Chn top 144

[MADXSTER]

http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/the-big-list-chns-2009-10-preview-index-167139

1 Kansas Jayhawks
2 Villanova Wildcats
3 Michigan State Spartans
4 North Carolina Tar Heels
5 Texas Longhorns
6 Kentucky Wildcats
7 West Virginia Mountaineers
8 Duke Blue Devils
9 Tennessee Vols
10 Purdue Boilermakers
11 Butler Bulldogs at Butler 12/19
12 Washington Huskies
13 Ohio State Buckeyes
14 Michigan Wolverines possible 2nd round matchup Old spice tourney
15 California Golden Bears
16 Dayton Flyers at Cintas 1/16, at Dayton 2/6
17 Georgetown Hoyas
18 Minnesota Gophers
19 UConn Huskies
20 Maryland Terrapins
21 Illinois fighting Illini
22 Clemson Tigers
23 Mississippi State Bulldogs
24 XAVIER MUSKETEERS
25 Kansas State Wildcats at Kansas State 12/8
26 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
27 Louisville Cardinals
28 Texas A&M Aggies
29 UCLA Bruins
30 South Carolina Gamecocks
31 Gonzaga Bulldogs
32 Ole Miss rebels
33 Memphis Tigers
34 Sienna Saints
35 Oklahoma State Cowboys
36 Wisconsin Badgers
37 Oklahoma Sooners
38 Tulsa Golden Hurricane
39 Florida Gators at Florida 2/13
40 Pittsburgh Panthers
41 Creighton Blue Jays possible 2nd round matchup Old Spice tourney
42 Arizona State Sun Devils
43 BYU Cougars
44 Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Wake 1/3
45 Seton Hall Pirates
46 Nevada Wolfpack
47 Vanderbilt Commodores
48 Old Dominion Monarchs
49 Missouri Tigers
50 Cincinnati Bearcats at Cintas 12/13
51 Utah State Aggies
52 Florida State Seminoles
53 Western kentucky Hilltoppers
54 Penn State Nittany Lions
55 LaSalle Explorers at LaSalle 1/7
56 Arizona Wildcats
57 Wright State Raiders
58 Baylor Bears
59 Northern Iowa Panthers
60 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
61 Richmond Spiders at Cintas 2/28
62 Utah Utes
63 LSU Tigers at Cintas 12/29
64 Virginia Tech Hokies
65 Niagara Purple Aces
66 George Mason Patriots
67 Syracuse Orange
68 Akron Zips
69 Duquesne Dukes at Cintas 1/28
70 Miami Hurricanes
71 Northwestern Wildcats
72 Bradley Braves
73 Arkansas Razorbacks
74 St John's Red Storm
75 New Mexico State Aggies
76 Illinois State Redbirds
77 Iowa State Cyclones
78 Virginia Cavaliers
79 Auburn Tigers
80 UTEP Miners
81 Marquette Golden Eagles at Orlando Florida 11/26 Old Spice tourney
82 Buffalo Bulls
83 VCU Rmas
84 Rider Broncs
85 UNLV Runnin Rebels
86 Oregon Ducks
87 UWM Panthers
88 Portland Pilots
89 Oregon State Beavers
90 New Mexico Lobos
91 St Louis Billikens at St Louis 2/24
92 Cornell Big Red
93 Boston College Eagles
94 Wichita State Shockers
95 St Joseph's Hawks at Cintas 2/17
96 Alabama Crimson Tide
97 Charleston Cougars
98 Providence Friars
99 North Texas Mean Green
100 Houston Cougars
101 Long Beach State 49ers
102 Northeastern Huskies
103 TCU Horned Frogs
104 Kent State Golden Flashes
105 Boise State Broncos
106 Weber State Wildcats
107 Nebraska Cornhuskers
108 Jacksonville Dolphins
109 Indiana Hoosiers
110 Binghamton Bearcats
111 Green Bay Phoenix
112 Sam Houston St Bearkats
113 Oakland Grizzlies
114 Rutgers Scarlet Knights
115 Temple Owls at Temple 1/20
116 Troy Trojans
117 Southern Illinois Salukis
118 Marshall Thundering Herd
119 NC State Wolf Pack
120 USC Trojans
121 Santa Clara Broncos
122 Mount St Mary's Mountaineers
123 Iowa Hawkeyes
124 Radford Highlanders
125 James Madison Dukes
126 Charlotte 49ers at Cintas 1/13, at Charlotte 2/20
127 IUPUI Jaguars
128 Bowling Green Falcons
129 Wyoming Cowboys
130 Texas Tech Red Raiders
131 Holy Cross Crusaders
132 Murray St racers
133 Vermont Catamounts
134 Rhode Island Rams at Xavier 1/23
135 Texas A&M Corpus Christi Islanders
136 UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
137 Indiana St Sycamores
138 Wolford Terriers
139 South Florida Bulls
140 Middle Tennessee St Blue Raiders
141 Washington St Cougars
142 South Carolina St Bulldogs
143 Fairfield Stags
144 Jackson State Tigers

[DoubleD86]

Wow....USC at #120. My how they have fallen off the map.

[MADXSTER]

Rhode Island Rams

Overall Rank: #134
Conference Rank: #10 Atlantic 10

2008-09: 23-11, 11-5
2008-09 postseason: NIT
Coach: Jim Baron (131-118 at Rhode Island, 337-320 overall)

Heading into the 2008-2009 season the expectations were relatively low for Rhode Island. But seniors Jimmy Baron and Kahiem Seawright stepped up their game and led the Rams to the NIT. Once again the expectations are low without those two and Coach Jim Baron will need a new class of seniors to step up and do what the younger Baron and Seawright did last season if they want to reach the postseason again.

Key Losses: G Jimmy Baron, F Kahiem Seawright


Key Newcomers:

The Rams will need to find some bodies to come in off the bench and their two newcomers could be a part of that. Guard Akeem Richmond does not have the three-point shooting ability to help replace Baron, but he is a smart combo guard who can knock down the mid-range jumper and handle the point as a backup when necessary. Forward Ryan Brooks may find it more difficult to find playing time in a crowded frontcourt, but he will help this team transition from a perimeter orientated group to a frontcourt orientated group.


Backcourt:

Without Baron knocking down three-pointers all day, this team has suddenly gone from a run and gun shoot ‘em up style to a slower tempo style of team. Baron hit 3.5 three’s a game and connected on an incredible 45.4 percent of his attempts. Keith Cothran will get more shots now after averaging 13.2 points per game last year, but Cothran is not going to hit the outside shot nearly as efficiently as Baron. The good news is Marquis Jones is back. The junior point guard dished out 4.0 assists per game and did a great job keeping the turnovers down considering how quickly this team moved up and down the floor last year.


Frontcourt:

Even without Seawright, who tallied 14.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game during his senior season, the Rams have plenty of talent in the frontcourt. Delroy James provided a spark off the bench last year and emerged as a dynamic scorer and rebounder. Lamonte Ulmer can score with his back to the basket and center Will Martell can clog the paint with the best of them. At 7-0 and 245 pounds, Martell was often left running back and forth trying to catch up to his teammates, but that should be different this year if Rhode Island does indeed slow down their tempo. Martell, who started 20 games a year ago, could be in for a huge junior campaign despite only averaging 5.3 points and 3.6 rebounds during the 2008-2009 season.


Who to Watch:

Jones and Cothran will be the most important players on the team this year. The frontcourt will be in good shape, but the Rams cannot get back to the postseason if Cothran does not score. In the meantime it will be Jones’ job to get everybody involved and slow down the tempo in situations when last year they would have pushed the ball forward and found Baron streaking down the wing and setting up for a three-pointer.


Final Projection:

Luckily, Jones is an experienced player who should be able to make the adjustments that the coaching staff want to make. However, the loss of Baron and Seawright is huge and the A-10 will be extremely tough this year. The Rams will win some big games, but they could lose quite a few as well when they have to play a string of difficult conference games. That means the Rams will not likely win 20 or more games again in 2009-2010.


