Arkansas State

Censored by Laurie · June 21, 2007

The basketball board has been a bit quiet as of late so I figured I would start compiling a preview of the upcoming (5 month away) basketball season to give some idea of what our Mean Green having standing between them and another NCAA automatic bid. I figured the best place to start...is where we left off...with the Arkansas State Indians:

Projected Starters:

PG Stephon Weaver 6'2" 185 Fr.
SG Adrian Banks 6'3" 200 Sr.
SF Shawn Morgan 6'6" 215 Sr.
PF Isaac Wells 6'8" 225 Sr.
C Abayomi Ajasin 6'7" 235 Sr.

Frontcourt: It wasn't too terribly unexpected that ASU forward Isaac Wells (6'8" 225 Sr.) would withdraw his name from the NBA draft...and because of it this will once again be the team to beat in the Sun Belt. Wells led the Indians in rebounding (8.3 rpg) and was second in scoring and third in assists (15.8ppg, 2.3 apg) and was only getting better as the seasoon progressed. Wells is a versitille player with range out to the 3 pt. line (32% 3pt) and can play the 3 or the 4. Joining Wells is swingman Shawn Morgan (6'6" 215 Sr.). Morgan fills the role of "glue guy" for the Indians...averaging 6.8ppg, 4.8rpg, 1.8apg while shooting 46% from the field. Center Theo Little...who was anything but (6'11" 260) is gone. Filling his role will be a 3 man rotation of Kewain Gant (6'7" 225 Sr.), Abayomi Ajasin (6'7" 235 Sr.) and junior college transfer Larry Handy (6'7" 260 Jr.). Gant and Ajasin were simply bodies last season...each averaging 2.6ppg...with Ajasin contributing a solid 3.0rpg in about 12mpg. The most intruiging of the Indians' newcomer is JC transfer Yima Chia-Kur (6'6" 225 Jr.). Chia-Kur is a shorter version of Wells...a 3-4 combo who averaged very solid numbers (18.5ppg, 5.7rpg, 1.2 apg) at Garden City CC in one of the best JC conferences. The combination of Wells and Chia-Kur on the floor at the same time could be a potent frontcourt. Ashton Farmer (6'7" 230 Soph. - 1.6ppg, .7rpg) and freshman Chris Malcolm (6'7" 205) round out the frontcourt.

Backcourt: Adrian Banks (6'3" 200 Sr.) makes the Indians go. The dynamic SG was the SBC newcomer of the year last season after averaging 21.1ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.9apg and shot nearly 50% from the field and 48% from the 3pt line. UNT controlled Banks in their last 2 matchups, scoring 14 and 12 point on a combined 9-27 from the field. Ryan Wedel (5'11" 175 Soph.) surprised a lot of people with his immediate contribution, finish third on the team in scoring (10.7ppg) and second in assists (2.8apg). Wedel almost exclusivly contributed from the 3pt line, knocking down 40%, and 214 of his 257 shot attempts (83%) came from behind the 19'9". PG Jim Jones (6'3" 190) is gone. Jones was fourth in scoring (7.7ppg) and led the team in assists with a paltry 3.2apg. Reserve guard Yual Banks contribution was minimal (2.2ppg, 0.9 apg) causing the backcourt to be Nutt's recruiting focus. The Indians signed 5 guards...3 JUCOS and 2 freshmen...all of whom will have the chance to contribute right away. P.J. Keaton (6'4" 170 Jr. - 16.3ppg, 3.8rpg at Lincoln College), Ifeanyi Koggu (5'11" 178 Jr. - 8.0 ppg, 7.0 apgat Tyler JC), Michael Lance (6'3" 185 Jr. - 12.5ppg, 5.2 rpg) Jeremy Thomas (6'5" 195 Fr. - 13.0ppg, 60% fgp) and Stephon Weaver (6'2 185 Fr. - 16.5 ppg, 6.0apg). The freshmen may be the best of the group...Thomas is an uber-athlete who won the Arkansas state high school high jump compition and Weavor was pursued by the likes of Arkansas, Ok. State and Xavier. Another interesting player is Chris Brown (6'2" 190). Brown, a JC transfer from the '06 class was starting a solid season (13 games, 8 starts - 5.7ppg, scored double digits 3 times)...however his last game was in early December and his status with the team is uncertain.

