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Post by Copenhagen on Jul 27, 2007 9:45:31 GMT -5
www.collegehoopsnet.com/preview/2007/index.htmMaybe some interesting reading during the college hoops dog days of summer? This website is counting down 144 teams in 144 days; here are the previews of the teams we have scheduled this season as they are ranked:
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Post by Copenhagen on Jul 27, 2007 9:51:29 GMT -5
2007-08 Bucknell Basketball Preview July 6th, 2007 Bucknell, Top 144 Previews By Joel Welser Bucknell Bison
Overall Rank: #129 Conference Rank: #2 Patriot 2006-07: 22-9, 13-1, 1st (t) 2006-07 postseason: none
--Vinny's analysis: Bucknell: The Bison have won 20 games or more for three years running. They've been ranked in the top 25 and beat Kansas in the NCAA tournament. But a visit to the RC in January can still be tough. Schmidt's first upset? Could be a jump start to the conference season. Verdict: 6-8.
Bucknell allowed Holy Cross to catch up last year in the two horse race for Patriot League supremacy. So what happens when the Bison lose three of their top four scorers and all the major pieces of the past NCAA Tournament appearances? Not much. Thanks to some decent recruiting over the years, Bucknell has plenty of talent that is ready to step in. Who’s Out: Chris McNaughton, Donald Brown and Abe Badmus were staples on the Bucknell squad. McNaughton, a Bison folk hero for years, averaged 12.0 points and 5.9 rebounds during his senior campaign. Brown did a little bit of everything, averaging 12.0 points, a team high 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.6 steals. There is no doubt the frontcourt will look drastically different and even little used forward Andrew Morrison is headed out. Abe Badmus, who led the team with 3.1 assists per game, leaves behind plenty of proven players behind him. Who’s In: Coach Pat Flannery continues to bring in some quality recruits. Center Todd O’Brien may be the most important right away. The 6-11 New Holland, Pennsylvania product is not a true post player and will step outside and hit the mid-range jumper. In high school he averaged a double-double and added over five blocks per contest, but the competition left something to be desired. Bucknell could use another big body if O’Brien proves he is ready to play as a freshman. G.W. Boon is probably the best of the bunch. The 6-4 forward is a decent shooter and a great rebounder and will use his athleticism to make a huge impact in the coming years. Darryl Shazier, a 6-0 combo guard, is super quick. If he can handle running the point as a freshman, he will see some quality minutes, otherwise he will likely be used as a defensive stopper off the bench. Who to Watch: John Griffin will man the point guard spot after averaging 10.5 points and 2.7 assists last year. The senior will be looked upon to be the new leader of the team. Jason Vegotsky has plenty of experience after starting 24 contests during the 2006-2007 campaign and, along with Griffin, will provide a decent long range shooting duo. Justin Castleberry, Stephen Tyree and Rob Thomas have all been stuck behind more experienced players on the depth chart and will be the candidates to step up and help replace the production of Badmus and Brown. Final Projection: Darren Mastropaolo did the dirty work under the basket to open up McNaughton. Without McNaughton, Mastropaolo may be asked to do a little more scoring. However, Patrick Behan could simply take over for McNaughton, leaving Mastropaolo to set screens and grab rebounds. Behan, another one of those talented underclassmen who was waiting on the bench, is a talented long range shooter. At 6-8 and 225 pounds the sophomore needs to become a bigger threat in the paint, but there are not many other choices. Despite the loss of so many stars, Bucknell is not going anywhere. The Patriot League championship will be a battle between the Bison and Holy Cross and, like last year, could be one of the most exciting conference races in the nation. Projected Post-season Tournament: none Projected Starting Five: John Griffin, Senior, Guard, 10.5 points per game Justin Castleberry, Junior, Guard, 5.3 points per game Jason Vegotsky, Junior, Guard, 7.4 points per game Patrick Behan, Sophomore, Forward, 1.7 points per game Darren Mastropaolo, Senior, Forward, 6.0 points per game
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Post by Copenhagen on Jul 27, 2007 9:54:57 GMT -5
2007-08 Hampton Basketball Preview July 8th, 2007 Hampton, Top 144 Previews By Joel Welser
