2008-09 Preview

Swiss Cheese Squads: Teams With Holes to Fill

Jason Brubaker — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:43:44 -0700

With the dust from the draft now settled, it's time to look at how some teams will be filling in the considerable holes left by draftees. Here's a look at some teams who need both returning players and incoming freshmen to step up in a big way.

UCLA
Early entries: Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
Seniors: Lorenzo Mata-Real

For the Bruins to make a fourth consecutive Final Four appearance, they'll need some inspired play from returning veterans Darren Collison, Josh Shipp and Alfred Aboya. To fill Westbrook's shoes, they'll likely look first to incoming freshmen Jrue Holiday, who has a well-rounded game and can play a variety of positions depending on matchups. Fellow freshmen Malcolm Lee and Jerime Anderson will provide quality depth, as the Bruins could go with a more guard-oriented attack this year. Up front, the unenviable task of replacing Love will fall to Aboya and freshmen Drew Gordon and J'Mison Morgan. Love not only put up great numbers, he brought an edge and toughness that won't be easy to replace. But getting Morgan, a late de-commit from LSU, is a huge find for Ben Howland.

Overall, the talent is still in place for the Bruins to make some noise this year - it all depends on how quickly the freshmen adjust. Getting Collison and Shipp back after both flirted with the draft is a huge help, as they will provide plenty of leadership. When it's all said and done, look for the Bruins to be one of the top teams in the country again.

Memphis
Early entries: Derrick Rose, Chris Douglas-Roberts
Seniors: Joey Dorsey

While Coach John Calipari said he was thrilled to see three of his players drafted this year, he also knows he lost his team's motor (Rose), it's heart (Dorsey) and soul (CDR). Replacing them won't be easy, but Calipari will start with super-recruit Tyreke Evans, who can fill it up with the best of them. Returning seniors Antonio Anderson and Robert Dozier could shine in their expanded roles this year, and they'll provide enough leadership to get the Tigers through C-USA. A short rotation last year limited the Tigers' depth, but Willie Kemp and Shawn Taggert are both quality players who can put up numbers, and sophomore guard Jeff Robinson could surprise some people. Freshman swingman Wesley Witherspoon, although rail-thin, could also be an impact player. He's a terrific athlete and the kind of long, rangy player that fits perfectly in Calipari's system.

They'll still cruise through C-USA, but it's hard to envision another run to the title game. Down the stretch, CDR and Rose carried the Tigers last year, and when his head was in the game, Dorsey was a beast down low. Look for another 26-28 win season, but I don't see Memphis advancing beyond the Sweet 16.

Kansas
Early entries: Brandon Rush, Mario Chalmers, Darrell Arthur
Seniors: Russell Robinson, Sasha Kaun, Darnell Jackson

Bill Self, welcome to the world of what-have-you-done-for-me-lately. The defending national champs will look completely different this year, returning only two rotation players in Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich. Luckily, those two are at the most important positions in point guard and center, so Self can slide some of the highly-touted freshmen in around them. On the perimeter, freshmen Travis Releford, Tyshawn Taylor and Tyrone Appleton should see plenty of minutes, as will forwards Marcus and Markeiff Morris and Qunitrell Thomas.
Returning players Matt Kleinmann and Tyrel Reed will also be counted on to help bring the freshmen along.

While another national championship isn't a realistic possibility, the Jayhawks still have the potential to be very, very good. Collins and Aldrich are all Big-12 talents who should thrive this year. It's impossible not to taker a step back after all of the talent they lost, but if the incoming freshmen are as good as advertised, they'll still be in the hunt for the Big 12 title.

Texas
Early entry: DJ Augustin

Once again, the Longhorns only have to replace one player, but once again, it's a big one. However, they did just fine without Kevin Durant, so maybe the same will hold true for Augustin. The Horns do return plenty of talent, starting with AJ Abrams and Justin Mason in the backcourt, and Damion James, Gary Johnson and Conner Atchley up front. Abrams should be able to slide in at the point, with Dogus Balbay and freshman J'Covan Brown providing some depth. The trouble will be replacing Augustin's floor presence. A natural leader, he always was poised and in control, especially in crucial moments. Abrams will have to show that he can not only be a playmaker for others, but that he can provide the same leadership Augustin did.

