Summit League primer

A team-by-team glance at the Summit League heading into the 2007-08 season.

Centenary

Strengths: This team will be able to run with the best, thanks to the three -- guard set of Tyrone Hamilton, Chase Adams and Nick Stallings. Those three helped the Gents rank second in turnover margin (+1.8) last season, and defensive prowess should again be a strong suit of Centenary this year.

Weaknesses: With just one senior and three juniors, the Gents are going to be heavily inexperienced this season. This could prove fateful when Centenary gets into a close game, as the team has little go-to options other than Tyrone Hamilton. And with only one player taller than 6-foot-8, post play will be an issue for the Gents.

Scouting the newcomers: Of the seven freshmen, small forward Marcus Martin and center Tim Price have the best opportunity to contribute immediately. Martin is a long 6-7 player who can provide key minutes behind Nick Stallings, while Price may find himself in the starting lineup sooner than later. At 6-11, he's the Gents' tallest player by three inches.

IPFW

Strengths: The Mastodons are experienced, with four players returning that started at least 15 games last season. IPFW is also a quick team than can get out and hit the three. Last year's 227 total three-pointers by the Mastodons would have ranked third in the Summit League.

Weaknesses: Hitting the boards was a problem for IPFW last season, and there seems to be no signs of that improving this year. The Mastodons have no player taller than 6-9 on their roster, and the two players who do stand that height saw little time last season.

Scouting the newcomers: It was a small recruiting class for coach Dane Fife, but the three-man group is loaded with talent. Freshman Ben Botts looks to be the point guard of the future for IPFW, as he led his prep team to two Indiana state titles. If Demetrius Johnson continues to be injury-prone, Botts could be in the starting lineup earlier than expected. Zach Plackemeier is a deadly shooter from the perimeter, while Nick Luttrell is a 6-8 banger who will provide needed interior help. Oakland transfer David Carson, who'll become eligible in December, can be a valuable bench player and give the Mastodons' starting backcourt rest.

IUPUI

Strengths: Last year's .500 season was full of development, which should prove fruitful for this year. Guards Gary Patterson and Austin Montgomery both were on the Mid-Con's All-Newcomer team last season, and, with the return of star George Hill, give the Jaguars three deadly weapons from the perimeter. This team is also solid at the charity stripe, looking to build on last year's school record of 75.4 percent from the free-throw line.

Weaknesses: The graduation of David Barlow leaves a big hole at point guard, as Barlow was durable, averaging a team-leading 36.4 minutes a game. IUPUI will find it hard to replace that kind of point man, and will likely have to suffice with Gary Patterson, who is untested as far as a full slate goes. And aside from 7-0 Bill Van Senus (who plays sparingly), the Jaguars are limited in the interior.

Scouting the newcomers: Forward Christian Siakam (6-7) will bring an inside presence the Jaguars have lacked in recent years, and could see major minutes early. If Austin Montgomery can't handle the point slot and goes back to shooting guard, freshman John Ashworth could step in. The 6-3 guard was one of Indiana's Top 20 preps in the state last year. Swingman LeRoy Nobles comes from one of the top prep schools, Harmony (Ohio), in the nation, and is a solid swingman who could possibly be this year's sixth man.

North Dakota State

Strengths: The Bison have been remarkably efficient offensively during the careers of Ben Woodside, Mike Nelson and Brett Winkelman. NDSU shot 50 percent from the floor last season (ranking fourth nationally, had the Bison been eligible for NCAA statistics), including 39 percent from 3-point range. Winkelman and Nelson both shot better than 42 percent on 3-pointers. The Bison have been solid on the boards, too, outrebounding opponents by an average of seven per game a year ago. Woodside is the Bison's money man, scoring 16.4 points per game and making 82 percent of his free throws.

Weaknesses: Saul Phillips said he'll emphasize defensive improvement. The Bison lost a key post scorer, defender and rebounder in Andre Smith. Now playing professionally in Europe, Smith averaged 17 points and nine rebounds.