Projected Post-season Tournament: none

Projected Starting Five:

Marquis Jones, Junior, Guard, 6.1 points per game
Keith Cothran, Senior, Guard, 13.2 points per game
Lamonte Ulmer, Senior, Forward, 7.7 points per game
Delroy James, Senior, Forward, 9.9 points per game
Will Martell, Junior, Center, 5.3 points per game

[MADXSTER]

Charlotte 49ers


Overall Rank: #126
Conference Rank: #9 Atlantic 10

2008-09: 11-20, 5-11
2008-09 postseason: none

Coach: Bobby Lutz (199-146 at Charlotte, 380-237 overall)


Charlotte was the model of inconsistency during the 2008-2009 campaign. This is a team that only won 11 games all year long, but three of those were against Mississippi State, Dayton and Xavier. How a team can beat Xavier one day and then lose to Richmond and George Washington within the next week is mind boggling. But if you unboggle your mind for a moment it is because the 49ers were plain awful on the road. Coach Bobby Lutz hopes a year of experience will change that.


Key Losses: F Charlie Coley, F Lamont Mack

Key Newcomers:

The newcomers will play a big role on this team, especially if the injury bug strikes again. Shamari Spears, a transfer from Boston College, and Chris Braswell will make a big impact up front. Spears averaged 9.6 points and 6.1 rebounds for the Eagles two years ago and will immediately help replace forwards Charlie Coley and Lamont Mack. At 6-8 and 260 pounds, Braswell has the size to battle in the paint with anybody and will be asked to play a lot of minutes at the five spot. Add fellow forwards K.J. Sherrill and Gokhan Sirin to the mix and the frontcourt has a lot of new and talented players.


Backcourt:

The backcourt has a couple new players as well, but more on them later. For now the group on the perimeter is led by DiJuan Harris. The 5-9 senior had an amazing campaign last season, averaging 9.0 points and 7.2 assists per game. By the end of the year Harris was dishing out ten assists per game. If Charlotte has a shooter returning, it is Ian Andersen. Andersen was second on the team in scoring with 9.7 points per game, but he epitomizes Charlotte’s struggles last year. Andersen took 7.4 three-pointers per game, but only connected on 35.5 percent of those attempts. Rashad Coleman, who started 17 games last season, is even worse when it comes to shooting, but he can get to the basket and help out on the glass.


Frontcourt:

An’Juan Wilderness and Charles Dewhurst both missed some time with injuries, but they can be productive players if healthy. Wilderness tallied 7.9 points per game and the 6-6 junior is an explosive athlete and can be very difficult for many opposing small forwards to defend. Phil Jones could emerge as a senior leader on this team. At 6-10 and 260 pounds, the center is certainly a presence under the basket. He probably will not play much more than 20 minutes per game again this year, but he is a solid rebounder, especially on the offensive end and that leads to some easy buckets and quick points. How much he has to play will depend on the development of Braswell. Ideally, Braswell will start and Jones will once again come in off the bench, but if Braswell is not ready to start, Jones should be capable of playing a few more minutes per game than he did last year.


Who to Watch:

The backcourt returns plenty of players, but they might not be playing as much this year due to the addition of redshirt freshman Shamarr Bowden and junior college transfer Derrio Green. Bowden is the player who can turn the awful three-point shooting around in a hurry and Green is an experienced player who can play either guard spot. It is too early to give either of those guys starting jobs, but the battles for playing time will be fierce at the shooting guard spot.


Final Projection:

Andersen is the player who could get pushed out of the mix despite being the team’s leading returning scorer. That shows how much talent this group can have if they can stay healthy and consistent. The newcomers are very talented and this is simply a group that needs to start believing they can win and stick with it game in and game out, whether it be at home or on the road.


Projected Post-season Tournament: none

Projected Starting Five:

DiJuan Harris, Senior, Guard, 9.0 points per game
Ian Andersen, Senior, Guard, 9.7 points per game
An’Juan Wilderness, Junior, Forward, 7.9 points per game
Shamari Spears, Senior, Forward, DNP last season
Phil Jones, Senior, Center, 7.3 points per game

[MADXSTER]

Temple Owls

Overall Rank: #115
Conference Rank: #8 Atlantic 10

2008-09: 22-12, 11-5
2008-09 postseason: NCAA

Coach: Fran Dunphy (55-43 at Temple, 365-216 overall)

Heading into the 2008-2009 season everybody was wondering how Temple would get along without superstar Mark Tyndale. Of course they had Dionte Christmas to take over the team and he did just that, leading the Owls back to the NCAA Tournament. But now Coach Fran Dunphy’s squad lacks that proven go-to-scorer, but there certainly are options.


Key Losses: G Dionte Christmas, G Semaj Inge, C Sergio Olmos

Key Newcomers:

Wings Rahlir Jefferson and Khalif Wyatt are not going to replace Christmas’ 19.5 points per game, but they will be asked to help out. Jefferson, a 6-5 Chester, Pennsylvania product, has the most potential. He is an extremely versatile player who will score around the basket, hit the glass hard and even handle the ball. When he is at the three spot, he will have an easy time dribbling around most defenders. Wyatt is a decent shooter who should provide a spark off the bench.


Backcourt:

Christmas is obviously the big loss on the perimeter, but point guard Semaj Inge is gone too. Yet, unlike Christmas, Inge has a replacement in the waiting. Juan Fernandez played the second half of his freshman season and did a great job off of the bench. The Argentinean dished out 2.7 assists per game while averaging under 20 minutes. He is a smart player who will keep the turnovers down. How well he does as a leader of this team remains to be seen, but Fernandez definitely has the tools to turn into a superstar. While Fernandez takes over the point guard duties, it will be up to Ryan Brooks to take over the team. The 6-4 senior tallied 10.6 points per game last year and it will be up to him to keep the defense stretched out with his outside shooting ability.


Frontcourt:

The now departed Sergio Olmos rarely put up big numbers, but he was a steady force under the basket and a menace on the defensive end of the floor. Despite the lack of flash, he still averaged 8.4 points per game and his departure leaves a gaping 7-0, 220 pound hole in the middle of the paint. Junior Craig Williams is a bulky 6-9 forward, but he is not as effective of a scorer as Olmos was, although the team’s rebounding, at least out of the frontcourt, should improve if Williams can handle more minutes without getting into too much foul trouble.


Who to Watch:

The frontcourt did find a star last year when Lavoy Allen emerged as a great scorer, rebounder and shot blocker. Allen averaged 10.9 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks as a sophomore and has room to grow. His offensive game is dynamic since he can score around the basket and step out and consistently hit the mid-range jumper. The question is how effective will he be without Olmos by his side? If Williams can improve or sophomore Michael Eric emerges as a scoring threat, Allen should put up good numbers. However, without a shot blocking threat like Olmos under the basket, Allen may not get the opportunity to block as many shots as he did last season.


Final Projection:

Temple could be a pretty good team if Coach Fran Dunphy can fill in some holes. Allen, Brooks and Fernandez are a good core to build around, but this Temple team needs to find two other starters and at least a couple players who can fill some minutes off the bench. Are the freshmen up to that job or are the sophomores ready to step up and play a much bigger role? In what promises to be a tough and tight Atlantic 10 conference, the Owls will not have much time to figure it out.


Projected Post-season Tournament: CBI/CIT

Projected Starting Five:

Juan Fernandez, Sophomore, Guard, 5.5 points per game
Ryan Brooks, Senior, Guard, 10.6 points per game
Rahlir Jefferson, Freshman, Forward, DNP last season
Lavoy Allen, Junior, Forward, 10.9 points per game
Craig Williams, Junior, Forward, 5.3 points per game

[MADXSTER]

St Joseph's Hawks

Overall Rank: #95
Conference Rank: #7 Atlantic 10

2008-09: 17-15, 9-7
2008-09 postseason: none

Coach: Phil Martelli (278-167 at Saint Joseph’s, 278-167 overall)

Saint Joseph’s was looking like a possible Atlantic 10 contender heading into mid-February, but then Coach Phil Martelli’s team lost seven of their last ten games, including a conference tournament loss to Temple. The Hawks, who had four players who averaged over 34 minutes per game, simply ran out of gas at the end of the year. Without their two best players returning, this is a team that needs to find some depth and fast.

