Owls Basketball: Men’s Team Young But Determined

Owls Basketball: Men’s Team Young But Determined

BY DAVID KAPLAN
Rice News Staff
November 18, 1999

Last year’s Owls men’s basketball team was one of the big surprises in college basketball. The Owls experienced an amazing turnaround from the previous year. After winning only six games during the ’97-98 season, the team bounced back with an impressive 18-10 season, and coach Willis Wilson was named the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Mountain Division coach of the year.

Many of its key players from last year have graduated, but the talented Owls are hoping to once again produce a few surprises.

This year’s Owls are young, with only one senior and seven true freshmen. The squad is also exceptionally tall: Two players are 6 feet 11 inches, one is 6 feet 10 inches and another is 6 feet 9 inches.

Wilson is excited about the potential in this year’s Rice squad but thinks the players may need some time to jell. “We’ve got eight new faces and it takes a little time to adjust,” he says.

Senior center Alex Bougaieff, junior guard Mike Wilks and junior forward Erik Cooper are expected to assume leadership roles this season.

Among the new players in this year’s mix is Ferron Morgan, a talented, 6-foot-11-inch, red-shirted freshman who was forced to sit out last season with an injury.

Wilson says the large number of tall players represents a new phase of Owls basketball.

“We’re approaching a stage in our recruiting that allows us to focus on a style of play that will allow us greater success,” Wilson says.

The team’s first official game will be against Navy on Friday, Nov. 19, at 8 p.m. in Autry Court.

A feature on the Owls men’s basketball team will appear in an upcoming issue of the Rice News.