Scouting the newcomers: Michael Tveidt (6-7, 210 pounds) is a redshirt freshman expected to soften the blow of losing Andre Smith. Tveidt is expected to be a strong rebounder. Freddy Coleman (6-3, 217) is an athletic redshirt freshman who will add depth and defensive strength at guard. True freshman Eric Carlson (6-6, 205) could see immediate playing time at forward.

Oakland

Strengths: Oakland has a tough and experienced group, which should serve the Grizzlies well in close games and throughout the season. This team has a bevy of scorers, so if one has a bad stretch, others will be there to pick up the slack. And the Grizzlies also know how to maintain a lead, as they finished first in the conference and fourth in the nation for free-throw percentage last season at 76.8 percent.

Weaknesses: The graduation of starting forward and leading scorer Vova Severovas will hurt Oakland in the post, as the team must find another strong inside player to complement Derick Nelson. And the Grizzlies must find a way to get past Oral Roberts (who they lost to in the tournament finals last year) when it counts, because this league is strictly a one-bid one when it comes to the NCAAs.

Scouting the newcomers: Rutgers transfer Dan Waterstradt may not be able to provide the inside scoring of the graduated Vova Severovas, but at 6-10 and 240 pounds, the junior center will battle with Shane Lawal for an immediate starting spot. Freshman Tim Williams is a do-it-all guard who is a future starter for the Grizzlies. This year, Williams will provide valuable minutes off the bench. If Patrick McCloskey can't make the transition to starter, look for 6-9 freshman Will Hudson to fill the void. Hudson was the leading scorer in the Madison (Wis.) area at 21.0 points per game last season. Guard Peter Bunn won't see tons of playing time behind Oakland's strong backcourt, but can make an impact with his strong shooting when on the court.

Oral Roberts

Strengths: Even with the departure of Caleb Green and Ken Tutt, Oral Roberts still has an experienced group that includes Marchello Vealy, the league's Sixth Man of the Year last season. Moses Ehambe and Adam Liberty are also well-polished, and the Golden Eagles' recruiting class for 2007-08 is arguably the Summit's best. The old adage of "reload, not rebuild" definitely applies for Oral Roberts.

Weaknesses: How do you replace 36.7 points per game? That's the question facing coach Scott Sutton and the Golden Eagles, now that Green and Tutt are gone. Green also was strong on the boards, while Tutt was "Mr. Big Shot" time after time for Oral Roberts. Filling that duo's shoes seems near impossible.

Scouting the newcomers: The Golden Eagles have the Summit's best recruiting class, and it includes talented transfers and high-rated freshmen. Guards Robert Jarvis and Curtis Allen lead the group. Jarvis was a junior college All-American at Seminole (Okla.) State, and will compete for the starting shooting guard spot while also backing up point guard Adam Liberty. Allen, who sat out last year after transferring from Kansas State, is a quick and athletic player who can play several positions, including both guard positions and small forward. Portland transfer Marcus Lewis is touted as Caleb Green's replacement, as the 6-8 power forward is poised for a breakout season inside for ORU. Guard Kyron Stokes tops the Golden Eagles' freshmen, and was rated among the top 10 players in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

South Dakota State

Strengths: The SDSU roster lists eight players 6-6 or taller. The hope is that size translates into a physical nature the Jacks have sorely lacked the past three seasons. Redshirt freshman Anthony Cordova is 6-7, 240 pounds and is expected to contribute immediately. Ben Beran was averaging 12 points before being dismissed in the 2005-06 season. The 6-8 Mohammed Berte was the Jacks' leading rebounder with 7.2 per game before his dismissal.

Weaknesses: The Jacks have a mass of newcomers again. They also have a mass of freshmen, six in all, listed on the roster. Stability has not been a trademark since SDSU made the move to Division I. The Jacks struggled to find points last year. They averaged just 62 points and Kai Williams led the team as a true freshman with a 12.1 average. Second-leading scorer Matt Cadwell (11 points) left the team.