Key Losses: G Tasheed Carr, F Ahmad Nivins

Key Newcomers:

This is a pretty good recruiting class, led by point guards Justin Crosgile and Carl Jones. Those two will be good players at some point, but how much they can contribute as freshmen remains to be seen. Jones is the more likely option to see major minutes as a freshman, but one of the two needs to turn into at least a serviceable backup point guard. The lone incoming freshman in the frontcourt is Carl Baptiste. He is a solid player, but will likely need some time to adjust to the level of play. The addition of 6-11 sophomore Todd O’Brien, a transfer from Bucknell, could be the best replacement for the departed Ahmad Nivins.


Backcourt:

Tasheed Carr was the team’s most consistent outside shooter and the leader on the floor, but his departure may not be as bad as it sounds. Garrett Williamson is a capable ball handler who actually led the team with 4.5 assists per game last year. At 6-5, Williamson is not your typical point guard, but he played there a lot last year and will do so again this season. More known for his defense, Williamson is emerging as an offensive threat and he might have to score even more this year. In the meantime, Darrin Govens will carry the load. Govens was inconsistent last season, but he still averaged 12.5 points per game. If his shot falls a little more consistently this year, he will be the team’s go-to-scorer.


Frontcourt:

Just like how Govens and Williamson need to step up to replace Carr on the perimeter, Idris Hilliard needs to try and replace Ahmad Nivins in the paint. Hilliard may not average 19.2 points and 11.8 rebounds like Nivins did during his senior campaign, but Hilliard is a very capable scorer and rebounder. He has sat back as an underclassman and complimented Nivins quite nicely, but now it is his time to shine. As a sophomore last year he averaged 9.2 points and 5.5 rebounds. Now that he will be the main focus under the basket, those numbers should improve dramatically.


Who to Watch:

However, part of the reason Hilliard was able to put up decent numbers is due to the fact that the opposition had to focus on Nivins. If Hilliard wants to turn into the next Nivins, somebody like Bryant Irwin needs to develop into a player who can compliment Hilliard just as well as he complimented Nivins. Irwin is just one of two players who had promising freshmen campaigns that need to step up as sophomores. Guard Chris Prescott only averaged 12.6 minute per game last year, but he might step into a starting role now.


Final Projection:

This group may lack a superstar, but Williamson, Govens and Hilliard are not a bad trio to build around. The bigger question is how well can the inexperienced underclassmen play this year? As was shown last year, the Hawks need more than five players if they want to be fresh in February and March and that means the newcomers need to contribute and Prescott and Irwin need to be ready to play major minutes.


Projected Post-season Tournament: CBI/CIT

Projected Starting Five:
Garrett Williamson, Senior, Guard, 6.1 points per game
Chris Prescott, Sophomore, Guard, 2.8 points per game
Darrin Govens, Senior, Guard, 12.5 points per game
Idris Hilliard, Junior, Forward, 9.2 points per game
Bryant Irwin, Sophomore, Forward, 3.1 points per game

[MADXSTER]

Saint Louis Billikens

Overall Rank: #91
Conference Rank: #6 Atlantic 10

2008-09: 17-17, 8-10
2008-09 postseason: none

Coach: Rick Majerus (34-29 at Saint Louis, 456-176 overall)

Saint Louis may lose their top two scorers from a team that struggled to an 8-10 conference record and few teams in the nation will be as young as the Billikens, but Coach Rick Majerus is bringing in his players and the recruiting should start paying off right now. There will certainly be growing pains, but this group has the potential to be a very deep and talented team. Now they just have to find a leader.

Key Losses: F Barry Eberhardt, G Tommie Liddell, G Kevin Lisch, C Brett Thompson


Key Newcomers:

Seven freshmen will be suiting up for the Billikens this year and all of them will get an opportunity to contribute and most of them have the talent to do just that. Redshirt freshman Femi John and Christian Salecich, who comes from the famed Australian Institute of Sport, could be starters and provide the outside shooting threat that this team needs. Fellow guards Justin Jordan and Jeff Reid will be in the mix as well. Cory Remekun and Jon Smith may need some time to adjust to life in the Atlantic 10, but Cody Ellis, another product of the Australian Institute of Sport, could be starting from day one.

Backcourt:

Despite all the newcomers, it is not like the Billikens have no players returning. Kwamain Mitchell had a great freshman campaign, averaging 11.0 points, 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals. Understandably his turnover numbers were a little high, but with a year in the system he should be better. The bigger question is if he is ready to emerge as a leader of this team despite being just a sophomore? Kyle Cassity and Paul Eckerle, if he can stay healthy, are also back. Cassity earned four starts as a freshman, but rarely showed off his stuff on the offensive end of the floor. With Kevin Lisch and Tommie Liddell gone, he could be in for a big season if he can hold off the freshmen.


Frontcourt:

The frontcourt returns both starters in Willie Reed and Brian Conklin. Reed tallied 7.7 points and 4.6 rebounds as a freshman. He is a decent scorer, but he still needs to add some bulk to his 6-9 frame if he expects to turn into a dominating force under the basket. Working on his free-throw shooting would not be a bad idea either. Conklin is not as explosive as Reed, but he is a tough 6-6 forward who has some leadership skills. After starting 29 games as a freshman, Conklin should be ready to become more aggressive offensively and in the rebounding department.


Who to Watch:

Obviously the newcomers are going to play a huge role on this team. Cassity may start at first, but his job is not safe, especially if Coach Rick Majerus wants to play big and have Ellis play the small forward position. That would certainly be an option, but it would leave little depth in the paint if Ellis does spend a lot of time at the three spot. It is more likely that somebody like John or Salecich will play a bigger role and the team runs three guards with Conklin, Reed and Ellis rotating under the basket.


Final Projection:

Eckerle is the only junior on the roster and he may miss some time with an injury. That leaves four sophomores, six incoming freshmen and one redshirt freshman. Eventually this will be a good team and that could happen by the time conference play begins in the 2009-2010 season. Last year’s recruiting class did a great job and there is no reason to expect anything less from this class. If somebody, preferably Mitchell, steps up and turns into a clutch leader, Saint Louis will be the surprise team in the A-10.


Projected Post-season Tournament: CBI/CIT

Projected Starting Five:

Kwamain Mitchell, Sophomore, Guard, 11.0 points per game
Femi John, Freshman, Guard, DNP last season
Kyle Cassity, Sophomore, Guard, 1.6 points per game
Brian Conklin, Sophomore, Forward, 6.1 points per game
Willie Reed, Sophomore, Forward, 7.7 points per game

[MADXSTER]

Marquette Golden Eagles

Overall Rank: #81
Conference Rank: #12 Big East

2008-09: 25-10, 12-6
2008-09 postseason: NCAA

Coach: Buzz Williams (25-10 at Marquette, 25-10 overall)

Coach Buzz Williams stepped into a great situation with a great group of players who were destined to make a run in the Big East and make the NCAA Tournament. Now it is time to rebuild and find out what Coach Williams and Marquette are really made of. The Golden Eagles have had to rebuild before, but this will be a monumental task.

Key Losses: F Dwight Burke, G Dominic James, G Wesley Matthews, G Jerel McNeal


Key Newcomers:

A very talented group of newcomers will help. Junior college transfers Dwight Buycks and Darius Johnson-Odom have some much needed collegiate experience and could both be starting from day one. Point guard Junior Cadougan is a top ten point guard in this class according to most recruiting pundits and forwards Jeronne Maymon and Erik Williams may end up being the best of the bunch when all is said and done. This group will also give the team some much needed size with the addition of 7-2 center Youssoupha Mbao.


