- November 12th, 2008, 9:52 pm
#208457
Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs (Last Season: 16-16; 9-7, 5th in Atlantic Sun; Lost in Semifinals of Atlantic Sun Tourney; RPI - 200)
Head Coach: Rick Scruggs (14th season at GWU)
Players that are Returning:
G Grayson Flittner, Jr. (6’0”, 200 lbs) – 15.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1.1 spg, 40.6 FG%, 40.2 3PT% (107 made threes), 81.3 FT%
G Aaron Linn, Sr. (6’3”, 200 lbs) – 12.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.6 spg, 44.2 FG%, 37.4 3PT% (46 made threes), 69.7 FT%
F Nate Blank, So. (6’4”, 225 lbs) – 10.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 43.4 FG%, 38.2 3PT% (60 made threes), 79.5 FT%
G Takayo Siddle, Sr. (5’11”, 180 lbs) – 5.5 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 35.3 FG%, 30.9 3PT% (34 made threes), 73.9 FT%
C Auryn MacMillan, Jr. (6’8”, 235 lbs) – 4.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.2 bpg, 58.7 FG%, 0 made threes, 52.9 FT%
G Brandon Jackson, Jr. (5’11”, 195 lbs) – 2.3 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 50.0 FG%, 0 made threes
F Lu Dovonou, Jr. (6’5”, 220 lbs) – 2.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 46.9 FG%, 0 made threes, 56.5 FT%
G Dillon Boggs, So. (5’11”, 175 lbs) – 1.4 ppg, .4 rpg, 27.5 FG%, 29.6 3PT% (8 made threes)
C Matt Maden, So. (6’11”, 275 lbs) – Played in 13 games, .8 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 33.3 FG%
Players that are Gone:
F Thomas Sanders (6’4”, 210 lbs) – 18.1 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.3 spg, 47.6 FG%, 21.1 3PT% (8 made threes), 63.4 FT%
F/C Matt French (6’7”, 220 lbs) – 4.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 56.8 FG%, 35.7 3PT% (5 made threes), 52.8 FT%
F/G Quincy Sarpy (6’4”, 210 lbs) – Played in 9 games, 1.2 ppg, .8 rpg, 12.5 FG%
C Samba Fall (6’8”, 215 lbs) – 1.1 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 50.0 FG%
New Players:
F Roy Hinson III, Jr. (6’6”, 205 lbs) – Transfer from Palm Beach CC
G C.J. Hailey, Jr. (6’0”, 190 lbs) – Transfer from Brunswick CC
G/F Anton Silver, Jr. (6’2”, 175 lbs) – Transfer from Louisburg JC
G/F Jonathon Moore, So. (6’4”, 190 lbs) – Transfer from Shelton State
F Joshua Henley, Fr. (6’4”, 220 lbs) – Hunters Lane HS, Madison, TN
G Josh Maggard, Fr. (6’0”, 160 lbs) – Kokomo Northwestern HS, Kokomo, IN
G/F Damaine Ryans, Fr. (6’3”, 185 lbs) – Cape Henry HS, Chesapeake, VA
The college basketball season usually arrives quietly in November without much fanfare or attention due to football, but the 2007-08 season started with a headline-grabbing event, as Gardner-Webb stepped into Rupp Arena and not only beat the storied Kentucky Wildcat program, but dominated them. The Runnin’ Bulldogs were in the Atlantic Sun conference last season, and while the win over Kentucky did not lead them to a conference title or NCAA berth, it did earn the GWU program quite a bit of publicity. This season, Gardner-Webb moves to the Big South, and Rick Scruggs’s team is looking to catapult themselves into the NCAA tournament.
