2011 Tournament Team Profiles

[Purple Heys]

Cornell College Rams
Rank as of last d3hoops.com poll: NR
2nd Place Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Regular Season
Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament Champions
21-6 overall 12-4 in the IIAC
Head coach: Mike DeGeorge, 5th season

Key wins: 2/28 Defeated Wartburg College to win IIAC Conference Tournament and secure Automatic Bid

Record against NCAA Tournament Teams 0-1  (Lawrence)

Starters:
0 Griffin LaDew  6'2 Sr. Guard  Cornell's career scoring leader, all time 3 point goal shooter
23 Michael Tierney 5'10" Sr. Guard
22 Corey Dieser 6'5" So. Guard
34 Chris Handke 6'11" Jr. Center
31 Riley Larson - 6'8" Jr. Forward

Key reserves: Andre Rattray, J. Ryan Lott, Matt Lewis, Joe Newcomb

Details:  Cornell shoots 46.1% from the field while holding opponents to 39.9%

Cornell is in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 15 years.  The Rams, who have set the school record for wins in a season, make their seventh overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament. 

[Hugenerd]

MIT Engineers/Beavers
NEWMAC Tournament Champions (1st time ever)/2nd in Regular Season behind WPI
20-8 overall  11-4 vs. NEWMAC opponents
Head coach: Larry Anderson, 14th Season

Record against NCAA Tournament Teams 0-3 (WPIx2, Salem State)

Starters:
25 Jimmy Bartolotta 6'4" Sr. Guard- 28 ppg (51% FGs, 45% from 3), 6 rpg, 3 apg, 2 spg, 1.5 bpg
33 Billy Johnson 6'8" Sr. Forward- 17 ppg (47% FG, 38% 3), 7 rpg
10 Brad Gampel 5'8" Sr. Guard- True point. 4 ppg, 7 apg, 3 spg
03 Jamie Karraker- 6'4" Fr Guard- 11 ppg (46% FG, 43% 3)
11 Eric Zuk 6'5" So Forward- 7 ppg, 4 rpg

Key reserves: 31 Billy Bender, 5 Travis Tucker, 14 Pat Sissman

Details: MIT is in the NCAA tourney for the first time ever.  They have made it to the NEWMAC final 2 of the last 4 years and won 20 games two of the last 4 years.  Their main strength is that everyone who plays can shoot it from anywhere on the court, but they do not play a traditional lineup consisting of bigs/guards.  Positions 2-5 are all nearly interchangeable with Gampel being the true point.  Bartolotta will shoot it from anywhere inside of half-court...and make it. Gampel has one of the nicest beards in all of division 3 basketball, which he will use to distract his opponents and steal the ball from them. 

MIT has a player to coach ratio of 1.5.

[bourke]

Wheaton College Thunder, Wheaton, IL

Rank in last D3hoops.com poll: 4
College of Central Illinois and Wisconsin Regular Season and Conference Tournament Champions
Record: 24-3, (11-3)

Key Wins: 91-79 vs. Hope, 64-55 @ Augustana (to end the 3 game losing streak), 77-66 vs. North Central, 67-73 vs. Elmhurst (the last 2 were come from behind wins at home in the CCIW tourney)
Record Against Tournament Teams: 3-1 (Wins over Hope and (2) Elmhurst and a loss to Elmhurst)

Starters
24 Kent Raymond 6'3'' Sr G. 24.3 ppg, .507 FG, .889 FT (Go to scorer)
22 Ben Panner 6'4'' Jr G 12.7 PPG, .347 3FG (Lockdown Defender)
42 Andy Wiele 6'8'' Sr C 14.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG (Post threat)
30 Tim McCrary 6'6'' Fr F 9.4 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.4 BPG, 1 SPG (Athletic/Creates Mismatches)
50 Jake Carwell 6'7'' Jr F 6.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG, .7 BPG, 1.4 SPG (Energizer/Hustler)

Key Subs
12 Jeremy Pflederer 6'0'' Fr. G (Occasional Sparkplug) 5.6 PPG .472 3FG
10 Andrew Jahns 6'0'' So. G (Solid Defender) 5.4 PPG, 1 SPG
41 Brad Smith 6'5' So. F/C' (1st Big of the Bench... doesn't get much burn because of the 3 bigs that start)