Hampton Pirates Overall Rank: #128 Conference Rank: #1 MEAC 2006-07: 15-16, 10-8, 3rd (t) 2006-07 postseason: none
--Vinny's anaylsis: Hampton - This is where things get tough ... three in a row on the road. The Pirates are an up and coming program. Coach Kevin Nickelberry has recruited a plethora of talent. We'll see if he can coach them. Either way, this one won't be easy. Verdict: 5-6 Over the last two years Coach Kevin Nickelberry has done an amazing job recruiting stellar talent into the Hampton program. Last season was supposed to be a major transition year with the new coach and the loss of four key players, but the Pirates still put together a solid season. Hampton started four freshman most of the year and expect improvement from each of them, but senior Rashad West is what makes the team tick. The 6-1 point guard led the team with 17.8 points and 2.6 assists per game and will have to once again be the steadying force on a young team. Who’s Out: The depth in the backcourt has taken a hit with the transfer of Demario Mattox and the graduation of Junior Pehoua. Mattox averaged 6.0 points and Pehoua added 3.9 per contest. The depth chart for the guards will be full of new players, but they are talented enough to be quality reserves. Forward Kevin Clark, who averaged 2.6 points and 2.1 rebounds and earned seven starts, is not returning to the program. Who’s In: Hampton fans hope this recruiting class can perform as well as last year’s. The backcourt is where some help is needed immediately and guards Chris Tolson and Brandon Tunnell will answer the call. The duo will likely spend the season being groomed to take over the starting point guard duties in 2008-2009. Milade Lola-Charles and redshirt freshman Oluwaseyi Oseni have the size, at 6-11 and 6-10, to develop into a dominating duo up front, but it is junior college transfer Donte Harrison who will make an impact on the Hampton frontline right away. Harrison averaged 11.6 points and 11.3 rebounds at Sullivan County Community College in New York. He is a good defender and his long arms will be an asset in the shot blocking department. Who to Watch: The development of Vincent Simpson, Theo Smalling, Matthew Pilgrim and Mike Freeman will be the key to the campaign. The foursome did a great job as freshmen, but they need to continue to improve if Hampton wants to reach the NCAA Tournament. Simpson has to become a more consistent shooter for a shooting guard and Smalling could develop a better game on the offensive end, although he may be relegated to being a specialist off the bench with the talent coming in. Pilgrim and Freeman are harder to find faults with and as long as they continue to develop, the duo will be tough to stop. Pilgrim and Freeman combined for 25.2 points and 11.8 rebounds per game. Final Projection: With West running the show and the four freshmen now sophomores, nobody should be able to stop the Pirates. Adrian Woodard will provide some experienced depth and that should help the team stay fresher down the stretch. Considering the last two recruiting classes have been among the best the MEAC has ever seen, the future is even brighter than the present. If Hampton can dominate the conference this year, they will own the conference for at least the next few years. The Achilles heel for the Pirates is their poor shooting. The team ranked 234th in the nation in field-goal percentage, 286th in three point field-goal percentage and 249th in free-throw percentage. If it gets worse, the door will be open for teams like Morgan State, Coppin State and North Carolina A&T to capture an NCAA bid. Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA Projected Starting Five: Rashad West, Senior, Guard, 17.8 points per game Vincent Simpson, Sophomore, Guard, 5.9 points per game Matthew Pilgrim, Sophomore, Forward, 11.0 points per game Theo Smalling, Sophomore, Forward, 2.7 points per game Mike Freeman, Sophomore, Forward, 14.2 points per game
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Post by Copenhagen on Jul 27, 2007 9:57:18 GMT -5
2007-08 Albany Basketball Preview July 12th, 2007 Albany, Top 144 Previews By Joel Welser
Albany Great Danes Overall Rank: #123 Conference Rank: #1 America East 2006-07: 23-10, 13-3, 2nd 2006-07 postseason: NCAA
