Central Florida, Utah State highlight BP Top of the World field

Submitted by Scott Wilson
Phone: (907) 474-7778
04/29/04

The stature of the 10th Annual BP Top of the World Basketball Classic took a big shot in the arm when the field was announced for the 2004 tournament. No less than five teams with 20 or more victories in 2003-04 will be in Fairbanks this winter vying for the tournament championship, November 18-21 at the Carlson Center.

Alaska Fairbanks (23-7) will open the tournament on Thursday, November 18, against Central Florida (25-6) with Western Michigan (26-5) and Winthrop (16-12) playing in the nightcap. Utah State (25-4) and Portland (11-17) will open the action on Friday, November 19, with Georgia Southern (21-8) and New Mexico State (13-14) University closing out the evening. The second round of competition with be Saturday, November 20, with the championship game set for Sunday, November 21.

The University of Central Florida is coming off one of the best seasons in school history. The Golden Knights finished the year 25-6 after losing to Big East Conference powerhouse Pittsburgh in the first round of the 2004 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship. The Golden Knights punched their ticket to the Big Dance after posting three consecutive wins in the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament thereby receiving the league’s automatic bid into the postseason. For the Knights, it marked the first time in eight years since they last appeared in the NCAA Tournament. Dexter Lyons led UCF in scoring with an average of 18.3 points per game, shooting over 50 percent from the field. Roberto Morentin averaged 13.5 points and 6.9 rebounds a game, while Josh Bodden scored 10.9 points a contest and led the team in blocks with 40.

The Western Michigan Broncos finished 26-5 last season and closed out their year with a first-round loss to Vanderbilt University in the NCAA Tournament. NBA prospect Mike Williams led Western Michigan on the season with an average of 18.9 points per game and pulled down an average of 7.0 rebounds per outing. Ben Reed helped Williams out offensively with 16.0 points per contest. Anthony Kann averaged 12.6 points a night and led the team in rebounding with an average of 7.2 caroms a game.

Utah State, ranked throughout most of the season as one of the Top 10 teams in the country, reached the first round of the 2004 National Invitation Tournament. USU finished the year 25-4 under head coach Stew Morrill. Utah State had three players in double figures for the season. Cardell Butler, who participated in the 2004 NCAA National Slam Dunk Contest, led the team with an average of 14.0 points per contest. He shot 48 percent from the field and 43 percent from long range. Nate Harris, who shot a blistering 67 percent from the field, averaged 11.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game and Spencer Nelson led the team in rebounding with 7.2 caroms a contest and had an average of 11.5 points per game.

The University of Portland men’s basketball team lost to Loyola Marymount in the opening round of its conference tournament, but accomplished a lot during the 2003-04 season. Despite a schedule that consistently ranked among the nation’s toughest, the Pilots produced an 11-17 overall record with impressive road wins over Oregon State, New Mexico and Boise State. Sensational sophomores Pooh Jeter and Donald Wilson had outstanding seasons for the Pilots. The two backcourt mates averaged close to 30 points combined per game. Jeter finished the season at 16.6 points per game, Wilson finished with a 12.8 average. Jeter and Wilson were also among the conference’s leaders in assists, steals, free-throw percentage and three-point field goals.

The Winthrop Eagles ended their season with a 49-46 upset loss in the first round of the 2004 Advance Auto Parts Big South Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament. Winthrop (16-12) had two players in double figures for most of the season. Tyrone Walker averaged 12.9 points per game, while Marcus Cooke chipped in with 11.7 points game. Walker shot 45 percent from the field and led the team in rebounds with 7.8 points per game. The Eagles were a force under the basket last year, averaging 34 rebounds per game. Winthrop outrebounded its opponents by an average of 34-31.

The Aggies of New Mexico State University closed out the season with a disappointing 13-14 overall record and a 6-9 slate in the Sun Belt Conference. With the 13 wins, legendary coach Lou Henson moved into seventh place on the NCAA all-time victories list with 775, just three short of Jerry Tarkanian (778) for the sixth spot. James Moore had the hot hand last season for the Aggies as he averaged over 15 points and six rebounds per game. He shot 53 percent from the field and was deadly from the free-throw line, nailing 83 percent of his tosses. Duane John scored 13.1 points per contest, while Kelsy Crooks averaged 8.4 points and 6.2 rebounds a game.

Georgia Southern finished the 2003-04 season with an impressive 21-8 overall record. Elton Nesbitt led GSU with an average of 15.8 points per game. He shot over 40 percent from the field and was a stalwart on defense, leading the team with 66 steals. Frank Bennett average 15.3 points per game, while Terry Williams chipped in with 12.1 points a contest. The Eagles, an annual contender for the Southern Conference bid to the NCAA Tournament, fell just short last year, losing to the University of Chattanooga in the conference semifinal game.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks is coming off its best season in school history, posting a 23-7 overall record and earning its second consecutive trip to the Division II National Tournament. The Nanooks, led by Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year Brad Oleson, reached the Sweet 16 of the national championship and came within four points of reaching the final eight teams. Oleson, a native of North Pole, AK averaged 22.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest. Sophomore Andrew Smith provided UAF the punch inside. Smith, a native of Anchorage, AK, averaged 10 points per game and pulled down an average of 5.9 rebounds per game. UAF set a couple of school records during the 2003-04 season, rewriting the record books for most victories in a season and most wins in the national tournament.