Opening Day Picks: 11/11-11/13

My picks for this weekend's games (winner in bold):

11/11
Hartford vs. Sacred Heart
Northeastern at Boston University
Suffolk at New Hampshire
Rhode Island at George Mason
Elon at Massachusetts
Columbia at UConn
Johnson & Wales at Brown
MIT at Harvard
Dartmouth at Rutgers
Yale vs. CCSU
Fairfield vs. Quinnipiac
Bryant at San Diego State
Holy Cross at Charleston


11/12
Fairleigh Dickinson at Providence
Hartford at Penn State
Vermont at South Florida
Bryant vs. UC-Davis

11/13
Boston University at Texas
Bryant vs. Southern Utah

New England BB Preseason Power Rankings

1. UConn

• Even in a national power ranking, this team could arguably be in contention for the top spot. DeAndre Daniels and Andre Drummond form one of Calhoun’s best incoming classes in recent memory and returning stars Alex Oriakhi, Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier will keep the team from starting anew in the post-Kemba era.

2. Harvard

• Tommy Amaker’s done a lot right since taking over as head coach of the Crimson, and his recent recruiting successes seem to indicate that this team will be a force in the Ivy for years to come.  For now however, they seem to be fully capable of being the second best team in New England after the Huskies and are primed to make an NCAA appearance for the first time in their history.  Everyone who played major minutes is back including stud PG Brandyn Curry and fellow backcourt members Oliver McNally and Christian Webster, both capable scorers.  

3. Fairfield

• Even with coach Cooley now stalking the sidelines at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, this team still returns with a great chance to end the season in the NCAA tournament.  Now-eligible transfer Rakim Sanders is one of the best SFs in the country and ought to be a great asset in new coach Sydney Johnson’s Princeton offense. Derek Needham should be able to lead the team at the point while Ryan Olander continues to be one of the MAAC’s best big men.  

4. Boston University

• Despite being without John Holland and Jake O’Brien, the Terriers still return one of the best players in the America East conference in D.J. Irving.  The incredibly fast PG with be the key to the Terriers’ success this season, as well as the continued development of Dominic Morris in the post.  If Patrick Hazel can supplement Irving with defense and Darryl Partin can provide additional offense, the Terriers may have a chance to dance again.  

5. Providence

• Even after Kiwi Gardner was declared ineligible, the Friars still have some decent pieces in place for the upcoming season.  Vincent Council should be a solid leader at PG who ought to be able to guide some of the younger pieces of the roster in becoming more effective as the years wears onward.  Overall though, the team will need to wait for success until their future heralded recruits show up in the next couple of seasons.

6. Boston College

• Three upperclassmen are all that Steve Donahue returns in his second year at the helm for BC but he brings in a class with some decent players in it.  The highest scorer among those two returnees had 4.1 ppg last year.  The freshmen and newcomers should allow them to be at least somewhat competitive out of conference but they will falter in ACC play.

7. Vermont

• The loss of Evan Fjeld will be difficult but the cupboard is never bare in Burlington.  Brendan Bald (AE Defensive POY last year) and Brian Voelkel (defending AE ROY) will lead the team to at least near he top of the AE with strong defense and scoring ability from players like the flashy Sandro Carissimo as the Cats return 4 starters.

8. Rhode Island

• This is a team that has suffered big off-season losses that will hamper them in an always tough A-10.  Auburn and Virginia transfers Andre Malone and Billy Baron will be big additions in the middle of the year at the point and shooting guard positions, but depth in the frontcourt will pose a problem unless freshman Jonathan Holton can make a big impact right away.  By the time the talented transfers show up, will it be too late to pull it all together?

9. Northeastern

• Rebuilding in the post-Chaisson Allen era will be tough.  Still, most of their roster returns this year and Joel Smith should see an increase in production, especially as a deep threat.  Jonathan Lee should also join him among the team’s leaders.  Given the frontcourt weakness of the team, they will go as far as those two can lead them.

10. Yale

• In an Ivy League that seems fairly wide open beyond Harvard, Yale could be a serious player.  Greg Mangano is one of the Ivy’s best players in recent memory and will make this team competitive along with his P.I.C.  Jeremiah Kreisberg.  Together the two combine to form the conference’s best frontcourt, complemented by a steady if unspectacular combo at guard, the combination of which make this a team to watch for sure.

