Hello There, Guest! (LoginRegister)


Post Reply 
Cajuns, Toppers picked to win divisions
Author Message
Bookmark and Share
Cajunman02 Offline
All American
*

Posts: 3,445
Joined: Feb 2004
Reputation: 38
I Root For: Louisiana
Location:

CrappiesCrappies
Post: #1
 
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Balance could be the key word for Sun Belt Conference this season.

On the men’s side, four teams received first-place votes in its respective divisions, while five were tabbed first on the women’s side as the Sun Belt Conference preseason coaches poll and team were announced during the league’s basketball media days on Monday at Middle Tennessee State University.

Western Kentucky and Louisiana-Lafayette were selected as the men’s East and West Division favorites, respectively, while the Lady Toppers and North Texas were picked first on the women’s.

Denver’s Yemi Nicholson and WKU’s Tiffany Porter-Talbert, meanwhile, were picked as the league’s Preseason Players of the Year.

In the men’s East Division, WKU received 10 first-place votes from the league coaches. The Hilltoppers return three starters and five letterwinners from last season, including All-Sun Belt guard Anthony Winchester. The senior was also selected to the preseason All-Sun Belt team.

In the West, Louisiana-Lafayette was a narrow choice to take the title. The Ragin’ Cajuns received six first-place votes and one more point than Denver, which was picked second. UL Lafayette had two preseason All-Sun Belt choices, including first-team pick Dwayne Mitchell and second-teamer Chris Cameron.

According to the coaches, Florida International could be the sleeper team. FIU was picked second, thanks largely to a solid newcomer class and the return of All-Sun Belt forward Ivan Almonte, who was a first-team preseason league pick.

The Golden Panthers are coming off a fifth-place East Division finish last season but made some postseason noise by reaching the league tournament semifinals.

Joining Almonte, Mitchell, Nicholson and Winchester on the preseason All-Sun Belt team was New Orleans junior guard Bo McCalebb.

On the women’s side, WKU received seven first-place votes to take the East Division. Arkansas State received two top votes and was predicted second followed by two-time defending tournament champion Middle Tennessee, which received one first-place vote.

In the West, North Texas, which returns all five starters from last season, received seven first-place votes. Louisiana-Lafayette, which received three, was picked second while South Alabama was third.

Joining Porter-Talbert on the All-Sun Belt preseason first team included WKU sophomore forward Crystal Kelly, UALR junior guard Jocelyn Love, ASU junior center Adrianne Davie and MT senior forward Tia Stovall.

Sun Belt basketball media days will take place Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning, with all 22 league head coaches meeting with the media Tuesday.

Sun Belt Conference Preseason Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll


East Division Points
1. Western Kentucky (10) 54
2. Florida International (1) 38
3. Middle Tennessee 36
4. Arkansas-Little Rock 23
5. Arkansas State 14


West Division Points
1. Louisiana-Lafayette (6) 58
2. Denver (5) 57
3. New Orleans 45
4. South Alabama 33
5. North Texas 27
6. Troy 11

Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Men’s Basketball Team


First Team
Ivan Almonte (Florida International, Sr., F)
Bo McCalebb (New Orleans, Jr., G)
Dwayne Mitchell (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., G)
Yemi Nicholson (Denver, Sr., C)
Anthony Winchester (Western Kentucky, Sr., G)


Second Team
Chris Cameron (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr.,F)
Isaac Hines (North Texas, Sr., G)
Mario Jointer (South Alabama, Sr., G)
Courtney Lee (Western Kentucky, So., G/F)
Zack Wright (UALR, Jr., G)


Third Team
Bobby Dixon (Troy, Sr., G)
Marcus Morrison (Middle Tennessee, Sr., G/F)
Ismael N’Diaye (Florida International, Sr., F)
Jerry Nichols (Arkansas State, Sr., G)
Antonio Porch (Denver, Jr., F)

Preseason Player of the Year: Yemi Nicholson (Denver, Sr., C)
10-29-2005 08:25 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Advertisement


DC_Clone
Unregistered

 
Post: #2
 
Denver & WKU picked to win divisions here.