Backcourt:

There is not much to speak of regarding returning backcourt players outside of Maurice Acker and he averaged just 2.8 points per game. However, Acker is a decent point guard who can take care of the ball. Wing Jimmy Butler averaged about 20 minutes game last year, but never started a game. The 6-6 junior was forced to play in the paint quite a bit and probably will be again this year, but he is a versatile player who could shine now that he will be given the opportunity to be a leader on the floor. David Cubillan could see his minutes drastically increase after finding himself pretty far down the depth chart over the last couple of years. The 6-0 senior will have to battle it out with the newcomers, but he is a decent player who was just stuck behind some of the best guards ever to suit up for Marquette.


Frontcourt:

Lazar Hayward is not only the star of the frontcourt, but of the entire team. He is the only returning starter and he should be in for a huge senior season after averaging 16.3 points and a team high 8.6 rebounds last year. At 6-6 he is undersized to play the five spot, or even the four for that matter, but he is a tough player who developed into a superb power forward. The problem is he will have a lot of trouble defending opposing centers in the Big East if he has to play the five spot a lot. That means a player like Chris Otule, a 6-10 sophomore who was slowed by injuries last year, needs to step up and at least be able to play some minutes at the center position. If Hayward is stuck there all the time, he will be far less effective.


Who to Watch:

Obviously the success or failure of this group depends on the newcomers. Is Cadougan ready to run the show? If not, can Acker or junior college transfers Buycks and Johnson-Odom pick up the slack? Only time will tell, but at least Marquette has some options on the perimeter. This group is not going to be Dominic James, Wesley Matthews and Jerel McNeal any time soon, or ever for that matter, so that puts more pressure on the frontcourt.


Final Projection:

The frontcourt could actually be pretty good if Williams and Maymon can live up to their hype. But that will probably take some time. In a few years this will be an NCAA Tournament team, but for now it looks more like an NIT team. Replacing four starters and three players who were four-year starters is going to take some time and that time will be measured in years, not months.


Projected Post-season Tournament: NIT

Projected Starting Five:

Maurice Acker, Senior, Guard, 2.8 points per game
Dwight Buycks, Junior, Guard, DNP last season
Jimmy Butler, Junior, Guard, 5.6 points per game
Lazar Hayward, Senior, Forward, 16.3 points per game
Chris Otule, Sophomore, Center, 1.3 points per game

[MADXSTER]

Duquesne Dukes

Overall Rank: #69
Conference Rank: #5 Atlantic 10

2008-09: 21-13, 9-7
2008-09 postseason: NIT

Coach: Ron Everhart (48-45 at Duquesne, 222-217 overall)

When Aaron Jackson was a freshman Duquesne went 3-24. During his senior campaign he led the Dukes to their first 20 win season in 28 years. Jackson was a huge part of the turnaround of the program and after averaging 19.3 points, 5.7 assists and 5.5 rebounds as a senior, he will certainly be missed. However, thanks to Jackson this team is still headed in the right direction.

Key Losses: G Aaron Jackson

Key Newcomers:

With only one major departure, none of the newcomers will be expected to contribute too much. Morakinyo Williams, a 7-0 center, is eligible after spending a little time at Kentucky. He is still raw, but his size alone makes him an intriguing prospect. Shooting guard Sean Johnson and forward Andre Marhold are the lone incoming freshmen and both will have the luxury of learning behind some talented players before they are asked to contribute major minutes.


Backcourt:

Jackson did so much that it will take a host of players to replace him. Jason Duty was a walk-on, but he was the team’s most consistent long range shooter and started all 34 games for the Dukes. Wings Bill Clark and Melquan Bolding also started a majority of the games last season. Clark is a good outside shooter who averaged 12.9 points per game. He is also a solid rebounder and a good passer. Bolding is not quite as effective of a shooter or as aggressive getting to the basket as Clark, but he was just a freshman last year and his best games were late in the season. Once again, those two will probably spend some time at the four spot. At 6-5, Clark is the better option to play the four spot, but that led to a lot of fouls. Bolding could be effective there as well if he can add some more strength during the offseason.


Frontcourt:

However, if all goes as planned in the frontcourt, Coach Ron Everhart might not have to play a wing at power forward as often this year, although this is a team that certainly does not mind playing small and running up and down the floor. Damian Saunders was the man under the basket last year and even he hit over one three-pointer per game. Saunders also added 13.1 points and a team high 7.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game. Oliver Lewinson showed some potential during his freshman campaign, but it is the hopeful return of Rodrigo Peggau that could turn the frontcourt into something special. Peggau only played in four games last year before suffering a knee injury. He is still just a freshman, but the Dukes have high hopes for the Brazilian.


Who to Watch:

Duquesne has enough shooters and scorers to replace Jackson’s scoring output, but somebody needs to handle the ball. The likely candidate is last year’s super sixth man Eric Evans. Evans tallied 9.8 points and 2.2 assists as a freshman without starting a single game. He will have some experienced players by his side to help out, but he will need to keep the offense moving smoothly if the Dukes hope to reach the NCAA Tournament.


Final Projection:

Even without Jackson, this should be a pretty good team. Coach Everhart has done a great job with this program and the group certainly does not lack the offensive firepower to compete with anybody in the Atlantic 10. As long as Evans can run the point without turning the ball over too much, this group will at least make it back to the NIT.


Projected Post-season Tournament: NIT

Projected Starting Five:

Eric Evans, Sophomore, Guard, 9.8 points per game
Jason Duty, Senior, Guard, 7.4 points per game
Melquan Bolding, Sophomore, Guard, 9.9 points per game
Bill Clark, Junior, Guard, 12.9 points per game
Damian Saunders, Junior, Forward, 13.1 points per game

[MADXSTER]

LSU Tigers

Overall Rank: #63
Conference Rank: #8 Southeastern Conference


2008-09: 27-8, 13-3
2008-09 postseason: NCAA

Coach: Trent Johnson (27-8 at LSU, 186-129 overall)

Coach Trent Johnson had a superb debut campaign with LSU during the 2008-2009 campaign, ending with an impressive 27-8 record and an even more impressive 13-3 record in Southeastern Conference play. Coach Johnson is a great leader, but he had some nice players to work with last year. That is not the case anymore and it will be a surprise if this young group can make it back to the NCAA Tournament.


Key Losses: C Chris Johnson, G Terry Martin, G Garrett Temple, F Marcus Thornton, F Quintin Thornton


Key Newcomers:

The Tigers only return two players who averaged more than ten minutes per game last year and that means the newcomers will have to be very involved. Shooting guard Aaron Dotson is the best of the two incoming freshmen and he could be starting right away. Even if he does not start, he will have to provide an offensive spark off the bench. Eddie Ludwig is the other incoming freshman, but he will be joined in the frontcourt by redshirt freshmen Garrett Green and Dennis Harris.


Backcourt:

The backcourt will really miss Marcus Thornton and Garrett Temple. Not only was Temple a quality ball handler, but he was also a versatile defender who would use his size and quickness to cover the best the SEC had to offer. But Temple was not much of a scorer and he left that to Thornton and Bo Spencer. Spencer is back to lead the backcourt after averaging 11.4 points per game last year. Spencer will do most of his damage from beyond the arc, where he shot 40.3 percent last season, but he has shown signs of becoming more aggressive and as he grows stronger he will get to the basket more often. Spencer is a decent ball handler, but if he is forced to spend too much time at the point, it might have a negative effect on his scoring output.


Frontcourt:

The lone experienced option returning up front is Tasmin Mitchell. The 6-7 senior ranked second on the team with 16.3 points per game and added 7.2 rebounds. The now departed Chris Johnson freed up a lot of space in the paint for Mitchell, but Mitchell is ready to make his own mark on this team with or without any help from the rest of the frontcourt. Mitchell’s ability to step outside and hit the outside shot makes him a dangerous power forward, but he has developed into more than a slasher who can shoot. Mitchell can back down weaker opponents and score around the basket and he might have to do a lot of that this year.


