Sun Belt Preview

Censored by Laurie · October 22, 2007

A bit rushed as I just saw the Vito's blog post and I want to get this out before I read the SBC coaches preview.

East Division:

1. Florida Atlantic - While USA and WKU bicker back and forth about who is the class of the SBC, Carlos Monroe and Rex Walters may have just passed them.

2. South Alabama - The best backcourt in the conference, and arguably the best coach won't let USA collapse like last season

3. Western Kentucky - Courtney Lee is a proven star, Darrin Horn isn't...and this may be his last season on the Hill

4. Florida International - Alex Galindo will once again play out of position for the Panthers.

5. Middle Tennessee - Adam Vogelsburg will not return...a team with no seniors will need another year to reach its potential.

6. Troy - O'Darien Bassett may end up leading the SBC in scoring...Troy however, won't.

West Division:

1. UL Monroe - Orlando Early will have some help up front for his four guard line-ups...and a healthy Brandon Roberts will captain the Warhawks to a division title.

2. North Texas - The best frontcourt in the conference...questions to be answered in the backcourt.

3. Arkansas State - Isaac Wells departure will put all the scoring pressure on Adrian Banks.

4. Denver - Joe Scott will bring a new concept to the Sun Belt, defense.

5. Arkansas- Little Rock - Too many new pieces and too much youth, Steve Shields will take what he can get this year...but watch out in 08.

6. New Orleans - There's Bo McCalebb...and not much else. The same story will be told in New Orleans, lots of tough, close games; few wins.

7. UL -Lafayette - A team of slashers with no shooters or post pressence...Elijah Milsap is a star in waiting.

All SBC Honors-

Player of the Year - Courtney Lee Western Kentucky

Defensive Player of the Year - Quincy Williams North Texas

Newcomer of the Year - Brandon Patterson Arkansas - Little Rock

Freshman of the Year - Treymane Russell Florida International

Coah of the Year - Joe Scott Denver

First Team:

G/F. Courtney Lee 6'5" 200 Sr. WKU*

G. Bo McCalebb 6'0" 185 Sr. UNO

G. Adrian Banks 6'3" 200 Sr. ASU

F. Carlos Monroe 6'9" 245 Jr. FAU

G/F. Demetric Bennett 6'4" 210 Sr. USA

Second Team:

F. Alex Galindo 6'7" 220 Jr. FIU

F. Quincy Williams 6'8" 225 Sr. UNT

G. Kevin Kanaskie 6'2" 185 Jr. MTSU

G/F. Elijah Milsap 6'5" 205 Soph. UL-L

G. Tony Hooper 5'11" 165 Jr. UL-M

Third Team

G. O'Darien Bassett 6'1" 185 Sr. Troy

G. Daon Merritt 5'10" 190 Sr. USA

G/F. Brandon Patterson 6'6" 195 Jr. UALR

F. Desmond Yates 6'7' 220 Soph. MTSU

G. Tyler Bullock 6'1'' 190 Soph. UD

All Defensive Team

F. Quincy Williams 6'8" 225 Sr. UNT*

G. Bo McCalebb 6'0" 185 Sr. UNO

F. Jeremy Evans 6'9" 200 Soph. WKU

G/F. Daniel Hayles 6'4" 205 Jr. USA

G/F. Shawn Morgan 6'6'' 215 Sr. ASU

All Newcomer Team

G/F. Brandon Patterson 6'6" 195 Jr. UALR*

F. Yima Chia-Kur 6'6" 225 Jr. ASU

G/F. Demetrius Green 6'4'' 190 Jr. MTSU

G/F. Daniel Hayles 6'4" 205 Jr. USA

G. Collin Dennis 6'2" 185 Jr. UNT

All Freshman Team

G. Treymane Russell 6'2" 175 FIU*

G/F. Tristan Thompson 6'5" 185 UNT

F/G. Steffon Pettigrew 6'5" 225 WKU

F/C. D.J. Magley 6'10" 260 WKU

F/C. Jaroslav Tyrna 6'10" 220 UNO

Key Non-Conference Games

East

FAU - 11/12 @ Boston College; 11/28 @ Kansas

USA - 11/13 @ Ole Miss; 11/29 @ Vanderbilt; 12/15 vs. Mississippi State

WKU - 11/22 vs. Gonzaga (@Great Alaska Shootout with Butler, Michigan, Texas Tech, Al-Anchorage, E. Washington and Virginia Tech); 12/15 @ Tennessee; 12/22 @ Southern Illinois

FIU - 12/8 vs. Miami; 12/29 @ Purdue; 12/31 @ Kentucky

MTSU - 11/20 @ Tennessee; 12/1 @ Houston; 12/15 @ Memphis

Troy - 11/9 @ Alabama; 11/27 @ Ole Miss; 12/1 @ TAMU C.C.

West

ULM - 11/9 @ Kansas; 11/24 @ Ole Miss; 11/30 @ Iowa; 12/29 @ Arkansas

UNT - 11/14 vs. Oklahoma St.; 11/21 @ UTA; 12/5 @ Texas

ASU - 11/16 @ Tulsa; 11/20 @ Memphis

UD - 11/27 vs. Colorado; 12/5 @ Colorado State; 12/28 @ Santa Clara

UALR - 12/18 vs. Pepperdine; 12/22 @ Creighton

UNO - 11/18 @ N.C. State; 12/12 @ Colorado

ULL - 11/27 vs. UAB; 11/30 @ Tennessee

untgeorge · October 23, 2007

This is to me an interesting, fun conference. You have your finesse team (WKU), your teams relying on the 3-pt shot (Troy and maybe ULM), your physical defensive teams (UALR and ASU), your uptempo types (UNT and ULL), ball control teams (MTSU), and the real wild card in Denver. It's a different game every night. Plus perhaps the most colorful coach in the country in Sergio.

The power is still in the East, mostly in the persona of WKU and USA. Gotta go with Courtney Lee and all those guards. But college basketball is still a coaches game, and Ronnie Arrow is the kind who can turn a league around.

Who knows about the West. ULM needs help for Brandon Roberts and UNT needs for a lot of new guys to come thru and for its two bigs to stay out of foul trouble.

It will be fun.

Thanks, CbL. What you did required a lot of work. Labor of love, I suspect.