--Vinny's analysis: Albany - I'll give Will Brown this -- he's a good coach. The Great Danes will have to rely on youngsters after two NCAA trips, however. Golden opportunity here. Verdict: 5-5 Albany has a surprising amount of depth up front for an America East team. And despite the loss of all-everything Jamar Wilson, the size of the Great Danes will keep them towards the top of the conference. The other Wilson, Brian, is the new leader. The 6-8 senior averaged 11.0 points and 5.0 rebounds last year and will likely lead the team in both categories as a senior. Brian Connelly, Jimmie Covington and Brett Gifford are not prolific scorers, but all have starting experience and plenty of room to improve. With that depth and talent on hand, it is possible that Coach Will Brown will run a big lineup at times. Who’s Out: The obvious loss is Jamar Wilson, who averaged a team high 18.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists. But there are some other losses that are a cause for concern. Wing Jason Siggers added 13.8 points and guard Carl Ross had the potential to play a bigger role in the backcourt before leaving the program. Michael Knight, David Bauman and Mike Yocum are also leaving earlier than their scheduled departure time. Who’s In: There should be some future stars in the class, but the most important right now are point guards Anthony Raffa and Robert Moores. Raffa is a great scorer and it would be great for the team if he could run the show by the time the conference schedule rolls around. However, Moores and his one year of experience may have the upper hand. The sophomore spent one year at Pratt Community College in Kansas and, like Raffa, will do some scoring along with his point guard duties. The team is attempting to replace Jamar Wilson with another shooting threat, but neither of these guys are going to be Wilson right away. Speaking of scorers, Tim Ambrose could be a very good one by the time his days at Albany are over. The 5-11 shooting guard is not afraid to mix it up with the big guys in the paint and he can keep the defenses honest with his outside shot as well. The tough Josh Martin is in the same boat and 6-6 wing Billy Allen has enough versatility to play on the wing or at either forward spot. Forward Jerel Hastings is the usual athletic undersized forward. He will help out on the glass right away and can be a great player once the jump shot develops a little more consistency. Big man Albert Turley will make the frontcourt even deeper. The 6-7 center is a decent offensive player for his age, but will find it difficult to steal away too many minutes from the returning group. Who to Watch: There is a surprising amount of experienced depth considering that Albany has seven newcomers. With the four big guys up front and Brian Lillis, Jon Iati and Reid Anderson on the perimeter, the Danes can go seven deep without even dipping into the newcomer pool. It is hoped that Lillis will take over much of the scoring on the wing. The 6-5 senior averaged 6.9 points per game but was the third scoring option on the perimeter behind Jamar Wilson and Siggers. Lillis could run the point, but that job will likely fall to Jon Iati until the newcomers are ready. Iati’s minutes have been diminished after a shoulder injury in 2005, but the 5-9 senior is still a smart player who should be able to run the show when necessary. Once Raffa or Moores cracks the starting lineup, Iati will likely do what he did last year and come off the bench. Reid Anderson saw very few minutes during his freshman campaign, but that will change this year and if he can improve as much as Albany fans hope, the 6-5 wing will provide a spark off the bench. Final Projection: On paper this is not your dominating Albany team that got slaughtered by…well lets go back two years to the team that hung tough with Connecticut in the NCAA Tournament. Once the initial shock about losing Jamar Wilson subsides, it becomes clear that the Danes have some legitimate players waiting to take over. While nobody will come close to the versatility of Wilson, there is enough talent ready to help make up for some of his production. Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA Projected Starting Five: Jon Iati, Senior, Guard, 5.9 points per game Brian Lillis, Senior, Guard, 6.9 points per game Brent Wilson, Senior, Forward, 11.0 points per game Brian Connelly, Junior, Forward, 5.5 points per game Brett Gifford, Sophomore, Center, 1.5 points per game
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Post by Copenhagen on Jul 27, 2007 9:59:34 GMT -5
2007-08 George Washington Basketball Preview July 21st, 2007 GW, Top 144 Previews By Joel Welser
