A quick look at area universities’ basketball teams.
SCHOOL: CHICAGO STATE
By John Mullin
Last season: 12-20 overall, -9-7 in Mid-Continent Conference
Opener: Nov. 20 at UCLA
WHO’S GONE?: F Rubeen Perry and his 11 points and 6 rebounds per game.
WHO’S BACK?: All-Mid-Con second teamer Craig Franklin and Tony Weeden, giving Cougars superb senior leadership in the backcourt and a combined 28 ppg. Deji Akindele (7.1 ppg.) is the other returning starter and at 7-1, 240 pounds needs to be more dominant inside. Royce Parran was Mid-Con sixth man of the year.
WHAT WE KNOW: Kevin Jones was voted Mid-Con coach of the year in part for turning the Cougars into true grit. One-time doormats posted first winning conference record and were 10th on NCAA’s most-improved list, up from 3-27 in ’02-03. Guard play can keep Cougars in close games.
WHAT WE DON’T KNOW: Whether momentum will carry over for a team that has rarely had anything good to carry over and if Cougars can replace the quality inside play and power of Perry. Croatian Marin Mulic at 6-10 can bring inside-outside threat to Cougars’ front court.
SCHOOL: DEPAUL
By Lou Freedman
Last season: 22-10, 12-4 in Conference USA
Opener: Nov. 20 vs. Bowling Green at Allstate Arena
WHO’S GONE?: Leading scorer Delonte Holland, a forward who averaged 16.5 ppg. Center Andre Brown, 13.5 ppg., 9.2 rpg.
WHO’S BACK?: Senior guard Drake Diener returns with a 12.6 ppg. average and is among nine letter-winners. Senior forward Quemont Greer (12.6 ppg.), a clutch rebounder, also returns. Sophomore point guard Sammy Mejia could have a breakout year after guiding the Blue Demons to the NCAA tournament as a freshman.
WHAT WE KNOW: In their second season under coach Dave Leitao, the Blue Demons exceeded expectations to capture a share of the Conference USA regular-season title and advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament by showing a lot of heart and maturity. Several core leaders return who have experience winning close games and buying into Leitao’s defense-first outlook.
WHAT WE DON’T KNOW: If Greer’s inside presence can make up for the loss of Brown. Also, if freshman recruits 6-4 Draelon Burns and 6-1 Cliff Clinkscales, plus 6-8 junior college all-star Jamal Nichols, can make up the scoring loss created by the departure of Holland and Brown.
SCHOOL: ILLINOIS
By Marlen Garcia
Last season: 26-7, 13-3 -in Big Ten
Opener: Nov. 19 vs. Delaware State at the Assembly Hall
WHO’S GONE?: Jerrance Howard, who didn’t get significant playing time but led the team with his contagious enthusiasm.
WHO’S BACK?: Five starters return for the defending Big Ten champs. Guards Deron Williams, who averaged 14 points and 6.2 assists, Dee Brown (13.3, 4.5) and Luther Head (11 ppg.) should give opponents fits. Roger Powell (11.6 ppg., 5 rpg.) and James Augustine (9.6 ppg., 7.3 rpg.) will resume their duties inside.
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WHAT WE KNOW: The Illini struggled early in Big Ten play last season and then won 10 straight to claim their first outright conference championship since 1952. In the postseason, the Illini advanced to the Sweet 16, where Duke ended their run. This season, as the basketball program celebrates its 100th season, they’re talking about the Final Four.
WHAT WE DON’T KNOW: With 11 lettermen returning, coach Bruce Weber is wondering if he can keep everyone happy when it comes to playing time. “I told them in a meeting last spring, ‘One of you will be very unhappy by midseason next year,’ ” he said. ” ‘It’s going to be your fault, not my fault. What you do over the summer will create the unhappiness, not me.’ “
SCHOOL: ILLINOIS-CHICAGO
By Bill Jauss
Last season: 24-8, 13-4 in Horizon League
Opener: Nov. 22 vs. Georgia Tech at the Pavilion
WHO’S GONE?: Unexpected loss of point guard Martell Bailey hurts. The one-time national leader in assists fell short of NCAA rules for academic progress. Senior Armond Williams can play in the spring if he meets academic requirements.
WHO’S BACK?: Bailey’s former Westinghouse High teammate, 18-point scorer Cedrick Banks, will again weave among his screeners and pop free for medium and long-range buckets. 6-7 Elliott Poole can be a force inside.
WHAT WE KNOW: Bailey’s former Westinghouse High teammate, 18-point scorer Cedrick Banks, will again weave among his screeners and pop free for medium and long-range buckets. 6-7 Elliott Poole can be a force inside. Banks will score. So will Poole. Williams will rebound and defend. Coach Jimmy Collins’ Flames could again challenge for the Horizon title.