Gardner-Webb returns a bulk of their roster from last year, but will have to replace the 2007-08 Atlantic Sun player of the year, Thomas Sanders. For followers of the Big South, Sanders was GWU’s version of AZ Reid, an undersized post presence that was an automatic double-double throughout the season. All is not lost for the Runnin’ Bulldogs though, as they feature perhaps the best backcourt in the Big South this season. Aaron Linn and Grayson Flittner each had big years for GWU last season, and both will be counted on this year to lead the way. Linn is a versatile player, capable of running the point or playing off the ball. He’s a good rebounder for his size, handles the ball well, and can score from inside and out. Flittner is known for his outside shot, though he can also handle the ball well and led GWU in assists last year. Linn and Flittner will likely carry a lot of the load this year, but they will get frontcourt help Nate Blank and Auryn MacMillan. Blank was the A-Sun Freshman of the Year last year, and while he technically is listed as a forward, he is more of a perimeter threat than an inside presence. MacMillan is GWU’s best post player, and he will likely see a big increase in his numbers with Sanders gone.
The four players mentioned above will likely make up the core of this year’s GWU squad, but they will have plenty of help. Senior guard Takayo Siddle and junior forward Lu Dovonou will each see a lot of minutes, possibly as starters, but more likely off the bench. They each bring experience and versatility to the roster, which will allow the starters to get enough rest to be effective late in games. Scruggs also raided the JuCo ranks in order to add depth and athleticism to his roster. Roy Hinson III, C.J. Hailey, and Anton Silver all are transferring in, and each has the chance to see quite a bit of playing time. Hailey and Silver will add depth to the backcourt, while Hinson could possibly start alongside Blank and MacMillan in the frontcourt. Another potential frontcourt starter could be freshman Joshua Henley, who brings a strong frame and athleticism to the court. Rounding out the roster for GWU are guards Josh Maggard, Damaine Ryans, Brandon Jackson, versatile wing-man Jonathon Moore ,and Dillon Boggs, and big-body Matt Maden.
The Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs, despite returning a lot of their main contributors from last season, will be a bit of a mystery to the Big South this season. In the same vein, Scruggs and the rest of the GWU program will have a lot to learn as they enter the league. Their experienced and talented backcourt, along with their depth, automatically makes them a likely contender in their debut season in the Big South. However, they were unable to capitalize on their win over Kentucky last year, finishing toward the middle of the pack in the A-Sun, despite having the league’s best player, who is no longer on the roster. That makes predicting a championship-caliber season difficult to do for me, so I think they will come close, but will not quite find their way into the Big Dance.
My Prediction:
17-12 overall, 11-7 in the Big South; Third place finish; Will lose in the championship game of the Big South tournament
Head Coach: Rick Scruggs (14th season at GWU)
Players that are Returning:
G Grayson Flittner, Jr. (6’0”, 200 lbs) – 15.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1.1 spg, 40.6 FG%, 40.2 3PT% (107 made threes), 81.3 FT%
G Aaron Linn, Sr. (6’3”, 200 lbs) – 12.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.6 spg, 44.2 FG%, 37.4 3PT% (46 made threes), 69.7 FT%
F Nate Blank, So. (6’4”, 225 lbs) – 10.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 43.4 FG%, 38.2 3PT% (60 made threes), 79.5 FT%
G Takayo Siddle, Sr. (5’11”, 180 lbs) – 5.5 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 35.3 FG%, 30.9 3PT% (34 made threes), 73.9 FT%
C Auryn MacMillan, Jr. (6’8”, 235 lbs) – 4.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.2 bpg, 58.7 FG%, 0 made threes, 52.9 FT%
G Brandon Jackson, Jr. (5’11”, 195 lbs) – 2.3 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 50.0 FG%, 0 made threes
F Lu Dovonou, Jr. (6’5”, 220 lbs) – 2.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 46.9 FG%, 0 made threes, 56.5 FT%
G Dillon Boggs, So. (5’11”, 175 lbs) – 1.4 ppg, .4 rpg, 27.5 FG%, 29.6 3PT% (8 made threes)
C Matt Maden, So. (6’11”, 275 lbs) – Played in 13 games, .8 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 33.3 FG%
Players that are Gone:
F Thomas Sanders (6’4”, 210 lbs) – 18.1 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.3 spg, 47.6 FG%, 21.1 3PT% (8 made threes), 63.4 FT%
