Finding reinforcements is the primary order of business for coach Kevin Nickelberry this offseason.

Howard had just nine players in uniform during the MEAC tournament. That was not a new circumstance for the Bison. Injuries and disciplinary problems greatly limited the team's available cast of characters, and Howard essentially played the entire conference season extremely short-handed.

Might those struggles make Howard a more formidable team next season?

Consider that all five starters averaged more than 30 minutes per game, and they also had to provide most of the statistical contributions. Howard does lose senior Kyle Riley, who stepped in and acquitted himself nicely at point guard despite never playing the position previously, but it also should get back center Theodore Boyomo and guard Calvin Thompson from the serious knee injuries that eliminated or truncated their 2010-11 seasons.

Throw in rising junior Mike Phillips and rising sophomore Alphonso Leary, and there's plenty of reason to be optimistic at Howard.

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