RATING THE REST

The big schools in the big conferences garner most of the
headlines, but not every top player plays in one of the 10 major
conferences: Colgate's super sophomore, Adonal Foyle, plays in
the Patriot League; Tulsa's silky swingman, Shea Seals, in the
Missouri Valley Conference; the multitalented Steve Nash of
Santa Clara, in the West Coast Conference; Miami of Ohio's
flamboyant Devin Davis, in the MAC; and Utah State's underrated
big man, Eric Franson, in the Big West. Occasionally, of course,
one of the unsung stars leads his team past the big boys and
into the late-round limelight of the NCAA tournament; this
season's early Cinderella candidates include Tulsa and Santa
Clara, as well as Old Dominion from the Colonial. Here are
scouting nuggets from the 22 minor conferences (listed in order
of overall strength), with the teams ranked according to their
projected league finish.

11 SUN BELT

Team (1994-95 Record)

1. Western Kentucky (27-4)
The Hilltoppers have won their last 20 Sun Belt games. With
Chris Robinson, they should win their fourth straight NCAA berth.

2. Arkansas-Little Rock (17-12)
Hosting the Sun Belt tournament and having guard Malik Dixon
(22.1 ppg) could put coach Wimp Sanderson back in NCAAs.

3. New Orleans (20-11)
Senior guard Tyrone Garris averaged 17.1 ppg, and he had
30 against Tulane and 31 against Purdue, both of whom went on to
the NCAA tournament.

4. Louisiana Tech (14-13)
After going 2-25 in '93-94, the Bulldogs were the nation's
second-most-improved team.

5. Jacksonville (18-9)
Artemus McClary was the first player since Cornbread Maxwell in
'76-77 to lead Sun Belt in scoring (20.5 ppg) and FG% (54.7%).

6. Lamar (11-16)
The Cardinals won 11 games with five new starters last season;
now they have 91% of their scoring and rebounding back.

7. South Alabama (9-18)
Former NBA and CBA coach Bill Musselman has his work cut out for
him: The Jaguars don't have a player over 6'7".

8. Southwestern Louisiana (7-22)
The Sun Belt Freshman of the Year, forward Reginald Poole, leads
conference's best recruiting class from 1994 into second year.

9. Texas-Pan American (14-14)
The Broncs came on late, winning six of last seven. But only one
starter is back, 7'1" senior Sedat Necipoglu from Turkey.

10. Arkansas State (8-20)
The Indians lost three starters, including Arthur Agee of
Hoop Dreams fame, but gained a new coach in Dickey Nutt.

Player to Watch:
Western Kentucky's 6'5" junior swingman, Chris Robinson, is the
reigning Sun Belt Player of the Year and tournament MVP for good
reason: He averaged 17.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and
1.9 steals per game.

12 MISSOURI VALLEY

Team (1994-95 Record)

1. Tulsa (24-8)
Steve Robinson, a former Kansas assistant, succeeds Tubby Smith
as coach and takes over a team that has game-breaker Shea Seals.

2. Bradley (20-10)
Braves have 12 lettermen and all five starters back from team
that lost in the NIT to Canisius.

3. Illinois State (20-13)
Center LeRoy Watkins, originally a DePaul signee, returns from
academic ineligibility to join a team that made it to the NIT.

4. Southern Illinois (23-9)
Four starters are gone, including forward Chris Carr (MVC MVP,
22.0 ppg), who left early and was a Phoenix Sun draftee.

5. Drake (12-15)
B.J. Windhorst (15.3 ppg) and Lynnrick Rogers (18.1 ppg) return
to only MVC team to win at Tulsa.

6. Evansville (18-9)
After losing forward Andy Elkins (20.3 ppg), the Aces have to
add some new cards.

7. Wichita State (13-14)
The heat is on coach Scott Thompson: The Shockers' last winning
season was '88-89, and they won't have one this year.

8. SW Missouri State (16-11)
After coaching Manchester (Ind.) to a 74-29 record over four
years, Steve Alford tries Division I.

9. Creighton (7-19)
The worst-shooting team in the MVC, the Bluejays welcome guard
Chuckie Johnson (22.5 ppg) from State Fair (Mo.) C.C.

10. Northern Iowa (82-0)
The UNI-Dome collapsed last year and so did the Panthers, but
three returning starters have things looking up.

11. Indiana State (7-19)
Even former Sycamore Larry Bird won't recognize this group;
there is just one returning starter.

Player to Watch:
Tulsa's swingman Shea Seals, a junior, is the first player to
finish in the top 10 in the MVC in scoring (18.8 ppg),
rebounding (6.9 rpg) and assists (4.0 apg) for two straight
seasons. He also hit on 34.0% from beyond the arc.

13 BIG WEST

Team (1994-95 Record)

1. Utah State (21-8)
Senior center Eric Franson and a solid front line led the Aggies
to the NIT last year; the NCAAs await this year.

2. Long Beach State (20-10)
Guard James Cotton, 1993-94's Big West Freshman of the Year, is
back after sitting out '94-95 with a bad ankle.