Details: 77.3 PPG vs. 63.7 (opp.). The team is hungry after an elite 8 loss last March to Hope. The team returned all 5 starters (Jahns became a 6th man to make way for McCrary) and returns 3-time All-America 5th year Senior Kent Raymond, projected as D3hoops.com Preseason MVP, multiple CCIW MOP award. The team won 11 games without pre-season All-America C Andy Weile, who returned a game before Kent Raymond went down with a ankle injury that kept him out 3 games (Wheaton went 1-2). Raymond has shown the ability to dominate any opponent and can score from anywhere on the floor. Weile started slowly coming back from injury but has begun to look like his old self despite battling the flu in the CCIW tourney.

[pbrooks3]

Centre Colonels (Danville, KY)         
Rank in last d3hoops poll: 16         
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (Reg Season Co-Champ & Tournament Champion)         
23-4 Overall; 12-2 SCAC; Home 11-3; Away 10-1; Neutral 2-0         
Head Coach - Greg Mason (10th season); Overall Record - 192-75         

Key Wins         
DePauw; Maryville TN (GSAC Champs) - 2; Thomas More (PAC Champs); Franklin (IN)           

Record Against NCAA Tourney Teams - (3-2) W-Maryville twice; W-Thomas More; L-Transylvania; L-Trinity (TX)         

Starters         
11 Ryan Crowdis, Point Guard      6'1", Sr   84 FT%; 5 APG, 40 STL
5 Kris Bentley, Shooting Guard   5'11", Sr   10.1 PPG; 43 3PT%; 87.5 FT%
21 T C Thomason, Small Forward   6'3", Sr   11.5 PPG; 4.2 RPG; 24 STL
32 Danny Noll, Power Forward      6'6", Jr   15.9 PPG; 51 FG%; 44 3PT%; 5.9 RPG
33 Alex Lloyd, Center      6'8", So   59 FG%; 7.4 RPG; 48 BLK

Key Reserves         
20 Jeff Mullaney, Guard      6'2", Fr   8.3 PPG; 42 3PT%
34 Ross Herman, Post      6'6" Jr   54 FG%
4 Chris Gowers, Forward      6'4" So   75 FT%

Statistics         
Points/Game: Centre (70.1) Opponent (58.9)         
Rebounds/Game: Centre (35.3) Opponent (30.0)         
FG%: Centre (45.8) Opponent (38.8)         
3PT%: (38.5); FT% (70.0)         

Notes         
Centre is in the tournament for the 3rd consecutive year; advanced to 2nd round the past 2 years         

[pradam]

Brandeis University Judges      
Rank in last d3hoops poll: NR         
Pool C qualifier from the University Athletic Association
17-8 Overall; 10-4 SCAC; Home 9-4; Away 8-4      
Head Coach - Brian Meehan (sixth season)         

Key Wins         
12-4 vs. Rhode Island College (75-61), 1-11 vs. Carnegie Mellon (69-57), 1-20 at Amherst (73-58), 2-13 at Carnegie Mellon (66-63)

Record Against NCAA Tourney Teams - (4-4) W-Rhode Island College, Amherst, Carnegie Mellon (twice); L-WPI, Umass-Dartmouth, Wash U (twice)         

Starters         
1 Andre Roberson, Point Guard      5'9," Jr    10.4 PPG, 4.7 APG, 79.6 FT%
25 Kenny Small, Shooting Guard           6'0" Jr    12.7 PPG; 59.1 3PT% (leads all of college basketball)
4 Kevin Olson, Small Forward                   6'4", Sr    11.5 PPG; 4.2 RPG; 24 STL
2 Steve DeLuca, Power Forward      6'6", GRAD 15.2 PPG; 6.8 RPG
52 Rich McGee, Center                      6'7", Jr     2.9 PPG, 3.0 RPG

Key Reserves         
33 Terrell Hollins, forward   6'4", Jr   9.1 PPG, 6.0 RPG
5 Christian Yemga, forward   6'5"  So   4.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 55.1 FG%
11 Tyrone Hughes, guard   5'9" Fr   3.2 PPG

Statistics         
Points/Game: Brandeis (72.7) Opponent (63.4)         
Rebounds/Game: Brandeis (32.1) Opponent (28.9)         
FG%: Brandeis (48.7) Opponent (43.3)         
3PT%: (45.4); FT% (72)         

Notes         
-Brandeis is in the tournament for the 3rd consecutive year; advanced to Round of 8 last year and 2nd round the year before that.

