Benedictine 2011-12 men's basketball preview

LISLE, Ill. - The 2011-12 edition of the Benedictine University Men's Basketball team takes to the floor for the first time tonight against Knox College.

The Eagles finished 21-8 last season and returned to the NCAA Tournament, falling 74-68 in the opening round to The College of Wooster, who finished as the national runner-up. Benedictine posted a 13-3 record in the Northern Athletics Conference on the way to a South Division and tournament title.

"Winning the conference and reaching the NCAA Tournament has been the goal every season," veteran 17th Year Head Coach Keith Bunkenburg said. "We want to continue to do that every year."

Three of the four players who averaged double figures last year are gone, but Nate Green highlights the returners. Green was a First Team All-Northern Athletics Conference selection and is the top returning scorer in the conference after leading Benedictine with 17.8 ppg a season ago. Green also led the conference in assists with 179.

"He's (Green) one of the best players in the league," Bunkenburg stated. "We don't have the experience around him that we did last season (Three of the starting five from 2010-11 were playing together consistently for three years), but hopefully the early portions of the schedule can help build chemistry."

Dario Jokic brings the most returning offensive totals after Green and will see his role increase this season. Jokic joined Benedictine last season following a solid season in the junior college ranks and averaged 6.8 ppg while starting 24 contests.

Several other returners will now take on larger roles as well. Alex Edmondson played 18 games last year but scored just four points. David Bernard was 8-for-9 from the field in 16 contests. Kyle Bickler and Jamison Montgomery also appeared in double digit contests for the 2010-11 Eagles. Mark Pace saw the floor in four contests while Andy Crutchfield and Dale Renshaw will transition to the varsity after a year in the program.

Eight newcomers will don uniforms this year including a trio of transfers in Raphael Oglesby, who suited up for Elmhurst College last year, Pearle Olatunji, who played at the College of DuPage, and Michael Woolf, who played at North Park University. Add to the mix freshmen Justin Johnson, Vincent Carducci, Matthew Mackowiak, Daniel Montano, and Timothy McGinty, and the Eagles look to bring a significant amount of the depth to the floor. 

The Rice Center has again undergone a facelift and will feature a new floor in 2011-12. Benedictine finished 12-3 at home last year including a 7-1 mark in conference play.

Benedictine had the opportunity to take on Loyola University Chicago in exhibition play and will again face a tough slate in the non-conference season with road dates against Illinois Wesleyan and North Central from the CCIW. The Eagles also head to Las Vegas, Nev. in December for a pair of contests including a date with UW-Oshkosh. Northern Athletics Conference play begins on November 29 at home against MSOE. Benedictine was picked to finish second in the South Division.

"I consider the Northern Athletics Conference to be as strong as any other conference in the Midwest," Bunkenberg stated. "The conference lost some great players but there is some solid young talent and I expect the race to be extremely competitive again."