News from around the HL

[Raider Country]

Butler expects to pick up where they left off
10/19/2007
Andrew Skwara
Rivals.com College Basketball Staff Writer

Rivals.com has selected the top 25 storylines for the 2007-08 college basketball season and will be releasing articles daily, counting down from No. 25 to No. 1. The No. 18 storyline deals with Butler's fourth new coach in 10 seasons. The Bulldogs promoted assistant Brad Stevens with hopes he can match the success their previous coaches have produced.
Don't bother asking new Butler coach Brad Stevens what kind of adjustments he has planned. There are none.

What about the differences between Stevens - who at 30 is the second-youngest coach in Division I - and his predecessor, Todd Lickliter? Other than longer practices, the players haven't noticed any yet.

Butler's schedule even bares an uncanny resemblance to last season's, with another tough nonconference slate that includes Ohio State, Southern Illinois, Florida State and Bradley. The Bulldogs also are part of a strong field in the Great Alaska Shootout that features Gonzaga, Michigan, Texas Tech, Virginia Tech and Western Kentucky.

"Ever since we finished putting it together, we really quit looking at it," Stevens said of the schedule. "It's just another reason why we can only worry about today. Our approach remains the same in every facet."

Stevens can't be blamed for his fear of change. He spent the past six years as a Butler assistant. In that time, the Bulldogs have gone 131-61 and made two Sweet 16 appearances. Last season, the Bulldogs became the first Horizon League team to climb into the top 10 of The Associated Press top 25, thanks to victories over Notre Dame, Indiana, Gonzaga, Tennessee and Purdue. The Bulldogs won a school-record 29 games and reached the Sweet 16, where they lost to eventual national champion Florida.

"I buy into what Butler is all about," said Stevens, who still talks with Lickliter regularly. "We'll roll with that."

It's that perspective, coupled with Stevens' background, that landed him at the helm of one of the nation's premier mid-major programs. Butler athletic director Barry Collier, a former coach at Butler and Nebraska, could have picked someone with better credentials. Stevens has no head-coaching experience. But in a meeting soon after Lickliter took the job at Iowa, the players made it abundantly clear they didn't want anyone from the outside taking over the reins.

"It was a very scary week (when Lickliter left)," senior swingman Drew Streicher said. "You felt like your dad was taken away from you. We met with (Collier), and all the players told him we wanted someone from within the program. We all came to Butler to play a certain style and to be part of a certain culture. A lot of us would have been disappointed if one of the assistants didn't get the job.

"I think everybody was relieved when we found out Coach Stevens was the choice. Being a Butler guy and knowing the system – we're very grateful for that, and in the end I think it worked out."

The style that Streicher refers to revolves around remarkable offensive efficiency and a stingy defense. The Bulldogs committed just 9.5 turnovers a game last season, lowest in the nation. They also gave up 57.1 points a game, which ranked fifth in the nation.

But what about playing for a coach who is just six years older than the team's oldest player, 24-year-old senior guard Julian Betko? Streicher says Stevens' pedigree – he also spent a year working under Ohio State coach Thad Matta (who was at Butler for one season in 2000-01) as the school's director of basketball operations – and his relentless work ethic override any doubts about youth or inexperience.

"It's obviously strange when you think about it (his age), but when you are out there playing, you don't think about that," Streicher said. "I really don't notice it. (Coach Stevens) is a tireless worker, and we know he'll do everything in his power to make us the best team we could be. He's coached under some great coaches and been part of a system that has been successful.

"Also, I enjoy how young our coach is. It makes it real easy to relate to each other."

Stevens faces higher expectations than either Matta or Lickliter did in their first years at Butler. He inherits a veteran-laden roster that is fully capable of returning to the NCAA Tournament and doing more damage once there.

Five seniors who were part of last year's rotation are back, including the two most important. Guards Mike Green and A.J. Graves form one of the nation's best backcourts. Graves averaged 19.6 points per game against the six BCS-league schools the Bulldogs played last season and shot 94.8 percent (145-for-153) from the free-throw line, which ranked second in the nation. The 6-foot-1 Green led the team in rebounding (6.0 per game) and assists (4.0) and ranked second in scoring (13.9 points) and steals (1.3).

Stevens believes Green and Graves could put up better numbers in 2007-08.

"Mike and A.J. are both better guys than they are players," he said. "And they are really good players. They are a blast to be around and really take being a great teammate seriously. Both of them went through internships this summer, but they worked really hard on their games. When they came back in August, you could tell they had made themselves better."

It looks like 3-point specialist Pete Campbell could give Butler a third major scoring threat. Campbell saw limited action during the first month last season, but scored in double figures in 14 of 15 games during one stretch. Streicher (4.0 points per game) and Betko (4.3 points per game) are experienced role players who each averaged 20-plus minutes a game.

Alabama transfer Avery Jukes (6-8, 215) and four-star recruit Matt Howard (6-7, 220) are power forwards who could give the undersized Bulldogs some much needed help on the boards. Jukes, who was a three-star prospect, must sit out the first semester and will be eligible in mid-December.

"I definitely think we can be better," Streicher said. "We obviously can't live off last year's success, but we can use that experience to help us. Last year, we focused on each task and never got too excited. We never got too high or too low. That's how we maintained our focus. We have to have the same approach."

Keeping everything the same, huh? Relying on what got them to this point? That's exactly what Stevens wants to hear.

collegebasketball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=728533

[Raider Country]

October 18, 2007
Men's basketball: Schachtner one of Horizon's best

By Rob Demovsky
[e-mail]

For the first time in more than a decade, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay men's basketball team will go into a season with a legitimate conference player of the year candidate.

