UMBC Retrievers: Life with a superstar but without a defense

For being a tiny league, the America East is not without its share of drama. Could-have-been elite center Kyrie Sutton was dismissed only a few days before the season, effectively marking the end of the fraudulent Bingo-Braudus era. Will Brown is in the year of his contract. Tommy Brenton is ready to commit anything short of murder to win basketball games after sitting out for a full year. 

But the most interesting might be how come Chris De La Rosa, super talented, super numbers, isn't a winner. Is it all a lack of talent? Why doesn't his team rally around him? Why isn't the defense better? Where is the leadership from what is supposed to be a 1st teamer -- and maybe POY candidate?

Last Season: 5-25, 4-12, got stomped by Binghamton in the play-in round of AE Tournament 91-65 (ouch). 

Head Coach: Randy Monroe

Key Losses: Justin Fry, Travis King, Laurence Jolicoeur 

Newcomers: Will Wise, Joey Getz, Nate Basalyga, Jordan Wejnert, Chandler Thomas, Jarrel Lane

Projected Line-up:

G: Chris De La Rosa, Sr.

G: Joey Getz, Fr.

F: Chase Plummer, So.

F: Nate Basalyga, Fr.

Bench: Brian Neller, Jr. Jamar Wertz, So. Jake Wasco, Sr.

A Look Back:

There isn't much any UMBC wants to remember and there's nothing in particular I'd like to rehash (except for that 2nd half collapse that allowed UAlbany to make a ferocious comeback. Thanks for that).

Jamar W: 

Always going out of our way to reference Jamar Wilson! More after the jump!

I guarantee that in no other preview of UMBC will Jamar Wertz be the first player mentioned in the commentary. It's partially because I have a soft spot for Wertz -- being named Jamar W. and an America East player is a major plus in my book. Also, after knee surgery forced him to redshirt, I predicted he would make the all-frosh team last year. He didn't, but I'm still holding out hope he proves my trust. He does have the highest offensive rating of any returner (99.1) and at 6'4 and built, he has the ceiling to be a player from the wing in the AE. He'll need to be less streaky with his three point shooting (37%), but he did record multiple threes in 8 games. 

Feel good story -- and maybe a helluva player:

Freshman Will Wise is 6'8, a potential big time shot blocking threat. He also was adopted at age 14 after spending his formative years, among other places, in numerous homeless shelters in Philly. If he helps infuse a tougher, defensive mindset to the Retrievers, this team instantly because much more likable.

CDLR: Spiting Siena (and maybe learning from the master):

CDLR is the best pure point guard in the league, he'll throw up pretty numbers (if you don't look at W's), but he has to help take control of the team. As an Albany fan, I have to give him credit for up and leaving Siena -- and then proving that they desperately could have used him last year. You to wonder if the return of the great former point guard, Mr. Heart and Hustle Himself, mite-sized Jay Greene to UMBC as an assistant coach will spur something in CDLR.

Plummers are still thriving in this economy:

Chase Plummer wasn't profiled in our breakout week, but he's a good a candidate as any. The Retrievers graduate their 2nd and 3rd best scorers and CDLR has to get those assists by passing to somehow. And he was perhaps the single bright spot for UMBC on defense all season was that Plummer managed to clock in an impressive Stl % (3.6, 76^th best in the nation). But it's offense were Plummer will need to break out, after a fast start of 4 straight double digit scoring games, he managed only six for the rest of the season and slumped to 6.7 PPG. That said, he's clearly in line to assume the offensive mantle with CDLR steps aside – and lord knows CDLR needs the help now. He doesn't even pretend to be a three point shooter (nine 3FGA), but he draws fouls at a high rate, rebounds well especially on the offensive glass and isn't gun shy – at 26 %Poss, he's the second most aggressive option the Retrievers have. He'll need to improve his 84 O Rtg, but UMBC doesn't have the luxury of bringing him along slowly.

Best Case:

Freshman Wise and Basalyga infuse some defensive seriousness into UMBC while Gertz and Plummer blossom into offensive sidekicks to CDLR. The team claws it's way to a .500 conference finish and the future doesn't seem all that bad.

Worst Case:

Last season happens again, Randy Monroe is forced out