Cleveland State

[Wolf]

Cleveland State's Blue Ribbon Preview:

COACH AND PROGRAM

The transformation at Cleveland State continues this winter with coach Mike Garland welcoming what he considers a promising recruiting class.

Prediction: the starting five at the end of the year will be different from the starting five in November once the newcomers get their feet under them.

This will be year three for Garland, the former Michigan State assistant coach. The Vikings came so close to breaking into double digit wins last year for the first time since 2001-02. Nine victories was an advancement from six the previous year, but the bigger gain was in Horizon League play, where the Vikings improved from 0-16 to 6-10.

"Of course I wanted to win more games,'' Garland said, "but what I'm glad about is that we're making strides in the right direction. We didn't win any conference games the year before and last year we were able to get in the mix. We had a little run there where we were playing to get in the upper half of the conference. With a little more experience we might have been able to go ahead and take that step.'' Now, it's upward and onward. At least Garland hopes so.

"I feel that unlike any other year in the past,'' Garland said, "we've done more (in the off-season) to make ourselves better.''


PLAYERS
Seven new players will be eligible this fall as Cleveland State refurbishes itself to replace three lost starters -- all-league forward Omari Westley and guards Walt Chavis and Mike Redell. Westley's 17.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game will be the biggest hole to fill, but the Vikings got a head start on that task at the end of last season. Westley was dismissed the final three games for a violation of team rules as the Vikings limped to the finish line.

The top returning scorer is junior guard Raheem Moss (12.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg), who hit the ground running in his debut season after transferring from Bowling Green. Moss can and should increase his scoring this year with Westley removed as the focal point of the offense. At 6-4, Moss has the size to score over smaller perimeter defenders, but the best thing he does is stroke the long ball. He can go on a streak and throw in a handful of three-pointers before the other guys know what hit them. He was shooting more than 45 percent from behind the arc during one stretch of the season before an ankle injury threw him for a loop. He finished the season at a solid 39.9 percent (63-of-158).

"We're expecting more leadership and a little more scoring out of him,'' Garland said. "He won't have to score a ton more points. We have a lot of guys that can get you 20 points on any given night. We have incredible balance.''

The players Garland was alluding to are guards Victor Morris (5.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg) and Steve Gansey (5.3 ppg, 1.7 rpg). Morris is a 6-0 junior who can play either the point or off the ball. He has started 33 games over his first two years and had off-season knee surgery to clean up a nagging injury.

Gansey is a 6-3 sophomore whose brother Mike plays at West Virginia. He showed flashes of promise last year, like when he scored 17 points against Central Michigan. Like Moss, he's a streaky shooter who finished the season at 36.7 percent (33-of-90) beyond the arc.

The new guard in the mix is junior college transfer Carlos English. Only 5-9, English is obviously a true point guard and if he can get comfortable quickly, the job could be his sooner rather than later. Morris can play the point but isn't as much of a threat as an outside shooter as he is on the drive. English averaged 8.7 points last year at Mott Community College in Michigan. Former Michigan State star Mateen Cleaves gave English a recommendation to Garland and the Vikings think he's a good pick-up. He's quick with the ball and should be able to push the tempo without making a lot of turnovers.

A late-summer recruiting addition, Bahaad Russell, could also get in the mix at point guard. The nephew of former Michigan great Campy Russell, Bahaad is 6-3 and was a big scorer at Maine Central Institute. "He's smooth, heady and has that great Russell bloodline,'' Garland said. "They're basketball players. He could use some strength and conditioning and I look for him to be a contributor, but it's hard to say when right now.''

The Vikings have more depth in the frontcourt than at any time in Garland's tenure. One returning starter is 6-6 forward Patrick Tatham (8.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg). "The great thing about Patrick,'' Garland said, "is that if he's not the best defensive player in the league, he's one of them. The thing that makes him special is he can win games for you without scoring a point. He does so many things to disrupt an opponent and he'll put pressure on their big guys by making them run with him.'' Tatham also needs to put pressure on opponents by improving his 49.1-percent free-throw shooting. He has played out of position at center at times, but that won't be the case this year.

