Foxsports HL Team Reports

[Raider Fanatic]

WSU Team Report:
Getting Inside:
All is right at Wright State. The Raiders were picked second in the 2008-09 Horizon preseason poll and had two players named to the preseason all-conference teams.

Junior guard Vaughn Duggins, who averaged 12.8 points and 2.9 rebounds, made the first team. He shot 44 percent from the field last year with 85 assists and 31 steals. Junior guard Todd Brown made the second team. He averaged 12.7 points and 4.3 rebounds, led the Raiders in 3-point shooting (60-of-142) and tallied 71 assists and 24 steals.

"Both players have meant so much to our success and it is great to see them recognized by the league," head coach Brad Brownell said. "We are very excited about the coming season and we will look to (them) for their leadership on and off the court."

Also returning for the Raiders is senior guard Will Graham, who dished out 110 assists and led the team with 40 steals. They lost forwards Jordan Pleiman and Scottie Wilson to graduation, but Duquesne transfer Scott Grote and two-time JUCO All-American Cory Cooperwood are ready to fill the void.

STRENGTHS: Taking a cue from the head coach, the team is calm, cool and collected. The Raiders were 6-0 in games decided by one point and won 10 straight Horizon games from Jan. 17-Feb. 20 by a combined margin of 32 points. In league play, Wright State led the Horizon in field-goal defense (39.6 percent) and 3-point shooting (41.5). First-team all-conference guard Vaughn Duggins led the team in scoring and was second in assists, steals and 3-pointers.

WEAKNESSES: They lost a lot of frontcourt toughness with the departures of Jordan Pleiman (685 career rebounds) and Scottie Wilson (9.8 points, 7.2 rebounds in 2007-08). There is also concern about guard Todd Brown's durability. After averaging 16.1 points and scoring 20-plus points six times in the first 13 games, he averaged just 10.3 points in the final 18 games of the year with zero 20-point outings.

LAST YEAR: 21-10 overall, 12-6 in the Horizon; lost in second round of Horizon tournament.

HEAD COACH: Brad Brownell (career 127-60); third year at Wright State (44-20).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "The challenge of scheduling quality non-conference games has become increasingly more difficult each year. Having said that, I'm very pleased with the way our schedule turned out this season. I think our fans will enjoy the competition." -- Wright State head coach Brad Brownell.

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Duquesne transfer Scott Grote is a 6-6 forward who averaged 10 points per game in the Atlantic 10 in 2006-07. Junior forward Cory Cooperwood is a two-time JUCO All-American who averaged 15.1 points and 8.1 rebounds with 50 blocks last year for a Wallace (Ala.) State team that was 32-1.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: Playing at ACC power Wake Forest on national TV on Dec. 14 and participating in the San Juan Shootout (facing Oral Roberts, South Florida and Murray State) from Dec. 20-22 are highlights of the Raiders' non-conference slate. There is also a road game at Sam Houston State (23-8 last year).

PROGRAM DIRECTION: The Raiders' last 20-win season before the arrival of head coach Brad Brownell was in 1992-93. Wright State seeks its third straight 20-win season in 2008-09 and is picked second in the Horizon preseason-poll. If they can figure out how to beat Valparaiso (0-3 last season), the Raiders could be headed toward a second NCAA Tournament appearance in three years.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Will Graham, G Vaughn Duggins, G Todd Brown, F Scott Grote and F Cory Cooperwood.

ROSTER REPORT:
--Senior forward Gavin Horne returns to the Raiders after an injury-plagued 2007-08 in which he appeared in just 11 games.

--Wright State awarded head coach Brad Brownell a new six-year contract this summer that extended his deal through the 2013-14 season. In six seasons as a head coach, he has guided three teams to the NCAA Tournament, including the 23-10 Raiders in 2006-07. His 44 wins in his first two years at WSU are second in school history to Ralph Underhill (45 in 1978-80).

msn.foxsports.com/cbk/teamReport?categoryId=71822&type=InsideSlant

[Raider Fanatic]

Butler Team Report:
Getting Inside:
Butler is not only moving on this season without five veteran leaders, it is doing so with zero seniors and only one returning starter.

Second-year head coach Brad Stevens, whose Bulldogs won a school-record 30 games and were a fixture in the Top 25 last season, said losing A.J. Graves, Mike Green, Pete Campbell, Julian Betko and Drew Streicher doesn't mean they're rebuilding in 2008-09.

