THE GOOD NEWS
The adversity from this season should make next year's Howard team tougher. Mike Phillips, Dadrian Collins, Alphonso Leary and Anton Dickerson all averaged 30-plus minutes per game, and all have remaining eligibility. Phillips and Leary could combine with a healthy Theodore Boyomo to give Howard a pretty imposing frontcourt. That's a big deal in the MEAC, with the likes of Kyle O'Quinn at Norfolk State and Kevin Thompson at Morgan State returning to wreak havoc on the boards and create matchup nightmares for conference rivals.

THE BAD NEWS
Howard has no point guard with Kyle Riley graduating. Riley had to learn on the job after missing seven games early in the season with an ankle injury. He'd never played point before but picked up on it quickly to dish out 88 assists in 24 games played while also contributing 9.8 points per game. He'll have to be replaced next season at that position.

KEY RETURNEES
Phillips, Collins and Leary started every game for Howard this season. Leary was named MEAC Rookie of the Week in consecutive weeks but was denied a spot on the conference's all-rookie team at the end of the season. Phillips led Howard in scoring and rebounding, showing the progression of the potential he displayed while garnering all-rookie honors a year ago. Collins was simply steady for the Bison, averaging 11.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Dickerson, a rising junior, showed the ability to score in bunches. He reached 20-plus five times, scoring 46 total points in Howard's final two games of the regular season.

PLAYER NOTES

--Junior G Calvin Thompson averaged 12 points and 30.5 minutes per game in 2009-10. His 2010-11 season was limited to just two appearances, so he should be eligible for a medical redshirt. That would give him two years of remaining eligibility.

--Freshman C Theodore Boyomo, a promising international prospect from Cameroon, was expected to make an immediate contribution in the low post before tearing up his knee in a pickup game. He redshirted this season.

Boyomo also may not be the last international player signed by Howard coach Kevin Nickelberry, who served as coach of the Libyan national team prior to accepting the job at Howard.

--C Oliver Ellison, PG Brandon Ford and F Brandon Bailey, all prospects from the Washington, D.C., area, have made verbal commitments to Howard. They join PG Sim Frazier, another verbal from the Tidewater area.

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