Toyminator's Other Teams to Watch in 2003-2004

As the mid-major conferences continue their rise, I thought it would be wise to highlight the best of the lot. Like many of you, I always cheer for these teams when they play against the big boys in March. However, I believe we should give those teams that have the best shot of playing in the NCAA Tournament a little bit of preseason hype as well!

Let's begin with the envy of all mid-majors...Gonzaga. Though they play in a mid-major conference, this program is simply major! Mark Few has been able to recruit some top talent in the past few years, and it will pay off big time this season as they make a run at the NCAA championship this season. The Zags may have reached big time, but there are a number of other teams that could creep into the Top 25 and pull of an upset or two come March. The MAC & the Missouri Valley are notorious for producing spoilers and this year is no exception. Both Akron & Wichita State will gear up the offense and try to out shoot their opponents into submission. Way out west, the Rainbows of Hawaii are reloaded and ready to cause problems in the WAC. Keep a close on Julian Sensley, as he will be one of the top newcomers in the country. Lastly, both Manhattan & Illinois-Chicago have two of the highest scoring guards in the country in Luis Flores & Cedric Banks. Oh yeah, they can play defense too! In other words, you're basic First Round nightmares! So be sure to keep an eye on these clubs all season long!

GONZAGA

Conference: West Coast
Strengths: Big, deep frontcourt. Excellent shooting & rebounding team. Score lots of points. Good ball handling & distribution. Very experienced team.
Weakness: Poor perimeter defense. Must cut down turnovers.
Outlook: This team isn't your mother's mid-major. Gonzaga is loaded with talent & experience and a legitimate title contender. The Arizona game last season was a warning shot...this year they may hit their target! A Final Four appearance is highly likely!

HAWAII

Conference: Western Athletic (WAC)
Strengths: Good shooting team. Solid team defense. Big frontcourt. Lots of depth & experience. Tough on the island!
Weakness: Must improve rebounding. Too many turnovers. Struggle on the road.
Outlook: The Rainbows should rebound this season with the help of home grown star Julian Sensley. Add him to veterans Martin, Shimo & Akpan and you've got one of the best frontcourts out west. However, they must win some road games or the conference title will be just a pipe dream.

WICHITA STATE

Conference: Missouri Valley
Strengths: Excellent shooting team, especially 3-pt shooting. Good rebounding team. Solid backcourt, with plenty off the bench.
Weakness: Poor ball handling & distribution. Weak team defense.
Outlook: Coach Turgeon is quickly rebuilding this program and should reap the benefits this season as Creighton & Southern Illinois need some time to retool. With the offensive skills of Burns & Howard, the Shockers will light up the scoreboard. Yet, they must improve their defense if they want any shot in the postseason.

AKRON

Conference: Mid-American (MAC)
Strengths: Excinting backcourt that knows how to score! Good ball handling & distribution. Excellent shooting team. Very experienced.
Weakness: Terrible team defense. Weak rebounding team.
Outlook: It's not often my alma mater has a decent team, so when they do, I have to mention it! The Zips are led by one of the best backcourts in the country who some will start to recognize by season's end. If this team can improve on their fundamentels, they've got a shot to win the MAC for the first time ever!

LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE

Conference: Sun Belt
Strengths: Loaded & lethal backcourt. Aggressive team defense - force many turnovers. Balanced offense. Good team quickness. Very deep & experienced squad.
Weakness: Poor 3-pt & FT shooting team. Commit too many turnovers.
Outlook: Love this team so much that they just missed out on my Top 30! They're a joy to watch, even when they're sloppy. The Cajuns welcome a pair of former SEC guards who should slide right into the starting lineup and make this team even better. Add in All-Conference returnees Boyd & Southall, and you've got as much talent as many SEC teams this year!

MANHATTAN

Conference: Metro Atlantic
Strengths: Solid team defense. Force many turnovers. Phenominal FT shooting team (79%). Flores is tough to stop!
Weakness: Poor rebounding team. Small frontcourt. Need better ball distribution.
Outlook: The Jaspers can score, play defense and have a rising coach. As Syracuse found out in Round One, you don't want to play this team! Another gaudy record is expected as they mow down the rest of the competition in their league.

ILLINOIS-CHICAGO

Conference: Horizon
Strengths: Great backcourt - excellent ball handling & distribution. Good shooting team, especially from 3-pt. Good rebounding team. Solid team defense. One of the more experienced teams in the country.
Weakness: Horrible FT shooting team. Undersized frontcourt.
Outlook: The Flames will be hot this season! A senior laden team that plays smart and under control, yet knows how to put points on the board. Coach Collins is building something special here in Chicago!

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Last updated on 10/20/03 by toyminator@prodigy.net