The Horns are loaded with talent, and they should be the favorites in the Big 12. Even without Augustin, they have enough talent to win 24-25 games. The only thing that remains to be seen is who steps into the leadership role.

USC
Early entry: OJ Mayo, Davon Jefferson

The Trojans knew they were only renting Mayo for one year, so they expected this. But they may not have planned on losing Jefferson, who went undrafted. On the bright side, they do return Daniel Hackett, Taj Gibson and Dwight Lewis, who should provide plenty of experience. Replacing Mayo will fall on the shoulders of stud freshman Demar DeRozan, who is a highlight waiting to happen. If Derozan can provide some firepower from the wings, the Trojans may not miss Mayo quite as much as they think. And although Jefferson was a fantastic athlete, he could play a little out of control and didn't seem to grasp the concept of team ball. With Hackett, Lewis, DeRozan and Angelo Johnson in the backcourt, they may not miss him much,

The Trojans won with defense last year, and this year will be no different. Hackett is an underrated guard who can do a little of everything, and another year of experience should help Johnson and Lewis in the backcourt. Gibson is a force down low when he chooses to be, and he should get more touches this year with Mayo out. If DeRozan can live up to his hype, another trip to the tournament is likely.

Stanford:
Early entries: Brook Lopez, Robin Lopez
Seniors: Fred Washington, Taj Finger

It goes without saying the Cardinal will have a different look next year, with the Lopez twins off to the NBA. New coach Johnny Dawkins will likely have to transition to a guard-oriented attack, led by veterans Mitch Johnson and Anthony Goods, as well as back-up Kenny Brown. Up front, the Cardinal will lean heavily on Lawrence Hill, who was inconsistent last year but has all Pac-10 potential. Landry Fields will also have to step up, as Stanford will be severely undersized next year.

They have a talented backcourt, but the Cardinal will probably struggle up front. There's still enough here to make a bid for the NCAA Tourney, but they'll need a superhuman effort from Lawrence Hill to do any more than that.

Kansas State
Early entries: Michael Beasley, Bill Walker
Seniors: Clent Stewart, Blake Young, David Hoskins

Unfortunately, life should return to normal in Manhattan this year, as the Wildcats look poised to take a big step back after winning their first NCAA Tournament game in 20 years last season. With Beasley and Walker off to the NBA as expected, the Wildcats will struggle to replace their 42 points and 18 rebounds per game. The burden will likely fall to Jacob Pullen, Andre Gilbert and Dominique Sutton to pick up the scoring load. Ron Anderson, Darren Kent and incoming freshman Abdul Herrera will try to replace Beasley up front, but even combined, it’s doubtful they can match his firepower.

With a solid 2009 recruiting class locked up, it may be too soon to dismiss the Wildcats as one-year wonders. However, it’s hard to see them repeating last year’s successes without Beasley and Walker, who brought a swagger to Manhattan that had been missing. This year’s version probably just doesn’t have enough firepower to challenge the upper-echelon teams in the Big 12. Look for a 16-18 win team.

2008-09 Charleston Basketball Preview: #141

Joel Welser — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:41:06 -0700

College of Charleston Cougars

Overall Rank: #141

Conference Rank: #3 Southern Conference

2007-08: 16-17, 9-11, 3rd South

2007-08 postseason: none

While Davidson got most, well pretty much all, of the headlines coming out of the Southern Conference, some other teams put together solid seasons. Unfortunately, the College of Charleston was not one of them. The team struggled through a relatively difficult non-conference schedule and any time it looked like they were going to recover, another extended losing streak followed. Yet, with every player who averaged over ten minutes per game returning, Coach Bobby Cremins' team has the experience to scare Davidson a little bit.

Who's Out:

Konimba Diarra saw limited action during his senior season, but he was another big body down the bench who could come in and play a little defense and eat up a foul or two. The only other departure is David Baller, who failed to score a point in his nine appearances.