Who to Watch:

Spencer, Mitchell and the four freshmen are not the only players on this team. However, there are only four others and that will cause a big problem with depth if the freshmen are not ready to contribute or players like Chris Bass, Alex Farrer, Zach Kinsley and Storm Warren are not ready to step up and play a much bigger role. Bass, a sophomore point guard, rarely got the opportunity to play last year, but he is a quality ball handler. He may not score much, but as long as he finds Spencer and Mitchell without turning the ball over, he will be doing his job.


Final Projection:

The battle for playing time next to Mitchell will be intense. Warren has the most experience after averaging 2.0 points and 1.8 rebounds as a freshman last year, but this years freshmen have just as good of a shot of cracking the starting lineup. No matter who plays, this is a very inexperienced team that has a ton of holes to fill around Spencer and Mitchell.


Projected Post-season Tournament: NIT

Projected Starting Five:

Chris Bass, Sophomore, Guard, 0.8 points per game
Bo Spencer, Junior, Guard, 11.4 points per game
Aaron Dotson, Freshman, Guard, DNP last season
Tasmin Mitchell, Senior, Forward, 16.3 points per game
Storm Warren, Sophomore, Forward, 2.0 points per game

[MADXSTER]

I always find it interesting how far down the list some of the BCS schools are in this ranking and how high some of the 'not as familiar' named schools get on the list.

George Mason and Niagra are ahead of Syracuse.

UTEP ahead of Marquette

Indiana Hoosiers at 109

Troy and Marshall ahead of NC State and USC

[MADXSTER]

Richmond Spiders

Overall Rank: #61
Conference Rank: #4 Atlantic 10

2008-09: 20-16, 9-7
2008-09 postseason: CBI

Coach: Chris Mooney (57-70 at Richmond, 75-82 overall)

Richmond had high expectations heading into the 2008-2009 campaign, but those expectations were knocked down a bit when center Dan Geriot went out for the year with an injury. Still Coach Mooney managed to make the postseason and win 20 games. The absence of Geriot forced some younger frontcourt players into action and that will pay off big time this year.

Key Losses: F Jahron Giddings

Key Newcomers:

With only one departing player there was not much room for a recruiting class, but Coach Mooney picked up a couple decent backcourt players who fit well into his Princeton style offense. Darien Brothers is a quality combo guard who can score in bunches and Greg Robbins will add some more size to the group on the perimeter.


Backcourt:

Kevin Anderson and David Gonzalvez combined to averaged 32.6 points per game last year. Anderson, a 6-0 junior is turning into one of the best point guards in the conference. He certainly is not a pure point guard and his assist-to-turnover ratio could be better, and probably will be with a full year as a starter under his belt, but he does a superb job getting to the basket and finishing or finding his teammates. Gonzalvez is the shooter on the team and connected on an impressive 41.4 percent of his attempts from long range. With those two leading the way, the backcourt is in very good hands. However, there is more. Ryan Butler, a 6-7 wing, started 13 games last year and can give this team a spark off the bench or another scorer in the starting lineup.


Frontcourt:

It was Justin Harper who really stepped up with Geriot out for the year. As a sophomore, the 6-10 forward averaged 9.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and led the team in blocked shots. Harper should step into a full-time starting position this year and his ability to step outside and hit the three-pointer will open up plenty of space in the paint for Anderson to slash to the basket or for Geriot to back down a single defender. Small forward Kevin Smith started 35 games last year and should be a full-time starter yet again as a junior. Smith will not put up eye popping numbers, but he can do a little bit of everything and is the glue guy on this team. With Francis-Cedric Martel and Josh Duinker coming off of relatively successful freshmen campaigns, the frontcourt should have no problems with depth.


Who to Watch:

Even without Geriot this would be a good team. But with Geriot the Spiders can aim for an NCAA Tournament berth and an Atlantic 10 title. The 6-9 center led the team in scoring as a freshman and sophomore and is a solid rebounder. Geriot will compete for all-conference honors if he can stay healthy and that should not be a problem since Geriot has been practicing with the team since February.


Final Projection:

This should be a big year for Coach Mooney and his Richmond team, but the future looks just as bright. Even if the team cannot overcome teams like Dayton and Xavier, they could be on the cusp of the NCAA Tournament. But even a trip to the NIT is a step in the right direction and soon Richmond will be mentioned along with Xavier and Dayton as a perennial top team in the conference.


Projected Post-season Tournament: NIT

Projected Starting Five:

Kevin Anderson, Junior, Guard, 16.6 points per game
David Gonzalvez, Senior, Guard, 16.0 points per game
Kevin Smith, Junior, Forward, 4.7 points per game
Justin Harper, Junior, Forward, 9.2 points per game
Dan Geriot, Junior, Center, DNP last season

[MADXSTER]

LaSalle Explorers

Overall Rank: #55
Conference Rank: #3 Atlantic 10


2008-09: 18-13, 9-7
2008-09 postseason: none

Coach: John Giannini (71-79 at La Salle, 368-228 overall)

It is pretty fair to say that La Salle got snubbed out of a postseason berth last year. The team finished the season with 18 wins, but it was a first round loss to St. Louis in the Atlantic 10 tournament that seemed to keep the team out of the NIT. And then the CBI and the CIT just never called. The postseason drought should end this year with a wealth of experience returning.


Key Losses: F Vernon Goodridge, F Paul Johnson, G Darryl Partin


Key Newcomers:

The Explorers also have a great recruiting class, or at least one great recruit. Aaric Murray is one of the best center prospects in the nation according to most pundits and the 6-10, 250 pound Philadelphia, Pennsylvania product should make an immediate contribution. If he lives up to his potential, La Salle could forget about the NIT and shoot straight for the NCAA Tournament. Redshirt freshman Devon White will add more depth up front and guards Parrish Grant and T.T. Carey will give the team some much, much needed depth on the perimeter.

Backcourt:

The best two scorers on the team are Rodney Green and Kimmani Barrett. Green averaged an impressive 17.8 points, 3.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.9 steals last year. The 6-5 senior deserves to be mentioned among the best players in the conference and the best players in the city of Philadelphia. Green will not take that many three-pointers, but he can keep the opposition honest with his outside shot. Most of his scoring is done around the basket and usually the only way to stop the 6-5 point guard is to foul him. Barrett, a 6-6 wing, was second to Green in the scoring column last year averaging 11.8 points per game. Like Green, Barrett will use his size to hit the glass and get to the basket, but he can also hit the outside shot with relative consistency.


Frontcourt:

The frontcourt has to replace Vernon Goodridge, but picking up Murray should immediately help the frontcourt. While Murray adjusts to the collegiate life, Yves Mekongo Mbala will carry the load under the basket. The 6-7 senior turned into a consistent scorer last year and led the team with 6.0 rebounds per contest. And he can even step outside and hit the three-pointer every once in a while. With the opposition worrying about Murray under the basket, Mekongo Mbala should get plenty of open looks outside the paint and he can knock those shots down. Jerrell and Terrell Williams both started at least a few games last year and the 6-8 juniors are ready to take on a bigger role when necessary.


Who to Watch:

The biggest question on this team is who is going to run the point. Green is certainly capable of doing it and it is never a bad thing to have the ball in the hands of your best player, but he would be more effective off the ball. The other option is Ruben Guillandeaux. Guillandeaux is not a true point guard either, but he did average 3.1 assists and just 1.7 turnovers last year. The 6-5 senior is also the team’s best outside shooter and knocked down nearly 35 percent of his attempts.