When the second semester starts, Purdue transfer Ije Nwankwo becomes eligible. The 6-7, 270-pound Nwankwo is a baby bull who will be a load for opposing defenses. He didn't score much at Purdue, where he may have been a little undersized for the Big 10, but he could well thrive for the next two years in the Horizon League. "He's six-foot-seven with a seven-foot-six reach,'' Garland said. "His athleticism and strength are incredible. When he gets the ball he's going to score or you're going to have to foul to stop him. He can step out on the floor and he's a very good traffic rebounder.''

Joining the mix is 6-6 Frashon McGee (5.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg), who started 11 games last year at forward. A broken hand limited his effectiveness last year, but he could be a guy capable of scoring in double figures on any given night.

Luke Murphy is a 6-9 red-shirt freshman who is more of a Euro-version of a center. He likes to face the basket and take the outside shot rather than trade elbows around the basket. He has grown two inches and put on weight during his red-shirt year.

Terry Walker is a 6-9 freshman from Grand Rapids, Mich., who will contribute on the defensive end before his offense catches up. To be a factor this year he'll have to fight past senior Justin Henderson (4.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg), a 6-8, 260-pound wide body who is a true-back-to-the-basket post guy.

Two more newcomers will have a chance to help. J'Nathan Bullock a 6-4 freshman forward from Flint, Mich., has a big upside. "He's a tough, hard-nosed kid and being from Flint, he's played against some of the best high school competition you could play against,'' Garland said. "He can score in transition or if need be, you can post him up.'' The Vikings consider Bullock almost a steal. He was getting a lot of recruiting looks from Division I-A football schools until he made it clear he wanted to play basketball. If he were a couple of inches taller, a Big Ten school would have signed him in hoops. At 6-4, he should find the Horizon League to his liking.

Renard Fields, a 6-7 freshman, didn't put up big numbers at Hargrave (Va.) Military Academy, but like Bullock, he played against strong competition even in practice. "He went to war with some high-major guys day in and day out,'' Garland said. "Throwing him into the fire won't scare him a bit.''

That's the cast, and it's the deepest Garland has had to work with. The biggest point of emphasis will be shoring up the league's most generous defense. The Vikings allowed 72 points a game last winter, most in the Horizon League, and also allowed opponents to shoot a hefty 46.8 percent from the field. "Scoring will be the least of our worries,'' Garland said. "The big thing is can we defend? We're in a guard-dominated conference where everyone has great perimeter players. At the mid-major level, that's what you win with. When you can defend your opponents' strength, you can be pretty good.'' The other pressing issue is how the point guard scenario plays out. Will English take over, or will Morris prevail?

"We're a transition team,'' Garland said, "and we need our guards to push the ball. That's what both of those guys can do. If English wins the job, we can swing Vic over to scoring guard. He's got a ton of experience.''

BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT: C
BENCH/DEPTH: B+
FRONTCOURT: B-
INTANGIBLES: C


There is some good news. Mike Garland has more depth than he has had in his previous two years at Cleveland State and there is optimism that newcomers will upgrade the talent level and become more of a factor by February.

Furthermore, the Vikings will play 16 home games, the most since the 1983-84 season.

The bad news is that departed All-Horizon League forward Westley leaves some serious numbers to replace. Nwankwo will account for some of those numbers when he becomes eligible in the second semester. In Moss, Cleveland State has a potent perimeter scorer, but he needs Morris, Gansey and McGee to step up and help him.

