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E-mailBreaking down the college basketball season
An in-depth preview of the five Division I men's college basketball teams for the 2009-10 season:
Pitt
Coach: Jamie Dixon (7th season, 163-45 record at Pitt)
Last year's record: 31-5
How they finished: Lost to Villanova in NCAA Tournament East Regional Finals
Biggest losses: C DeJuan Blair, F Sam Young and PG Levance Fields
Returning starter: Jermaine Dixon, sr., SG
Player to watch: Dante Taylor, the 6-foot-9, 240-pound freshman will be counted on to contribute right away as Pitt replaces its entire frontcourt. The McDonald's All-America was a step slow in the summer, but his progress will tell a lot about Pitt's fortunes this season.
What to expect: Pitt's main, realistic goal should be reaching the NCAA Tournament for the ninth year in a row. Anything better is gravy. Anything less is a bit of a letdown. It is Pitt's biggest rebuilding year under coach Dixon. Jermaine Dixon (foot) is out for another month and redshirt junior Gilbert Brown (academics), the team's most experienced returning player, is gone until mid-December. Young Gs Travon Woodall and Ashton Gibbs and transfer PG Chase Adams take over in the backcourt.
Notable: Sophomore G Ashton Gibbs, who started for the gold medal-winning US National U-19 World Championship team coached by Jamie Dixon, led all Big East shooters last year with a 43.9 3-point percentage
Duquesne
Coach: Ron Everhart (4th season, 48-45 at Duquesne)
2008-09 record: 21-13 overall; 9-7 A-10 (T-5th)
How they finished: NIT first-round loss to Virginia Tech (116-108 2OT)
Returning starters: G/F Melquan Bolding, G Jason Duty, F Damian Saunders, F Bill Clark
Player to watch: Saunders established a single-season school record for steals (71) last season and enters this year with more career assists (125), steals (116) and blocks (122) than turnovers (100).
What to expect: With every player back except leading scorer PG Aaron Jackson, Duquesne is hoping a balanced approach will help it exceed last year's breakout year, which landed the Dukes in the postseason for the first time since 1994. Duquesne is seeking its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1977.
Notable: Duquesne was the surprise of the Atlantic 10 Conference a year ago, advancing to the championship game of the A-10 Tournament, where the Dukes lost to Temple, 69-64.
Robert Morris University
Coach: Mike Rice (3rd season, 50-19 record at RMU)
2008-09 record: 24-11, 15-3 NEC
How they finished: Lost to Michigan State, 77-62, in first round of NCAA Division I tournament; won Northeast Conference regular-season title and conference title
Biggest loss: G Jeremy Chappell, G Bateko Francisco.
Returning Starters: Rob Robinson (6-8, F, Sr.), Dallas Green (6-8, C, Sr.), Jimmy Langhurst (5-11, G, Sr.).
Player to watch: Robinson is a dominating inside player who is capable of scoring double figures in points and rebounds. He also is a shot blocker.
What to expect: Robert Morris is expected to battle for another Northeast Conference title and could find itself in the NCAA Tournament once again with a little luck.
Notable: Robert Morris must find a replacement for NEC Player of the Year Jeremy Chappell, who averaged 16.9 points per game. Sophomore Russell Johnson, a 6-foot-6 forward, is a player who could pick up the scoring slack along with guard Velton Jones. Jones was a redshirt, and Johnson sat out to focus on academics. Guards Gary Wallace and Mezie Nwigwe and forward Josiah Whitehead saw a lot of playing time a year ago.
Penn State
Coach: Ed DeChellis (7th season, 84-103 at Penn State)
2008-09 record: 27-11, 8-10 Big Ten
How they finished: Defeated Baylor, 69-63, to win the NIT championship, finished tied for fourth in the Big Ten
Biggest losses: G Stanley Pringle and F Jamelle Cornley
Returning starters: Talor Battle, jr., G, David Jackson, jr., F, and Andrew Jones, jr., F
Player to watch: Battle averaged 17.3 points last season, set the single-season assist record with 189 and led the nation in minutes played with 1,422.
What to expect: Penn State could get a taste of March Madness for the first time since 2001. DeChellis will be more at ease after receiving an offseason contract extension, and the Lions will have more confidence after last season's run.
Notable: After two seasons, Battle is ahead of the pace of Penn State's all-time scoring leader Jesse Arnelle (2,138).
West Virginia
Coach: Bob Huggins (third season, 49-23 at WVU)
2008-09 record: 23-12
Last year's finish: Lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Dayton, 68-60
Biggest loss: Alex Ruoff, SG (second leading scorer in 2008-09 with 15.7 points per game)
Returning Starters: SF Da'Sean Butler (17.1 ppg), PF Devin Ebanks (10.5 ppg), PG Darryl "Truck" Bryant (9.8 ppg) and PF Wellington Smith (5.2 ppg)
Player to watch: SG Casey Mitchell. The 2009 National Junior College Athletic Association Player of the Year is expected to come in and fill the "shooter" role Alex Ruoff played last year. Mitchell shot 34 percent from 3-point range at Chipola College in Marianna, Fla., last season.
What to expect: West Virginia is expected to compete for the Big East title after returning nearly its entire roster from last year. The Mountaineers are a sure bet to make the NCAA Tournament in Bob Huggins' third year, as this is his deepest and most experienced team at WVU yet.
