Welcome everyone to Season 70! This season's participants in the Allen D-3 Preseason NIT (The Artie Classic) will get started on Day one for the first time in the tournament's history. I hope everyone's recruiting went well, and you're getting your rotations worked out...because the AC now means that you have to hit the ground running.
Day one will feature Loras @ Puget Sound; Texas Tyler @ Methodist; and, Norwich @ Dominican. W Connecticut St has their "bye" on Day one.
The full schedule is as follows:
1. Loras @ Puget Sound; Tx Tyler @ Methodist; Norwich @ Dominican
2. Dominican @ W Ct St; Loras @ Tx Tyler; Puget Sound @ Norwich
3. Methodist @ Norwich; Puget Sound @ Tx Tyler
4. Methodist @ Loras; W Ct St @ Puget Sound; Tx Tyler @ Dominican
5. Dominican @ Loras; Puget Sound @ Methodist; Norwich @ W Ct St
6. Loras @ W Ct St
8. Dominican @ Puget Sound; Tx Tyler @ Norwich; W Ct St @ Methodist
10. Methodist @ Dominican; Norwich @ Loras; W Ct St @ Tx Tyler
What's the challenge facing us this season?
Norwich returns all five starters from last season's rebuilding 15-14 team, including three players who averaged over 9 a game and 4 over 7. With ten returning players from last season's roster, Norwich enters the season with a 529 Overall Rating.
W. Connecticut State is coming off of a Conference Championship, advancing to the 2nd round of the Invitational, and a 25-5 overall record in their first season of the AC. They return two starters from last season, and eight players from the roster. With a walk-on and 8 returning, W. Ct St enters the season with a 487 Overall Rating.
Texas Tyler returns to the AC fresh off of a run to the National Championship game! Their wildly successful campaign concluded with a 28-7 record, a Conference Championship, a Conference Tournament Championship, and five NT victories. They return the starting backcourt from last season's team as well as seven others for a 531 Overall Rating to begin the schedule.
Loras finished last season with a 25-6 record in a season which saw them claim a Conference Championship, a Conference Tournament Championship and a NT victory before falling in the second round. The starting C and PF from last season return as Loras looks to spark up their usual high powered offense in the AC. Seven others return for a 516 Overall Rating entering the season.
Puget Sound comes back to the Classic fresh off of a 31-2 season which saw bbscottsdale claim a National Coach of the Year Award, A Conference Championship, a Conference Tournament Championship and a run to the Elite 8. Eight players from last seasons roster return including four players who started at least 13 game, and eight that started at least two. They'll be bringing a 512 Overall Rating into the schedule.
Methodist concluded season 69 with a stout 27-4 record that included a Conference Championship, a Conference Tournament Championship and a NT win. With nine returning players, including 2nd Team All-American Floyd McNayr, Methodist will again be a threat, as evidenced by their 546 Overall Rating...the highest entering the AC.
Dominican finished last season with a 21-9 record, including a Conference Championship and an At-large birth in the NT. The ten players returning include three starters, and produce a 530 Overall Rating.