SCHOOL LOCATION:
Laramie, Wyoming (13,000 students)
CONFERENCE:
Mountain West
HEAD COACH: Steve
McClain (140-100, 9th year)
2005-2006 RECORD:
14-18 (5-11)
2005-2006 COMMON OPPONENTS: Northern
Colorado (Home, Win, 83-70)
All-TIME SERIES VERSUS NU: Nebraska
Leads 15-10 (Last Meeting, 1990)
If a
high school keyboarding class ever needed an exercise to
learn the “shift” key, this year’s Wyoming basketball
team would make an excellent practice tool.
After
all, Steve McClain’s Cowboys have more question marks
and the possibility for more exclamation points than any
other team in the Mountain West.
First,
the question marks, which go along with any young and
inexperienced team.
The Cowboys lose three starters and four of six leaders
in points from a season ago, and while they return their
leading scorer, he is just a sophomore. Thus, Wyoming
will rely heavily on its incoming recruiting class, and
more in particular, on a pair of junior college
teammates.
Herein
lie the exclamation points, which consist of the
possibility for a big season from an exciting group of
talented but inexperienced players, and a healthy return
from injury to one of only two senior’s on this years
team.
Before
we talk more about this, we’ll start our analysis of the
Cowboys on the perimeter, which is the strength of the
Pokes.
Brandon
Ewing is the returning leader in points for Wyoming, and
is a 6’2” sophomore shooting guard from Chicago that
averaged 13.2 PPG & 3.5 RPG a season ago. Ewing will be
expected to increase his scoring to 16.0-17.0 PPG this
year and will again be paired with junior point guard
Brad Jones, who put in 10.0 PPG/4.5 RPG as a sophomore.
While
Wyoming was supposed to return would-be senior Steve
Leven (11.7/1.8) to the small forward/wing spot, the
6’5” Aussie elected to return to his homeland to pursue
professional basketball, so the Cowboys will be looking
at a new starter on one of the wings.
The
leading candidate to take over the spot is one of the
two aforementioned incoming JUCO teammates from Los
Angeles City College in the 6’4” James Spencer, who put
in 13.9/4.9 a season ago. A pair of freshman will also
compete with Spencer for both the starting spot and
minutes in Eric Platt (6’5”, 20.4/8.3) and Aaron Henson
(6’5”, 23.3/9.7).
Down
low, the Cowboys lose both starting big men from a
season ago in Justin Williams (11.1/11.0) and Derek
Wabbington (6.5/4.8). However, the Cowboys do return the
oft-injured senior big man Daaron Brown, who put in
5.0/3.7 a season ago.
The
problem with Brown, however, has been injuries, as the
6’9” giant has battled nagging back problems for most of
his time in Laramie. Luckily for McClain and company,
Brown appears to be healthy, and will likely be slated
into the starting center role.
Joining
Brown on the Cowboy frontline will be the other half of
the talented Los Angeles City College duo in 6’8” power
forward Joseph Taylor (9.9/9.8). Taylor is a bruiser who
is expected to lead the Cowboys in rebounding, and will
give Wyoming some of the physical presence that Justin
Williams did a season ago.
Ike
Okoye (6’8” sophomore, 2.7/1.6) and Chris Anderson (6’8”
senior, 3.4/3.3) also give the Cowboys depth down low
and could start if injury returns to Brown or if Taylor
isn’t as effective as expected.
In
short, this years Wyoming Cowboys will rely heavily on
guard play and the three-point shot, and in order to be
successful, the boys from Laramie will need to stay
healthy and get the expected results they are seeking
out of the JUCO teammates.
If they
do, the Cowboys could be a force to be reckon with.
DAVE BRANDON’S WYOMING PROJECTED
LINEUP:
PG- Brad Jones (6’0” junior,
10.0 PPG & 4.5 RPG) SG- Brandon Ewing (6’2”
sophomore, 13.2 PPG & 3.5 RPG)
SF- James Spencer (6’4” junior, 0.0 PPG & 0.0 RPG) PF-
Joseph Taylor (6’8” junior, 0.0 PPG & 0.0 RPG) C-
Daaron Brown (6’9” senior, 5.0 PPG & 3.7 RPG)
FUN FACT:
Wyoming Head Coach Steve McClain
was a 1984 graduate of Chadron State.