11. Quinnipiac

• The Bobcats should continue to be a consistent performer in the NEC despite the losses of two leaders in Justin Rutty and Deontay Twyman.  James Johnson will look to step up in Rutty’s absence and could become much more productive.  PG Dave Johnson will also need to step up in a big way and run the offense effectively for the team to be a contender in the NEC

12. Central Connecticut State

• Ken Horton is perhaps the most talented mid-major player in New England, and in the NEC he is the sort of player who could really lift his team to the next level.  The team was intermittently very successful last year and certainly belongs in the conference’s upper echelon this year.  If the supporting cast can step up to his level, including guard Bobby Ptacek, watch out for this team.

13. Maine

• This team started great in conference play last year before fading in dramatic fashion down the stretch.  Returning Gerald McLemore is one of the best returning scorers in the league and if he can provide leadership that elevates the rest of his team it could be a good year in Orono.

14. New Hampshire

• After suffering through a more than fair number of injuries as a team last year, the Wildcats will have Ferg Myrick and Alvin Abreu back and healthy to start the season.  Returning those two players and a tenacious defense could boost this team into the top half of the America East Conference.

15. Holy Cross

• Milan Brown returns for a second season as coach to a team that could finally make some strides back toward the top of the Patriot League.  R.J. Evans, Devin Brown and Mike Cavataio are all strong players at the core of this team, but will they be enough for the Crusaders to make real strides this year?

16. Massachusetts

• Although quite a bit of the rotation returns, those players simply were not good last year.  Hofstra transfer Chaz Williams might be able to contribute strongly at the point and help the Minutemen run more this year, but not enough to make the team competitive in the A-10 just yet.

17. Brown

• Jesse Agel Brings back the conference’s best freshman from last year but the top of the Ivy League is very strong.  This team is movg in the right direction but may not be moving up very quickly this year.  

18. Bryant

• This program will continue to improve this year but still has a way to go.  Freshman Ben Altit of the Israeli national team is an intriguing addition to a squad that includes returning strong scorers Frankie Dobbs and Alex Francis.  They will make a bigger leap next year in all likelihood.  

19. Dartmouth

• The Green will be hard-pressed to improve on their one-win conference campaign of last year, despite an intriguing freshman class.

20.  Sacred Heart

• Expect more of the same from the Pioneers this year.  Shane Gibson can score, but interior depth will be an Achilles’ Heel for the team.

Schedules and Freshmen: Big East

UConn: Schedule

Big Games: 12/8 vs. Harvard, 2/11 @ Syracuse, 2/25 vs. Syracuse, 3/3 vs. Pittsburgh

UConn has virtually no challenge games in their non-con schedule so winning against Harvard at home (and at the Battle 4 Atlantis against the Crimson or FSU) is a must to get a good NCAA tournament seeding.  If the Huskies start slow in conference like last year’s team, winning three late season games against Syracuse and Pittsburgh are a must for finishing at the top of the heap in the Big East for the first time since 2006.

Freshmen: Obviously the headliner is almost-certain lottery pick and late commit Andre Drummond whose size and skill is certainly far above-average, perhaps even far above that.  He immediately upon his commitment catapulted UConn back into the national title discussion and could be a star for them this year in the post alongside Alex Oriakhi.  He is not, however, the only talented freshmen arriving in Storrs this fall.  SF DeAndre Daniels ought to also be able to make an impact with his speed and scoring ability right away.  PG Ryan Boatright ought to slide right into a backup position behind returning Shabazz Napier, and his excellent ball-handling makes him a backup that almost any school would be thrilled to have.

Providence: Schedule

Big Games: 11/14 @ Fairfield, 12/27 @ St. John’s, 1/7 vs. Seton Hall, 2/11 vs. So. Florida

For a Providence team trying to wait out the year until Ricardo Ledo and Kris Dunn show up as part of 2012’s #6 class (ESPN), these games can give some indication of the promise in their current roster.  Fairfield will be a solid team in the MAAC (built by PC’s new coach) and a win on the road there would be a great one for the Friars to secure.  In order to set themselves apart from the rest of the conference’s bottom teams, PC will need to pick up wins against their fellows in that part of the conference.  winning early in conference against St. John’s and promising Seton Hall would go a long way, especially if they can also beat USF as the season moves into its later stages.  

Freshmen: SF LaDontae Henton may struggle with the athletic abilities of his new conference opponents, but does have the potential to be effective on the glass or running the floor. Athletic PF Brice Kofane will give the Friars some much needed size off the bench right away. If and when he becomes eligible, PG Kiwi Gardner will be very useful off the bench, although his lack of size may hamper him against bigger lineups.

Exhibitionists: Pre-Season Recap

Here’s a slightly late round-up of the exhibition games that have happened so far for New England’s college hoops teams in the last couple weeks as we lead up to the exciting start of a new season.

