game. During their three losses, he averaged 9.0. When Dixon plays well the Hilltoppers win, case closed.

Coach of the Year

Monte Towe, New Orleans

The Privateers were picked to finish last in the East division by the coaches and ninth overall, good enough to miss the conference tournament. Towe took a young group and played a tough non-conference schedule (Texas, Mississippi State, Hawaii, Auburn) to prepare for the Sun Belt. The Privateers won their first two conference games, both on the road, and finished with the No. 3 seed and a 9-6 conference mark.

Defensive Player of the Year

Shawnson Johnson, North Texas

The 6-foot-9 senior big man was a force in the paint and on the glass. He lead the team in rebounding (7.9) and blocks (2.8), ranking him third and first in the conference, respectively. Very consistent, he had at least block in all but one game this year. He reached double figures in rebounding six times, including his season-high of thirteen on two occasions.

Freshman of the Year

Lester “Bo” McCalebb, New Orleans

McCalebb made a big splash to start his career, scoring seventeen points on opening night and averaging fourteen during his first four. He really started to turn it up during conference play, where he averaged 14.7 points per game and scored in double figures in every game except two. By seasons end, he became the Privateers go-to guy.

Sixth Man of the Year

Dwayne Mitchell, Louisiana Lafayette

On any other team in this league, Mitchell would be a starter. The 6-foot-4 sophomore guard averaged 9.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game, always doing whatever the team needed. He scored 20-plus points twice and shot 55.4 percent from the field for the season.

First Team All-Sun Belt:

Dixon, Western Kentucky
Dewarick Spencer, Arkansas State
Tommy Gunn, Middle Tennessee State
Johnson, North Texas
J. J. Montgomery, Arkansas State

Quick preview of the tournament

Interesting match-ups grace Saturday and Sunday’s quarterfinals. The No. 1-No. 8 game is Louisiana Lafayette versus South Alabama, who split their games this season with the road team winning both games. The Jaguars have been hot lately as mentioned before and the Cajuns are prone to upsets in the conference tournament, going down to Denver in the quarters last year.

At the No. 2-No. 7 is the always heated rivalry of Arkansas-Little Rock and Arkansas State. The squads also split their games, with the home team winning both. If Dewarick Spencer and J.J. Montgomery are both on, the Indians could also pull an upset here.

Another great battle will be the No. 4-No. 5 game, which pits Middle Tennessee State against Western Kentucky. The two just played Thursday, with the Blue Raiders coming away with a 73-59 win. But this game will take place at WKU, a nice present for the No. 5 seed Hilltoppers.

Rounding out the quarters will be No. 3 New Orleans taking on No. 6 North Texas. Thursday, the Mean Green marched into New Orleans and stole a win. The Privateers would like nothing more than to enact some revenge.

Sun Belt Notebook

Sun Belt Conference Notebook

by Zach Van Hart

Bench performers

Starting is overrated, according to several bench performers throughout the Sun Belt Conference. During the past seven days alone, four players came up huge for their respective teams.

Starting with the conference’s frontrunner Louisiana Lafayette, the Cajuns discovered another reliable scoring threat in sophomore guard Dwayne Mitchell. Against North Texas Thursday, Mitchell exploded for a game-high 24 points, going 10-of-12 from the field. Averaging just 10.2 points per game, Mitchell’s previous season high was fifteen, against Valpo in December.

For Arkansas Little Rock, senior guard and regular starter Jamal Holden came off the bench and played like he has all season, going for sixteen on 7-of-8 shooting from the field. Holden is averaging 11.3 points per game and is not affected by coming off the bench.

Wednesday’s game between New Orleans and Arkansas State saw great performances by bench players on both teams. For the Privateers, sophomore Billy McDade came out of nowhere to score 27 points in a losing effort. Having scored only 78 points during fifteen games this season (5.5 per game), McDade went 6-of-8 from the behind the three-point line and was the lone bright spot for New Orleans.

On the winning side of the game, the Indians’ Tevoris Thompson had his best shooting day in two months, scoring 20 points. Averaging 12.5 points per game, Thompson is a capable but streaky scorer. Prior to Wednesday’s win, Thompson had scored only twelve points during the past three games combined.

Cajuns above the rest

Right now, ten teams are playing for second in the Sun Belt, as the Louisiana Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns are clearly above the rest of the league. They are 12-5 overall and 7-1 in conference play, two games ahead of everyone else. Their lone bump in the road came against South Alabama, 76-73, a month ago.

