GETTING INSIDE

There's nowhere to go but up for the Bears in 2009-10.

After coming in last place in the Ivy League with a 3-11 Ivy League record in Jesse Agel's first season at the helm of the Brown program, the Bears welcome back a solid core of players who will look to make a bigger impact in the standings this time around.

Like last year, Brown will be dominated by its frontcourt this season.

Leading the way is center Matt Mullery, a first team All-Ivy pick a season ago who took to Agel's motion offense like it was second nature. He averaged 16 points a game, highlighted by a 20-20 double-double against Harvard.

Back alongside him is Peter Sullivan, who will also see younger brother Matt added to the backcourt. Sullivan was the fifth leading scorer in the Ivy League a season ago, and led the conference in minutes played.

The other forward slot will likely be taken by either Chris Taylor or Stefan Kaluz.

Once again, the question marks occur in the backcourt, specifically ball-handling. Adrian Williams will open as the point guard, with Garrett Leffelman alongside him.

However, if Marques Coleman can come back from the injury that sidelined him a year ago, he could move into the lineup and shift Williams to the wing. That would give Agel increased flexibility to use a smaller lineup.

There's no question that Mullery and Sullivan are good enough to get the Bears a few more Ivy victories than the team earned a year ago. Now, the task for Agel and his staff is to find the right mix of players who can do the same.

NOTES, QUOTES

--G Adrian WIlliams proved to be one of the Ivy League's top shooters as a sophomore. His 58 three-pointers ranked second in the conference.

--C Matt Mullery was more than a scorer for the Bears last season. He averaged 2.1 blocked shots a game, as well, including 2.6 per conference game, to lead the Ivy League.

--The nickname is overused, but Sean Kane could be called the microwave for his impact off the Bears bench at times last season. Twice in 2008-09, against Bryant and Hartford, the guard made three three-pointers in the first half to spark Brown to victory.

LAST YEAR: 9-19 overall, 3-11 in the Ivy League.

HEAD COACH: Jesse Agel (career 9-19); second year at Brown (9-19).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "They're wonderful people, and when I'm recruiting somebody I want them to be able to go to those guys, and I want our guys coming in to be like those guys. They worked hard all the time, they cared, they were passionate, they were good teammates and they're what Brown basketball aspires to be.." -- Coach Jesse Agel, to the Brown Daily Herald, about last year's senior class.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: The Bears are counting on their four-man recruiting class to fill some of the void left by departing seniors Chris Skrelja and Scott Friske.

Forwards Tucker Halpern and Andrew McCarthy have the best chances to play right away. Halpern averaged a double-double as a high-school senior, while McCarthy scored more than 1,500 points over his high school career in Massachusetts. Forward Tyler Ponticelli also will contend for minutes. But the most familiar name is Matt Sullivan, the younger brother of standout forward Peter Sullivan.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: Brown will be tested in its four games in the Philly Hoop Group Classic, in which the Bears' opponents include Virginia Tech, St. Joseph's and Siena. Other non-conference highlights include a match-up with local rivals Providence, Rhode Island, and Bryant College, as well as a Dec. 5 trip to Minnesota.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: After going 3-11 a year ago, there's nowhere to go but up for the Bears. The four-man recruiting class is key for Jesse Agel, who hopes the newcomers can combine with senior Matt Mullery to at least get Brown back to the middle of the Ivy League pack.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Adrian Williams, SG Garrett Leffelman, SF Peter Sullivan, PF Chris Taylor, C Matt Mullery.

ROSTER REPORT:

--G Marques Coleman was sidelined for his freshman year because of an injury, but the coaching staff hopes he will be able to contribute. If that's the case, he could emerge as the starting point guard, which would move Adrian Williams to the wing, where he would be more able to concentrate on scoring.

--G Garret Leffelman came on strong at the end of the season in 2008-09 after missing 12 games because of an injury. He hopes to build on the 26 minutes a game he averaged down the stretch, and on big moments like his buzzer-beater that knocked off Harvard.

--F Peter Sullivan averaged the most minutes in the Ivy League a year ago, playing nearly 36 per game.

