Congratulations to Coach Hilgeman of Rhodes for becoming the all time wins leader in the SCAC.  Coach Hilgeman has been an excellent coach and class act for Rhodes, the CAC, and the SCAC for 34 years.  Because of institutional changes the last 10 years have not been as successful as the previous 24.  I only hope that Coach Hilgeman can enjoy at least on more dominant season, like the seasons he enjoyed throughout the 80's and 90's, before he retires (whenever that maybe).

I played four years at Millsaps and never noticed the lighting, but then again I played four years at Millsaps.  During my four years one of the rims was broken during practice.  After it was replaced that rim did seem a bit on the low side, but not 6 inches low, maybe an inch.

BillZeffer, I believe you have it wrong.  It was Devins who benefited from Peter Murray's physical presence.  Peter Murray was the most underated player on that team.  If you put him on any other team during that time and he puts up MVP numbers.  Murray is what Johnny Brunini was to the great Millsaps teams of the mid 90's.

I was around the league in the mid to late 90's, and I have seen it a bunch over the last five to six years.  The two Millsaps teams in the mid 90's were the best this league has seen.  They had a combination of size, depth, and athleticism that has not been matched.  The 94-95 team lost to UW-Stevens Point (I believe, whatever UW satelite school that was coached by Bo Ryan) in the round of 16 in a pretty close game.  UW-Stevens Point went on the easily win the national title.  Don Proctor (a juco transfer, so he didn't put up the career totals) was the best all around player in league history.  John Garber was a 6'9, very strong, very athletic center who would have manhandled Devins.  Johnny Brunini and Peter Murray would be a toss up.  Phillip Robinson was one of the most prolific scorers ever to play in the league.  Millsaps point guard and Trinity's point guard was a tossup.  Brad Price and Zac Wallace did not even start for that team and they were both 1,000 point scorers.  The difference between those two teams is Millsaps athleticism. 

I too live in Memphis and have seen numerous Rhodes games over the past five years.  Coach Hilgeman is a great coach who won 20 games almost every year up to the late 90's.  My guess is that he is not doing anything different.  I would guess that the school has changed making it tougher for him to get the quality depth needed to compete in the SCAC.  Cory Smith is a great scorer.  I don't see to many games where he has only 5 or 6 points.  Mayber 10 or 12 and then bust out with 25 or 30.  He is a great defender when he wants to be.  I do agree that he and Garcia have somewhat similiar styles, but I think that Smith may be a little more unselfish.  Rhodes has two very good wing players in him and Jared Hoskins.  I see their main problem being the post.  They do not have a dominate post player that can get them easy buckets, get the big rebound, and defend the Stephen Schotts, Edrick Montgomerys, and Andrew Kings of the league.  I do believe that Rhodes has some very good young talent on the roster and they have gotten better since last year.  Next year I would hope they would continue to improve. 

I agree with the previously posted list of good SCAC players.  I would add a few to keep a eye on as well:

BJ Moon from Trinity is a really tough guard who can hurt you in many ways, much like a Netheside.

Mike Moore and Stephen Schott are two good players from DePauw.

This one will probably not be very popular, but the Kaplan kid from Southwestern is a heck of a player in my opinion.  Big guard, strong, athletic, and can shoot it from deep.  Doesn't always score alot because of the style of play Southwestern has been playing the last few seasons.

I think Jared Hoskins is an up and coming player at Rhodes.  The kid can score.  He won a few games for Rhodes last year with his outside shooting and he has gotten a whole lot stronger and attacks the basket more this year.  It is early, but he is third in the conference in scoring right now.

Hendrix and Rhodes did the unconventional last night and scrimmaged in Memphis.  They played pretty even in the first 10 minute period, with Hendrix "winning" the period by about six.  The last 4 or 5 (I can't remember how many they played) Rhodes beat Hendrix pretty handily, double digits most, if not all, periods.

Rhodes played an exhibition game last night at Div. I Austin Peay.  APSU returns all of there starters and key reserves from a team that won the regular season conference and was one win away from the dance, but had to settle on the NIT.  They are the overwhelming favorite to win their conference this year.  The two teams played last year and APSU blew Rhodes out from the tip.  Rhodes played APSU to a 16 point game and for much of the first half it was a 10 point or less game.  Even though it is early and a lot can change during the course of the season, I think this indicates that Rhodes has imporved greatly since last season.  Hopefully this will translate to a better finish in the conference for the Lynx.  I still say, don't be suprised if the Lynx finish in the top half of the conference.  Here is my preseason prediction for order of finish:
1.  Millsaps
2.  DePauw
3.Centre
4. Trinity
5. Rhodes
6. Southwestern
7. Hendrix
8. Oglethorpe
9. Sewanee
10.Austin
11. Colorado College
12. Birmingham Southern

DPU have you never seen young teams get better the next year?  A year of experience and the weight room can do wonders for a team.  The current Millsaps team is a great example.  As freshman and sophmores that group was inconsistent and struggled at times.  As juniors last year they won 18 games.  As seniors this year they should be favored to win the league. 

Last year, on a consistent basis, Smith was their only scorer.  Although senior Joe Thompson is a career double digit scorer (he was out a handful of games last season with an injury).  I have to names for you, both sophmores, Reid Hamilton and Jared Hoskins.  Hamilton had twenty on at least two conference opponets last year and Hoskins averaged just under 10 points as a freshman, not to mention he hit more than one game winning shot for the team.  Both started on and off throughout the year and gained invaluable experience, but in the end because of youth could be inconsistent at times.  I can see them having four double digit scorers with Smith averaging more like 14 or 15 a game.  Trinity made a run to championship game last year.  Rhodes and Trinity split two very close games (one into OT) and I didn't see much difference in the two.  Hendrix beat Rhodes at home in OT with Rhodes not having Thompson.  I think Rhodes is just as good as Trinity and could perhaps surpass them because they have more size.  Again, the Lynx need one of their big bodies (and they have a number of them, look at their roster) to step up.  If that doesn't happen then things will be tougher, but they should still be much improved.

I don't know about their recruits.  I have heard they are not in need of a lot because they return virtually their whole team from last year.

I say that for a few reasons.  They return the leading scorer in the conference from last year, Cory Smith, who is just a junior.  Along with Smith, they started two freshman last year, either one could have been newcomer of the year last year (in my opinion).  If you follow dIII hoops at all you would realize that it is very tough to win with freshman.  I would say that is even more true in the SCAC.  Rhodes lost 6 games by less than 10 points, two of those in OT, in SCAC play.  That is a mark of a young team (only one senior last year and he was hurt more than half of the season).  The team seemed to play better on the road than at home.  I can't explain that one, but with a young team if they have already figured out how to play and win close games on the road the future could be bright.  With only one senior and two juniors, and the senior and one of the juniors both missed numerous games with injury, you are going to struggle.  The talent is there, and it is still young.  The three best players are a junior and two sophmores, but they all got significant experience last year.  They still have a weakspot in the post.  They need a big man that can defend and rebound with the better post players in the league.  They have numerous big bodies, they just need one to step up.  I am not saying they are going to win the league, just don't be suprised if they end up in the top half and are in the mix.

You can dress as many as you want at home, 15 on the road.  Most teams carry 12 on the road.

Watch out for Rhodes this year.  I would be shocked if they didn't finish in the top half of the conference.