"We're hoping there's a culture and tradition that our guys embrace, even though they're young," he told FoxSports.com. "We've been consistent. It hasn't always been perfect, but we've been consistent. We don't really pay much attention to outside expectations."

The expectations aren't too high, even inside the Horizon League. The reigning regular-season and conference tournament champions were picked to finish fifth in the league's preseason poll of coaches, sports information directors and journalists, although they did receive three first-place votes.

Sophomore forward Matt Howard proved that he could play last season, averaging 12.3 points and 5.5 rebounds with three double-doubles. Now he has to prove he can lead.

"The names may be different," Stevens said. "But the approach remains the same."

STRENGTHS: Doing things the "Butler way" means taking care of the ball and playing tough defense. Last season, the Bulldogs ranked fifth in the nation in scoring defense and held 14 opponents to 55 or fewer points. They also averaged just 10.1 turnovers per game in Horizon League play. Matt Howard shot 58.3 percent and averaged 12.3 points and 5.5 rebounds as a freshman.

WEAKNESSES: Experience. There are six freshmen and zero seniors. Butler lost four starters and its sixth man to graduation, including the All-Horizon backcourt of league MVP Mike Green and A.J. Graves and lethal 3-point shooter Pete Campbell. The seniors were a combined 59-11 over the past two years and accounted for 293 of the team's 319 threes in 2007-08.

LAST YEAR: 30-4 overall, 16-2 in the Horizon; lost in second round of NCAA tournament.

HEAD COACH: Brad Stevens (career 30-4); second year at Butler (30-4).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We have a very challenging schedule, especially for a young team, but we've always sought to play great teams in our non-conference schedule to prepare us for the rigors of our league schedule." -- Butler head coach Brad Stevens.

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Rivals.com ranked Chase Stigall as the top shooting guard and 6-7 Garrett Butcher as the top small forward recruits in the conference. Guard Shelvin Mack was ranked as the No. 3 player in Kentucky by the Courier-Journal before his senior season. Guard Ronald Nored originally signed with Western Kentucky but was granted his release after coach Darrin Horn left for South Carolina. Swingman Gordon Hayward chose Butler over Purdue.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: Butler starts the season at reigning Missouri Valley champ Drake on Nov. 15 and visits Xavier, another NCAA Tournament participant, on Dec. 23. Big Ten foe Northwestern visits Hinkle Fieldhouse on Nov. 26 and the Bulldogs will play at Ohio State on Dec. 13.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: Butler has been to the NCAA Tournament four times in this decade with four different head coaches, proving it knows how to deal with the kind of transition it's facing after losing five of its top seven scorers. There will be some trial and error with the lineup, but a fifth-place projection in the 2008-09 preseason poll still seems a little low for a program that spent 19 weeks in the Top 25 last year.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Shelvin Mack, G Zach Hahn, G/F Willie Veasley, SF Garrett Butcher and PF Matt Howard.

ROSTER REPORT:
--F Andrew Smith (6-9, 220), a senior at Covenant Christian in Indianapolis, has given a verbal commitment to Butler for the 2009 recruiting class. He averaged 14.5 points and 10.6 rebounds and shot 62.8 percent from the field as a junior.

--With assistant coach Brandon Miller leaving this summer to join the Ohio State staff, Butler promoted coordinator of basketball operations Micah Shrewsberry to fill the spot. Ohio University assistant coach Kevin Kuwik was hired to replace Shrewsberry.


msn.foxsports.com/cbk//teamReport?categoryId=71828

[Raider Fanatic]

CSU Team Report:
Getting Inside:
Preseason Horizon League favorite Cleveland State may have widened the gap between itself and other conference contenders with an early start to the 2008-09 season.

The Vikings toured the Spanish cities of Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona over a 10-day span in mid-August, playing four games against club teams. They were also allowed 10 additional practices before the tour, according to NCAA rules that permit a team to travel overseas once every four seasons.
Cleveland State went 3-1 on its trip, but head coach Gary Waters said the early success and the preseason hype won't swell his team's ego.

"On one hand, it's always nice when your peers take notice of the heard work that is taking place in the program and single you out for it," he said. "Realistically, however, it doesn't mean anything because it's based on what we have done in the past and it doesn't help us to achieve our ultimate goal."

That goal is winning the Horizon League title and going to the NCAA Tournament. The Vikings came up short last season, but are poised for another run behind preseason first-team All-Horizon selections J'Nathan Bullock and Cedric Jackson.

"A year ago, our motto was 'Flip the Script,'" Waters told the Plain Dealer. "This year, it's 'No Regrets, No Excuses.'"