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COLUMBIA

GETTING INSIDE

The Lions aren't generally expected to contend with Cornell for the Ivy League title, but don't be fooled by the hype. With the new talent at Joe Jones' disposal, Columbia is one of the few teams in the Ivy League that can match up with the Big Red.

Columbia offers challenges that few can match among the Ancient Eight. In addition to the 13 returning players, the new faces add host of challenges for opposing coaches to deal with.

The Lions have added Brian Grimes, a transfer from LaSalle who missed the 2008-09 season because of a torn ACL, as well as 7-footer Max Craig, a transfer from Loyola Marymount.

That, combined with returning frontcourt players Asenso Ampin and Zack Crimmins, give the Lions some depth in an area that it had trouble with a season ago.

The backcourt was the strength of the team a year ago, and nearly everyone of note is back in 2009-10.

Patrick Foley missed significant time because of an injured foot, but can take the team to another level if he is healthy. Nico Scott and Noruwa Agho are contenders for All-Ivy honors, and Kevin Bulger and Steve Egee are capable threats off the bench.

Columbia isn't quite at the level of its Ivy League travel partner, but even with the Big Red's additions, the separation is not as large as its been in the past.

This is a team that can definitely surprise in the Ivy League.

NOTES, QUOTES

--A former Lion got a big non-basketball honor over the summer. Dan Trepanier was selected by Esquire Magazine as the Best Dressed Real Man in America, and the 2009 graduate got prizes worth more than $30,000.

--Columbia might have done better than a third consecutive 7-7 Ivy League record had it not been bitten by the injury bug. Among the many Lions to miss time were Patrick Foley and Asenso Ampin, each sidelined for the final six games of the Ivy schedule.

--Coach Joe Jones made one change to his coaching staff this off-season. Marlon Sears, a former assistant at High Point University Wagner and Binghamtom, replaces the departed Andrew Theokas.

LAST YEAR: 12-16 overall, 7-7 in the Ivy League.

HEAD COACH: Joe Jones (career 75-91); seventh year at Columbia (75-91).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Most importantly, I think we did a great job getting kids from winning programs. We try to evaluate a prospective players commitment and willingness to be coached, and our incoming class is representative of some outstanding high school basketball programs from around the country." -- Coach Joe Jones, on the freshman class.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Two transfers should have a huge impact in their first years of eligibility. Brian Grimes (LaSalle) and Max Craig (Loyola Marymount) could begin the 2009-10 season starting in the frontcourt.

Of the five freshmen, John Daniels seems like the most likely candidate to play big minutes right away. He's coming off a strong postgraduate year, and fills a need as a forward who can play in the paint and on the perimeter. Mark Cisco will add depth in the frontcourt. Incoming backcourt players include combo guard Brian Barbour, shooting guard Sandeep Dhailwal, and point guard Dean Kowalski.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: Columbia opens the season with a trip to DePaul in November and also travels to Syracuse in December. Other trips include Sacred Heart (in Connecticut), Stony Brook, Wagner, Bryant, Quinnipiac and Lafayette, making the team wonder whether the school has something against traveling to warmer climates for winter break.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: There's been no team more consistent than Columbia, which is coming off three consecutive 7-7 seasons. Though it has the talent to contend, the most likely outcome is another season right around the .500 mark, given the strength of Cornell and the depth of the rest of the league.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Niko Scott, SG Patrick Foley SF Kevin Bulger, F Brian Grimes, F Asenso Ampin.

ROSTER REPORT:

--F Brian Grimes is already having a better season than he did a year ago. The LaSalle transfer suffered a torn ACL five minutes into his first practice in 2008, but appears to be ready to go in 2009-10.

--G Noruwa Agho came on strong in his freshman season. After taking advantage of early-season injuries to earn increased playing time, he finished third on the team in scoring and three-point shooting, second in minutes played, and first in steals.

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CORNELL

GETTING INSIDE

Even as its rivals bring in more talent to try to compete with the Big Red, Cornell appears to be in great shape to not only win its third consecutive Ivy League title, but also to put itself in position to pull off an upset in the NCAA Tournament.