George Washington Colonials Overall Rank: #118 Conference Rank: #9 A-10 2006-07: 23-9, 11-5, 3rd 2006-07 postseason: NCAA Tournament With Maureece Rice opting not to enter the NBA, George Washington will be competitive once again in a deep and talented Atlantic 10. Rice, who led the team with 15.8 points per game, is the next in line of talented guards to suit up for the Colonials. This year it is his team, but the talent level around him has taken a hit compared to the last few years. Who’s Out: George Washington and Coach Karl Hobbs only lose three players, but they are three important players. Carl Elliott averaged 12.9 points, 4.8 assists and 5.0 rebounds during his senior campaign. He was the leader on the floor and now that role will be taken over by Rice. Finding a perimeter scorer to compliment Rice is now the big concern. Regis Koundjia and Dokun Akingbade were often overshadowed by their perimeter counterparts, but the forwards were important to the success of the team. Koundjia was a decent scorer and could step outside and hit the mid-range jumper. Akingbade was the best rebounder on the team and a quality scoring option in the paint. Who’s In: GW has very little experienced depth heading into 2007-2008. The addition of Wynton Witherspoon certainly helps. The lanky forward started ten games for Virginia Tech in 2005-2006 and averaged 6.3 points per game. He is truly a small forward, but with a wealth of talent on the wings, Witherspoon could end up spending some time at the four spot. Center Jabari Edwards can contribute on the defensive end this year. His shot blocking skills are well developed, but his 6-10 frame could use a little more meat. The offense will need some time to come around, but Edwards should supply some solid numbers before his collegiate career comes to an end. Small forward Xavier Alexander could develop into a recruiting steal for the Colonials. The 6-6 wing is a great athlete and a consistent scorer. He most likely will not start a game as a freshman, but will be a spark off the bench. Miles Beatty might just be the best incoming freshman of the class. The 6-2 combo guard is a smart player and, on a mental level, is ready to play in the A-10. His physical tools are not far behind and he will be a good option off the bench. Who to Watch: It is due to players like Travis King, Damian Hollis and Noel Wilmore that will keep the talented perimeter newcomers on the bench. King played an important role last year running the point behind Elliott. This year, he will be the main option. The 6-2 sophomore showed plenty of potential as a freshman and will do a little bit of scoring. Yet, compared to the man he is replacing, King will appear to be a disappointment. Noel Wilmore has been relegated to the bench due to the talent in front of him and that will not change this year. However, Wilmore, now a junior, still has the potential to develop into a more effective scorer. At 6-8, Damian Hollis adds some size to the perimeter. He was a little reluctant to shoot during his freshman season, but the team did not need him to do much scoring either. That may change now and Hollis can utilize his size and speed to become a prolific scorer. Final Projection: Rob Diggs is really a power forward, but he will have to play at the five spot. The 6-8 junior is a little slim to battle in the paint, but George Washington has dealt with that problem for a while and will still be effective. With a little more strength Diggs, who averaged 10.5 points in 2006-2007, could become a more effective rebounder. Without Koundjia and Akingbade, it will be imperative that Diggs picks up some of the slack on the glass. Cheyenne Moore, a 6-5 small forward, is a quality player when healthy. However, he will not help much on the glass, where GW could use it most. Moore, who spent some time at Clemson, was a top 100 recruit by many services coming out of high school, but has yet to come close to living up to his potential. Coach Hobbs continues to bring in talent, but this year’s group lacks experience and depth. In a drastically improved conference, that spells trouble for GW…but it will not last too long. Projected Post-season Tournament: none Projected Starting Five: Travis King, Sophomore, Guard, 5.7 points per game Maureece Rice, Senior, Guard, 15.8 points per game Damian Hollis, Sophomore, Guard, 5.7 points per game Wynton Witherspoon, Junior, Forward, DNP last season Rob Diggs, Junior, Forward, 10.5 points per game
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Post by Copenhagen on Aug 9, 2007 16:21:20 GMT -5
2007-08 UMASS Basketball Preview August 9th, 2007 Top 144 Previews, UMASS By Joel Welser