While the Cajuns have five losses, almost every one was either close and/or against a quality opponent. Outside of its conference loss, they fell at Georgia Tech, at Dayton, at Xavier by four and at No. 10 Arizona by only three.

The beauty to the Cajuns is they can beat you with either good offense or defense. They are great scoring team, but if putting the clamps down on their opposition is the key to winning, they can win the defense struggle too. Their dominance will be tested soon enough, after facing Denver at home Saturday; the Cajuns will play its next five games on the road.

Player of the week

James Moore, New Mexico State

With second-leading scorer Duane John out of the lineup, Moore stepped up his game last week. He averaged 20 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 2.0 assists, shot 14-of-20 from the field and 12-of-13 from the free-throw line, as the Aggies split their games against Middle Tennessee State and Denver.

The rest of the Sun Belt

Arkansas Little Rock (12-9, 5-3)

The Trojans last a heartbreaker at Arkansas State last week, 57-56, before recovering Thursday to defeat South Alabama easily, 86-53. Against the Indians last week, the rivals went back and forth until the final 0.3 seconds. With Arkansas State clinging to a one-point lead, freshman Zack Wright was fouled shooting a layup with 0.3 ticks left. Wright though missed the first free throw, but then made the second. There was not enough time though for the Trojans to foul or steal the ball, as the Indians escaped with the win. Thursday, five players scored in double digits, led by Holden’s sixteen points mentioned earlier. Even with eighteen turnovers and only five offensive rebounds, the Trojans destroyed the Jaguars by shooting a ridiculous 31-of-44 from the field. Up next – at New Orleans, Feb. 7.

Arkansas State (13-7, 4-5)

The Indians are starting to recover from a five-game losing streak during the latter half of January, winning two-straight. The win that ended the streak was the above thriller against rival Arkansas Little Rock. J.J. Montgomery, who still leads the Sun Belt in scoring at 19.2 points per game, went for 28 against the Trojans. His final point, a free throw with six seconds remaining, proved to be the game-winner. Against New Orleans Thursday, ASU trailed by one point at the half, 43-42, before putting on an offensive clinic during the second 20 minutes and cruised to a 94-74 win. Five players scored in double digits, led by yet another bench player mentioned above, Tevoris Thompson, who finished with 20 points. Up next – at South Alabama, Feb. 7.

Denver (13-7, 5-3)

The Pioneers are moving right along, having won three straight and tied for the second-best conference mark in the Sun Belt. Last weekend, Denver held off a tough New Orleans squad, coming back in the second half for a 76-73 win at home. Junior Rodney Billups exploded for 23 points and hit a season-high five three-pointers for the Pioneers, including the game-winner from deep with eight seconds remaining. The late trey completed a twelve-point second half comeback by Denver. Thursday, they went on the road and won easily against New Mexico State, 68-54. The Aggies only managed fourteen first half points, as the Pioneers led by 20 at the half. New Mexico State made it closer during the second half but it was too little, too late. Up next – at Louisiana Lafayette, Feb. 7.

Florida International (3-16, 0-7)

The losing streak is at nine and the games are not getting any closers for the Panthers. Last weekend, Florida International lost at home to Western Kentucky, 55-42, the second-straight game it scored seven touchdowns and fourth game out of the last five it failed to score 50 points or more. The Panthers had more turnovers (fifteen) than field goals (fourteen) and assists and offensive rebounds combined (thirteen). The bright side is they only have one game this week. The brighter side is the game is at home against Middle Tennessee State, a team that’s lost three straight. If a conference win is coming, this could be it.

Middle Tennessee State (11-9, 3-4)

While the Blue Raiders have lost three games in a row, the past two are not that bad. Last weekend, Middle Tennessee State hosted Louisiana Lafayette, already known as the cream of the crop in the Sun Belt this year. The Raiders played the Cajuns pretty tight, just could never knocked down a big shot or get the momentum. Tommy Gunn led the team with sixteen points. Then Thursday night, the Raiders trailed by as much as thirteen points during the second half before losing a close one, 70-66. Middle Tennessee State got the lead down to a one possession game at 65-62, but would never get closer. Gunn, off the bench, again led the Raiders, this time with seventeen points. Up next – at Florida International, Feb. 7.