It seems almost unfair that a team returning all five starters should also bring in a host of new players that includes two Division-I transfers, but that's the situation Steve Donahue finds himself in.

The biggest problem won't be finding five capable players to fill the court at all times, but to work the minutes enough to keep everyone fresh and happy.

Cornell starts off with three players who will challenge for Player of the Year honors in the Ivy League. The frontrunner there is Ryan Wittman, a two-time All-Ivy first-teamer with NBA size and shooting ability on the wing.

But point guard Louis Dale won Player of the Year honors in 2007-08, and Jeff Foote was the league's defensive player of the year last season at center. The three give Cornell the size, speed, and shooting ability to cause match-up nigxmlares for opponents.

Also returning is starting forward Alex Tyler, and guards Geoff Reeves and Ivy Rookie of the Year Chris Wroblewski in the backcourt, and that's as solid a group of six as has existed in recent Ivy history.

But there's more where that came from.

Joining the rotation will be UMass transfer Max Groebe in the backcourt and Kentucky transfer Mark Coury in the paint. Both have the skills to make an instant impact in Ivy play, and give Donahue incredible lineup flexibility.

There are also key reserves Adam Wire and Jon Jaques, and six freshmen among the 10 other reserves. The Big Red bench will be deep and talented enough to outscore the starting fives of several of the other teams in the Ancient Eight.

But with many of the key players seniors who have bowed in the NCAA Tournament first round two years running, the goals are higher than winning the league.

A brutally tough non-conference schedule is designed to prep the Big Red for the postseason, both in terms of the level of competition and the RPI.

If Cornell can win a few games against opponents that include Kansas, Syracuse, Alabama, Seton Hall, St. John's, UMass and St. Joseph's, it will be in prime position to get a good enough seeding to make its dreams of making noise in the NCAA Tournament a reality.

NOTES, QUOTES

--Louis Dale will have to serve as the Big Red's tour guide for the season opener. Dale will be headed near his hometown of Birmingham when Cornell takes on Alabama.

--Jon Jaques is one of the highest profile members of the Big Red, but it's not because of his performance on the court. The senior is again one of the New York Times bloggers, and will talk about his final season of eligibility to the newspaper's readers.

--Look for Max Groebe to make a big impact on the outside now that he's eligible after sitting out the 2008-09 season as a transfer. In his freshman season at UMass, Groebe shot close to 36 percent from three-point range.

LAST YEAR: 21-10 overall, 11-3 in the Ivy League; lost in first round of the NCAA Tournament.

HEAD COACH: Steve Donahue (career 117-133); 10th year at Cornell (117-133).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We want that competition, and we need that, because we feel we can beat anyone on our schedule, absolutely anyone." -- Forward Alex Tyler, to the Ithaca Journal, on the Big Red's non-conference schedule.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Despite the fact that the veteran core of the team makes early playing time hard to imagine, Steve Donohue brought in a strong group of freshmen. Forward Eitan Chemerinski was one preseason publication's choice to be the Ivy League's top newcomer, though that's hard to imagine unless he really impresses in early practices. In doing so, he'll have to outshine fellow freshman forwards Josh Figini, Peter McMillan and Errick Peck. Also arriving on campus was guard Miles Asafo-Adjei.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: Steve Donahue has put together a brutal non-conference schedule for his team, and it's strong enough that the Ivy League slate will seem like a vacation by comparison. The Big Red play road games against Alabama, Massachusetts, Syracuse, Bucknell, LaSalle, Kansas and South Dakota. It will meet Davidson and possibly St. Johns at the Holiday Festival at Madison Square Garden, and Toledo, Vermont and Drexel at the Legends Classic in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, Seton Hall and St. Josephs are making the trip to Ithaca. If Cornell can emerge from this with a halfway-decent record, the Big Red will be in great shape heading into league play.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: Cornell is as good a team as the Ivy League has produced in years, and has a legitimate shot at having a big impact on the NCAA Tournament. Steve Donahue has brought the program up to the elite level in the Big East, and this season should be his best team yet.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Louis Dale, SG Geoff Reeves, SF Ryan Wittman, PF Alex Tyler, C Jeff Foote.