2005-2006 COMMON OPPONENTS: North
Carolina A&T (Home, Win, 66-60); Louisiana Tech (Away,
Loss, 65-62; Home, Loss, 51-48)
All-TIME SERIES VERSUS NU: Hawai'i
Leads 5-2 (Last Meeting, 2004)
If the
Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors are to be successful in
2006-2007, it will be due to the rising of some very
unpredictable tides.
And when
talking about these unpredictable tides, reference is
not being made to the body of water near the WAC campus.
Rather,
the 'Bows will be counting on a number of
inexperienced and recently injured players to guide them
through the season after losing three starters from a
year ago, including Julian Sensley, who poured in 17.6
PPG while cracking the 1,000 minute barrier as a senior.
Speaking
of minutes, its here where we further explore
the Rainbow Warrior inexperience, as a year
ago, each Hawai'i starter averaged at least 27.6 minutes
per game, with four starters averaging 30.0 or more.
In fact,
at the start of this year, only four players return who
averaged double figure minutes a season ago, and of
those four, two (Matt Gibson & Bobby Nash) played in six
games or less due to season ending injuries.
Since
both Gibson and Nash are in the running for perimeter
minutes, we'll start our analysis of the Rainbow
Warriors at the guard position.
Likely
starting at point guard will be the 6'1" Dominic Waters,
who was the WAC Freshman of the Year a season ago, even
despite averaging just 2.9 PPG and having an
assist/turnover ratio of 1:1. Incoming freshman Todd
Lowenthal could take over if Waters struggles.
Arriving
back at the "2" for the Rainbow Warriors will be their
returning leading scorer Matt Lojeski, who a year ago
put in 13.6 PPG while earning a spot on the WAC
All-Newcomer Team.
Joining
Lojeski and Waters in the Hawai'i backcourt could be a
number of players, including the aforementioned medical
hardship players, Matt Gibson and Bobby Nash.
Gibson,
6'5", started 21 games as a sophomore in 2004-2005, and
Nash, 6'6", started 14 the same season. Both players
provide Hawai'i with solid options at the "3".
However,
it's my belief that JUCO newcomer Riley Luettgerodt, who
averaged 26.7 PPG last season and once scored 53 points
in a game, will get the nod at the combo position.
In the
interior, Hawai'i will start Ahmet Gueye at center, as
the 6'8" senior averaged 12.2 PPG & 7.7 RPG a year ago
while being named to the WAC All-Newcomer & WAC
All-Defensive Teams.
The
power forward spot will come down to a hand full of
newcomers, and is really a "take your pick" situation
between JUCO newcomers P.J. Owsley (6'8", 11.2/5.0),
Alex Veit (6'8", 10.0/6.0), and Todd Follmer (7'0",
10.4/4.5).
As with
all teams that rely on inexperience and damaged goods,
things are tough to forecast.
And
forecasting the weather is surely more difficult at
Hawai'i than anywhere else, especially this year.
Charles Richardson Jr. is the only Nebraska player who
appeared in the 2004 NIT matchup versus Hawai'i, which
was the last tilt between the two schools. The Rainbow
Warriors defeated the Huskers 84-83 in the game,
with Nate Johnson leading the Huskers in scoring (26
points) and Brian Conklin pacing Nebraska on the boards
with 6 rebounds.
All-TIME SERIES VERSUS NU: Nebraska
Leads 2-1 (Last Meeting, 2000)
With the
2006-2007 season approaching, San Francisco coach Jessie
Evans must hope his players have sold the shovels they
used a season ago when the Dons were outscored (71.4 PPG
to 69.1 PPG), out rebounded (35.8 RPG to 35.3 RPG), and
out free-throwed (72% to 66%).
And
luckily for Evans, there’s reason to believe his third
season at the WCC school will be much better than his
second, when the Dons finished just 11-17.
First
off, the Dons played .500 in conference (7-7) after a
miserable 4-10 non-conference slate.
