In my opinion, the most exciting part of the college basketball season - outside of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament - is the beginning of Championship Week. Why am I talking about conference tournaments in November? Because two of the conferences we are going to discuss below - the NEC and MEAC - are going to feature wide-open tournaments this year, while the Ivy (which is the only conference that does not have a tournament) could be have its best team in a decade. There are statistical stars abound, too.
Ivy
F Ryan Wittman, Cornell Big Red
The son of former NBA player Randy Wittman, Ryan is one of the country's best three-point shooters and the Player of the Year favorite in the Ivy. He averaged 18.5 points per game last season, knocking down nearly 42% of his three-point attempts. Moreover, Wittman is looking to expand his game this season, so he could attack the basket and increase his all-around production. He scored in single-digits on just two occasions, and scored at least 20 points in 13 games. Although Cornell has plenty of options, Wittman is a high-volume shooter who will get his fair share of shots.
G Louis Dale, Cornell Big Red
One of those fellow options next to Wittman is Dale, who averaged 13.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game last season. Furthermore, he is expected to get more playing time this season, which could in turn increase his production. His production tailed off at the end of the year, as he averaged just 10.8 points per game in his last six contests, including his only two single-digit scoring games of the season (aside from his season-opener, in which he played just 10 minutes after missing the first eight games with an injury). I expect his scoring to increase with better conditioning.
F Matt Mullery, Brown Bears
Although Brown finished in last place a year ago, the Bears have two very solid forwards in Mullery and Peter Sullivan. Mullery has a chance to be one of the most productive players in the Ivy this season after averaging 16.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.1 blocks last season, all while shooting nearly 61% from the field. He did have some bouts of inconsistency last season, but he racked up three double-doubles and averaged 19 points and 12 rebounds in his final three games of the campaign. In those three games, he missed just two of 27 field-goal attempts.
G Jeremy Lin, Harvard Crimson
Lin is one of the best all-around players in the country, and his statistical production is second-to-none. A year ago, he averaged 17.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.4 steals. Furthermore, he knocked down over 50% of his field-goal attempts and 40% of his three-point attempts. There are not many players who have his all-around ability. He scored in single-digits just one time, and he finished with nine points in that game. Take out a four-game stretch where Lin had just three total assists, and he averaged nearly five assists per contest. No matter what you're looking for, Lin has you covered.
Others to Watch: C Jeff Foote, Cornell Big Red; F Peter Sullivan, Brown Bears; G Tyler Bernardini, Penn Quakers; G Alex Zampier, Yale Bulldogs
Northeast
G Jaytornah Wisseh, Long Island Blackbird
The senior guard is a very productive performer who put up solid numbers last season, averaging 15.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. However, I'd expect those averages to increase this year. He battled inconsistency a year ago, scoring in single-digits on eight occasions and making three or fewer shots from the field 12 different times. Still, he remains one of the most explosive scorers in the conference. He had at least 21 points in eight games and dished out five or more assists in 13 games. If Wisseh can become a more efficient shooter, he will increase his numbers.
G James Feldeine, Quinnipiac Bobcats
While Feldeine might not be the best guard in the conference - that honor would likely go to Jeremy Goode of Mount St. Mary's - it's hard to argue against his production. He averaged 17.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game, scoring in double-figures in all but one game. The 6-4 guard picked up three double-doubles and had fewer than five rebounds just six times. He is capable of big stretches, like when he averaged nearly 29 points, more than six rebounds and nearly four assists per game over a three-contest stretch. His all-around production makes him tough to ignore.
G/F Devin Sweetney, St. Francis (Pa.) Red Flash
Another all-around gem, Sweetney had an outstanding season last year, finishing fifth in the Northeast Conference in scoring, third in rebounds and ninth in steals. By the numbers, he averaged 16.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals. Furthermore, he missed six games with an injured hand (the Red Flash went 0-6 in those games), but didn't miss a beat when he returned. With an entire season to play, his production could be even better. He has the potential to excel in every category, as he scored in double-figures in all but one game, and picking up double-figure rebounds seven times. Sweetney also finished the season strong, averaging 26.0 points and 10.3 rebounds per game in the three games leading up to the season finale.
Others to Watch: G Jeremy Goode, Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers; G Shemik Thompson, Central Connecticut State; F Justin Rutty, Quinnipiac Bobcats; F Kayode Ayeni, St. Francis (N.Y.) Terriers; G Sean Baptiste, Fairleigh Dickinson Knights
Mid-Eastern Athletic
F Neal Pitt, Maryland Eastern Shore Fighting Hawks
The MEAC's best big man, Pitt finished fifth in the league in scoring and second in rebounding, and he could be primed for an even better season to finish his career on a high note. Last season, Pitt racked up 10 double-doubles en route to averages of 16.0 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. He did have struggles, though, as he fouled out of five games and had four fouls in six other contests. Furthermore, he averaged 3.0 turnovers per game and shot below 47% from the field. He can improve in each of those categories - and therefore his production.
G Reggie Holmes, Morgan State Bears
Holmes is one of the favorites for MEAC Player of the Year, and his team is likely to get back to the NCAA Tournament. A season ago, the 6-foot-4 senior averaged 16.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, and was also a dynamite defender. Holmes did shoot just 37.2% from the field, and was not much of a factor in the assist category. Still, Holmes is an explosive offensive player who is capable of big-time performances, as evidenced by 10 games of at least 20 points. He upped his numbers to 18.3 points per game in conference games, and became a more active rebounder as well.
G Michael Deloach, Norfolk State Spartans
One of the premier scorers at the mid-major (or low-major) level, Deloach averaged 21.5 points per game last season, good enough for 15th in the country. That would be enough to draft him on its own, but throw in 4.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists, and there's even more incentive to get him on your team. The 6-foot guard picked up an extra season of eligibility, and he will use it to the fullest. While his shooting numbers weren't overly impressive, he did shoot 49.3% from the field and 60% from three-point range in conference play. With only two games in single-digits (both nine-point outings), he is consistent and impressive.
Others to Watch: G C.J. Reed, Bethune-Cookman Wildcats; G Jason Flagler, South Carolina State Bulldogs