Massachusetts Minutemen Overall Rank: #97 Conference Rank: #8 A-10 2006-07: 24-9, 13-3, 1st (t) 2006-07 postseason: NIT Massachusetts has lost a ton of talent, most notably in the frontcourt. And that means the star is now on the perimeter. Chris Lowe has quietly done a great job running the point for the Minutemen. The junior averaged 4.2 assists last year and added 7.0 points per game. The days of Lowe flying under the radar are over and he will have to step up his game and become a leader. Lowe might not add much to his scoring, but Ricky Harris sure will. The 6-2 shooting guard only averaged 4.5 points coming off the bench last year and was anything but consistent from long range, but he has the potential to take over much of the departed scoring load. Who’s Out: Losing the frontcourt duo of Rashaun Freeman and Stephane Lasme is huge. The duo combined for 29.2 points and 17.8 rebounds and Lasme was a monster on the defensive end. Backcourt starter James Life has also run out of eligibility after averaging 11.5 points during his senior season. Life was easily the most dangerous shooter on the team last year. Brandon Thomas was a decent shooter off the bench as a senior and Tiki Mayben has opted to transfer after garnering 12 starts. Who’s In: Barring a surprise breakthrough player, the newcomers will be asked to provide some depth off the bench. The best chance for earning a starting job is at the shooting guard position and Max Groebe and Matt Glass will be in the mix. Groebe has international experience and is a great shooter. If he can harness his talent at the next level, the 6-4 wing will make an impact right away. Glass has some nice size for a guard at 6-7 and is a decent shooter, but will likely be relegated to a ‘sharpshooter off the bench’ role. Point guard Gary Correia, who played with Glass last year at Northfield Mount Hermon in Massachusetts, is a decent ballhandler and floor leader, but also has the ability to do some scoring. Trey Lang, Matt Hill and Papa Ousmane Lo will add depth up front. Lang will not do too much scoring early in his career, but he is already a great shot blocker and defender. Ousmane Lo has some quality defensive abilities of his own. The 6-8 forward from Senegal has a surprisingly developed offensive game and will at least provide another big man that can run the floor. This group of newcomers is laying the foundation for future success. There is a lot of talent, but how much they can contribute this year remains a question. Yet, with safety in numbers, Umass will find the newcomers that are ready to contribute off the bench as freshmen. Who to Watch: Replacing Freeman and Lasme will be the job of Etienne Brower, Luke Bonner and Dante Milligan. Yet, having a small forward like Gary Forbes will certainly help. Forbes is a great scorer and, by the numbers, his rebounding will only get better without Freeman and Lasme on the floor. Brower is not a traditional big man, and ideally would be at the three instead of the four, but he can play every position on the floor. After seeing limited minutes as a junior, the team will need Brower’s ability to do the dirty work under the basket and stretch out the defense. Bonner has some outside shooting skills as well and the 7-1 center is expected to be a force this year. Like Brower and Bonner, Milligan has seen limited playing time due to the talent that was in front of him. The trio definitely has more talent than their numbers would indicate, but how well they can go from ten minutes a game to major contributors remain to be seen. Final Projection: The roster looks a lot worse than it really is. The team will not be bad without Freeman and Lasme, it will just be different and run a lot more. Lowe and Forbes have enough talent to become the leaders of the team and the new frontcourt has enough experience and potential to do a solid job. Finding a shooter in the backcourt will be very important, but at least there are options with Harris and a couple freshmen. Coach Travis Ford will have a more difficult task of getting his team to the postseason this year, but reaching the NIT and making some noise in the A-10 is not out of the question this year and quite probable in the near future. Projected Post-season Tournament: none Projected Starting Five: Chris Lowe, Junior, Guard, 7.0 points per game Ricky Harris, Sophomore, Guard, 4.5 points per game Gary Forbes, Senior, Forward, 13.0 points per game Etienne Brower, Senior, Forward, 2.7 points per game Luke Bonner, Junior, Center, 1.6 points per game
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Post by Copenhagen on Aug 10, 2007 21:45:08 GMT -5
2007-08 New Mexico Basketball Preview August 10th, 2007 New Mexico, Top 144 Previews By Joel Welser