Final Projection:

No matter who brings the ball up the floor, La Salle is a big team on the perimeter. Guillandeaux and Green are both 6-5 and Barrett is 6-6. Most A-10 teams had a tough time guarding those three guys. The biggest problem this team will run into is depth on the perimeter. Darryl Partin transferred leaving just about nobody left. That means the freshmen better be ready to contribute or Green, Guillandeaux and Barrett will be playing about 35 minutes per game.


Projected Post-season Tournament: NIT

Projected Starting Five:

Ruben Guillandeaux, Senior, Guard, 10.1 points per game
Rodney Green, Senior, Guard, 17.8 points per game
Kimmani Barrett, Senior, Guard, 11.8 points per game
Yves Mekongo Mbala, Senior, Forward, 10.4 points per game
Aaric Murray, Freshman, Center, DNP last season

[MADXSTER]

Cincinnati Bearcats

Overall Rank: #50
Conference Rank: #8 Big East Conference


2008-09: 18-14, 8-10
2008-09 postseason: none

Coach: Mick Cronin (42-52 at Cincinnati, 111-76 overall)


In Mid-February it looked like Cincinnati was finally going to go back to the NCAA Tournament. But then the team fell apart, culminating in an embarrassing loss to DePaul in the opening round of the conference tournament. And that was the end of the season for the Bearcats who did not end up going to any postseason tournament.


Key Losses: F Alvin Mitchell, F Mike Williams


Key Newcomers:

However, the future is promising thanks to the addition of incoming freshmen Lance Stephenson. The 6-5 small forward is one of the best incoming freshmen in the nation and will immediately help the offense. He does a superb job attacking the basket and will finish above the rim with some amazing dunks. The other impact newcomer is Ibrahima Thomas, a transfer from Oklahoma State. He will be eligible after the fall semester and will give the team another big body under the basket. There are a few other players who will have to work a little harder to find some playing time. Sean Kilpatrick, Jaquon Parker, Eddie Tyree, Cashmere Wright and Alex Eppensteiner will all be suiting up for Cincinnati this season.


Backcourt:

How effective the Bearcats can be on the wings will go a long way in determining their success this year. Dion Dixon is a good athlete who can score in a hurry. He is a decent shooter, but he does most of his damage getting to the basket. It is Larry Davis, the probable starter at the two guard spot, who is the more dangerous outside shooter. Davis rarely attacks the basket and might be better suited to come in off the bench as a sharpshooter, but he does add something that Stephenson cannot with his outside shooting. In any event, Davis, Dixon and Stephenson all bring something different to the table and should give a scoring punch to the wings that the team lacked last season.


Frontcourt:

The frontcourt lost a couple contributors, but there are more than enough returning players, not to mention the newcomers, to make this a quality unit. Yancy Gates had a great freshman campaign, tallying 10.6 points and a team high 6.1 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per contest. At 6-9 and 260 pounds, Gates is an intimidating presence under the basket and once Thomas is eligible, Cincinnati will always have a major presence in the paint. Rashad Bishop started 30 games last year and will do the dirty work under the basket. He averaged 5.4 points and 4.0 rebounds as a sophomore and should be a nice compliment to Gates. Steve Toyloy is another experienced big man and Anthony McClain and Darnell Wilks are both upperclassmen now who should be ready to contribute more efficiently.


Who to Watch:

The wings will be better this year and the frontcourt has scoring options, but there is no doubt that the star of this team is Deonta Vaughn. The 6-1 senior led the team with 15.2 points and 4.7 assists and should be in for a huge senior season. If all goes well, Vaughn’s scoring output will go down a little bit as others step up, but he still is the leader of this team and it will be his job to find the scorers and take care of the ball. And when the team needs a big shot, it will be Vaughn taking it.


Final Projection:

Cincinnati has not reached the NCAA Tournament under Coach Mick Cronin and the fans are starting to mumble. However, this team has the talent to make it, led by Vaughn. However, this is the Big East and it is difficult for any team to have a .500 record in conference play. If the Bearcats end up at 8-10 yet again, it might mean another trip to the NIT.


Projected Post-season Tournament: NIT


Projected Starting Five:

Deonta Vaughn, Senior, Guard, 15.2 points per game
Larry Davis, Junior, Guard, 6.8 points per game
Lance Stephenson, Freshman, Forward, DNP last season
Rashad Bishop, Junior, Forward, 5.4 points per game
Yancy Gates, Sophomore, Forward, 10.6 points per game

[MADXSTER]

Florida Gators

Overall Rank: #39

Conference Rank: #6 Southeastern Conference


2008-09: 25-11, 9-7
2008-09 postseason: NIT

Coach: Billy Donovan (310-126 at Florida, 345-146 overall)


Florida has spent the last two years in the NIT. That is not what most expected even with the mass exodus following back to back national championships. And this is a group that will have to rely on some youngsters if they want to make it back to the NCAA Tournament. Once again the talent is there, but the Gators need to play better defense if they want to make it back to the big stage.


Key Losses: G Nick Calathes, F Allan Chaney, G Walter Hodge


Key Newcomers:

A few newcomers will make an immediate impact on this team. Vernon Macklin, a transfer from Georgetown, will give the team a true post player and that is great news for the rest of the frontcourt who can now spend a majority of their time playing in their natural positions. Incoming freshman Erik Murphy is a versatile 6-10 forward who will give the Gators plenty of depth in the frontcourt. Adam Allen is also back after missing last season and averaging 4.0 points per game as a freshman. Those guys will bolster the frontcourt, but the player who has the program buzzing is Kenny Boynton. The 6-2 guard will score in just about every way possible and should find himself starting from day one.


Backcourt:

Boynton will help take some of the burden off of Erving Walker. Walker, a 5-8 sophomore, tallied 10.1 points and 2.4 assists last year and that was mostly off of the bench. Now Walker has to take over the point guard duties from the departed Nick Calathes and turn into a leader. He certainly has the ability to take this team over with his consistent outside shooting and his ability to get to the basket. Ray Shipman is the other returning perimeter player. The 6-5 sophomore showed plenty of potential during the 2008-2009 campaign, but he needs to find some more consistency on his outside shot before he will turn into a quality scorer.


Frontcourt:

Dan Werner, Chandler Parsons and Alex Tyus started a majority of the games in the frontcourt last year and all three of them are back. Wener is a tall small forward who, at 6-8, can shoot over most opposing players. Parsons is also a decent outside shooter, but he does most of his damage attacking the basket. And, with the addition of Macklin, Parsons might be the odd man out as far as the starting lineup is concerned. Kenny Kadji is yet another sophomore who had a decent freshman season. He only averaged 12.5 minutes per game, but Kadji is a big body who can grab rebounds and block shots.


Who to Watch:

Tyus had to play the five spot most of last season and he is best suited to be a power forward. Still he averaged 12.5 points per game and led the team in rebounding and blocked shots. If Macklin can make the impact that most Florida fans hope, without getting into too much foul trouble and if Kadji can play about 20 minutes per game, Tyus will be able to spend almost all of his time at the four spot and that means the 6-8 junior will have a great year.


Final Projection:

The frontcourt is very underappreciated. If Parsons, who averaged 9.2 points and 5.7 rebounds as a sophomore, is coming off the bench, that is some quality depth at Coach Billy Donovan’s disposal. The rebounding issues of a year ago will be gone and Walker and Boynton will give the backcourt plenty of scoring punch. That leaves it up to the defense as the difference between an NCAA appearance and another disappointing trip to the NIT.


Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA


Projected Starting Five:

Erving Walker, Sophomore, Guard 10.1 points per game
Kenny Boynton, Freshman, Guard, DNP last season
Dan Werner, Senior, Forward, 8.9 points per game
Alex Tyus, Junior, Forward, 12.5 points per game
Vernon Macklin, Junior, Center, DNP last season

[MADXSTER]

Kansas State

Overall Rank: #25
Conference Rank: #3 Big 12 Conference

2008-09: 22-12, 9-7
2008-09 postseason: NIT

Coach: Frank Martin (43-24 at Kansas State, 43-24 overall)

Once again Coach Frank Martin led Kansas State to a 20 win season, but unlike his first season with the Wildcats, the 2008-2009 team failed to reach the NCAA Tournament. With four starters returning and a very talented group of newcomers, another 20 win season is on the horizon, but KSU will need some newcomers to step up and contribute if those 20 wins are going to result in a trip to the big dance.