Scouting the newcomers: Michael Palarca, a 5-7 point guard, is a true freshman expected to start. Anthony Cordova will provide beef inside and expected to help on the boards as a redshirt freshman.

Southern Utah

Strengths: Hard to say with almost an entirely new team. Of the four players back, three are starters, so Southern Utah will at least have some experience. This is a team, with 12 new faces and a new coach, that could play with a "nothing-to-lose" attitude, which could be beneficial. Also, Roger Reid has had success at BYU formerly and knows what it takes to be a winner and sustain that success.

Weaknesses: Simply put, Southern Utah needs to find a way to win on the road. Last year, the Thunderbirds' season was corrupted by its play away from home, as they went 4-11. Granted, the team has the furthest to travel most of the time when it comes to conference games, but excuses don't matter when tourney time comes. Southern Utah will also be rough in the area of point guard with the graduation of starter Steve Barnes. Inexperience will reign heavily among the replacements.

Scouting the newcomers: Well, newcomers make up almost this entire team, as there are 12 total. Forward Geoff Payne leads the way, and is familiar with new coach Roger Reid, as both came to Southern Utah together from Snow College. Payne averaged at least 20 points a game in each of his two seasons at Snow and was a junior college All American last year. Aiding the backcourt will be Eastern Washington transfer Nick Livi, who averaged 16.5 ppg two seasons ago, which ranked fourth in the Big Sky. Guard Damar Wilson could vie for a starting slot, while 6-10 center John Clifford is a potential key post reserve.

UMKC

Strengths: The Kangaroos won four of their final five games last year, and take that confidence with them heading into this season. At 7-1, center Alex Pledger is an imposing force in the middle and a definite game-changer. With the right push, guards Tim Blackwell and Brent Stephens can become better shooters, and the hope is a new coach will bring that out.

Weaknesses: Even with seven returning players that have decent experience, UMKC needs to find a go-to scorer now that Quinton Day and Dee Ayuba are gone. Someone will have to break out of the pack and shoulder the load, and right now there doesn't seem to be anyone who would want the ball come crunch time. Another question lies in new coach Matt Brown, and how the players will adapt to his defense-first style after running an 80-point offense much of last year.

Scouting the newcomers: Of the three-man recruiting class, forward Spencer Johnson has the most potential. The 6-6 forward averaged a double-double at Laurinburg (N.C.) Prep, and will be called upon to provide strong inside minutes for the Kangaroos. Florida International transfer Kenny Simms also has starting potential, and will provide a big presence in the middle at 6-9 and 250 pounds. James Humphrey could be another post factor at 6-7, but will likely have to bulk up from his current playing weight of 195 pounds. UMKC desperately needed to add true scorers, and got just one in guard Reggie Hamilton, who will vie for the opening-day point guard starting spot.

Western Illinois

Strengths: There will be no shortage of shots taken by Western Illinois this season, as the Leathernecks have nine guards on the roster, including all-conference returnee David Jackson. The hope is to have "very accurate shooters with a high basketball I.Q.," according to coach Derek Thomas. This team should be able to improve on last year's average of just 62.4 points a game, which ranked last in the league.

Weaknesses: Defense, however, is a different story for Western Illinois. The Leathernecks were just one of three teams in the league to allow 70 (70.5) or more points a game last season. All those shots previously mentioned also means likely another last place finish in field goal percentage, while Western Illinois also brought up the rear in free throw percentage. Close games could again be a problem for this group, with no real go-to guy other than Jackson.

Scouting the newcomers: Guard Larry Dumas is one of the top recruits in the Summit this season, and will likely contribute early for the Leathernecks. A 6-2 freshman from Chicago, Dumas has an explosive first step and is an excellent perimeter shooter. He'll back up David Jackson for now, but is a future starter for sure. Also key for this eight-man class is guard Josh Rivers, another strong outside shooter; 6-5 David Dubois, who can hit the three with the best of them; and defensive stopper David Nurse. Delvon Johnson (6-8) and James Granstra (6-10) may need some work before becoming contributors inside.