New Mexico Lobos Overall Rank: #96 Conference Rank: #5 Mountain West 2006-07: 15-17, 4-12, 8th (t) 2006-07 postseason: none
-- Vinny's analysis: New Mexico: - The Lobos are also in rebuilding mode under new coach Steve Alford. But winning at The Pit will be almost impossible. Verdict: 2-3[/i] New Mexico was way too good to go 4-12 in Mountain West Conference play last year. But even coming off an awful season, the Lobos have plenty to look forward to in 2007-2008 and beyond. Most of the excitement is revolving around new head coach Steve Alford. The former Iowa head man is already showing his worth in the recruiting department and he has some talented players to work with. Who’s Out: The loss of Aaron Johnson will cause a problem though. Johnson, who transferred from Penn State in order to spend one season with the Lobos, led the team with 7.3 rebounds and there are not a lot of options returning that can get on the glass and do a little post scoring like Johnson did during his senior campaign. Transfers Jeffrey Henfield and Sean Imadiyi and graduate Kellen Walter never saw too many minutes, but their departures add to the frontcourt depth concerns. Ryan Kersten will not return to the New Mexico basketball program and will instead return to his native Australia to play professionally. The guard averaged 5.5 points per game and garnered five starts last season. Little used guard David Kanyinda will not be returning to the Lobos squad either. Who’s In: The frontcourt is where New Mexico needs some help and a couple junior college transfers will be looked upon to provide just that. Johnnie Harris will not put up big numbers, but the 6-8, 250 pound power forward will do the dirty work in the paint and at least provide another big body. Monquel Pegues averaged 17.7 points and 7.1 rebounds at Cape Fear Community College last year and still continues to get better. Either newcomer could earn a starting job if Coach Alford does not want to force a small forward to play at the four spot, but each will at least play a very important role off the bench from day one. Guard Darrington Hobson is the most highly touted recruit of the bunch. He has the skills of a point guard, the scoring touch of a shooting guard and, at 6-7, the size of a small forward. Hobson can fill in at any of those positions and that versatility will make him a star sooner than later. Blake Harden returns to the basketball program after taking a year off from the team during the 2006-2007 campaign. The 6-5 wing started ten games in 2005-2006 and is a decent shooter, but is unlikely to see too many minutes this year. Jonathan Wills will add more depth on the wings. He is a good shooter and a decent defender, but will need some time to adjust to the level of play in the MWC. Point guard Dairese Gary could be the steal of the class when all is said and done. The 6-1 Elkhart, Indiana native can play either guard position, but it is his defensive prowess that will get him some minutes early in his career. Who to Watch: There is a ton of talent on the perimeter and the top five scorers, all of whom are returning, are listed as guards. J.R. Giddens is the star and the former Kansas Jayhawk led the team with 15.8 points and added 6.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Giddens may have been a little trigger happy his first active season in Albuquerque, but with a year in the system, hopefully he will learn to trust his teammates shooting ability a little more. In any event, the Lobos will want the ball in his hands when the game is on the line. Darren Prentice spent some time at both guard positions and started 19 of the last 20 games. He is a decent shooter, but his main asset is taking care of the ball and he easily had the best assist-to-turnover ratio on the team last season. Long range specialist Chad Toppert, diminutive scorer Jamaal Smith and the emerging Roman Martinez all started at least a dozen games in 2006-2007 and will battle for minutes on the perimeter. Tony Danridge was second on the team in scoring last year and the consistent 6-5 wing continues to develop a decent perimeter game. He is not a great rebounder, but if the newcomers do not come around, he, along with Martinez, may spent some time at the power forward position. Final Projection: It is not like New Mexico is a small team; the guards are big, but they just do not have any proven post players. Daniel Faris started ten games last year and it is hoped that the 6-9 junior is ready to take over the fulltime starting position. Faris had a good offseason trip to the Bahamas. Well it is not really possible to have a bad trip to the Bahamas, but Faris played some hoops with his teammates while he was there and proved he can be a double-double threat. If the frontcourt can at least be decent, New Mexico will be a contender in the conference. If not, they will still be better than last year. Projected Post-season Tournament: none Projected Starting Five: Darren Prentice, Senior, Guard, 8.9 points per game Chad Toppert, Junior, Guard, 9.5 points per game J.R. Giddens, Senior, Guard, 15.8 points per game Tony Danridge, Senior, Guard, 12.5 points per game Daniel Faris, Junior, Forward, 4.8 points per game
