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Veteran shooting guard A D Vassallo quietly emerged as one of the top players in the ACC last season.
A good 3-point shooter who also likes to take a lot of mid-range jumpers, Vassallo scored in double-figures in all but two games. Vassallo will be expected to carry much of the scoring load again, and he also will need to rebound more with the loss of Deron Washington, the teams second-leading rebounder.
Sophomore point guard Malcolm Delaney ranks among the leagues most promising young players. A shoot-first type, Delaney scored in double-figures in each of the last five games and shot 40.2 percent (47 of 117) from the 3-point line.

Sophomore Hank Thorns will see significant minutes backing up Delaney and may play alongside him at times. Much more of a distributor, Thorns provides a good change of pace for the offense.

The Hokies probably will play a three-guard lineup, and that means one of two sophomores Terrell Bell or Dorenzo Hudson will grab the other starting spot. Bell averaged just seven minutes per game last season, but the staff believes he has made some big strides this offseason. Hudson wasnt able to enroll until mid-December because of academic reasons, which slowed his development. However, he has the ability to score points in a hurry. Both will be part of the rotation, and their level of contribution will play a big role in where the Hokies finish in the ACC.

FRONTCOURT

Overshadowed by a slew of stellar freshmen in the ACC last season, Jeff Allen deserved to be put in the same group as Dukes Kyle Singler (the ACC freshman of the year), North Carolina States J.J Hickson and Wake Forests Jeff Teague and James Johnson. Allen led the Hokies in rebounding (7.6 rpg) and blocks (1.2 bpg) and ranked third in scoring (11.8 ppg). He also finished second in the ACC in steals (2.1 spg), an extraordinary stat for a player who spends most of his time in the post.

Expect Allen to improve on those numbers and develop into a double-double threat. Allen has worked hard on his body and conditioning. He has lost more than 20 pounds since this time last year; hes now listed at 240 pounds.

Sophomore power forward J.T. Thompson should make strides after averaging 5.6 points and 4.1 rebounds off the bench. When Allen was serving a two-game suspension for touching an official last season, Thompson showed hes capable of more output. Thompson scored 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds in a loss to Duke and had 14 points and 12 boards in a win at Boston College.

Junior center Lewis Witcher (6-9/220) probably will begin the season as a starter to give the Hokies a big body to utilize on the inside. Hell be pushed for playing time by freshman Victor Davila, a 6-9, 240-pounder who was the No. 135 prospect in the 2008 class.

Redshirt freshman center Alex Jacobson also may be part of the rotation.

OFFENSE

The Hokies offensive game plan often changes from game to game. A devout watcher of film, coach Seth Greenberg likes to put together multiple sets designed to attack the weakness of each opposing defense. The Hokies will be more perimeter-oriented than in the past in an effort to get the ball in the hands of Delaney and Vassallo more.

DEFENSE
Man-to-man defense is a staple for the Hokies, who led the league in scoring defense (64.7 ppg) and ranked second in defensive field-goal percentage (40.7 percent) last season. They will sprinkle in some 1-3-1 zone.

SHOES TO FILL

Washington. Washington, who averaged 13.1 points and 6.5 rebounds, will be best-remembered for his high-flying dunks - which made him a regular on highlight reels. But his defense may be missed more. He had a penchant for making a key block or deflecting a pass when the Hokies needed it most.

MUST STEP UP

Bell and Hudson. The 33.1 minutes a game that Washington played probably will be divided up between these two. They wont be expected to equal Washingtons numbers, but with that kind of playing time, they need to give the Hokies about five or six points apiece.

IMPACT NEWCOMER

Davila. He has the size and strength to make a quick transition from high school to college, and could become a starter by the time ACC play begins. He turned down scholarship offers from Clemson and Wake Forest to become a Hokie.

A Seton Hall basketball recruit who was declared ineligible to play has sued the Big East Conference and the NCAA.

Michael Glover enrolled at Seton Hall in 2007, but was ruled ineligible that fall after the NCAA invalidated his entire senior year transcript from American Christian Academy in Pennsylvania.

Glover, a 6-foot-6 forward from the Bronx, says in his suit that the NCAA never gave a reason for invalidating the transcript.