Then,
there’s also the fact that San Francisco returns three
starters and its two leading scorers from a season ago,
along with one of the best recruiting class ever seen in
the Bay area.
Perhaps
optimism shines more on the perimeter than anywhere
else, as the Dons return the WCC Newcomer of the Year &
First-Team WCC point guard Armando Surratt, who scored
14.2/2.5 in his junior campaign.
Surratt,
a transfer from Miami of Florida, will be joined at one
wing by another returning starter in 6’6” junior Danny
Cavic (5.4/3.3).
It’s the
other wing, however, that have the locals buzzing, as
the Dons add a pair of incoming transfers that are
eligible to compete this year in Antonio Kellogg
(formerly of Connecticut) and Manny Quezada (formerly of
Rutgers). Both players will be sophomores and are
expected to battle neck-in-neck for the starting
shooting guard spot. Senior Sinqua Walls also gives San
Francisco depth on the perimeter.
On the
Don frontline, Alan Wiggins Jr. returns for his senior
campaign and will start at the power forward spot after
putting in 14.1/8.3 a season ago. The 6’9” Wiggins is
the second returning leader in points for the Dons, and
is expected to shoulder an even bigger load (along with
Surratt) in 2006-2007.
Besides
Wiggins, nothing appears certain in the Dons low-post,
as San Francisco loses its starting center (Jason
Wallace-Carter, 8.5/6.2) from a year ago.
Thus,
look for five players to all battle for both the last
starting spot and minutes, with the most likely
candidates being incoming freshman Jared Casey (6’10”,
20.4/12.0), incoming freshman Jay Watkins (6’8”,
18.2/10.3) and 6’8” senior Johnny Dukes (redshirt a
season ago).
While
the Dons play in the WCC, which is basically Gonzaga and
everyone else, they will likely be a “wildcard team”
come March, as San Francisco could be on the bubble
and/or play spoiler.
USF has
tremendous play at the point guard and power forward
positions, along with a high-ceiling group of incoming
transfers that will likely see the Dons become one of
the most improved teams in college basketball this
year.
San
Francisco forward Alan Wiggins Jr. is the son of the
late Alan Wiggins Sr., who played 2nd base
for the San Diego Padres and Baltimore Orioles and
appeared in the 1984 World Series.
SCHOOL LOCATION:
Charlotte, North Carolina (20,700 students)
CONFERENCE:
Atlantic 10 (A-10)
HEAD COACH: Bobby
Lutz (153-96, 9th year)
2005-2006 RECORD:
19-13 (11-5)
2005-2006 COMMON OPPONENTS: None
All-TIME SERIES VERSUS NU: The
two schools have never met.
Good
teams don’t rebuild - they simply reload.
Thus,
its not surprising that the Charlotte 49ers aren’t
worried about withering through any storms this year, or
more in particular, withering through any storms without
Withers, as in Curtis Withers, the graduated 6’8”
All-American.
That’s
because Bobby Lutz and company have made a habit of
replacing talented players with equally talented
players, as the 49ers lost current NBA point guard Eddie
Basden a year ago and replaced him with an immediate
double figure a night floor general en route to a 19-13
season and second round NIT appearance.
And
this year, Charlotte has lured in the Gatorade
Mississippi Player of the Year to help replace Withers,
which is creating and maintaining quite a buzz in the
normally NASCAR dominated north side of Charlotte.
A chief
reason for that buzz is 6’5” senior and former Oklahoma
Sooner De’Angelo Alexander, who led the 49ers in points
a season ago with a line of 17.0/6.1. Alexander led the
Atlantic 10 in three-point shooting a season ago
(96-224, 43%) as well, and has put himself on the radar
as a possible NBA first-round pick.
Joining
Alexander in the Charlotte backcourt will again be 5’11”
junior point guard Leemire Goldwire, who stepped in for
the departed Eddie Basden a season ago and averaged
13.4/2.8 while dishing out a team high 87 assists.
And by
the way things look, Goldwire won’t be the only guard on
the floor dishing out assists, as Charlotte will add the
nations #1 JUCO point guard recruit in 6’1” Carlos
Williams, who is expected to start at the “2” and give
the 49ers two starting floor generals.