3. Nevada (18-11)
With the conference tournament in Reno, the Wolf Pack is hoping
to make the NCAAs for the first time since 1985.

4. UNLV (12-16)
New coach Billy Bayno inherits a team that set school records
for most coaches (three) and most losses last season.

5. New Mexico State (25-10)
Looming NCAA sanctions and no returning lettermen have 20-year
coach Neil McCarthy facing his greatest challenge yet.

6. Pacific (14-13)
The Tigers shoot for their fourth straight winning season, led
by Charles Jones (18.0 ppg), who played four positions in '94-95.

7. UC Irvine (13-16)
Forward Tchaka Shipp, a transfer from Seton Hall, returns after
an auto accident left him in a coma in July '94.

8. UC Santa Barbara (13-14)
Even with Big West coaching dean Jerry Pimm and three starters
back, the days of roar in the Thunderdome are days of yore.

9. San Jose State (4-23)
Forward Oliver Saint-Jean, a transfer from Michigan, should help
the Spartans, who move to the WAC next year.

10. Cal State-Fullerton (7-20)
Losing center Winston Peterson (17.6 ppg) leaves coach Bob
Hawking and his Titans one titan short.

Player to Watch:
Not only was Utah State center Eric Franson the Big West Player
of the Year (18.4 ppg, 9.8 rpg), but the civil- and
environmental-engineering major was also one of just two people
to qualify for the all-academic team.

14 OHIO VALLEY

Team (1994-95 Record)

1. Murray State (21-9)
Guard Marcus Brown and three other starters return to try to
give the Racers their eighth regular-season title in nine years.

2. Tennessee State (17-10)
With forward Monty Wilson
(18.2 ppg), the Tigers swept Murray State in '94-95; he's back,
but don't look for a repeat sweep of the champs.

3. Tennessee Tech (13-14)
All six newcomers are transfers--five from jucos and 6'8" forward
Arthur Quarterman from Villanova.

4. Austin Peay (13-16)
Bubba Wells (19.3 ppg, 7.6 rpg) returns to a team that upset
Tennessee Tech and Tennessee State during the conference
tournament.

5. Morehead State (15-12)
Point guard Mark Kinnaird hit 86.4% from the line--16th in the
nation--but the Eagles are a little short up front.

6. Middle Tennessee St. (12-15)
Swingman Nod Carter (12.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg) comes home from
Appalachian State, joining '94-95 all-conference newcomer 6'10"
David Washington.

7. Eastern Kentucky (9-19)
The Colonels, who lost 13 straight in '949-5, will lose more
because they have to replace their starting backcourt.

8. SE Missouri State (13-14)
The Indians lost four starters, but as a recent member of the
Ohio Valley, they are ineligible for the conference tournament
anyway.

9. Tennessee-Martin (7-20)
Despite a soft nonconference schedule that includes Radford,
Covenant College and Tennessee Temple, the Skyhawks are grounded
this season.

Player to Watch:
Murray State's Marcus Brown, a 6'3" senior guard, led the
conference in scoring (22.4 ppg) and steals (2.5 per game) and
was third in the nation in free throw shooting (89.6%). Guess
who was named Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year?

15 WEST COAST

Team (1994-95 Record)

1. Santa Clara (21-7)
The reigning regular-season champs have all starters back,
including Steve Nash, last season's West Coast Player of the Year.

2. Saint Mary's (18-10)
The Gaels not only have four starters back, but they also boast
the conference's biggest team (average height: 6'5"; average
weight: 213 pounds).

3. Loyola Marymount (13-15)
Three starters return for the Lions, a team that has hit at
least one three-pointer in 264 consecutive games.

4. Gonzaga (21-9)
No sophomore jinx-the Bulldogs have four freshmen, five juniors
and three seniors, including All-WCC guard Kyle Dixon, who
averaged 12.0 ppg and 4.4 apg.

5. San Diego (11-16)
The Toreros have four starters back, including Sean Flannery,
who led the conference in free throw accuracy (90.0%).

6. Portland (21-8)
Three starters are gone from the winningest team in West Coast
history to be snubbed for postseason play. Coach Rob Chavez led
the Pilots to the league title game in his first season at the
helm.

7. San Francisco (10-19)
Two starters return, including senior guard Gerald Walker, who
has 276 career steals; four more and he becomes the conference's
alltime biggest thief.

8. Pepperdine (8-19)
The Waves had the most losses they've had since '78 and didn't
win a road game; junior guard Gerald Brown was the only player
to average in double figures in scoring (16.5 ppg).

Player to Watch:
Santa Clara senior point guard Steve Nash, from Victoria, B.C.,
led the West Coast Conference in scoring (20.9 ppg), three-point
shooting (45.4%) and assists (6.4 apg). He was in the top 40 in
the nation in four categories. The scary thing? In the
off-season he practiced with Jason Kidd.

16 COLONIAL

Team (1994-95 Record)

1. Old Dominion (21-12)
Even without three starters from the team that upset Villanova
in the NCAA tournament, the Monarchs rule the Colonial.