Big East
UConn: 11/2 vs. Amer. International (W 78-35), 11/6 vs. C.W. Post (W 91-61)
Providence: 10/25 vs. Assumption (W 64-51), 11/5 vs. UMass-Lowell (W 76-75)

ACC
Boston College: 11/5 vs. Amer. International (W 70-66)

America East
Vermont: 10/25 vs. St. Michael’s (W 64-31), 11/5 vs. Concordia (W 69-56)
Maine: 10/25 vs. Fisher (W 91-45), 11/5 vs. Ottawa (W 79-56)

Atlantic-10
Rhode Island: 11/4 vs. RI College (W 79-63), 11/7 vs. Ryerson (W 97-66)

MAAC
Fairfield: 11/4 vs. Bridgeport (W 97-70)

Patriot
Holy Cross: 11/5 vs. Assumption (W 84-52)

Who knows how much these games really will tell us about the quality of each team moving forward but in any case, they’re a fun way to kick of the season, see new freshmen in action and get warmed up for when the real season begins.  If I’m UConn, I’m feeling good, especially if Ryan Boatright’s gonna be suiting up sooner rather than later while BC should be feeling a little nervous after barely escaping AIC.  Same goes for PC after the scare against Lowell.  Holy Cross looks good too especially if you compare their game against Assumption to Providence’s.

NCAA Approves Cost-of-Attendance Stipends

For many of New England's smaller basketball schools, a potentially huge decision was made by the NCAA last week. The governing body of college athletics approved giving Division I athletes additional funds beyond their athletics scholarships to reflect the true cost-of-attendance at college for athletes (books, etc.) The real rub of this, as far as schools in this neck of the woods go, is that conferences will decide themselves whether or not to allow schools to give that money to their student-athletes. The problem comes when this gives students an incentive to go to the so-called major conferences as opposed to conferences like the NEC or AE. UConn and BC surely won't have any problem with this as the ACC and Big East will definitely approve, being composed of big universities with major programs. Even UMass and URI in the A-10 and Northeastern in the CAA are in prominent enough conferences that they will likely be able to be the beneficiaries of this policy. Even Fairfield and the MAAC might bite at this new rule. But for schools in the AE, NEC, and Patriot League, this rule could separate them even further from bigger conferences in terms of competitiveness. I'm pretty sure a school like BU would choose to add the stipends in order to remain competitive, but would the rest of the league have the resources or desire to do so? Tenuous times to be sure for many of the region's smaller schools.

AE: Expansionocalypse Theories?

Although many see the AE as being somewhat below the major tides of realignment that are sweeping through the FBS conferences, a couple recent stories have intrigued me in terms of mentioning how this conference could be impacted once the major dominoes begin to fall. The New York Times reported in the last couple of weeks that the CAA had reached out to several schools, including Charlotte, Richmond, GW and Boston University. I think at this point that it’s a no-brainer move for BU if they are invited. Don’t get me wrong, I love the cross-sport rivalries with UVM, Maine and UNH that come over from Hockey East, but BU will never become a mid-major basketball contender in the AE. It would be a waste after Coach Chambers’ hard work before leaving to go to Penn State if BU again turned down the CAA. And on a side note, I’d personally love a home-and-home in conference against Northeastern every year. Could be a great rivalry as it is on the hockey side. On the other hand Sporting Vermont has a somewhat melancholy article in response discussing Vermont’s lacking prospects for joining another conference despite being the AE’s best hoops program in recent years by some distance. Personally wherever BU goes I wouldn’t mind seeing UVM follow given how great that rivalry was during my time at the school the last 4 years but I suspect it will not happen once one of the schools moves on.

Another interesting (albeit speculative) article showed up on the UnrankedAE blog recently regarding how a football realignment could change the conference in all sports. Although the UNH football fan in me would not like to see them leave a very strong CAA football conference, the fact is that once URI and UMass leave for the NEC and the MAC respectively, Maine and the Wildcats are basically on an island alone as far as being near their conference mates. Delaware and Towson would become the team’s closest trips and travel budgets would expand. Forming a new AE football conference, if Albany and Stony Brook could be enticed would be tempting for the sake of saving travel costs. If the conference seemed to be a competitive improvement over the NEC (Albany and SBU both have also had success recently and Maine is perhaps the best team in the CAA this year), then other teams could be perhaps enticed to join. To get to a minimum of 6 all-sport members in order for the AE to sponsor football, the ideas from URAE that I liked the best personally were bringing in CCSU (fits profile of an NE state school) and Bryant or Fordham (having the NYC school intrigues me if they’d be willing to leave the A-10, which I’d doubt) Even Sacred Heart or Wagner would be intriguing filler options for all sports. URI might even be a possibility as a football-only school once the conference filled out its roster. Obviously this football part is all fun speculation at this point but very interesting to discuss nonetheless.