Off the
bench, look for big perimeter minutes from 6’6” freshman
AnJuan Wilderness, who is a two-time Georgia 4A Player
of the Year, and Ian Anderson, a 6’4” freshman who is
known as a tremendous shooter.
As
previously mentioned, the 49ers will struggle to replace
the departed Curtis Withers in the post, as the 6’8” big
man ended his Charlotte career with 1,750 points and
1,042 rebounds.
Still,
the 49ers feel they have found Withers’ replacement in
6’7” power forward and former Mississippi Gatorade
Player of the Year David Booker (freshman, 27.0/12.0).
While Booker isn’t as strong as Withers, he is equally
athletic, and will give the 49ers a big man that can
step out and put the ball on the floor.
Besides
Booker, a lineup spot would seem secure at center for
6’8” senior E.J. Drayton (4.2/3.3 in limited action),
who returns for a fifth season after a medical hardship.
Drayton gives the 49ers double-double potential, but has
a big question mark because of nagging injuries.
If
Drayton isn’t able to go, look for a variety of players
to fight for minutes, including 6’9” senior Courtney
Williams (1.7/2.1), 6’7” senior Antwon Coleman
(3.6/3.4), and 6’9” incoming JUCO sharp-shooter Sean
Phaler.
In
summary, replacing Withers’ production will be a chore
for a frontline that is both inexperienced and features
a prominent member with a history of injuries.
Still,
Lutz’s 49ers have reloaded before, and there’s enough
returning talent in the backcourt where Charlotte can
win 20 games as long as their frontline is at least
solid.
Charlotte Head Coach Bobby Lutz graduated from the
school in 1980, and currently resides in suburban
Harrisburg, North Carolina, where he was recently
awarded with a key to the city.
2005-2006 COMMON OPPONENTS: UAB (Away,
Loss, 82-79)
All-TIME SERIES VERSUS NU: Houston
Leads 3-0 (Last Meeting, 1970)
“Turnaround Tom” is at it again in
the state of Texas, and this time, it’s the University
of Houston that is seeing a dramatic basketball
turnaround.
In fact, when Tom Penders took over
the Cougar program in the spring of 2004, the longtime
Texas Longhorn coach inherited a team that had won a
combined 17 games in the previous two seasons combined,
and quickly took them to 18 wins in his first season,
and 21 wins a season ago, including the second round of
the NIT.
And while doing better than 21 wins
is a daunting task for this year, it’s a goal that is
expected to be achieved, and one that has the rest of
Conference USA buzzing about the collection of talent
Penders has assembled at Hakeem Olajuwon’s alma mater.
For starters, the Cougars return
three of their four leading scorers from a year ago and
bring back three regulars to the starting rotation.
Add to that six incoming JUCO
transfers and a former Texas Longhorn blue chipper who
is now eligible, and you have all the ingredients for a
deep NCAA Tournament run.
The bread and butter of the
2006-2007 Cougars will be on the perimeter, where a pair
of seniors return to the starting lineup in Lanny Smith
and Oliver Lafayette.
Smith is Houston’s second returning
leader in points, and a 6’3” point guard who averaged
12.1/2.5 a season ago and even more impressively, 5.4
assists per game. His “run and gun” mentality is a core
reason why the Cougars outscored opponents by an average
of 7.4 PPG a season ago (72.4 to 65.0).
Lafayette is the 6’2” shooting
guard, and the teams returning leader in points at 15.7
PPG (4.1 RPG). He is a former NJCAA Division II Player
of the Year, and could approach 17.0-18.0 PPG this year.
Then again, perhaps his scoring
output will go down when you consider the Cougars add
JUCO All-American and 6’2” swingman Robert Lee, who
scored 20.1 PPG (6.2 RPG) a year ago. Lee will start at
small forward for the Cougars and give Houston three
perimeter players that have the capability of scoring 20
points on any given night.
Besides Smith, Lafayette, and Lee,
the Cougars also have perimeter depth from returning
junior Sam Anderson (6’5”, 4.6/3.2) and add a pair of
incoming JUCO’s in Anthony Jones (6’6”) and Marcus
Malone (6’5”).
