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Date Posted: 10:53:41 11/19/04 Fri
Author: LarryL9797
Subject: Alot of Press today

there is alot of press about CCSU
I wonder why Howie is keeping the starting 5 small. real small... I am guessing that a small lineup can outrun and run up the score... Interesting. I think we will see alot more backdoor plays this year than last.

Courant Article:
No Shortage Of Speed
Young Blue Devils Opening Tonight

November 19, 2004
By TOM YANTZ, Courant Staff Writer

NEW BRITAIN -- The smallest starting lineup in Howie Dickenman's Central Connecticut coaching career will be unveiled tonight in the Mohegan Sun Classic.

At guard are 6-foot-1 Justin Chiera and 6-0 Tristan Blackwood. The frontcourt starters are 6-2 DeMario Anderson, 6-4 Jason Hickenbottom and 6-4 Obie Nwadike.

"I'm not sure how many games we're going to outrebound opponents," said Dickenman, beginning his ninth season.

The Blue Devils want to run and make more three-pointers than last season, when they were 14-14 overall, 9-9 in the Northeast Conference and advanced to the championship game of the league tournament. They open their season tonight at 8 against Colgate (15-14, 6-8 Patriot League) at Detrick Gymnasium.

In the tournament opener at 6, Samford (12-16, 7-9 Ohio Valley Conference) faces Cal State Fullerton (11-17, 7-11 Big West). The consolation and title games are Saturday night.

Central has lost in the championship game the past two years. High Point beat the Blue Devils 74-63 for the 2002 title, and Loyola Marymount won the final 58-57 last season.

With the graduation of 6-7 forward Ron Robinson, who averaged 18 points and 9.7 rebounds as a senior, the Blue Devils lost a leader on the court.

There are bound to be growing pains. Blackwood and Hickenbottom are freshmen; Anderson and Nwadike are sophomores. Chiera is a junior.

Others who will get plenty of minutes are senior forward/center Rich Pittman, junior guard Lenny Jefferson and sophomore guard Javier Mojica.

"We can run, shoot and get after you on defense," Dickenman said. "We really have a starting eight because if somebody in the starting lineup isn't doing something right, I've got other players ready to contribute. And there's no reason why someone else can't come in and make it a starting nine or 10."

Ingo Beaudet, a 6-11 sophomore from Santa Rosa Junior College in California, is a leading candidate.

Dickenman likes having Pittman, the team's top returning scorer (10.4), and Mojica, a walk-on who started the final eight games last season (7.9), coming from the bench.

"They give us a lift; they energize us," Dickenman said.

The coach has been impressed by Hickenbottom's toughness and defense and Blackwood's speed and three-point shooting.

"I've always played against taller guys," said Hickenbottom, a graduate of Simon Gratz High School in Philadelphia. "Stay aggressive, keep him out of the position and, of course, box out hard."

Though Central was outrebounded 34-23 in a scrimmage Sunday against Holy Cross, the Blue Devils won, 66-56. The Blue Devils made 7 of 16 three-point shots, while Holy Cross went 1-for-14.

"Our biggest thing on D is communicating," Chiera said. "It doesn't matter if we're going against taller guys. We want to be active and get out on shooters. We think it's an advantage to us if we have bigger guys guarding us because I think we've got the quickest team since I've been here."

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[> Re: Alot of Press today -- J.J., 16:44:41 11/19/04 Fri

Great articles, its getting exciting and I can't wait. I won't be able to listen to the games this weekend, but I'm looking forward to reading about 2 big wins! I think Colgate should be a fairly easy win (CCSU 6-0 in the opening round game and you'd guess they are the weakest of the 4 teams in the field). The 2nd game should be closer and a little more interesting. After losing the last 2 championships, I don't expect another loss this year, but the other team will have a win under their belt and a "nothing to lose attitude," which can be dangerous. Can't wait to read everybodys reports about the game on Monday.

Here is hoping were are 2-0 heading into a very, very tough game at Niagara Monday night. They played PC very well on national TV, but fell apart at the Dunk in the final 8 minutes. NU has high hopes for a MAAC championship and now revenge for that win that got away. Playing on the road against an NCAA contender (and the 3rd game in 4 nights) will surely be Central's first real test, but as Howie said the biggest game of the year is tonight, then Saturday, then Monday. Just 1 game at a time!


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