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Independent preview
By Tony Mejia
SportsLine.com Staff Writer
Tell Tony your opinion!
The independent ranks grow larger every year, with schools looking to move up to Division I and eventually a conference and then make names for themselves with an appearance in the king-maker that takes place every March.
Stock Chart
Team Stock
1. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
2. IPFW
3. UC Davis
4. Texas-Pan American
5. Utah Valley State
6. South Dakota State
7. Northern Colorado
8. Savannah State
9. North Dakota State
The NCAA Tournament offers a huge opportunity for visibility, as even small schools like Liberty and Florida A&M get their names read off on television and placed in bracket pools around the country. It's free publicity.
Maybe that's why schools will jump through the hoops of acquiring provisional status and waiting years before even becoming eligible to compete in any postseason event. It could also be television money they can make once they join a conference or, in the purer sense, just the urge to compete at the highest level.
The latter is awfully convenient considering all the other benefits.
There are five full-fledged independent teams with four more -- Northern Colorado, North Dakota State, South Dakota State and UC Davis -- in the provisional stage. For your reading pleasure, here's a little more about them, though you won't be seeing any in your bracket pool anytime soon.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Top three: F Corey Lamkin, G Travis Bailey, F Thomas Bailey.
On the rise: Ronnie Arrow's Islanders notched their first winning season in school history and return key contributors Lamkin and the Bailey boys as well as a strong recruiting class.
Accolades
First team
F -- Corey Lamkin, Texas A&M-CC
F -- Ryan Moore, UC Davis
C -- David Simon, IPFW
G -- Ronnie Price, Utah Valley State
G -- Travis Bailey, Texas A&M-CC
Second team
F -- Erik Olson, Northern Colorado
F -- Chris Fagan, Texas-Pan American
F -- Thomas Juillerat, UC Davis
G -- Andy Moeller, South Dakota State
G -- Sergio Sanchez, Texas-Pan American
Player of the year
David Simon, IPFW
Newcomer of the year
Montrell McDonald, Texas A&M-CC
Breakthrough player
Quinton Carouthers, IPFW
IPFW
Top three: C David Simon, G Beau Bauer, G Ryan Baumgartner.
On the rise: Simon is an NBA prospect who really opened eyes at pre-draft camps before returning to school. His game continues to improve and will be showcased against the likes of Marquette and Xavier.
UC Davis
Top three: G Fowzi Abdelsamad, F Ryan Moore, F Thomas Juillerat.
On the rise: The program won't be certified a true D-I until 2007, but have already been invited to compete in the Big West. Juillerat, a promising center, will be a senior when they become eligible and should be vital to quick growth.
Texas-Pan American
Top three: G Sergio Sanchez, F Chris Fagan, C Alvaidas Gedminas.
On the decline: Bob Hoffman, a highly respected coach who worked wonders with few resources, accepted an assistant's position at Oklahoma under Kevin Sampson. Associate head coach Robert Davenport will carry the torch and has standout guard Sergio Sanchez on board to ease the transition.
Utah Valley State
Top three: G Ronnie Price, G Ryan Toolson, F Jon Bell.
On the rise: All five starters return for the first program to jump from D-I to the JC ranks. Dick Hunsaker, a former assistant at Utah, already has this program thriving, and if we had to put money on the first of these independents to truly break through, we'd go this route.
South Dakota State
Top three: G Andy Moeller, F Matt Jones, F Joe Green.
On the rise: We need the Jackrabbits in D-I for their nickname alone. Look at those Jackrabbits running around. Wow, he skied like a Jackrabbit. Imagine the possibilities. Moeller, a senior, is the chief Jackrabbit; he averaged 17.6 points per game last season for the D-II leaders in overall attendance.
Northern Colorado
Top three: F/G Erik Olson, G Sean Nolen, G Matt Kline.
On the rise: The Bears are in Year 2 of four in their re-classification process, but that hasn't caused them to take things slowly. On this year's slate: Syracuse, Gonzaga, Texas Tech and Utah.
Savannah State
Top three: F Donald Carson, F/C Sherard Reddick, G Ajmal Gordon.
On the rise: The Tigers won four games last year, a one-victory improvement from the previous year. Maybe they can reach five this year, although they'll be looking for a new leading scorer with coach's son Jamal Daniels gone.
North Dakota State
Top three: F Aaron Green, F David Erbes, G Adam Dobmeier.
On the rise: The Bison secured the services of Wisconsin's Mr. Basketball from a year ago, Mike Nelson. He'll likely be the centerpiece of their first full-fledged D-I team and should see immediate action.
