Diary Series: Jim Corrigan, Assoc. Head Coach - Old Dominion

A new season is about to start, and things are very different in Norfolk.  The last two years we have had veteran teams, teams that knew what it took to succeed, had been through the  wars, and were well-versed in their roles.  In 2009-2010 we only had two seniors, so last year we returned seven of our top nine.  We did lose a first team All-Conference player in Gerald Lee, but had enough guys back that it would be a simple adjustment.  We won 27 games both years, won the CAA tournament both years, and played in the NCAA both years.  In 2009-2010 we beat Notre Dame before losing to Baylor.  Last year we lost a heart-breaker to Butler in the first round.  Along the way we played eight teams that made the NCAA field (a total of 10 games, 6-4 record), we won the Paradise Jam in the US Virgin Islands, and played the 13^th toughest non-conference schedule in the country.  We graduated four seniors who contributed so much during their careers.  Two were four-year starters, and a third started most of his career.  Three scored 1000 points. 

Now it is a new year.  Every player on our team will be in a new role this season.  We have two starters back, including the pre-season player of the year, but it is definitely a different type of season.  We have had some unusual things hit us all at once this off-season.  First, our best player, Kent Bazemore, broke his foot in a summer league game.  He is coming along nicely, but missed the entire preseason program, and is just now starting to get back on the court.  It will take Kent some time to get back into shape, to get his rhythm back, and to be able to compete at a high level.  Another player is not eligible until the second semester due to being a transfer.  A third is not eligible until the second semester due to academic reasons.  A fourth will sit out the first three games of the season.  So we will start the season with four players out!!!!  With only 12 players on scholarship, this means we will have only eight players available for the first three games.  And we will have nine available until the semester break (depending upon when Kent can play again)!!!!!

With an inexperienced team, it is certainly going to be an interesting start to the season.  The exhibition games were a big help.  We prefer to play two exhibition games as opposed to one exhibition and a closed scrimmage.  Getting our young players on the court, with the lights on, and fans in the seats will help us during those early games.  That experience will speed up the adjustment process for our young guys.  In the first game three freshmen scored in double figures, and our leading scorer was a freshman.  In the second game a freshman led us again in scoring.

Our season starts today against a very good and very well-coached Northern Iowa team.  And two days later we play Long Island University, an NCAA team with their best players back.  So we jump right into the fire.  Our fourth and fifth games will be against a Big East school (South Florida) and either an SEC school (Kentucky) or a Big 10 school (Penn State) in the Hall of Fame tournament.  We have always tried to challenge our players with a competitive schedule that will prepare them for the rigors of league play and tournament play.  This year is no different.  But with so many different faces, it is going to be a challenging early season.  As we progress through the season, and get players back into the rotation, we think that we can be a very good team by the season’s end.  We will see.

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