Not since Jeff Nordgaard won the award in 1996 has the Phoenix gone into a season with a player as decorated as forward Mike Schachtner.

The best thing about Schachtner might be that he's only a junior.

The only non-senior on the Horizon League's preseason first team, the Somerset native has all the makings of a potential league MVP. A member of the all-newcomer team as a freshman and a second-team, all-league selection as a sophomore, Schachtner's progression has followed that of the most recent Horizon League players of the year.

Last year's winner, Wright State's DaShaun Wood, was a second-team, all-league pick as a sophomore, a first-team pick as a junior and the MVP as a senior. In 2006, Butler's Brandon Polk was a second-team pick as a junior (his first season in the league) and the MVP as a senior. Seniors have won the award the last seven times. The last time a junior won the award was 2000, when Detroit's Rashad Phillips won the first of his two titles.

Butler senior guard A.J. Graves was this year's preseason pick.

"It's hard to compare guys who play different positions, but Mike's right up there with Graves," UWGB junior Ryan Tillema said. "Those are the first two that come to mind. Those are the guys who made the biggest contributions last year."

The reason for the optimism surrounding Schachtner is twofold: He carried the Phoenix at times last season and finished the year as one of the league's most consistent shooters. Then, this offseason he worked to add another dimension to his game. Primarily a stand-still 3-point shooter and a guy who did most of his inside scoring off set plays his first two seasons, Schachtner spent the offseason doing ball-handling drills designed to help him score more off the dribble.

"He's really developed more of a one-on-one game," Tillema said. "Last year, a lot of times we got shots for him. Now, he's able to create his own shot, and he's still shooting just as well as he has been. That's going to make him really tough to guard."

The Phoenix has been practicing less than a week, but Schachtner's well-rounded game already has been on display.

"He's been kind of a manufactured player his first two years," UWGB coach Tod Kowalczyk said. "He works so hard, but all the stuff had been manufactured for him by getting open shots. To take the next step, he needed to be able to create his own offense. He did a good job with that this summer. He has gotten better. With him, it's just a matter of slowing down and making good basketball plays."

A career 47.9-percent shooter (including 42.6 percent from 3-point range), Schachtner averaged 14.9 points per game as a sophomore and was the only player to rank among the Horizon League's top five in free-throw percentage (.912), 3-point percentage (.456) and field-goal percentage (.493). He had nine 20-plus point scoring games, including a pair of 30-plus point games. His 36-point game against Chicago State on Dec. 12 was the highest single-game performance by a UWGB player since Nordgaard put up 37 against UIC on Feb. 22, 1996.

"I thought when we recruited Mike, we recruited an all-league player," Kowalczyk said. "He certainly hasn't disappointed us."

When he asked if he thought he recruited a potential conference player of the year, Kowalczyk said: "I thought he had a chance to be, and I think he can be. If you want to win the league, you've got to have a guy that is a player of the year. He's got to play consistently this year. He did last year, and now he's got to do it on an even bigger stage."

Teams no doubt will make Schachtner the focus of their defense, but he's a tough matchup, because he's 6-foot-9 yet can play like a shooting guard. Nearly one-third of his points last year came on 3s. If he's able to score consistently off the dribble, he'll be that much tougher to stop.

"They have me coming off some more screens, but I know guys are going to collapse on me," Schachtner said. "So, I've got to work on taking it strong to the hoop. I know I've got a target on my back now. I've got to go out there and play with poise, relax and don't let anyone get me out of my game. If shots aren't falling or if I'm double teamed, I can rely on my teammates, and they can score, too."

www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071018/GPG020101/710180531/1229/GPGsports

[Raider Country]

Horizon basketball on pace to dominate
By Mike Kennedy

Every year, one Horizon League team gets a bid into the NCAA Tournament via the Horizon League Tournament, but last year set a new mark for the future of the league. Last season the Butler Bulldogs and the Wright State Raiders were both entered into the tournament, and both did very well. Butler advanced to the Sweet 16, copying the route of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee a year before by losing to the eventual champion Florida Gators.

Each season the Horizon League gains more and more attention from the sports world, of course starting with the UWM, and Bruce Pearl, Sweet 16 run in 2005. But the league is still getting better, and this year will be stronger than ever.

The opponents of the all Horizon League teams include eight games against Big 10 teams, three against the ACC, two against the Big East, one against the Big 12 and SEC, with each Horizon League team making an appearance in the O’Reilly BracketBuster event.

Major schools are realizing that they not only have to play mid-majors to prove their worth, but they have to leave the confines of their home court with the task of winning a road game.

Not surprisingly, Butler was plucked as the preseason league winner, with Wright State, UW-Green Bay and UWM rounding out the top four. The rest of the league doesn’t look too shabby either: Loyola and league newcomer Valparaiso sit in the fifth and sixth spots, while Detroit, UIC, Cleveland State and Youngstown State round out the bottom.

Butler lost the Horizon League Championship to Wright State last season, but still became the third Horizon team in four years to reach the Sweet 16. The Missouri Valley Conference, now known as one of the best mid-majors conferences in the country, did not see the Sweet 16 at all between 1979 and 1999.

Last season the MVC had two teams in the tournament with Southern Illinois reaching the Sweet 16. The Horizon is on pace to be just as dominant against major schools as the MVC in the next few years.

Household names such as Creighton, Southern Illinois, Bradley, Missouri State, Wichita State and even Northern Iowa will be compared to the likes of Butler, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Green Bay, Valparaiso, Loyola and even UIC.

Coaches might be the most important part of this recognition. The Horizon and other mid-majors are experiencing new coaching techniques that launch the careers of such coaches as Bruce Pearl and Todd Lickliter, who leave mid-majors to coach Big 10 and SEC teams.