New Mexico State (9-10, 3-5)

The Aggies are the perplexing team of the Sun Belt. They own a 2-2 road record in conference, but have lost three out of four home games against Sun Belt foes. Last week, New Mexico State went on the road and pulled a mild upset, beating Middle Tennessee State, 81-76. Senior James Moore scored a season high 24 points and was almost perfect shooting, going 8-of-9 from the field and 8-of-8 from the free-throw line. Thursday, the Aggies could not buy a bucket and lost at home to Denver, 68-54. Duane John, the team’s second-leading scorer at 14.9 points per game, did not play for the first time since becoming eligible mid-December. The Pioneers dominated New Mexico State on the boards, 37-24. Up next – against North Texas, Feb. 7.

New Orleans (10-11, 4-4)

Again, the Privateers had been playing several close games of late. Again, they decided to take a break Thursday. After three-straight games decided by three points or less, New Orleans was blown out Wednesday night at Arkansas State, 94-74. The loss dropped the Privateers under .500 for the first time all season. The good news for New Orleans is six of their final seven games are at home, with only a date against lowly Florida International being their lone away game. The lone highlight from Wednesday’s loss was the play of Billy McDade mentioned above. The Indians’ 94 points were the most New Orleans had allowed all season. Up next – against Arkansas Little Rock, Feb. 7.

North Texas (10-10, 5-3)

The road warriors of the Sun Belt finally came back to Earth Thursday, as the Mean Green lost its first conference game away from Denton, 94-81, to Louisiana Lafayette. While its first two conference losses were by a combined four points, North Texas could not hang with the leaders of the Sun Belt. The Cajuns pulled away during the second half thanks to Dwayne Mitchell’s outstanding shooting. As mentioned earlier, Mitchell shot 10-of-12 from the field and scored 25 points. The Mean Green received balanced production as eight players scored between seven and fourteen points, but watched their defense fall apart during the second half. Luckily, fun enough, five of North Texas’ last seven games are on the road. Up next – at New Mexico State, Feb. 7.

South Alabama (9-11, 3-5)

The Jaguars are struggling as bad as any team in the Sun Belt is right now, having lost three-straight and four-straight conference games. Thursday South Alabama suffered its worst loss of the season, 86-53 at Arkansas Little Rock. The Trojans were simply on fire all night, shooting 75 percent from the field and 81 percent from the free-throw line. The Jaguars have now allowed 78-plus points three-straight games, after allowing 78-plus only three times prior the entire season. Against North Texas last weekend, South Alabama came back from a seventeen-point halftime deficit but could not hold off the Mean Green and lost, 85-77. Up next – against Arkansas State, Feb. 7.

Western Kentucky (10-10, 5-4)

After a long, uphill battle, the Hilltoppers have finally reached .500 for the season after defeating Middle Tennessee State Thursday, 70-66. After starting the season 0-5 ad 0-2 in conference, Western Kentucky has won five of its last seven games. Thursday, the Hilltoppers overcame a resilient Blue Raiders team to win a tough Sun Belt game. Anthony Winchester led WKU with eighteen points, after scoring only eight during the team’s 55-42 win against Florida International last weekend. It was the Hilltoppers second-straight win after its epic loss to Louisiana Lafayette mentioned earlier. Up next – against West Virginia Tech, Feb. 7.

Sun Belt Notebook

Sun Belt Conference Notebook

by Zach Van Hart

Despite stars, Indians failing

When a team sports the conference’s top two scorers and top rebounder, it should also be at the top of the conference’s standings, right? Apparently this is not the case in the Sun Belt, as the Arkansas State Indians have dropped three-straight to fall to 11-5 overall and 2-3 in conference play. The problem for Arkansas State? Going on the road.

All three losses have occurred on the road. What makes it so hard to swallow for the Indians is that all three games have been close; they are only losing by an average of eight points and have not been blown out of any conference game. Yet they are simply not making the big plays down the stretch.

J.J. Montgomery, the team’s and conference’s leading scorer at 19.3 points per game, had another outstanding week. He scored 24 and 23 points, respectively, in losses to Middle Tennessee State and Western Kentucky. His counterpart, Dewarick Spencer, went for 22 against the Blue Raiders but struggled against the Hilltoppers, settling for ten.

Against MTSU, the Indians came back from a fourteen-point halftime deficit to force overtime, only to lose during the extra session. They used a different tactic against Western Kentucky, blowing its own nine-point halftime lead before losing 74-66. The good news for Arkansas State? Its next four games are at home, starting with Denver Friday.

