THE GOOD NEWS
Joe Mihalich is a quality coach. He brings in quality players and had been to the postseason three of the last four years before coming up just short in 2008. He does lose star Charron Fisher and key sidekick Stanley Hodge, but the Eagles have the rest of their cast back for 2008-09.

THE BAD NEWS
Replacing a Charron Fisher is never easy. Hey, the guy scored 800 points and was the second-leading scorer in the country this season. Stanley Hodge was an important part of this team, too. That's 40.9 points per game combined in those two players.

KEY RETURNEES
G Tyrone Lewis becomes a junior next year and is a quality player. PG Anthony Nelson had a strong freshman year. C Benson Egemonye came on as a presence inside.

ROSTER REPORT

--The 19 regular-season wins by Niagara ties the high for the Joe Mihalich era and included the title at the Cable Car Classic and a win at rival St. John's.

--F Charron Fisher, who lost the battle for MAAC Player of the Year to Rider's Jason Thompson, was second in the country in scoring. He had 23 points and 16 rebounds in the MAAC tournament loss to Marist.

--Fisher was named to the USBWA's Men's All-District Team as well as first-team All-MAAC.

--He led the conference in scoring, was second in minutes played, third in rebounding, 3-pointers and steals, and sixth in free-throw percentage.

--G Tyrone Lewis was second-team All-MAAC.

--G Anthony Newlson made the league's All-Rookie team and finished third in the conference in assists and fourth in assist/turnover ratio.

--C Benson Egemonye led the league in field-goal percentage, was second in offensive rebounds and fifth in blocked shots.

--G Stanley Hodge was 10th in the MAAC in scoring.

--The Purple Eagles led the league in rebounding but were last in rebounds allowed, were second in the conference in steals, turnover margin, free-throw percentage and 3-point defense percentage and third in offense and 3-pointers. However, Niagara was ninth in defense and field-goal percentage and 10th in 3-point percentage.

Copyright (C) 2008 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.