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Post by bballraider on Sept 9, 2008 13:02:52 GMT -5
Miami (Ohio) RedHawks Overall Rank: #73 Conference Rank: #2 MAC 2007-08: 17-16, 9-7, 3rd East 2007-08 postseason: CBI Like many teams in the Mid-American Conference, Miami University has to replace a quality frontcourt player. Coach Charlie Coles has been in this situation many, many times before and he knows how to adjust his team to play to their strengths. The question is whether or not the RedHawks can find some more scorers this time around. Last year the team had three decent scorers and no other legitimate threats behind them. Who’s Out: And now Tim Pollitz, who averaged 15.5 points per game, is gone. The 6-5 forward was not just a scorer, he also led the team with 7.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists. It will take three players to pick up that slack. Alex Moosmann, who started 23 games as a sophomore, has opted to transfer after averaging 3.0 points per game during the 2007-2008 campaign. Who’s In: Julian Mavunga is a versatile power forward who should immediately make an impact in Oxford. At 6-8 and 255 pounds, Mavunga has the size and the length to dominate the paint in the MAC. He can score with his back to the basket, grab plenty of rebounds and even block a few shots, yet he will need to continue to work on his offense while facing the basket before he will become a major scoring threat. Redshirt freshman Adam Thomas and incoming freshman Vince Legarza will add emergency depth in the paint. The lone newcomer on the perimeter is Kramer Soderberg. The 6-0 point guard will spend this year learning the ropes off the bench and could step into a starting position as soon as 2009-2010. Who to Watch: Few teams in the MAC have the experience, talent and size in their backcourt that the RedHawks will have this season. It all starts with Michael Bramos. The 6-5 wing does everything you can imagine. He hits the outside shot consistently, gets to the basket, grabs rebounds, passes the ball and even is fourth on Miami’s all-time blocked shots list. With Bramos leading the way, the RedHawks can win the conference. There is help on the wings. Eric Pollitz, brother of the departed Tim, is a good shooter and the likely candidate to step into the shooting guard role. Now a senior, Pollitz could fill a larger role on the team and start taking a few more shots. Sophomores Nick Winbush, Rodney Haddix and Antonio Ballard, who is back after only playing in one game last year due to an injury, have the potential to make some noise this year on the wings. So do Carl Richburg and Isiah Carson who, like the group of sophomores, averaged less than ten minutes per game last year. Despite all the options at the shooting guard and small forward spots, it is up to Kenny Hayes to run the point. He will get some help from Soderberg and Richburg, but Miami needs Hayes to have a good year if they want to make a run at an NCAA Tournament berth. Hayes is a good scorer, but he has yet to prove that he can be a solid ballhandler and floor leader day in and day out. Final Projection: Tyler Dierkers is not a flashy big man, but the 6-8 center gets the job done. He averaged 6.1 points and 6.4 rebounds as the starting center last year. Without Tim Pollitz by his side, the pressure will be on Dierkers to pick up the slack. Adam Fletcher and Dwight McCombs are the only other experienced frontcourt players on the team. Yet, it is hard to call Fletcher and McCombs experienced. They both averaged under nine minutes per game. In fact, the RedHawks only had six players who averaged over ten minutes per contest last year. And with two of those six gone, it does not take a mathematician to know that one player is going to have to go from the bench to a starting role and at least one more will have to see a drastic increase in playing time. Projected Post-season Tournament: NIT Projected Starting Five: Kenny Hayes, Senior, Guard, 12.1 points per game Eric Pollitz, Senior, Guard, 5.5 points per game Michael Bramos, Senior, Forward, 16.2 points per game Julian Mavunga, Freshman, Forward, DNP last season Tyler Dierkers, Senior, Center, 6.1 points per game www.collegehoopsnet.com/200809-miami-redhawks-preview-73-84935 |
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Post by sp28 on Sept 9, 2008 14:47:03 GMT -5
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Post by Fastbreak on Sept 17, 2008 18:30:16 GMT -5