2. Va. Commonwealth (16-14)
Bernard Hopkins, a 6'7",
250-pound senior forward
(13.7 ppg), will see to it that the Rams are contenders in their
first year in the Colonial.

3. James Madison (16-13)
Senior guard Darren McLinton (14.5 ppg) and five topflight
recruits should ensure coach Lefty Driesell his 33rd consecutive
season with more wins than losses.

4. American (9-19)
After an 0-11 start, the Eagles played better than .500 ball the
rest of the way. Forward Tim Fudd, back after a knee injury,
should keep the team on the right track.

5. UNC Wilmington (16-11)
The Seahawks' nonconference schedule includes Cincinnati,
Manhattan, UMass and Mississippi State. What, Kansas was booked?

6. Richmond (8-20)
After their worst record in 16 years, the Spiders are looking to
22-year-old, 6'7" Army veteran Jeff Jefferson for help.

7. George Mason (7-20)
Coach Paul Westhead's teams are 61-157 since '90-91. As usual,
Westhead's offense was potent (92.6 ppg), but his defense was
deadly (101.8 ppg).

8. East Carolina (18-11)
With three top scorers gone,
29-year-old Joe Dooley, the youngest coach in Division I, will
age quickly.

9. William&Mary (8-19)
Senior Matt Verkey is the Tribe's alltime three-point king
(162), but he hit just 33.6% of them last season.

Player to Watch:
Old Dominion's Odell Hodge, a 6'9" junior, averaged 19.4 points
and 9.0 rebounds two years ago as the Colonial's player of the
year. Has he recovered from a knee injury that sidelined him for
all but four games last season?

17 METRO ATLANTIC

Team (1994-95 Record)

1. Manhattan (26-5)
Surest prediction: This is the last year that Fran Fraschilla
will be coach of the Jaspers. Another NCAA bid and he's off to
the big time.

2. Canisius (21-14)
The Griffs' 43 wins over the last two seasons are the most in
any two-year period in school history. With five key players
returning, including star center Micheal Meeks, another 20 are
on the way.

3. St. Peter's (19-11)
Five starters return, but after a contract battle, coach Ted
Fiore does not. Can the new coach, former Fiore assistant Roger
Blind, see the Peacocks through?

4. Iona (10-17)
Two-time Gael All-America
Jeff Ruland returns to his alma mater as an assistant. He should
be useful in tutoring 6'10" senior Mikkel Larsen (17.5 ppg).

5. Fairfield (13-15)
Four starters are back from a team that turned the ball over 414
times and whose center, 6'8" junior Eliezer Cohen, committed
almost that many fouls (111 in 496 minutes played).

6. Loyola (Md.) (9-18)
It tells you something when the team's old hand is a sophomore.
"Veteran" point guard John McDonald leads a team with five
freshmen and three sophomores.

7. Siena (8-19)
Sophomore guard Jim Secretarski hit on 45.4% from beyond the
arc, and against Iona on Jan. 18 he nailed nine to set a MAAC
record.

8. Niagara (5-25)
Even 6'7" Luteke (Inspector) Kalombo's cousin Dikembe Mutombo
couldn't help a team that is 11-46 since '93.

Player to Watch:
Canisius senior Micheal Meeks, a 6'9" center, was anything but
timid in the paint (16.0 ppg, 6.9 rpg and 1.5 bpg). He should
succeed departed teammate Craig Wise as conference player of the
year.

18 MID-AMERICAN

Team (1994-95 Record)

1. Miami (Ohio) (23-7)
Junior Devin Davis is joined by Damon Frierson, Mr. Basketball
in Indiana, to help Redskins to fifth straight postseason
appearance.

2. Ball State (19-11)
Muncie's Macedonia Street connection: Team MVP, forward Bonzi
Wells, and coach Ray McCallum are neighbors.

3. Western Michigan (14-13)
Every player returns from the schizophrenic team that beat
Big Ten champion Purdue but lost to MAC doormat Akron.

4. Ohio (24-10)
The Bobcats have every starter back--except three-time MAC MVP
Gary Trent, who left early for the NBA.

5. Eastern Michigan (20-10)
The 1990-91 all-Detroit prep team included Chris Webber, Jalen
Rose, Voshon Lenard and Eagle senior Theron Wilson.

6. Bowling Green (16-11)
Freshman Javier Crespo, a 6'8", 230-pound forward from Madrid,
played for the Spanish Junior Olympic team last year.

7. Toledo (16-11)
All-MAC guard Craig Thames shot 100% against Akron on Feb. 22:
four two-pointers, three treys and four free throws.

8. Kent (8-19)
The future is Bright--6'11" junior center Brook Bright, who is 46
blocks shy of the school record (98).

9. Akron (8-18)
New coach Dan Hipsher, who played for Bowling Green and was a
grad assistant at Miami (Ohio), has nine rookies on his roster.

10. Central Michigan (3-23)
The bad news is that all five starters are back--from a team that
lost its last 19 games by an average of 17.6 points.

Player to Watch:
Miami's 6'7" junior Devin Davis has dreadlocks that may get him
noticed, but his play keeps people watching. He had double
doubles in NCAA tournament games against Arizona and Virginia.