The strength of the Horizon League is growing exponentially and the teams within the league are expanding their recruiting to compete with major conferences. In the next few years, if not earlier, the Horizon will be a force to be reckoned with.

www.uwmpost.com/article/52/7/2519-It-keeps-getting-better

[Raider Country]

Cedric Jackson Dazzles in Debut Scrimmage
By Drew Jonke

Cedric Jackson gave Cleveland State basketball fans a glimpse of the excitement and explosiveness they can look forward to this season in Friday night’s season-opening practice and scrimmage.

Albeit in an abbreviated session that lasted less than 10 minutes, Jackson dazzled with an array of crossover dribbles, hesitation moves, and no-look passes.

Jackson found Renard Fields for two easy buckets on the green team’s first two possessions of the game.

Jackson’s next four touches included an alley-oop dunk, a left-handed layup in traffic, and a 3-point attempt off the dribble that went in-and-out.

On the next possession, Jackson was double-teamed in a pick-and-roll situation by Norris Cole and D’Aundray Brown. He slipped between the two and made another highlight dish.

Jackson’s presence could be a treat for fans this year. His strength, quickness, vision, and finishing ability represent a combination that Cleveland State fans have never seen. Think Baron Davis sans the consistent perimeter shot.

Let’s not get carried away: The defense was almost nonexistent. The players knew the evening was more for the fans than for accomplishing anything. Coach Gary Waters chose not to give a preview of his signature full-court pressure and trapping.
style of defense. The relaxed defense didn’t force the offense to use patience or run any plays or sets. The highest number of passes before a shot was four.

Schiele heating up: Guard Eric Schiele won the 3-point shootout by hitting 25-of-29 attempts in the final round, edging out sophomore guard Joe Davis and women’s forward Robyn Hoying. His set shot looked effortless and his confidence was high. Schiele will be eligible to play in December.

White versus Green: The scrimmage pitted Norris Cole, George Tandy, Chris Moore, Eric Schiele, Daitwan Eppinger, Breyohn Watson, and D’Aundray Brown in white against Cedric Jackson, Joe Davis, Nick Weaver, Kevin Francis, Joe Latas, Corey Neale, and Renard Fields in green.

No J’Nathan: Junior forward J’Nathan Bullock participated in warm-up drills, but sat out the scrimmage due to an injury.

www.leaguelineup.com/topnews.asp?url=letsgovikes&sid=346647160&itemid=1380732

[Raider Country]

Waters Q and A (From CSU.Vikings.com)
October 17, 2007

Viking head coach Gary Waters sat down with the media recently and answered questions about the 2007-08 Vikings:

Q. Based on paper, is Butler the best team in the League?
A. Butler is ahead of everyone. I think Butler is primed to do some good things again. They have a new coach so it will be interesting to see how they adjust.

Q. How is the team going to handle all of the away games early in the season?
A. I think it is going to prepare them. They are going to have to get better because of the competition. This is a young group in terms of playing together. They are going to need times in places. I could have had a lot of home games but I don't think it will make them any better. With this group, this is a two year venture. Each year is designed to get better in the process. We have to give them some challenges early and see if they could meet some of those challenges and try to move forward

Q. How did you get George Mason stuck in the middle of your schedule?
A. That's the only time they could play that game. The tournament is set for the first two weeks of the season. The first weekend we go on the road, the second weekend we go to a neutral sight. I really did not want George Mason there, I wished I could have moved them back and came home that weekend but because we were locked in, we could not do anything with it.

Q. What are your expectations from a year ago to now?
A. For us to be above .500. We want to compete for some things. Obviously we want to compete for the championship.

Q. What are your feelings about defending the home court?
A. Our objective is to do well at home this year. If we would have won another three games at home last year, we would have accomplished a goal of defending our home turf.

Q. What are some of your other goals?
B. We also want to win a tournament game. We need to take little steps to move forward.

Q. What was your assessment of last year?
A. Our goal was to be competitive last year and I thought we were. Going into a 3 game stretch we were five and two. We beat Miami, Kent State and we went on the road and we were in the process. We played well in the first half at Butler, we did not play well against Kansas State, and that's why we played well at Ohio State. Despite having injuries and after looking at the film, in just about every league game, we had a lead with around seven minutes left in the second half. B. Another objective that we accomplished was to win our senior day game. They had not done that in five or six years, and I was satisfied that winning that game was accomplished.

Q. Are you expecting J'Nathan Bullock to be the guy for you?
A. Even though Bullock has been around three years, this is going to be a challenge for him. He is going to play some three this year from a four. He has a whole brand new group of players he is playing with. So far he has been a good leader off the court. He wants to have success this year. He wants to eliminate the stigma of losing off his back.

Q. Do you have an idea of who the contributors will be this year?
A. We have two freshmen who are really good. D'Aundray Brown and Norris Cole are really good players. They will play some at three, but mostly at the two

Q. How is Joe Davis?
A. Joe is working hard. I expect Joe to contribute this year. We have a lot of guys, that's why Joe has to work hard. The bad thing about him was that he was thrown to the wolves to soon because of injuries. I feel, however, that the experience he has gained is really going to help us.

Q. Who is going to play center this year?
A. Chris Moore is the center right now.

Q. What do you like about your team this year?
A. The thing I like about our team this year is our guards. They have good size. Cedric (Jackson) stands at 6-3, the freshmen are 6-1, the only small kid we have is Joe Davis but he has good body structure. You can pressure opponents with those types of guards.

