Post by FIUBlue82 on Nov 12, 2007 13:50:51 GMT -5
www.miamiherald.com/sports/story/304658.html
FIU MEN
New big men lift FIU basketball hopes
The addition of height and a schedule with 16 home games give the Golden Panthers hope for their best Sun Belt season.
Posted on Mon, Nov. 12, 2007
BY PETE PELEGRIN
ppelegrin@MiamiHerald.com
It was a sight that would have had any coach cringing.
Watching his new 6-11 center/forward Badara Ndiaye walk gingerly into Pharmed Arena on Friday morning after leaving the trainer's room, you couldn't have blamed Florida International coach Sergio Rouco if he would have winced.
Instead, Rouco was all smiles.
The fourth-year coach clearly was not grinning about Ndiaye's left-shin stress reaction, but rather about the promise of the Golden Panthers' new season, which begins at 7 p.m. Monday at home against Florida Tech.
''The trainer says one to six weeks,'' Rouco said. ``We'll put [Ndiaye] into that state-of-art whirlpool we got and he'll be good to go in two days. Our team this year has an inner fight, a toughness about it. These guys want to win the conference. I'm excited about the possibilities.''
Those possibilities begin up front with the two new big men in Ndiaye, who arrived from Senegal two years ago, and 7-0 center Russell Hicks, a Pepperdine transfer.
The Golden Panthers did not have much of a low-post game last season or a defensive presence inside, but with Ndiaye and Hicks, FIU's wing players are expecting to average more than the combined 66.2 points a game from last season.
''I played with [Portland Trail Blazers 6-11 center] LaMarcus Aldridge in Dallas,'' said guard Kenneth White, who grew up in Oak Cliff, Texas. ``It is so much easier for any team to run their offense and get good open shots when you got a big guy down there. Now imagine how it's going to be when you have two big guys down there.''
Besides the addition of height to help the Golden Panthers, 16 home games highlight the schedule. FIU opens with seven consecutive games at Pharmed Arena and plays eight of its first 12 games at home.
Although the first eight home games -- with the likes of George Mason, South Florida and Robert Morris -- are sure to test the Golden Panthers, staying in Miami is still an advantage.
''It seemed like we were on the road for most of last season,'' said forward Alex Galindo, whose team played seven of its first 10 games on the road in 2006-07. ``Getting to play most of our schedule [at FIU] should help us get off to a good start.''
A fast start is a must if FIU wants to challenge for the Sun Belt title and gain an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Golden Panthers began 6-9 last season and 3-7 in the Sun Belt, before finishing 12-17 overall, 7-11 in the conference.
Another goal this season is to top the school's best record since it joined the Sun Belt in 1998 and went 16-14 (9-7 in the conference) that season.
''We want to win the league this year,'' Rouco said. ``Yes, there is no question that South Alabama is very good and Western Kentucky is very good, but we've beaten them before and we can do it again.''
____________________________________________________
FIU MEN vs. FLORIDA TECH
• When: 7 p.m. Monday, Pharmed Arena at FIU.
• TV/Radio: Panther Pass (fiusports.com); WRGP-95.3.
• Tickets: $7 reserved; $5 adults over 55, youths under 12.
• Scouting report: FIU has won all 11 previous meetings with Florida Tech. Preseason All-Sun Belt forward Alex Galindo shook off the effects of a concussion he sustained Nov. 3 to lead FIU with 17 points and 16 rebounds in its final exhibition game, a 99-61 win over Florida Memorial on Saturday. FIU returns three starters from last year -- Galindo, senior forward Chris Fuller and point guard Michael James. Junior center Russell Hicks (7-0), who transferred from Pepperdine, makes his FIU debut Monday night, as does shooting guard Kenneth White, who transferred from Texas A&M. Junior center/forward Badara Ndiaye (6-11) is not expected to make his debut because of a left-shin stress reaction.
-- PETE PELEGRIN
FIU MEN
New big men lift FIU basketball hopes
The addition of height and a schedule with 16 home games give the Golden Panthers hope for their best Sun Belt season.
Posted on Mon, Nov. 12, 2007
BY PETE PELEGRIN
ppelegrin@MiamiHerald.com
It was a sight that would have had any coach cringing.
Watching his new 6-11 center/forward Badara Ndiaye walk gingerly into Pharmed Arena on Friday morning after leaving the trainer's room, you couldn't have blamed Florida International coach Sergio Rouco if he would have winced.
Instead, Rouco was all smiles.
The fourth-year coach clearly was not grinning about Ndiaye's left-shin stress reaction, but rather about the promise of the Golden Panthers' new season, which begins at 7 p.m. Monday at home against Florida Tech.
''The trainer says one to six weeks,'' Rouco said. ``We'll put [Ndiaye] into that state-of-art whirlpool we got and he'll be good to go in two days. Our team this year has an inner fight, a toughness about it. These guys want to win the conference. I'm excited about the possibilities.''
Those possibilities begin up front with the two new big men in Ndiaye, who arrived from Senegal two years ago, and 7-0 center Russell Hicks, a Pepperdine transfer.
The Golden Panthers did not have much of a low-post game last season or a defensive presence inside, but with Ndiaye and Hicks, FIU's wing players are expecting to average more than the combined 66.2 points a game from last season.
''I played with [Portland Trail Blazers 6-11 center] LaMarcus Aldridge in Dallas,'' said guard Kenneth White, who grew up in Oak Cliff, Texas. ``It is so much easier for any team to run their offense and get good open shots when you got a big guy down there. Now imagine how it's going to be when you have two big guys down there.''
Besides the addition of height to help the Golden Panthers, 16 home games highlight the schedule. FIU opens with seven consecutive games at Pharmed Arena and plays eight of its first 12 games at home.
Although the first eight home games -- with the likes of George Mason, South Florida and Robert Morris -- are sure to test the Golden Panthers, staying in Miami is still an advantage.
''It seemed like we were on the road for most of last season,'' said forward Alex Galindo, whose team played seven of its first 10 games on the road in 2006-07. ``Getting to play most of our schedule [at FIU] should help us get off to a good start.''
A fast start is a must if FIU wants to challenge for the Sun Belt title and gain an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Golden Panthers began 6-9 last season and 3-7 in the Sun Belt, before finishing 12-17 overall, 7-11 in the conference.
Another goal this season is to top the school's best record since it joined the Sun Belt in 1998 and went 16-14 (9-7 in the conference) that season.
''We want to win the league this year,'' Rouco said. ``Yes, there is no question that South Alabama is very good and Western Kentucky is very good, but we've beaten them before and we can do it again.''
____________________________________________________
FIU MEN vs. FLORIDA TECH
• When: 7 p.m. Monday, Pharmed Arena at FIU.
• TV/Radio: Panther Pass (fiusports.com); WRGP-95.3.
• Tickets: $7 reserved; $5 adults over 55, youths under 12.
• Scouting report: FIU has won all 11 previous meetings with Florida Tech. Preseason All-Sun Belt forward Alex Galindo shook off the effects of a concussion he sustained Nov. 3 to lead FIU with 17 points and 16 rebounds in its final exhibition game, a 99-61 win over Florida Memorial on Saturday. FIU returns three starters from last year -- Galindo, senior forward Chris Fuller and point guard Michael James. Junior center Russell Hicks (7-0), who transferred from Pepperdine, makes his FIU debut Monday night, as does shooting guard Kenneth White, who transferred from Texas A&M. Junior center/forward Badara Ndiaye (6-11) is not expected to make his debut because of a left-shin stress reaction.
-- PETE PELEGRIN