ROSTER REPORT:

--C Jeff Foote seemed to get stronger this off-season, to avoid getting pushed around as he was at times a year ago. He reportedly packed on about 20 pounds of muscle in workouts, increasing the 7-footer's weight to 265 pounds.

--F Mark Coury has shown he can compete at a high level from his time at Kentucky. Though he walked onto the team, he earned playing time because of his solid work in practice, and in one memorable effort scored nine points with five rebounds and two steals in an overtime victory over Vanderbilt.

--G Chris Wroblewski was the Ivy League's Rookie of the Year as a freshman, despite coming off the bench after Louis Dale returned from his injury. Still, he'll again be fighting for minutes in the crowded and talented Big Red backcourt.

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DARTMOUTH

GETTING INSIDE

The Big Green were one of the surprises of the Ivy League in 2008-09.

After being buried in the basement thanks to only two victories in the non-conference schedule, Dartmouth rebounded behind Ivy League Player of the Year Alex Barnett to stay in the conference race until March, finishing with a 7-7 Ivy record.

Unfortunately for coach Terry Dunn, Barnett graduated. That means the underclassmen who let Barnett carry the load a year ago will need to step up their production.

Chief among those players are sophomores David Rufful and Jabari Trotter, who both had their moments a year ago, but deferred to the red-hot Barnett most of the time.

Now that the security blanket is gone, both will have to adjust to their new roles in the offense.

So will the rest of the veterans, but the good news is that there are a lot of them on the roster.

Forwards Herve Kouna, Josh Riddle and Clive Weeden, and guards Ronnie Dixon and Robby Pride all were effective role players a year ago.

It's difficult to predict how the Big Green will do, since last year was so Barnett-focused that there weren't many opportunities for the remaining players or any pressure for them to step up their game.

Both will be in abundance in 2009-10.

NOTES, QUOTES

--Terry Dunn brought in a pair of new assistant coaches for the 2009-10 season. Michael Brown has spent the last two seasons at Idaho State, while Mark Graupe was at Colorado State in 2008-09.

--With Alex Barnett gone, look for the 2009-10 Big Green to rely on the backcourt for more offense. Guard Jabari Trotter is the team's leading returning scorer at seven points per game, and Marlon Sanders, Robby Pride and Ronnie Dixon showed flashes of offensive firepower a year ago.

--One area in which the Big Green will have to improve is at the free throw line. Dartmouth shot just 65.8 percent from the line, and 25 percent of its free throws were taken by Alex Barnett, who made 82 percent.

LAST YEAR: 9-19 overall, 7-7 in the Ivy League.

HEAD COACH: Terry Dunn (career 44-94); sixth year at Dartmouth (44-94).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We have all been working really hard and playing very well. Last year, we played around Alex Barnett. This year, we will move the ball around more, and I think that someone can definitely fill (Barnett's) shoes." ---- Forward Herve Metsam, to The Dartmouth.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Terry Dunn welcomed five freshmen into the Big Green program in 2009-10. Two of them are Houston Swoosh AAU teammates, Mbiyimoh Ghogomu and Garrett Brown, and fellow Houston native Josef Brown also arrives to bolster the frontcourt. Center Matt LaBove could win time in the paint, while R.J. Griffin will be in the backcourt mix.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: Dartmouth opens the season with three road games, at Boston College, George Mason and Furman. Winning any of those would be impressive. After that, the Big Green have a rare situation in the Ivy League with an extended home streak of non-conference games. Dartmouth is at home from Nov. 24 to Dec. 13, a five-game stretch that includes match-ups with Hartford, Vermont and Army.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: Dartmouth is probably on the way down this year, because replacing Alex Barnett is a big hurdle for a team that relied heavily on him to surprise in the Ivy League a year ago. The key for Terry Dunn will be to keep the Big Green competitive, to avoid placing him on the hot seat this off-season.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Jabari Trotter, SG Robby Pride, WG Marlon Sanders, PF David Rufful, PF Herve Metsam.