Butler Bulldogs Overall Rank: #68 Conference Rank: #3 Horizon 2007-08: 30-4, 16-2, 1st 2007-08 postseason: NCAA Butler pretty much ran a seven man rotation during their magical 2007-2008 campaign. Five of those guys are now gone and this year’s Bulldog team has some work to do to live up to the recent success. Yet, Butler is never about the players as much as it is about the system. Coach Brad Stevens knows how to win and the Bulldogs will not slip as much as it would appear. But Butler does not have any seniors on their roster either and for a team that usually depends on experience and leadership, the lack of seniors will keep the Bulldogs on the outside of the Horizon League championship race for now. Who’s Out: Mike Green, A.J. Graves, Drew Streicher, Julian Betko and Pete Campbell were the heart and soul of the Bulldogs. Green led the team with 14.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists during his senior year. Nobody is going to replace all of that production any time soon. Graves and Campbell were both extremely prolific outside shooters. In fact, the departed players accounted for approximately 92 percent of the team’s total three-point shooting. Even Ben Slaton, a three year walk-on who only played in five games last year, is not returning to the team. Slaton would have been the only senior on the roster. Who’s In: The future of Butler basketball is in good hands with another solid recruiting class. Point guard Ronald Nored could take over the starting duties as a freshman. At the least, he will play an important role off the bench. Chase Stigall and Shelvin Mack will give the team more options in the backcourt. It is Mack who is expected to make a huge impact right away. The 6-3 guard is like Green in the sense that he can fill up the stat sheet in just about every category. Mack is also a superb shooter who can help fill the void left behind by Graves and Campbell. If Mack is not starting from day one, it will be a surprise. On most teams Garrett Butcher and Gordon Hayward would be playing on the wing. At Butler, they will likely spend some time at the four spot as well. Hayward has the outside shooting ability to fit into the Bulldogs scheme, but he will need to add some more weight before he can play defense in the paint against most opponents. Who to Watch: The alternative to Hayward at the four spot is Avery Jukes. The 6-8 junior will not put up huge numbers, but he is a good scorer and a capable rebounder. The frontcourt will depend on the only returning starter, Matt Howard, to do most of the damage around the basket. Howard averaged 12.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks as a freshman. Now that he is the main threat on the team, Howard should have a huge sophomore campaign. What makes Howard different than most Butler players is the fact that he is not a three-point shooter. His ability to open up space for the shooters on the outside is very important. Final Projection: Now the team just needs to find a few more shooters. Zach Hahn is the most prolific shooter returning and he averaged less than ten minutes per game last year. Like Hahn, Shawn Vanzant showed some potential during his limited action as a freshman. Those two will have to play a big role in the backcourt. If they struggle, so will Butler. Willie Veasley was in the regular rotation as a sophomore and averaged 4.5 points per game and is the most experienced player on the team. The 6-3 wing might not replace the scoring of Green and Graves, but he will have to help replace their leadership. Projected Post-season Tournament: NIT Projected Starting Five: Shawn Vanzant, Sophomore, Guard, 1.0 points per game Shelvin Mack, Freshman, Guard, DNP last season Willie Veasley, Junior, Guard, 4.5 points per game Avery Jukes, Junior, Forward, 3.2 points per game Matt Howard, Sophomore, Forward, 12.3 points per game www.collegehoopsnet.com/200809-butler-basketball-preview-65-93010
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Post by Tipp City Raider on Sept 18, 2008 20:46:50 GMT -5
UIC would have been a better choice than Butler for 3rd place in the HL.
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Post by raiderrunt on Sept 23, 2008 10:16:50 GMT -5
I think that is the first time we have ever been ranked in the 144 list and it feels good to get reconized. The Raiders are starting to get a little national attention.
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Post by Doliboabros on Sept 23, 2008 18:21:44 GMT -5
That was actually a pretty well written preview.
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Post by Bomber on Sept 23, 2008 18:23:33 GMT -5
I think our bigs are going to surprise everyone this year.