Cajuns cooked late, again

Louisiana Lafayette could very easily be 11-1, own road wins against the likes of then No. 24 Dayton and No. 6 Arizona, along with always tough Xavier and likely be ranked itself. Instead, the Ragin’ Cajuns are at a respectable 7-5 and 2-1 in conference play. But they again lost a close one last week, this time falling on the road to South Alabama, 76-73.

The Cajuns led for nearly the entire second half and held onto a one-point lead and the ball with 30 seconds left, before Antoine Landry had the ball stolen from him, resulting in a Jaguar layup and their first lead since the seventeen-minute mark. Lafayette raced down the court, only to commit another turnover, this time a bad pass by Laurie Bridges with nine seconds remaining, clinched the win for South Alabama.

Landry and company responded with an easy, 85-64 home win against New Orleans. The late turnover against the Jaguars spoiled a good game and hot streak for Landry. During his last five games, Landry is averaging 20.2 points, 3.6 points, 2.2 assists and 4.2 three-pointers per game.

Jaguars doing it with defense

Coming into last week, South Alabama was 0-5 on the road and looking for a big win. They solved both problems, going 2-0 on the road to improve to 8-7 overall and 3-1 in the Sun Belt, good enough for first place. The Jaguars first won at Louisiana Lafayette, 76-73, before traveling to New Mexico State and leaving victorious, 56-46.

Defense was the key for South Alabama during both wins. First, it forced two key turnovers during the final 30 seconds against the Cajuns, resulting in the final four points of the game. It had not led for seventeen minutes before taking the lead with nineteen ticks to go.

South Alabama then shut the Aggies and its star, Duane John, down. New Mexico only hit fifteen field goals and John scored only two points; his previous season-low had been ten. The Jaguars now return home for two games, starting with Middle Tennessee State Thursday.

Player of the week

J.J. Montgomery, Arkansas State

Despite his team’s struggles, Montgomery had another big week, averaging 23.5 points and seven rebounds. He remains the conference’s leading scorer, averaging 19.3 points per game.

The rest of the Sun Belt

Arkansas Little Rock (9-7, 3-1)

The Trojans split their two games last week, falling for the first time in conference play at Western Kentucky, 86-71, before hanging on for its second Sun Belt road win of the season, 68-66, at Middle Tennessee State. The Hilltoppers’ starting five was completely dominate Thursday, equaling Arkansas Little Rock’s output of 71, as all five scored in double digits. Saturday’s win against the Blue Raiders was a very even match-up, but Middle Tennessee missed two shots during the final six seconds, allowing the Trojans to escape with the win. Jamal Holden led the team Saturday with nineteen points, while Brandon Freeman averaged 16.5 points during the week. Up next – against North Texas, Jan. 22.

Denver (9-6, 1-2)

The Pioneers, as recent as two weeks ago, were ranked in ESPN’s Mid-Major Top 10. Now, Denver has dropped two of three, both losses by slim margins. Last week the Pioneers fell to North Texas on the road, 72-67, before becoming the tenth team in eleven games to hand Florida International a ‘L’, winning 78-44. After trailing by 20 at the half, Denver started the final 20 minutes with a 12-0 run and took a one-point lead with eight minutes remaining. The Mean Green though came back and finished the game on a 10-6 run. Saturday’s game against the Panthers was never really a game. Denver led at the half 48-11, eleven players played eleven minutes or more and eight players scored between seven and eleven points. Up next – at Arkansas State, Jan. 22.

Florida International (3-12, 0-3)

The Golden Panthers only played one game last week, and that’s using the world “played” liberally. Denver whipped the floor with Florida Atlantic, 78-44. The score was not even that close, as the Pioneers led at the half 48-11. After Carlos Morbin hit a three-pointer 1:15 into the game, the Golden Panthers went more than fourteen minutes without a field goal. During that time, Denver went on an absolutely ridiculous 34-1 run. Not much else needs to be said. Up next – at North Texas, Jan. 19.

Middle Tennessee State (9-6, 1-1)

The Blue Raiders started conference play a week later than most and split their first two games and with the state of Arkansas. MTSU knocked off Arkansas State in overtime Thursday, 92-86, before losing a nail-bitter to Arkansas Little Rock, 68-66. After holding a commanding lead during the first half, the Raiders allowed ASU to make a furious second half comeback and send the game to extra minutes. During the extra session though, Mike Dean and company proved to be too much. The junior guard scored a career-high 30 points, missing all six of his two-point shots but going 7-of-12 from deep and 9-of-12 from the free throw line. Saturday, MTSU had two shots during the final six seconds to first tie and then win, but misfired on both attempts. Up next – at South Alabama, Jan. 22.