STRENGTHS: The Vikings led the league in 2007-08 in rebounding margin (plus-3.5) after ranking last in that category in 2006-07. They allowed just 63.6 points per game and held the opposition to 32.3 percent shooting from behind the arc. Cleveland State also led the conference in steals and ranked second in blocked shots. Four starters and eight letter winners are back, plus sophomore sharpshooter Eric Schiele.

WEAKNESSES: They struggled from 3-point distance last season, including a 5-of-20 effort in their NIT loss to Dayton and a 2-of-16 showing in a loss to Butler in the Horizon championship game. They were ninth in the conference in 3-point shooting (30.4 percent) and 10th in 3-pointers made (4.5 per game).
LAST YEAR: 21-13 overall, 12-6 in the Horizon; lost in first round of NIT.

HEAD COACH: Gary Waters (career 202-169); third year at Cleveland State (31-34).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "This is just another sign that we aren't going to sneak up on anybody this year and that we'll have to be ready to face every opponent's best effort this winter." -- Cleveland State head coach Gary Waters on being picked first in the Horizon League preseason poll.

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Jeremy Montgomery is a left-handed point guard from Chicago's Lincoln Park High who made the Sun-Times All-Area team. Josh McCoy was a two-time, first-team all-state guard in Missouri who averaged 19.4 points and 6.3 rebounds last season. New to the frontcourt are two redshirt freshmen, 6-11 center Joe Latas and 6-7 forward Daitwan Eppinger. Latas averaged 22.0 points and 14.5 rebounds before breaking his ankle during his senior season.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: The Vikings play at Pac-10 foe Washington on Nov. 18 in an opening-round game of the College Basketball Experience Classic, then return home to face Kansas State of the Big 12 on Nov. 22. Other non-conference tests include a road game at West Virginia on Dec. 6 and a home date with Kent State on Dec. 23.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: Head coach Gary Waters directed a remarkable turnaround last year as the Vikings' first 20-win season since 1993-94 made them the second team in Horizon history to follow a 20-loss season with a 20-win campaign. Cleveland State went to the postseason NIT for the first time since 1988 and have their sights set on the NCAA Tournament this year. They were picked first in the 2008-09 preseason poll, receiving 40 of 49 first-place votes.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Cedric Jackson, G Norris Cole, G D'Aundray Brown, F J'Nathan Bullock and F George Tandy.

ROSTER REPORT:
--Senior F J'Nathan Bullock is the 10th player in Vikings history with more than 1,000 points and 500 rebounds, entering the season with 1,238 points and 555 boards. He needs 68 points to crack the school's Top 10 scoring chart. Bullock has led the team in scoring in each of the past three seasons.

--Sophomore G Norris Cole's cousin is Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Trent Cole.

--Sophomore F Aaron Pogue (6-9, 285) will be eligible in 2009-10 after transferring to the Vikings from Vincennes University, where he averaged 7.1 points and 5.6 rebounds and started 14 times in 22 games last season.

msn.foxsports.com/cbk//teamReport?categoryId=71826

[Raider Fanatic]

Detroit Team Report:
Getting Inside:
New Detroit head coach Ray McCallum threw out the first pitch at a Tigers game this summer.

In 2008-09, the former Indiana assistant hopes to throw the Horizon League a curveball by moving the Titans out of the basement. The first step in his plan is to make the team more physical and more blue-collar -- more representative of the Motor City.
"We are going to start this thing by not being pushed around," he told the Detroit News. "We are bringing in strong, tough and physical guys. We have the potential to be a great rebounding team, but you win with guard play. I love the 3-point shot and we want to play as fast as our ability allows us."

McCallum has a track record of success in his 24-year coaching career. After stints as an assistant at Wisconsin and Michigan, he became the head coach at Ball State and went 126-76 over seven seasons from 1993-2000 with two NCAA appearances. He next spent four years as head coach at Houston, leading them to the NIT in 2002, before working as an assistant at Oklahoma (2004-06) and Indiana (2006-08).

McCallum is passionate about recruiting.

"As a player, if you don't practice every day, you are going to get worse," he said. "And if you are not recruiting every day, you are not going to be able to improve the program."

STRENGTHS: Four starters are back. Chris Hayes ranked 10th in the league in rebounding and 11th in steals and blocks and had two double-doubles last season. Eulis Stephens reached double digits in four of his last seven games and tied for second on the team in rebounds with Michael Harrington.

