Coach: Billy Lange (first season at Navy, 39-19 overall).
Last season: 5-23, 2-12 Patriot League.
| __ College Basketball Preview __
ATLANTIC 10
• George Washington's Karl Hobbs, pictured, and his Colonials have high expectations this season. OTHER AREA COLLEGE CAPSULES
• American
• Howard
• George Washington
• Navy
• George Mason ACC
• North Carolina's Roy Williams, pictured, and his Tar Heels are one reason the ACC continues to be the country's strongest conference.
• Scouting Report: Players
• Media Poll
• Who's Hot, Who's Not?
• Must-See Games WOMEN
• Despite success on the court, area teams are having a difficult time filling the stands.
• Area Capsules BIG EAST
• John Thompson III, pictured, and the Hoyas are hoping for a fresh start this season.
• Scouting Report: Players
• Coaches' Poll
• Who's Hot, Who's Not?
• Must-See Games
• Schedule Changes Next Year NATIONAL
• This season is about the upperclassmen like Providence forward Ryan Gomes who spurned the NBA and returned for a title run.
• On Basketball: Nothing is certain in college basketball.
• Scouting Report: Teams
• Scouting Report: Players
_____ This Week's Previews _____
The college basketball season opens this week. Look for the following previews:
• Thursday: National outlook
• Friday: Big East
• Saturday: Women
• Sunday: ACC
• Monday: Atlantic 10, CAA and others.
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• Talk about the season.
___ Quantity, Quality? ___
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It figures to be another long season for the Midshipmen, who have won 13 games combined the past two seasons and haven't finished with a winning record since 2000-01. Lange, a former Villanova assistant who was previously head coach at Division III Merchant Marine Academy, was hired to replace Don DeVoe, who retired after 12 seasons at Navy. Lange takes over a team that struggled to score last season and will be without its top scorer for perhaps all of this season.
Sophomore forward Carlton Baldwin (Patuxent), who led Navy in both scoring (eight points per game) and rebounding (4.1 rebounds per game) last season, underwent surgery in September to repair a broken toe.
"Well, I brought home all of those preseason magazines . . . and my wife was sitting there reading them, and we were picked near the bottom in just about every one," Lange said. "She asked me, 'What the heck did you get yourself into?' "
The Midshipmen don't have many shooters, especially with Baldwin sitting on the bench. Navy shot only 39.4 percent from the field last season, including 29.9 percent on three-point attempts. Senior Taj Matthews returns at point guard. Guard David Hooper (Gar-Field) will have to take more of an offensive approach this season, after averaging 7.8 points and 4 rebounds as a sophomore.