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Post by Nutt House on Sept 23, 2008 18:31:02 GMT -5
I think our bigs are going to surprise everyone this year. Not me. I've been a huge Land fan from day one. |
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Post by Sixth Man on Sept 24, 2008 21:32:22 GMT -5
It's going to be a dogfight between the Vikings and the Raiders,with UIC as the wildcard,Butler will catch fire near the end of the season,they have an awesome recruiting class. YSU could be better than what a lot of people think. I see both WSU and CSU in the NCAAs Butler or UIC in the NIT,and GreenBay in the CBE. they have the talent,but their coach can't seem to get it together. I don't think Cleveland State or WSU has a good enough schedule to get an at large bid to the NCAA tournament this year. |
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Post by Fastbreak on Sept 29, 2008 11:26:11 GMT -5
Cleveland State Vikings Overall Rank: #53 Conference Rank: #1 Horizon 2007-08: 21-13, 12-6, 2nd 2007-08 postseason: NIT Coach Gary Waters led Cleveland State to their first postseason berth in 20 years. It will not take another 20 years before the Vikings are playing meaningful games in March. Outside of superstars Cedric Jackson and J’Nathan Bullock, seven players were playing around 15 to 25 minutes per game. Four of them are back and that gives CSU plenty of experienced players to work with this year. Who’s Out: Losing Breyhon Watson, Joe Davis and Kevin Francis is not a good thing, but it will not hurt the Vikings too much. Watson rarely put up big numbers, but he was the only player besides Jackson and Bullock to start over 24 games. Joe Davis was the team’s third leading scorer, mostly off the bench, and has opted to transfer. At 6-8 and 200 pounds, Francis was another big body who could come in and grab some rebounds and pick up a few fouls. Guard Nick Weaver has graduated after seeing limited action during his senior campaign. Who’s In: None of the newcomers will need to play a huge role this season, but there are a whole lot of them who will be competing for some minutes off the bench. In the backcourt, Jeremy Montgomery, Josh McCoy and Trevon Harmon will be the main backups. Montgomery, a 6-1 combo guard, went under the recruiting radar a bit due to a broken hand, but the Chicago, Illinois product is a crafty player who can handle the ball and score in a hurry. For now he will likely spend most of his time backing up Jackson at the point, learning how to be a scoring point guard in the Horizon League from somebody who knows. Small forward Daitwan Eppinger came on strong at the end of his senior season of high school. If he continued that leap while redshirting in Cleveland during the 2007-2008 campaign, the Vikings will have another great athlete on the floor who can score around the basket and hit the mid-range jumper. The power forward and center spots already have four returning players, but Ethan Anderson, Tim Kamczyc, Joe Latas and Charlie Woods could find a few minutes here and there. Latas, a 6-11 redshirt freshman, and Woods are the two players who will likely earn the most minutes this season. Who to Watch: Jackson went from a roleplayer at St. John’s to a star at Cleveland State. In his first year with the Vikings, the 6-3 point guard averaged 13.9 points, 4.9 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 2.6 steals. With a year in the system, the senior should have an even better campaign in 2008-2009. With Bullock at one of the forward spots, the opposing defense has a tough decision to make. Bullock led CSU with 14.8 points and 6.6 boards and the 6-5 senior gives the Vikings two legitimate Horizon League Player of the Year candidates. Jackson is the team’s best three-point shooter. In fact, he is virtually the team’s only returning long range shooter. Bullock who hit less than one three-pointer per game is the team’s second best outside shooter at this point. If the newcomers cannot fill that void, it will become too easy to stop the Vikings from slashing to the basket. Final Projection: Norris Cole and D’Aundray Brown are quality players who are ready to step into starting roles, but they have yet to prove that they can be the outside shooters that the team needs. Cole would be the best candidate to fill that role, but he only shot 23.8 percent from beyond the arc last year. Finding a scorer in the frontcourt as well would help CSU open up the outside and give Cole and others open looks. Center Chris Moore is a decent scorer and averaged 4.9 points per game last year, but George Tandy is a much better rebounder and shot blocker and will likely be the starter. If Tandy, now a senior, can consistently score around the basket, Cleveland State’s offense will be difficult to stop. If not, the team will have to depend on Jackson and Bullock too much and that might lead to just another NIT bid. Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA Projected Starting Five: Cedric Jackson, Senior, Guard, 13.9 points per game Norris Cole, Sophomore, Guard, 4.9 points per game D’Aundray Brown, Sophomore, Guard, 4.9 points per game J’Nathan Bullock, Senior, Forward, 14.8 points per game George Tandy, Senior, Forward, 4.2 points per game www.collegehoopsnet.com/cleveland-state-basketball-preview-53-105039
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Post by Raider Grad on Sept 30, 2008 21:40:25 GMT -5
I really like our chances this season. The key for us is staying healthy and getting more consistent play out of our bench.
