November 10 

Georgia Southern vs Portland (-3.5) - 2:30pm Pacific - Game #713-714

Big expectations surround Portland basketball this year as head coach Michael Holton enters his fifth year of a 5 year rebuilding plan.  The team has improved by an average of 43 spots in the RPI rankings each of the last three seasons and is poised for similar improvement this year.  The Pilots lost two starters, but return their top five scorers from last year.  The all senior backcourt of Pooh Jeter and Darren Cooper could be the best in the underrated WCC.  Another senior starter, G/F Donald Wilson is also back giving them plenty of experience on the perimeter.  In past years Portland lacked the size and strength to compete inside but this year welcome 6-11, 280 pound center Kevin Field, a transfer from Oregon State.  6-10 returnee Ben Sullivan (8.7ppg last year) and promising 6-8 sophomore power forward Marcus Lewis (WCC all-freshman team last year) give Holton plenty of options inside. 

Georgia Southern must replace two all-conference players in point guard Terry Williams and post player Jean Francios.  High scoring 5-9 guard Elton Nesbitt will be counted on to carry the scoring load but I do not believe he is enough by himself to offset Portland's advantage in the backcourt.  GSU sophomore swingman Anthony Marshall, a promising player who would have competed for a starting spot was lost for the season to a knee injury early on in practice.  6-7 JC transfer Lafayette London is being counted on as an inside scorer but he was unable to practice until just over a week ago due to injury.  Quote from GSU head coach Jeff Price, “We are excited, and we want to take this a little bit at a time,”  “Don’t panic – it will take some time.”  This leads me to believe that GSU is not ready to play its best basketball out of the gate. 

Portland finally has the size and depth it has been waiting for.  They play much better defense than GSU does and this year should be a much better rebounding team.  These two teams faced one another last year in the Top of the World tournament in Alaska with Portland winning 74-60.  Expect a similar result in 2005.  Give the points.