WEAKNESSES: Chemistry could be a problem with a new coach and 10 new players, but at least they won't have the distractions of former coach Perry Watson's health issues and interim coach Kevin Mondro's uncertain job status. There's no proven scorer to take over for league leader Jon Goode. In the four games after his season-ending knee injury last year, the Titans averaged 47.3 points and shot 22.9 percent form 3-point range.

LAST YEAR: 7-23 overall, 3-15 in the Horizon; lost in first round of Horizon tournament.

HEAD COACH: Ray McCallum (career 170-149); first year at Detroit.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We've signed players from all over the country, but it's important that we establish our home base. We should have the majority of our players from the city and the state of Michigan, just considering our location." -- Detroit head coach Ray McCallum to the Detroit Free Press.

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Junior forward Thomas Kennedy led Mott (Mich.) to back-to-back JUCO Division II national championships, averaging 14.5 points and 7.7 rebounds for a team that went 70-5 in his two seasons. Junior forward Xavier Keeling started his career at Indiana before helping Wallace (Ala.) State win 32 straight games in 2007-08. Junior center Jason Bennett is a 7-3 shot blocker who played at Kansas State as a freshman before transferring to Tallahassee CC.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: Head coach Ray McCallum makes his Detroit debut on Nov. 14 at Purdue. Other highlights include games at old rival DePaul on Nov. 26, at home against Saint Louis on Nov. 29 and at Illinois on Dec. 20.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: Detroit tied the school single-season record for losses and endured the second-worst losing streak in school history (13 games) last year. The Titans placed last in the Horizon League and went 1-13 on the road, including an 0-9 mark in conference play. They were picked ninth in the Horizon's 2008-09 preseason poll, ahead of only Youngstown State.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Woody Payne, G Eulis Stephens, F Thomas Kennedy, PF Chris Hayes and F/C Michael Harrington.

ROSTER REPORT:
--Sophomore F/C Eli Holman (6-9, 250) played in six games at Indiana before missing the rest of last season with a wrist injury. His transfer to Detroit reunites him with former Indiana assistant coach Ray McCallum, now the head coach of the Titans.

--Junior C Jason Bennett (7-3, 275) is the tallest player in team history. The Tallahassee Community College transfer is the fourth 7-footer to play for Detroit, and the first since John Beauford in 1990-91.

msn.foxsports.com/cbk//teamReport?categoryId=71825

[Raider Fanatic]

UIC Team Report:
Getting Inside:
Illinois-Chicago hasn't been to the NCAA Tournament since 2003-04 and has not had a conference Player of the Year since Mark Miller in 1997-98.

Both droughts could end this year, with the Flames picked third in the 2008-09 Horizon League preseason poll and senior guard Josh Mayo named preseason Player of the Year.
Mayo averaged 17.1 points per game last season and shot 47.0 percent from behind the arc, the seventh-best 3-point percentage in the country (he led Division I for six straight weeks at one point). His 85.1 percent career mark at the free-throw line is a school record and he ranks 13th in school history with 1,207 career points.

Illinois-Chicago's third-place preseason pick is its highest since being picked second in 2004-05.

The Flames return three starters, including the league's top returning scorer and 3-point shooter in Mayo, the top glass cleaner and shot blocker in 7-0 senior Scott VanderMeer (7.5 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game) and the No. 2 returning assist leader in junior point guard Spencer Stewart (4.2 per game).

STRENGTHS: The Flames set the UIC Pavilion's nets on fire in 2007-08. They were 12-2 at home and averaged 76.9 points per game and shot 49.8 percent from the field and 47.7 percent from 3-point distance. Visitors averaged 64.0 points and shot 40.2 percent from the floor and 33.2 percent behind the arc.

WEAKNESSES: They weren't nearly as hot on the road. Illinois-Chicago averaged seven fewer assists per game and shot only 32.9 percent from 3-point territory away from home. Dry spells were common, including an eight-minute stretch with just one field goal in a Horizon semifinal loss at Butler.

LAST YEAR: 18-15 overall, 9-9 in the Horizon; lost in semifinals of Horizon tournament.

HEAD COACH: Jimmy Collins (career 194-171); 12th year at Illinois-Chicago (194-171).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We always aim to give our student-athletes the best experiences possible, and that includes playing some of the country's best programs. This year's schedule, from beginning to end, provides challenges that will only strengthen our team come March." -- Illinois-Chicago head coach Jimmy Collins.

