2008-2009 Record: 13-15 (8-6, T-2nd Ivy)

2008-2009 Review: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Yale’s 2008-2009 season was about as unpredictable as Rod Odom’s college choice, starting off with a miserable non-conference stretch that saw the Elis knock off a Pac-10 opponent in Oregon State and then falter at lowly Hampton and at Division I-newcomer Bryant.

Despite their early season woes, the team was able to right the ship by the time the Ivy season rolled around, compiling a respectable 8-6 league record, good for a 2nd place tie in the conference. Its success orchestrated largely by the dynamic frontcourt duo of Ross Morin and Travis Pinick, Yale was a formidable foe inside the confines of Payne Whitney Gymnasium, dropping only two games at home and knocking off eventual league champ Cornell in the process.

Key Losses: Ross Morin (13.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg), Travis Pinick (10.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg)

Morin, the team’s leading scorer and rebounder, was a two-time All-Ivy Second Team pick. A consistent and bruising presence on the glass, his half-court skills were up there with anyone in the Ivy league. A three-year starter, his production will be very difficult to replace.

Pinick’s athleticism, polished offensive game and tough defense will also be sorely missed in New Haven. A two-time All-Ivy Second Team selection, Pinick was 2nd in the league in field goal percentage (first in conference games), 7th in rebounding and sixth in assists.

Key Returnees: Alex Zampier (13.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg), Porter Braswell (4.6 ppg, 1.6 rpg)

Although the pickings are slim, the cupboard isn’t completely bare for Yale, as SG Alex Zampier returns for his senior season. He was a consistent scorer and defensive presence for the Bulldogs last season, finishing 8th in the Ivies in scoring and second in steals. The Honorable Mention All-Ivy selection has his work cut out for him, however, without being able to rely on his departed battery mates.

Porter Braswell, who was an on-again, off-again presence in Yale’s starting lineup last season, is consistently inconsistent, despite showing flashes of promise. He’s set to open the season as Yale’s starting PG but will likely face stiff competition to stay there.

Key Arrivals: Mike Grace, Austin Morgan, Sam Martin

Grace is a talented PG who was coveted by a number of Ivies. He projects to crack the playing rotation early and could challenge Braswell for the starting role. Morgan is a deft ballhandler who set his high school’s career scoring record but is probably some time away from earning major minutes. Martin has a good stroke from long distance and may see early minutes due to Yale’s ineptitude from beyond the arc in ’08-’09.

Top Non-Conference Games:

Yale at Sacred Heart, Friday, November 13th, 5:30 p.m. – Yale opens its season by heading to Bridgeport to face off against in-state rival Sacred Heart in the inaugural Connecticut 6 Classic, a triple-header showcasing all of the state’s teams not named UConn. The game will give fans a first glimpse at the new-look Elis.

Yale vs. Bryant, Wednesday, December 9th, 7:30 p.m. – A game against the Bryant University Bulldogs wouldn’t typically merit consideration as a top non-conference game for Yale. But in a season that featured several lowlights, the home-court, double-digit loss to Bryant last year stood out as an exceptional embarrassment. Can the Elis return the favor?

Yale at Colorado, Tuesday, December 29th, 9:00 p.m. – Heading out west for a two-game holiday jaunt in the Rockies, Yale will face a stiff non-conference test against Jeff Bzdelik’s Colorado squad. The game will also be Yale’s only showing on the ESPN family of networks, as it can be seen on ESPN Full Court.

By The Numbers: The Bulldogs have made their mark as a big, experienced team over the past few years, which has helped them continually rank in the top 100 nationally on the defensive glass, including a fifth-place finish in 2007. That will change this year, however, as three former starters at 6’7 or above (Pinick, Morin and Fiddler) have all departed – negatively impacting both height and experience. While Yale has a stable of tall frontcourt players, none of them have the experience or the demonstrated skill to replace what the squad has lost, meaning that the Bulldogs ability to hold opponents to one shot and out should be substantially diminished this season.

Pinick and Morin also happened to be the two most efficient offensive threats for Yale and combined to use 33 percent of the team’s total possessions. Much of the burden to produce will fall upon Zampier, who already was likely being overused. Zampier’s 94.4 offensive rating was third worst in the league among players using at least 24 percent of the team’s possessions while on the floor. Unless some players really surprise with their offensive production, and in doing so can take some of the pressure off Zampier, the Bulldogs should once again be an incredibly poor offensive team.

Strengths: Zampier. The Ivy League’s reigning free throw shooting champ is about the only sure thing on this Yale roster. A pure shooter with good range, he’s also a solid defender with a knack for finding the ball. Intangibles are also a strength for Yale, with James Jones being the longest tenured Head Coach in the conference and posting an impressive 77-63 record in Ivy play during his 10 seasons.

Weaknesses: The departures of Morin and Pinick, along with the surprising decision of starting center Garrett Fiddler to leave the team prior to his junior season, leaves an enormous void in the Yale frontcourt. 6’10” PF Greg Mangano has an accurate outside stroke and a bruiser’s body but has yet to show much in game action. Paul Nelson has been a decent piece off the bench during his first three seasons in New Haven but will likely have to step up his game if the Elis are to contend in the Ivies.

Offensive issues stemming from the loss of production in the frontcourt will only be exacerbated if Yale isn’t able to improve its abysmal three-point shooting. With such a guard-heavy roster, including the three incoming freshmen, the team will have to improve its performance in the long-range shooting department.

Season Outlook: After losing Morin and Pinick, is Yale’s run of 9 straight seasons in the top half of the Ivies over? Can the team find another consistent scorer to complement Zampier? Will the Elis be able to shoot the three?

The challenge here will undoubtedly be to surround Zampier with a solid cast of characters. And with opposing defenses spotlighting Yale’s best player, this team’s fortunes will rest on their ability to get significant production out of a group of largely unproven players. Coach Jones has been a model of consistency, guiding his Yale squad to 9 straight seasons of .500 play in the conference. However, with so many unanswered questions surrounding the team’s personnel, this may be the year that streak ends.