ROSTER REPORT:

--Does any player in the conference have bigger shoes to fill than David Rufful? The sophomore was more of a threat on defense than he was on offense a year ago, but is the favorite to slip into Alex Barnett's lineup spot at power forward.

--G Robby Pride is getting used to picking up hardware at the team's award banquet. The senior is a three-time winner of Dartmouth's Alvin F. Doggie Julian Awar, given in honor of his "spirit and enthusiasm."

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HARVARD

GETTING INSIDE

Tommy Amaker was brought in with an impressive resume, with his background as an assistant at Duke and head coach at Seton Hall and Michigan. His mission? To turn Harvard into a big-time college basketball team and a perennial power in the Ivy League.

Entering his third season, the Crimson are making progress. The talent level on campus is high, and Amaker has used his recruiting acumen to bring in another solid class.

However, the pressure will be on him and the program to show improvement in 2009-10, especially since recruiting season saw many of the team's higher-rated targets wind up elsewhere.

Which isn't to say Amaker doesn't have a lot to work with. He returns several key components from a team that beat Boston College as well as Cornell and finished with a 6-8 record in the Ivy League a season ago.

It all starts with Jeremy Lin, who filled up the stat sheet a year ago like nobody else in college basketball. He finished in the top 10 in the Ivy league in every statistical category, and at times seemed unstoppable on the court.

Sophomore guard Oliver McNally will join Lin in the backcourt, coming off a strong freshman season. Also looking to take a leap forward in his second season is center Keith Wright.

The rest of the frontcourt will be controlled by Doug Miller, Paul Magranell and Andrew Van Nest, along with highly-touted freshman Kyle Casey. Max Kenyi is the top returning guard off the bench.

When Harvard was at its best a year ago, it could compete with any team on its schedule, but the problem was that it wasn't at its best very often. Getting a high level of play consistently from his players will be the key as Amaker hopes to take the Crimson to the next level.

NOTES, QUOTES

--Jeremy Lin and Doug Miller will serve as co-captains this season, tying for the honor in player voting. It's the first time Harvard will have two captains since the 1990-91 season, when Ralph James and Ron Mitchell had the honors.

--Many Harvard grads wind up with overseas jobs, but two members of last year's graduating class are doing so in overseas basketball leagues. Evan Harris signed with CSSU Craiova in Romania, while Drew Housman is playing for Hapoel Kiryat Tivon in Israel.

--C Keith Wright hopes to continue the strong play he showed at the end of his freshman season, when he finished with five consecutive double-figure scoring efforts. He started 17 of his 24 games, and he might have finished with better numbers had he not been sidelined for four games because of mono.

LAST YEAR: 14-14 overall, 6-8 in the Ivy League.

HEAD COACH: Tommy Amaker (career 199-174); third year at Harvard (22-36).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Jeremy (Lin) is a player who can play at any level of college basketball. The youngsters that I've had a chance to coach, there is no one I would rank higher than Jeremy Lin." -- Coach Tommy Amaker told Dime Magazine.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Kyle Casey has gotten the most attention of anyone in the incoming class. The 6-7 forward was Blue Ribbon Magazine's preseason pick as the conference's top newcomer, and his offensive skills in particular will be more than welcome. Coach Tommy Amaker hasn't ever been afraid to play new guys, so Casey could see a lot of playing time right away. Other newcomers to the frontcourt include Jeff Georgatos and Spencer de Mars. Guards include Christian Webester, Peter Edelson, Brandyn Curry and Dee Giger.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: Harvard was the lone Ivy League team to beat a Top 25 opponent a year ago, knocking off Boston College on the road. It gets another chance at the Eagles on Dec. 9, and also travels to Big East opponents Connecticut and Georgetown.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: For Tommy Amaker's sake, it had better be going up. Not that the coach is in any danger of being fired for his on-court performance, but Amaker's aggressive recruiting has put the program under greater scrutiny than in previous years, and also increased fan expectations to a new level. Most are hoping for a top-three finish in the Ivy League, and being a strong contender to front-runner Cornell for the Ivy League title.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Jeremy Lin, SG Oliver McNally, SF Kyle Casey, PF Doug Miller, C Keith Wright.

