Team Previews

College Basketball 2006

State Men

COPPIN STATE

Coach -- Fang Mitchell, 21st season at Coppin State (330-261)

Affiliation -- Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

2005-06 record -- 12-18 (12-6 MEAC)

Arena -- Coppin Center (1,720)

Consensus MEAC favorite -- Delaware State

Consensus Coppin State prediction -- Fourth

Starters lost -- One

Outlook -- After the usual sledgehammer road schedule that includes games at Virginia Tech, Hawaii, Tennessee, Kansas State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Alabama, Connecticut and Ohio State, Coppin should be fine. Tywain McKee (15.4 ppg, 2.5 spg) is an All-MEAC preseason pick and three other regulars are back, although two freshmen, 6-3 Ruben Britt and 6-6 Ethan Kennedy, will probably break into the starting lineup. The onus will be on the frontcourt - since the Eagles were pounded on the boards last year - and the usual pressing defense, which allowed 68.6 points per game, the most in nine years.

LOYOLA

Coach -- Jimmy Patsos, third season at Loyola (21-35)

Affiliation -- Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference

2005-06 record -- 15-13 (8-10 MAAC)

Radio -- WNST (1570 AM)

Arena -- Reitz Arena (3,000)

Consensus MAAC favorite -- Marist

Consensus Loyola prediction -- Fifth

Starters lost -- Two

Outlook -- Two transfers loom large in the plans of the Greyhounds, who will have a new look without Andre Collins (26.1 ppg), the nation's No. 4 scorer last season. Two players left the program, but 6-4 Gerald Brown (Douglass), who departed Providence, will probably start right away, and 6-8 Omari Isreal, formerly of Notre Dame, is eligible the second semester. With holdovers Michael Tuck (9.1 ppg, 6.2 rpg), point man Shane James, Marquis Sullivan (Archbishop Spalding) and 6-10 Hassan Fofana, Patsos will have the height to contend in the MAAC. The bench should be adequate to play the up-and-down game the coach prefers.

MORGAN STATE

Coach -- Todd Bozeman, first season at Morgan State

Affiliation -- Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

2005-06 record -- 4-26 (4-14 MEAC)

Radio -- WEAA (88.9 FM)

Arena -- Hill Field House (4,250)

Consensus MEAC favorite -- Delaware State

Consensus Morgan State prediction -- 10th

Starters lost -- Two