Northeastern

Northeastern Beats IUPUI in Opener

Press Release — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:09:26 -0500

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The IUPUI Jaguars basketball team got off to a sluggish start on Tuesday, dropping its season-opener to Northeastern 73-60 in the opening game of the Ann Arbor Regional of the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer. Junior Robert Glenn scored a game-high 19 points on 5-of-6 shooting and freshman Alex Young added 17 points and six rebounds in 24 minutes.

Eugene Spates led four Northeastern players in double-digits with 14 points and preseason All-Colonial pick Matt Janning added 13 points.

IUPUI was without senior point guard Gary Patterson, who missed the game due to an injury suffered in the preseason. It snapped his streak of 43 consecutive games started, dating back to his sophomore season.

"This is probably the youngest basketball team I've ever coached," IUPUI Head Coach Ron Hunter said. "We played against a solid basketball team - a very experienced basketball team, and it showed. A lot of my guys were playing their first college basketball games.

"Alex had that 'deer in headlights' look in his eyes, but I think he came back and had a really good basketball game."

Northeastern surged out to an early 9-2 lead and led from wire-to-wire. IUPUI got within three at 11-8 when sophomore Adrian Moss came off the bench to score four quick points, but Janning hit back-to-back threes to extend the lead to nine midway through the first half.

After trailing 32-22 at the break, the Jaguars chipped away early in the second half behind the strong play of Glenn and Young. The duo combined to score IUPUI's first 10 points of the second half to pull the Jags within seven.

Having missed their first 12 threes of the game, sophomore Leroy Nobles swished one from the right wing with 12:26 to play in front of the IUPUI bench to make the score 44-36, prompting an NU (1-0) timeout. Out of the timeout, the Huskies reeled off a modest 10-3 run to put the game away.

IUPUI (0-1), which led the country in three-point shooting a year ago, hit just 2-of-17 (11.8 percent) inside an empty Crisler Arena on Tuesday. Overall, the Jaguars shot just 39 percent from the floor and Northeastern hit 42 percent.

"We're going to shoot the basketball better than this," Hunter said. "Again, I think our inexperience played a part in our shooting today."

Glenn hit 9-of-11 from the foul line and added two blocked shots in 23 minutes off the bench and Young finished the game hitting 6-of-10 from the field. His 17 points were the most by an IUPUI freshman in their college debut since joining the Division I ranks in 1998.

"Rob brought us a lot of energy, and that's what we brought him in here to do," Hunter said. "And Alex had a really good second half. He just needed to get comfortable - he's going to be really special for us."

Nobles added 10 points and four assists in his first career start.

IUPUI will now play in the consolation game of the Ann Arbor Regional at 5:00 p.m. tomorrow, facing the loser of the Michigan/Michigan Tech game. That game can be heard on XL 950 with pregame coverage beginning at 4:40 p.m., or on IUPUIJags.com.

CAA Basketball Preview: 08-09

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:31:46 -0500

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Conference Rank: 12th

10 year average: 14th

CAA Conference Page

All-CAA Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Eric Maynor	VCU	Sr
G	Charles Jenkins	Hofstra	So
G	Abdulai Jalloh	James Madison	Sr
G/F	Matt Janning	Northeastern	Jr
F	Gerald Lee	Old Dominion	Jr
CHN Award Winners		Returning Leaders
High-Major All-Americans Matt Janning Charles Jenkins Eric Maynor* * High-Major POY		Points: Eric Maynor 17.8 Rebounds: Junior Hairston (Tow) 8.9 Assists: Eric Maynor 5.4

CAA Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

48	VCU	Colonial	1	NCAA
69	Northeastern	Colonial	2	NIT
83	Old Dominion	Colonial	3	NIT
102	George Mason**	Colonial	4
148	Georgia State	Colonial	5
159	Hofstra	Colonial	6
177	Delaware	Colonial	7
193	UNC Wilmington	Colonial	8
218	William & Mary	Colonial	9
245	Drexel	Colonial	10
267	James Madison	Colonial	11
289	Towson	Colonial	12

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

** returning conference champion

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the CAA?

