A season ago, the Milligan College men's basketball team captured a regular-season Appalachian Athletic Conference championship — so the questions are out there as to how the Buffaloes will follow that up.
In 2010-11 Milligan went 17-12 overall, but 12-2 against league foes for the regular season crown. Despite having the top seed and home-court advantage, the Buffs were knocked off by Union (Ky.) College in an AAC semifinal contest — keeping Milligan out of the NAIA Division II National Tournament, a trip not taken since the 2001 event.
“We are going to be different,” Milligan head coach Bill Robinson said. “We lost three players from last year and those will be tough to replace.”
Robinson enters his third season at the helm of the Milligan program and his 17th overall. He will look for his first 20-win season leading the Buffaloes in 2011-12, a win total Milligan has not seen since 2007-08.
A trio of seniors are back led by Cordero Seymour. The 6-foot-4 forward from Inagua, Bahamas, poured in 10.0 points per outing. His 5.4 rebounds per game was a team best. Seymour also led Milligan with three double-doubles, in which one had a 24-point effort while another saw him grab 14 rebounds.
Knoxville's Marshall Hardy finished his junior season with 6.0 rebounds per conference game. The 6-foot-1 forward scored a season-best 18 points against Tennessee Wesleyan College.
Robinson commented that Hardy was the team's heart and soul as well as the spiritual leader.
Bryant Edwards, a point guard from Tabor City, N.C., saw action in 28 games a season ago. He scored a career-best 13 points against Southern Wesleyan (S.C.) University.
Among the departures are Hudson Fricke and Tim Harper, which provided 34.8 percent of the offensive output last season.
Fricke came in as a transfer from the University of Florida. Last season, an All-AAC campaign, Fricke led the team with a scoring average of 17.21 points. In addition, he recorded 2.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game averages.
His 4.0 three-pointers made per game led NAIA Division II and was near the top in all of men's college basketball. For the season, he drained 117 shots behind the three-point line.
Harper earned the AAC Defensive Player of the Year and added 10.7 points per game. He also averaged 4.6 rebounds during the senior season.
“I think we got some really good players that can help replace a little bit; I don't think they can replace they did.” Robinson said. “I think we will be different if we can be successful by being different. Then we will be okay.”
The Buffaloes were picked atop the AAC Coaches' Preseason Poll with Reinhardt (Ga.) University. Milligan was given five of the nine possible first-place votes, with two going to Reinhardt as both scored 69 of a maximum 81 points. Right on the top two squads' heels was Union four points back.
“It's a tough spot to be in if you have young kids,” Robinson said about the preseason poll. “I hope our kids are ready with the poll reflecting last year's results.”
Kyle Grisby returns looking to avoid the “sophomore slump” after winning the AAC Freshman of the Year award at the end of the 2010-11 season. Last season, he was third on the team with a 12.8 scoring average and played in all 29 games.
Grisby dished out 89 assists and led the team with 47 steals. He was able to convert at the free-throw line by going 86-for-105, which was the most made free throws on the roster.
“Kyle makes us go,” Robinson said.
Included in the incoming freshmen class are local products Jason Steele, from Johnson County, and Sullivan East's Jordan Cross.
“We feel like they are two of the best three players in the area and we are happy to get both of them,” Robinson said.
Steele comes in as a 6-foot-4 physical forward who Robinson said will add toughness to the roster. He reached the 1,000-point mark during his prep career.
Cross, a 6-foot-3 guard, adds a shooter to the Buffaloes' rotation outside. He missed last season due to a left knee injury during the football season, but was the 2009-10 Three Rivers Conference Player of the Year and the 2010 District 1AA and Region 1-AA Tournament MVP award selection.
Also added to the roster was Mickey Woods, who was found in Port Arthur, Texas. Woods gives Milligan a 6-foot-1 guard for depth on the perimeter.
Milligan opens the schedule today when Knoxville (Tenn.) College visits Steve Lacy Fieldhouse for a 7 p.m. contest. A Florida trip to play Warner and Embry-Riddle follows.
After a game at Knoxville, Milligan goes to the first NCAA Division I foe on the slate, East Carolina on Nov. 11. Eight days late,r the Buffaloes romp into Charleston Southern. Milligan also has dates at Appalachian State, VMI and East Tennessee State.
The AAC schedule starts on Nov. 30 with a 7:30 p.m. home game against Virginia Intermont College before going to Montreat (N.C.) College. Of the final five AAC games, four will be in the friendly confides of the Steve Lacy Fieldhouse.