New Mexico State (7-7, 1-2)

The Aggies had only one home loss coming into last week, but promptly lost two home games last week, 70-59 to New Orleans and 56-46 to South Alabama. Against the Privateers, New Mexico State hung close for the first 25 minutes before giving up an 18-8 run it could not recover from. Second leading scorer and rebounding leader James Moore left the game early with an injured right knee. Moore returned against the Jaguars to score a team-high seventeen points. However, his teammate and Aggie leading scorer Duane John did not show up against South Alabama. John, averaging 16.1 points per game, hit one field goal and finished with two points. His previous season low was ten. Up next – at Louisiana Lafayette, Jan. 22.

New Orleans (8-8, 2-1)

The Privateers were getting so used to close games, they decided to take a break last week and either win or lose by a bunch. The accomplished both, winning at New Mexico State, 70-59, before losing at Louisiana Lafayette, 85-64. Johnell Smith scored a team-high eighteen points and scored eight of it during New Orleans crucial 18-8 run, enabling it to take control against the Aggies. Saturday, the Cajuns’ Antoine Landry put on a show, scoring 21 points, grabbing seven rebounds and dropping five dimes. Sophomore Billy McDade, receiving his most PT of the season, scored a season and game-high fourteen points in the losing cause. Up next – against Western Kentucky, Jan. 22.

North Texas (6-8, 1-1)

The Mean Green was victorious in its only game of the week, a 72-67 triumph against Denver, easily its best win of the season. North Texas surprised the Pioneers during the first half, taking a commanding 46-26 lead into the half. It turned out not to be so commanding, as Denver started the second half on a 12-0 run and claimed a one-point lead halfway through the half. However, the Mean Green stuck around, reclaimed the lead with four minutes to go and closed out the game on a 10-6 run. Shawnson Johnson continued his great senior season, scoring a game-high nineteen points. Up next – against Florida International, Jan. 19.

Western Kentucky (7-8, 2-2)

The Hilltoppers made another stride towards turning their season around last week, winning its first two conference games, both against tough competition. Western Kentucky stayed at home to knock off Arkansas Little Rock, 86-71, then just ten days removed from losing Arkansas State on the road, 79-76; it then repaid the favor with a 74-66 win. The starting five equaled Little Rock’s total of 71 points, as all five reached double figures. Against Arkansas State, junior guard Antonio Haynes was on fire, scoring a season high 26 points. Up next – at New Orleans, Jan. 22.

Sun Belt Notebook

Sun Belt Conference Notebook

by Zach Van Hart

Slow start

From the untrained eye, it would appear that Western Kentucky’s 0-5 start is cause for concern. It may be, but the fact their early-season schedule is brutal may have something to do with it.

The Hilltoppers most recent loss came in overtime to the undefeated Murray State Racers, 100-95. After going into the half leading by five, WKU could not keep its lead late and the squads went into extra basketball. In the extra session, Murray State proved to be too much.

Turnovers were a downfall for the Hilltoppers, just like they have all season. Western Kentucky turned it over eighteen times. They have averaged 17.6 turnovers per game during its season-opening losing streak.

Murray State was just one of several tough teams WKU has gone up against. They started the season at Auburn and Virginia Commonwealth, then at home against another SEC foe, Mississippi State, before traveling to Nashville against No. 25 Louisville before going against the Racers.

The loss was the third by six points or less, yet another sign the Hilltoppers are not as bad as it appears. Four players are averaging double figures, led by Mike Wells and Nigel Dixon’s 15.2 points per game. The offense is not the problem, stopping the opposition is the reason WKU is still winless.

Opponents are scoring 84.4 points per game through five games. During the last two, Western Kentucky allowed 93 and 100 points, respectively. WKU is going to start winning at some point, either when their opponents start getting weaker or when their defense starts improving.

Unbeaten by the buzzer

New Orleans remains the only unbeaten team in the Sun Belt Conference after winning not one, but two of its games during the final seconds. While their winning ways will likely end Sunday against Texas, that’s no reason not to highlight their hot start.

Against Samford, the Privateers held a late, 57-50 lead before letting the Bulldogs come charging back. Samford got back to 61-60 with seconds remaining. After A.J. Meredith knocked down one-of-two free throws left, the Bulldogs inbounded the ball for a last-second chance to tie. Bo McCalebb ended any hope of a Samford win though by stealing the ball and dribbling out the clock.

