Florida Gators
With its 84-75 victory over Ohio State last year, Florida became the first team in more than a decade to win consecutive national championships (Duke 1991, 1992). Veteran head coach Billy Donovan’s squad, which posted an impressive 35-5 mark in 2006-07, also set a school record for wins, captured its third-straight SEC Tournament Championship and made its ninth-consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Gators will be forced to replace six of their top players, including Joakim Noah, Al Horford, Corey Brewer and Taurean Green, who have all entered the NBA Draft.
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Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Rutgers is entering its second season under the Fred Hill regime. In Hill’s first season at the helm, the Scarlet Knights were 10-19 overall and 3-13 in the highly competitive Big East Conference. The second-year coach has secured a strong recruiting class for 2007-08 and will welcome back leading scorer JR Inman. Inman provided the Scarlet Knights with 12.0 points and 7.3 rebounds a game last year, while shooting better than 40 percent from the field and blocking 26 shots. Inman is among three starters returning, along with three other letterwinners.
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North Carolina Central Eagles
N.C. Central, which was 13-15 overall and 8-12 in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) last year, will return six letterwinners and welcome three freshmen among five signees for the 2007-08 season. The Eagles are also beginning their four-year transition to Division I this year and will officially count in the RPI ratings. The Eagles will open their season against cross-town rival Duke.
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North Dakota State Bison
North Dakota State is entering its first year in the newly renamed Summit League – formerly the Mid-Continent Conference – as well as its first in the Saul Phillips era. Phillips served as an assistant with the Bison for three seasons under Tim Miles, who departed in March for Colorado State. The Bison competed as a Division I Independent last year and posted a 20-8 overall record. Phillips will welcome back three starters who all averaged double digits in scoring – guard Ben Woodside (16.4 ppg), forward Brett Winkelman (16.1 ppg) and guard Mike Nelson (15.7 ppg).
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Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles
Tennessee Tech is entering its sixth season under head coach Mike Sutton, who guided the Golden Eagles to a 19-13 overall record last year and a 13-7 mark against Ohio Valley Conference members. TTU, which ranked as the top offensive team in the league last year, made its way to the semifinals of the OVC Tournament before being ousted by eventual champion Eastern Kentucky (57-54). TTU will welcome back three starters, including top returning players Anthony Fisher and Amadi McKenzie. Fisher registered 17.3 points and 4.2 assists each time out, while McKenzie led the OVC in field goal percentage, ranked second in rebounds and eighth in scoring. Sutton has also announced five signees for next year.
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