19 BIG SKY

Team (1994-95 Record)

1. Montana State (21-8)
The Bobcats, who have three starters returning, try for
back-to-back 20-win seasons, a feat they have not accomplished
in 44 seasons.

2. Montana (21-9)
Despite the loss of their three top scorers, the Grizzlies
should have no trouble nailing their 19th straight winning season.

3. Weber State (21-9)
Only one starter, senior forward Jimmy DeGraffenried, returns
from a team that stunned Michigan State in the NCAAs.

4. Idaho (12-15)
Last shot at a Big Sky title for 6'7" senior board man Harry
Harrison (10.9 rpg) and the Vandals; the team steals away to the
Big West next season.

5. Idaho State (18-10)
Their three top scorers have departed, but the Bengals will
still be fierce at home, where they are 22-4 over the past two
seasons.

6. Boise State (17-10)
Coach Bobby Dye quit in August. Dye's assistant Rod Jensen
inherits a team that includes forward Phil Rodman, Dennis's half
brother.

7. Northern Arizona (8-18)
In the midst of a 3-10 finish, leading scorer Brad Snyder was
killed in a car accident. The Lumberjacks are still reeling, and
it will be a challenge for them to finish in the top six and
qualify for the Big Sky tournament.

8. Eastern Washington (6-20)
The Eagles will be nearing extinction if they don't improve upon
their 53-7 conference record over the past three years. Even
with all five starters back, this team isn't likely to take
flight.

Player to Watch:
Weber State's 6'6" senior forward, Jimmy DeGraffenried, was
fifth in the league in scoring (15.3 ppg) and fourth in free
throw shooting (83.3%). He needs 43 treys to break the Big Sky
career mark of 191, held by Montana's Jeremy Lake.

20 MIDWESTERN

Team (1994-95 Record)

1. Wright State (13-17)
Five starters, including forward Vitaly Potapenko, return to a
team that lost to Wisconsin--Green Bay in the MCC championship
game.

2. Wisconsin-Green Bay (22-8)
The Phoenix, who finished second in the country in defense (58.9
ppg), has had three NCAA bids in five years.

3. Butler (15-12)
The Bulldogs' hopes hinge on 7'2" junior Rolf van Rijn, who shot
61.0%. His improvement may mean an MCC title.

4. Northern Illinois (19-10)
Junior guard Chris Coleman, a transfer from South Florida,
averaged 12.7 ppg in his first season with the Huskies.

5. Detroit (13-15)
Junior forward Leon Derricks, a 6'9" transfer, has a chance to
star after serving as an understudy with the Wolverines in Ann
Arbor.

6. Illinois-Chicago (18-9)
Replacing the 26.2 ppg of the Seattle SuperSonics' first-round
draftee, Sherell Ford, will be impossible, but senior forward
Johnelle Slone will give it a shot.

7. Cleveland State (101-7)
The Vikings try to cope without last season's top player,
Jamal Jackson, who was murdered during the off-season.

8. Wisconsin-Milwaukee (3-24)
New coach Ric Cobb, a former star at Marquette, takes over a
team whose record plummeted from 23-4 in 1993-94.

9. Loyola (Ill.) (5-22)
The lone bright spot may be Derek Molis, a transfer from
Fordham, who made seven three-pointers in a 1993 game against
Arizona.

Player to Watch:
Wright State's 6'10" junior power forward, Vitaly Potapenko from
Ukraine, led the Raiders, averaging 19.2 points and 6.4 rebounds
while shooting 60.2% from the floor. By working out over the
summer, he put on 20 pounds (he's up to 300).

21 IVY

Team (1994-95 Record)

1. Princeton (16-10)
The Tigers were tops in the nation in fewest points allowed
(57.7 per game) for the seventh straight season. Last February
coach Pete Carrill won his 500th game. This March he should win
his 11th Ivy League title.

2. Penn (22-6)
Another date to circle? Jan. 6, the day the Quakers' three-year,
430- Ivy run could end, at Princeton's Jadwin Gym. With All-Ivy
Leaguers Jerome Allen and Matt Maloney gone, Ira Bowman steps in
as the Quakers' best weapon.

3. Dartmouth (13-13)
Thirteen lettermen, four of them starters, return to put the Big
Green in position to challenge for its first Ivy title since 1959.

4. Brown (13-13)
Senior guards Eric Blackiston and Brian Lloyd are the best
backcourt in the league; the problem lies up front, where the
Bears are just too short.

5. Cornell (9-17)
With everyone who played center regularly last season gone,
6'9" freshman Jeffrion Aubry has some shoes to fill. He can do
it, though; his are size 20.

6. Yale (91-7)
Sophomore Gabe Hunterton, a 6'2" guard, won a gold medal at the
U.S. Olympic Festival; it will be the only title he wins this
season.

7. Harvard (62-0)
Despite the return of eight key players and the arrival of
heralded recruit Tim Hill, a guard from Baltimore's DeMatha
High, the Crimson will be blue.