Q. Who is your best shooter?
A. Nick Weaver. He is a junior college transfer from Phoenix. He can really shoot the basketball. He is going to bring that portion to help our team. He also has toughness and can play defense.

Q. What kind of conditioning have your done?
A. We ran on the track. Track for me is an education. It tells me a lot about my players. Whether if they are quitters, if they can deal with adversity, whether they can compete. Track tells me an awful lot.

Q. Do you think moving the 3-point line back will impact the collegiate game?
A. It's going to affect college basketball a great deal. You will have fewer guys shooting the distance. Three point shooters will still shoot, their percentage will go down.

Q. Are you a big team?
A. We are not the most physical team. Even though we are going against some of the big boys in the conference but we are going to substitute our lack of size, with speed and quickness. We are more athletic than we were a year ago. We have to do things in stages. My next goal is to get some size into the program, then marquee players will start coming into the program.

Q. Where do you rank in your league?
A. I think we are sixth or seventh. We haven't put that much emphasis into where we rank yet. In order to have a marquee program, there are three things your have to have. One is to have a strong academic adviser; we just hired a good one. Second thing is to have a strength coach, and you have to make sure the kids are eating right.

Q. What are your expectations this year?
A. You can never lower expectations because if you do they will achieve those. I have these guys striving to the high part of the mountain. If they don't achieve that, we are somewhere below that. Just to say that is one thing. What you have to do is have some sort of scheme.

Q. Cedric (Jackson) is starting to be a presence?
A. His athleticism is at the high major level. Now what we have done in a year is to try to develop and discipline his skill level so that he can lead a program.

Q. How do you balance Cedric's (Jackson) leadership with J'nathan's (Bullock)?
A. One usually can't handle it by themselves because you have so many personalities. You need some support, those two help each other. J'nathan (Bullock) is more so on the floor; Cedric (Jackson) is more verbal on the floor. They both defer to each other.

Q. What kind of shooter is J'nathan (Bullock)?
A. J'nathan (Bullock) is not a bad shooter; he is more of a streaky shooter. When he is on he can hit some shots. The thing he has done is work on it more to be more consistent.

I look at our team and think we need to work on our perimeters shooting. Our strength this year is that we have around six slashers. The reason I say that we are a more athletic team is that we have more guys who can play above the rim. In the past, we had only four guys who could do that.

Q. What do you think of playing John Carroll after your tough streak of games on the road?
A. I think we will play one or two of those teams each year. The unique thing for us is that we can get one of those types of teams to come to our place. We have a venue to create that. You won't see teams like Kent or Akron getting teams like that go into their place. We are going to have that every year. If we have more success we are going to try to get more than one of those come to our place. What we are doing is bring in an area school. That helps their school with recruiting.

Q. Do you think this league is heavy with guards?
A. Yes and let me say something else about our league and gives it the credibility. When I was in the MAC, not at Kent, but at Eastern Michigan we were a top mid-major league. What determined that was the amount of pros in that league. You had eight or nine pros in the league. You go to the MAC last year and only had one pro. The Horizon League had two or three. I think as the year's progress, you are going to see more of those. The level of the league has been elevated.

Q. What do you think of Valparaiso coming into the league?
A. I think they are going to be highly competitive. It changes the dynamic of the league. It's a tough place to play. They get those foreign kids who are big, tough, and athletic. They are going to struggle with the toughness of this league now but they will adjust and be fine.

Q. What do you think of the teams in the league this year?
A. UIC lost a lot; there are a couple of teams that will move forward. I think Green Bay has a good strong team. Milwaukee got two transfers who are instant players, Loyola will always be competitive. You can't overlook Detroit who has two guards, Wright state will be up there again. Our goal is to be 500 or better in our conference.

Q. Do you think you will surprise people this year?
A. Next year shouldn't be a surprise. This year we are looking to surprise some people. When the preseason poll comes out, we are probably going to be last or close to last. We are a young team but an experienced team because we have some fourth year juniors. At the same time we are a young team because they have not played together that long. That's why those early games are important because we have to find out who we are.

Q. You look at the Ohio State Games; you were in it until they brought in Odom, how you think you will do against them this year.
A. You take a look at two equations, first they will not be as good this year, then you take our team who is young and won't know each other early in the season. What I hope to get from it is that we have to go out and compete and if we compete we will I think we will be right there.

Q. You have two MAC teams on the schedule this year. Is that going to be the norm?
A. Yes, I don't like to play three or four teams from the MAC; if we do you might as well be in their league. In the past we had both Kent and Akron, I don't like to play them both in a year.

Q. How about Eastern since you have ties there?
A. We're going to scrimmage them this year.

Q. In the past Cleveland State hasn't felt good about themselves, what are the feelings now?
A. That's not anymore. Cleveland State is starting to feel good about themselves. The campus is changing. The president has done a fabulous job of changing it from a commuter school to a residential school. We have done a good job with the five freshmen we brought in. We got them involved with the community. Now we can bring in another player this year, not just a downtown campus.

Q. Are you bringing in more local players?
A. When I got here, there was only one Ohio player, none from Cleveland. I told you when I got here that this was going to change. The key is you can make the change but if your not winning it's not any good. The issue is I think those kids can be winners. You take a kid like Norris Cole who has been a winner his entire life. Eventually, I'm going to have a hard time keeping him out of the lineup. We're going to bring in winners.

Q. How do you think the transition for freshman and junior college transfers?
A. Some of the freshmen will have a transition period. I don't think that it will be a tough transition for Norris Cole and D'Aundray Brown. There is a different core of kids coming out. They play on an AAU circuit where they are playing 80 games at a period of time so they are competing. My job is to continue to motivate.