More important, the Vikings need to play defense like Tatham. A .500 mark in league play would be a nice step for Cleveland State.

uwmfreak.proboards5.com/index.cgi?board=Games&action=display&n=1&thread=1130277916

[Wolf]

Men's Basketball Preview - Part 2: Cleveland State
Vikings picked eighth in preseason poll


Oct. 25, 2005

Vikings Ready To Turn Rebuilding Into Rewarding
Two Years of Hard Work Has Given Head Coach Mike Garland The Talent & Depth That He Needs To Play His Style Of Basketball.

Through all of the adversity and change during the first two seasons of Viking basketball under head coach Mike Garland, one factor has proven to have a greater impact on the CSU's ability to achieve success than all others.

Depth.

The results of playing with depth - or in most cases, without it - lead to a pretty simple statistic.

CSU is 7-4 over the last two years when Garland has had his full roster available for a game and just 6-40 when one or more pieces to the puzzle are missing.

In order for the Vikings to maintain the style of play that Garland prefers for 40 minutes, CSU must have a deep bench. Otherwise, the up-tempo offense loses a step and the aggressive, full-court defense results in covering less than the required 94-feet.

As he embarks on the third year of his plan to return championship basketball to Cleveland, Garland has achieved a goal that he had been striving to attain for two years. . . develop options.

With an 18-player roster at his disposal made up of eight returning lettermen, six newcomers and a handful of walk-ons, Garland should finally have the depth that the Vikings need to give him those options.

"Depth is the most crucial element that we need for our system to be successful," Garland said. "If we don't have the ability to rotate 10, 12 or even as many as 14 players thoughout the game, then we won't be able to sustain pressure. That is when things tend to break down."

The depth of the Vikings will be apparent in several ways this winter. Not only will more players factor into the rotation, but expect the average minutes played for the starters to drop as well.

"Two years ago, we had three players average more than 30 minutes a game simply out of necessity. Last year, it was just one. I would prefer that nobody play that many minutes," Garland said. "The fresher a player is when he is on the court, the more focused he will be."

The group of eight returners feature an interesting blend of youth and experience. They have combined to start 117 games in their careers but they average less than a season-and-a-half on the team. In fact, the lone seniors on the squad - Frason McGee and Justin Henderson - both transferred to CSU from junior colleges before last season.

The balance is also evident as Garland will have several playing options at every position, including at least one returning veteran and one newcomer.

Morris & Moss Lead Back Court

Three of the five players who are expected to share the playing time in the back court are returning veterans, but it will probably be a newcomer who determines the split in playing time.

The departure of point guards Walt Chavis and Mike Redell has left Garland with only one returner - junior Victor Morris - with experience at the position.

Morris, who is better suited to play on the wing, is the most-experienced of the Viking guards. He has started 33 games during his first two seasons, averaging 5.1 points a game last year. That leaves junior college transfer Carlos English as the key player to watch this season.

English, who averaged 8.7 points and 6.3 assists last year at Mott Community College, is the only true point guard on the team. His ability to adjust to the speed of Division I basketball will go a long way in dictating the playing rotation.

If he adapts quickly - as Garland believes he will - then English will see the lion's share of the point guard minutes with Morris serving in a backup role. A slow transition will result in Morris playing more at point guard and less at wing guard.

Freshmen Bahaadar Russell and Robbie Clark also have experience at the position, but it may take them awhile to adjust to the pace of Division I basketball.

Once the point guard rotation is determined, wing guard will be a little easier to figure out as four players are slated to split the playing time.

Leading the list at this position is junior Raheem Moss, a preseason All-Horizon League second team choice who was selected to the Horizon League All-Newcomer team last year, Morris, sophomore Steve Gansey and Russell.

Moss, the team's leading returning scorer with a 12.8 points average last year, will also see time at small forward and should be one of the team's leaders in minutes played. He made 63 of his 158 three-point field goal attempts to rank fourth in the league with a school-record 2.6 three-pointers a game.

Gansey, a native of Olmsted Falls, also proved to be dangerous from the perimeter last year, ranking 12th in the league in three-point shooting (33-90, .367) and averaging 5.3 points a game.