Their last outing, Dec. 3 against crosstown rival Tulane, the Green Wave led by two with 50 seconds remaining. New Orleans tied it up seconds later, then after Tulane missed-fired from close range twice, got the ball back with eight seconds remaining. Meredith pushed the ball upcourt and found Kyle Buggs in the corner. Buggs fired a three-pointer at the buzzer and nailed it, giving the Privateers a 69-66 win.

Dazzling Debut

Duane John had not played in a Div. I basketball for nearly two years before stepping onto the for New Mexico State’s contest against rival New Mexico Dec. 3. After transferring from Missouri and sitting out the 2002-03 season, John then sat out the Aggies’ first three games for a violation that occurred while he attended Missouri.

So John’s 33 points, leading his Aggies to an easy 67-48 win, made his debut that much more impressive. In fact, it may have been the best first-game performance by any player this season. John went 12-of-20 from the field, 4-of-7 from downtown and grabbed eight rebounds.

He followed up his first game heroics with 26 points against UTEP Saturday, even though New Mexico State lost its first game of the season, 83-74. He went 5-of-10 from beyond the three-point line and again grabbed eight rebounds.

Player of the Week

Duane John, New Mexico State – Amazingly, the Aggies went 3-0 before John became eligible. His 29.5 points per game average after two games is reason enough to think New Mexico State has a bright season ahead.

Around the Sun Belt

Arkansas-Little Rock (4-3)

The Trojans are on a two-game win streak after disposing Harding 90-56, Tuesday. Nick Zachery led Ark-LR with 20 points while only playing 22 minutes. Zachery continues to lead the team in scoring, netting seventeen points per game. Jamal Holden tied a season-high with nineteen points against Harding. Holden is averaging 13.7 points per game, second on the team. Up next – at Louisiana Monroe (1-6), Dec. 13.

Arkansas State (5-1)

The Indians are also on a two-game win streak also, including a last-second 64-63 win against Liberty Dec. 8. Tevoris Thompson scored 24 points off the bench, including a game-winning three-pointer with just three seconds remaining. ASU has been an offensive juggernaut, scoring 82 points per game. Four players are averaging in double figures, lead by J.J. Montgomery’s 21.5 and Dewarick Spencer’s 20.3 points. Up next – against Southern Miss (4-1), Dec. 13.

Denver (3-3)

The Pioneers had their three-game win streak snapped against the UMKC Kangaroos, 72-68, Dec. 10. Michael Watson’s 37 points, who shot 15-of-23 from the field, did in Denver. It was their second four-point loss of the season. Up next – against Colorado State (4-3), Dec. 13.

Florida International (2-4)

The Golden Panthers went 1-2 on their Florida trip, defeating North Florida, 81-72, before falling to Florida Atlantic by two and get whopped up on by Miami. Junior Matias tied a season-high and finished with a double-double against the Hurricanes, scoring 20 points and collecting eleven rebounds, lead the Golden Panthers in both categories. He is one of four players averaging double digits for Florida International. Up next – against LaSalle (1-5), Dec. 13.

Louisiana Lafayette (1-2)

The Ragin’ Cajuns played a great game at No. 24 Dayton, only to lose 66-59. The Cajuns led at the half 40-31, but could not keep the upset going during the second half. Brad Boyd’s three-pointer with two minutes remaining tied the game at 57, but the Flyers finished the game on a 9-2 run. Louisiana Lafayette fared better than the other national powerhouse Georgia Tech, 79-45. Up next – McNeese State (3-3), Dec. 15.

Middle Tennessee State (2-2)

The Blue Raiders have yet to play a close game all season. Their two wins were by an average margin of 28 points and their two wins were by an average of 22.5 points. MTSU lost their last game, 87-63, to Tennessee State. The get a shot to make for their loss to an in-state rival this Saturday. Up next – against Tennessee Wesleyan, Dec. 13.

North Texas (3-2)

The Mean Green had the unfortunate job of defeating this year’s sad story, Baylor, 73-69. Balance has been the key for North Texas this season, as nine players are averaging between 5.8 and 10.2 points per game. Up next – at TCU, Dec. 13.