BC: DeFilippo Shows His True Colors and Donahue Signs 2012 PG

Well, I realize I am a little late to the party getting my two cents in on this, but obviously the big CBB story over the weekend was an article in the Boston Globe where BC AD Gene DeFilippo revealed that BC was (according to him) the influence which caused Pittsburgh to join Syracuse in the ACC rather than UConn. "We didn't want them in," DeFilippo stated, "It was a matter of turf. We wanted to be the New England team."

In the interest of full disclosure I'll state that I am by nature prejudiced against BC for two reasons:

1. I grew up in Storrs, CT as a fervent UConn fan who hated BC before they left the Big East and even more after they left
2. I just graduated from BU, and was a big fan of the Terriers hockey team, major rivals to BC on the ice

These two reasons only serve to amplify my dislike for BC in this particular moment. I'll come out and say it that until now, I had absolutely no interest in UConn joining the ACC. The Big East (excepting the C-USA stowaways) has a much more Northeastern USA feel to it than the ACC does. UConn is joined by many local schools such as Providence, St. John's, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Syracuse and even Villanova. UConn even has great history with further afield schools like Pittsburgh, WVU, Notre Dame and Georgetown. If I had my way, the Big East would still be the pre-2005 schools minus Miami and Va. Tech. Maybe with UMass now that they're a 1A school and Temple (The Big East in my mind is best centered around NYC, Philly and Boston).

But if the Big East is going to mean playing East Carolina, Air Force, Houston, SMU and Central Florida, among perhaps other geographically disparate schools, I no longer want UConn to be a part of it and if joining the ACC is necessary to continued relevance then so be it. UConn, BC, Pitt, 'Cuse, Maryland, UVa. and VTech in an ACC North would definitely be an idea I could get behind (if divisions were adopted in basketball) but I would miss playing the basketball only schools from the BE. It is a jaded basketball fan in me that accepts UConn leaving behind the Big East for the ACC, but in these desperate times I further hate BC for their AD's inferiority complex (no championships in hoops or BCS bids) putting the Huskies' future in jeopardy.

On a lighter note, Steve Donahue got BC's first 2012 commit by signing PG Joe Rahon from Torrey Pines, CA. He is the fifth signing from what is turning out to be an unexpected pipeline state for the Eagles' second year coach. Rahon selected BC over several Power 6 schools on the west coast (USC, WSU) and mid-major powers such as SDSU and St. Mary's. He should eventually develop into a solid drive-and-kick point guard with the right size to play either guard position.

Schedules and Freshmen: Patriot League

Holy Cross: Schedule

Big Games: 11/15 vs. Harvard, 11/18 vs. BC, 1/7 vs, Lehigh, 2/18 vs. Bucknell

If the Crusaders can put up a good fight against the Crimson and the Eagles, it'll certainly indicate that they are prepared to put up a fight in the Patriot League. Harvard will be an almost-certain NCAA team and BC will be rebuilding but is still the state's highest-profile program, so these will be the team's most legitimate chances at getting attention. If they also can pick up surprise wins at home against conference favorites Lehigh and Bucknell, the Crusaders may be in the mix for a bid at the end of the year, but that's probably unlikely.

Freshmen: PG Justin Burrell comes from Virginia with shooting and passing abilities but will need to overcome a lack of size. SF Malcolm Miller is somewhat less heralded, but his athleticism could make him effective on the perimeter if he can develop an outside game. PF Taylor Abt could be a sizable presence on the inside once he develops into a college-level player.

The Smart Get Richer: Harvard Lands Two

After already pulling in a good recruiting class for this year and with some great players considering or committed for the year after, Harvard just pulled in a couple more set to arrive in Cambridge next year. First, the Crimson received a commitment on Monday from a GA C, #19 in the class at his position according to ESPN, named Mike Hall. The fact that he was being pursued by Oklahoma State and Florida State ought to speak to his ability and how much of a steal he is for an Ivy League school. Hall has great size to use once he adds strength and will be a force down low both defensively and on the glass.

Only a day later, another team receiving high-major attention, Siyani Chambers, committed to play for Tommy Amaker's squad. a PG from Minnesota, Chambers is solid defensively and will be an excellent play-maker who will make opportunities for both himself and others. Both join MA prep Evan Cummins (who is no slouch himself) as the Crimson's class of 2012.