Q. How do you condition?
A. The track tells me a lot. Last year no one could run, they were fighting with each other, they were just doing it. This year the freshman did not want to lose. That is why D'Aundray ran a 5:05 and Norris ran a 5:15, they wanted to beat the senior because they wanted to plant a position on the team. That's a different attitude.

Q. Final comment?
A. The key is that if you get your players believing and buying into your system, you can really move forward. These young guys have character, class and competitiveness to do the right things.

www.leaguelineup.com/forumsdetail.asp?sid=508970801&url=letsgovikes&itemid=2423395

[Wolf]

UWM forward Joe Allen tore a quad muscle at their midnight madness. He is out for the year.

uwmfreak.proboards5.com/index.cgi?board=Games&action=display&n=1&thread=1192249898

[Raider Alumni]

Waters optimistic for new-look Vikes
By Gavin Keenan

“Character” was the term of the day as second year men’s basketball coach, Gary Waters, discussed the quality student-athletes that make up his 2007-08 Vikings. The veteran coach seemed energized as he spoke about the fresh new wave of players that will be donning the white and green this season.
As the Vikings watch eight members of last year’s team depart, they are replacing them with ten new additions this season. There will be seven first-year and three redshirt players making their debut to go along with five returning members of last year’s team.
In the new era of college basketball, many coaches find it difficult to recruit players who are willing to check their ego at the door and buy into a new system. However, Waters does not anticipate this being a problem as he has been able to fill the roster with his own hand-selected players.
“It’s important to get ‘your guys’ in here in order to put your system in place and fortunately for us it has been a quick transition,” Waters said.
In order to develop his players off the court, Waters teaches a once-a-week course on the importance of being a well-rounded individual. Waters’ course incorporates Talent is Never Enough, a book by author John Maxwell. The book is used to illustrate how almost everyone has some natural talent and ability, but not everyone is able to fully develop their talent and positively impact the people around them in the process.
“These are character individuals that are able to do the right things off the court,” Waters said.
In addition to filling the roster with high-class individuals, Waters mentioned how there should be some major improvements on the court as well. With the addition of redshirt transfers Chris Moore (6’9 ft.) and George Tandy (6’8), Waters expects a great deal of improvement when it comes to rebounding and low post defense. Both of which were areas the Vikings have struggled in over the past few seasons due to a lack of size.
“They know if they want to see minutes they’re going to have to rebound the basketball and play defense,” Waters said.
Despite having a deeper and more talented team than in years past, Waters is very aware of the challenges that lie ahead of his inexperienced group. He plans on relying heavily on the five returning members of last year’s team to set the tone in the early part of this season while the youngsters get acclimated to Division 1 competition.
“We have some freshman that will have to grow early and some veterans that will have to take the lead immediately,” said a cautiously optimistic Waters.
The men kick off their season Nov. 9 as they travel to Tampa to take on the University of South Florida.

www.csuohio.edu/clevelandstater/news/news090721.html

[Raider Alumni]

October 24, 2007
Men's basketball: Phoenix will have fresh look at point guard
By Rob Demovsky

Less than two weeks into practice, two freshmen — Rahmon Fletcher and Bryquis Perine — have emerged as the top point guards for the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay men's basketball team.

Though uncertainty at the position remains the overriding theme in the preseason, coach Tod Kowalczyk is starting to reach a comfort level not normally associated with true freshmen point guards.

Fletcher might be the most intriguing prospect because of his speed. Listed at 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds, the Kansas City, Mo., native is the smallest player on the roster, but his quickness, especially with the ball in his hands, could help the Phoenix increase tempo.

"He might be the quickest guy I've ever coached," Kowalczyk said Tuesday. "He's a jet. I think what separates him is he has the ability to score. It's one thing to be fast, but it's another thing to be fast and able to score. We do need to harness some of that quickness and decision making."

Like Fletcher, Perine has a slight build at 6-3 and only 165 pounds. The Milwaukee Vincent product has impressed the coaches with his ability to play off the dribble as a scorer and a distributor.

"He's our most competitive player," Kowalczyk said. "He's got a really good feel for the game. Those are two things you can't teach and coach."

Perine isn't exactly slow, meaning the Phoenix could run more this season.

"I think we will play faster," Kowalczyk said. "Last year, we led the Horizon League in 3-point percentage, but we weren't near the top in 3-pointers made. That tells me that we need to shoot more of them, and I think the best chance you have to shoot 3s is in transition."

Kowalczyk isn't ready to count out a third true freshman point guard, Edgar Segura. The Weslaco, Texas, product has flashed at times in practice but needs to be more consistent to crack the lineup. Walk-on junior Eric Van Cleave, who redshirted last season after transferring from Minnesota State, also could see some minutes at the point. Creighton transfer D'Angalo Jackson might be more suited to play off the ball when he becomes eligible Dec. 22.

"The point-guard role is going to be by committee, and right now, the two guys who have performed the best are Rahmon Fletcher and Bryquis Perine," Kowalczyk said. "But that doesn't rule out anybody else."

Kowalczyk should have a better feel for his point guards after the Oct. 31 exhibition opener against UW-Superior.

www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071024/GPG020101/710240519/1229/GPGsports

[bballraider]

raiderball said:

"I think we will play faster," Kowalczyk said. "Last year, we led the Horizon League in 3-point percentage, but we weren't near the top in 3-pointers made. That tells me that we need to shoot more of them, and I think the best chance you have to shoot 3s is in transition."

No doubt kowalczyk will have his team stop taking easy layups on the fast break, and stop and shoot from 3 instead. LOL

[Raider Alumni]

Youth, speed on display
By DAN MANOYAN
Posted: Oct. 23, 2007

The UW-Milwaukee basketball team held its annual white and black intrasquad scrimmage Tuesday night at the Klotsche Center, complete with game clock and shot clock.