Other CAA Content

Conference Media Poll

Other

Top Six Non-BCS Players: Maynor

State of 08: Virginia

Rise & Fall: CAA

Daily Conference Poll: Who Will Win the CAA?

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 12:13:52 -0400

State of '08: Massachusetts

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:51:45 -0400

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Duke or Carolina? BC or UMASS? Gonzaga or Washington.. or Washington State? What is the best program in each state? While there's not much competition in Hawaii.. there are great debates to be had in loaded regions like California, North Carolina, and Texas. The State of '08 is a ranking of every program in every state.. based mostly on recent success (the last five years) mixed in with subjective factors such as conference prestige, historical success, and overall program direction.

For more info, check out the State of '08 introduction.

MASSACHUSETTS

BOSTON COLLEGE - No other team in Massachusetts can boast of a Sweet Sixteen trip or multiple Top 25 finishes in the past decade. While BC is by no means a BCS power, the Eagles finished.500 or better in the ACC or Big East (prior to 06) from 2001 to 2007.

HOLY CROSS - From 2001 to 2007, Holy Cross was one of the nation's best mid-major programs, as the Crusaders made 4 NCAA Tournaments and were a close 4-point loss away from making a 5th. While there are definite signs of slippage, it will take another couple of bad seasons before they move down from this position.

UMASS - It's been a decade since UMASS last made the NCAA Tournament in 1998. That team was still a remnant of John Calipari's tenure, and there's only been minimal success in the following years. Travis Ford did a great job getting the program back on track in just three seasons, winning an A10 regular season title in 2007, and almost making the Big Dance last year with an RPI of 42. But Ford has bolted for T Boone's Oklahoma State money, so the future is once again a bit murky.

NORTHEASTERN - Ron Everhart did a solid job transforming Northeastern basketball, as the program won at least 19 games from 04 to 06. While Everhart never led the Huskies to the postseason, he helped them move up to the more competitive CAA, and put the program in position for future success. Current third year coach Bill Coen might finally get the Huskies over the postseason hump, as this year's squad should be one of the better teams in the conference (according to CHN'd preview).

BOSTON UNIVERSITY - After enjoying a nice stretch from 2002 to 2005, BU has fallen on lean times. Since that run of four postseason trips in a row (including one AE title in 02), the Terriers have failed to finish above 200th in the RPI. This year's team should be a little better, but a return to the postseason will have to wait.

6. HARVARD - Harvard hasn't been good in forever, and the odds of Tommy Amaker making a huge turnaround are slim. The program's biggest accomplishment in the past decade is merely finishing .500 in Ivy play (in 99,00,01,02 & 05). There's a good chance the 2009 squad will match that feat.

Last: Maryland - Next: Michigan

State of '08: The Introduction (& State list/links)

2008-09 Northeastern Basketball Preview: #69

Joel Welser — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:13:04 -0400

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Northeastern Huskies

Overall Rank: #69

Conference Rank: #2 Colonial

2007-08: 14-17, 9-9, 6^th

2007-08 postseason: none

Northeastern was nothing special during the 2007-2008 season. They failed to capture a big non-conference win and were simply average in CAA play. Now the average Huskies have just about everybody back and have the players and the experience to be anything but average. And it all starts with the development of Chaisson Allen. The point guard started off his collegiate career tallying 11 points and 10 rebounds against Illinois and followed that performance up a few weeks later with nine points, nine assists and eight rebounds against Connecticut. That is a great way to start off a career. And this year should be even better.

Who’s Out:

The lone loss is big man Mark Washington. He played an important role grabbing some rebounds off the bench, but his 1.0 points per game will certainly be replaceable.

Who’s In:

A couple newcomers will help provide some depth in the paint. Ben Felix, a 6-11 center, redshirted last season and has the size to at least make an impact on the defensive side of the ball. Erik Etherly, the lone incoming freshman, will not be asked to do much of anything this year. If the 6-7 forward does see significant playing time, that would be a good sign for the Huskies because Etherly would have to surpass some pretty talented and experienced players in the frontcourt.