Ballin' is a Habit has a great article discussing how exactly Tommy Amaker is managing to have such success without being able to give out athletic scholarships at a program of rather historic ineptitude. It's a great read that really illuminates the rise of a program that takes student-athletes and makes them succeed in truly both senses of that hyphenated amalgamation of a word.

Schedules and Freshmen: NEC

Quinnipiac: Schedule

Big Games: 11/11 vs. Fairfield (Conn. 6 Classic), 2/11 @ CCSU, 2/18 @ LIU, 2/25 vs. Robert Morris

The Bobcats' only real shot at making a big impression during non-conference play is against a good Fairfield team in the neutral-site Connecticut 6 Classic. Other than that, they really won't play any games that winning will make a real statement until they reach NEC time. If they can play strongly in those 3 late season games against the other conference contenders, Tom Moore's squad might find themselves in contention for the conference's autobid come March.

Freshmen: Tom Moore should have some fresh contributors to draw from this year. Former Vermont G Garvey Young ought to compete right away and perhaps start for the Bobcats. G Austin Alexcih comes to Hamden after a year at UNC-Asheville and projects as a bench contributor in the long term. Terrance Bobb-Jones, a G from DE should eventually bring explosive scoring and defending to the team. SF/SG Evan Conti was a talented scorer and rebounder who took care of the effort plays in high school. JuCo SF Alex Jackson could be useful in the frontcourt, along with Boston PF Ousmane Drame and his soft touch. MD PF Marquis Barnett also will grab boards and be a physical presence down low. SG Zaid Hearst is a fast perimeter player who can drive to score, as is other SG Nate Gause.

Central Conn. St.: Schedule

Big Games: 12/17 @ Northwestern, 2/4 @ LIU, 2/8 @ Quinnipiac, 2/16 @ Robert Morris

Amidst an easy non-con schedule the only real chance for CCSU to draw attention will be against fringe NCAA contender Northwestern on the road. Once they get to NEC play the team that can beat other contenders on the road will probably win the title, so the stretch mentioned above will be critical to CCSU.

Freshmen: Florida SG Adonis Burbage will be able to drive to the basket and represents a pretty good get for the Blue Devils. PG Kyle Vinales ought to eventually serve as a playmaker and scorer once he becomes more consistent. He may have a head up on other PG Malcolm McMillan who may have a longer way to go in developing into a strong contributor. SG Shelton Mickell also will look to develop into a solid contributor in the backcourt but may be a bit away from doing so. Erik Raleigh from Philadelphia rounds out the class.

Bryant: Schedule

Big Games: 12/1 vs. CCSU, 12/10 @ Providence, 12/18 @ BC, 12/22 @ Arizona, 1

Taking on a more challenging non-conference schedule than many of the rest of their fellow members in the NEC could pay dividends if they can impress against rebuilding regional big-shots Providence and BC, while they get their best shot at national exposure at Arizona, albeit in a game they likely have no chance in. If they can get off to a fast start against top-of-the-pack Central in December, it could bode well for their improvement in the NEC standings.

Freshmen: Israeli big Ben Altit could be the best frosh in the conference this year, coming from his nation's U18 team and club Maccabi Tel Aviv. Redshirt PF Troy Robinson has had opportunity to develop and could now become a contributor in the post as well.

Sacred Heart: Schedule

Big Games: 11/17 @ Rutgers, 1/7 vs. SF-NY, 1/26 vs. Wagner, 2/11 vs. Bryant

Rutgers is a rebuilding team, so Sacred Heart may have a chance more so than they might otherwise against a Power 6 team, while getting a bit more exposure than usual. To move up the standings, the Pios will need to distinguish themselves against other mid-pack NEC teams, and winning those 3 above home games will help to push them upward in the standings.

Freshmen: PG Phil Gaetano is they type of floor leader who will distribute rather than taking shots for himself, and his attention from Ivy League schools speaks to the smarts he will bring on the court. G Steve Glowiak redshirted last year but brings a good 3-point shot to the Pioneers, and F Justin Swidowski is a DII transfer from Holy Family who will contribute in the post both offensively and defensively.

A-10 Tourney Heading To Brooklyn

As rumors swirl about the ACC perhaps taking over MSG as a potential tournament site from the Big East another conference is making a great move to NYC. The Atlantic-10 Conference tournament, according to reports, will be moving in 2013 from Atlantic City to the soon-to-be home of Jay-Z's Brooklyn Nets, the Barclays Center. This will hopefully give the conference a great presence in the huge media market, as well as improving attendance that had been low at its previous site. Although more western programs like Dayton and Xavier may not be happy to have the tournament staying so far away, it places the tournament right in the middle of many of the A-10's northeastern programs. As far as the conference's New England schools, this makes the tournament an easy trip for URI and UMass fans as those programs fight their way back to the top of the conference that they occupied in the 1990s.