-Brandeis has had many different starting lineups this season, finally settling on Roberson/Small/Olson/DeLuca/McGee

-Hollins was a second-team all-UAA selection last season.

[theBroadcaster]

Brandeis University Judges      
Rank in last d3hoops poll: NR         
Pool C qualifier from the University Athletic Association
17-8 Overall; 10-4 SCAC; Home 9-4; Away 8-4      
Head Coach - Brian Meehan (sixth season)         

Key Wins         
12-4 vs. Rhode Island College (75-61), 1-11 vs. Carnegie Mellon (69-57), 1-20 at Amherst (73-58), 2-13 at Carnegie Mellon (66-63)

Record Against NCAA Tourney Teams - (4-4) W-Rhode Island College, Amherst, Carnegie Mellon (twice); L-WPI, Umass-Dartmouth, Wash U (twice)         

Starters         
1 Andre Roberson, Point Guard      5'9," Jr    10.4 PPG, 4.7 APG, 79.6 FT%
25 Kenny Small, Shooting Guard           6'0" Jr    12.7 PPG; 59.1 3PT% (leads all of college basketball)
4 Kevin Olson, Small Forward                   6'4", Sr    11.5 PPG; 4.2 RPG; 24 STL
2 Steve DeLuca, Power Forward      6'6", GRAD 15.2 PPG; 6.8 RPG
52 Rich McGee, Center                      6'7", Jr     2.9 PPG, 3.0 RPG

Key Reserves         
33 Terrell Hollins, forward   6'4", Jr   9.1 PPG, 6.0 RPG
5 Christian Yemga, forward   6'5"  So   4.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 55.1 FG%
11 Tyrone Hughes, guard   5'9" Fr   3.2 PPG

Statistics         
Points/Game: Brandeis (72.7) Opponent (63.4)         
Rebounds/Game: Brandeis (32.1) Opponent (28.9)         
FG%: Brandeis (48.7) Opponent (43.3)         
3PT%: (45.4); FT% (72)         

Notes         
-Brandeis is in the tournament for the 3rd consecutive year; advanced to Round of 8 last year and 2nd round the year before that.

-Brandeis has had many different starting lineups this season, finally settling on Roberson/Small/Olson/DeLuca/McGee

-Hollins was a second-team all-UAA selection last season.

Just a quick correction on the Judges stats:

Kevin Olson is averaging 12.7ppg and shooting an NCAA best 59.7% (80-134) from 3 (best in all divisons of college basketball)
Kenny Small is averaging 11.3ppg and 2.4rpg

[scottiedoug]

Maryville (TN) Scots
unranked
Pool B from Great South Athletic Conference (GSAC)
20-6 overall; 6-0 GSAC; 16-6 D3 South Region
Head Coach: Randall D. Lambert (545 career wins)
11th consecutive NCAA appearance, winning at least one game each year except last year.

Scots have won 16 straight after pre-holiday losses to SCAC champ Centre (by 1 in first game of season, at home, and by 6 at Centre, and to Heartland champ Transylvania by 6 at Transy.

Key wins:
ODAC champ Virginia Wesleyan
USA South champ Averett
D2 Carson Newman


starters:
Andrew Shumate 6'6" F SR  17/6 min/g  3.8 ppg, 4 rb,
Dustin Brown 6' G SO          18.5 min/g  6ppg  51 assists/25 to
Jared Laverdier 5'10' G JR   19 min/g    4.4ppg. 68 assists/36 to
Eryk Watson 6'3" G SO        29.5 min/g 18.8 ppg 4.2 rb
Greg Hernandez 6'6" C JR   25.8 min/g 16.2 ppg. 6.5 rb