In the Houston post, Jahmar Thorpe
is the third returning starter, and brings back a solid
9.2/4.7 at the power forward/center spot.
Solid isn’t even close to the
expected word for incoming transfer and former Texas
Longhorn Dion Dowell, however, as the 6’8” junior will
spring into the Houston starting lineup with as much
potential as Conference USA has seen in some time. Like
Thorpe, Dowell will also play the power forward/center
spot, and give Houston a lineup of three guards and two
power forwards.
Besides Thorpe and Dowell, low-post
depth will most likely be found from Lamar Roberson
(6’7” sophomore, 5.1/2.2) and Tafari Toney (6’8”
incoming JUCO, 8.2/8.8).
With a wealth of returning
experience and scoring, a tremendous Head Coach, and the
addition of several blue chip recruits, Houston will
certainly take Conference USA by storm this season.
And don’t be surprised to see the
Cougars take college basketball for a ride come March,
either.
DAVE BRANDON’S HOUSTON PROJECTED
LINEUP:
PG- Lanny Smith (6’3”
senior, 12.1 PPG & 2.5 RPG) SG- Oliver Lafayette
(6’2” senior, 15.7 PPG & 4.1 RPG) SF- Robert Lee
(6’2” junior, 0.0 PPG & 0.0 RPG) PF- Jahmar Thorpe
(6’7” senior, 9.2 PPG & 4.7 RPG) C- Dion Dowell
(6’8” junior, 0.0 PPG & 0.0 RPG)
FUN FACT:
Former Husker forward Louis Truscott (1999-2000)
finished his career at Houston (2002-2003) seventh on
the all-time Cougar rebound per game charts (10.2). He
was a First-Team All-Conference USA selection in
2002-2003 when he averaged 15.3 PPG & 11.3 RPG (sixth
nationally).
SCHOOL LOCATION:
Valparaiso, Indiana (3,800 students)
CONFERENCE:
Mid-Continent
HEAD COACH:
Homer Drew (286-225, 18th season)
2005-2006 RECORD:
17-12 (8-8)
2005-2006 COMMON OPPONENTS: Marquette (Away, Loss,
69-54); Longwood (Away, Win, 82-79; Home, Win, 105-73);
Chicago State (Away, Loss, 90-76; Home, Win, 70-64)
All-TIME SERIES VERSUS NU: NU Leads 2-0 (Last Meeting,
1920)
As the
2006-2007 season approaches, Homer Drew must wonder if
he forgot to go shopping.
After
all, the cupboard is a little bare in Valparaiso, as the
Crusaders lose all five starters and leading scorers
from a season ago, including 6'8" power forward Dan
Oppland, who takes with him 19.8 PPG and the experience
that helped him finish his career as one of the best to
statistically ever don a Valpo uniform.
Also
lost and scoring in double figures for Valpairaiso were
6'5" small forward Ron Howard (13.1 PPG) and 6'11"
center and former Baylor recruit Mohamed Kone (10.9
PPG).
All
together, the Crusaders lose 79% of their scoring (62.4
of 78.8 PPG) and 67% of their rebounding (25.0 of 37.4
RPG) from a year ago.
Such
losses will certainly pose a challenge to the
post-season plans of the Crusaders, who will attempt to
win their tenth Mid-Continent Conference regular season
and ninth conference tournament crown since 1995 in what
will be their last year in the Mid-Con before joining
the Horizon League prior to the 2007-2008 season.
So, just
where will the scoring come from, and further, who will
make up the starting five?
The
answer seems obvious in the Crusader post, but full of
possibilities on the perimeter.
In the
Crusader interior, look for 6'9" senior Moussa Mbaye
(2.4/2.6) to be paired with 6'10" redshirt freshman
Arden Skogland in the starting lineup, with incoming
7'1" JUCO center Calum MacLeod providing backup minutes.
While
none of the three players have the capability to score,
they will provide Valpo with the necessary size to win
the battle on the boards against the level of their
normal competition.
The
perimeter, meanwhile, is where Valpo will score baskets,
and is sure to be the strength of this years club.
Led by
returning scorer and 6'6" junior Shawn Huff (7.5/4.0) at
the shooting guard, Valpo will likely plug 6'0" junior
Jarryd Loyd (5.4/2.1) into the point guard spot.