Who to Watch:

In all likelihood the newcomers will spend the year behind Manny Adako, Nkem Ojougboh, Chris Alvarez and Eugene Spates. Adako and Ojougboh are the scorers around the basket and both averaged about ten points per game last year. Ojougboh is also the team’s best rebounder and should rack up quite a few double-doubles as an upperclassman. For a 6-9 center, Ojougboh is also a surprisingly good passer and will find his teammates slashing to the basket or beyond the three-point arc when he does not have a clean shot himself. Seniors Eugene Spates and Chris Alvarez are not as explosive as Adako Ojougboh, but the 6-8 forwards give Northeastern plenty of size and experience. Spates is a decent shooter, although he takes way too many three-point shots. The moving back of the line should fix that little problem. Either way Spates is a player who can stretch out the defense and cause mismatches on the offensive side of the floor. Alvarez will not score as much as Spates, but he is the prototypical glue guy who will do the dirty work and help out the team however he can.

Final Projection:

With Alvarez, at 6-8, likely starting at the small forward spot, the Huskies have a ton of size that most teams in the CAA cannot match. Allen is 6-4 and so is shooting guard Matt Janning. Janning is also the team’s top scorer and averaged 16.1 points per game as a sophomore last season. Not only will the Watertown, Minnesota native take all the big shots for the Huskies, but he also ranked second on the team in assists, fourth in rebounding and second in steals. Janning is a solid outside shooter, but the Huskies could use another guard who can come in off the bench and be a threat to hit the long ball. Baptiste Bataille and Matt Smith are pretty much the only options. Both shot under 28 percent from three-point territory last year and were limited in their playing time in part because of their inconsistent shooting. Janning will have to play just about the entire game again this year unless Bataille or Smith can step up. If they do, the Huskies have the talent and experience to win the CAA. Otherwise, Janning will get tired sooner or later and having tired legs in March is never a good thing.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NIT

Projected Starting Five:

Chaisson Allen, Sophomore, Guard, 9.2 points per game

Matt Janning, Junior, Guard, 16.1 points per game

Chris Alvarez, Senior, Forward, 3.1 points per game

Manny Adako, Junior, Forward, 10.6 points per game

Nkem Ojougboh, Junior, Center, 9.9 points per game

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

Turnarounds: 31 Teams to Watch For: Part Two

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:56:40 -0400

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

Northeast non-TV Bracket Busters preview

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:23:55 -0500

Here’s a quick preview of the ESPNU O’Reilly Bracket Busters games this weekend that will not be shown on television involving northeast teams. In most cases, the organizers of this event have done a better job of limiting the travel for non-television games, with the exception of UC Davis visiting Loyola (MD) among games involving northeast leagues. Bracket Busters, originally put together to provide schools in non-BCS leagues one last opportunity to add to their resume, now involves some 100 schools from sixteen conferences. Niagara @ Appalachian State (Saturday, 1 PM) The nation’s leading scorer, Charron Fisher, takes his act on the road as the Purple Eagles visit the Mountaineers of the Southern Conference. Fisher has eclipsed the forty point mark in two of his last three games, including 45 and nine rebounds against Loyola (MD). Niagara (with help from Tyrone Lewis, Stanley Hodge and an improving Benson Egemonye) will look to run and put up a lot of points, but the Mountaineers are also capable of scoring some points. Six players score at least seven points per game, led by senior forward Donte Minter. I’ll take the Mountaineers due to the home court advantage. Northeastern @ Holy Cross (Saturday, 4 PM) The Huskies make the short trip to Worcester to take on a Crusader team still trying to recover from a slow start in Patriot League play. Tim Clifford is Holy Cross’ best offensive option, but it’s been the health of PG Pat Doherty that has been the concern. His Achilles injury at San Francisco was the catalyst for a five-game skid early in 2008, and the team has been up and down ever since. Northeastern, looking to end their two-game skid, will counter with a balanced scoring attack led by wing Matt Janning. Normally, I’d go with the home-court advantage, especially with an environment as hostile as the one awaiting NU’s arrival. But I’m going to take the Huskies due to the fact that they’re a more balanced team on offense. Bucknell @ Old Dominion (Saturday, 7 PM) The Bison, like their Patriot League rivals, have uncharacteristically struggled in league play this year. But given the number of losses due to graduation over the last two seasons, you can understand why this team isn’t in its usual perch atop the conference standings. Guards John Griffin, Justin Castleberry and Stephen Tyree are the main men on the offensive end of the floor, and they’re going to have their hands full in Norfolk. Forward Gerald Lee leads the Monarchs in scoring, but they have seven players averaging at least six points per game. In their last four games, all wins, three different Monarchs have led the team in scoring (Lee twice, Brian Henderson and Abdi Lidonde once apiece). I like the Monarchs to win this one. Vermont @ UNC-Wilmington (Saturday, 7 PM) If you’re looking to find a candidate for the most improved player in the country (yes, country), look no further than Vermont’s Marqus Blakely. After averaging 5.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game last season, the sophomore forward is up to 19.8 and 10.8 this year. And only two players have a 30/20 game to their credit this season: Michael Beasley and…Marqus Blakely. Mike Trimboli and Kyle Cieplicki are also more than capable of scoring from the perimeter. As for the Seahawks, four players average at least twelve points per game, led by senior guard T.J. Carter’s 15.8. Possessing a home record of 11-2, UNCW comes into this one riding a four-game win streak. Expect this one to be a close one, but I like the Seahawks to come out on top. UC Davis @ Loyola-Maryland (Saturday, 1 PM) Well, this one could get ugly as the Greyhounds host the Aggies. UC Davis, currently dead last in the Big West, has lost their last nine and are the league’s worst defensive team (opponents shoot 48.1% from the field). And when you’ve got to stop a player like G Gerald Brown, that could be bad news for the Aggies. Brown will have some help on the offensive end, supplied by Michael Tuck and Marquis Sullivan. The Aggies are led by guards Vince Oliver and Shane Hanson, but they have a road record of 1-11 for the season. I like Loyola to win this one. Hofstra @ Iona (Saturday, 2 PM) The Gaels host one of the nation’s best scorers in Hofstra’s Antoine Agudio, and with Iona preferring to quicken the pace this could be a game in which Agudio puts up some points. But the trend all season has been that the Pride are only as successful as Agudio’s supporting cast, and a group led by Charles Jenkins has become more confident as the season has progressed. On the other side, Kevin Willard’s first year as head coach has been streaky in regards to results, with a three game win streak followed by a short losing spell. Iona ended a two-game skid with a win at Canisius on Monday night, and five players averaging about eight points per game (Kyle Camper averages 7.8 to be exact). The key to this one will be how well Hofstra takes care of the basketball, something they haven’t done well on the road this season (3-9 away from home). I’ll take Iona by a basket. Fairfield @ Drexel (Saturday, 4 PM) The Stags, winners of five in a row, take their on one of the CAA’s worst offensive teams in the Dragons of Drexel. Center Frank Elegar leads Drexel in both scoring and rebounding, but the points have been few and far between for a team looking to replace the likes of Bashir Mason and Dominic Mejia from last season’s team. Fairfield, on the other hand, has received a boost from the likes of seniors Marty O’Sullivan and Mamadou Diakhate, two players who weren’t expected to see much playing time throughout the remainder of the season. But the team runs based on the play of PG Jonathan Han, the MAAC’s assist leader. With six road wins already to their credit, I like the Stags to pick up a seventh. Youngstown State @ Buffalo (Saturday, 4 PM) With two of the bottom feeders in their respective leagues on display, you have to dig a little deeper to figure out who to watch in this one. How about guards Andy Robinson (Buffalo) and Byron Davis (Youngstown State)? Both lead their teams in scoring, but truth be told each team has a couple of places from which the points can come. I’m taking Buffalo for one simple reason: The Penguins are 1-11 on the road this season. Binghamton @ Manhattan (Saturday, 4 PM) One of three matchups between America East and MAAC schools, this one will be an interesting affair due to the age difference between the backcourts. Manhattan, led by Antoine Pearson and Devon Austin (Austin’s a wing), rely primarily on sophomores while Binghamton’s backcourt is manned by seniors Mike Gordon and Richard Forbes. The Bearcats’ leading scorer, however, is sophomore forward Lazar Trifunovic (14.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg). I like the Jaspers to move their three-game win streak to four due to the fact that they’re at home (Binghamton is 3-10 on the road this season). Albany @ Canisius (Saturday, 7:30 PM) There’s no Jamar Wilson, but the Great Danes are still in third place in America East. The leader this season is Brian Lillis, a wing currently averaging sixteen points per game. In all, five Great Danes are averaging at least 7.7 points per game. Their opponent has one of the quickest guards in the MAAC in Frank Turner, but little has gone right this year for the 4-22 Golden Griffins. Losers of five straight games, I don’t think Canisius plays good enough defense (allowing 73.1 points per game) to end the skid in this one. Boston University @ St. Peter’s (Saturday, 2 PM) The Terriers have won six of their last seven, while the Peacocks have lost eleven of thirteen. SPC has one of the toughest competitors in the MAAC in senior Todd Sowell, but as a team they simply don’t defend well enough or take good enough care of the basketball (averaging sixteen turnovers per game). When you have four players scoring in double figures, turnovers are a sure way to keep your win total low. Corey Lowe, one of the best guards in America East, leads BU with eighteen points per game, but the improved play of freshman John Holland has been the catalyst for their recent run of good play. I like the Terriers to get a road win in this one.

