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Northeastern

America East Conference report

SportsLine report
April 5, 2000

The season never got on track for the Huskies, and if not for bad luck, they would have had no luck at all. They ended the season with five conference victories and seven overall, good for ninth place in the conference. The season concluded with their third loss of the season to archrival BU in the first round of the conference tournament, but realistically, the season was over much eariler. The biggest disappointment of the year was when sophomore Jean Bain went down for the season in January with a leg injury, another in long line of problems for the talented but snake-bitten youngster.

2000-2001 glance

The Huskies only lose two players of any importance to graduation, so the team is intact for next season, but as the saying goes, if you return all your players from a losing team, why would they be any better the following year? If they stay healthy and Bain can return to form that saw him earn conference rookie of the year honors in 1998-99, a .500 season seems possible.

The coach

Rudy Keeling has had better years. In his 12 years at Maine and Northeastern, this season's seven wins were tied for his personal fewest, along with the seven he won in 1996-97, his first year with the Huskies. The year saw several low points for Keeling, including an one-game suspension after he went into the crowd following a game to argue with the America East head of officials.

Who'll be back

Most of the team will be returning, including junior guard Marcus Blossom, the team's leading scorer for two straight seasons. The key, however, is if Bain can come back and play effectively and if forward Marquis Wright can step up and become a starter.

Who's gone

Only two players leave, starting guard Terry Kringe and forward Cortez Bond, both of whom are replacable.