Key reserves:
Wes Lambert 6'1" G FR        23.3 min/g  10.5 ppg  55assists/41 to
Jordan Damron 5'11" G FR    21 min/g  10.5 ppg   72 assists/57 to
Tim Blaklely 6'4"  F JR            15.4 min/g  2.8 ppg  4.5 rb
Maverick Willett  6'6" C FR     8.8 min/g  4.4 ppg. 2.8 rb

team  stats
         ppg. 82.7/ opp. 72
         rb 38.4/ opp 35.5
         shooting % .467/opp .427
         3 point % .396/opp. .334
         ft % .747

[FU_SID]

Fontbonne University (18-8 overall; 12-4 SLIAC)
Co-SLIAC Regular Season Champs
SLIAC Tournament Champs

Third straight appearance in NCAA Tournament

Team: 85.7 ppg (7th in the country)
52.7 FG % (4th in the country)
41.6 3-point FG % (5th in the country)


Starters:
Patrick McCoy    Sr. G   5'11     15.1 ppg/130 assists/ 91% FT       
Josh Branch       Jr.  G   6'0      14 ppg/ 39% from behind the arc
Chris Forrest     Jr.  G    6'4     15.7 ppg/ 62 % from the floor
Brian Fogerty    Sr.  F    6'4     19.9 pts/10.7 rpg ; 58.6 % from the floor
Justin Storandt Sr. C     6'8    7.4 pts/ 9 rebounds a game; 50 blocked shots

Player Notes:
Brian Fogerty - two-time SLIAC Player of the Year; Fontbonne's all-time leading scorer with over 1,700 points
Chris Forrest - SLIAC Newcomer of the Year; 12th in the country in FG %
Justin Storandt- SLIAC Tournament MVP; Fontbonne's career blocks leader

[platinumondubs]

Rensselaer Redhawks (Troy, NY)       
Unranked
Liberty League Tournament Champions (Third place in regular season)         
15-12 Overall; 7-7 LL; Home 6-4; Away 7-6; Neutral 2-2
Head Coach - Michael Griffin (24th season)

Key Wins         
Home versus St. Lawrence (78-72), versus Hamilton in LL Seminfinal (64-55), at St. Lawrence (LL Championship) (72-65)

Key Losses
Home versus Southern Vermont (73-75), at Skidmore (62-63)

Record Against NCAA Tourney Teams - (2-2), 2 wins versus St. Lawrence, 1 loss at St. Lawrence and at Middlebury

Starters         
23 Rory Perner     G    6'1"   Sr  2.1 PPG       15 STL
52 Mike Brion       G/F  6'4"  So  7.6 PPG       31.0 3PT%
12 Tim Rupp         G/F  6'3"  Jr   10.7 PPG     5.4 RPG       80 FT%
54 Sam Simmons  F     6'4"  Sr  18.1 PPG     8.2 RPG      32 BLK
45 Ricky Philatre  F/C  6'8"  Jr   5.7 PPG       7.1 RPG      32 BLK

Key Reserves
5 DJ Blakemore    G    6'1"  So   7.4 PPG      45.2 FG%
15 Eric Anderson G    6'1"   Jr    50.0 FG%   54.8 3PT%
24 Jeremy Colon  F    6'5"   Jr    45.5 FG%

Statistics         
Points/Game:       RPI (69.8)              Opponent (65.4)
Rebounds/Game:  RPI (40.4)              Opponent (33.9)
FG%:                    RPI (44.1)              Opponent (39.0)
3PT%:                  RPI (34.0)
FT%:                    RPI (68.5)

Notes         
RPI is in the tournament for the first time since 1996.  They are lead by senior forward Sam Simmons, who earned Liberty League Player of the Year Honors after an outstanding season.

[wizbegs1304]

Aurora University-Aurora, IL
Rank in last d3hoops poll: Unranked
Northern Athletics Conference (Tournament Champions)
16-12 Overal Record, 10-6 NAC
Head Coach: James Lancaster (15th Season)

*Started off 0-5*Lost 79-65 at Elmhurst*Lost 97-89(OT) vs. Wash. U*Lost to Bridgewater St. in Phoenix 78-88*Won last 7 of their 8 games*

Record Against NCAA Tournament Teams: 0-3

Starters
03 Lance Robinson, Jr., F
13 Dusty Magee, Jr., G
24 Chad Trudo, Sr., G
31 Skyler Ormsbee, So., F
33 Shane Roland, Jr., F

