Midwestern Collegiate Conference report

SportsLine.com Report
April 10, 2000

Ask any opposing coach in the Midwestern Collegiate Conference which team had the best talent and invariably the answer comes back: "Cleveland State," usually followed by a phrase like "no doubt" or "by far."

And yet Rollie Massimino, in his fourth season as coach of the Vikings, coaxed barely a .500 record out of this group. Worse, the team fell apart down the stretch. Rather than give Butler any kind of run, the Vikings fell flat at home and lost consecutive games to Wisconsin-Green Bay and Wisconsin-Milwaukee to close the regular season.

A once-promising season then ended with a first-round MCC tournament ousting at the hands of Illinois-Chicago.

A glance at 2001

Massimino will put another talented group together and hope it works out better. If not, it could be time for a coaching change. Hopes rest with the NCAA, which is considering a petition from CSU to grant star guard (and MCC Newcomer of the Year) Damon Stringer one more year of eligibility. A favorable ruling seemed highly unlikely at this writing.

The Coach

Building a program is tough at this level, but Massimino, who coached Villanova to the NCAA championship in 1985, is running out of time and excuses. And now he faces not only the task of replacing the high-scoring Stringer (impossible?), but also guard James Madison, his only other consistent scorer. There is a 7-footer on the way, but he's a project. How soon before Massimino, a legend in the coaching profession, tires of his obscurity in Cleveland and calls it a career?

Who'll Be Back

You can't call William "Sonny" Johnson a bust, but the former Ohio "Mr. Basketball" definitely has not lived up to the hype. The 6-foot-5 junior's ability to become a real force, as opposed to merely a supporting-cast member and defensive stopper, will be critical. Others returning include forward Tahric Gosley, who struggled as a freshman, and point guard Jamaal Harris, who, in theory, replaces Stringer.

Offense-minded guard Theo Dixon would lessen Stringer's loss considerably if he can return successfully from a back injury. Dixon red-shirted and will have two more years.

Who's Gone

Stringer and Madison are the key losses. With Dixon sidelined, they were CSU's only real scoring threats down the stretch. Both were deadly from 3-point range. Both were leaders on the court.