ROSTER REPORT:

--G Jeremy Lin finished in the top 10 in every statistical category in the Ivy League in 2008-09. He was first in steals, free throws attempted, free throws made, second in assists, third in scoring, sixth in field goal percentage, seventh in three-point percentage, eighth in free throw percentage, ninth in rebounding and 10th in blocked shots,

--There was little doubt that guard Christian Webster was going to play Division I college basketball somewhere. His father, Darryl, played for George Washington, and uncle Bobby Winston played for John Thompson at Georgetown.

--F Kyle Casey drew accolades even before setting foot on campus. He's Blue Ribbon Magazine's preseason pick to be the Ivy League Newcomer of the Year.

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PENNSYLVANIA

GETTING INSIDE

Year in and year out, there's no Ivy League program with more of a big-time feel than Penn. That can be good and bad, as coach Glen Miller and the Quakers are finding out.

Penn might play in a league noted for academics, but it's located in a city that prides itself on being perhaps the biggest college basketball hotbed in the country.

The Quakers aren't only members of the Ivy League, they're part of the Big Five, a city-wide group that also includes Villanova, Temple, LaSalle and St. Joseph's.

Add Drexel to the mix, and there's no shortage of big-time basketball in the area -- and no shortage of fans with high expectations.

That hasn't been a great thing for Miller, who has struggled in years two and three since taking over for Fran Dunphy, who now is coaching at local rival Temple.

Two seasons out of serious Ivy League title contentions have left the fans restless, and it would be good for his long-term future at the school if he could improve upon last season's disappointing 6-8 conference mark.

For that to happen, Miller will be counting on Zack Rosen and Tyler Bernardini.

Bernardini, the Ivy League's Rookie of the Year last season, is a high-scoring forward and team leader. Rosen, who many think should have won that honor a year ago, already is one of the best point guards in the league entering his sophomore season.

The question is, who will play alongside them? One player who looked like the answer last season was Harrison Gaines, but he elected to transfer. So Miller is hoping for some of the players who lost last year to injuries -- such as Andreas Schreiber and Darren Smith -- to fill the void.

The 2008-09 season proved to be Penn's first losing season in the Ivy League since 1990-91. Regardless of injuries, bad luck, or the unusually talented Cornell team at the top of the preseason standings, that's not going to fly for the Quaker faithful for much longer.

NOTES, QUOTES

--There's a new name on the Quakers coaching staff this season, but one that should be very familiar to Penn fans. It's Jerome Allen, a four-year starter at Penn in the early 1990s, who led the Quakers to three NCAA Tournaments as a player and remains one of the school's best talents in recent history.

--G Zack Rosen had a successful summer on the international stage. The sophomore helped the U.S. team to a gold-medal performance in the Maccabiah Games in Israel.

--Incoming freshman Sean Mullan also spent his summer playing well overseas. He was on the New South Wales team that won the gold medal in the 2009 Oceania Championship in Saipan.

LAST YEAR: 10-18 overall, 6-8 in the Ivy League

HEAD COACH: Glen Miller (career 233-202); fourth year at Pennsylvania (45-45).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "There's no place like home. If I could not only help, but learn, what better place to do it at than a place that has given me so much?" -- New assistant coach and former Penn standout Jerome Allen, to the Philadelphia Daily News.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Penn will welcome at least three newcomers to the team. Given the lack of depth in the frontcourt, the best bet to make an impact are the forwards. Sean Mullan comes to the program from Australia and Brian Fitzpatrick from Massachusetts, but both will contend for spots in the rotation if they show the ability to put the ball in the basket. Carson Sullivan augments the talent in the backcourt.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: Penn's nonconference schedule always is a challenge, since it plays each of the Big Five rivals. It also opens the season with a trip to 2008-09 NIT winner Penn State, and has late December road trips to North Carolina to face Davidson and Duke.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: The Quakers look to be on the way down. Once one of the two elite programs in the Ivies along with Princeton, the top tier of teams is more crowded behind clear favorite Cornell. Penn will need a strong season to simply finish in the top half of the league.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Zack Rosen, SG Darren Smith, SF Tyler Bernardini, SF Rob Belcore, PF Jack Eggleston.