Key Reserves
15 Damian Lewis, So., G
23 Chris Lee, Sr., F

http://www.aurora.edu/scoreboard/rosters/basketball-m.htm

Other Notes
NCAA Tournament Appearances
2007-2008 | 2006-2007 | 2004-05 | 2002-03 | 2000-01 | 1997-98

NAC Championship Appearances
2006-2007 | 2007-2008

Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference (NIIC) Championships
2004-05 | 2003-04 | 1997-98 | 1996-97 | 1993-94 | 1988-89 | 1987-88 | 1985-86 | 1984-85 | 1983-84 | 1982-83 | 1979-80 | 1972-73 | 1971-72 | 1970-71

[Pioneer_fan04]

UW-Platteville Pioneers
ranked 5th (D3hoops.com)
WIAC 2nd Place
22-5 Overall; 13-3(WIAC)
Head Coach-Paul Combs (6th season with UWP)

Key Wins
Home: UW-Whitewater (86-78) (77-74 OT)
Away: UW-Stevens Point (55-52)
Neutral: Wooster (76-67)

Record against NCAA Tourny teams (4-3) Wins vs (see above) Losses
Stevens point (66-73 OT) (42-45) @UW-Whitewater (62-75)

Starters
52 C Jeff Skemp         6'10 Sr. 18.2ppg 5.7rpg
42 F Kyle Tetschlag   6'5 Sr.     2.6Ppg  2.8rpg
10 G Curt Hanson      6'1 Jr.    13.8ppg 3.8rpg
30 G Nick Allen           6'4 So.    6.0ppg  2.7rpg
32 G Charlie Lohoff    6'3 Sr.     9.3ppg  4.0rpg

Key Reserves
44 F Eric Wall            6'5 So.     4.7ppg  2.8rpg
22 G Bo Richter         6'1 Sr.      2.5ppg  1.8rpg
12 G Mike Shaw        6'1 Jr.       13.6ppg 3.2rpg

Team Stats UWP              OPP
PPG             73.1               60.1
RPG             29.7               25.4
APG             14.0               10.9
TOPG           12.8               13.6
FG%             .498              .448
3pt%            .398              .306
FT%              .767              .723


Fun Facts:
Platteville is making their 1st Tournament appearence since 1999 when they won it all, under current Wisconsin Badgers coach Bo Ryan.

Senior Center Jeff Skemp was a pre-sesaon All-American and a Jostens Trophy finalist.

UWP plays in the tough WIAC that sent 3 teams to the tournament.

Platteville defeated Division 1 Bradley 84-79 @Peoria in an exibition game

[quaj]

Washington University Bears     
Rank in last d3hoops poll: 2       
University Athletic Association (UAA) Champion
23-2 Overall; 13-1 UAA; Home 9-1; Away 11-1  Neutral 3-0     
Head Coach – Mark Edwards (28th season) (Recorded 500th win against Chicago on 2-28)         

Key Wins         
11-22 Augustana (87-82 OT) 1-30 Brandeis  (80-75)
Record Against NCAA Tourney Teams – (5-1) W- Brandeis (twice) Carnegie Mellon (twice), Fontbonne L-Elmhurst

Starters         
12 Sean Wallis, Point Guard      6'2," Sr    10.3 PPG, 8.4 APG, 85.4 FT%, 36 STL
(Bob Cousy Award Finalist, 2nd in assists per game and 3rd in assist turnover ratio for DIII)
33 Aaron Thompson, Shooting Guard           6'4" Jr    17.8 PPG; 49 3PT%  (5th best in DIII)
5 Cameron Smith, Small Forward                   6'5", Jr    6 PPG; 4.4 RPG; 24 STL
21 Tyler Nading, Power Forward      6'7", Sr 13.3 PPG; 5.6 RPG
44 Zach Kelly, Center                      6'7", Jr     7.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG

Key Reserves         
10 Ross Kelley, Guard 6'1" Jr. 1.5 PPG, 1.6 APG
20 Dylan Richter, Guard  6'5" Fr. 4.1 PPG 2.7 RPG 1.5 APG
45 Alex Toth, Forward  6'6" Fr. 4.6 PPG 3.4 RPG
40 Caleb Knepper, Forward 6'6" So. 7.1 PPG 1.8 RPG
Statistics         
Points/Game: Wash. U. (79.8 ) Opponent (66.5)         
Rebounds/Game: Brandeis (34.6) Opponent (30.3)         
FG%:  Wash. U. (50.3) Opponent (43.0)    9th best in Division III     
3PT%: (40.0); FT% (74.8 )         

Notes         
-Wash. U. is the defending national champion.
-Wash. U. has been to the Final Four in both 2007 and 2008.
-Wash. U. leads Division III with a 1.66 Assist to Turnover ratio
-Sean Wallis is a preseason first team All American.
-Tyler Nading is a preseason second team All American.