College Basketball Preview - Sun Belt Conference
The Sports Network

By Pat Taggart, College Basketball Staff Writer

OUTLOOK: Last season, Arkansas-Little Rock, Denver and UL-Lafayette all finished with 10 or more league victories. The Pioneers won the regular season title with a 12-3 record but were relegated to the NIT. UALR won the league's Eastern Division but did not earn a postseason invite after an early exit from the Sun Belt tourney. Western Kentucky participated in the NIT, but it was UL- Lafayette that ran through the Sun Belt Conference Tournament and earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. This season, Denver, Western Kentucky and UL-Lafayette all figure to challenge for the regular season title, but Little Rock may have trouble reaching last season's level of achievement. Middle Tennessee State and New Orleans will both be solid teams, and Florida International could prove to an unexpected force. As for clubs such as South Alabama, North Texas, Troy and Arkansas State, a .500 finish may be out of reach.

CONFERENCE CHAMPION: Western Kentucky

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: EAST DIVISION: 1. Western Kentucky; 2. Middle Tennessee State; 3. Florida International; 4. Arkansas-Little Rock; 5. Arkansas State; WEST DIVISION: 1. Denver; 2. UL-Lafayette; 3. New Orleans; 4. South Alabama; 5. North Texas; 6. Troy

TEAM BY TEAM ANALYSIS:

EAST DIVISION:

WESTERN KENTUCKY: When discussing the strengths of this year's Western Kentucky squad, you have to start in the backcourt. The guard duo of Anthony Winchester and Courtney Lee is the best in the league, as both players can light it up offensively. Winchester is a 6-4 senior who averaged 18.2 ppg on 50.3 percent shooting from the field last season, which included a stellar 45.3 percent from behind the arc. Equally impressive is the fact that he was able to pull down 7.2 rpg from his guard position. As for Lee, a 6-5 sophomore, he netted 14.9 ppg as a rookie to go along with 5.2 rpg, and there is reason to believe that he can improve upon those figures. Tragedy struck the program in the offseason when Danny Rumph passed away during a pick-up game. It remains to be seen how the club will deal with that loss both physically and emotionally. Elgrace Wilborn is a big-time shot blocker who needs to become more active at the offensive end and shoot much better from the foul line. If he and a couple of unknowns can sure up the front line, the Hilltoppers will be tough to beat.

MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE: Looking at the returning players for MTSU, there is not a great deal to get excited about. Sure, 6-6 senior guard Marcus Morrisson averaged 10.9 ppg a year ago and can score both inside and out, and forward Kyle Young has the potential to be a scoring threat on the interior, but truth be told, head coach Kermit Davis doesn't know exactly what to expect of his team. At least two fresh faces will be in the starting lineup when the season tips off, perhaps even three. Forward Tim Blue is a juco transfer who sat out last season, and the 6-9 Blue is extremely athletic and capable of an immediate impact. Bud Howard is another juco transfer slated for the starting lineup, and he is an explosive guard who figures to play right away. Maybe the Blue Raiders are rated too high, but the program has been strong in recent years so let's give Davis the benefit of the doubt.

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL: Two years ago, FIU won exactly five games and was one of Division I-A's weaker teams. In his first season as head coach, Sergio Rouco led the 2004-05 Panthers to 13 victories, and the club can no longer be viewed as an automatic win on the schedule. The league's top frontcourt duo is back in place, and both Ivan Almonte and Ismael N'Diaye will be marked men this season. Almonte was simply sensational a year ago, as he racked up 17.2 points, 9.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game, a line rivaled by few players nationally. He shot 52.9 percent from the field despite constant hounding by defenders, and the 6-6 senior is eager to prove that he is as good as those numbers suggest. N'Diaye posted 13.4 ppg a year ago, and the energy that he brings to the floor is undeniable. Some fresh faces and unproven returnees will surround the standout forwards in the lineup, but the presence of Almonte and N'Diaye makes FIU a legitimate threat in the Sun Belt.

ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK: Last season, head coach Steve Shields had the luxury of starting five seniors. Obviously, all of them have to be replaced as we enter a new campaign, so the expectations of fans have to be lessened somewhat. Fortunately, super sixth man Zach Wright is back after finishing second on the club in scoring in 2004-05 with 11.1 ppg. He is a terrific three-point shooter and tremendous at the foul line as well, and he could rank among the league's leading scorers this season. No other returnee averaged double figures in minutes last year, and a pair of juco transfers figure to be in the lineup. Three of the projected starters are 6-7 or taller, so size should not be a problem. Still, cautious optimism is probably best at this point.

ARKANSAS STATE: There are reasons why Arkansas State has been chosen to finish at the bottom of the East Division standings. First, the Indians have had only one winning conference slate since 2000. Secondly, the club's top two scorers from a year ago are gone, leaving few proven commodities remaining on the roster. Jerry Nichols, a 6-6 senior guard, shot 41.8 percent from three-point range a year ago and made 61 treys. He becomes the new go-to guy at the offensive end, and it remains to be seen if he can be more than just a spot-up shooter. Kitus Witherspoon ripped down 7.0 rpg last season and shot better than 50 percent from the floor, but he needs to look for his shot more often. Dereke Tipler is a 5-10 senior point guard who dished out 5.3 apg in 2004-05, and he is certainly capable of running the offense. There are some pieces in place for head coach Dickey Nutt, but it is hard to get too excited about the Indians.

WEST DIVISION:

DENVER: Perhaps the most surprising player in all of college basketball last season was Denver's Yemi Nicholson. After originally coming to the school for music with no intention of playing basketball, Nicholson racked up 21.2 ppg, 9.7 rpg and 4.0 bpg in league play in 2004-05 en route to winning Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year honors. He is now on every NBA scouting list, and the 6-10 senior has a chance to be even better this season. He will not have to get it done alone, fortunately, as a few other key contributors from last year's squad are back in place. Antonio Porch is a 6-6 junior who managed 12.8 ppg and 6.3 rpg as a sophomore, and his success last year should breed even more confidence as we begin this season. Andrew Carpenter, a 6-2 senior guard, was a solid contributor last year and he is expected to up his productivity. With a couple of juco transfers slated to round out the starting lineup, Denver has to be considered one of the favorites to win the league.

UL-LAFAYETTE: Why are we so high on UL-Lafayette despite the fact that the team's top three scorers from a year ago are gone? First, let's look at the program's track record. The Cajuns have posted four consecutive 20-win campaigns and have managed double-digit league victories in six straight years. Secondly, the Sun Belt's second best all-around point guard is back for his senior season. Dwayne Mitchell can do it all, as the 6-5 senior point man racked up 10.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg and 3.6 apg in 2004-05 while shooting 52.8 percent from the field. Keep an eye on forward/center Chris Cameron, a 6-11 senior who has tremendous shooting touch for a player his size. As many as three new faces figure to be in the starting lineup for ULL, and all three are extremely athletic. No club in the Sun Belt will run the floor as well as the Cajuns, who seem to be a force every season regardless of personnel.

NEW ORLEANS: There are many outstanding players in the Sun Belt Conference, but none can take over a game at the offensive end quite like Bo McCalebb. The 6-0 junior from New Orleans is not physically imposing by any means, but he is the premier point guard in the league and can do a little bit of everything on the court. McCalebb averaged 22.6 ppg as a sophomore on 48 percent shooting from the field, numbers that are even more impressive than they originally appear when considering that the team lacked a solid second scoring option. He also pulled down 4.3 rpg and dished out 3.7 apg, and he will have to post similar numbers just for the Privateers to be competitive. The hope is that Ben Elias and Shawn Malloy can combine to create a strong front line, and while both put up solid rebounding numbers a year ago, neither player was a major factor at the offensive end. Once again, McCalebb should expect two defenders surrounding him on every trip down the floor.

