Busting Brackets
Fansided

Conference USA Basketball: Preseason rankings for 2019-20 season

By Andrew Dieckhoff

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 27: Head coach Rick Stansbury of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers reacts in the fourth quarter against the Utah Utes during their 2018 National Invitation Tournament Championship semifinals game at Madison Square Garden on March 27, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 27: Head coach Rick Stansbury of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers reacts in the fourth quarter against the Utah Utes during their 2018 National Invitation Tournament Championship semifinals game at Madison Square Garden on March 27, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /
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HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT – MARCH 21: Dajour Dickens #23 of the Old Dominion Monarchs defends Carsen Edwards #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers in the second half during the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at XL Center on March 21, 2019 in Hartford, Connecticut. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT – MARCH 21: Dajour Dickens #23 of the Old Dominion Monarchs defends Carsen Edwards #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers in the second half during the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at XL Center on March 21, 2019 in Hartford, Connecticut. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

#4 — OLD DOMINION

2018-19 IN REVIEW

  • Record: 26-9 (13-5, 1st in C-USA)
  • Rankings: #101 in NET, #113 in KenPom
  • Postseason: NCAA Tournament First Round — Lost to Purdue, 61-48

2019-20 AT A GLANCE

HEAD COACH

  • Jeff Jones (7th year)
  • School W-L: 140-67 (.676)
  • Career W-L: 497-354 (.584)

PROJECTED STARTERS

  • Malik Curry, G, Jr. —21.9 PPG, 6.3 APG in ’18-19 at Palm Beach St. (JUCO)
  • Marquis Godwin, G, Jr. — 22.2 MPG (0 starts), 7.2 PPG, 2.5 RPG
  • Xavier Green, G, Jr. — 30.3 MPG (35 starts), 9.6 PPG, 1.9 APG
  • Aaron Carver, F, Jr. — 21.7 MPG (35 starts), 2.4 PPG, 5.9 RPG
  • Dajour Dickens, C, Jr. — 16.7 MPG (6 starts), 3.6 RPG, 1.7 BPG

NON-CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

  • 11/05 @ Northern Iowa
  • 11/10 vs Saint Joseph’s
  • 11/25 vs George Mason
  • 11/26 vs Nebraska or Washington State
  • 12/07 @ VCU
  • 12/14 @ Illinois
  • 12/18 vs Richmond
  • Full schedule at official team website

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvGLXN8gLRX/

2019-20 SEASON OUTLOOK

The Monarchs managed to bust through the logjam at the top of the C-USA leaderboard and won both the league title and conference tournament championship. Their dream season ended with an admirable performance against Carsen Edwards and Purdue in the NCAA Tournament. But now the hangover may start to set in. Conference USA Player of the Year B.J. Stith is gone. Fellow first-teamer and Stith’s running mate Ahmad Caver is gone. ODU’s 7’1″ center, Elbert Robinson, is gone.

So, who is left behind for Jeff Jones? And what’s this team’s ceiling?

Before Old Dominion fans fret too much, take solace in knowing that the offense is in good hands with junior Xavier Green back for another year. Points were tough to come by with Stith and Caver on the court, but Green stepped up in some big moments. His 21-point performance against UAB in the semifinals saved the Monarchs’ season, and he was also a C-USA All-Defense team selection.

Also coming back is Dajour Dickens, the other seven-footer from last year’s team. Though he mostly played a backup role to Robinson, the ex-Providence player showed some promise. He will be a huge part of any success that ODU has. Perhaps the most interesting addition to the team is JUCO transfer Malik Curry. He could step in immediately and anchor the backcourt now that the Monarchs’ dynamic duo has moved on.

Old Dominion reached the mountaintop in 2018-19, but the team can be forgiven if they take a slight step back after losing two of the league’s top five players. Green needs to quickly step into a leadership role if the Monarchs are to get back to the Big Dance this season.