Coach Tom Young seemed to have the magic potion when he lead this program to the brink of glory with a team full of overachievers.  His philosophy of pushing the ball up the court, with a group of gazelles and a once in a lifetime leader, led to great success for the Scarlet Knights.  This was not easy to duplicate in the A-10 as the team’s lack of perimeter shooting caught up with them.  The A-10 is not the Big East so this step up for Young’s Warriors promises to be challenging at best.  If he can find some shooters and a little more defense this team could shock the world once again.  Of course that ‘situation’ is about as likely as Snooki getting voted prom queen but stranger things have happened.  But Young does have at his disposal one of the most experience and symmetrical starting fives in the country highlighted by a couple of offensive studs. 

Leading the way for the Knights is Junior forward Phil Sellers.  Phil the Thrill is undersized and not very athletic for a wing but man can he play basketball.  He does not get the respect of other elite players who carry their teams the way that he does and that almost assuredly comes from his appearance.  Sellers looks like a city league player with his receding hairline and his thick body.  He uses his mind and his desire to play the game the way it should be.  He may not have been the best player on the team but he definitely was the most valuable.  He can score inside and out and can run the court though it looks like he is going to die trying to keep up with the kids though he is one himself.  Sellers is only six four but can really board and is a gifted passer.  He is not exactly Magic Johnson but he is a huge fan favorite and the fans at the RAC love their fearless leader.  His best attribute is his incredible competitive nature. 

If Sellers is the leader than Senior shooting guard Bob Lloyd is not far behind.  A great shooter, Lloyd is another underrated offensive weapon for Young.  He may not be the most athletic two guard but he more than makes up for it with his sweet J.  He is also good at going to the hoop and getting fouled and then he almost never misses a free throw and of course he shoots every T the Knights get against them.  Both Lloyd and Sellers might be up against a bit more than in the past having to try and guard much quicker and athletic players in this league and defense is not exactly what they are known for.  This Batman and Robin combo averaged almost 40 points between them last year and those numbers might take a dip in the new conference but the Scarlet Knights will be counting on them to lead the team both on and off the court and of course to be the primary scoring options.   

Junior big man James Bailey does not lack for athletic ability.  Jammin James can jump through the moon and is a strong powerful presence under the basket.  The King of the Alley Oop, Bailey is developing a more dynamic game to go with his tremendous ability to jam balls through the basket.  At 6’9 220 he cannot help but get better as his game is advancing beyond the days of dunks and boards. Of course those amazing dunks in aesthetics and volume (he has 102 last year) have made him quite the fan favorite.  He will block a shot and is not afraid to mix it up and banging with the likes of Lanier and other big men in the A-10 have prepare him well for the Big East though of course they are not quite as big and there are not as many of them.  This stud has got game but whether or not he can hang with the elite of the east will be seen. 

Speaking of supremely athletic big men one must look no further than Bailey’s sidekick in crime up front in Sophomore Roy Hinson.   Hinson much like Bailey does not lack the ability to throw it down with ferocity and on a regular basis.  Hinson is of similar size as Bailey at 6’9 210 but is a much better shot blocker.  In his first year is Piscataway defense was the main priority for Roy though he did get some wonderful putbacks and dunks.  This year he will have to step up his game but he might even have more potential than Bailey and boy will the Knights need for him to show that. If one of them (or hopefully both) develops a consistent low post game to keep others team’s honest than Rutgers really could surprise some teams.  As of know the best low-post option is the 6’4 Sellers and that just won’t cut it long term in this league.  One thing is for sure the Knights two big men titillate the fans in in the RAC and on the road for their monster slams and their high flying putbacks  

Point guard Eddie Jordan holds all of it together.  A smart player who knows when to pick up the pace or slow things down, this is his team.  Fast Eddie (and boy does that nickname fit) can score when needed but is content letting his teammates score off one of his pin point passes to set up another score.   Jordan is no slouch defensively either as he is adept at pressuring the ball and pickpocketing other team’s guards.  He may not score twenty a game but he is as good as there is at setting the tempo for his team and that means when it is time to run Fast Eddie is ready to go. 

The bench for the Knights is solid and filled with a plethora of perimeter players but there is not much up front behind Bailey and Hinson.  Junior Mike Dabney was the best third guard (and sixth man) in the A-10 last year.  Dabney can score and is a solid defender and he gives the team such a lift that Young keeps him rotating in as much as possible.  He is big enough to guard small forwards and was huge in Young’s pressure defense with his six five frame shutting down passing lanes. He is another one of those that will be tested moving up to a more talented league but Dabney has been essential to any success Young and the Knights have had in the past and will be again if they are going to shock the Big East.  There are a few others competing for time in the backcourt but they are in good hands if only those three play.  Sophomore John Battle from DC is foremost of this group but he barely played as a freshman but did impress on JV with his quickness and ability to score.  The strength of the bench is a deep set of wings including a huge group that you might classify as small forwards but of course the best player on the team is a small forward. Junior Hollis Copland from just down the road in Ewing Township is a solid performer who can score and defend.  The problem is with the lack of size up front he had to play way too much in the paint and at a svelte 6’6 180 he is nowhere big enough for the Big East.  He will play though and probably log some minutes as Young has plenty of other options at the wing including Mr. dependable Bob Greacen (who also logged some minutes at the post but is only 6’7 206), sweet shooting junior Steve Kaplan from Collingswood NJ greyhound Abdel Anderson who goes 6’7 200 from Bellevue NY who can run all day and is a good defender.  That is a lot of good players who will not get too many minutes but will contribute somehow.  As for the post the best bet is junior Gene Armstead.  Armstead was a High School All-American when he came here and was a stud his first year.  6’9 230 from Media PA Armstead is a terrific defender and board man and can score but just got passed up in the rotation by the more athletic Bailey and Hinson.  He will no doubt get plenty of minutes especially with the lack of size on this roster.  Swede Sundstrom and Don Peterson were mainstays up front when they were young but these two seniors go 6’5 and 6’4 and will be lucky to get any minutes at all this year.  Heck, Bucky Hatchett and Larry Gordon are still on the roster and were once studs here but at 6’3 and 6’1 they will not be playing against Georgetown. 

Coach Tom Young has assembled a solid team but are jumping into the deeper waters of the mighty Big East.  Whether they swing, wade or float (or maybe even drown) depends on the a core group of upperclassmen who have tasted success before.  Not many programs can match up with the staring five of Knights, not even in the Big East.  Now if they can find some depth especially up front and can find some more perimeter shooting they might have a chance not to embarrass the city of Piscataway.  Then again they could shock the world and compete toe to toe with the big boys of this conference.  One thing is for sure these kids will not back down from anybody.