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Junior forward Robert Eppinger (6-8, 240) notched 13.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game and Highland (Ill.) CC to a regional championship last season. Freshman swingman DeMarkus Isom-Jones averaged 24 points and earned all-state honors at Chicago's Englewood High. Freshman guard Zavion Neely scored 17 points in Chicago's Public League All-Star Game last season.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: DePaul makes its first visit to the UIC Pavilion on Nov. 22, looking to avenge its 85-80 loss to the Flames last season. The road schedule features games against Vanderbilt of the SEC on Dec. 3 and Georgia Tech of the ACC on Dec. 14, plus a game at Toledo against former UIC assistant and first-year Rockets head coach Gene Cross on Dec. 23.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: UIC is coming off a decent season, going 18-12 against the non-Butler portion of the schedule (0-3 vs. the Bulldogs). With the Horizon's No. 2 scorer Josh Mayo and No. 1 rebounder Scott VanderMeer back, the Flames are on the short list of championship contenders. They've won at least one game in the league tournament for seven straight years and have had six winning seasons in the last seven years. They were picked third in the preseason poll, with two first-place votes.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Spencer Stewart, SG Josh Mayo, G Robert Kreps, F Jeremy Buttell and C Scott VanderMeer.

ROSTER REPORT:
--Head coach Jimmy Collins, who enters 2008-09 six wins shy of 200 career victories, signed a three-year contract extension this summer that will keep the school's winningest coach on the bench through 2011-12.

--Josh Anderson, a 6-3 shooting guard from Chicago's Simeon Career Academy, joined the team as a walk-on this season. He averaged 13.2 points and 4.3 rebounds last season. His father is former University of Illinois star Nick Anderson, who played 13 seasons in the NBA with Orlando, Sacramento and Memphis.


msn.foxsports.com/cbk//teamReport?categoryId=71821

[Raider Fanatic]

Loyola Team Report:
Getting Inside:
J.R. Blount averaged a team-high 15.1 points per game last season. Just imagine what he could do now that he's healthy.

The 6-1 senior guard was hobbled throughout 2007-08 by the lingering effects of off-season knee surgery. He started all 31 games, averaging 34.6 minutes, with career highs in rebounds (4.0), assists (2.6) and steals (1.2), but he also had his career-worst shooting percentages from the field (38.7) and 3-point range (23.7).

"Last year he basically played on one leg," Loyola head coach Jim Whitesell said. "He has been a leader for us for three years and is all toughness and guts. I think he is feeling healthier than he did last year."

The Ramblers have three other returning starters: top rebounder Andy Polka and two senior forwards who have battled assorted injuries, Leon Young and Darrin Williams. Young averaged 10.4 points and 7.2 rebounds in 2005-06, but played just 20 games last year. Williams finally stayed healthy last year and scored 21 points at Cleveland State in his second career start.

"We are hoping Leon can be a comeback player of the year type for us this season," Whitesell said. "Darrin was one of our most improved players last year and we saw a lot of promise out of him."

STRENGTHS: J.R. Blount ranks 25th in school history with 1,153 points and Andy Polka has had back-to-back seasons with at least 200 points, 200 rebounds and 50 assists. The Ramblers ranked second in the league in free-throw shooting, offensive rebounds and turnover margin last year. Only Butler (10.1) averaged fewer turnovers per game than Loyola (11.3).

WEAKNESSES: Seven of their 12 conference losses in 2007-08 were by eight or fewer points, but the Ramblers lacked the long-range firepower to make up ground. They shot a league-worst 27 percent from 3-point distance. Their inside game suffered without injury-prone big man Leon Young, who missed 11 of the last 20 games.

LAST YEAR: 12-19 overall, 6-12 in the Horizon; lost in second round of Horizon tournament.

HEAD COACH: Jim Whitesell (career 343-252); fifth year at Loyola-Chicago (65-58).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We have some good experience back and an attitude where last year isn't what we want around here. Building up the program the last few years and then having a year like last season left a sour taste in our mouth." -- Loyola head coach Jim Whitesell.

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Junior guard Marcus Thomas averaged 16.1 points and 3.6 rebounds and shot 37 percent from 3-point range at Danville Area (Ill.) CC. The five-member freshman class includes 6-9 center John Benkoske from Oshkosh (Wis.) West, the same school as junior Andy Polka, and 6-1 point guard Courtney Stanley from Philadelphia's Roman Catholic High, the first Pennsylvania recruit since World War II. Forward Walt Gibler averaged 16.8 points at Cincinnati's Xavier High.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: For the first time in school history, the Ramblers are participating in the NIT Season Tip-Off, squaring off against Georgia on Nov. 17 in West Lafayette, Ind., and either Purdue or Eastern Michigan the following day. "Playing in that tournament gives us the potential to play a few very high RPI teams," Loyola head coach Jim Whitesell said.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: The Ramblers have reached double-digit wins in each of the last four seasons, their longest streak since a 16-year stretch from 1974-89. However, they lost five seniors from a class that won 65 games since the start of 2004-05, the most at Loyola since the Class of '88 won 69 games. Loyola is picked eighth in the preseason poll, but did receive one first-place vote.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: G J.R. Blount, G Justin Cerasoli, F Andy Polka, F Ross Forman and F Darrin Williams.

