FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                            
November 17, 2004

Corsair men’s basketball team opens 2004-05

season with 4 returning starters from last year

(Dartmouth, MA) – After back-to back 13-14 seasons, UMass Dartmouth head coach Brian Baptiste is ready to return the Corsair program to its past success.  The 2004-05 Corsairs will be built around an experienced starting lineup which includes four starters from last season and several newcomers to the program who are already pushing for the chance to have an impact on the program.

As he enters his 21^st season with a career record of 410-168, Baptiste has experience on his side for the first time in the last two seasons.  UMass Dartmouth has played several younger players in the last few years and Baptiste hopes the Corsairs will be in position to take advantage of the experience this season.

Back for another season in the starting lineup are seniors Joey Britto (New Bedford, MA), Chris Lapriore (Grafton, MA), Matt McAuliffe (Sutton, MA) and sophomore Paul Pawlowski (Taunton, MA) Those four players represent the bulk of scoring and rebounding from a season ago, including Lapriore, the Corsairs only First Team Little East Conference All Star last year.  Lapriore led the team with 20.5 points per game and 8.9 rebounds per game.  In his first year with the Corsairs, Britto averaged 14.9 points and 6.4 rebounds, while Pawlowski had a very solid rookie season. averaging 8.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.  McAulliffe saw plenty of action off the bench a year ago with 7.4 points and 3 rebounds per game.

“Our players are older and more experienced this season and we’ve added some depth in a few areas,” said Baptiste during the pre-season. “Chris Lapriore has proved himself to be a first team all star and will be a big plus for us. McAulliffe is a four-year player and will be a leader as well. Pawlowski was a key contributor but still had to go through a learning process. In my mind now, he is a veteran and a first team all star in terms of talent.”

If there is a question mark heading into the 2004-05 season it is at the point guard position. Gone is last year’s captain Manny Monteiro, who led the team with more than 31 minutes logged per game and a team-high three assists per game.  In his place, Baptiste has been looking closely at several players including last year’s senior back up Josh Adamec (Norwich, CT).

“Point guard is going to be the key to our success,” said Baptiste who will be assisted by Joey Winterhalter and Stefan Pagios this season.  “Adamec did see some limited action last year. The question mark for us it whether or not he can handle the full-time duty.”

One player who has caught Baptiste’s eye during pre-season drills is junior guard Will Mahoney (Mattapoisett, MA).  A member of the Corsair baseball team as a left-handed pitcher, Mahoney had not been recruited to play basketball at UMass Dartmouth and instead, walked onto the team during pre-season practice.  A former guard at Old Rochester Regional High School, Mahoney has already demonstrated that he can handle the ball and could be part of the battle for the point guard position.

“He’s been the biggest surprise of the year,” Baptiste said.  “He throws left-handed but shoots right-handed and has an uncanny ability to go both ways with his dribble.  He has been very solid in preseason and I’m thinking he could give us some valuable minutes at point guard this year.”

What Baptiste especially likes about this year’ s roster is the depth and talent pushing the starting lineup for playing time.  He has a combination of experience and youth on the bench this season, including seniors Jim Campbell (Marlboro, MA) and forward and Michael LePage (Rochester, MA) at guard.  Juniors Steve Hashim (Somerset, MA) and Charlie Large (Easton, MA) were role players last season, who are very familiar with the basketball program.

Joining the returning veterans on the bench are several new players who are suiting up for the first time at UMass Dartmouth. Sophomore guard Billy Cardoza (West Wareham, MA) has been at Bristol Community College for the last two years and has a nice shooting touch from beyond the three-point line.

Among the other transfer students on the roster this season is sophomore Ryan Goyette (Dartmouth, MA), who came over from Westfield State College. Goyette was the leading all-time leading scorer at Dartmouth High School and will play small forward for the Corsairs.

Baptiste is very high on a talented group of freshmen, including forwards Tishon Crawley (Bridgeport, CT), Liam Mullen (Fairhaven, MA) and shooting guard Amilton Tavares (New Bedford, MA).  Crawley played on a state championship team in Connecticut and has what Baptiste called “unlimited potential”.  He can rebound, shoot three pointers is a good passer and could be an outstanding player for the Corsairs. During pre-season practice, Baptiste thought he might have a chance to break into the starting lineup.

A former Dave Cowens Award winner as the top high school player in the South Coast region (along with Goyette who won the award two years ago), Mullen has plenty of potential for the Corsairs.  With a good perimeter shot, Mullen was the top scorer for Bishop Stang last season and could get plenty of minutes at the forward position this year.  Tavares was the top scorer on his New Bedford HS team last year and is a solid three-point shooter. Baptiste said Tavares has all the tools and quickness to play at the Division III level.

If there is one thing Baptiste wants his team to improve on from last year is team defense.  The Corsairs outscored opponents last year, 77.9 – 76.7 and Baptiste says the defense must improve to produce more victories.

“When you talk about experience on a team we’re talking about defense,” Baptiste said.  “The last few years we’ve had too many new people in the system to get it down. Now with Britto and Pawlowski and the experience on the bench, we can play better defense.”

After a disappointing 5-9 record for sixth place in the LEC last season, UMass Dartmouth put together a nice late-season effort.  The sixth-seeded Corsairs advanced to the LEC semi-finals by knocking off #3 Eastern Connecticut on the road, 62-61, before getting knocked out of the tournament by #2 Plymouth State, 78-70.  Baptiste figures Western Connecticut and Plymouth State will be the top teams in a very evenly balanced LEC

In addition to the LEC schedule for 2004-05 the Corsairs will also play a challenging non-conference schedule which includes several NCAA Division III tournament teams including Brandeis Tufts, Lasell College and Salem State College. UMass Dartmouth will also play a pair of game in Atlanta, George over the holiday break, including a game with Division II Clayton State and Edwin Watters ad NAIA Division I team from Florida.

“You’ve got to schedule the best games you can because our goal is to win the LEC regular season and tournament and get that automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament,” Baptiste said. So playing these people is the best way to get the team ready.”

UMass Dartmouth opens the season by hosting Endicott College in the opening round of the Hampton Inn Basketball Classic on Nov. 19 with second round action taking place at the Tripp Center on Saturday, Nov. 20.