[pantherpride06]

Puget Sound Loggers
Last D3 Poll Ranking: 7th
Record: 24-3 / 16-0 NWC
Conference: Regular Season Champion
Head Coach: Justin Lunt (3rd Season)

Key Wins:
1/16 at Whitworth 89-77
2/13 v. Whitworth 81-71

Key Losses:
2/28 v. Whitworth 90-80 OT (NWC Championship Game)

Notes:
Loggers went 21-1 in NCAA III Games (only loss to Whitworth in NWC Title game 90-80 in OT)
Loggers were 6th in the country in scoring (86.0 pg)

Starters:
2 Nadav Heyman 6'1" FR - 5.2 ppg - 22 steals
5 Jason Foster 6'7" SR - 15.0 ppg - 6.8 rpg
15 Antwan Williams 6'0" SR - 12.8 ppg - 5.3 apg - 71 steals
24 Austin Boyce 6'5" JR - 10.4 ppg - .517 FG%
32 Robert Krauel 6'4" SR - 14.3 ppg - .586 FG%

Keys from the Bench:
3 Steffond Brown 6'0" SR - 7.1 ppg - .440 3FG%
11 Kolin Koach 6'0" JR - 3.9 ppg - .342 3FG%
12 Conner Gehring 6'4" SO - 3.0 ppg
14 Bryce Levin 6'3" JR - 6.6 ppg
21 Kaleb Shelton 6'5" FR - 5.0 ppg
31 James Pinkney 6'5" SR - 2.0 ppg

Interesting Notes:
Loggers played all nine non-conference games on the road (opening games at local high school)
Loggers won 20-straight games and was undefeated during January and lost on the final day of February.
Loggers making their first appearance in the NCAA's since 2006. (lost in Elite 8 to IWU 113-99)

[frodotwo]

UW Stevens Point is the 2009 WIAC regular season champ, going 14-2 and won the conference tournament qualifier. The Pointers season record is 23-4 (12-2 home/10-2 away/1-0 neutral) and they have won 15 of their last 17 games.

Point is 5-3 versus NCAA tournament teams, beating Trinity TX (OT), Elmhurst, and Platteville (OT) on the road and Whitewater and Platteville at home. Losses include on the road to Lawrence and Whitewater (OT) and home loss to Platteville and Carroll College, which eventually was ranked as high as #24. Ranked in the top 7 of the D3Hoops.com Top 25 all season long, as high as #3 and lowest at #7 in week 1, currently #4.

Scoring offense            75.7 
Scoring defense            63.6  #44 NCAA
Scoring margin            +12.1  #22
FG Pct                        .492  #18
FG Pct defense            .429
3-pt FG Pct                . 382  #39
3-pt FG Pct defense      .312  #51
Turnovers PG                10.0  #2
Opp Turnovers PG          13.6
FT Pct                        .743  #40
Assist/TO ratio             1.55  #3
Rebounds PG                31.9
Opp Rebounds PG           31.6
3-pt FG PG                    8.0   #46

Starters:
Khalifa El-Amin  Sr          5'8"   11.4ppg  50%FG      .465% 3-pt        4.0 apg   
Matt Moses        JR        6'2"   13.0ppg  58%FG      .500% 3-pt       4.4 rpg
Bryan Beamish  SR        6'6"   10.5ppg  58%FG       .458% 3-pt       4.0apg
Louis Hurd         SO        6'5"   12.3ppg  55%FG       .378% 3-pt       4.7rpg
Pete Rortvedt     SR       6'5"   13.5ppg  36%FG       .341% 3-pt       5.3rpg