Three Stars of the Day: November 16th

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 09:08:23 -0500

Three Stars of The Day

Presenting a new daily feature on Collegehoops.net, the Three Stars of the day. We handpick the best performances of the day, whether it be stat lines that make you drool, or clutch performances. Either way, its our way of showing the love:

J.J. Hickson - North Carolina State

Continuing with the theme of freshman domination, the NC State forward opened his career with 31 points on impeccable 12 of 12 shooting.

James Gist - Maryland

The Terps needed all 27 of Gist's carreer-best total, as they barely escaped with an overtime win over Northeastern.

Matt Janning - Northeastern

Last year's CAA rookie of the year scored 26 points as the Huskies came oh so close to knocking of Maryland in College Park.

Other Top Performers

Jamont Gordon - Mississippi State - 23 points and 12 boards are star worthy, but 6 turnovers and a home loss to Clemson relegate him to "other performances"

Stanley Robinson - UCONN - After underachieving his freshman year, the sophomore finally is showing signs of life with back-to-back double-doubles after putting up 14 and 10 vs Gardner-Webb

Sam Young - Pittsburgh - Young has been feasting on weak non-conference competition at home, putting up 17 and 12 boards last night, and averaging 19 and 10 after 4 games.

Previous Top Stars

November 16th - Jon Brockman, F, Washington

2007-08 Preview & Awards | Interviews | Discuss the Preview

NBA Walk Ons

Jeff Fox — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 14:18:37 -0400

For most college students, the period directly after leaving school and entering the “real world” is an uncertain time. Now that you are not a student anymore its time to make important decisions on what you are going to do with the rest of your life. The outlook of a college basketball player is no different at this point in their lives – except the important decisions on their future often aren’t in their hands.

The top players, like the top students, have it easy. Great jobs and money are waiting for them. First round NBA picks are living it large with multi-year million dollar guaranteed contracts and usually big time sponsorship dollars. Second round picks are on a little less stable ground – at least a team likes them enough to pick them, but usually a spot on a NBA roster isn’t guaranteed. For the undrafted player it is do-or-die, sink-or-swim time. There are no sponsors lining up to fill their pockets and often no teams lining up with guaranteed money and training camp invites. This would lead one to believe that any undrafted player who does crack an NBA roster is doomed to a short career as the last man on the bench. Well au contraire mon frere, you’re dead wrong.