Summary: This has got to be the favorite to win the Sun Belt. The Indians return over 85% of their scoring...including 6 of their top 8 scorers...from a team the was the tourney runner-up. Point guard and post are a concern...but at the 2,3 and 4 spots this team is as deep and talented as anyone in the belt.

Edited June 21, 2007 by Censored by Laurie

untgeorge · June 21, 2007

Good write up. ArkSt has to be the favorite to win the west, even though ULM had only one senior. There are some "buts" with ArkSt .... but there are "buts" with evey team in this conference.

ArkSt plays a very physical game and Nutt is pretty good at making you play his game. In addition ArkSt is the Sun Belt's reigning trash talkers. The loss of Little will hurt their physicality and they will not be tall; big bodies, but not tall. Lack of height may not be a problem in this league, and might be compensated for with wide bodies, but they really really do need better play from their point guard to win the Belt.

As to Sun Belt overall, WKU had only one senior and is better at the point, and if (big if) Daniel Emerson ever lives up to his HS hype they will be hard to beat. But despite his size Emerson is not that physical. But I guess WKU will be the subject of a later post.

CMJ · June 21, 2007

Excellent writeup! I'm sure I'll look it over a few times before November.

Censored by Laurie · June 22, 2007

I'll being doing one of these for every team in the coming weeks. As for Emerson, as for March 29th he was released from his scholarship and has transfered to Mercer...but WKU has a small but very talent group of newcomers. I may write them up tomorrow

UNT_92_Fan · June 22, 2007

You need a job...wait I NEED A JOB... you need something to do at work...

untgeorge · June 22, 2007

Wow, interesting about Emerson. The guy never realized his potential, or what the press thought was his potential.