8. Columbia (4-22)
First-year coach Armond Hill, a former All-Ivy guard and
assistant coach at Princeton, hopes to instill some pride in the
Lions.

Player to Watch:
A terrific defender, Penn senior forward Ira Bowman averaged
10.8 points per game in coming off the bench for the three-time
defending Ivy champs. He scored 15 in the Quakers' 91-85 loss to
Alabama in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

22 SWAC

Team (1994-95 Record)

1. Texas Southern (22-7)
Behind senior guard Kevin Granger (19.7 ppg), the Tigers should
return to the NCAAs--in which they lost last season by one point
to Arkansas. They have won the last two SWAC regular-season
titles and the last two conference tournaments.

2. Southern (13-13)
Mr. Inside, 6'7" sophomore Ronnell Williams (20.1 ppg), and Mr.
Outside, 6'5" senior Tim Roberts (26.2 ppg), score like no other
duo in the land.

3. Miss. Valley State (17-11)
The Delta Devils led the SWAC in rebounding last season, and
with seven players 6'7" or more, they should do it again.

4. Jackson State (12-19)
Roadwork ahead: The Tigers play at Arkansas, Louisiana State,
Memphis, Missouri, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. That won't help
a team that lost forward Dwayne Whitfield to the NBA.

5. Alabama State (11-15)
The Hornets have been stung by an NCAA investigation--the entire
coaching staff was fired--and the loss of all five starters.

6. Alcorn State (7-19)
NCAA sanctions prohibit the Indians from participating in the
postseason, but this season such a penalty will prove
essentially moot.

7. Grambling (15-11)
Longtime Texas Southern assistant Lacey Reynolds takes over a
team that lost the SWAC Player of the Year, guard Kenny Sykes.

8. Prairie View (6-21)
The Panthers should finish last in the SWAC for the sixth
straight season. On the bright side, they'll probably win more
games than the football team.

Player to Watch:
Southern's 6'5" shooting guard, Tim Roberts, has already made
227 three-pointers as he enters his senior year. His
26.2-points-per-game average makes him the leading returning
scorer in the nation.

23 PATRIOT

Team (1994-95 Record)

1. Colgate (17-13)
The Red Raiders' sophomore sensation, Adonal Foyle, can do a lot
of things on the basketball court, but can he make up for the
departure of 2,000-point scorer Tucker Neale? Of course he can.

2. Bucknell (131-4)
The top eight players return from a team that led the Patriot
League in every shooting category last season. Now the Bison
just have to shoot over Adonal Foyle.

3. Navy (20-9)
Brian Walker, Michael Heary and Jim Hamilton form the league's
best backcourt, and the young Midshipmen may have found their
sea legs while winning five and losing three on a tour of Sweden
and Finland in August.

4. Holy Cross (15-12)
When three-time all-league player and last season's Patriot
League Player of the Year Rob Feaster graduated, he took nearly
30% of the Crusader offense with him.

5. Army (12-16)
Guard Mark Lueking (24.4 ppg), the third-highest returning
scorer in the nation, should help the Black Knights avoid a
20-loss season for only the second time in six years.

6. Lehigh (11-16)
Senior guard Rashawne Glenn (18.3 ppg) and senior forward Kem
Widmer (14.1 ppg) can score, but is there a point guard to feed
them the ball?

7. Lafayette (2-25)
Former Penn assistant coach Fran O'Hanlon inherits a team with
almost everyone back. Nevertheless the Leopards' talent is spotty.

Player to Watch:
Colgate's 6'10" sophomore center, Adonal Foyle, is everything he
was cracked up to be and much, much more. In his freshman season
the native of the Grenadine Islands averaged 17.0 points, 12.4
rebounds and 4.9 blocks per game (third best in the nation last
season), and he shot 55.9% from the floor.

24 NORTHEAST

Team (1994-95 Record)

1. Rider (181-1)
Games against Temple and Maryland should toughen the Broncs
enough to win a fourth straight regular-season title.

2. Mount St. Mary's (17-13)
Three starters return from a team that won the NEC tournament
but was blown out by Kentucky in the opening round of the NCAAs.

3. Marist (17-11)
Opponents find nothing comic about a front line of Red Foxes
that shot a combined 56.0% from the floor last season.

4. Monmouth (13-14)
Three starters return, but Duke, Manhattan, Princeton, Rutgers
and Seton Hall appear on the schedule.

5. LIU (11-17)
New coach Ray Haskins will have to balance the league's
strongest backcourt with an inexperienced front line.

6. Fairleigh Dickinson (16-12)
Other than sophomore forward Rashon Turner (10.6 ppg), no
returning Knight averaged more than 7.1 points per game last
season.

7. St. Francis (N.Y.) (9-18)
The best St. Francis in the league this season, the Terriers
will rely on freshmen Brenden Floyd, Tim Rail and Jason Smith.

8. Wagner (10-17)
Senior guard Tony Rice and junior guard Warren Anderson will
lead five freshmen and five sophomores.

9. St. Francis (Pa.) (12-16)
The second-best St. Francis in the league, the Red Flash's best
finish in three years under coach Tom McConnell has been seventh.

