[Arkansas State]

Wow...thank you for the update. I went to your board and it looks like UNT fans aren't the only one's tired of Dickey talk. Wells has gone overseas to try and find a gig...and Weaver was involved in a bb gun incident. With problems at ASU and UNO...looks like the SBC West is opening up nicely for UNT. Glad we're not in the East.

Let me correct something I said earlier about the Malcolm kid out of Florida, apparently it's not his grades. He just doesn't want to play for us, he's headed to Winthrop and I guess we let him out of his scholarship.

[Arkansas State]

The basketball board has been a bit quiet as of late so I figured I would start compiling a preview of the upcoming (5 month away) basketball season to give some idea of what our Mean Green having standing between them and another NCAA automatic bid. I figured the best place to start...is where we left off...with the Arkansas State Indians:

Projected Starters:

• PG Stephon Weaver 6'2" 185 Fr.
• SG Adrian Banks 6'3" 200 Sr.
• SF Shawn Morgan 6'6" 215 Sr.
• PF Isaac Wells 6'8" 225 Sr.
• C Abayomi Ajasin 6'7" 235 Sr.

Frontcourt: It wasn't too terribly unexpected that ASU forward Isaac Wells (6'8" 225 Sr.) would withdraw his name from the NBA draft...and because of it this will once again be the team to beat in the Sun Belt. Wells led the Indians in rebounding (8.3 rpg) and was second in scoring and third in assists (15.8ppg, 2.3 apg) and was only getting better as the seasoon progressed. Wells is a versitille player with range out to the 3 pt. line (32% 3pt) and can play the 3 or the 4. Joining Wells is swingman Shawn Morgan (6'6" 215 Sr.). Morgan fills the role of "glue guy" for the Indians...averaging 6.8ppg, 4.8rpg, 1.8apg while shooting 46% from the field. Center Theo Little...who was anything but (6'11" 260) is gone. Filling his role will be a 3 man rotation of Kewain Gant (6'7" 225 Sr.), Abayomi Ajasin (6'7" 235 Sr.) and junior college transfer Larry Handy (6'7" 260 Jr.). Gant and Ajasin were simply bodies last season...each averaging 2.6ppg...with Ajasin contributing a solid 3.0rpg in about 12mpg. The most intruiging of the Indians' newcomer is JC transfer Yima Chia-Kur (6'6" 225 Jr.). Chia-Kur is a shorter version of Wells...a 3-4 combo who averaged very solid numbers (18.5ppg, 5.7rpg, 1.2 apg) at Garden City CC in one of the best JC conferences. The combination of Wells and Chia-Kur on the floor at the same time could be a potent frontcourt. Ashton Farmer (6'7" 230 Soph. - 1.6ppg, .7rpg) and freshman Chris Malcolm (6'7" 205) round out the frontcourt.

Backcourt: Adrian Banks (6'3" 200 Sr.) makes the Indians go. The dynamic SG was the SBC newcomer of the year last season after averaging 21.1ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.9apg and shot nearly 50% from the field and 48% from the 3pt line. UNT controlled Banks in their last 2 matchups, scoring 14 and 12 point on a combined 9-27 from the field. Ryan Wedel (5'11" 175 Soph.) surprised a lot of people with his immediate contribution, finish third on the team in scoring (10.7ppg) and second in assists (2.8apg). Wedel almost exclusivly contributed from the 3pt line, knocking down 40%, and 214 of his 257 shot attempts (83%) came from behind the 19'9". PG Jim Jones (6'3" 190) is gone. Jones was fourth in scoring (7.7ppg) and led the team in assists with a paltry 3.2apg. Reserve guard Yual Banks contribution was minimal (2.2ppg, 0.9 apg) causing the backcourt to be Nutt's recruiting focus. The Indians signed 5 guards...3 JUCOS and 2 freshmen...all of whom will have the chance to contribute right away. P.J. Keaton (6'4" 170 Jr. - 16.3ppg, 3.8rpg at Lincoln College), Ifeanyi Koggu (5'11" 178 Jr. - 8.0 ppg, 7.0 apgat Tyler JC), Michael Lance (6'3" 185 Jr. - 12.5ppg, 5.2 rpg) Jeremy Thomas (6'5" 195 Fr. - 13.0ppg, 60% fgp) and Stephon Weaver (6'2 185 Fr. - 16.5 ppg, 6.0apg). The freshmen may be the best of the group...Thomas is an uber-athlete who won the Arkansas state high school high jump compition and Weavor was pursued by the likes of Arkansas, Ok. State and Xavier. Another interesting player is Chris Brown (6'2" 190). Brown, a JC transfer from the '06 class was starting a solid season (13 games, 8 starts - 5.7ppg, scored double digits 3 times)...however his last game was in early December and his status with the team is uncertain.

Summary: This has got to be the favorite to win the Sun Belt. The Indians return over 85% of their scoring...including 6 of their top 8 scorers...from a team the was the tourney runner-up. Point guard and post are a concern...but at the 2,3 and 4 spots this team is as deep and talented as anyone in the belt.

Stephon Weaver never made his grades. Issac Wells won't be back. Brown won't be back as well. A player we signed early out of florida won't make the grades. Your guess is as good as mine on what we will have. My hope is we will have a new coach after this season.

[Thoughts and Prayers for Coach Dickey]

Coach Dickey we hope you have a speedy recovery. See you guys this weekend. BigD