BigD · July 5, 2007

The basketball board has been a bit quiet as of late so I figured I would start compiling a preview of the upcoming (5 month away) basketball season to give some idea of what our Mean Green having standing between them and another NCAA automatic bid. I figured the best place to start...is where we left off...with the Arkansas State Indians:
Projected Starters:
PG Stephon Weaver 6'2" 185 Fr.
SG Adrian Banks 6'3" 200 Sr.
SF Shawn Morgan 6'6" 215 Sr.
PF Isaac Wells 6'8" 225 Sr.
C Abayomi Ajasin 6'7" 235 Sr.
Frontcourt: It wasn't too terribly unexpected that ASU forward Isaac Wells (6'8" 225 Sr.) would withdraw his name from the NBA draft...and because of it this will once again be the team to beat in the Sun Belt. Wells led the Indians in rebounding (8.3 rpg) and was second in scoring and third in assists (15.8ppg, 2.3 apg) and was only getting better as the seasoon progressed. Wells is a versitille player with range out to the 3 pt. line (32% 3pt) and can play the 3 or the 4. Joining Wells is swingman Shawn Morgan (6'6" 215 Sr.). Morgan fills the role of "glue guy" for the Indians...averaging 6.8ppg, 4.8rpg, 1.8apg while shooting 46% from the field. Center Theo Little...who was anything but (6'11" 260) is gone. Filling his role will be a 3 man rotation of Kewain Gant (6'7" 225 Sr.), Abayomi Ajasin (6'7" 235 Sr.) and junior college transfer Larry Handy (6'7" 260 Jr.). Gant and Ajasin were simply bodies last season...each averaging 2.6ppg...with Ajasin contributing a solid 3.0rpg in about 12mpg. The most intruiging of the Indians' newcomer is JC transfer Yima Chia-Kur (6'6" 225 Jr.). Chia-Kur is a shorter version of Wells...a 3-4 combo who averaged very solid numbers (18.5ppg, 5.7rpg, 1.2 apg) at Garden City CC in one of the best JC conferences. The combination of Wells and Chia-Kur on the floor at the same time could be a potent frontcourt. Ashton Farmer (6'7" 230 Soph. - 1.6ppg, .7rpg) and freshman Chris Malcolm (6'7" 205) round out the frontcourt.
Backcourt: Adrian Banks (6'3" 200 Sr.) makes the Indians go. The dynamic SG was the SBC newcomer of the year last season after averaging 21.1ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.9apg and shot nearly 50% from the field and 48% from the 3pt line. UNT controlled Banks in their last 2 matchups, scoring 14 and 12 point on a combined 9-27 from the field. Ryan Wedel (5'11" 175 Soph.) surprised a lot of people with his immediate contribution, finish third on the team in scoring (10.7ppg) and second in assists (2.8apg). Wedel almost exclusivly contributed from the 3pt line, knocking down 40%, and 214 of his 257 shot attempts (83%) came from behind the 19'9". PG Jim Jones (6'3" 190) is gone. Jones was fourth in scoring (7.7ppg) and led the team in assists with a paltry 3.2apg. Reserve guard Yual Banks contribution was minimal (2.2ppg, 0.9 apg) causing the backcourt to be Nutt's recruiting focus. The Indians signed 5 guards...3 JUCOS and 2 freshmen...all of whom will have the chance to contribute right away. P.J. Keaton (6'4" 170 Jr. - 16.3ppg, 3.8rpg at Lincoln College), Ifeanyi Koggu (5'11" 178 Jr. - 8.0 ppg, 7.0 apgat Tyler JC), Michael Lance (6'3" 185 Jr. - 12.5ppg, 5.2 rpg) Jeremy Thomas (6'5" 195 Fr. - 13.0ppg, 60% fgp) and Stephon Weaver (6'2 185 Fr. - 16.5 ppg, 6.0apg). The freshmen may be the best of the group...Thomas is an uber-athlete who won the Arkansas state high school high jump compition and Weavor was pursued by the likes of Arkansas, Ok. State and Xavier. Another interesting player is Chris Brown (6'2" 190). Brown, a JC transfer from the '06 class was starting a solid season (13 games, 8 starts - 5.7ppg, scored double digits 3 times)...however his last game was in early December and his status with the team is uncertain.
Summary: This has got to be the favorite to win the Sun Belt. The Indians return over 85% of their scoring...including 6 of their top 8 scorers...from a team the was the tourney runner-up. Point guard and post are a concern...but at the 2,3 and 4 spots this team is as deep and talented as anyone in the belt.

Stephon Weaver never made his grades. Issac Wells won't be back. Brown won't be back as well. A player we signed early out of florida won't make the grades. Your guess is as good as mine on what we will have. My hope is we will have a new coach after this season.

Censored by Laurie · July 12, 2007

Stephon Weaver never made his grades. Issac Wells won't be back. Brown won't be back as well. A player we signed early out of florida won't make the grades. Your guess is as good as mine on what we will have. My hope is we will have a new coach after this season.

Wow...thank you for the update. I went to your board and it looks like UNT fans aren't the only one's tired of Dickey talk. Wells has gone overseas to try and find a gig...and Weaver was involved in a bb gun incident. With problems at ASU and UNO...looks like the SBC West is opening up nicely for UNT. Glad we're not in the East.

BigD · July 17, 2007

Wow...thank you for the update. I went to your board and it looks like UNT fans aren't the only one's tired of Dickey talk. Wells has gone overseas to try and find a gig...and Weaver was involved in a bb gun incident. With problems at ASU and UNO...looks like the SBC West is opening up nicely for UNT. Glad we're not in the East.

Let me correct something I said earlier about the Malcolm kid out of Florida, apparently it's not his grades. He just doesn't want to play for us, he's headed to Winthrop and I guess we let him out of his scholarship.