By Tony Mejia
SportsLine.com Staff Writer
Tell Tony your opinion!
The independent ranks grow larger every year, with schools looking to move up to Division I and eventually a conference and then make names for themselves with an appearance in the king-maker that takes place every March.
Stock Chart
Team Stock
1. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
2. IPFW
3. UC Davis
4. Texas-Pan American
5. Utah Valley State
6. South Dakota State
7. Northern Colorado
8. Savannah State
9. North Dakota State
The NCAA Tournament offers a huge opportunity for visibility, as even small schools like Liberty and Florida A&M get their names read off on television and placed in bracket pools around the country. It's free publicity.
Maybe that's why schools will jump through the hoops of acquiring provisional status and waiting years before even becoming eligible to compete in any postseason event. It could also be television money they can make once they join a conference or, in the purer sense, just the urge to compete at the highest level.
The latter is awfully convenient considering all the other benefits.
There are five full-fledged independent teams with four more -- Northern Colorado, North Dakota State, South Dakota State and UC Davis -- in the provisional stage. For your reading pleasure, here's a little more about them, though you won't be seeing any in your bracket pool anytime soon.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Top three: F Corey Lamkin, G Travis Bailey, F Thomas Bailey.
On the rise: Ronnie Arrow's Islanders notched their first winning season in school history and return key contributors Lamkin and the Bailey boys as well as a strong recruiting class.
Accolades
First team
F -- Corey Lamkin, Texas A&M-CC
F -- Ryan Moore, UC Davis
C -- David Simon, IPFW
G -- Ronnie Price, Utah Valley State
G -- Travis Bailey, Texas A&M-CC
Second team
F -- Erik Olson, Northern Colorado
F -- Chris Fagan, Texas-Pan American
F -- Thomas Juillerat, UC Davis
G -- Andy Moeller, South Dakota State
G -- Sergio Sanchez, Texas-Pan American
Player of the year
David Simon, IPFW
Newcomer of the year
Montrell McDonald, Texas A&M-CC
Breakthrough player
Quinton Carouthers, IPFW
IPFW
Top three: C David Simon, G Beau Bauer, G Ryan Baumgartner.
On the rise: Simon is an NBA prospect who really opened eyes at pre-draft camps before returning to school. His game continues to improve and will be showcased against the likes of Marquette and Xavier.
UC Davis
Top three: G Fowzi Abdelsamad, F Ryan Moore, F Thomas Juillerat.
On the rise: The program won't be certified a true D-I until 2007, but have already been invited to compete in the Big West. Juillerat, a promising center, will be a senior when they become eligible and should be vital to quick growth.
Texas-Pan American
Top three: G Sergio Sanchez, F Chris Fagan, C Alvaidas Gedminas.
On the decline: Bob Hoffman, a highly respected coach who worked wonders with few resources, accepted an assistant's position at Oklahoma under Kevin Sampson. Associate head coach Robert Davenport will carry the torch and has standout guard Sergio Sanchez on board to ease the transition.
Utah Valley State
Top three: G Ronnie Price, G Ryan Toolson, F Jon Bell.
On the rise: All five starters return for the first program to jump from D-I to the JC ranks. Dick Hunsaker, a former assistant at Utah, already has this program thriving, and if we had to put money on the first of these independents to truly break through, we'd go this route.
South Dakota State
Top three: G Andy Moeller, F Matt Jones, F Joe Green.
On the rise: We need the Jackrabbits in D-I for their nickname alone. Look at those Jackrabbits running around. Wow, he skied like a Jackrabbit. Imagine the possibilities. Moeller, a senior, is the chief Jackrabbit; he averaged 17.6 points per game last season for the D-II leaders in overall attendance.
Northern Colorado
Top three: F/G Erik Olson, G Sean Nolen, G Matt Kline.
On the rise: The Bears are in Year 2 of four in their re-classification process, but that hasn't caused them to take things slowly. On this year's slate: Syracuse, Gonzaga, Texas Tech and Utah.
Savannah State
Top three: F Donald Carson, F/C Sherard Reddick, G Ajmal Gordon.
On the rise: The Tigers won four games last year, a one-victory improvement from the previous year. Maybe they can reach five this year, although they'll be looking for a new leading scorer with coach's son Jamal Daniels gone.
North Dakota State
Top three: F Aaron Green, F David Erbes, G Adam Dobmeier.
On the rise: The Bison secured the services of Wisconsin's Mr. Basketball from a year ago, Mike Nelson. He'll likely be the centerpiece of their first full-fledged D-I team and should see immediate action.
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