Who's In:

With all the returning talent, the newcomers will find it difficult to find too much playing time. However, Quasim Pugh could work his way into the regular rotation. The 6-0 point guard is a drive and dish player and that is not a bad thing to have on a team that has a lot of scorers and few pure passers. Shooting guard Matt Sundberg might have to bide his time on the bench, but if he can be a consistent long range shooter as a freshman, there could be a role for him right away.

Who to Watch:

The guards will win games in the SoCon, but the Cougars have a nice group of forwards who will do their part to turn Charleston into a winner. Senior Jermaine Johnson has steadily improved throughout his career and his senior season should be his best yet. The 6-7, 250 pound Los Angeles native is a wide body and can clear room in the paint on both ends of the floor. The emergence of former junior college transfer Dustin Scott has made even more space for Johnson in the paint. Scott, who can stretch the defense with his outside shooting, averaged 10.8 points and 6.7 rebounds last year. Small forward Antwaine Wiggins had a decent freshman campaign and once he uses his size and athletic ability to get to the basket instead of hoisting up three-pointers, he will be a star in the conference. The problem up front is the lack of depth and 6-8 sophomore Jeremy Simmons needs to be ready to give Johnson and Scott a rest.

Final Projection:

Andrew Goudelock and Tony White, Jr. are good scorers and solid shooters from behind the arc, but can they lead this team to glory? White will run the point once again, but the turnover numbers are a little high and he is too talented of a scorer to simply set up his teammates. Goudelock was a pleasant surprise as a freshman and shot over 42 percent from long range and tied White with a team high 13.2 points per game. The depth is there with Donavan Monroe and Marcus Hammond, but White needs to have a big year for the Cougars to have a big year.

Projected Post-season Tournament: none

Projected Starting Five:

Tony White, Jr., Junior, Guard, 13.2 points per game

Andrew Goudelock, Sophomore, Guard, 13.2 points per game

Antwaine Wiggins, Sophomore, Forward, 6.9 points per game

Dustin Scott, Senior, Forward, 10.8 points per game

Jermaine Johnson, Senior, Forward, 11.2 points per game

Complete Top 144 Ranking | 2008-09 Preview & Awards | Coach Interviews | Discuss the Preview

2008-09 Colorado Basketball Preview: #144

Joel Welser — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 07:47:15 -0700

Colorado Buffaloes

Overall Rank: #144

Conference Rank: #11 Big 12

2007-08: 12-20, 3-13, 12th

2007-08 postseason: none

Colorado may have struggled last year, finishing dead last in the conference with a 3-13 record, and the top three scorers are gone, but Coach Jeff Bzdelik has higher expectations in year two of his reign. Their youth and inexperience will keep the Buffaloes towards the bottom of the conference, since there is only one senior and two juniors on the roster, but the players coming in are talented and fit well in the system.

Who’s Out:

The biggest loss is Richard Roby who led the team with 17.0 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. The do-it-all wing was the heart and soul of the Buffaloes and will surely be missed. The absence of point guard Marcus Hall gives Colorado no returning threats from long range. Hall also added 14.0 points per game and a team high 4.0 assists. Fellow guard Xavier Silas was a relatively effective slasher when he was on the floor. Marcus King-Stockton was not an effective scorer during his last year with the team, but he was one of the few big men on the roster and was a decent rebounder and a solid defender. Fellow big man Caleb Patterson has also wrapped up his collegiate career with the Buffaloes after seeing limited action last season.

Who’s In:

And that was the biggest problem last year…the lack of big men. The recruiting class fixes that little issue. Toby Veal, a 6-8 power forward, is the best of the bunch. His offense may be limited to easy putbacks around the basket for now, but he will make a huge impact on the glass and on the defensive end right away. Fellow incoming freshmen Trey Eckloff and Austin Dufault are versatile players who have the size and the shooting range to be successful in Coach Bzdelik’s version of the Princeton offense. Casey Crawford did not spend too much time on the floor two years ago when he played at Wake Forest, but as a sophomore and spending a year on the bench in Boulder, he has more experience than most of the big guys on the team. The frontcourt might have the most talented newcomers, but the backcourt needs some players too. Point guard Nate Tomlinson has the tools to play a big role right away. The 6-2 Australian is a very smart leader and a great passer. He will not blow by anybody with his speed, but he does have a nice outside shot to at least keep the defense honest. Shooting guard Ryan Kelley and Stony Brook transfer Kyle Wright will add depth on the wings.