The suit asks a judge to declare Glover eligible to play, award him the equivalent of four years tuition at Seton Hall and compensatory damages.

The lawsuit was filed last month in U.S. District Court in Providence, where the Big East is based. The NCAA on Monday asked a judge to dismiss the lawsuit.

With five guards who averaged at least 8 points per game returning.
It safe to say the Golden Eagles will remain a perimeter-oriented team. Jeremy Wise is the go-to guy, and he has become one of the premier players in Conference USA.

Hes a slasher/scorer who has an excellent mid-range game and draws a lot of fouls. In fact, Wise took the second-most free throws of anyone in the league. And thats an especially good thing when youre an 82 percent shooter from the line. Wise scored in double figures in 31 of USMs 33 games. When he draws too much attention from opposing defenses, hes a capable passer (4.3 apg).

R.L. Horton had a breakout freshman season. He proved to be a solid outside shooter (36.8 percent from 3-point range) who helped with the scoring load. He was second on the team in scoring and third among all C-USA freshmen. Horton hit the freshman wall, though, shooting just 33.8 percent overall (23 of 68) over the Golden Eagles last eight games. Still, he was the fourth USM freshman in the past three seasons to be named to the conferences all-freshman team.

Courtney Beasley rounds out the trio of starting guards. Hell be the only senior starter. Hes a physical guard who does his scoring at midrange and on the boards. Despite being only 6-3, Beasley averaged 4.5 rebounds per game. Hes a steadying influence for the Golden Eagles.

FRONTCOURT

SaiQuon Stone is listed on the USM roster as a guard, but at 6-6 and as the teams leading rebounder last season, it seems logical to list him in the frontcourt. Coach Larry Eustachy seemingly always has had teams on the smallish side, yet that never has kept them from rebounding well. Stone averaged 5.8 rebounds last season, and he turned it up to 7.6 over the last eight games.

The other starter up front will be 6-8 returnee Andre Stephens, the only starter taller than 6-6. He had a couple of double-doubles during conference play. If Stephens can provide more consistent production, it will make the Golden Eagles that much more difficult to defend.

The X-factor could be 7-foot Brazilian Gustavo Lino. The coaches were high on him entering last season, but he suffered a torn ACL in practice and was lost for the year. Hes not fully healthy yet, and the staff will bring him along slowly. However, word is he has worked extremely hard to rehab. The hope is hell be ready to contribute in a major way by the stretch run.

OFFENSE

USM is primarily a motion team. They may run some high-low because the coaches feel like the newcomers in the frontcourt are better passers than theyve had previously. The Golden Eagles are a patient offensive team, but that may have been more out of necessity while building depth. This team could push the ball more.

DEFENSE

Eustachy employs primarily man-to-man. With more experience on the roster, he may tinker with more full-court pressure and more halfcourt trapping, something the Golden Eagles used a bit and with some success - last season.
SHOES TO FILL

C Gjio Bain. Despite averaging just 17.9 minutes per game, the 7-footer averaged 4.8 rebounds and had a team-high 47 blocks. The shot-blocking role could be filled by Lino, but that may take a while.

MUST STEP UP

Wise. He considered entering the NBA Draft last season but returned for his junior season, saying he believes he can elevate himself to a first-round pick. This is his team. If he develops into first-round material, he will have pushed the Golden Eagles into the NCAA Tournament.

IMPACT NEWCOMER

G Rodney McCauley. There would seem to be more opportunity in the frontcourt, but the coaches like McCauleys game. If hes pushing the bevy of guards for time, it will only be a good thing.

UCF Basketball will definitely be tested early in Conference USA.

Kirk Speraw and the Knights will open their league schedule with a visit from NCAA Championship runner-up Memphis on Saturday, January 10, 2009.

It will be the first time UCF hosts Memphis in the new UCF Arena.

The Tigers first and last visit to Orlando in January 2007 set an old UCF Arena attendance record with a capacity crowd of 4,805. UCFs new on-campus basketball venue, which opened last season, now seats 10,000.

Memphis rolled through C-USA again last year, finishing the year 38-2 with a heartbreaking overtime loss to Kansas in the NCAA Tournament Championship Game.