SOUTH ALABAMA: The Jags have gone through a stretch of four bad seasons, and coach John Pelphrey has been at the helm for the last three. Clearly, he needs to prove to the school that he is the right man for the job. He has had ample time to recruit and the results need to be evident this season. Sure, 6-2 senior guard Mario Jointer is one of the more explosive scorers in the league and is coming off a campaign in which he netted 16.6 ppg on 39.7 percent efficiency from behind the arc while also pulling down 5.2 rpg. Still, he must become more consistent, as there were a few contests last year in which he didn't help the team at all. One player who is expected to provide immediate offensive help is Chey Christie, a 6-4 senior transfer from Clemson. He should be able to score in double figures this season, and that will keep teams from keying on Jointer. Even if both players perform well, USA is a middle-of-the- pack club at best.

NORTH TEXAS: Head coach Johnny Jones enters this season with few proven commodities, so expectations aren't very high for the program. The hope is that Calvin Watson and Kendrick Davis can form a lethal one-two punch at the offensive end. Watson, a 6-5 junior guard, posted 11.3 ppg a year ago on 40.2 percent efficiency from three-point range. As for Davis, he is a transfer from Arkansas with big-time ability. The fact that Davis averaged double figures in the scoring column for Arkansas as a freshman has to be exciting for fans of the Mean Green, as the Sun Belt isn't quite as tough as the SEC. Jeffrey Simpson was one of the top shot blockers in the league a year ago, and he shot the ball at a high percentage as a junior as well. Now, the 6-8 senior must become more active on offense in his increased role. North Texas will not be an easy out for opponents, but don't expect the Mean Green to finish with a winning record.

TROY: This is the first season for the Trojans as Sun Belt members, and don't expect the wins to come easily. Troy relies heavily on the three-point shot, and while that isn't necessarily a bad thing, head coach Dan Maestri understands the importance of establishing a formidable scoring threat on the interior. Bobby Dixon, a 5-10 senior point guard, is coming off an outstanding junior campaign that saw him tally 14.7 ppg and 4.1 apg while shooting nearly 40 percent from behind the arc. As many as three new faces will be in the starting lineup for the opener, and the best of that trio may be juco transfer Sammy Sharp. A 6-7 swingman, Sharp can score both inside and from out on the perimeter, and he figures to get a great deal of touches right away. Don't expect big things from the Trojans just yet, however, as they need to get settled into their new league and begin to recruit better players.
11-01-2005 05:42 PM
Quote this message in a reply
Cajunman02 Offline
All American
*

Posts: 3,445
Joined: Feb 2004
Reputation: 38
I Root For: Louisiana
Location:

CrappiesCrappies
Post: #3
 
I think the coaches might know a little more about the league than "The Sports Network." They don't even mention that we have Southall coming back.
11-01-2005 06:29 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Advertisement


ALLIESPAPPY Offline
2nd String
*

Posts: 303
Joined: Oct 2002
Reputation: 0
I Root For:
Location:
Post: #4
 
I think the coaches' picks were logical. I don't think either division will be a runaway, however. The Southall/Nicholson matchup should be a classic. Can't wait. :D
11-02-2005 11:29 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Hilltopper2K Offline
Sun Belt Nationalist
*

Posts: 4,298
Joined: Apr 2004
Reputation: 119
I Root For: WKU!!!
Location: Bowling Green, KY
Post: #5
 
CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC.

Good luck to all Sunbelt teams in non conference. I would love to see UL, Denver, and WKU all 3 upset someone in the NCAAs.

... I don't think either division will be a runaway, however...

I think WKU could run away with the east. But the west is stronger this year and it will be a tougher road for LA/Denver.
11-02-2005 08:35 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Post Reply 




User(s) browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)


Copyright © 2002-2024 Collegiate Sports Nation Bulletin Board System (CSNbbs), All Rights Reserved.
CSNbbs is an independent fan site and is in no way affiliated to the NCAA or any of the schools and conferences it represents.
This site monetizes links. FTC Disclosure.
We allow third-party companies to serve ads and/or collect certain anonymous information when you visit our web site. These companies may use non-personally identifiable information (e.g., click stream information, browser type, time and date, subject of advertisements clicked or scrolled over) during your visits to this and other Web sites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services likely to be of greater interest to you. These companies typically use a cookie or third party web beacon to collect this information. To learn more about this behavioral advertising practice or to opt-out of this type of advertising, you can visit http://www.networkadvertising.org.
Powered By MyBB, © 2002-2024 MyBB Group.