ROSTER REPORT:

--G Darren Smith is looking for much better luck this season than he's had in recent years. The senior has lost the last two seasons after suffering a broken kneecap in the 2007-08 season opener.

--F Andreas Schreiber played only two games in 2008-09 before being shut down because of an injured shoulder. He is expected to be ready to start this season.

--F Justin Reilly also hopes to rebound from an injury-plagued 2008-09. The senior played only 11 games and missed most of the early season because of injuries after having a strong sophomore season in 2007-08.

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PRINCETON

GETTING INSIDE

Last season's Princeton team was an inspiration to terrible teams everywhere, because it showed how quickly things can turn around.

Coming off a 2007-08 campaign that saw the Tigers stagger to a last place finish in the Ivy League and a 6-23 overall record, Sydney Johnson's crew didn't show many signs of dramatic improvement early.

Princeton went 5-8 in its non-conference games, and showed no signs it could contend. But it surprised the Ivy League with a strong conference season, contended for the title until the final week of the season, and ultimately finished tied for second with an 8-6 Ivy League record.

Johnson hopes to build on that success, and the core of last year's surprising squad is back to help him do so.

All five starters return, led by the backcourt of Doug Davis and Dan Mavraides. Both averaged in double figures a year ago and were particularly solid in league play.

Marcus Schroeder joins them on the wing, with Kareem Maddox and Pavel Buczak in the frontcourt.

Also returning for the Tigers is sixth man Patrick Saunders, experienced big man Zach Finely, and newcomer Ian Hummer. Hummer may see time at wing forward, since the Tigers have more depth on the inside than they do on the outside.

Traditionally, the Tigers have been one of the Ivy League powers. Johnson and the Tiger faithful hope that last year shows that after a brief fall from grace, Princeton can regain a position in the league hierarchy.

NOTES, QUOTES

--Assistant coach Scott Greenman got some more experience on the sidelines when he served on the staff of the U.S. entry in the Maccabiah Games junior basketball competition. He helped steer the U.S. to a silver-medal finish, as the team fell to Israel by two points in the gold medal game.

--Two freshmen from last season left the program. Zane Ma and Max Huc are not on the roster for the 2009-10 season.

--It's been a long return to prominence for guard Marcus Schroeder. After playing big minutes as a freshman, he saw his playing time slashed as a sophomore and didn't have much of a role at the start of his junior season, but persevered and finished the year as a starter on the wing. He'll be in that position again as a senior.

LAST YEAR: 13-14 overall, 8-6 in the Ivy League.

HEAD COACH: Sydney Johnson (career 19-37); 3rd year at Princeton (19-37).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We only have one place to go and that's up. We had our ups and downs, but I think we made a lot of nice steps." -- Forward Patrick Saunders, to the (New Hampshire) Citizen, on the upcoming season.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Coach Sydney Johnson brought in a six-man recruiting class this season. Jimmy Sherburne is the lone guard, but at 6-3 has the size to match up well in the Ivies. The rest are frontcourt players. Ian Hummer, Gus Gabel, Mack Darrow, Brendan Connolly and Will Barrett are all 6-7 or taller, and give Johnson some more bulk in the paint. Hummer is the player most likely to see early minutes.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: Princeton is looking to make the postseason in 2009-10, and the Tigers have some opportunities to make noise in non-conference play. It has road games against California and Rutgers, and also travels to play St. Josephs, Maine, Central Michigan, and UNC Greensboro.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: It looks like the Tigers are on the prowl again. After a brief absence from relevance, Princeton returned to the forefront of the Ivy League a year ago and seems poised to contend for a postseason tournament in 2009-10.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Doug Davis, SG Dan Mavraides, WG Marcus Schoreder, SF Kareem Maddox, C Pavel Buczak.