Key Losses: F Ron Anderson, G Buchi Awaji, G Fred Brown, F Darren Kent


Key Newcomers:

The incoming freshmen are a good group, but Curtis Kelly, a transfer from Connecticut, might make the biggest impact this season. Kelly never saw too much playing time with the Huskies, but he is a very talented athlete who is still full of potential. Of the incoming freshmen it is power forward Wally Judge who will make the biggest impact. Judge is one of the most highly touted big men in the nation and he will push the returning starters for minutes and even a starting job. Seven-footer Jordan Henriquez-Roberts will need some time to adjust to life in the Big 12, but the frontcourt now has plenty of depth. Wing Rodney McGruder highlights the group on the perimeter which includes point guards Martavious Irving and Nick Russell.


Backcourt:

The newcomers will provide some depth, but the starters on the perimeter are set with the return of Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen. Clemente exploded onto the national scene last year with some high scoring games, but he was quite inconsistent. Still he averaged 15.0 points per game and led the squad with 3.5 assists. Pullen was right behind Clemente in both categories, tallying 13.9 points and 3.2 assists. Both are quality, albeit streaky, outside shooters who can also use their size to get to the basket. With a couple of experienced scorers who can handle the ball leading the way, the backcourt will be very strong even if it takes the newcomers a little time to come around.


Frontcourt:

Replacing Ron Anderson and Darren Kent should not be much of a problem thanks to Kelly and Judge. However, those two might start the season on the bench in favor of Dominique Sutton, Jamar Samuels and Luis Colon. Sutton started 32 games during the 2008-2009 campaign and should return to his starting job at the small forward position. Sutton is only 6-5, but he is a quality rebounder and that is why this team will remain strong on the glass. Samuels was often left out of the starting lineup as a freshman, but he played about as many minutes as any of the other forwards and has the potential to turn into a dominating scorer and the team’s best shot blocker. The big man under the basket is Luis Colon. Colon is not much of a scorer, but he is a big body who can eat up space and grab some boards.


Who to Watch:

The transfer of Fred Brown could end up being the undoing of the Wildcats. Brown provided a spark off the bench and was easily the team’s most consistent outside shooter. Now that job will likely fall to McGruder or Russell and relying on the freshmen to play that role, not to mention a large majority of the backup minutes for Clemente and Pullen, could turn into a big problem.


Final Projection:

Coach Martin has done a great job during his two years at KSU. Last season the team just lacked consistency and ended on a bad stretch. Part of the problem is a lack of a true point guard and just some plain bad luck. Clemente and Pullen are experienced enough to lead this team through the tough times and back to the NCAA Tournament.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA


Projected Starting Five:
Jacob Pullen, Junior, Guard, 13.9 points per game
Denis Clemente, Senior, Guard, 15.0 points per game
Dominique Sutton, Junior, Forward, 7.5 points per game
Jamar Samuels, Sophomore, Forward, 8.3 points per game
Wally Judge, Freshman, Forward, DNP last season

[MADXSTER]

Xavier Musketeers

Overall Rank: #24
Conference Rank: #2 Atlantic 10 Conference

2008-09: 27-8, 12-4
2008-09 postseason: NCAA

Coach: Chris Mack (First year at Xavier, 0-0 overall)


Xavier lost their top three scorers and their coach. However, the Musketeers have proven that they are a quality team year in and year out. This will probably be the season they fail to win the Atlantic 10 conference, but that will not take them out of the NCAA Tournament picture. In fact, the A-10 is poised for a big year and Xavier should be dancing yet again.


Key Losses: G C.J. Anderson, F Derrick Brown, G B.J. Raymond

Key Newcomers:

The biggest problem for new head coach Chris Mack will be depth. Jordan Crawford, a transfer from Indiana, started eight games and averaged 9.7 points for the Hoosiers during the 2007-2008 campaign…and that was when IU was good. Crawford is a dynamic scorer who can hit the long ball consistently and use his 6-5 frame to attack the basket. Redshirt freshman point guard Mark Lyons missed last year as a partial qualifier and will compete for the starting point guard spot. The lone incoming freshman is power forward Jeff Robinson who will be given the opportunity to compete for minutes off the bench.


Backcourt:

Few teams in the nation had as talented and versatile wings as B.J. Raymond and C.J. Anderson. Those two are huge losses, but with Crawford eligible and Dante Jackson returning, the wings are in good shape. Jackson, who led the team last year with 2.7 assists per game, is a solid outside shooter. Now the 6-5 junior needs to get more aggressive around the basket and use his size much like Raymond and Anderson did last year to finish in the paint. Terrell Holloway split starts with Jackson last year and should be ready to battle it out with Lyons for the starting point guard spot, allowing Jackson to play on the wing. Holloway was inconsistent as a freshman last year and he has to cut down on the turnovers if he expects to be in the starting lineup.


Frontcourt:

Jason Love and Kenny Frease are the most experienced frontcourt players. Love started all 35 games last season and averaged 6.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per contest. At 6-9 and 265 pounds, Love can handle either the power forward or center position. That would leave room for seven-footer Kenny Frease to start under the basket. Frease only averaged 14.6 minutes per game as a freshman, but he was very productive when he was on the floor. Most of his offense will come off of offensive rebounds, but his defensive presence alone is enough to consider him for a starting job as long as he can stay out of foul trouble.


Who to Watch:

Jamel McLean might want that starting spot though. The 6-8 power forward is very strong on the glass and always plays with a contagious intensity that is invaluable to the Musketeers. With Robinson, who was headed to Purdue at one point, heading into the program, the frontcourt depth should not be much of an issue. If Lyons or Holloway can manage the point guard duties, the backcourt should not lack in depth either. Brad Redford had a fine freshman campaign and knocked down 46.5 percent of his attempts from long range. If he can keep that up, Redford will provide a great spark off the bench.


Final Projection:

This is a pretty young team. A lot of the impact players were just freshmen last year and they need to grow with the team and adapt to Coach Mack, which should not be much of an issue since nobody knows Xavier basketball as well as Mack, who has served as an assistant under Coach Skip Prosser and Coach Sean Miller at Xavier. This will not be a dominating team, but they will be next year and for many years to come.


Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA


Projected Starting Five:

Terrell Holloway, Sophomore, Guard, 5.5 points per game
Dante Jackson, Junior, Guard, 6.6 points per game
Jordan Crawford, Sophomore, Guard, DNP last season
Jason Love, Senior, Forward, 6.7 points per game
Kenny Frease, Sophomore, Center, 5.4 points per game

[D-West & PO-Z]

That the second time I have seen a projected starting lineup with Love and Frease in it. I am sure they will play together at times which I would enjoy but I still think that McLean will start at the 4 with Love at the 5.

[MADXSTER]

I have heard whispers that Love has lost weight for two reasons...1) to be more effective running the floor with all of these guards and 2) to transition over to the PF position more often to let Kenny get more playing time. If Kenny gets into foul trouble then Love can play center.

Of the three players, Love, Frease, McLean which two would you want getting the most playing time? Plus this gives McLean an experienced quality backup.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I have heard whispers that Love has lost weight for two reasons...1) to be more effective running the floor with all of these guards and 2) to transition over to the PF position more often to let Kenny get more playing time. If Kenny gets into foul trouble then Love can play center.

Of the three players, Love, Frease, McLean which two would you want getting the most playing time? Plus this gives McLean an experienced quality backup.

For the very reason you stated about the guards running the floor I would want to see Love and McLean get the most playing time out of those 3.

[MADXSTER]

Robinson has a lot learn but he can run the floor as well.