WHAT WE DON’T KNOW: How well can Rocky Collum and Marcetteaus McGee do sharing Bailey’s spot at the point? Can 6-9 Jovan Stefanov play some post defense?
SCHOOL: LOYOLA
By Bill Jauss
Last season: 9-20, 4-12 in Horizon League
Opener: Nov. 20 vs. Northern Illinois in Gentile Center
WHO’S GONE?: 6-6 forward Paul McMillan, top scorer and rebounder at 17.0 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. 6-9 center Demetrius Williams, No. 2 scorer and rebounder at 11.3 and 6.4. Also, 6-4 swingman Louis Smith, team’s best defender.
WHO’S BACK?: 6-7 sophomore forward Blake Schilb and 6-2 senior guard DaJuan Gouard. Each averaged 8.9 points per game. 6-5 sophomore guard Majak Kou averaged 7.9 points.
WHAT WE KNOW: Ramblers will be small, young and swift. New coach Jim Whitesell will stress defense, a phase of the game the Ramblers were allergic to last season. Freshman Dave Telander from Brother Rice can provide three-point shooting.
WHAT WE DON’T KNOW: Who’s going to rebound and play post defense? It could be 6-8 freshman Tom Levin from Oshkosh, Wis., or seldom-used 6-11 sophomore Tyrelle Blair.
SCHOOL: NORTHERN ILLINOIS
By Bill Jauss
Last season: 10-20, 5-13 in Mid-American Conference
Opener: Nov. 20 at Loyola
WHO’S GONE?: 6-6 Marcus Smallwood, an outstanding scorer-rebounder. Guard Perry Smith.
WHO’S BACK?: 6-11 shot-blocking center James Hughes, 6-7 Todd Peterson, 6-3 Mike McKinney, 5-10 guard Anthony Maestranzi.
WHAT WE KNOW: The Huskies will be big. They’ll have new faces too. Cory Sims, a junior college All-America guard from Lewis & Clark College in Godfrey, Ill., figures to start. Zach Pancratz, 6-5 guard from Schaumburg, could also start.
WHAT WE DON’T KNOW: How will all these new pieces fit together? Who’s going to score on the block to complement outside shooting by Sims, Pancratz, Maestranzi, et al.? Coach Rob Judson is enthusiastic. When you’re coming off a 20-loss season, you want some new faces.
SCHOOL: NORTHWESTERN
By John Mullin
Last season: 14-15, 8-8 -in Big Ten
Opener: Nov. 19 vs. Portland in Fairbanks, Alaska
WHO’S GONE?: First team All-Big-Ten guard Jitim Young took 18 points and six rebounds per game away as well as go-to senior leadership.
WHO’S BACK?: Four starters are back and three of those are juniors: G Mohamed Hachad (8.3 ppg.), with 42 consecutive starts; G T.J. Parker (8.8 ppg.), team assists leader; and Vedran Vukusic (14.3 ppg.), honorable mention All-Big Ten.
WHAT WE KNOW: Northwestern has turned Welsh-Ryan Arena into true home-court advantage with 30-13 record over past three seasons under 2004 Big Ten coach of the year Bill Carmody. Matchup zone defense helped Wildcats to hold conference foes to 59.1 ppg., best in the Big Ten and fifth nationally, and lead the conference in steals.
WHAT WE DON’T KNOW: Can anyone fill the gap left by Young, who accounted for 29 percent of Northwestern’s scoring? Wildcats have 10 returning letter-winners but only one (Vukusic) who averaged double figures. By the time the Big Ten tournament rolls around, will this be a team no one wants to face?
SCHOOL: NOTRE DAME
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By Avani Patel
Last season: 19-13, 9-7 in Big East
Opener: Nov. 19 vs. Harvard at the Joyce Center
WHO’S GONE?: Torrian Jones, who averaged 8.4 ppg., and center Tom Timmermans, who added 6 ppg.
WHO’S BACK?: Senior point guard Chris Thomas, who averaged a team-high 19.7 ppg. He’s joined by Chris Quinn at -14.3 ppg. The frontcourt features Jordan Cornette, on pace to break LaPhonso Ellis’ career record for blocked shots; Torin Francis, who averaged 14.2 ppg.; and Arizona transfer Dennis Latimore.
WHAT WE KNOW: With Thomas, Quinn and Francis starting and Colin Falls coming off the bench, the Irish will be able to score. And after just missing the NCAA tournament last season, the Irish are hungry. Four of the team’s five starters from last season are back. Rick Cornett and Rob Kurz will both contribute to the team’s frontcourt play off the bench.
WHAT WE DON’T KNOW: Who is going to take the place defensively of Jones, who almost always guarded the opponent’s top scorer. Also, how well Francis and Thomas have healed from their respective surgeries last spring. Francis underwent surgery to repair a herniated disc in his lower back; Thomas had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.