10. Robert Morris (4-23)
Just two starters return, and there will be few bright spots for
a program that went to the NCAAs in '89, '90 and '92.

Player to Watch:
Rider's blazing guard, Deon Hames, a 5'10" senior, averaged 16.7
points, 3.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game and shot 77.9%
from the line and 40.5% from three-point range.

25 SOUTHERN

Team (1994-95 Record)

NORTH DIVISION

1. Marshall (18-9)
In his second year, former Rick Pitino assistant Billy Donovan
signed two of the top three players in Kentucky.

2. Davidson (14-13)
Chris Alpert, whose 5.5 assists per game was third in the
league, and three other starters are back.

3. East Tennessee State (14-14)
The Buccaneers, 2-5 against in-state opponents, lost 71-69 to
Tennessee-Chattanooga in the conference semis.

4. Appalachian State (9-20)
One bright spot: The Mountaineers didn't miss a free throw in a
loss to UNC Greensboro (10 shots).

5. VMI (10-17)
Senior Lawrence Gullette scored big against Virginia (32) and
North Carolina (22) last season.

SOUTH DIVISION

1. Tenn.-Chattanooga (19-11)
Juco transfer Johnny Taylor rounds out what 11th-year coach Mack
McCarthy says is his best team ever.

2. Western Carolina (14-14)
With Anquell McCollum to lead them, the Catamounts should break
.500 for the first time since '84, despite losing Frankie King.

3. The Citadel (11-16)
There are no seniors, but Bulldog junior guard Noy Castillo sank
a school-record 96 threes in '94-95.

4. Furman (10-17)
Conference freshman of the year Chuck Vincent (12.4 ppg and
8.7 rpg), a 6'7" forward, shot 55% from the field.

5. Georgia Southern (8-20)
With an NCAA investigation ongoing and no starters returning,
the Eagles' season looks bleak.

Player to Watch:
Western Carolina senior guard Anquell McCollum scored plenty
(17.8 ppg) but was overshadowed by teammate Frankie King (26.5
ppg), now a Los Angeles Laker. How much McCollum improves will
determine his NBA future.

26 BIG SOUTH

Team (1994-95 Record)

1. UNC Greensboro (23-6)
First-year coach Randy Peele's job is made easy by the return of
All-Big South center Eric Cuthrell and four other talented
starters.

2. Charleston Southern (19-10)
The Buccaneers must find a way to win without Big South Player
of the Year Eric Burks; eight experienced returnees should help.

3. Liberty (12-16)
After a rebuilding year, the Flames will put the heat on their
opponents with 6'10" sophomore center Peter Aluma, who averaged
15.6 points and 3.5 blocks per game.

3. Radford (16-12)
Eight top players return, but the Highlanders' climb will depend
on a frontcourt that averaged just

6.9 points per game.
4. Md.-Baltimore County (13-14)
New coach Tom Sullivan hopes a defense that allowed fewer than
70 points in 16 different games will help the Retrievers to
their first winning season.

5. UNC Asheville (11-16)
All five starters are back, but the Bulldogs are too small to
succeed in the Big South. The team's average height is 6'4".

6. Winthrop (7-20)
The Eagles have nested in or near the Big South cellar since
1988; don't look for them to reach any new heights this season.

7. Coastal Carolina (6-20)
The Chanticleers had the worst season in school history, and
that was with Big South scoring leader KeKe Hicks (21.1 ppg),
who is now gone.

Player to Watch:
UNC Greensboro senior Scott Hartzell, a 6-foot guard, averaged
15.7 points per game and is on pace to pass Yusef Stewart to
become the Spartans' alltime leading scorer. He finished in the
top four in the Big South in scoring, assists (5.1 per game) and
threes (93).

27 MID-EASTERN

Team (1994-95 Record)

1. South Carolina State (15-13)
Bulldogs enjoy bite as big as their bark with five starters
returning from the conference runner-up.

2. Coppin State (21-10)
The Eagles have lost only one MEAC game in three years, but they
have also lost their starting five from last year's
regular-season title team.

3. Delaware State (7-21)
Conference rookie of the year Chris Nurse, a 6'8" junior center
who is a dominating inside force, should only get better.

4. Md.-Eastern Shore (13-14)
The Hawks' second-year coach, Jeff Menday, is faced with the
loss of 49.7% of last season's points.

5. Bethune-Cookman (12-16)
Center Tyronn White (10.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 36 bpg), a 6'10" senior,
could help the Wildcats surprise this season.

6. North Carolina A&T (15-15)
With only one starter returning, expect the Aggies to fall out
of the MEAC top three for the first time since 1991.

7. Florida A&M (5-22)
With a name like Scientific Mapp, he'd better be good. He is.
The 5'10" sophomore was among the league leaders in assists (3.9
pg).

8. Howard (9-18)
The Bison will struggle this season, but with former Dunbar High
coach Michael McLeese in charge, things are looking up.