UCFs second C-USA game will be a trip to Birmingham to play UAB.

The Knights full 2008-09 schedule will be out soon.

Scott waits in Orlando: R.J. Scotts official visit to UCF and Orlando is going a little bit longer than planned. Scott, who committed to the Knights last month, lives in New Orleans and his Sunday evening flight home to Louisiana was cancelled due to the impending threat of Hurricane Gustav.

He arrived in Orlando late last week, spending the weekend on campus and attending the Knights first football game against South Carolina State.

In the meantime, Scott and his family are staying with relatives in the area until they can return home.

Scott, a shooting guard at Slidells Salmen High School, is the Knights first commitment in the 2009 class. He chose UCF over offers from Mississippi State, Tulane, New Orleans and others.

New Mexico State forward Herb Pope is as troubled as he is talented.

Popes saga has been well-documented. He grew up hard. Pope was abandoned by his parents and was in and out of foster care in Aliquippa, Pa. He has had his share of run-ins with the law. He was in an altercation at a party in his hometown and subsequently was shot four times, and somehow survived. The young man who shot him was charged with attempted murder.

Pope chose New Mexico State partly to escape western Pennsylvania. The Aggies fought to ensure his eligibility. Last season, when he was finally cleared to play, Pope averaged 11.1 points and 6.8 rebounds. The Aggies were 9-10 without him in the lineup and 12-4 with him.

Now he may want to leave, and it looks as if his destination of choice would be Seton Hall. Granted, the Pirates South Orange, N.J., campus isnt especially close to Aliquippa, but its a lot closer than Las Cruces, N.M. Seton Hall also plays in the Big East with Pitt, the school 30 miles up the road from Aliquippa to which Pope first committed as a high school sophomore.

Should Pope stay with the Aggies, or cast his lot with the Pirates? We asked Rivals.com basketball writers Bob McClellan and Andrew Skwara for their takes.

McCLELLANS PICK: STAY

Herb Pope seems to get in a lot of trouble when hes home. He was nearly murdered in Aliquippa. He visited in December and got cited for DUI.

Im not saying New Mexico State is going to make him a saint, but its a safer place for him than the Big East, where trouble will be a lot easier to find in places such as Pittsburgh, New York and Washington, D.C. The Aggies visit locales such as Boise, Idaho; Fresno, Calif.; and Logan, Utah.

Published reports say that if Pope were to transfer, he would seek a waiver to be eligible immediately. Thats fine and dandy, but what if the NCAA doesnt grant it? Anybody like Popes chances of staying out of trouble back on the East Coast with a year away from basketball?

Pope isnt going to see his senior year, anyway. The goal is the NBA, and he has to realize hes a lot closer to it if he plays a full season for the Aggies and tears up the WAC than he would be anywhere else. And forget the notion that NMSU will have its feelings hurt: It will welcome him back if he should decide to return.

SKWARAS PICK: GO

Moving back east certainly makes things more dangerous for Pope. But it seems to me that he now has no choice but to cut his ties with New Mexico State.

As soon as Pope set foot on the Seton Hall campus, it was clear he wanted out. You dont visit another school unless you want to leave. He knows it and, worse yet, all his NMSU coaches and teammates do, too. Im sure they have heard the news. You think they want to play with a guy who doesnt want to play with them?

Perhaps Pope has a good reason for switching schools. New Mexico State had a different coach (Reggie Theus left to be the Sacramento Kings coach) when he signed with the Aggies. The Aggies also believe he is dealing with some family issues.

But the reason doesnt matter at this point. Pope already has tipped his hand. The best move would be to find a school where he truly wants to be, a place where hell be motivated to play ball and go to class. Maybe, just maybe, that is the key to avoiding trouble.

The return of three guards who joined the program last season. Is the main reason expectations again are high for the Bluejays.

The group is led by sophomore wing PAllen Stinnett, a former four-star recruit who has the kind of athleticism and raw ability rarely seen in the Missouri Valley Conference. That showed last season when Stinnett captured the leagues freshman and newcomer of the year honors. Stinnett ranked 12th in the MVC in scoring at 12.6 points per game he was the only freshman in the top 30 and that number should go up significantly. He averaged 15.2 points over the final 14 games.