Who to Watch:

Sophomore Cory Higgns and junior Dwight Thorne II will be the new leaders on the perimeter. Higgins had a great freshman campaign and even started all 32 games despite all the more experienced options in the backcourt. As the team’s leading returning scorer, Higgins will have to prove that he can step up and be the team’s new go-to-guy. Levi Knutson also has some experience and should find himself playing more minutes. With a little more consistency from beyond the arc, Knutson would be a solid shooter off the bench.

Final Projection:

Colorado fans have good reason to be excited about the future after too many years at the bottom of the conference. The Buffs will not get too far away from the cellar this season, but signs of improvement will be on the way. The frontcourt, led by senior Jermyl Jackson-Wilson, will be decent and the backcourt has some potential. Coach Bzdelik is getting his players into the system and that will start to pay benefits in 2008-2009.

Projected Post-season Tournament: none

Projected Starting Five:

Nate Tomlinson, Freshman, Guard, DNP last season

Dwight Thorne II, Junior, Guard, 3.3 points per game

Cory Higgins, Sophomore, Guard, 8.3 points per game

Jermyl Jackson-Wilson, Senior, Forward, 4.7 points per game

Toby Veal, Freshman, Forward, DNP last season

Complete Top 144 Ranking | 2008-09 Preview & Awards | Coach Interviews | Discuss the Preview

Preseason Top 50: NBA Draft Week Edition

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:04:03 -0700

We'll be rolling out our annual 144 Teams in 144 Days preview in just a couple weeks.. so it seemed like a good time to throw out my offseason Top 50 picks. With Draft entries settled, we have a clearer look at what is already shaping up to be another wild and exciting season of college basketball!

Preseason Top 50 Ranking: Draft Week Edition

	Team
1	UNC	Following last week's good news, Tar Heels now a no-brainer #1
2	Connecticut	No excuse for this group not to have a monster season
3	Duke	Singler needs to be a more dominant force in 2nd go-around
4	Louisville	Williams and Clark are both versatile and explosive
5	Memphis	Forget the losses, Cal brings in worthy reinforcements
6	Michigan State	Neitzel's gone, but core returns from solid 27-win team
7	Tennessee	Big time freshman make up for senior losses, return of Smith also huge
8	Notre Dame	Harangody emerged as National POY candidate
9	UCLA	Focus is on great guard combo of Collison, Shipp, and Holiday
10	Pittsburgh	Blair, Fields, and Young are one of the country's better trios
11	Marquette	Warriors only lack imposing inside presence
12	Wisconsin	It doesn't matter who he has, Bo Ryan just wins games
13	Texas	Loss of DJ Augustin creates a monstrous void
14	Gonzaga	Return of Pargo was key to another WCC title
15	Oklahoma	Griffin is rock solid, but Sooners need freshman Warren to excel
16	Purdue	Boilers won't sneak up on anybody this time around
17	Arizona State	Harden & Pendergraph are leading Sun Devil resurgance
18	Villanova	Young Wildcats now a year wiser
19	Arizona	Budinger returning is good news, but its all about Brandon Jennings
20	Florida	Another deep class adds to Gators growing stash of riches
21	Miami	Just about everyone returns from surprising 23-win team
22	Syracuse	Cuse will overcome loss of Donte Greene rather quickly
23	Georgetown	DaJuan Summers is a future NBAer
24	Clemson	Tigers finally made Dance, but can they make 2nd round?
25	Kansas	Champs got decimated in the off-season
26	Baylor	Not crazy to think Baylor could win the Big 12
27	Kentucky	Wildcats won't be bailed out by senior's Crawford & Bradley anymore
28	Wake Forest	Talk about a program on the verge of breaking out..
29	Virginia Tech	Jeff Allen will be star so long as head stays on straight
30	Davidson	America's love affair with Stephen Curry continues
31	West Virginia	Bob Huggins always manages to find a way to win
32	UNLV	Will battle with BYU for title in underrated MWC
33	UAB	Robert Vaden made the prudent decision to return to school
34	BYU	If Plaisted returned, this could have been Top 25 team
35	Saint Mary's	Mills was big story, but Samhan and Simpson can play
36	Xavier	Despite senior graduations, XU still the team to beat in the A10
37	Alabama	The return of Ronald Steele doesn't excite me that much
38	Ohio State	As has been the case recently, Buckeyes will rely heavily on rookies
39	Mississippi	Will go as far as Chris Warren takes them
40	VCU	Eric Maynor could average 20 ppg as a senior
41	USC	DeRozan's good, but he's not on Mayo's level
42	Mississippi State	With Gordon in Draft, transfer of Hansbrough stings more
43	Kent State	Al Fisher and co. try to keep the good vibes going
44	Missouri	Tigers hoping to fall on the right side of the bubble
45	Dayton	A healthy Chris Wright will offset loss of Brian Roberts
46	San Diego State	Underrated squad could contend for MVC title
47	Washington	After a down year, Huskies should bounce back
48	Creighton	Guard-centric team needs a big man (Lawson?) to step up
49	Temple	Lavoy Allen is an emerging talent, but losing Tyndale hurts
50	San Diego	Toreros should fight with with SMC for 2nd fiddle to Gonzaga