They needed the game clock. They didn't need the shot clock.

Any resemblance between this squad and the putt-putt Panthers of last season is purely coincidental. The tempo will definitely be more on the upside as coach Rob Jeter has brought in a new wave of talent that knows how to run the floor.

"That's part of our style," Jeter said. "We are going to have to play a little bit faster but under control. We're going to try to score quickly but not turn the basketball over."

The white team, led by senior Paige Paulsen, won, 92-72, but the story of the game was the newcomers.

The two most impressive newcomers were freshmen Anthony Hill of Bradley Tech and Tim Flowers from Chicago Simeon. Flowers, a stocky 6-foot-5 space eater who has the game of a young Charles Barkley, led all scorers with 22 points. Hill, playing post on the white team, didn't miss a shot in the first half, when he scored all 16 of his points.

Although Flowers and Hill were impressive on offense, both have a ways to go on the defensive end.

"I thought Tim had a little difficulty defending on the blocks, but when he gets that down he'll be a force on both ends," Jeter said.

Hill admitted that he was a little bit fatigued in the second half.

"I need to get in better shape," he said.

Allen out for season: Joe Allen, a 6-6 transfer from St. Mary's of Texas by way of Whitnall High School, will miss the 2007-'08 season because of a torn quadricep tendon, which he injured while shooting a layup in the squad's Midnight Madness warm-up.

Also declared out for the season is Sophomore walk-on guard Zach Holt, who suffered a torn anterior cruciate knee ligament in practice.

IUPUI coming to town: The Panthers will engage Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis in a daylong informal scrimmage on Saturday. The event, which is closed to the public, will take place at the Klotsche Center in the morning and then shift to the Cousins Center in St. Francis in the afternoon.

In another scheduling note, it was announced that UWM's scheduled home game with Butler has been switched from Feb. 11 to Feb. 12 to accommodate a television appearance on ESPNU. Game time at the U.S. Cellular Arena will be 6 p.m.

www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=678151

[Fastbreak]

bballraider said:

raiderball said:

"I think we will play faster," Kowalczyk said. "Last year, we led the Horizon League in 3-point percentage, but we weren't near the top in 3-pointers made. That tells me that we need to shoot more of them, and I think the best chance you have to shoot 3s is in transition."

No doubt kowalczyk will have his team stop taking easy layups on the fast break, and stop and shoot from 3 instead. LOL

And if they do take those easy layups instead of shooting 3s, he will pick up a "T" yelling at his own players.

[Raider Alumni]

UIC news

www.uicflamesbasketball.com/news.htm

[Raider Alumni]

Cleveland State Men's Basketball Season Preview
Nick Camino
10/29/07

The last time the Cleveland State men's basketball team boasted a winning record the team went 19- 13 and the year was 2001.

Rollie Massimino was the CSU head coach and would be on his way out.

Current head coach Gary Waters was in the NCAA Tournament as head coach at Kent State, and the players who will take to the hardwood this winter for the Vikings, they had barely reached puberty.

What does all this mean?

The upcoming 2007-08 season marks a fresh beginning for the Cleveland State men's basketball program.

This season, the top players that former head coach Mike Garland recruited are being intermixed with Coach Waters' great first and second year recruiting classes.

Add that to some very talented transfers that will be eligible to play this season after having to sit out last season will make this year's squad one to be reckoned with, not only in their early season games, but in the Horizon League Conference as well.

Team Goals: This season the Vikings are looking to "surprise" some top teams on their schedule, both Horizon League opponents and non-conference foes.

With non-conference match ups slated against George Mason, Florida State, Ohio State and Kent State, along with Horizon League games against Butler and Wright State the possibility of surprising one or more of these teams is definitely fathomable.

At his opening 2007-08 press conference, Coach Waters told reporters what he expects from his team this season.

"Our goal is to have a .500 record both in the conference and overall for the season," Waters said.

With such realistic goals set in place, the Vikings have begun grueling three-hour daily practices. Initially the team will do some hard conditioning to round them into good daily physical shape. They will then be called on to show their basketball skills under the tutelage of the coaching staff.

Junior forward J'Nathan Bullock claims this season has already proven to be the hardest conditioning and practice regimen he has been a part of in his three years at Cleveland State. The leading scorer out of Flint, Michigan feels the Vikings will be more than just a competitive team.

"We are always looking to do well in the conference," Bullock explained. "Our ultimate goal as a team is to win the Horizon League Championship."

A bold prediction for the Second- Team All-Conference selection?

Not really, just a strong, positive belief in his teammates with the will to win. That is what makes successful teams.

The Vikings have the ingredients to accomplish all their goals and perhaps more this upcoming season, if they can merely come together as a team.

Newcomers: Many new faces have arrived for the 2007-2008 men's basketball team. Three that should immediately help out are sophomore hot-shooting guard Eric Schiele, junior power forward George Tandy, and junior point guard Cedric Jackson. All three of them bring something special that this program has been lacking for years.

Schiele, who averaged an astounding 39.6 points per game in high school, is undoubtedly the best three-point shooter the Vikings have had in the past decade. At the team's opening Mid-Vike Madness he won the team three-point contest by nailing 25-of-29 treys. That is not a misprint.

The starting power forward for the Vikings this season will be Eastern Illinois transfer George Tandy, who so far has done nothing more than be rock solid impressive. His 6-8, 215 lbs. frame makes Tandy very dangerous around the hoop both offensively and defensively.

