Wednesday, October 17, 2007

News From The Summit 10/17/2007


2007-08 Summit League Preseason Poll--SOUTHERN UTAH THUNDERBIRDS

Golden Grizzlies Picked Third in Summit League Preseason Men’s Basketball Poll--OUGrizzlies.com
Oakland Tabbed Second in Summit League Preseason Women’s Hoops Poll--OUGrizzlies.com

Summit League Pre-Season Men's Basketball Poll Announced--GoMastodons.com

IUPUI PICKED TO WIN THE SUMMIT LEAGUE; HILL NAMED PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR--IUPUI JAGUAR ATHLETICS
IUPUI WOMEN PICKED FIFTH; CANN NAMED TO SUMMIT LEAGUE FIRST TEAM--IUPUI JAGUAR ATHLETICS

UMKC fans wake to new hoops season--The Kansas City Star

Student-athletes speak out on name change--Western Courier
Western Briefs--Western Courier
Jackson placed on preseason all-conference team, Leathernecks picked eighth--Western Illinois Athletics
Westerwinds picked sixth in Summit League preseason poll--Western Illinois Athletics

NDSU Men Picked Fourth in Summit League Preseason Poll; Woodside and Winkelman All-Conference--GoBison.com
North Dakota State Fourth in The Summit League's Women's Basketball Preseason Poll--GoBison.com

Would-be asset adds space--SDSU Collegian
Tuesday tidbits--Argus-Leader SDSU Blog
Preseason games--Argus-Leader SDSU Blog
IUPUI Men picked to win The Summit League--GoJacks.com
Jackrabbit Women picked third in The Summit League--GoJacks.com

Ladies Basketball Picked 10th in Preseason Poll--GoCentenary.Com
Centenary Basketball Season Tickets Now Available--GoCentenary.Com

Men's Basketball Picked Second in Summit League Preseason Poll--Oral Roberts University Golden Eagles
Oral Roberts Tabbed as Women’s Basketball Preseason Favorite--Oral Roberts University Golden Eagles

IUPUI Chosen First in Summit League Preseason Men’s Basketball Poll--The Summit League
Oral Roberts Selected as 2007-08 Women’s Basketball Preseason Favorite--The Summit League

Sunday, October 14, 2007

News From The Summit 10/14/2007


UMKC first to experience new College Basketball Experience--The Kansas City Star

State teams looking ahead--The Tulsa World

Oral Roberts (22-11): The Golden Eagles begin play in a new league but will face familiar foes in the Summit League, renamed from the Mid-Continent Conference.

ORU returns four starters from last year's NCAA Tournament team, led by junior forward Jenny Hardin (15.7).

Mariana Camargo and Rachel Watman gained valuable playing time over the summer with their respective countries which should transcend on the court this year for the Golden Eagles. Watman averaged 7.8 points a game followed by Camargo at 6.9.

Janae Voelker averaged 5.5 points before a knee injury ended her season during the league tournament.

The Golden Eagles get the regular season underway Nov. 13 at crosstown-rival TU.

Decision nears for Clarke--The Tulsa World
College Basketball: Practice--The Tulsa World

ORAL ROBERTS


QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS with Coach Scott Sutton, ninth season

How will preseason drills differ because of the Labor Day trip to Canada?

We’ve played three games and had 10 (extra) days of practice, so I think our new guys will understand the system a little better and won’t have the same period of adjustment new kids normally go through. We might jump into drills we did that first few days and won’t have as much teaching to do.

Can you talk about a few of the new guys you’re breaking in?

I’ve already said that I think (junior college transfer) Robert Jarvis has a chance to make a big impact on this season, and Curtis Allen (transfer from Kansas State) could if he becomes more consistent. (Freshmen) Kyron Stokes and Jonathan Dunn are going to be special players. You can throw in Marcus Lewis (transfer from Portland State). He’s gotten into better shape and if he can stay in shape, he could have a big year. And I haven’t mentioned Andre Hardy, another freshman who has a chance to be a good player.

What’s it going to be like without Caleb Green and Ken Tutt for the first time in four years?

We’ll have to put guys in different positions and have them do different things. In the past, we knew how we wanted to play because Caleb and Ken were our first options. We have guys who have played specific roles, and we haven’t needed them to score. This year, we need guys to step up their offensive production.

Who are some of the ones you have in mind?