Next Ten:

Drake - Josh Young could be best player in MVC

LSU - Return of Tasmin Mitchell will be a major help

Maryland - Who will step up besides Greivis Vasquez?

Nevada - Young Pack will rely (too heavily) on freshmen

New Mexico State - Will contend with Nevada for WAC title

Seton Hall - The senior Laing departs, but good set of guards returns

Siena - Popular mid-major pick should pile up wins in MAAC

Stanford - Lopez twins are gone, but all is not lost

Texas A&M - Despite losses, will still be competitive in the Big 12

UMASS - Harris and Lowe form a formidable duo

2009 NCAA Tournament Projection: Post-Decision Update

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:56:24 -0700

One day after the National Title Game, I took an early stab at projecting the 2009 NCAA Tournament. Now that pro prospects have officially decided their NBA Draft fate, and with our 2008-09 Preview starting in a couple weeks, its a good time to once again take a look at next year's Dance.

Changes Are in Red: The return of Lawson, Ellington, and co. pushes UNC into first place in the ACC. In the MWC, there's also a switch in position as UNLV takes the lead due to Trent Plaisted's departure (these two teams are very close still). Surprisingly, the only change in the Field of 65 is Mississippi State dropping out due to Jamont Gordon's departure, and being replaced Missouri. More movement will take place in a new Preseason Top 50 I'm working on now..

Multi-Bid Leagues (46)
Big East (9) - UCONN - (Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Villanova, West Virginia)
ACC (6) - UNC - (Clemson, Duke, Miami, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest)
Pac-10 (5) - UCLA - (Arizona, Arizona State, Stanford, USC)
Big 12 (5) - Kansas - (Baylor, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M)
Big Ten (4) - Purdue - (Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin)

SEC (4) - Florida (Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee)
Mountain West (2) - UNLV - (BYU)
A-10 (2) - Xavier - (Dayton)
Missouri Valley (2) - Creighton - (Drake)
Conference USA (2) - Memphis - (UAB)
WCC (2) - Gonzaga - (Saint Mary's)
WAC (2) - Nevada - (New Mexico State)

One-Bid Leagues (19)
America East - Vermont
Atlantic Sun - Belmont
Big Sky - Portland State
Big South - Winthrop
Big West - Pacific
CAA - VCU
Horizon - Wright State
Ivy - Cornell
MAAC - Siena
MAC - Kent State
MEAC - Morgan State
Northeast - Robert Morris
Ohio Valley - Murray State
Patriot - American
Southern - Davidson
Southland - Stephen F Austin
SWAC - Alabama State
Summit - IUPUI
Sun Belt - MTSU

Out: Mississippi State

Last Five In: New Mexico State, Missouri, Texas A&M, Ohio State, Drake

Next In Line: Washington, Temple, Washington State, San Diego, San Diego State

Also: Check out last year's projection which had some good, bad, and ugly picks.