After transferring from St. John's in the Big East Conference, Cedric Jackson has fit in very nicely as the Vikings new featured point guard. Not only is Jackson a leader, his skill at point guard is something Cleveland State basketball fans have not seen in over eight seasons.

Coach Waters' bold comparison of Jackson and Golden State point guard Baron Davis may not be so far-fetched at all. Cleveland State University teammates and fans alike will be happy with this guy at the controls.

Other players who will receive playing time are freshman guards Norris Cole and D'Aundray Brown. Both players are "studs" according to Bullock, and will not only make an impact this season, but for the next four years as well.

Also, big men Chris Moore (6-9, 240 lbs.) and Joe Latas (7-0, 280lbs.) provide the Vikings with some height and physical inside play which CSU has lacked for the past few campaigns. Moore will most likely begin the season as the starting center for Coach Waters and the Vikings. He will be asked to rebound and play strong defense against opponents.

Guard Play Will Carry Squad: This season, the men's basketball team has an abundance of talent at point guard and shooting guard. At this point, it is apparent that guard play from both positions will need to step up and carry the team this season.

Players who will see time at point guard include Jackson, who has won the starting position, Cole and returning Breyohn Watson.

While at shooting guard, Joe Davis is the returning starter and will give way to Schiele, Brown, and Nick Weaver who will all get minutes at the two-position. Coach Waters will have to find the hot hand and go with him.

3-Point City: Last season, the only player who could nail a consistent trey was forward Raheem Moss, and even he struggled at various points of the season. This season the Vikings will have eight players who can consistently shoot and make three-pointers. This may prove to be a great weapon if players can get hot against teams like Ohio State and Butler.

Right now it looks like Schiele, Davis, and Weaver are the most consistent three-point shooters the Vikings have, but Jackson and Bullock can also hit their share of shots behind the three-point arc.

Key Games:

Cleveland State @ George Mason; 11/13/07: Last season the Vikings allowed a 19-point halftime lead slip away in the second half to the previous season's Final Four squad at the Wolstein Center. Once again the two teams will meet early in the season, this time in Fairfax, Virginia.

Cleveland State vs. Florida State @ Daytona Beach Classic; 11/17/07: This will be the second of two games the Vikings play at the Daytona Beach Classic, and who better than to face an ACC opponent. Last season CSU blew by the Miami (Fla.) Hurricanes 78-67 in a game that was not even as close as the score. Could the Vikings go 2-0 against opponents from the ACC in two years?

Cleveland State vs. Ohio State @ Quicken Loans Arena; 12/18/07: If this game is not circled on your calendar you may not have a heart beat. The Vikings fell to the second best team in the country Buckeyes in Columbus last season 78-57, but with the home fans hopefully behind them, CSU has all the ingredients of pulling off an upset. The last time Ohio State came to Cleveland was December 17, 1994, a game in which the Vikings defeated the Buckeyes 75-73 at the Rock N' Roll Shootout.

Cleveland State @ Kent State; 12/29/07: Last season the Vikings defeated the Golden Flashes 66-59 in front of the largest home crowd of the season. This season the Vikings will travel to Kent to square off with coach Jim Christian's squad who will have revenge on their mind four days after Christmas. The Golden Flashes were picked to win the MAC in the preseason MAC Conference Coaches Poll.

Cleveland State vs. Butler; 1/17/08: The Bulldogs return all five starters from a squad that was ranked # 9 in the country last season. They fell to eventual champ Florida in the Elite Eight, and defeated CSU 92-50, a game where Butler hit an eye-popping 20 three-pointers. This year the Bulldogs will be just as good, and perhaps better than last season's squad. Now it's up to the Vikings to gain revenge for two embarrassing losses last season. This game may provide a window to see how much this team has improved.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Five Individual Matchups to Watch

1. Eric Schiele, CSU G vs. A.J. Graves, Butler SG; 1/17/08: Although Schiele may not start right away, don't be surprised if the former Waterloo High School standout who averaged 39.6 points per game his senior season gives the Bulldogs' senior leader a run for his money behind the three-point arc. Graves had one of the best percentages in the country last season for threepointers.

2. J'Nathan Bullock, CSU SF vs. David Lighty, Ohio State F; 12/18/07: Bullock already knows a majority of the crowd will be rooting for Lighty and the Buckeyes down at Quicken Loans Arena, but that hasn't stopped his goal of defeating Thad Matta's squad. Despite Lighty coming home to Cleveland on the 18th, the 6-5, 240 lbs. junior forward is ready to shut down the former VASJ star, and put Cleveland State basketball on the map.

3. Cedric Jackson, CSU PG vs. Giordan Watson, Central Michigan PG; 12/22/07: It will be the battle of number and position. With both Jackson and Watson garnering # 11 on their jerseys and taking command at the point guard position, this will be a battle from tip-off until the final whistle between these two players. Both come in with big time experience; Jackson is a former two-year starter from St. John's in the Big East Conference, while Watson was an All-Mac West selection last season.

4. George Tandy, CSU PF vs. Mike Schachtner, UWGreen Bay PF; 2/11/08: Last season Schachtner proved himself to be one of the best big men in the Horizon League and because of those efforts was selected to first-team All- Conference a week ago. Tandy, a former Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year in 2004- 2005 at Eastern Illinois is ready and talented enough to take on Schachtner and the Phoenix.

5. Breyohn Watson, CSU G vs. Brandon Cotton, Detroit-Mercy PG; 2/9/08: In order for the Vikings to defeat Detroit-Mercy they will need to stop first team All-Conference selection Brandon Cotton. Last season Cotton scored 39 total points against the Vikings in two games. Expect to see defensive specialist Breyohn Watson on him if things get out of hand again. Watson's 6-3 lanky figure poses fits for inside-out scorers like Cotton.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


"What's Being Said About CSU Basketball"

+ "Gary Waters is a very good coach, who really knows X's and O's. He is an excellent motivator and will be a person who will rally the people in the Cleveland area toward Cleveland State basketball. There is no doubt he'll have an impact at Cleveland State University." - Charlie Coles, Miami (Oh.) University head men's basketball coach.

