MSU basketball team opens season in Alaska

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The Montana State Bobcats have traveled to the hinterland to open the men's basketball season against a team from the big city.



Coach Mick Durham's Bobcats, preseason favorites to win the Big Sky Conference, start the regular season tonight at 10:30 against the University of Illinois-Chicago Flames in the first round of the 10th annual Top of the World Classic tournament in Fairbanks, Alaska.



"They've got tough city kids," said Durham. "It's going to be a physical game."

The tournament field includes San Diego State, Denver, Kennesaw (Ga.) State, Lamar, Southern Miss and host Alaska-Fairbanks, an NCAA II club.

If the Bobcats win, they'll meet the winner of the San Diego State-Fairbanks game in the tournament semifinals on Saturday.

Illinois-Chicago, of the Horizon League, finished 15-14 last year under veteran coach Jimmy Collins, whose current team features several highly regarded JC recruits. Among them is sophomore swingman Othyus Jeffers of Chicago, who averaged 17 ppg in the Flames' two exhibition games, a 74-71 victory over Robert Morris and a 74-73 loss to St. Joseph's (Ind.)

Forward Elliott Poole, who is one of three starters from Chicago, averaged 13.5 ppg in the exhibition games.

The Bobcats were not tested in their two exhibition victories, over Rocky Mountain and Saint Martin's (Wash.). Senior center Al Beye was outstanding in both game, and Durham liked how several of his newcomers blended in.

"I think we're going to be good defensively," said Durham, whose club has all five starters back from last year's 14-14 club. "We'll play three games in four days so we'll find out a little more about our guys."

Senior Ja'Ron Jefferson and sophomore Ryan Holmes will start in the backcourt, with swingman Nick Dissly and senior power forward Marvin Moss set to open on the front line along with the 6-11 Beye. Senior sharpshooter Branden Miller and JC transfer Derrick Edmunds will be among those first off the bench for Durham.

Moss and Jefferson were both all-Big Sky selections a year ago, when the Bobcats were picked last in the league and finished runner-up in the regular season. Jefferson averaged 13 ppg while Moss got 12 points and 7 rebounds per game.

 

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Flames must compensate for loss of Banks




CHICAGO - Jimmy Collins is looking for more than one player to make up for what Cedrick Banks provided. And that will be a difficult assignment.

In his 10th year as head coach at Illinois-Chicago, Collins will try to fill the void left by Banks, the school's all-time leading scorer.

Banks, who graduated from the university, led the Flames with 18.7 points a game during the 2004-05 season.

Collins, who does not return one player who averaged in double-digits last season, hopes they can spread the scoring around until someone emerges.

"We are trying to preach the team concept, we are trying to make sure everybody gets touches and we are trying to make sure everybody feels comfortable in shooting the basketball," Collins said. "Until we establish what is called a go-to-guy, we want everybody to be conscience of taking advantages of their opportunities to score."

One player that Collins will be counting on to fill some of the scoring absence left by Banks is Elliot Poole. The 6-7, 255-pound senior forward, averaged 9.9 points and 5.8 rebounds a game last season.

But Poole has been limited by an asthma problem that has kept him off the court during games.

"His asthma is a concern whether we go across the street. We need Elliot to play," Collins said.

Poole was bothered by his asthma in the two preseason games.

Three newcomers that should make an impact for the Flames are D.J. Smedley, Josh Mayo and Othyus Jeffers. Smedley and Mayo should both see playing time at the guard position.

Smedley averaged 7.6 points and 4.6 assists for Saddleback Junior College in Mission Viejo, Calif. last season and Mayo led Merrillville (Ind.) High School in scoring and assists during the 2004-05 season.

Jeffers played one season at Los Angeles Southwest Community College, after starring at Chicago's Hubbard High School. Jeffers, who can either play guard or forward, averaged 22.3 points last season while at Southwest Community College.

Despite the inexperienced squad, and losing two key starters from last season's 15-14 team, Collins has put together another tough non-conference schedule that features road games against Georgia Tech and Syracuse.

"I think this is the most difficult non-conference schedule that we ever had and especially with a brand new team, so we are going to have to really buckle in and play extremely well to compete with some of those teams," Collins said.

Illinois-Chicago and the rest of the Horizon League will likely be chasing Wisconsin-Milwaukee, which won the conference last season and advanced to the third round of the NCAA tournament.

 

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Arrival times
Illinois-Chicago will be the first team to arrive in Fairbanks when the Flames touch down at Fairbanks International Airport at 7:25 p.m. on Tuesday.

Three other teams will arrive Wednesday with the Montana State Bobcats coming in at 2:43 p.m., the San Diego State Aztecs arriving at 4:51 p.m. and the Lamar Cardinals checking in at 7:25 p.m.

The final three schools--Denver, Kennesaw State and Southern Mississippi--will arrive together at 12:50 a.m. on Thursday.