2008-09 All-American Projection: Post-Decision Update

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 08:27:17 -0700

A few days after the 2008 NCAA Championship game, I made an early projection of the 08-09 All-Americans to go along with Top 50 and All-Freshman projections. Now that players have officially entered or withdrawn from the Draft, we have a much better sense of how next year's landscape will look: First Team G - Brandon Jennings - Arizona G - Stephen Curry - Davidson F - Kyle Singler - Duke** F - Luke Harangody - Notre Dame F - Tyler Hansbrough - North Carolina ** Originally, I had slated DJ Augustin into the All-American team. He's been replaced by Singler, who could be a major breakout candidate despite Duke's balanced attack. Second Team G - James Harden - Arizona State G - Darren Collison - UCLA** G - Tyrese Rice - Boston College F - Chase Budinger - Arizona** F - Jon Brockman - Washington ** I thought Collison would go pro, but he returns to form a solid backcourt with Jrue Holiday (though perhaps Holiday will end up stealing Collison's thunder..). Budinger always seems to disappoint, but now that he's back in school, its hard to imagine he wont score 20 ppg next year. Third Team G - AJ Price - UCONN G - Nick Calathes - Florida** G - Demar Derozan - USC** F - Blake Griffin - Oklahoma F - Patrick Patterson - Kentucky ** Trent Plaisted was an original Third Team member, but is now hoping to be a 2nd round pick in next week's Draft. Tyreke Evans was originally in Derozan's place, but the return of Antonio Anderson, Robert Dozier, etc to the Tigers make Evans less likely to put up huge numbers. Fourth Team G - Ty Lawson - UNC** G - Eric Maynor - VCU F - Tyler Smith - Tennessee** F - Terrence Williams - Louisville** C - AJ Ogilvy - Vanderbilt ** Williams was originally on the 2nd Team, but the return of Collison and Lawson knock him down a peg. Smith's return was huge for Tennessee, and he could end up as high as the First Team. Lawson's return was somewhat of a surprise, and he gets slotted into the Third team. Next in Line: Jrue Holiday - UCLA Dominic James - Marquette Hasheem Thabeet - UCONN BJ Mullens - Ohio State Tyreke Evans - Memphis Samardo Samuels - Louisville Looks like a lot of big men get squeezed into the "Next in Line" group. All-American voters are swayed by numbers, and forwards like Brockman and Patterson have a chance to light up the scoreboard in ways that a Thabeet never could.

Turnarounds: 31 Teams to Watch For: Part Two

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 14 May 2008 10:56:40 -0700

With the off-season now upon us and the spring signing period well under way, this is a good opportunity to attempt to forecast some of the teams who could make the jump next season. Is there a team out there like this past season’s Drake Bulldogs, who went from ninth place to a dominating run through the Missouri Valley? Or how about Arizona State, a team that went from dead last in the Pac-10 to fifth place and could have the makings of a conference title run this season? With one pick for each conference, here are 31 teams you should keep an eye on next season. (Return to Part One.)

Big 12: Oklahoma State

2007-08 Record: 17-16 (7-9)

The Cowboys made some news during the Final Four, even though they weren’t playing in the event. Their desire for alum Bill Self to come back to Stillwater wasn’t hidden, but in the end the national champion coach decided that it was in his best interest to remain in Lawrence. Enter Travis Ford, who led UMass to back-to-back twenty win seasons and a spot in this season’s Postseason NIT title game. While there will be an adjustment period in the early going, the cupboard certainly isn’t bare with key contributors such as James Anderson, Byron Eaton and Obi Muonelo all coming back next season. This is a team that should make a run at an NCAA Tournament berth.

Big West: Pacific

2007-08 Record: 21-10 (11-5)

Not going out on a limb here with this pick, but I really like Bob Thomason’s Tigers to get back to the top of the Big West standings with seven seniors on the roster. No key contributors from 2007-08 were lost, which could make Pacific a popular choice in some circles to make some serious noise come March. Three players averaged double figures in scoring led by First Team All-Big West selection Steffan Johnson. Rising sophomore Terrell Smith was named to the conference’s All-Freshman Team, and Anthony Brown and Chad Troyer were both honorable mention All-Big West selections. All this coming back to Stockton makes the Tigers the early favorite to win the Big West…and maybe send some unsuspecting foe home come NCAA Tournament time.