Morris is the playmaker of the group, using a driving and slashing style to create offensive opportunities inside.

Russell is the wild card in the group. Added to the roster late in the summer, his 6-2 frame gives CSU another big shooter from the perimeter. The nephew of former NBA standouts Campy Russell (Cleveland) and Walker Russell (Detroit), he averaged almost 24 points a game in his lone season at Maine Central Institute.

More Production From Small Forward

The small forward spot should be one of the most productive positions for CSU this year with five players vying for playing time.

The group is headed by senior Frashon McGee, who played mostly inside last year, juniors Patrick Tatham and Moss, who will both most likely see the majority of their time at other positions, and freshmen J'Nathan Bullock and Jason Holder.

The player on the floor at this spot will probably be determined by the game plan that Garland wants to employ as each candidate bringing different skills to the lineup. Garland can go big with either McGee or Tatham, add more perimeter scoring with Moss, more athleticism with Bullock or Holder, or more defense with Tatham or Holder. The depth gives Garland many combinations.

McGee is happy to be healthy again. A broken right hand suffered last December limited him offensively for the remainder of the season. Despite the handicap, he gradually improved his production, averaging 5.3 points and 3.6 rebounds a game, including a career-high 13 points at UIC in the final game of the season.

Early indications are that Bullock, a 6-4, 246-pound freshman from Flint, Mich., may be the best athlete of the newcomer class. He averaged 20.6 points and 13.0 rebounds a game as a high school senior to earn fourth team all-state honors from the Detroit Free Press, and turned down the opportunity to play major college football in favor of attending CSU.

The most intriguing candidate for playing time at small forward may be Tatham, who out of necessity, has played a little out of position the last two years at center.

A 6-7 junior, Tatham averaged 8.8 points and 5.1 rebounds a game last year. His offensive skills make him better suited to play farther away from the basket - in fact the coaches have even toyed with the idea of giving him some minutes at point guard - which will also let CSU take better advantage of his defensive ability.

Seven Vie For Time Inside

No area on the floor will benefit more from the improvement in depth than the two inside positions, where Garland can turn to as many as seven players, each of whom is 6-6 or taller. That definitely was not the case last season.

In the Horizon League opener at Loyola last year, injuries and early foul trouble left Garland with just two of his regular post players, requiring 6-3 Steve Gansey to play significant minutes at power forward.

Leading the list of returners inside are Tatham, McGee, senior Justin Henderson and sophomore Luke Murphy. They will be joined by newcomers Ije Nwankwo, a junior transfer from Purdue, and freshmen Renard Fields and Terry Walker.

The quality and quantity of players makes forecasting the playing rotation inside a difficult task.

Tatham, who has started 29 games over the last two years, is the most experienced of the Viking posts and is expected to be one of the key players in the rotation.

Henderson is next on the experience list, averaging 4.2 points in over 13 minutes a game last year. He is most comfortable playing with his back to the basket, making him best suited to play at center.

Murphy is the most interesting option among the returners after redshirting last season. The year was well spent, allowing him to grow to 6-9, 215-pounds - which gives him the ability to play inside - but his athleticism, agility and shooting range make him an effective offensive performer around the perimeter.

Vikings fans will have to wait until Dec. 18 to see Nwankwo, who does not become eligible until the end of fall semester. When he finally does step onto the court, he should be one of the top post players in the Horizon League.

Nwankwo was a first team all-state choice and ranked among the top 75 players in the nation as a high school senior. He came off the bench to average 2.5 points and 1.4 rebounds as a freshman at Purdue in 2003-04.

Fields may be the most interesting of the newcomers inside. He did not start during either of his two years of prep basketball at Hargrave Military Academy, but the three players who he played behind ended up going to Maryland, Pittsburgh and UNLV. He should see most of his action at power forward.