Schedules and Freshmen: MAAC

Fairfield: Schedule

Big Games: 11/14 vs. Providence, 11/17 @ Minnesota, 11/24-27 Old Spice Classic (vs. Arizona State, then Dayton or Wake Forest, possibly Minnesota or Texas Tech after), 2/24 at Iona

These Stags have plenty of chances this year to prove against good teams that they are ready to deliver on their promise of the last 2 years and make it to the NCAA tournament. They could definitely pick up a statement win or two against any of those major conference teams that they will face early on in the season (best shots against PC and maybe WF or Dayton in Orlando). The MAAC may come down to Fairfield and Iona so their meeting on 2/24 in New Rochelle will be critical.

Freshmen: only a couple players coming in for the Stags but they could be good ones. Transfer Rakim Sanders from BC could be a piece that truly elevates this team to contenders, as he knows what playing at the sports highest level in the ACC is like. Desmond Wade, from Houston, also brings good playmaking potential at the point. As far as freshmen go, Adam Jones will be a solid PF who can be great if he finds consistency. Vince Van Nes will be a good addition at C, with huge size at 6'11" and a decent amount of range. Keegan Hyland transferred from Gonzaga after a concussion prior to the start of his first season. He was a star in high school in Maine but felt like he had little likelihood of playing time in Spokane. He could be a surprise asset.

Schedules and Freshmen: Ivy League

Harvard: Schedule

Big Games: 11/24-26 Battle 4 Atlantis (vs. Utah, possibly Florida State and/or UConn), 12/8 at UConn, 2/24 vs. Princeton

As a team expected to be among the top 50 in the country next year, games against FSU and UConn (they will beat Utah) will be a chance to show their mettle. They have a good chance of at least giving the Noles a game and could do the same against UConn to show that they are among the nation's elite. But they must beat Princeton to prove that last year was not a fluke.

Freshmen: Tommy Amaker got a great class this year, one which could help them to their first NCAA tourney. Kenyatta Smith, rated 90 on ESPN, is a 3-star C who is the highlight of the class. Wesley Saunders is the #52 ranked PF in the class according to ESPN and also a 3-star recruit, bringing great athleticism and size to play for the Crimson as one of California's top players. Corbin Miller will be a great stop-and-pop shooter for the Crimson, while Jonah Travis has raw post skills but will need to improve his outside game to become more of an SF in college. Steve Mondou-Missi also could make an impact in the post, although may need time to work his way up the depth chart as he lacks any outside game. SF Max Hooper possesses a great shot. Alex Nesbitt is a G out of Chicago.

Brown: Schedule

Big Games: 12/3 at Iowa, 12/5 at Providence, 1/28 vs. Harvard, 2/3 vs. Princeton

Iowa and Providence aren't exactly at program highs right now, but still a respectable showing would go a long way toward legitimizing the Bears. (Especially if they stand up to their crosstown rival) Legitimacy in the Ivy League will come quickly with a win over either of the conference's current power programs.

Freshmen: Brown brings in some decent players this year, particularly nice-shooting TX SG Christian Gore. MA prep Joe Sharkey should develop into a pretty good PG for the Bears. Brazilian C Rafael Maia comes with a decent inside and outside game. PF Jon Schmidt from MD is a very smart kid who long wanted to play hoops in the Ivy League. G Taylor Wright is the son of Villanova's Jay and brings a good 3-point shot to the team. Longji Yiljep brings track-star speed at G as well.

Dartmouth: Schedule

Big Games: 11/11 at Rutgers,1/7 at Harvard, 1/21 vs. Harvard

Rebuilding Rutgers might give Dartmouth a chance at getting off to a good start in their climb up from the Ivy cellar. Starting conference play well in two games against Harvard would also go a long way toward eking out some success in Hanover.

Freshmen: Mediocre class here. Jvonte Brooks will be a very blue-collar PF. Lithuanian PF Gabas Maldunas is on his way to being an inside-out post. Athletic John Golden had been receiving increased attention from better programs before choosing Dartmouth. Will McConnell comes from one of CA's top programs. G Mack McKearney was late to get attention, but Dartmouth was one of the few D1 schools to pay attention to him. F Kirill Savolainen, from Finland, rounds out the class.