Colonial: Northeastern

2007-08 Record: 14-17 (9-9)

Bill Coen didn’t have a lot of experience to work with last season, having just one senior (forward Mark Washington) on the roster. Matt Janning, a second-team all-conference selection, will lead a cast that will have another season of experience under their belts. Guard Chaisson Allen was named to the CAA’s All-Rookie Team, having led all conference newcomers in assists and steals. This is one of those teams that while everyone may predict them to be “one year away” from a title, they’ve got just enough to let everyone know that next year is now.

Conference USA: SMU

2007-08 Record: 10-20 (4-12)

A move up the ladder in Conference USA won’t be easy for Matt Doherty and his young program, as C-USA stands to be even better as a whole in 2008-09. But the commitment from the athletics department is certainly there, something that couldn’t always be said in years past. But the young talent is definitely taking notice of the changes, with Coach Doherty inking top guard prospect Paul McCoy just last week. The Mustangs will have to replace two of their top three scorers from last season in Jon Killen and Derrick Roberts, but big men Bamba Fall and Papa Dia will both be back next season. If some of the returnees can step into the holes left by the loss of Killen and Roberts, they’ve got a shot at moving into the middle of the Conference USA pack.

Horizon: Wisconsin-Green Bay

2007-08 Record: 15-15 (9-9)

With their top five scorers all slated to return (there was only one senior on the roster in 2007-08), the Phoenix could end up being one of the chief challengers to Butler in the Horizon League. Mike Schnachter led the team in scoring last season, and received help from the likes of Ryan Tillema and Rahmon Fletcher. Fletcher did a good job of running the point, and should only get better with a full season under his belt. Caught in a logjam in the middle of the Horizon standings last season, look for UWGB to make that move up in 2008-09.

Ivy: Harvard

2007-08 Record: 8-22 (3-11)

Tommy Amaker’s first season at Harvard was highlighted by their home win over his former employer Michigan. Unfortunately for the Crimson, they received more attention for an article on their recruiting in the New York Times than they did their play in within the league. But with a lot of Ancient Eight rivals (Cornell pretty much has everyone back) losing key contributors to graduation, maybe they can move up a couple of slots. Jeremy Lin, a second-team all-conference selection, will lead the charge in 2008-09, and he’ll be helped out by the likes of Pat Magnarelli, Evan Harris and Drew Housman. By no means is this a prediction that the Crimson will compete for the Ivy’s automatic bid (I think Cornell’s a safe bet on that), but they should be drastically improved.

MAAC: Manhattan

2007-08 Record: 12-19 (5-13)

I’m going with the Jaspers slightly ahead of Iona here, but I really like both to make move in the MAAC. Given the growth experienced in the MAAC Tournament by Barry Rohrssen’s club (a stronger commitment to defense and Devon Austin became more assertive as a team leader), and the fact that they return every key returnee leads me to believe that they can challenge for a spot in that 2-5 area of the standings. Antoine Pearson is one of the conference’s best point guards, and rising sophomores Chris Smith and Rashad Green should be ready to take the next step in their development. All that separates them from where they are and where they want to be is the consistency on the defensive end of the floor. And when that comes, look out.

MAC: Bowling Green

2007-08 Record: 13-17 (7-9 East Division)

While the change to Louis Orr didn’t mean an increase in overall wins (they won thirteen games in 2006-07 as well), it did mean four more league victories to get to 7-9. And while they’ll have to replace three of their top five scorers, led by Nate Miller, they should be improved with another year of seasoning under their belts. Chris Knight, who led the team in rebounding and was second in scoring, will be back next season along with guard Joe Jankubowski. Not too sure if the improvement will mean a jump in the MAC East standings, but the Falcons will be a better team next season.

Part One: ACC, Big East, Big Ten etc

Part Three tomorrow: MVC, MWC, Pac-10, etc