Sun Belt Conference 2005-06 Preview
by Ryan Glenn
The Sun Belt conference is improving every year. The addition of Troy to the conference from the Atlantic Sun will pay off down the road. Louisiana-Lafayette is looking for their third straight NCAA tournament appearance and a conference championship. Also in the West, Denver will be looking to upset Louisiana-Lafayette and take over control of the division.
The East looks like it could be tougher to win with a load of talent on many teams. Western Kentucky has the talent and experience to win the conference and has come together even more from the passing of teammate Danny Rumph. Florida International and Middle Tennessee should stay in contention with the Hilltoppers the entire season. Ivan Almonte should continue to be a star for the Golden Panthers. For Middle Tennessee, Marcus Morrison and Kyle Young should play a key part in the quest for the championship.
This Sun Belt season should be a great one. There is more talent than ever in the conference and should make for some very good games and a great conference tournament. It would not surprise me to see two Sun Belt teams in the NCAA tournament a few years down the road.
Hoopville’s All-Sun Belt Team
1st Team
G Bo McCalebb, Jr., New Orleans
G Anthony Winchester, Sr., Western Kentucky
G Dwayne Mitchell, Sr., Louisiana-Lafayette
C Yemi Nicholson, Sr., Denver
F Ivan Almonte, Sr., Florida International
2nd Team
G Bobby Dixon, Sr., Troy
G Mario Jointer, Sr., South Alabama
G Marcus Morrison, Sr., Middle Tennessee
C Kitus Witherspoon, Sr., Arkansas State
F Courtney Lee, So., Western Kentucky
Hoopville’s Preseason Awards
MVP – Yemi Nicholson, Denver
The senior big man just has it all. Nicholson averaged eighteen points, eight rebounds, and three blocks a game last season and should improve those numbers greatly.
Newcomer of the Year – Kendrick Davis, North Texas
A transfer from Arkansas, Davis will make a great impact on a struggling Mean Green team. If Davis has an outstanding season, North Texas could sneak up in the standings and surprise someone.
Coach on the Hot Seat – Monte Towe
New Orleans has had a pretty good team the past few seasons, but has failed to reach the post season. Towe will have a tough time reaching the postseason, but will need to work hard with his players to reach the team’s expectations.
East Division
1. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
22-9 (9-5 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
G – Anthony Winchester, Sr.
G – Ty Rogers, So.
G – Courtney Lee, So
G – Orlando Mendez, Fr.
F – Boris Siakam, So.
Schedule Highlights: vs. Georgia 11-26, @ Eastern Kentucky 12-3, vs. Virginia 1-2
The sudden death of point guard Danny Rumph has brought this Hilltopper team together. They will be playing this season with a team bond that not many teams have. Anthony Winchester should lead the team this season after he led the league in three-point shooting and averaged 18.2 points a game last season. Courtney Lee, last year’s freshman of the year, will return and should put up impressive numbers. Ty Rogers, another returning sophomore, should put up consistent numbers all season. Western Kentucky has a great chance of winning the Sun Belt crown and a birth in the NCAA Tournament.
2. Florida International Golden Panthers
13-17 (4-10 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
G – Johwen Villegas, Jr.
G – Joey Cantens, Fr.
G – Alan Guyton, Jr.
F – Ismael N’Diaye, Sr.
F – Ivan Almonte, Sr.
Schedule Highlights: @ Notre Dame 12-10, @ DePaul 12-31
The Golden Panthers will be looking to capture the Sun Belt title if they can keep everybody healthy. Ivan Almonte, who currently has a minor hamstring injury, will lead this Florida International team. Almonte led the league in rebounding with 9.9 rebounds a game and also led the team in scoring with 17.2 points a game. Senior forward Ismael N’Diaye is expected to get off to a slow start after having a stress fracture repaired over the summer, but should be a big contributor by the time conference play begins. Junior Alan Guyton will provide excellent play as a starter after missing last season due to knee surgery.
3. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
19-12 (7-7 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
G – Marcus Morrison, Sr.
G Fats Cuyler, Sr.
G – Wes Durrant, Jr.
F – Alex Weekes, Jr.
F – Kyle Young, Jr.
Schedule Highlights: @ Memphis 1-4, vs. Western Kentucky 2-23
After a disappointing season last year, the Blue Raiders are looking to surprise a few people. Marcus Morrison will lead Middle Tennessee’s offense. Morrison will be more consistent this season as he gives the Blue Raiders a chance at a conference championship. Along with Morrison, Fats Cuyler and Wes Durrant will complete the backcourt. Both have gained valuable experience and should improve greatly this year. Junior Kyle Young should have a good showing in every game after coming off of a good season.
Middle Tennessee should be in contention for the conference championship. If the Blue Raiders can get hot around tournament time, they might surprise some people at the Sun Belt tournament in Murfreesboro.
4. Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans
18-10 (10-4 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
G – Zack Wright, Jr.
G – De’Andre Eggins, Fr.
G – Elijah Muldrow, Sr.
F – Rashad Jones-Jennings, Jr.
F – Lekheythan Malone, Fr.
Schedule Highlights: @ Illinois 12-5, vs. Western Kentucky 2-16
The Trojans come into the season after losing virtually all of their players of a division-leading team. Zack Wright, who averaged 11.1 ppg, will be the lone key player returning. Wright will be forced into the leadership role as there is not much experience to be found on the roster. DeAndre Eggans, a 6’1″ guard, should make an immediate impact along with Lorenzo Razz, a JuCo transfer. Do not expect too much from a Trojans team that is rebuilding this season.
5. Arkansas State Indians
16-13 (7-7 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
G – Jerry Nichols, Sr.
G – Dereke Tipler, Sr.
G – Jim Jones, Jr.
F – Kitus Witherspoon, Sr.
C – Theo Little, Sr.
Schedule Highlights: @ Mississippi St. 11-21, @ Louisville 12-4
Dickey Nutt will try to get Arkansas State their 1,000th all-time win this season with a team that could struggle after losing its top two scorers from the past two seasons. The Indians will be counting on Jerry Nichols to continue to be a three-point threat. Kitus Witherspoon will also be back and should have a great year on the boards. Elvin Jones and Korrel Henderson, two JuCo transfers should fit in with the team nicely. While Arkansas State should get their 1,000th win, don’t expect too much more from them.
West Division
1. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns
20-11 (11-4 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
G – Ed Turner, Jr.
G – Dwayne Mitchell, Sr.
F – Chris Cameron, Sr.
F – Ross Mouton, Jr.
C – Michael Southall, Sr.
Schedule Highlights: @ Tennessee 11-22, @ North Texas 1-5
After winning the conference tournament and earning a birth into the NCAA tournament, Ragin’ Cajun coach Robert Lee is going to have some work to do. Losing guards Orien Greene and Tiras Wade leaves the team with big shoes to fill in the backcourt. Dwayne Mitchell should lead the team in scoring after playing a smaller role with so much talent ahead of him. Expect him to lead this team and put up much improved numbers. Michael Southall will return this season after a two-year absence and should fit nicely down low for the Ragin’ Cajuns. Senior Chris Cameron is also back after earning a year because of academic work. Cameron will increase his scoring average quickly and should have an improved on-court presence. The Ragin’ Cajuns have a great shot at the conference championship and should get there unless something unexpected happens.
2. Denver Pioneers
20-11 (12-3 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
G – DaShawn Walker, Jr.
G – Alex Cox, Jr.
F – Andrew Carpenter, Sr.
F – Antonio Porch, Jr.
C – Yemi Nicholson, Sr.
