Excitement Builds as Davis Era is Set to Begin
11/1/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
"Not only are our players looking forward to the season but also our fans and everyone around the community is looking forward to seeing this team," Davis said.
His first team is a young one. Nine newcomers comprised the recruiting class, and five more were added as walk-ons this fall. Of those 14 players, 11 of them are freshmen or sophomores.
"It's unique to have so many newcomers, let alone so many freshmen," said Davis during this week's Mid-American Conference media teleconference, "but we really wanted to build this for the long term rather than take a lot of transfers. Our young roster is a benefit maybe not in the short term but definitely in the long term as they are able to improve, play as freshmen and go through some growing pains."
The large amount of turnover may be a plus for another reason - only five returners will be asked to learn Davis' run-and-gun system that will rely the three-point shot and full or three-quarter court pressure defense that can create fast break opportunities.
"(The system) has generated a lot of excitement with our team, our community, our alumni and our recruits who are always going to come in and try to take the program to another level."
Carrying a majority of the load to push the offense will be experienced point guards Kyle Randall and Chris Fowler.
Randall, one of two (Zach Saylor) Chippewas currently enrolled in grad school, graduated from UNC Greensboro in three years and will wrap up his eligibility with the Chippewas. He averaged 8.2 points and 2.2 assists during his Spartan career, starting 65 games and appearing in all but one contest. Fowler, although just a freshman, has a year of post-prep basketball under his belt after he averaged 12 points and eight assists at IMG Academy in Florida last year.
Likely to be out-sized on most nights, the lineup has been built for speed, requiring a rotation of 10 or 11 guys.
"Just because we're the smallest team you might see this year doesn't mean we can't out-work teams," said Davis. "If we outbound our opponents, with our speed and shooting ability, that is going to give us a great opportunity."
To help instill the work ethic and habitual hustle needed to out-work teams, the coaching staff utilizes a stat board at each and every practice, tracking, among the typical stats, effort. The board communicates in black and white which players have grabbed the most rebounds, which have gotten to the line the most, and which are most successful shooting the ball. Those players will be the ones to see the most playing time in Davis' up-tempo system.
"We are seeing a lot of competition and a lot of parity," Davis said early in the preseason. "There are 11 or 12 guys battling for starting spots."
Davis and his staff will get their first look at outside competition, and the Chippewa fans will get their first look at Davis and his squad, Wednesday, November 7 in an exhibition game against Lake Superior State.
"We're excited now to see exactly where we are. It's tough to gauge how much you've improved when you're constantly going against yourself in practice. One day when the offense looks good, well, you're going against your defense, and vice versa."
For a deeper inside look at the Chippewas' preseason, view the interview with Davis above. Additional videos are available inside the CMU Sports Zone.