Garland considers 6-9 Walker to be the Vikings's center of the future, one whose shot-blocking and rebounding can create the defensive post presence that was lacking last year. He averaged 9.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 5.1 blocks a game last year.

Tar Heels & Spartans Lead Non-League Slate

Garland will lead the Vikings against a balanced schedule that includes five games against postseason teams from a year ago, four of which are on the road.

Matchups at defending national champion North Carolina (Nov. 22) and Final Four participant Michigan State (Dec. 16) will serve as early season barometers for Garland to see if CSU is ready to face the likes of UW-Milwaukee, Detroit and Loyola in league play.

The 15-game home slate features contests against Mid-American Conference teams Akron (Jan. 16) and Central Michigan (Nov. 30), the return game as part of last year's Bracket Buster.

The non-conference season opens with a Nov. 19 meeting with Florida A&M, which went to the NCAA Tournament in 2004, and ends with a Feb. 18 home game in the Bracket Buster against a team to be determined in February.

The league schedule will be a challenge, but unlike a year ago when CSU played six of its first seven league contests on the road, the Vikings will host three of the first four at home and never play more than three straight contests on the road.

horizonleague.collegesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/110205aaa.html

[Wolf]

Official Website:
csuvikings.collegesports.com/

Message Board:
p206.ezboard.com/framblermaniafrm2

[Wolf]

Cleveland State is 4-6 overall, 2-6 vs D1, and 0-1 in the Horizon League. Their RPI is 284. Their SAG is 308.

Florida A&M 68, Cleveland St. 66
North Carolina 112, Cleveland St. 55
Cleveland St. 76, Rochester MI 43
Cleveland St. 56, Central Michigan 43
Kent St. 83, Cleveland St. 68
Albany 78, Cleveland St. 65
Michigan St. 83, Cleveland St. 75
Cleveland St. 70, Utah Valley St. 69
Cleveland St. 84, John Carroll 53
Loyola Chicago 77, Cleveland St. 60

[Big D]

Pomeroy has WSU by 2 over CSU.

www.kenpom.com/sked.php?team=Wright%20St.&t=p

[Big D]

CSU also has 1 more game before they face WSU. They play at UWM on monday.

[Big D]

After their 7 point loss to UWM, Pomeroy has changed CSU to a 1 point underdog to WSU.

www.kenpom.com/sked.php?team=Wright%20St.&t=p

[Deleted]

raiderd said:

After their 7 point loss to UWM, Pomeroy has changed CSU to a 1 point underdog to WSU.

www.kenpom.com/sked.php?team=Wright%20St.&t=p

you shouldn't have too much to worry about. we played like COMPLETE crap, it was hard to watch at times. the first half was VERY rough and we also missed a lot of FTs we generally make as well as at least a dozen easy shots that should've been made. hell tucker missed a shot from 2" away (and no i'm not exaggerating), THAT'S how bad we performed. CSU played overly-aggressive as evidenced by the 45 FTs we shot and it should've been at least 20 more. hell i was petitioning the ref to call fouls on us for the sake of calling some type of foul at times.

[Wolf]

WSU out to forget Zips loss
By Marc Katz

Dayton Daily News

CLEVELAND | At least the Wright State men's basketball team can forget about a terrible showing at Akron on New Year's Eve, and most of the rest of their 3-6 pre-Horizon League schedule.

That's because what really counts begins tonight, when the Raiders play at Cleveland State in the Horizon League. They visit with a 1-0 record after beating Detroit last month, while CSU is 4-7 and 0-2 in league play.

"We're going to be fine," said WSU junior point guard and co-captain DaShaun Wood.

"Definitely, our non-conference schedule will prepare us," fellow junior co-captain Drew Burleson said. "Really, the conference is what you play for."

WSU enters with a full roster, including sophomore forward Scottie Wilson, who missed the last game with stomach flu, but a new starting configuration.