Yale: Schedule

Big Games: 11/22 at Seton Hall, 12/3 vs. Vermont, 1/27 vs. Harvard, 2/18 at Harvard

Seton Hall and Vermont dates give the Bulldogs chances to play established teams that they might stand a chance of keeping up with to build early-season confidence. And when are Harvard and Yale games in any sport not a big deal? Like everyone else in the Ivy league, you can believe they're circling those dates on their calendar.

Freshmen: Yale brings in a big, decent class this year. Brandon Sherrod is a PF with good inside skills and the ability to shoot jumpers. Chappaqua, NY PF Matt Townsend is another inside bruiser who's willing to fight to make things happen for his team. SG Javier Duren brings size on the perimeter as well as handling to play the point at times. NYC SF Armani Cotton will bring the ability to defend at multiple positions and C Will Childs-Klein has great size but at times has struggled to shoot the ball.

Boston U.: Jake O'Brien To Miss 2011-12 Season

Call it pulling a Peyton. After needing another surgery to repair a broken foot, Boston University big man Jake O'Brien, absent for the Terriers' run to the NCAA Tournament after an injury @UMass on last New Year's Eve, will miss the entirety of the next season (according to his facebook quoth One-Bid Wonders). This is a huge blow for a Terriers team that was expecting to only be minus John Holland from last year's squad but must now replace their two best players from last year. Hopefully Dom Morris, Patrick Hazel and Jeff Pelage will be able to step up, or the Terriers might face significant problems in the post. O'Brien does plan to seek a medical redshirt and play his senior year in 2012-13.

Schedules and Freshmen: CAA

Northeastern: Schedule

Big Games: 11/26 @ St. John's., 12/3 vs. Old Dominion, 12/22 @ NC State, 2/4 @ VCU

Obviously any game against a BCS conference team is a chance for a mid-major like NU to prove itself, and against rebuilding St. John's and NC State, Northeastern may be able to compete. If the team wants to climb back near the top of the CAA and a postseason tournament like two years ago, a good start would be wins against powers like Old Dominion and VCU.

Freshmen: Although replacing Chaisson Allen will not be easy, Northeastern got a couple of great commits from #58 PF in the nation Quincy Ford and #72 SF Reggie Spencer. Ford, of Florida, possesses great size and scoring ability while Alabama's Spencer will be solid on the low block for NU. Marco Banegas and Demitrius Pollard represent more of long-term investments at guard for coach Bill Coen.

Schedules and Freshmen: America East

Quick breakdown of schedules and incoming recruiting classes for New England teams in the AE:

Boston U.: Schedule

Big Games: 11/13 @ Texas, 11/26 @ URI, 12/3 @ BC, 12/10 vs. Harvard, 12/13 @ Villanova, 1/14 @ Stony Brook

Of course BU probably will not have much of a shot in games against Villanova and Texas, it certainly helps one's RPI come tournament time to be boosting up that strength of schedule, and any sort of respectable showing will turn some heads. Tommy Amaker's built a nice program at Harvard, so that would be a significant victory if the Terriers can manage, similarly (although to a lesser extent) as their game at URI. Bringing the Comm. Ave. Rivalry back to the hardwood will obviously be meaningful, especially if the Terriers can pick up a W (they may have a great opportunity to do so). Stony Brook looks like the other best team in the AE coming into this year, so picking up a win on their home court would be a big advantage in the conference race.

Freshmen: BU signed 2 players for this coming year, 2-Star PF (ESPN) James Kennedy out of Dorchester and SG Zach Chionuma out of New York state. Although neither is perhaps an impact recruit on the caliber of last year's standouts D.J. Irving and Dom Morris, both should be able to contribute in new Coach Joe Jones' system. If Kennedy can step up in the wake of Jake O'Brien missing the season, it could help the Terriers overcome what seems to be a serious blow to their chances in the coming season.

Hartford: Schedule

Big Games: 112/12 @ Penn State, 12/3 @ Central Florida, 1/8 vs. Vermont, 1/22 vs. BU, 2/21 vs. Stony Brook

Maine certainly turned heads by beating PSU last year and it would certainly be no different for Hartford as the Nittany Lions attempt to rebuild under recent BU coach Pat Chambers. UCF provides the other best opportunity for national exposure in a very low-level non-conference slate, exposure key to a nationwide recruiting process that Coach Gallagher seems to be instituting at UH. As the school attempts to move up the AE hierarchy, beating the conference's heavyweights will be essential, and thus home games against Vermont, BU and SBU will be their best opportunities to assert the Hawks as a program on the rise.