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Post by Raider Alumni on Nov 4, 2008 20:34:25 GMT -5
Wake Forest Demon DeaconsOverall Rank: #14 Conference Rank: #3 ACC 2007-08: 17-13, 7-9, 7th 2007-08 postseason: none All five starters return, as does every major bench player. As if that was not reason enough for Wake Forest to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005, the Demon Deacons have one of the best recruiting classes in the nation. Coach Dino Gaudio stepped into a difficult situation heading into last season with the death of former Coach Skip Prosser. But he managed to rally the troops and keep his young team surprisingly competitive. Now Wake Forest has high expectations. And those expectations are not just to reach the NCAA Tournament, but to make noise once they get there. Who’s Out: Matt Smith played in two games for a grand total of one minute. That is the extent of the losses in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Who’s In: Al-Farouq Aminu has it all. The 6-9 Norcross, Georgia product has the size of a big man and the skills of a guard. He can back down or shoot over smaller opponents or dribble around bigger players. Either way, it leads to points and lots of them. His shooting range extends beyond the three-point arc and it is widely assumed that he will be around for one year and a lottery pick in the NBA Draft next year. The frontcourt gets more of a lift from centers Tony Woods and Ty Walker. While neither are as highly touted as Aminu, both are still great prospects that any team in the nation would be happy to have. Woods is expected to be a solid contributor as a freshman. The 6-11 Rome, Georgia native is a superb athlete who can score attacking the basket and score around the rim. Walker, a seven-footer, has a little more work to do on the offensive end, but he is a big body who can block shots and play solid defense right away. Who to Watch: Until those three came around, the Wake Forest frontcourt lacked some depth. But they still do have James Johnson, who led the team with 14.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, and all that was as a freshman. Now Johnson, who is also a solid shot blocker, is ready for a big year. Chas McFarland started at the five spot besides Johnson most of last season and the seven-footer had a surprisingly great sophomore campaign. He averaged 8.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks as a sophomore and nobody really expected that. Jamie Skeen and David Weaver provided the depth at the four and five spots last year and now they will have to compete with the newcomers for minutes off the bench. Final Projection: With the addition of Aminu, the Demon Deacons backcourt is also going to have a great influx in talent. L.D. Williams started 25 games last year and was third on the team in scoring, but he will likely lose his starting job at some point to Aminu. Jeff Teague will not be losing his job. The 6-2 sophomore averaged 13.9 points per game and hit nearly 40 percent of his attempts from long range. Teague was the go-to-scorer on the perimeter as a freshman and that will not change as a sophomore. Ishmael Smith is the veteran of the starting group on the perimeter. The junior point guard dished out 4.7 assists per game last year and can do some scoring as well. The Demon Deacons are a little older and wiser this year and it will be Smith’s job to make sure the new guys fit in and get their opportunities. Senior Harvey Hale and sophomore Gary Clark provided a majority of the minutes off the bench last year. They have some more competition this time around, but Hale is a good shooter when he takes a smart shot and Clark has the potential to have a breakout season after being limited as a freshman. Wake Forest has enough talent to be an Elite Eight team. The question is how well they can pull everything together…this is still a young team and a team that has not known success for a few years. Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA Projected Starting Five: Ishmael Smith, Junior, Guard, 8.6 points per game Jeff Teague, Sophomore, Guard, 13.9 points per game Al-Farouq Aminue, Freshman, Forward, DNP last season James Johnson, Sophomore, Forward, 14.6 points per game Chas McFarland, Junior, Center, 8.4 points per game www.collegehoopsnet.com/wake-forest-basketball-preview-14-138408
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Post by Raider Alumni on Nov 7, 2008 16:53:27 GMT -5
Horizon League Standings53 Cleveland St Horizon 1 NCAA 60 Wright State Horizon 2 NIT 65 Butler** Horizon 3 NIT 87 Valparaiso Horizon 4 118 Wis Green Bay Horizon 5 154 Illinois Chicago Horizon 6 186 Loyola Ill Horizon 7 194 Detroit Horizon 8 220 Wis Milwaukee Horizon 9 262 Youngstown St Horizon 10 www.collegehoopsnet.com/horizon-league-basketball-preview-0809-139686
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