Saint Anselm

Head Coach-
Keith Dickson (26th Year, 476-264)

Last Year's Record-
19-9, 14-8, 5th, Lost in Northeast-10 Quarterfinals

Key Returners-
Allen Harris – 17.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg
Jack Keough – 12.6 ppg, 8.8 rpg

Key losses-
Thomas Baudinet – 22.1 ppg

The Saint Anselm men's basketball team finished last season with a 19-9 record, including 14-8 in the Northeast-10, which was good for a fifth-place finish. The Hawks lost in the quarterfinal round of the conference championship and ultimately missed out on an NCAA berth. Nonetheless, they have served as a top team in a tough Northeast-10 in recent years, winning at least 17 games in each of the last three seasons.

The Hawks will however have to find a way to replaceThomas Baudinet, whose 22.1 points per game average led the Northeast-10 last season. A large portion of that offensive responsibility will fall to Northeast-10 Rookie of the Year Allen Harris, who averaged 17.0 points and 6.3 boards per contest in 2010-11 while starting all 28 games.

Baudinet and Harris may have been perfect offensive complements a year ago, as the Hawks were second to only Saint Rose last year with 75.2 points per game as a team. But head coach Keith Dickson will have to rely heavily on freshmen Roy Mabrey and Andre King in 2011-12 to help make up for the loss of Baudinet.

Saint Anselm will return 10 of 13 letter winners and three of five starters. It was also selected third in the Northeast-10 Preseason Poll, receiving 183 points – just five points behind Bentley.

 

Bentley University

Head Coach:
Jay Lawson (21st Year, 414-186)

Last Year's Record:
24-8, 18-4, 1st, Northeast-10 Conference Championship Runner-Up
Lost in East Regional Final of the NCAA Championship

Key Returners:
Sam Leclerc - 7.8 ppg
Greg Jacques – 6.6 ppg

One can make the argument that no team lost more to graduation then Bentley did a year ago. Gone are the team's top three players from last year's regional finalists. Brian Tracey, Tom Dowling, and Mike Quinn were undoubtedly the glue that led the Falcons to a 24-win season a year ago. Together, the three combined to average better than 37 points and 16 rebounds per game. Subtracting their remarkable statistical contributions, head coach Jay Lawson will be forced to replace the trio's leadership on and off the court.

That being said, one should not be too worried about Bentley going forward. Lawson has turned the Falcons into the premier program in the East Region, as they have made seven consecutive trips to the NCAA Championships, including a year ago, when they were defeated in the Regional Finals by Bloomfield College.

Lawson has guided the Falcons to 414 wins over his 20 seasons as the head coach in Waltham, averaging just under 21 wins per season. He has guided his teams to winning seasons in 19 of his 20 years, and has led them to nine NCAA Championship appearances.

The Falcons will return some talented players to this year's team as glue-guy Sam Leclerc returns for his senior season and explosive point guard Greg Jacques will be counted on to provide leadership and scoring for the new-look Falcons.

Leclerc, who spent two years at Bryant University, made 47 three-point shots a year ago, and will try to lead this young Bentley team to another successful campaign. Jacques, meanwhile, had an up and down season a year ago. Arguably one of the most talented players in the NE-10, the floor general from Brockton, Mass. needs to improve his decision-making (61 turnovers last year) to help Bentley in 2011-12.

The Falcons, who are traditionally one of the toughest teams in the conference to score against, limited opponents to just over 62 points per game a year ago – second-best in the NE-10. They also committed just 13 turnovers per game last season. Both indicators that if you're going to beat Bentley, you're going to have to play a very solid game throughout as they won't beat themselves.

Another challenge for Lawson and his staff this year will be introducing five newcomers to the equation. The Falcons will be one of the younger teams in the NE-10 as their roster will feature just two seniors in Leclerc and forward reserve Kevin Kettl.

The Falcons will begin their season with their traditional season-opening Tipoff Classic the weekend of November 11th and 12th. They open on Friday night against Felician College and will take on Bloomfield College the following evening in a rematch of last year's regional championship game.

 

Adelphi University

Head Coach:
Dom Savino (2nd Year, 20-11)

Last Year's Record:
20-11, 12-10, 7th, Northeast-10 Conference Champions,
Lost in First Round of the NCAA Championship

Key Returners:
Robert Johnson, 11ppg, 33 made three-pointers
Chris Ranglin, 11ppg, 5rpg
Richard Harkins, 7ppg, 5apg (3rd in NE-10 in assists per game)

For the Adelphi's men's basketball team, last year's season was a whirlwind ride that culminated in a Northeast-10 Championship win over top-seeded Bentley in the finals. Adelphi, which entered the conference championship as the seven seed, won four games in a span of eight days, with three of those wins coming on the road.

On the way, the Panthers knocked off Bentley and second-seeded American Int'l, both on the road, earning the automatic berth into the 2011 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship. Adelphi would fall to conference foe Stonehill in the first round, 73-64, but Dom Savino's first season as the head man in Garden City was officially a successful one.

This year's edition of the Panthers, however, will look much different. Gone are the program's all-time leading scorer, Richard Byrd, who finished his illustrious career with 2,013 points and a Northeast-10 Championship Most Valuable Player Award, and all-conference do-everything forward David Akinyooye, who both graduated this past spring.

Coach Savino, who served as an assistant for three seasons before taking over the reigns, will count on a strong returning backcourt of Robert Johnson and Richard Harkins (pictured in graphic). Harkins, who was third in the NE-10 in assists last year, is unquestionably the heart and soul of the team. His fiery attitude and fierce will to win seemed to single-handedly propel the Panthers, at times, when they needed it most. Both Harkins and Johnson also have a nack for knocking down a big shot when the team needs it most.

While their top two scorers from a year ago may be gone, the Panthers return a great deal of experienced players from last year's NCAA team. Five seniors and six juniors will suit up this season for the Panthers, who will be looking to punch their ticket to the Big Dance again this year.

Among the new faces to keep a close eye on this season are Cliff Brown, Duane Morgan, and Kenny Ross. Brown and Ross are both junior transfer students, which Savino is counting on to provide the squad with some immediate offensive punch. Brown was a high-scoring wing at Herkimer County Community College, while Ross spent two years at West Virginia University, made a trip to the Final Four during his time at Morgantown. The 6'6" Morgan, meanwhile, averaged 20 points and 11 rebounds per game his senior season at West Orange high school in New Jersey.

The Panthers begin their season on Wednesday, November 16th at Southern Connecticut State University. Adelphi gets a break schedule-wise as they are scheduled to play eight of their first twelve games in Garden City.

November 11: First Day of Games

November 16: Northeast-10 Conference Play Begins

February 25: Northeast-10 Championship - First Round

February 27: Northeast-10 Championship - Quarterfinals

March 1: Northeast-10 Championship - Semifinals

March 3: Northeast-10 Championship - Finals

March 10: NCAA Championship - First Round

March 11: NCAA Championship - Regional Semifinals

March 13: NCAA Championship - Regional Finals

March 21: NCAA Championship - National Quarterfinals (Elite Eight)

March 22: NCAA Championship - National Semifinals (Final Four)

March 24: NCAA Championship - National Championship Game