+ "With the addition of players like Cedric Jackson, Norris Cole, George Tandy, and Chris Moore, and putting those guys together with the players Cleveland State already has like J'Nathan Bullock and Joe Davis will make this team very competitive this upcoming season." - Mike Cairns, TV playby- play announcer for Sports Time Ohio.

+ "Cleveland State has an athletic team and Gary [Waters] likes the up-tempo game. I think it's good for Gary to be back in the Midwest recruiting kids he can identify with. Those players tend to listen to a new coach and get things heading in the right direction. I think he's going to do a great job at Cleveland State." - Jim Larranaga, George Mason head men's basketball coach.

+ "Building a Division I basketball program is a long process. It's a marathon not a sprint. Right now the Cleveland State basketball program is doing everything the right way, and Coach Gary Waters is the man to do the job. Gary is a class individual who cares about young people, is very knowledgeable, and will help develop his players into great young men for the future." - Louis Orr, Bowling Green State University head men's basketball coach.

+ "This season will be very interesting to see how the new players and the old players, come together to try and translate what they learn from Coach Waters in practice to winning games not only in the Horizon League but also against top teams in their non-conference schedule. They definitely have the right coaching staff and the right players, now they just need to put everything together" - Joe Lull, sports reporter for Metro Sports Networks/Westwood One.

media.www.csucauldron.com/media/storage/paper516/news/2007/10/29/Feature/A.New.Team.A.New.Vision-3065349.shtml

[Doliboabros]

Graves, Cotton honored on collegeinsider.com's Preseason Mid-Major All-America Team
Oct. 31, 2007

Indianapolis, Ind. -- Two members of the Horizon League's preseason honor roll were honored Wednesday (Oct. 31), earning spots on the collegeinsider.com Preseason Mid-Major All-America Team. Butler University senior guard A.J. Graves---the League's preseason Player of the Year---and University of Detroit Mercy senior guard Brandon Cotton were tabbed for the publication's 25-member squad.

Graves was recognized on collegeinsider.com's Mid-Major All-America Team at the end of last season, after helping the Bulldogs to a League-record 29 victories (29-7 overall, 13-3 in the League) and a spot in the NCAA Championship's Sweet 16. Graves averaged 16.9 points per game, including a total of 37 points in victories over Old Dominion University and the Universiy of Maryland in the national tournament. He finished second in the nation with a .948 free-throw percentage while canning a League-best 98 three-point field goals.

Graves adds the latest honor to a personal trophy case that also features the Most Valuable Player award from the NIT Season Tip-Off last November. The Associated Press Honorable Mention All-America pick leads Butler into the 2007-08 campaign as the favorite to win the Horizon League Championship in March. Earlier this month, he was one of 50 players named to the "Watch List" for the John R. Wooden Award, presented by the Los Angeles Athletic Club to "The Outstanding College Basketball Player in the United States."

Cotton earned Second-Team All-League notice for the third consecutive year last winter and is the League's top returning scorer after averaging 18.1 points per game for the Titans. He finished third on the loop scoring charts and posted 14 games of 20 or more points with 26 double-figure performances. He leads all active League players with 1,464 points in his UDM career.

The Mid-Major All-America Team is comprised of players from 21 conferences: America East, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, Horizon League, Ivy League, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot League, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Summit League, Sun Belt and West Coast. Four players---Davidson College sophomore guard Stephen Curry, Gonzaga University junior forward Josh Heytvelt, Virginia Commonwealth University junior guard Eric Maynor and Rider University senior forward Jason Thompson---were tabbed as Preseason All-America selections and were not considered for the Mid-Major honor list.

The collegeinsider.com honor teams are selected as one group, rather than assembling first, second, third and subsequent teams. Division I coaches and NBA scouts are included in the selection process, with the collegeinsider.com staff making final decisions. For more information on these and other awards presented by the publication, log on to www.collegeinsider.com.

The Wooden Award Watch List puts Graves in the company of such notable players as University of North Carolina junior forward Tyler Hansbrough, University of Kansas junior guard Brandon Rush, Michigan State University senior guard Drew Neitzel and Georgetown University senior center Roy Hibbert. For more information on the Wooden Award, log on to www.woodenaward.com.

Graves and the Bulldogs start the 2007-08 campaign Thursday (Nov. 1) against Saint Joseph's College in the first of two exhibition contests prior to the official season-opener Nov. 9 at Ball State. Detroit hosts Albion College in exhibition play on Friday (Nov. 2), eight days before starting the regular season at home against Kent State University on Nov. 10.

horizonleague.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/103107aai.html

[Tipp City Raider]

Wisconsin-Milwaukee senior guard Smith suspended indefinitely
Nov. 1, 2007

MILWAUKEE -- Senior guard Avery Smith, who led Wisconsin-Milwaukee in scoring last season with a 15.5 average, has been suspended indefinitely for violating team rules.

Coach Rob Jeter announced the suspension Thursday, about 30 minutes before the Panthers played Wisconsin-Parkside in their first exhibition game this season.

Jeter said Smith was suspended for "a violation of team rules." He would not elaborate.

"As a head coach, I strive to give my players every opportunity and chance to succeed," he said. "But, with the season starting tonight, I need to concern myself with the progress of the entire team and not just one individual."

www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/10446247