ROSTER REPORT:
--Senior guard J.R. Blount is a preseason second-team All-Horizon pick. He averaged a team-high 15.1 points and 2.6 per game last year and has started 67 consecutive games. He is the first Rambler since Eric Dolezal (1990-93) to average double-figures in scoring in each of his first three seasons.

--Former Rambler forward Tracy Robinson (9.8 points, 3.3 rebounds in 2007-08) has signed a contract to play professionally overseas with the Belgian team Gent.


msn.foxsports.com/cbk//teamReport?categoryId=71827

[Raider Fanatic]

UWGB Team Report:
Getting Inside:
Wisconsin-Green Bay head coach Tod Kowalczyk believes that his 2008-09 team fits a recent pattern of breakthrough performances in the Horizon League.

Two seasons ago, Butler was picked sixth in the conference preseason poll and finished first after Mike Green transferred from Towson University. Last season, Cleveland State was picked ninth and placed second after Cedric Jackson transferred from St. John's.

"If you look at the league history the last few years, that's by far the biggest telling tale," Kowalczyk told the Press-Gazette.

The Phoenix were picked fourth in this year's preseason poll, but have added forward Chop Tang to a squad that already features All-Horizon forward Mike Schachtner, league Defensive Player of the Year Terry Evans and steady guards Rahmon Fletcher and Ryan Tillema. Tang, a 6-7 junior, averaged 15.3 points at Eastern Arizona Junior College last season and chose the Phoenix over UTEP, Wichita State and Indiana State.

"When Butler was picked sixth, nobody knew that Mike Green was an NBA player. Last year with Cleveland State, no one knew how good Cedric Jackson was," Kowalczyk said. "There are one or two new guys per team that could separate the top of the league from the bottom."

STRENGTHS: Five starters return for a squad that led the Horizon League in field-goal percentage and free-throw shooting and ranked third in 3-point accuracy. Four players finished in the Top 15 in field-goal shooting, led by the backcourt of Ryan Tillema (51.0 percent) and Rahmon Fletcher (50.3).

WEAKNESSES: The Phoenix went 7-10 to finish out the season, with 16 of those 17 games decided by 10 points or less. That's not much room for error for a club that ranked 10th in the Horizon in turnover margin, ninth in assist-to-turnover ratio and eighth in both steals and assists. They simply have to take better care of the ball in 2008-09. Green Bay also has to show up for road games (3-12 last season).

LAST YEAR: 15-15 overall, 9-9 in the Horizon; lost in first round of Horizon tournament.

HEAD COACH: Tod Kowalczyk (career 92-88); seventh year at Wisconsin-Green Bay (92-88).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "The way I look at our league, there are four or five teams that can contend for a championship, and we are certainly one of those teams. We have to take the offseason that we had and carry it over into practice, remain healthy and look forward to a great season." -- Green Bay head coach Tod Kowalczyk.

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Junior forward Chop Tang averaged 15.3 points and 5.5 rebounds to lead Eastern Arizona to a 30-6 record and a fifth-place finish at the national JUCO tourney. A native of Sudan, he moved to the U.S. in 1994 and became the all-time leading scorer (1,274) at Mankato (Minn.) East High. Junior guard Jesse Childs' father is former NBA guard Chris Childs, who played for the Nets, Knicks and Raptors from 1994-2003.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: The non-conference schedule features games at CBI participant Utah on Nov. 18 and a home game against 2008 NIT finalist Massachusetts on Nov. 29. The Phoenix and Wisconsin meet for a ninth consecutive season on Dec. 13 in Madison.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: Nine returning players averaged at least 13 minutes per game this season -- experience that should pay off in 2008-09. All five starters shot better than 47 percent from the field and all five are back, led by double-digit scorers Mike Schachtner (15.8), Ryan Tillema (12.5) and Rahmon Fletcher (10.1).They were picked fourth in the Horizon preseason poll.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Rahmon Fletcher, SG Ryan Tillema, F Terry Evans, F Mike Schachtner and F Randy Berry.

