GETTING INSIDE
When the Bruins were picked as a middle-of-the-pack Atlantic Sun Conference team in preseason polls, coach Rick Byrd challenged his players to prove voters wrong.
And while the season ended with a bitter loss in the conference tournament's opening round at Mercer, Belmont basically heeded its coach's admonitions.
Finishing in a four-way tie for first in the Atlantic Sun, the Bruins illustrated two things: That this freshman and sophomore-laden nucleus will challenge for titles in the next two years, and that Byrd is still as good a coach as there is in the league.
A team that started two freshmen and a sophomore while bringing three more underclassmen off the bench in its nine-man rotation got off to a 7-2 start, went 2-7 in its next nine and then showed the ability to adjust to others' adjustments down the stretch.
In doing so, Belmont unearthed a star-in-the-making and slightly altered its playing style while improving greatly on defense. The Bruins became the league's most efficient squad on that end of the court.
Guard Ian Clark emerged from a talented crop of A-Sun newbies to win Freshman of the Year honors after leading the team in scoring and minutes, a benchmark of the trust he earned from Byrd.
Center Mick Hedgepeth became a double-double threat most nights, and the team used its length to lead the league in defensive field goal percentage and defensive 3-point percentage.
If the Bruins can take better care of the ball next year and shoot two or three percentage points better across the board, they might return to the NCAA Tournament.
NOTES, QUOTESFINAL RECORD: 19-12, 14-6, tied for first in the Atlantic Sun.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: A group of talented but untested players got out to a quick start, struggled as opponents developed a book on them, then made quality adjustments in their second trip around the league to tie for the regular-season title.
G Ian Clark earned A-Sun Freshman of the Year honors after leading the team in scoring, while G Kerron Johnson showed at times why he was compared to Belmont great Alex Renfroe coming out of high school.
C Mick Hedgepeth was a double-double threat when he could avoid foul trouble and the team was solid on defense, limiting opponents to 41.3 percent from the floor and 30.3 percent on 3-pointers.
WHAT WENT WRONG: As is the case with most young teams, save for John Calipari's Kentucky, there were inexplicable losses. The Bruins were somehow swept by a bad Florida Gulf Coast team; just one win would have earned them no worse than an NIT trip.
Belmont had 68 more turnovers than assists, which happens with an all-freshman backcourt. And the team sometimes took questionable shots, making less than 45 percent from the floor.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It is an outstanding individual achievement when a freshman leads a conference co-champion in minutes played and scoring." -- Coach Rick Byrd, on G Ian Clark, the A-Sun's Freshman of the Year for 2009-10.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNELTHE GOOD NEWS: Four starters and a bevy of key reserves are back next year, and coach Rick Byrd's teams are traditionally tougher to beat after a year to jell in his system that emphasizes unselfish play and accurate 3-point shooting.
If the Bruins can shoot better than 34.9 percent next year from the 3-point line, they should be difficult to guard. That would open up more space inside for 6-foot-9 Mick Hedgepeth and 6-11 Scott Saunders.
All that experience means this team could be better defensively. It was good on that end in 2009-10, leading the conference in defensive field goal percentage and defensive 3-point percentage.
THE BAD NEWS: The only departure of any note is F Keaton Belcher, who started most of the season and was capable of scoring 20 on any night if his 3-point shot was dropping.
At 6-9, Belcher also provided another valuable option inside on defense, and he could also adequately guard some players on the perimeter because of his long arms and intelligence.
While Belcher wasn't a No. 1 option offensively, his ability to play several roles on the court and meld into coach Rick Byrd's system won't easily be replaced.
KEY RETURNEES: Top on the list is G Ian Clark, the A-Sun Freshman of the Year who led the team in scoring at 14.9 points per game and minutes played at 29.6 per game. Clark's only weakness was turnovers, but that should improve with experience.
C Mick Hedgepeth blossomed into a go-to option inside, finishing second on the team in scoring at 11.6 points and leading in rebounds at 6.5. Hedgepeth did it despite fouling out of five games.
Add G Kerron Johnson to the mix, along with sparkplug G Drew Hanlen off the bench, and this is a nice nucleus returning. Jon House, Jordan Campbell and Scott Saunders should also make key contributions next year.
ROSTER REPORT:
--G Ian Clark had a pair of 31-point games as a freshman. Clark hit more than 40 percent of his 3-pointers and also shot 45 percent from the floor.
--G Drew Hanlen was a threat from the 3-point line, hitting 36 percent, and also ran the offense efficiently. Hanlen compiled 2.3 assists for every turnover and averaged 23.2 minutes despite starting just eight games.
--G Kerron Johnson has the ability to get to the basket any time, but must start finishing better. Johnson made just 40 percent from the field against bigger bodies, an indication he sometimes shoots when he should pass.
Previous Report: 03/19/2010
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