9. Hampton (19-7)
New coach Byron Samuels guides the Pirates, a Division II force,
in their first season in Division I.

10. Morgan State (5-22)
When your leading returning scorer--6'5" junior Scott
Deas--averaged just 8.7 ppg, you have a problem. The Bears get
worse.

Player to Watch:
South Carolina State forward Derrick Patterson, a 6'6" senior,
is as good a defensive player as he is an offensive player--and
he's a scoring force. The transfer from Georgetown averaged 17.8
points and 9.3 rebounds per game.

28 SOUTHLAND

Team (1994-95 Record)
1. Northeast Louisiana (14-18)
The Indians' second losing season in 34 years was a fluke; coach
Mike Vining will pick up his sixth Southland crown.

2. Texas-San Antonio (15-13)
Rookie coach Tim Carter, a well-traveled assistant, takes over a
veteran roster that includes top swingman Marlon Anderson.

3. Stephen F. Austin (14-14)
Six of the top seven players are back, including 6'8" senior
forward Javan Rouzan, 11th in the nation in rebounding (11.1 pg).

4. McNeese State (11-16)
After sitting out a year, Tulane transfer Pointer Williams will
lead the way. He could be the Cowboys' best guard since Joe
Dumars.

5. Texas-Arlington (10-17)
The Mavericks don't have much, but they do have a little
something--5'8" point guard Paul Banks, who averaged 8.6 ppg.

6. Sam Houston State (7-19)
There are only six players back, but one is 6'5" Derick Preston,
'93 Southland freshman of the year.

7. Nicholls State (24-6)
The nation's fourth-longest home winning streak (18 games) won't
get much longer with the departure of all five starters.

8. Northwestern State (13-14)
Coach J.D. Barnett, who has won 303 games and been coach of the
year in three leagues, needs to break in seven new players.

9. North Texas (14-13)
In their last season before joining the tougher Big West, the
Eagles are welcoming nine new players.

10. SW Texas State (12-14)
After a 9-4 start in 30-year-old coach Mike Miller's first year,
the Bobcats tailed off. Can they get the momentum back?

Player to Watch:
Texas-San Antonio senior Marlon Anderson, the 1995 Southland
Newcomer of the Year, is the only returning first-team
all-leaguer. The 6'4" swingman averaged 20.8 ppg, hit on 84.9%
of his free throws and sank 96 treys.

29 NORTH ATLANTIC

Team (1994-95 Record)

1. Drexel (22-8)
Senior center Malik Rose--the Shaq of the NAC--and a stifling
defense will help the Dragons to their fourth straight league
title.

2. New Hampshire (19-9)
Senior guard Matt Alosa, the NAC's No. 2 scorer (22.3 ppg),
should help christen a new arena with UNH's first 20-win season.

3. Northeastern (18-11)
One of the most-improved teams in the nation, the Huskies rose
from 52-2 in '93-94. With this year's recruits, the trend
continues.

4. Boston University (15-16)
Junior Tunji Awojobi's career numbers (19.4 ppg, 11.2 rpg) are
better than Nigerian countryman Olajuwon's were at Houston.

5. Towson State (12-15)
In their first year in the NAC, senior guard Ralph Blalock
(17.3 ppg) and the experienced Tigers could show their teeth.

6. Maine (11-16)
Strong finishers: Over the last two years, the Black Bears have
been a combined 12-3 the second time through the NAC schedule.

7. Hofstra (10-18)
UNLV transfers Lawrence Thomas and Seth Meyers, both guards,
join the top-rated recruiting class in the NAC.

8. Vermont (14-13)
Senior guard Eddie Benton can't get much better, so it's up to
his green teammates to move the Catamounts up in the standings.

9. Delaware (12-15)
Former Duke assistant Mike Brey inherits a team of 10 returning
lettermen, but they need to improve on defense--the Fightin' Blue
Hens allowed 73.9 points per game.

10. Hartford (11-16)
Coach Paul Brazeau will shepherd eight new players--including six
freshmen--through what could be a very long season for the Hawks.

Player to Watch:
If you haven't been watching Vermont's 5'11" senior Eddie Benton
the last three years, you missed something. His 1,838 points
make him the leading returning career scorer in the nation.

30 TRANS AMERICA

Team (1994-95 Record)

WESTERN DIVISION

1. Samford (16-11)
With its top two scorers and six other players back, the
Bulldogs are the top dogs in the TAAC.

2. Jacksonville State (24-1)
Though ineligible for the TAAC tournament in this, their first
year in Division I, the Gamecocks will adjust quickly to the big
time.

3. Georgia State (11-17)
The Panthers have four double-digit scorers back.

4. Centenary (10-17)
Top scorer Anthony Stephens (13.0 ppg) returns, but the Gents
are too gentle under the boards.

5. Mercer (15-14)
In losing four key men, the Bears have lost 42.6 points per game.
6. Southeastern Louisiana (12-16)
After their best TAAC finish, the Lions lost three starters--but
not forward Sam Bowie (19.6 ppg).