ROSTER REPORT:
--Senior F Terry Evans, the reigning Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year, has 170 career steals and needs just seven more to break the Phoenix career record held by Frank Nardi (1985-88).

--Junior F Cordero Barkley is expected to be out until January following surgery on his wrist. He averaged 3.6 points and 2.7 rebounds last season.

--Senior F Mike Schachtner was named to the preseason all-league second team. He is 10th in school history with 1,285 points and is on pace to crack the all-time Top 5. Last season, he led the Horizon in free-throw shooting (90.4) and was third in scoring (15.8), fifth in 3-point shooting (45.7) and 10th in field-goal percentage (48.7).

msn.foxsports.com/cbk//teamReport?categoryId=71824

[Raider Fanatic]

UWM Team Report:
Getting Inside:
Avery Smith is not a typical college walk-on.

The 6-3 senior guard returns to Milwaukee in 2008-09 as a non-scholarship player after apparently working his way out of head coach Rob Jeter's doghouse. He was kicked off the team last November for an undisclosed rules violation, with Jeter telling reporters "we need to move forward as a team and as a program without Avery."

Smith was a preseason All-Horizon League selection in 2007-08 after leading the team with 15.5 points per game in 2006-07. He scored 20 or more points eight times and 30 or more points three times and averaged 3.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.2 steals.

Smith was the first of nine players that would eventually leave the program last season due to dismissals, defections or injuries. Those that remained developed great chemistry and rallied to finish in a fourth-place tie in the conference.

This season, Smith is one of 10 new players on the roster. It's not clear what role Smith will play, but if Jeter can somehow develop the right chemistry again, the Panthers could be in the top half again. By adding a potentially volatile ingredient, however, the whole experiment could blow up in their faces.

STRENGTHS: The team is tough and tenacious. They ranked second in the conference in rebounding margin (plus-2.6) and were 14-6 when they won or tied the battle of the boards last year. They rallied from double-digit, second-half deficits to win four times. The Panthers were 6-3 last season and 57-14 over the past nine years in regular-season Horizon home games.

WEAKNESSES: There are 10 new faces -- and 10 new personalities -- to juggle this season, including the return of high-scoring guard Avery Smith, who missed all of 2007-08 after being booted off the team. Of all returning players, Deonte Roberts (44.5) is the only one who shot better than 40 percent from the field last season. No one showed the range to knock down this year's longer 3-pointers.

LAST YEAR: 14-16 overall, 9-9 in the Horizon; lost in first round of Horizon tournament.

HEAD COACH: Rob Jeter (career 45-47); fourth year at Wisconsin-Milwaukee (45-47).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "There is not a lot of separation between a big group of us and it is going to be fun to battle, watch people get beat up and banged up on the road, and watch everyone try to hold their homecourt." -- Wisconsin-Milwaukee head coach Rob Jeter on being picked sixth in the Horizon League preseason poll.

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Junior forward James Eayrs eats up a ton of space at 6-7 and 340 pounds. He scored 1,156 points in two seasons at the North Dakota State College of Science, fourth-most in school history. Junior forward Burleigh Porte, a 6-8 native of Liberia, averaged 15 points, nine boards and four blocks at Olney Central (Ill.) College. Junior guard Tone Boyle is a strong shooter and was first-team all-region last year at Highland (Ill.) CC.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: The Panthers dive right in with road games against teams from BCS conferences in each of the first three weekends: at Iowa State (Nov. 16), at Marquette (Nov. 22) and at Wisconsin (Nov. 29). Highlights of the home schedule are dates with Ball State on Nov. 25 and CBI finalist Bradley on Dec. 20.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: The Panthers finished fourth in the Horizon last year, which doesn't tell half the story. They were 3-7 when top scorer and rebounder Torre Johnson was kicked off the team, then rallied to win nine of their next 10 to salvage the season. If it can avoid last season's disruptions and defections, Milwaukee could exceed its sixth-place projection in the 2008-09 Horizon preseason poll.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: G Ricky Franklin, G Deonte Roberts, G Avery Smith, F Jason Averkamp and F James Eayrs.

ROSTER REPORT:
--Freshman guard Patrick Souter and freshman forward Riley Walker both missed their final high school seasons in 2007-08 due to knee injuries.