Opposing defenses also must respect Booker Woodfox and Cavel Witter, two former junior college transfers who provide firepower. Woodfox emerged as a reliable 3-point shooter and scored in double figures in 14 of the last 15 games on his way to capturing the leagues Sixth Man of the Year award last season. Witter exploded for 42 points in the Bluejays 111-110 double-overtime win over Bradley.

Witter will share time at the point with senior Josh Dotzler, who provides a good change of pace. Dotzler isnt a threat to score but does a good job protecting and distributing the ball. He posted a career-high 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio last season.

FRONTCOURT

The loss of veteran big man Dane Watts creates big questions up front. Watts was the teams second-leading scorer and its top rebounder.

Junior Chad Millard (6-8) and sophomore Kenny Lawson Jr. (6-9), who have experience as role players, will be counted on to make up for much of Watts production. Millards strength is outside shooting, while Lawson has the physical tools to be a good rebounder and an anchor on defense.

Junior college transfer Tom Whitehead (6-7), a power forward, will provide needed depth.

OFFENSE

Under Dana Altman, the Bluejays use a perimeter-oriented attack with lots of pick-and-rolls. Often, all five players on the court have the green light from beyond the arc. The system is predicated on patience and unselfishness.

DEFENSE

The Bluejays will utilize a number of presses, some designed to create turnovers and others simply to cut down the time an opponent has to run its offense. They plan to play man-to-man predominantly, but will mix in a variety of zones.
SHOES TO FILL

Watts. He had developed into one of the top big men in the MVC. His ability to score on the inside and free up space for the outside shooters may be missed most.

MUST STEP UP

Lawson. The coaching staff believes Lawson has the ability to be an all-conference player. If he plays at that level, the Bluejays will have no trouble winning the MVC regular-season title.

IMPACT NEWCOMER

Justin Carter. Carter will look to continue the recent tradition of junior college transfers contributing for the Bluejays. A 6-4 wing, hell be an instant part of the rotation.

After a brilliant campaign on the summer travel circuit, John Wall. The No 1 prospect in the Rivals150, will begin a series of visits in a couple weeks.

Dates for visits to Memphis, Kansas and Oregon have been set, and there is a tentative date for a trip to Kentucky. Baylor will be Walls last official visit, while N.C. State and Oklahoma State may get unofficial looks.

According to Walls travel team coach Brian Clifton of D-One Sports, a Sept. 12 official visit to Memphis is first on the docket followed by a Sept. 19 trip to Kansas. Then Wall will travel to Oregon on Oct. 3 and likely will be at Kentucky one week later. A date has not yet been set for teh final official visit to Baylor.

Aside from these five schools, a couple others are still in the mix. Wall, who attends Raleigh (N.C.) Word of God Christian Academy, might spend some time at North Carolina State on an unofficial visit. Oklahoma State, which Wall has already previously visited, is also in the running for either an unofficial or official visit.

We arent getting caught up in the semantics of it being an official or unofficial visit, said Clifton. Obviously North Carolina State is ten minutes away, and John has already spent significant time on Kentuckys and Oklahoma States campuses.

So with Baylors hiring of Brian Cliftons brother Dwon Clifton, who is also a coach for D-One Sports, is it a forgone conclusion that Wall will eventually choose Baylor?

Baylors situation in hiring Dwon gives John a comfort level that doesnt exist anywhere else, Brian Clifton said. But there are some schools that John is interested in because of style of play or the incoming recruiting class. Those factors and others might have as much to do with where John goes to school as anything.

John doesnt owe anyone anything. If he wants to go to Baylor or if he wants to go to Memphis, he is going to do what he thinks is best for himself. Dwon did what was best for himself, and that does have some impact on John because his comfort level is the most important factor. But it doesnt obligate John to go to Baylor.

Blazing fast with the basketball, Wall is an impeccable ball handler with court savvy. The right hander has a penchant for beating defenders with his left hand and can then counter with a terrific left-to-right, behind-the-back dribble. Finding teammates on the move is his forte, but he is also an excellent finisher at the rim. His jumper is still a work in progress, but it is good enough to keep the defense honest.