Top reserves:
Jared Jenkins    SO       6'4"      6.2ppg   64%FG   3.0rpg
Nick  Krull          SO       6'7"    4.3ppg     53%FG    3.2rpg
Evan Sweeney  JR        6'2"     3.7ppg     39%FG     34%3-pt
Jerome Wotachek  SR  6'8"      3.2ppg     47%FG   1.9rpg

Any of the 5 starters are capable of scoring 20 points (and have in at least one game this year), but all are unselfish and consistently make the extra pass to get a better shot. Rortvedt can hit 3-pt shots from just about anywhere on the court and doesn't need much time or free space to launch. El-Amin is the court general that makes the whole thing work, penetrating and dishing for assists or hitting a trey or a soft floater over defenders 6-12 inches taller. Moses is comfortable tossing in a soft jumper or slashing to the basket and Hurd has a sweet jump shot with range from 23 feet and in. The team is held together by the "glue", Bryan Beamish. Whether it's a slashing, spinning lay-up, or a soft jumper he can get points, but he's also adept at passing and always plays tough "D" against players bigger than himself. (Helped hold 6'10" Jeff Skemp to 2 pts in WIAC tourney clincher). Team can run, usually tries to inside first then looks to the 3 pt shot. Always plays a tenacious man-to-man defense. Weakest area is offensive rebounding but when you shoot nearly 50% on the year there aren't many of those anyway.

[eclinchy]

Middlebury Panthers
Pool A selection, NESCAC champion (defeated Amherst in conference title game)
Rank in latest D3hoops poll: No. 9
Record: 8-1 NESCAC, 24-3 overall
Head Coach: Jeff Brown, 153-143 through 12 seasons

Key Wins: 61-58 over Richard Stockton on Nov. 21; 62-46 over RPI on Dec. 30; 67-62 over Williams on Jan. 31; 77-68 over Amherst on March 1 to win NESCAC title.

Losses: 74-63 to Manhattanville on Nov. 22 (without Aaron Smith); 84-71 to St. Lawrence on Nov. 25 (still without Aaron Smith); 71-64 to Amherst on Feb. 14

Notes: 24 wins this season, a program record; NESCAC championship, a program first; hosting NCAAs for the first time, also a program first; No. 1 in the nation in blocks per game; No. 1 in the nation in opponents' lowest field goal percentage; won 17 straight games, also a program record, before losing their regular season game against Amherst; appeared in the NCAA Tournament for the first time last year, but lost in the first round, 56-43, to Rochester; will play their first tournament game this year at home on Saturday after a first-round bye

First-round opponent: Winner of St. Joseph's (Maine) vs. Bridgewater State

Starters:
Ben Rudin: senior co-captain, PG, 6-0, 175, heavy favorite to win NESCAC Player of the Year. (Some kid named Olson's won that the past two years.) Broke the all-time record for points in one NESCAC Tournament with 77. Leads the Panthers in points per game (16.7) and assists per game (4.5). Second in steals (1.4).

Kyle Dudley: senior SG, 6-1, 180. Teammate of Rudin's since elementary school (both are from Scarsdale, N.Y.). Good outside shooter. Team's second-leading scorer (10.1 ppg).

Tim Edwards: junior small forward, 6-4, 185. One of the best defenders in the NESCAC. 5.7 rpg, 2.3 (!!) spg.

Aaron Smith: senior co-captain, power forward, 6-6, 235. Second team All-NESCAC last season. Was injured for a few weeks earlier this year but came back to average 8.3 ppg and a team-high 7.2 rpg. Very skilled player on offense and defense alike.

Andrew Locke: sophomore center, 6-10, 215. Fourth in the nation in blocks (3.4 per game!). Still developing offensively but is a very high-percentage shooter inside (60.1 percent).

Bench:
Ryan Sharry: freshman power forward, 6-7, 215. Good offensive weapon off the bench, great rebounder.
Jamal Davis: sophomore forward, 6-5, 180. Good, physical defender.
Ryan Wholey: sophomore small forward, 6-4, 200.
Ashton Coghlan: sophomore shooting guard, 6-3, 160.
Bill Greven: junior forward, 6-5, 230.

edit: NESCAC awards were released today (Wednesday). Rudin wins POY, Edwards DPOY, Brown COY.