Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE
As the 2012-2013 Mens’ Basketball season draws closer, expectations, rumors and predictions are swirling around Twitter, Facebook and sports websites worldwide. One school in particular, is the Colonial Athletic Association’s own, Delaware Blue Hens.
After finishing 14-17 overall, and 8-10 in the CAA, during the 2010-2011 season, the Blue Hens improved drastically last year. During 2011-2012 conference play, Delaware put up a 12-6 record against CAA foes and went 18-14 overall. Now, entering this upcoming season, head coach Monte Ross and company have been the recipients of an abundance of national media coverage. The Blue Hens have become a very popular pick for “team on the rise” and “the next up and comers”.
One example is the national website, collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com, who recently listed Delaware as one of its 10 men’s basketball programs On The Rise for the 2012-13 season. The site states that “this will be the year for Delaware to make a run” behind guards, Devon Saddler and Javaris Threatt and big man Jamelle Hagins.
Along with nbcsports.com, collegesportsmadness.com, has ranked Delaware 95th in the country heading into this upcoming season. The site, which ranks Delaware only behind Drexel and Old Dominion in the conference, is also high on Saddler, Threatt and Hagins, but also bodes a lot of confidence in 6-5 small forward Larry Savage who averaged 7.3 points per game during his freshman campaign last year.
The Blue Hens also earned the number two overall ranking in www.RantSports.com’s CAA Preseason Rankings last month as well. Delaware will kick off their highly anticipated season with Blue Hens Madness on October 12 at the Bob Carpenter Center.
Jake Fischer is the CAA Correspondent for Rant Sports-NCAA Basketball. Make sure to follow Jake on Twitter @fischsportsline.