GoMeanGreen1999 · September 17, 2007

Wonder if the Nutt brother at ASU is as big of a pain as Houston is in Fayetteville?

Censored by Laurie · September 17, 2007

Wonder if the Nutt brother at ASU is as big of a pain as Houston is in Fayetteville?

Judging by the ASU fan board...Bigger

GoMeanGreen1999 · September 17, 2007

Judging by the ASU fan board...Bigger

LOLOLOLOL That is funny.....I feel bad for them, Houston is a huge pain. I have never rooted for the Hogs to lose, but I am so close this year, with the hopes that they would remove him.

Cooley · October 30, 2007

COACH AND PROGRAM

Arkansas State Indians

Last Season 18-15 (.545)

Conference Record 11-7 (t-1st)

Starters Lost/Returning 2/3

Coach Dickey Nutt (Oklahoma State '82)

Record At School 180-170 (12 years)

Career Record 180-170 (12 years)

RPI Last 5 years 219-178-165-231-165

Milestones are just up ahead for Dickey Nutt. The 13-year Arkansas State head coach has 180 victories, eleven shy of John Rauth's school record. And Nutt needs 13 Sun Belt victories to match Gene Bartow's 111 for the all-time league mark.

Impressive as they are, Nutt would probably trade either of the momentous marks for one more shining moment.

Nutt took Arkansas State to the NCAA Tournament in 1999, the program's lone appearance, and the Indians appeared to be headed back last year after defeating perennial power Western Kentucky in the semifinals of the Sun Belt Tournament. Awaiting them in the championship game was North Texas, which ASU had swept during the regular season, including an 84-60 rout in Jonesboro.

ASU was also riding the energy of a six-game win streak when it tipped off for a berth in the Big Dance. ''We had a really, good strong finish,'' Nutt said. ''We had it going. It felt like we were close enough to touch it.'' Instead, North Texas proved how hard it can be, as the coaching adage says, to beat a team three times in the same season. The Mean Green made 8-of-13 three-pointers, including 6-of-7 from senior Calvin Watson, en route to an 83-75 victory. The pendulum continued to swing the wrong way in the off-season when All-Sun Belt forward Isaac Wells entered the NBA draft and signed with an agent. Wells led the team in blocks and rebounds last season as a junior, and was second in scoring, steals and assists.

''Losing him was a big setback,'' Nutt said. ''We wish him well. He signed a six-figure contract in Poland, but I think it would've probably magnified ten-fold if he'd waited around another year.'' The Indians would probably have been the Sun Belt favorite if Wells had returned. As it is, they'll be plenty capable.

PLAYERS

ASU returns three starters, headlined by 6-3 senior guard Adrian Banks (21.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg). Banks shot 47.5 percent from three-point range last season in his first year out of jun-ior college, and many of those weren't the catch-and-shoot variety.

Banks can drive or pull up. He went to the free throw line 183 times and he made 97 three-pointers, which were a school record. So were his 695 points. And Banks didn't melt when the lights were brightest either. He scored 25 points against No. 6 Memphis and had 29, including 11-for-11 free throws, in the Sun Belt semifinal win against Western Kentucky.

''Banks is probably going to be the all-time best I've had here,'' Nutt said. ''We've had some good ones, but Banks could probably be playing for anybody in America. He's strong, explosive, and he's a terrific shooter.''

Nutt has another guard he's crazy about in 5-11 sophomore Ryan Wedel (10.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg). Nutt was cautiously optimistic that the former Kansas Mr. Basketball could help right away last season, but Wedel exceeded his wildest expectations.

The rookie combo guard had a 1.74 assist to turnover ratio (92-53), shot 39.7 percent while making 85 three-pointers and shot 85.5 percent at the free-throw line. He got bet-ter as his rookie year unfolded too, averaging 14.1 points during the final eight games.