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Post by Copenhagen on Aug 16, 2007 20:50:37 GMT -5
2007-08 Fordham Basketball Preview August 16th, 2007 Fordham, Top 144 Previews By Joel Welser
Fordham Rams Overall Rank: #87 Conference Rank: #7 A-10 2006-07: 18-12, 10-6, 4th (t) 2006-07 postseason: none If you do not believe just how good the A-10 will be this year, take a look at Fordham. The Rams return five starters and a handful of roleplayers from a team that tied for fourth in the conference last season. Fordham will be better, but so will the rest of the conference and that will make it extremely difficult for Coach Dereck Whittenburg to take the Rams to the next level. Yet, they have the talent to do so and reaching the NCAA Tournament is a realistic and obtainable goal if they can manage to make it through the conference without too many stumbles. Who’s Out: Dominic Osei is the lone impact loss in the Bronx. The 6-5 forward was slowed over the last two seasons with a shin injury, but he still earned 12 starts during his senior campaign. Osei was never a prolific scorer, but he was a solid defender and would do the dirty work. Seldom used Dan Blaine and Demetrius Phillips will not be suiting up for the Rams in the 2007-2008 campaign. Who’s In: The Rams do not need any newcomers to make an impact, but they may have found somebody who can as a freshman. Mike Moore, a versatile 6-5 combo guard, is a quality scorer and can do a little a bit of everything. He will likely find himself down the bench a ways this year, but he has the ability to earn some quality minutes. Redshirt freshman Ryan Munson will add some depth on the wing, but is not expected to make a big contribution this year. Who to Watch: Marcus Stout is the star of the perimeter and averaged 15.3 points per game. He is a dangerous long range shooter and will use his quickness to get to the basket. Stout is also a pesky defender and, speaking of pesky defenders, point guard Kevin Anderson fits into that category as well. The 6-3 senior is not a prolific scorer, but he will efficiently find his teammates. Brenton Butler did not earn a start last year, but he is the most consistent shooter on the team and averaged 9.5 points per contest as a freshman. Butler may play the sharpshooter role off the bench again this year. Herb Tanner did not put up as good of numbers during his freshman campaign, but the 6-4 guard came on strong at the end of the year and will play a bigger role off the bench this season. Final Projection: Stout may be the go-to-guy on the perimeter, but there is some competition as the star of the team. Bryant Dunston, a 6-8 forward, averaged 14.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game last year. Now a senior, Dunston is expected to dominate the interior all around the A-10 even more than he did last year. Sebastian Greene complimented Dunston quite well last season and has developed into a solid contributor. At 6-7 Michael Binns has good size for a small forward and started 18 games last year, but he may be relegated to the bench when the team wants to play with a smaller, quicker lineup. With even more talent emerging like 6-5 forward Chris Bethel, Fordham does not lack the firepower and experience to make a run at the conference title. But neither do about a half dozen other teams in the A-10. Projected Post-season Tournament: none Projected Starting Five: Kevin Anderson, Senior, Guard, 3.7 points per game Marcus Stout, Senior, Guard, 15.3 points per game Michael Binns, Senior, Forward, 5.3 points per game Sebastian Greene, Senior, Forward, 9.5 points per game Bryant Dunston, Senior, Forward, 14.5 points per game
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Post by Copenhagen on Sept 3, 2007 11:21:40 GMT -5
2007-08 Duquesne Basketball Preview August 31st, 2007 Duquesne, Top 144 Previews By Joel Welser