EASTERN DIVISION

1. College of Charleston (23-6)
The Cougars and Thaddeous Delaney (10.4 rpg) look for their
third straight TAAC title.

2. Stetson (15-12)
With three starters returning, the Hatters give rookie coach
Randy Brown a proven winner.

3. Campbell (8-18)
The Camels have never had consecutive losing seasons during
coach Billy Lee's 10-year career.

4. Florida Atlantic (9-18)
Junior guard Craig Buchanan led the team in scoring (14.2 ppg)
and rebounding (4.9 rpg).

5. Florida International (11-19)
Miami high school coaching legend Shakey Rodriguez takes over an
NCAA tournament team.

6. Central Florida (11-16)
With one starter back, the Knights are looking to the
Castle--transfer Stacey Castle from Wake Forest.

Player to Watch:
College of Charleston center Thaddeous Delaney, a 6'8" junior,
averaged 13 points per game, but his real strength is on the
boards, where his 10.4 rebounds per game led the league and
placed him 25th in the nation.

31 MID-CONTINENT

Team (1994-95 Record)

1. Valparaiso (20-8)
With Bryce Drew (13.4 ppg) and a bench that includes a set of
twins and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jr., the Crusaders are a cinch to
repeat.

2. Central Conn. State (8-18)
Keith Closs, a 7'2" sophomore, led the nation in blocks (5.3
pg), but he needs work on getting shots in the basket (10.2 ppg).

3. Missouri-Kansas City (7-19)
With four returning starters, including 6'5" Darecko Rawlins
(18.1 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.8 spg), the Kangaroos are bouncing back.

4. SUNY Buffalo (18-10)
The Bulls have nine newcomers and a lone senior back, but junior
Rasaun Young (18.0 ppg) is a conference MVP prospect.

5. Western Illinois (20-8)
Up from 7-20 two years ago, the Leathernecks have only one
starter back from a team that lost the title game in triple
overtime.

6. Troy State (11-16)
The Trojans led the league in scoring (91.4 ppg) and were last
in defense (93.0 ppg). The imbalance should continue.

7. Eastern Illinois (16-13)
In their final season in the MCC before heading for the Ohio
Valley, the Panthers will not go out on top.

8. Chicago State (6-20)
Under coach Craig Hodges, the former Chicago Bull bomber, the
Cougars averaged 21.8 three-point attempts per game.

9. Youngstown State (18-10)
In ending a streak of nine losing seasons, the Penguins borrowed
a tip from their gridiron schoolmates: Win with defense (65.8
ppg).

10. Northeastern Illinois (4-22)
Experience will help (three starters return), but six newcomers
will clip the Golden Eagles' wings.

Player to Watch:
Valparaiso guard Bryce Drew, a 6'3" sophomore, was the league's
newcomer of the year (13.4 ppg, 6.0 apg) and MVP of the MCC
tournament. The former Indiana Mr. Basketball played high school
ball in Valparaiso and stayed home to play for his dad, Homer.

32 AMERICAN WEST

Team (1994-95 Record)

1. Cal State-Northridge (8-20)
Though team MVP Michael Dorsey left to play in Japan, the
Matadors have seven players back from a team that lost the
conference tournament final by one point.

2. Southern Utah (17-11)
The Thunderbirds led the nation in three-point shooting (42.7%),
and three of their top four gunners return.

3. Cal State-Sacramento (6-21)
With a schedule that includes Arizona State, Georgetown, Notre
Dame and Minnesota, the Hornets are in trouble.

4. Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo (1-26)
New coach Jeff Schneider used to be Tubby Smith's top recruiter
at Tulsa. Schneider's powers of persuasion are sorely needed.

Player to Watch:
Southern Utah's Reggie Ingram, a 6'2" senior guard, sank a
10-footer with seven seconds to go in the conference tournament
final to win the title for the Thunderbirds. A three-year
starter, Ingram shot 82.5% from the line last season.

INDEPENDENTS

1. Oral Roberts (10-17)
The Golden Eagles have all their starters back, including the
team's leading scorer as a freshman, guard Tim Gill (16.3 ppg).

2. Wofford (17-9)
The Terriers enter Division I having won 71% of their games over
the past four seasons in Division II.

Player to Watch:
Oral Roberts's 6'8" forward
Adam Spanich averaged 23.9 points and 13.2 rebounds at Regis
High in Cedar Rapids last season--good enough to be named Mr.
Basketball in Iowa.

Scouting reports by Mark Bechtel, Stephen Cannella, Joanna
Cohen, Seth Davis, David Fleming, Paul Gutierrez, Evan Kanew,
Mark McClusky, Ashley McGeachy, Beth McNichol, Matthew Rudy,
David Sabino and Kimberly Wong

RANKING

11 Sun Belt
12 Missouri Valley
13 Big West
14 Ohio Valley
15 West Coast
16 Colonial
17 Metro Atlantic
18 Mid-American
19 Big Sky
20 Midwestern
21 Ivy
22 SWAC
23 Patriot
24 Northeast
25 Southern
26 Big South
27 Mid-Eastern
28 Southland
29 North Atlantic
30 Trans America
31 Mid-Continent
32 American West
Independents