Typically you don't need 5 guys running the floor all game long. Frease needs to develop and this just might be the best thing for him. Frease will become a force in the half court offense it's just a matter of will it happen this year or next year. Jason being out on the floor at the same time as Frease could really benefit big Kenny. Almost like having a coach out there with you.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Robinson has a lot learn but he can run the floor as well.

Typically you don't need 5 guys running the floor all game long. Frease needs to develop and this just might be the best thing for him. Frease will become a force in the half court offense it's just a matter of will it happen this year or next year. Jason being out on the floor at the same time as Frease could really benefit big Kenny. Almost like having a coach out there with you.

Ya I agree that Kenny will be much improved.

I definitely want to see them both in there at times together but I would think in the half court offense both of them in there might clog stuff up in the middle for both of them. They are both back to the basket type scorers who need to recieve the ball on the low block and could potentially get in each others way.

[MuskieCinci]

When Kenny and Jason are both on the floor we better have some shooters on the perimeter to extend the defense and clear things up for the guys inside. I would think a line up of Holloway, Redford, and Crawford would be the most common to complement Love and Freeze.

[MADXSTER]

Dayton Flyers

Overall Rank: #16
Conference Rank: #1 Atlantic 10 Conference

2008-09: 27-8, 11-5
2008-09 postseason: NCAA

Coach: Brian Gregory (125-68 at Dayton, 125-68 overall)

In the 2009 NCAA Tournament Coach Brian Gregory and his Dayton squad knocked off West Virginia in the first round before running into a tough Kansas team. With just one impact player gone, the Flyers will look towards the Sweet Sixteen or even better this time around. And they certainly have the weapons to make such a deep run in March.

Key Losses: F Charles Little


Key Newcomers:

The now departed Charles Little averaged 8.2 points and 4.1 rebounds during his senior season. He is the only player that the Flyers need to replace. A few returning players will be in the mix, but so will a couple newcomers. Josh Benson was a very highly touted recruit coming out of high school, but missed all of last season with an injury. Benson is healthy now after a relatively long rehab process and should turn into the player everybody expected as long as he can stay healthy. The lone incoming freshman is another big man. Matt Kavanaugh is physically ready to play against anybody which is rare for a young player. If he can remain poised, he should be in regular rotation.

Backcourt:

This is a backcourt that has an amazing amount of weapons. Marcus Johnson is the most consistent scorer who can do damage inside and out. Chris Johnson lacked consistency during his freshman campaign, but the 6-6 wing is a great rebounder and should turn into a better scorer as his career progresses. Like Chris Johnson, Rob Lowery also spent much of the year coming in off the bench. Lowery was fourth on the team in scoring, but it is his ability to find his teammates that makes him so dangerous. Add the versatile Mickey Perry and Paul Williams, who struggled with injuries as a freshman, to the mix and Dayton will never be lacking in weapons on the perimeter.

Frontcourt:

But despite all those talented weapons on the perimeter, it is forward Chris Wright who makes this team so special. The 6-8 junior led the squad with 13.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. Wright started at the small forward position last year, but he certainly has the size and skill to run the floor at the four spot if replacing Little becomes a problem. However, Dayton hopes the newcomers and promising sophomore Luke Fabrizius and the more experienced Devin Searcy can handle most of the minutes at the four spot. There are no questions about the center position. Kurt Huelsman rarely puts up big numbers, but the 6-10 senior has spent the last three years doing the dirty work under the basket for this team and his importance may go unappreciated, but he is the glue guy on this team.

Who to Watch:

And it is London Warren who is the guy who makes this team go. Warren will not score very much, but he does not need to on this team. He needs to find his teammates and play great defense and that is exactly what he has done and will continue to do. Last year he dished out 4.4 assists per game and only turned the ball over 1.9 times. He was also named to the conferences All-Defensive Team.

Final Projection:

If there is a year that Dayton is going to beat out Xavier for the A-10 crown, this is it. The conference is good enough for both teams to make the NCAA Tournament, but the Flyers are the most experienced and deepest team in the conference and they want to show the nation that they are here to stay. A conference title and a run to the Sweet Sixteen should prove it.


Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA

Projected Starting Five:

London Warren, Senior, Guard, 4.1 points per game
Marcus Johnson, Senior, Guard, 11.8 points per game
Chris Wright, Junior, Forward, 13.3 points per game
Josh Benson, Freshman, Forward, DNP last season
Kurt Huelsman, Senior, Center, 3.6 points per game

[SixFig]

Laughed my butt off at this analysis. Huelsman is the glue guy? More like the glue sniffing guy.

[MADXSTER]

Butler Bulldogs

Overall Rank: #11
Conference Rank: #1 Horizon League

2008-09: 26-6, 15-3
2008-09 postseason: NCAA

Coach: Brad Stevens (56-10 at Butler, 56-10 overall)

Coach Brad Stevens has lost a grand total of ten games during his two years at Butler. That average of five losses per season could become even more impressive after year three. The Bulldogs return absolutely everybody from a team that was given a nine seed in the NCAA Tournament and lost in the first round to LSU.

Key Losses: none

Key Newcomers:

With nine players back who averaged ten minutes per game or more, it will be difficult for the newcomers to make much of an impact. However, the Bulldogs could always use some more size and Andrew Smith and Emerson Kampen should provide just that. Smith, a true freshman, is 6-11 and 239 pounds, making him the biggest player on the roster and Kampen, a walk-on who turned down scholarship offers from other schools, is 6-9. The other newcomer is redshirt guard Chase Stigall who could be a steady contributor in the future.

Backcourt:

Starters Shelvin Mack and Ronald Nored were big surprises for Butler during the 2008-2009 campaign. Nobody really expected the freshmen to step in and immediately be so productive. Mack is the more dynamic scorer of the two after averaging 11.9 points per game. His outside shooting was a little inconsistent at times, but Mack was still second on the team with 1.8 three-pointers per contest. Just as importantly, Mack dished out 3.5 assists and grabbed 4.4 rebounds per game. Nored started all 32 games, but he averaged just 4.2 points per game. He is a solid ballhandler and will only get better with experience. The elder statesman of the backcourt is Willie Veasley. The 6-3 senior is a versatile glue guy who averaged 8.9 points and 4.3 rebounds last season.

Frontcourt:

The frontcourt has two superstars if you count Gordon Hayward as a frontcourt player. The 6-9 wing was yet another freshman who exceeded expectations and tallied 13.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game and proved to be a superb outside shooter. His presence made things much easier for Matt Howard, who was named the Horizon League’s Player of the Year last season and Newcomer of the Year two years ago. During the 2008-2009 campaign Howard led the team with 14.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. Howard will be the go-to-scorer once again, but that may change as the rest of the team gets more experienced. With Avery Jukes and Garrett Butcher joining the newcomers, the frontcourt has more than enough depth.

Who to Watch:

However, depth in the backcourt is a minor issue. Since Nored is not much of a scorer, somebody needs to step up and provide a spark off the bench. Zach Hahn did a decent job of filling that role last year, connecting on 41.0 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc, but Shawn Vanzant and Grant Leiendecker both have the potential to play a significant role if they can score more consistently.

Final Projection:

There is nothing stopping this team from winning 25 games again. The Horizon League is not too bad, so they might not cruise through the conference, but Butler fans should hope their conference can do better as a whole this time around or Butler will once again lose just a handful of games and then be stuck with an eight or nine seed when they deserve a three or four seed.


Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA


Projected Starting Five:

Shelvin Mack, Sophomore, Guard, 11.9 points per game
Ronald Nored, Sophomore, Guard, 4.2 points per game
Willie Veasley, Senior, Guard, 8.9 points per game
Gordon Hayward, Sophomore, Forward, 13.1 points per game
Matt Howard, Junior, Forward, 14.8 points per game

[MADXSTER]

That's a tough OOC schedule. Xavier plays away against the four toughest teams on the schedule.

At Butler
At Dayton
At Kansas State
At Florida