Competition for the combo guard, meanwhile, is where
things becoming extremely competitive and interesting
for Valpo, who will pick between 6'2" senior Jimmie
Miles (4.9/1.7) and three talented freshman.
Perhaps
the jewel of the freshman class is Samuel Haanpaa, a
6'8" combo guard from San Antonio (via Finland), who
poured in 27.4 PPG last season while shooting 47% from
downtown.
Or, one
could make a case for Paul Guede, 6'5" from Sanford,
North Carolina (via England), who averaged 22.0 PPG a
year ago, or even Keaton Frye, 6'3" from Eldridge, Iowa
(16.5/9.7).
Any way
you look at it, its clear that the Crusaders will
attempt to establish an inside-out game based on the
latter, and have plenty of experience on the sidelines
to mold this Valpo team into another NCAA tournament
contender.
All-TIME SERIES VERSUS NU: Nebraska
Leads 22-17 (Last Meeting, 2006)
In many ways, the
Creighton men’s
basketball program mirrors the 1993 movie “Groundhog
Day,” as things seem eerily similar each season at
Omaha’s premiere university.
For starters, the Bluejays seem to
have an All-American from Iowa each season, whether it
be former players like Ryan Sears and Kyle Korver, or
current CU combo guard Nate Funk.
Then there’s the certain fact that
Dana Altman will be leaving each season, and the
speculation of whom will replace him as the Jays begin
their demise, before Altman returns once again.
And finally, there’s the belief that the Jays will
assume demise in the first place, which is ironic when
considering the fact that Creighton is one of a dozen
teams to win 20 games or more in eight consecutive
seasons.
Season number nine of such a streak
would seem likely in 2006-2007, as the Jays return five
of their six leading scorers from a season ago while
adding the most anticipated recruiting class that Omaha
has ever seen.
On the perimeter, the Bluejays lose
shooting guard Johnny Mathies (13.5/3.5) but return a
pair of polished 6’3” combo guards in seniors Nate Funk
(17.0 PPG in 6 games, medical redshirt) and Nick Porter
(9.6 PPG). Sophomore Josh Dotzler (6.4 PPG) seems likely
to return at point guard for the Jays, although
off-season knee surgery has his status in question.
Luckily for Dana Altman and
Creighton, if Dotzler is unable to start at the point,
the Jays can either slide Funk into the position or go
with one of two talented incoming freshmen in Isaac
Miles (23.0 PPG) and D’Angalo Jackson (18.0 PPG). Former
Lincoln Southeast and Kansas Jayhawk guard Nick Bahe
could also figure into the mix after sitting out last
year as a transfer.
In the low post, the Jays are even
stronger than a season ago, as they return the captain
of the Missouri Valley Conference All-Improved Team in
6’9” senior center Anthony Tolliver (13.2/6.7). 6’8”
junior Dane Watts (7.3/5.4) would seem likely to join
Tolliver in the starting frontline, although the
Bluejays do have two incoming recruits that could push
for serious minutes and starting consideration in Ty
Morrison and Kenny Lawson.
Morrison (10.0/5.0) is the more
hyped of the two, as the 6’8” junior college recruit
originally committed to Missouri and nearly attended
Gonzaga. Morrison would seem to have at least a decent
chance of starting over Watts.
The 6’9” Lawson (25.0/14.0) had an
impressive senior season of high school in San Diego,
but figures to backup Tolliver.
In short, when Nebraska faces
Creighton on November 18th, it will see what
it’s witnessed from Creighton in each of the past
several seasons.
That is, it will see another Iowa All-American, Dana
Altman on the sidelines, and a legitimate Top 25
contender.
Creighton has won seven of the last
eight meetings (1999-2006) between the teams by an
average of 11.0 PPG, including three double-digit
victories.
Nebraska won eight of the nine meetings between the
teams prior to that (1990-1998) by an average of 19.3
PPG, including seven double-digit victories.Dave Brandon is a columnist for Husker Hoops Central
along with being webmaster. He can be reached at
davebrandon@huskerhoopscentral.com.