When Jeff Jones was hired by American in 2000, conventional wisdom had him staying at the school. For just a few years before moving on to a bigger conference.

Conventional wisdom has proved wrong. Jones, who last season led the Eagles to the NCAA tournament for the first time as a Division I school, has signed a six-year contract extension that will keep him in northwest Washington through the 2013-14 season.

“It was really funny,” Jones said Thursday following the school’s announcement of the new contract. “Because there were so many people that assumed that I was coming to American and trying to use it as a stepping stone of sorts. I tried telling people and they just didn’t listen, that I appreciated that at a time when I had been out of coaching, American gave me a great opportunity to come back. There’s a lot to that.”

Jones had left Virginia in 1998 under a cloud, forced to resign after a season of scandals involving several players. It was a sour ending to an eight-year run that included five NCAA berths with the Atlantic Coast Conference school.

Jones then spent a year out of basketball and worked a season as an assistant at Rhode Island before American offered the chance to become a head coach again.

“It’s not just all about what conference or how much money you’re making,” Jones said. “At least for me, a big part of it is being wanted and being in an environment where you’re comfortable and happy. And the big one is ‘Are you in a place were you truly believe you can win?’ And all of those things were true for me and have been true for me.”

Jones took over a program that hadn’t enjoyed a winning season in a decade. His arrival, coupled with the decision to drop a level to the Patriot League, began a turnaround that has produced a 125-113 record in Jones’ eight seasons. The Eagles lost three tournament championship games under Jones before they finally cleared that major hurdle, beating Colgate last season to earn the automatic NCAA bid.

The next task, of course, is find a way to become an NCAA mainstay.

“Actually getting into the tournament was that important threshold that we had to reach,” Jones said. “Now the goal is you go from hoping you’re going to get there to dealing with a different set of expectations and trying to get back.”

Jones recently returned from a USO tour of Iraq, where he coached a practice for a team of military personnel preparing for a basketball tournament against fellow American servicemen. It was a diversion from the day-to-day stress of serving in a dangerous region.

“The level of basketball was good,” Jones said. “The intensity of the competition was great.”

Kent State has landed one of the nation top junior college transfers without even having to use a scholarship.

Rivals.com has learned that 6-foot-3 guard Tyree Evans has been accepted to Kent State. Evans, the No. 6 prospect in the 2008 junior college rankings, will join the team as a walk-on. The Golden Flashes did not have any scholarships available.

Evans has been linked to Kent State since early June, when the school hired his former coach - Bobby Steinburg - from Motlow State Community College in Lynchburg, Tenn., as an assistant to new coach Geno Ford. That move came after Evans asked for and was given his release from Maryland in late May. Evans signed with the Terps in April but had yet to pass through the admissions office there, possibly because of a troubled past that kept many Division I-A schools from recruiting him.

Evans was charged with two felonies statutory rape and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute that eventually were pleaded down to misdemeanors. He was also found guilty of trespassing.

Evans addition will make Kent State the clear favorite in the MAC and possibly one of the top mid-major programs in the nation. The Golden Flashes return three starters from a team that went 28-7 and reached the NCAA Tournament.

Evans will give the Golden Flashes an explosive scoring threat on the perimeter. He averaged 21.1 points per game and shot 44 percent from 3-point range last season at Motlow State.

Virginia guard Dimitri Batten found a school with his desired major and a chance to play early. It didnt hurt that the school is just 30 minutes away from home either. The 6-foot-3 guard from Newport News is off the board.

Batten told Rivals.com on Thursday that he verbally committed to Old Dominion and will stay close to home for college.

I think they have a really good program and I like their staff of coaches. They have my major, engineering, and its one of the best in the nation, Batten said. My family is going to be able to see me play, too.

An aggressive combo guard, Batten shined with the Boo Williams 16 and under program with his ability to thrive in transition. Batten said he feels like he do similar things for ODU and coach Blaine Taylor in colleg.e

He likes my ability to not give up and play above the rim. Coach said he likes my hustle and that I can play the one and the two. Coach said that is what he likes about me.

Batten said he also considered Virginia Commonwealth and Miami but ODU was always my strongest.