Call it a coup, or just call it
lucky, but Wright State got a very good coach when Brad Brownell
left UNCW and took the Raiders head coaching position.
Brownell averaged almost 21 wins per season in four years at
UNCW, which is 8 more than the Raiders won last year.
Shawn
Siegel (CHN): How does this year's schedule
stack up in terms of difficulty?
Brad Brownell (BB):
This year's schedule will be
more difficult. There is not a "gimme" on the schedule. We
play our six of our first seven games on the road this year. It
could be a good thing to allow us time to get to know each other
and it's at a time when school is out. We play at LSU's
tournament so it will give us a chance to see a Final Four team
as well. We play some new schools for WSU--Bradley, Marist,
Coastal Carolins and others but also keep some of the rivals
like a Miami (OH) and Bowling Green.
CHN: What
do you expect to be the strengths and weaknesses of this year’s
team?
BB: I am still getting to know
my new team since it is my first year but off the top my concern
is size and rebounding. Right now junior Jordan Pleiman at 6-8
is our biggest player and most dominant inside threat. Jordan
is a good player and has great potential but we need someone in
the backup role for rebounding and in case he has foul
problems. Scottie Wilson could be that guy and Drew Burleson
could give us a pop inside as well. We will stress rebounding
as a team concept. The strengths are experience, speed and
defense. DaShaun Wood is a senior and all-league player, Drew
Burleson is a fifth-year player and Jordan Pleiman was a
part-time start his freshman year and ful-time starter as a
sophomore. The team has been ranked highly in the league's
defensive stats the last few years and Wood was an all-defensive
player.
CHN: How will you account for the graduation of last year's
seniors?
BB: Just by watching
tapes, I would say Jaron Taylor would be missed, not offensively
but definitely defensively. He always drew the other team's
best player and worked very hard. This year's team will return
its top four scorers and top three rebounders.
CHN: Discuss the incoming players. Who will make the biggest impact?
BB:
Vaughn
Duggins was all-state in Indiana and signed with UNC-Wilmington
early last fall but changed schools when I was hired at Wright
State. Duggins is athletic (6-3), solid shooter we will need
and a smart player with great court sense, Todd Brown signed
with Wright State last fall. He's played for a winner at
Canton-McKinley and with some great players. Brown is an
athlete that will help us.
CHN: Talk about one of your guys that stands out
as being an unheralded leader and contributor?
BB:
Pleiman stands out for this. He has
played well in his role behind Wood and Burleson but started
showing some signs last year of breaking out. We need him
inside to allow our outside game to grow.
CHN: Are you pretty well settled with your starting
lineup? What should we expect to be the best preseason battles?
BB:
Nothing is certain but the first three would likely be Wood,
Burleson and Pleiman. After that everything is up in the air
but our roster is small this year so we expect everyone to
battle for starts and playing time.
CHN: Thanks for your time coach.
More 2006 College Preview:
Head Coach
Interviews