F/C Matt French (6’7”, 220 lbs) – 4.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 56.8 FG%, 35.7 3PT% (5 made threes), 52.8 FT%
F/G Quincy Sarpy (6’4”, 210 lbs) – Played in 9 games, 1.2 ppg, .8 rpg, 12.5 FG%
C Samba Fall (6’8”, 215 lbs) – 1.1 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 50.0 FG%
New Players:
F Roy Hinson III, Jr. (6’6”, 205 lbs) – Transfer from Palm Beach CC
G C.J. Hailey, Jr. (6’0”, 190 lbs) – Transfer from Brunswick CC
G/F Anton Silver, Jr. (6’2”, 175 lbs) – Transfer from Louisburg JC
G/F Jonathon Moore, So. (6’4”, 190 lbs) – Transfer from Shelton State
F Joshua Henley, Fr. (6’4”, 220 lbs) – Hunters Lane HS, Madison, TN
G Josh Maggard, Fr. (6’0”, 160 lbs) – Kokomo Northwestern HS, Kokomo, IN
G/F Damaine Ryans, Fr. (6’3”, 185 lbs) – Cape Henry HS, Chesapeake, VA
The college basketball season usually arrives quietly in November without much fanfare or attention due to football, but the 2007-08 season started with a headline-grabbing event, as Gardner-Webb stepped into Rupp Arena and not only beat the storied Kentucky Wildcat program, but dominated them. The Runnin’ Bulldogs were in the Atlantic Sun conference last season, and while the win over Kentucky did not lead them to a conference title or NCAA berth, it did earn the GWU program quite a bit of publicity. This season, Gardner-Webb moves to the Big South, and Rick Scruggs’s team is looking to catapult themselves into the NCAA tournament.
Gardner-Webb returns a bulk of their roster from last year, but will have to replace the 2007-08 Atlantic Sun player of the year, Thomas Sanders. For followers of the Big South, Sanders was GWU’s version of AZ Reid, an undersized post presence that was an automatic double-double throughout the season. All is not lost for the Runnin’ Bulldogs though, as they feature perhaps the best backcourt in the Big South this season. Aaron Linn and Grayson Flittner each had big years for GWU last season, and both will be counted on this year to lead the way. Linn is a versatile player, capable of running the point or playing off the ball. He’s a good rebounder for his size, handles the ball well, and can score from inside and out. Flittner is known for his outside shot, though he can also handle the ball well and led GWU in assists last year. Linn and Flittner will likely carry a lot of the load this year, but they will get frontcourt help Nate Blank and Auryn MacMillan. Blank was the A-Sun Freshman of the Year last year, and while he technically is listed as a forward, he is more of a perimeter threat than an inside presence. MacMillan is GWU’s best post player, and he will likely see a big increase in his numbers with Sanders gone.
The four players mentioned above will likely make up the core of this year’s GWU squad, but they will have plenty of help. Senior guard Takayo Siddle and junior forward Lu Dovonou will each see a lot of minutes, possibly as starters, but more likely off the bench. They each bring experience and versatility to the roster, which will allow the starters to get enough rest to be effective late in games. Scruggs also raided the JuCo ranks in order to add depth and athleticism to his roster. Roy Hinson III, C.J. Hailey, and Anton Silver all are transferring in, and each has the chance to see quite a bit of playing time. Hailey and Silver will add depth to the backcourt, while Hinson could possibly start alongside Blank and MacMillan in the frontcourt. Another potential frontcourt starter could be freshman Joshua Henley, who brings a strong frame and athleticism to the court. Rounding out the roster for GWU are guards Josh Maggard, Damaine Ryans, Brandon Jackson, versatile wing-man Jonathon Moore ,and Dillon Boggs, and big-body Matt Maden.
The Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs, despite returning a lot of their main contributors from last season, will be a bit of a mystery to the Big South this season. In the same vein, Scruggs and the rest of the GWU program will have a lot to learn as they enter the league. Their experienced and talented backcourt, along with their depth, automatically makes them a likely contender in their debut season in the Big South. However, they were unable to capitalize on their win over Kentucky last year, finishing toward the middle of the pack in the A-Sun, despite having the league’s best player, who is no longer on the roster. That makes predicting a championship-caliber season difficult to do for me, so I think they will come close, but will not quite find their way into the Big Dance.
My Prediction:
17-12 overall, 11-7 in the Big South; Third place finish; Will lose in the championship game of the Big South tournament
- By LU Armchair coach