Schedule Highlights: @ Stanford 12-19, vs. North Texas 2-18
Denver coach Terry Carroll has to be happy. In a league where NBA talent is usually a one or two year commodity, Player of the Year candidate Yemi Nicholson is back this season after he averaged 18.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 3 blocks a game last season. Andrew Carpenter returns after what was also a great season. Besides Carpenter, the Pioneers have had to fill a couple of guard spots. Junior Alex Cox should take over the point-guard role. Cox, who red-shirted after two years of JuCo play, will be able to run this offense nicely. Another JuCo transfer, DeShawn Walker, should fill in the perimeter nicely. Denver has the talent to win the league if they can just get everything together.
3. New Orleans Privateers
13-17 (7-8 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
G – Bo McCalebb, Jr.
G – Chad Barnes, Sr.
G – Jamie McNeilly, Jr.
C – Ben Elias, Jr.
F – Shawn Malloy, Sr.
Schedule Highlights: @ LSU 12-13, @ Vanderbilt 12-20, @ Kansas 12-29
With all of the starters returning from what was already a good team; New Orleans has a good shot of winning the conference. Bo McCalebb, who is a Sun Belt Player of the Year candidate, will once again lead the Privateers. McCalebb should keep up the extraordinary play he had last season. His only problem, shooting three-pointers, should improve over the course of the season. Senior guard Chad Barnes should also improve from the outside, while Shawn Malloy will make more of a presence underneath this season. The Privateers should improve this season, but their overall lack of depth will keep them from the conference championship.
4. South Alabama Jaguars
10-18 (6-9 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
G – Mario Jointer, Sr.
G – Carlos Smith, Jr.
F – Michael Phillips, Sr.
F – Richard Law, Sr.
C – Jason McGriff, Jr.
Schedule Highlights: @ Purdue 11-22, @ Tennessee 1-4
South Alabama is still in a rebuilding stage, but brings back most of its players with experience. Mario Jointer should once again lead the Jags after averaging 16.6 points a game to lead South Alabama in scoring last year. Richard Law is coming off a tremendous season and should continue to play a big role in the Jags offense. Jason McGriff, a JuCo transfer, should produce right away down low. Carlos Smith, another transfer, should help tremendously on the perimeter. The Jags could surprise some teams if some players surpass expectations.
5. North Texas Mean Green
14-14 (6-9 Sun Belt)
Projected Starters:
G – Calvin Watson, Jr.
G – Isaac Hines, Sr.
G – Kendrick Davis, Jr.
C – Jeffrey Simpson, Sr.
F – Quincy Williams, So.
Schedule Highlights: @ Tulsa 1-2, vs. Middle Tennessee 2-9
After a disappointing season for North Texas, they lost a huge part of their offense as they lost Leonard Hopkins. However, they have some returning talent and experience that will improve the team. Calvin Watson, the team’s leading returning scorer, is a quick tempo guard who will continue to produce this season. Senior Isaac Hines will play a huge leadership role and work on raising his 6.5 points per game average. Kendrick Davis, an Arkansas Transfer, should be a scoring leader after he averaged ten points a game as a freshman for the Razorbacks. North Texas should have a talented team, but they likely will not compete with the upper teams of the conference.
6. Troy Trojans
12-18 (10-10 in the Atlantic Sun)
Projected Starters:
G – Bobby Dixon, Sr.
G – Jacob Hazouri, Sr.
F – Sammy Sharp, Jr.
F – Jarvis Acker, Jr.
F – Cedric Jackson, Jr.
Schedule Highlights: @ Mississippi St. 12-10, vs. North Texas 2-23
Troy makes the jump to the Sun Belt after a disappointing season and a mediocre performance in the Atlantic Sun. The Trojans also lost two of their top three scorers from last season. Senior Bobby Dixon will take over leadership role and be expected to raise his scoring average. Along with Dixon, Cedric Jackson, a JuCo transfer, should make an immediate impact on the boards and scoring for Troy. Todd Martin, a sophomore transfer, will shine down low for the Trojans. As Troy makes the transition to the Sun Belt, do not expect too many surprises in a down year.