Freshmen: This UHart team will have quite a number of freshmen who will attempt to replace last year's star seniors Joe Zeglinski and Morgan Sabia. SG Wes Cole and PG Yolonzo Moore, both out of Texas, are among the top 150 in the country at each of their positions, as is Washington PF Nate Sikma. NC SG Dustin Clarke is UHart's closest to home recruit in this class, #170 at his position according to ESPN. Less is known about Australian SG Corbin Wroe and Wisconsin PF James Schneck, but in a youthful roster, both might get a chance to show why Coach Gallagher traveled so far in search of them.

Maine: Schedule

Big Games: 11/17 @ UConn, 12/8 @ Notre Dame, 2/6 vs. Vermont, 2/9 @ BU

UConn and Notre Dame are obviously settings in which a team can make a name for itself by presenting a challenge to a national power. Although the Black Bears may/will not win these games, they can certainly get practice in difficult settings that can be applied to conference play. This team faded late last year, so picking up wins against BU and Vermont toward the end of the year would help keep momentum strong down the stretch if they are still in contention.

Freshmen: Ted Woodward has assembled a 6-man recruiting class for 2011, including MA prep PF Zarko Valjarevic, the #108 SG in the class who has the potential to make big shots for the Black Bears. Their only other ESPN-reviewed player is 1-star SG Xavier Pollard. The rest of the class has some international flavor with Israeli PG Noam Laish, Canadian SG Justin Edwards and Finnish SF Kilian Cato. NY C Ethan Mackey rounds out the class.

Vermont: Schedule

Big Games: 11/23 @ Old Dominion, 11/26 vs. Siena, 12/1 vs. Harvard, 1/2 @ Stony Brook, 1/5 vs. BU

Old Dominion, Siena and Harvard have all been among the toughest mid-major teams in the country the last few years, so new UVM coach John Becker has a true opportunity to make a statement by beating these teams and showing that Vermont remains a strong mid-major itself, especially since two of the games come at home. Similarly, his first two league games come against recently strong Stony Brook and BU, so he could again show that his is the top program in the AE.

Freshmen: Vermont brings in a couple of moderately talented freshmen, although time will tell whether or not they can successfully replace the graduated Evan Fjeld and Joey Accaoui. Four McGlynn is a two-star SG, #128 at the position in the class and in possession of a great shot., while Chris Santo is the #123 SF in the class who may be an effective inside scorer. John Angstadt will walk on as a guard.

New Hampshire: Schedule

Big Games: 11/14 @ BC, 12/11 vs. Fairfield, 12/20 @ Providence, 1/5 @ Hartford, 1/11 @ Albany

BC and Providence are rebuilding, so if UNH can give the same sort of effort they did in nearly toppling UConn last year, they may find themselves with a power-6 conference win or two. Fairfield is also a solid mid-major program which would be a big win if the Cats can pull it off (perhaps more than BC or PC right now). In order to show they're ready to join the upper tier of the AE (if they are) the Wildcats will need road wins against other midpack conference teams, and they could prove their mettle early against the Hawks and the Great Danes.

Freshmen: Bill Herrion's class this year isn't bad highlighted by SG Garrett Jones of Chicago, Tommy McDonnell (son of UNH's football coach and Durham-area native) and Centenary transfer PF Jeron Trotman. All will have opportunities to break in on a building UNH team, but likely will not be short-term impact players.

Welcome!

Hey, welcome those of you who are reading this to a new blog that I'm beginning to cover a pretty wide swath of New England College Basketball. I am a UConn fan by birth (grew up in Storrs, CT) and I just finished my undergrad degree at Boston U. last spring, but I would very much like this blog to at least cover the basics of New England's many Division I basketball squads including:

Big East:

UConn

Providence

ACC:

Boston College

America East:

BU

Vermont

New Hampshire

Maine

Hartford

Atlantic-10:

UMass

Rhode Island

NEC:

CCSU

Sacred Heart

Quinnipiac

Bryant

Ivy:

Dartmouth

Brown

Yale

Harvard

MAAC:

Fairfield

CAA:

Northeastern

Patriot:

Holy Cross

As my particular personal schools to follow are UConn and BU, my coverage my be more exhaustive in those schools as the season goes on, but I will be making an effort to cover all the stories I can for these many schools. I would accept any tips or stories to cover on any of these schools, as well as offers to be "correspondents" on one or more schools. If you wanna just talk about your favorite team or make some write-ups for the blog, just let me know, I would very much love to have the help. Anyway, my first bit of coverage will be attempts to get schedules posted up over the next few days, as I try to get my bearings in running a project like this. Glad to have you reading this, and I hope you enjoy the blog!