Duquesne Dukes Overall Rank: #77 Conference Rank: #6 A-10 2006-07: 10-19, 6-10, 10th (t) 2006-07 postseason: none Last offseason Duquesne was dealing with a shooting tragedy. And while it will take more than just a year to get over the events, the Dukes are ready to play some basketball and quality basketball at that. Last year was a transition period while learning the running and pressing style of play employed by Coach Ron Everhart. The Dukes had 11 players average over ten minutes per game, but still Duquesne wore down late in the season. With nine of those players returning, a year of experience in the system and a group of talented newcomers headed to Pittsburgh, wearing down at the end of the year will not be a concern. However, integrating the style of play with the newcomers, it is unlikely Duquesne will run as much this year. Who’s Out: Scott Grote and Almamy Thiero were the only departures from the squad, until Robert Mitchell opted to transfer. Grote, who is transferring to Wright State, ranked fourth on the team with 9.9 points per game. The wing was a decent outside shooter, but was also the perimeter player who would get to the basket the most. Thierro only played in 15 games, but when he did play he was an effective rebounder. Mitchell earned A-10 Rookie of the Year accolades after averaging 16.4 points and 5.4 rebounds as a freshman. The 6-6 forward spent most of last season at the power forward spot, but would have likely moved to the starting three spot during the 2007-2008 campaign. Mitchell was the most prolific and consistent shooter from beyond the arc last season and his absence will be felt for a long time. Who’s In: What the Dukes lacked last season was rebounding. Shawn James, a transfer from Northeastern will certainly try his best to fix that. The 6-10 James averaged 12.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.5 blocks two years ago with the Huskies. The competition level is up from the America East, but James will make a huge impact on this team on both sides of the floor. Stuard Baldonado and Ricky Jackson have the size and experience to help bolster the rebounding numbers. Baldonado, a transfer from Miami Dade College, missed last season, but is expected to play a big role up front this year. Ricky Jackson had a brief stop over at Cloud County Community College in Kansas where he averaged 15.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. David Theis and walk-on Brandon Harris will add depth where the Dukes have not had depth in quite some time. The newcomers on the perimeter are led by Kojo Mensah. The transfer from Siena averaged 16.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists for the Saints during the 2005-2006 campaign. Besides the gaudy numbers, Mensah is a terrific defender and will thrive in the high pressure defensive schemes. Walk-on Lucas Newton will provide emergency depth at the point and Bill Clark is expected to develop into a solid scoring option on the wing. (Ed. Note: Duquesne also added Damian Saunders, a 6-7 forward out of Notre Dame Prep, after this preview went online). Who to Watch: Aaron Jackson did a fine job running the point last year, but the combo guard will likely spend most of his time on the wing this season with the addition of Mensah. Jackson is not the most consistent outside shooter around, but he can hit the long ball. After averaging 11.0 points per game last season, Jackson is expected to increase those numbers since he does not have to concentrate on the point guard position. Reggie Jackson, Gary Tucker, Phillip Fayne and Stephen Wood all started at least 11 games on the perimeter last year and bring a wealth of depth, experience and versatility to the perimeter. Final Projection: Kieron Achara will do a little position changing and will slide down to the power forward spot with the addition of center James. Achara averaged 15.8 points and 7.3 rebounds, but it his defensive presence that will have coaches in the A-10 reworking their game plans. Luckily for the Dukes, they had some depth and the absence of Robert Mitchell will not hurt as much as it could have, but it still hurts quite a bit. Projected Post-season Tournament: NIT Projected Starting Five: Kojo Mensah, Junior, Guard, DNP last season Phillip Fayne, Junior, Guard, 5.4 points per game Aaron Jackson, Junior, Guard, 11.0 points per game Kieron Achara, Senior, Forward, 15.8 points per game Shawn James, Junior, Center, DNP last season
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Post by thebonafan08 on Sept 3, 2007 18:03:30 GMT -5
Isn't this the same site that said we would finish 7th in the A10 with an NIT appearance in the 06-07 season?
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