South Alabama (2-2)

The home state has been good to the Jaguars; their two wins came against Alabama State and West Alabama. Saturday, South Alabama walked all over its western counterpart, 80-50. Unfortunately, the Jags are leaving the state for their next game. Up next – at Georgia State (3-2), Dec. 12.

Atlantic Sun Conference Preview

Atlantic Sun Conference Preview

by Ashley Burns

For the fourth straight year the Panthers of Georgia State are predicted to clean up in the A-Sun Conference. Troy State is expected to finish close behind GSU, however the Trojans will likely not repeat their dynamic performance in last season’s A-Sun tournament. The Panthers and Trojans should provide an exciting season as they will only have Mercer to worry about as their third strongest conference foe.

However, as is the unpredictability of the A-Sun, there are other young teams waiting in the wings to provide a world of upset. While Belmont and UCF are typically average at best, the Bruins and Knights both have potentially dangerous teams, due in part to their recent junior college additions.

Rounding out the A-Sun competition is a group of teams that have never been able to find a successful niche within the conference. Some of the teams have seen success, while others have never been able to climb out of the cellar. The losses off Samford and Jacksonville State has somewhat depleted the depth of competition in the conference, while the addition of Lipscomb has merely given teams like Campbell and Gardner-Webb some room to breathe at the bottom.

1. Georgia State Panthers – (14-15, 8-8)

The Panthers’ season hopes are hanging on the play of returning standouts Lamont McIntosh and Nate Williams. Both players were a big part of GSU’s winning equation, and their 2002-03 All-Tournament status helped guide them to the semifinals. While the Panthers were prematurely sent home by Troy State, the situation is highly unlikely to repeat.

A mid-season coaching change might have been partially to blame for the Panthers’ tournament demise last season, as Michael Perry took over the legendary “Lefty” Driesell. GSU’s outstanding depth will be tough to beat this season, though. McIntosh and Williams are only two of the Panthers’ strong scoring threats. Senior Rheo Logan and junior Sylvester Morgan give GSU two strong big men to back up their stars, while guards D’Andre McGrew and Daniel Towns add strong range and an even better presence under the basket.

2. Troy State – (26-6, 14-2)

Head coach Don Maestri is hoping to lead his Trojans to the same success they saw last season, when they won the 2002-03 A-Sun Tournament championship. While they lose last season’s leading scorer Ben Fletcher, the Trojans return two key players from their championship campaign. Seniors Greg Davis and Rob Lewin will act as one of the most dangerous guard/forward combinations in the A-Sun as both players averaged over 11 points per game last season. Lewin, picked as an A-Sun All-Conference Preseason standout, was a major presence on the boards as he pulled down 258 total rebounds last year.

TSU increased their depth and size in the off-season by throwing junior forward Jerome Stamper into the mix. Guards Zavier Mathis and Herbert Evans will need to step up and provide some help from behind the arch if TSU wishes to repeat and upend GSU.

3. Mercer - (23-6, 14-2)

While the loss of senior guard Aleem Muhammed will hurt the Bears’ offensive production, senior Scott Emerson is poised to have a monster season. Emerson, tabbed as the A-Sun Preseason Player-of-the-Year, averaged 15.1 points per game last season and should only increase his offensive and defensive numbers this year against the reduced A-Sun competition.

Head coach Mark Slonaker is hoping to take his squad to its first NCAA tournament appearance since the 1984-85 season. However in order to do so, he’ll need plenty of help from his young team. Emerson will depend heavily upon his own brother Will Emerson and senior Wesley Duke. Duke has been injury prone throughout his career, however he made a strong comeback last year, averaging just under 10 points per game. Senior Demar Wilson must step up and provide some leadership to this team if the Bears wish to quiet the critics who believe this is merely the third best team in the A-Sun.

4. UCF – (21-11, 11-5)

Head coach Kirk Speraw is facing a monumental challenge this season, as he is depending on the entire team to step up and fill the shoes of the departed Marius Boyd and Ray Abellard. The Golden Knights surprised many last season as they barely fell from the top of the regular season standings and marched through the A-Sun tournament, eventually losing in the finals to Troy State.

UCF will lean on junior college transfers Gary Johnson and Kingsley Edwards, as well as the leadership of returning senior Dexter Lyons. The Knights have only five seniors on their entire roster, and will look to gain some quick support from their deep bench.

5. Belmont - (17-12, 12-4)

The Bruins shocked many last season as they walked away with the A-Sun North division title. Head coach Rick Byrd leads a young Belmont team this year, as the Bruins will field only three seniors. Adam Mark will step into the driver’s seat as the returning star led the NCAA in field goal percentage last year. The forward finished fourth in the A-Sun in scoring with 16.4 points per game.