--G Ricky Franklin is listed as a senior on the roster, but can earn an additional season of eligibility by completing 80 percent of his degree requirements by the start of the Fall 2009 semester.

msn.foxsports.com/cbk//teamReport?categoryId=71823

[Raider Fanatic]

YSU Team Report:
Getting Inside:
Youngstown State head coach Jerry Slocum hopes to take a page out of the Cleveland State playbook and "flip the script" in 2008-09.

The Penguins were 9-21 (5-13 Horizon) last season and were picked to finish last in the 2008-09 conference preseason poll. The Vikings were 10-21 (3-13) in 2006-07, but went 21-10 (12-6) in 2007-08 after a ninth-place preseason prediction.

"We feel that we brought in players that will have the offensive leadership that we need -- players that can put the ball in the basket," Slocum said. "I think that we'll have more offensive balance. I think clearly we'll have more depth. I think we'll be more athletic and a better rebounding team."

The Penguins have eight newcomers and six returning players, led by 6-7 sophomore swingman Vytas Sulskis (9.0 points, 4.4 rebounds) and 6-8 senior forward Jack Liles (9.7 points, 4.4 rebounds). Slocum said he is counting on those two and senior guard Mikko Niemi and sophomore guard Vance Cooksey to provide leadership.

"You want them to set a work-ethic tone for the guys right from day one," he said. "We want them to embrace our new guys. They need to show leadership and welcome the new guys as part of our family."

STRENGTHS: These Penguins have sticky fingers (do Penguins have fingers?). They were No. 2 in the Horizon in steals (6.5 per game) and had four players ranked among the league's Top 15 thieves. Vytas Sulskis set freshman school records for 3-pointers made and attempted and tallied more points and more boards than any YSU rookie since 2001-02. Forward Jack Liles ranked fourth in the Horizon in field-goal percentage (54.7).

WEAKNESSES: Last year, they ranked ninth or 10th in the Horizon in scoring defense (70.0 points per game), scoring margin (minus-5.2), free-throw shooting (63.4 percent), field-goal defense (45.6 percent), rebounding margin (minus-2.7) and turnover margin (minus-0.4). They were 2-13 in road games. Losing their top two scorers, Byron Davis (15.6) and John Barber (13.6) doesn't help matters.

LAST YEAR: 9-21 overall, 5-13 in the Horizon; lost in first round of Horizon tournament.

HEAD COACH: Jerry Slocum (career 610-384); fourth year at Youngstown State (30-59).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "What I think (having better depth) will do for us is to be able to play that kind of up-tempo that we want and play more guys and stay fresher and even force the tempo a little bit more. With the depth, it gives us a chance to get up the floor more defensively." -- Youngstown State head coach Jerry Slocum.

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Top recruit Ashen Ward, a 6-4 guard, was the 2007 Ohio Division III Player of the Year. Junior guard Kelvin Bright was honorable mention JUCO All-American at Hagerstown (Md.) CC, averaging 24.2 points. Junior forward Sirlester Martin had more than 400 points and 300 rebounds and helped Walters (Tenn.) State win 28 consecutive games. Sophomore forward Tom Parks averaged 14.2 points at Sheridan (Wyo.) College.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: The Nov. 18 game at Maryland is the Penguins' first against an ACC foe since facing Georgia Tech on Dec. 29, 1992. Other non-conference tests include road games at Robert Morris (Nov. 25), Kent State (Dec. 15) and Charlotte (Dec. 21).

PROGRAM DIRECTION: At his two previous schools, Jerry Slocum went 23-5 in his fourth season at Gannon (Pa.) University and 21-9 in his fourth year at Geneva (Pa.) College. The 610-game winner enters his fourth season at Youngstown State in 2008-09, but needs a lot of help to repeat that magic. The Penguins were picked 10th in the Horizon preseason poll.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Vance Cooksey, G Kelvin Bright, G Mikko Niemi, G/F Vytas Sulskis and F Jack Liles.

ROSTER REPORT:
--With 79 career blocked shots, senior F Jack Liles ranks fourth in school history and needs three more to pass TeJay Anderson (2000-04) for third place.

--On Oct. 7, legendary Youngstown State basketball coach Dom Rosselli passed away at the age of 93. In 38 years as head coach, he compiled a record of 589-388 (.604) with eight 20-win seasons. Rosselli also coached the school's baseball team for 31 seasons and was an assistant football coach for 21 years.

msn.foxsports.com/cbk//teamReport?categoryId=71883

[OG Raiderfan]

Where is the Valpraiso preview?

[Raider Fanatic]

Valpo's isn't available yet.

msn.foxsports.com/cbk//teamReport?categoryId=71885