Wood, Burleson and Jordan Pleiman remain in place, joined by guards Jaron Taylor and Will Graham in his first start. Taylor started the first four this season.

"Those were the five in the lineup when we came back on Akron," WSU coach Paul Biancardi said. "And they've been playing well in practice. Of course, we'll use all our other lineups as well."

CSU has a new presence in the lineup, too, Purdue transfer Ije Nwankwo, a 6-foot-7 forward, who has played in three games since becoming eligible.

Contact Marc Katz at 225-2157.

www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/wsu/daily/0105wsubb.html

[Wolf]

WSU INSIDER

Winning on the road about mental toughness
By Marc Katz

Dayton Daily News

As Wright State players and staff boarded the bus to Cleveland Wednesday afternoon for tonight's Horizon League game, coach Paul Biancardi lingered behind in the lobby of the Setzer Pavilion/Mills Center, addressing road games.

"Winning on the road, if ability is fairly even, is mental toughness," Biancardi said. "It provides confidence and security. Everybody in the building is rooting against you.

"If the other team makes a 3-point shot and the crowd is screaming, you can't let it affect you. You can't get flustered. You always have to have your mind in the game.

"You have to say, 'You know what, I'm going to change this.' If you tell yourself you can, you will. If you tell yourself you can't, you won't."

Wright State was 0-12 on the road the season before Biancardi arrived, 6-8 his first year and 4-10 against a stronger schedule last season. The Raiders are 0-5 on the road this season, with four of those losses to solid Mid-American Conference teams.

"A tough nonleague schedule helps because it exposes your weaknesses," Biancardi said. "It also shows what you're pretty good at."

So far, Biancardi says the exposed areas have manifested themselves in turnovers, while he likes his team's ability to defend in the half court.

"If you take away the layups we've allowed on turnovers, we're a pretty good defensive team," Biancardi said.

In the six games the Raiders have lost, they averaged more than 16 turnovers and 19 points allowed after those turnovers, many of them on fast-break scores. In the four games the Raiders have won, they've averaged a little more than 11 turnovers and under 14 points a game off of them.

www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/wsu/daily/0105inside.html

[Big D]

Meija's prediction:

Wright State 74 Cleveland State 70
www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/exclusives/mejia

[Little D]

littlegreg said:

WSU out to forget Zips loss
By Marc Katz

Dayton Daily News

CLEVELAND | At least the Wright State men's basketball team can forget about a terrible showing at Akron on New Year's Eve, and most of the rest of their 3-6 pre-Horizon League schedule.

That's because what really counts begins tonight, when the Raiders play at Cleveland State in the Horizon League. They visit with a 1-0 record after beating Detroit last month, while CSU is 4-7 and 0-2 in league play.

"We're going to be fine," said WSU junior point guard and co-captain DaShaun Wood.

"Definitely, our non-conference schedule will prepare us," fellow junior co-captain Drew Burleson said. "Really, the conference is what you play for."

WSU enters with a full roster, including sophomore forward Scottie Wilson, who missed the last game with stomach flu, but a new starting configuration.

Wood, Burleson and Jordan Pleiman remain in place, joined by guards Jaron Taylor and Will Graham in his first start. Taylor started the first four this season.

"Those were the five in the lineup when we came back on Akron," WSU coach Paul Biancardi said. "And they've been playing well in practice. Of course, we'll use all our other lineups as well."

CSU has a new presence in the lineup, too, Purdue transfer Ije Nwankwo, a 6-foot-7 forward, who has played in three games since becoming eligible.

Contact Marc Katz at 225-2157.

www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/wsu/daily/0105wsubb.html

So WSU is 3-6?

[Marko]

3-6 in the pre-Horizon League schedule
2-0 in the Horizon League

[Wolf]

Wright St. 58 Final
Cleveland St. 55

Box Score:
sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/boxscore?gid=200601050121

[Big D]

That was an ugly win, but any win is a good win especially when it's a conference win on the road.