''I'd say no freshman did more for his team,'' Nutt said. ''We played 20 games on the road and still had a good season, and Ryan Wedel had everything in the world to do with that.'' Another returning regular is 6-6 junior forward Shawn Morgan (6.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg). He led the team in steals (1.3) despite averaging the fifth most minutes. ''He's our Mr. Energy,'' Nutt said. ''Shawn does all of the dirty work.'' Morgan had 12 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in a win against New Orleans last season. ''Shawn doesn't do a lot of things great,'' Nutt said, ''but he does everything good.''

Those likely to have expanded roles in the paint are 6-8, 255-pound senior Abayomi Ajasin (2.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg), 6-8 senior Keiwan Gant (2.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg) and 6-7 sophomore Ashton Farmer (1.6 ppg, 1.6 rpg). Ajasin, who started 12 games and averaged 12 minutes last season, has strength and defensive skills. Gant and Farmer should give the Indians better depth up front than they had last year. Gant had 22 blocked shots while averaging 12.7 minutes per game last season in his first year out of JUCO. The frontcourt will be buoyed by 6-6 junior Yima Chia-Kur (18.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg), a newcomer out of Garden City (Kansas) Community College. Chia-Kur also averaged 1.3 steals while making first team All-Region VI, and Nutt said he was pursued by the likes of Nebraska, Providence and Colorado.

''A lot of teams in the Big 12 wanted him,'' Nutt said. ''He was an outstanding get for us. He's talented, tough-minded, athletic and he's got big hands. He's also capable of playing inside or out.'' An instant impact is expected from 6-8, 262-pound junior Larry Handy (11.7 ppg, 7.1 rpg). Nutt said Handy has ''tremendous hands'' as well as some scoring skills.

Three JUCO guards were in this class: 6-4 junior P.J. Keaton (16.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg), 6-1 junior Ifeanyi Koggu (8.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg) and 6-3 sophomore Mike Lance (12.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg).

Keaton was a third-team All-American at Lincoln (Ill.) College and can play either guard position. Lance was first-team All-Region XVI as a freshman at Three Rivers (Mo.) Community College. Koggu is a pure point guard. ''Koggu is explosive,'' Nutt said. ''He runs a 4.3 40. Keaton is 6-4 and can get to the basket with lightning speed.'' Another new point guard is Nutt's son Logan Nutt, a 5-11 freshman who helped Jonesboro High School to a state title last season and a state runner-up finish his junior season. Nutt has good strength and speed, and averaged seven points and five assists for Jonesboro.

Logan's prep teammate, 6-5 freshman Jeremy Thomas, will probably soon be loved like a son by Nutt. Thomas, who was recruited by Murray State and Oral Roberts, averaged 17 points and seven rebounds for Jonesboro, and was chosen state tournament MVP. He also helped the Arkansas Wings AAU team to an Elite Eight showing in the Division I nationals. The Wings ended up ranked No. 7 nationally. Thomas is an excellent athlete. He won the state high jump title. He's mentally tough as well, as his 10th-place finish in a state cross-country meet illustrates.

''When he adds some weight and some strength,'' Nutt said, ''he is really going to be a player.'' There has been considerable turnover in Jonesboro. With the loss of Wells, two-year starting guard Jones, starting center Little and Banks, the Indians suddenly are without any play-ers who played during the 2005-06 season. Despite the departures, especially that of Wells, Nutt said he's confident this team can ultimately be as good if not better. ''We want to take up right where we left off,'' he said.

They'll have to. The Sun Belt figures to offer more resistance this season. In fact, Nutt thinks this could be a year when the league gets an at-large NCAA Tournament bid. "I really feel like that conference RPI is going to jump up this year,'' Nutt said. ''I believe the Sun Belt has more returning players than any other conference.'' And with one of them being Banks, Nutt has, at worst, a puncher's chance at recording several wins for the ages this season.

BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS

BACKCOURT: A

BENCH/DEPTH: B

FRONTCOURT: B

INTANGIBLES: B+