A massive turnover that third-year coach John Cooper hopes will eventually lead to an improvement on last year?s 13-18 record, which included an 8-10 Mid-American Conference finish.
Guard Will Sullivan, the only senior, suspects the RedHawks will need some time to mesh.
?Moreso than my previous three years, (Cooper) has thrown a lot at us early,? said Sullivan, who led the team with a 40.8 shooting percentage on 3-pointers (42 of 103) and was second with a 82.7 free-throw percentage (43 of 52). ?There?s been a pretty big learning curve, so there hasn?t been a lot of click immediately. We do understand it?s a process.?
The RedHawks were picked to finish last in the MAC East Division in the preseason conference poll, which Cooper tried to downplay.
?It?s one of the things I tell the team,? he said. ?Whether we were picked first in the preseason polls or last, as we are, this is exactly what they are ? preseason rankings. For this group, we?ve certainly got a lot of new faces, and I think the goal for this team is to stay focused on what we?re doing and what we?re trying to accomplish.? .
Stat to watch: Bench minutes. The RedHawks were paper thin last season, and Cooper is hoping the eight new bodies will allow him to go deeper into his bench, which in turn would allow him to keep fresher players on the floor and play more aggressively, especially on defense.
Biggest strength: Low expectations. Among other teams, that is. Not much is expected from the RedHawks, which means they could surprise opponents expecting an easy win, especially early in the season.
Biggest weakness: Chemistry. With new names in the majority on the roster, blending their talents into a winning formula might take a while. Cooper?s challenge is to keep the RedHawks? confidence high if they struggle out of the gate while learning about each other.
Toughest stretch: The last two games of the regular season. Miami is scheduled to wrap up its home season March 3 against Akron, which was picked to win the East Division, before traveling to Athens to conclude the regular season with a game on March 6 against archrival Ohio, the projected East runner-up.
Game of the year: After a one-year hiatus, the neighborhood-rivalry series with Dayton resumes Dec. 3 at Millettt Hall, and the visiting Flyers? spotlight-catching run to within one win of last season?s Final Four adds some flavor to the matchup.
Final analysis: Cooper would love to play a more up-tempo style, and he?s got the depth to try it, but the backups he puts on the floor must do more than just take up space. They have to at least be capable of holding their own. Don?t be surprised if the RedHawks struggle in their pre-conference schedule, but they might mesh in time to make a move in the MAC.
Guard Will Sullivan, the only senior, suspects the RedHawks will need some time to mesh.
?Moreso than my previous three years, (Cooper) has thrown a lot at us early,? said Sullivan, who led the team with a 40.8 shooting percentage on 3-pointers (42 of 103) and was second with a 82.7 free-throw percentage (43 of 52). ?There?s been a pretty big learning curve, so there hasn?t been a lot of click immediately. We do understand it?s a process.?
The RedHawks were picked to finish last in the MAC East Division in the preseason conference poll, which Cooper tried to downplay.
?It?s one of the things I tell the team,? he said. ?Whether we were picked first in the preseason polls or last, as we are, this is exactly what they are ? preseason rankings. For this group, we?ve certainly got a lot of new faces, and I think the goal for this team is to stay focused on what we?re doing and what we?re trying to accomplish.? .
Stat to watch: Bench minutes. The RedHawks were paper thin last season, and Cooper is hoping the eight new bodies will allow him to go deeper into his bench, which in turn would allow him to keep fresher players on the floor and play more aggressively, especially on defense.
Biggest strength: Low expectations. Among other teams, that is. Not much is expected from the RedHawks, which means they could surprise opponents expecting an easy win, especially early in the season.
Biggest weakness: Chemistry. With new names in the majority on the roster, blending their talents into a winning formula might take a while. Cooper?s challenge is to keep the RedHawks? confidence high if they struggle out of the gate while learning about each other.
Toughest stretch: The last two games of the regular season. Miami is scheduled to wrap up its home season March 3 against Akron, which was picked to win the East Division, before traveling to Athens to conclude the regular season with a game on March 6 against archrival Ohio, the projected East runner-up.
Game of the year: After a one-year hiatus, the neighborhood-rivalry series with Dayton resumes Dec. 3 at Millettt Hall, and the visiting Flyers? spotlight-catching run to within one win of last season?s Final Four adds some flavor to the matchup.
Final analysis: Cooper would love to play a more up-tempo style, and he?s got the depth to try it, but the backups he puts on the floor must do more than just take up space. They have to at least be capable of holding their own. Don?t be surprised if the RedHawks struggle in their pre-conference schedule, but they might mesh in time to make a move in the MAC.