ROSTER REPORT:

--F Ian Hummer was a natural fit to sign with Princeton. His father and uncle both played for the Tigers.

--C Pavel Buczak took a big step forward a year ago, and the senior proved a natural fit for the Princeton offense. He was the only member of the team to start all 27 games in 2008-09.

--G Dan Mavraides spent his summer in Greece as part of the Next Generation Initiative, which gives Greek-American students the chance to head to Europe to experience their ancestors' home. The week-long trip marked the second consecutive summer experience there for Mavraides, who spent part of 2008 there as part of a Greek-American basketball team.

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YALE

GETTING INSIDE

The Elis suffered some key losses during the offseason, but there's still enough in New Haven to give Yale a shot at staying in the top half of the Ivy League standings.

Alex Zampier is the only returnee among the top three scorers of a year ago, as Ross Morin and Travis Pinick graduated. He averaged 13.2 points per game in 2008-09 in earning honorable mention honors on the All-Ivy team.

The loss of Morin and Pinick affects the Bulldogs in the scoring column and on the glass. That will put pressure on the veterans returning in the frontcourt -- Garrett Fiddler, Michael Sands, Paul Nelson and Jordan Gibson.

Fiddler in particular brings a physical presence to the paint, but now will need to be more active on offense as well.

However, the key to the team might be at the point. Porter Braswell had an up-and-down season a year ago and will be looking to emerge as a force as a junior.

If he doesn't, he will be pushed hard for minutes by freshman Michael Grace.

James Jones has led the team to a .500 or better finish in the Ivy League for the last nine seasons.

Getting that to double digits will be difficult, but the pieces are in place to make that a definite possibility in 2009-10.

NOTES, QUOTES

--James Jones made one change to his coaching staff, bringing in former Washington & Lee coach Jamie Snyder-Fair. Snyder-Fair replaces Mark Gilbride, who left to become head coach at Clarkson.

--Yale is consistently among the top teams in its conference, which places it in rare company in college basketball these days. In fact, Yale is one of only 18 schools in Division I that has finished in the top four of its conference in each of the last six seasons.

--Alex Zampier is going to be the Bulldog opponents spend the most time worrying about. But it's no help to be physical with him defensively. Zampier led the Ivy League at 84.8 percent from the line.

LAST YEAR: 13-15 overall, 8-6 in the Ivy League.

HEAD COACH: James Jones (career 117-134); 10th year at Yale (117-134).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We're a very athletic team, we can run up and down all day. Last year, Ross (Morin) was our best player, and he was more of a half-court player. We're going to need to make up that production and I think the way to do that is to run more. The guards are going to have a bigger scoring responsibility." -- G Alex Zampier, to the Yale Daily News.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Coach James Jones has brought in three freshmen. Not coincidently, all three are guards. Michael Grace should push Porter Braswell at the point right away. He was an all-state pick in North Carolina, averaging 19.4 points and 8.4 assists per game. Austin Morgan is another strong ball-handler, while Sam Martin is a deadly shooter who could contend for time on the wing.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: Once again, Yale spends most of its non-conference schedule away from home. It opens in the Connecticut Six Classic, taking on in-state rival Sacred Heart, and plays Hofstra to open the preseason NIT. It also takes a two-game trip to play Colorado and Colorado State, on which Colorado native Garrett Fiddler can show his teammates around.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: Yale is consistently on the fringe of the Ivy League race without quite getting over the hump. Although the Bulldogs will again be a solid team and difficult to beat, it's hard to see that changing this season.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Porter Braswell, SG Alex Zampier, F Michael Sands, PF Garrett Fiddler, C Paul Nelson.

ROSTER REPORT:

--F Josh Davis is coming back from a lost junior season. He played only two games in 2008-09 before being sidelined because of a shoulder injury.

--One name to watch this season is forward Greg Mangano. The freshman played in 20 games in 2008-09, had 13 blocked shots, and played his best game of the season against Cornell, when he scored a season-high eight points.

--F Jordan Gibson will be looking for a greater role in his senior season. He played in all 28 games off the bench as a junior, but only started twice, against MIT and New Jersey Institute of Technology.