Last season in the NBA approximately 20% of the league’s players, 88 in total, were undrafted players. Now many of these only played a handful of games and enjoyed a miniscule amount of court time. However, there are quite a few who have enjoyed long and lucrative careers. A team consisting of Ben Wallace, Brad Miller, Bruce Bowen, Raja Bell and Mike James starting, with Udonis Haslem, Troy Hudson and Earl Boykins coming off the bench wouldn’t be too shabby. And yes, all these guys were undrafted coming out of college and had to scratch and claw their way onto an NBA roster.

While it is too early to tell if there are any players of this caliber amongst this year’s rookie free agents, there are quite a few guys who look to have a good shot at cracking a roster. Here are the leading suspects:

The Sure Shot

Pops Mensah-Bonsu - Dallas (George Washington ‘06)

Despite going undrafted in June, Pops is sitting pretty after signing a one year contract with the Mavericks, with a team option for a second year. He will make NBA chump change – about $400 000 a year according to Hoopshype.com. Pops showed enough promise playing in two NBA summer leagues with Dallas – averaging about 8 points, 5 boards and a block – for the Mavericks to lock him up. So far in the preseason he is averaging about 11 minutes per, putting up 3 points and 3 boards a game. With some guy named Dirk and veteran Austin Croshere ahead of him at the power forward spot, Mensah-Bonsu probably won’t see much NBA court time this year.

The Contenders

Allan Ray - Boston (Villanova ’06)

The Celtics already have a full roster of 15 players, so for Ray to crack the opening day roster Boston would have to buy out a contract. Draftexpress.com reports the C’s have given Ray a partially guaranteed contract – with $100 000 the amount guaranteed – so the team seems to be taking him seriously. Boston have also played three small guards on the court at the same time in the preseason, similar to what Ray’s Wildcats did last season, with Ray sharing the court with Sebastian Telfair and Rajon Rondo. Ray is putting up 6 points and getting 13 minutes per game in the preseason thus far.

Jose Juan Barea - Dallas (Northeastern ’06)

Barea is another free agent that Draftexpress reports has a partially guaranteed contract (he gets 25 Gs guaranteed). Barea is one of 4 guys battling for the Mavs’ last roster spot, going up against CHN Draft Diary writer Darius Washington among others. So far Barea has been the most impressive of the four – 25 minutes, 9 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds per game.

Ivan McFarlin –Philadelphia (Oklahoma State ’05)

The Sixers only have 12 players signed this season and 16 players in camp total, so the team would only have to cut 1 player to get to the limit of 15 if they choose. McFarlin, who averaged 16.4ppg and 9.9rpg in France’s second division last year, is averaging about 3 points and 5 boards in his 12 minutes per game in the preseason.

Chris Quinn - Miami (Notre Dame ’06)

Quinn is making a strong push to stick with the Heat as a back up point guard, getting about 20 minutes of court time per game and averaging 4 points, 3 assists and 2.5 boards. Draftexpress says the team owes him at least 75 grand whether he makes the cut or not.

Louis Amundson – Sacramento (UNLV ’06)

Amundson already has some heavy hitters in his corner – coach Eric Musselman and Ron Artest have praised his play. Amundson is battling with another undrafted free agent – Wyoming’s Justin Williams.

Roger Powell (Illinois) - Utah (Illinois ’05)

Powell is another player guaranteed a little money ($125 000 by Draftexpress’ figures). After playing extremely well last year in the CBA and for the Jazz in this year’s summer league, Powell might have a better shot at making the squad than his drafted former college mate Dee Brown. Powell is averaging more minutes (13.5 to 7.5) and points (5.5 to 4.0) per game in the preseason than Brown.

Mike Hall – Washington (George Washington ’06)

Washington is the camp to be in if you are looking to work your way onto a NBA roster with the Wizards having lots of open roster spots. Hall impressed the coaching staff in training camp and is averaging about 16 minutes and 3 points per game in the preseason.