I think (senior center) Shawn King is going to have a breakout year. I thought he showed flashes last season, especially late, of being a really well-rounded player. Obviously he did a great job of blocking shots and rebounding the whole year, but he improved and got more confidence on the offensive end. (Junior forward) Marchello Vealy is obviously a guy with a lot of ability. He just needs to show it on a daily basis.

You’ve said this may be your most talented team. With six returning lettermen and any number of newcomers expected to contribute, how do you divide the playing time?

There are so many possibilities. I couldn’t tell you right now who the top eight or nine guys are. We’ll have to determine that over the first month, and it may take longer than that. There may be chemistry issues, because we’ll have so many guys playing together for the first time. We may change our starting lineup more than ever before. There’s not much separation between the eighth and ninth players, or maybe even between the eighth and 13th players. I think our practices are going to be very competitive.

TOP RETURNING PLAYER

Shawn King

The 6-foot-10 senior is still learning offensively. He only started playing basketball six years ago. Defensively, he led the Summit League and ranked 22nd nationally with 81 blocked shots in his first Division I season. He averaged 7.1 points and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 64 percent.

PRACTICE IS IMPORTANT FOR

Moses Ehambe

The 6-foot-6 senior could emerge as a team leader after playing a key reserve role the past two years. He shot 43 percent from 3-point range as a junior and showed glimpses of having a more well-rounded game. He has an infectious personality and nobody worked harder in the offseason.

WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM

Robert Jarvis

The 5-foot-11 junior topped NJCAA Division I with 128 treys while leading Seminole (Okla.) State to a fifth-place national finish. He shot 91 percent from the foul line to rank second nationally. He received NJCAA thirdteam All-America honors. Jarvis can play the point or shooting guard.

KEY DATES


First exhibition game: Rogers State, Nov. 3, 7:05 p.m.

Regular-season opener: Southwestern (Okla.) State, Nov. 9, 7:05 p.m.

Preseason NIT (first two rounds): at Texas A&M, Nov. 13, 8 p.m. TBA, Nov. 14.

Summit League opener: North Dakota State, Dec. 6, 7:05 p.m.

All-College Classic: vs. Oklahoma State at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Dec. 20, 6 p.m.

Friday, October 12, 2007

News From The Summit 10/12/2007


Talking about practice--The Spectrum

Area's top teams are eager to hit the floor--The Indy Star

IPFW
Former IU standout Dane Fife, who played on the Hoosiers' 2002 Final Four team, finally has a conference as he heads into his third season. The Mastodons will play in the Summit League and are immediately eligible for the postseason.
IPFW, 12-17 last year, returns five of its top seven scorers.

Call Star reporter Jeff Rabjohns at (317) 444-6183.

IPFW seniors eager to begin--Fort Wayne Journal Gazette

Area's top teams are eager to hit the floor--The Indy Star

IUPUI
The Jaguars, who reached the NCAA Tournament in 2003, are in position to contend for another Cinderella season.
Junior George Hill, limited to five games last year due to a foot injury, is healthy and might be the best player in the Summit League, formerly the Mid-Continent Conference. The Broad Ripple product was a first-team all-conference player as a sophomore, averaging 19 points, six rebounds and 3.6 assists.
Thirteenth-year coach Ron Hunter also has Austin Montgomery, last year's league Newcomer of the Year, and Gary Patterson, another member of the all-newcomer team.

Call Star reporter Jeff Rabjohns at (317) 444-6183.


College basketball season tips off tonight as practices begin--The Kansas City Star

UMKC

What: UMKC’s first practice

When: 6:30 to 9 p.m. tonight

Where: College Basketball Experience at the Sprint Center

Notes: UMKC men’s and women’s teams also will have “UMKC Basketball Morning Madness” from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday morning at Swinney Recreation Center on campus. Both teams will practice. There will be prize giveaways, including a chance for one UMKC student to win free tuition for the upcoming spring semester.

Basketball starting up--The Kansas City Star

•UMKC is so excited about it season under new coach Matt Brown the Kangaroos are launching practice twice. Tonight, the Kangaroos will work out at the new College Basketball Experience next to the Sprint Center from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Monday comes UMKC Basketball Morning Practice from 6 to 9 a.m. at Swinney Recreation Center.


Women’s basketball walk-on tryouts set for Oct. 18--Western Illinois Athletics

Basketball tickets on sale Oct. 15--GoJacks.com

Golden Eagles Basketball Practice on Friday--Oral Roberts University Golden Eagles