MEN'S BASKETBALL MEDIA DAY REPORT

After last season's 4-28 record, UT head basketball coach Tod Kowalczyk looks at this season as a new beginning for his program. "This is a new team and a new era. I think last year we talked too much - coaches, players, media and fans - about next year. There was a good reason for that, but next year is here and the future of Rocket basketball is now."

The Rockets have had four days of practice, and they have been very good according to Kowalczyk, "We've got nine scholarship players, so as a head coach I have to be smart about how long we practice. We go hard, but we don't go long. Everything has been under two hours."

With no seniors on the team and only three letter winners returning, it looks like a young squad, but there is some experience. "We're a young team, but we're also a fairly experienced team," Kowalczyk said. "Our two juniors are redshirt juniors and two of our sophomores are redshirt sophomores. Some of these guys have a lot of experience, and having them sit out last year gave a lot of valuable experience because they had a chance to learn our system. Dominique Buckley and Curtis Dennis got better sitting out, and Matt Smith and Rian Pearson are completely different players from their freshman years. They've both matured and gotten tougher  Both guys have done a great job of expanding their skill sets.

"We're athletic, long and fast and have the ability to score. We're not very big, but there are a lot of good basketball teams that have played four guards, and that's what we're going to do a lot."

One of the returning letter winners is walk-on sophomore Richard Wonnell, the only player from Northwest Ohio on the team. The 6-10 center from Genoa played in 26 games last season, seeing spot duty. "Richard is one of the favorites on our team, not just the coaches, but the players as well," Kowalczyk said. "He's a guy who's fun to be around, and I think he has a chance to help us in certain situations. He's still a long ways away offensively, but he's gotten into shape and his skills are better. I look at him as a guy who can add value to our program."

Kowalczyk said that he tried to put together a balanced schedule for his team that struggled to find success last season. "Quite honestly. last year was too hard for any mid-major team in any given year. You need to play some really good teams, and you need to play teams that you can have success against. This year we have a great home slate with Cleveland State that's going to be picked in the top two of the Horizon League, and we also have Temple who should be a top 15 or 20 team in the country when we play them."

The Rockets will also have Illinois-Chicago, UNC-Wilmington, Loyola (IL), Youngstown State, Norfolk State and Indiana-Northwest at home. Road games begin with the Texas Pan-American Tournament on November 18, and also include contests at Chicago State and Florida Gulf Coast.

As for the MAC schedule, Kowalczyk said, "People have told me that the MAC this season will be as good as it's been in the last ten or fifteen years. I can tell you this, coming from the Horizon League, that this league is better. It's a very physical league, very talented and with a lot of very good seniors in this year's class."

Toledo will have two scholarships to give out for next season, for a total of eleven, as they work back from NCAA limitations towards getting a full compliment of 13 players. According to Scout.com, 6-9 Illinois forward/center Nathan Boothe has already committed to UT. Although there appears to be more depth needed with another big man, Kowalczyk will likely take the best player available, regardless of position, with the remaining scholarship.

UT's season will begin on November 3, with an exhibition game against the University of Northwestern Ohio in Savage Arena.