Mark will need a lot of help from fellow senior Steve Drabyn, who averaged 12.8 points per game while leading the NCAA in free throw percentage. The Bruins will also need junior Jese Snyder and sophomore Brian Collins to increase their offensive productivity.

6. FAU – (7-21, 3-13)

Florida Atlantic is coming off a poor 2002-03 season in which they finished dead last in the south division, after winning the A-Sun Tournament title in 2001-02. Head coach Sidney Green’s expectations should be higher than a sixth place finish, however, as his Owls are returning eight players from last season. Led by junior Mike Bell, the Owls will be a quiet team in the regular season, though they could turn into an eventual thorn come tournament time.

Bell averaged over 20 points per game in junior college play before switching over to FAU. The Owls will need a huge increase in productivity from big man Wes Edwards, who averaged only 4.3 points in his first season at FAU. Guard Earnest Crumbley returns as one of the team’s top players from last season, as he averaged 16.2 points. Returning guard Jeff Cowans will need to repeat his success from three-point land as well as his 14.6 points per game from last year.

7. Stetson – (6-20, 4-12)

The Hatters fared about as well as FAU last season, as they won only four conference games and finished near the conference cellar. Stetson is led by sophomore EJ Gordon, who ran the Hatters’ offense last year by averaging 14.7 points en route to earning A-Sun Freshman-of-the-Year honors.

Head coach Derek Waugh can only depend on four seniors to serve in a leadership capacity this season, and will have to find ways to get stronger productivity from his bench. Gordon will be backed by forward Joe McNeal, who saw time in ten games as center in 2002-03. McNeal led the Hatters in rebounds and must improve upon his 10.3 points per game if Stetson wants to end its losing ways.

8. Jacksonville - (13-16, 8-8)

Head coach Hugh Durham has his work cut out for him this year. The Dolphins are the most inexperienced team in the country this year, as they are returning only two letter winners from their 2002-03 squad. Junior college transfer Nolan McBride is the team’s only senior, and will need desperately to increase his playing time and lowly 4.9 points per game from last year.

The loss of last season’s leading scorers Calvin Warner and Kevin Sheppard leave JU with very little offensive hope. Of the players returning, none averaged more than four points per game last season.

9. Gardner-Webb – (5-24, 2-14)

Head coach Rick Scruggs’ season needs a lot of help already. The Bulldogs have a small unit and very little experience. GWU’s 2002-03 leading scorer Otis Daniels is gone. Center Tim Behrendorff was second on the team in scoring last season with just over 10 points per game, however he will need to increase his role by leaps and bounds.

Chris Wiggins and Brian Bender will need a miracle to boost their games to a competitive level, as the two combined for less than 14 points of Bulldog offense each game last season.

10.Campbell – (5-22, 1-15)

First year head coach Robbie Laing is starting from scratch. Senior guard Tarrick Johnson finished second in the A-Sun in scoring last year averaging 17.1 points, but he can’t do it all by himself. Johnson is going to need a world of help from fellow senior Derek Gray and junior Brad McKeiver if they want to avoid battling for conference doormat status with Lipscomb.

11. Lipscomb – (8-20, N/A)

The Bisons are entering their first season of A-Sun competition, however it will mean very little. Lipscomb is not eligible for tournament play this season, and can only hope to act as a spoiler against the rest of the conference.

Sun Belt Conference Preview

Sun Belt Conference Notebook

by Michael Protos

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

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

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

Sun Belt Preseason Awards:

Most Valuable Player:

James Moore, New Mexico State

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

Newcomer of the Year:

Antonio Haynes, Western Kentucky

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

Coach of the Year:

Jesse Evans, Louisiana – Lafayette

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

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

West Division

1. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns

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

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

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

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

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

2. New Mexico State Aggies

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

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

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

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

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

3. Denver Pioneers

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

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

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

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

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

4. South Alabama Jaguars

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

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

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

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

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

5. North Texas Mean Green

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

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

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

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

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

6. New Orleans Privateers

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

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

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

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

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

East Division

1. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

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

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

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

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

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

2. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

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

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

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

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

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

3. Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans

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

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

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

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

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

4. Arkansas State Indians

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

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

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

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

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

5. Florida International Golden Panthers

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

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

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

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

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

Summary

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