BASKETBALL PREVIEWS : Familiarity Breeds Questions for USD

When basketball practice officially begins Tuesday, the University of San Diego team will have a familiar look, with three starters and 10 lettermen back.

But in the veteran-heavy West Coast Conference--where the entire 10-man all-conference team is back and nearly every team returns its starting lineups--Hank Egan’s Toreros are a big question mark.

The Toreros, coming off a 17-12 season (8-6 in the WCC), graduated six seniors, the most departures of any WCC school. And they’ll be counting on three redshirt players to contribute.

This much is known: the Toreros have a couple of the WCC’s best players in three-year lettermen Wayman Strickland at point guard and Kelvin Woods at small forward, and they can shoot. USD was the only WCC team to shoot 50% from the field last season, and led the conference in three-point accuracy as well, making 40.3% from long range.

But the Toreros went through a streaky season, perhaps typified by Strickland’s bizarre statistics: he led the WCC in three-point shooting, making a conference-record 58%, but made only 48% inside the three-point circle. Another oddball note--while struggling to an 8-6 conference mark, the Toreros beat all their WCC opponents, handing Pepperdine its only loss.

“Last year we weren’t as good as advertised,” Egan said. “This year I don’t think we’ll be as bad as we’re picked.”

Along with the stocky 6-foot-5 Woods, an all-conference selection who averaged 13.6 points, and Strickland, who led the Toreros with 121 assists and was averaging 10.6 points, the Toreros also return starting guard Michael Brown, backup point guard Geoff Probst, forward Carlos Carrillo and center/forward Reed Watson, the tallest returning regular at 6 foot 8.

The redshirt trio that could decide if USD will be a contender consists of 6-8 sophomore Brooks Barnhard, coming off back surgery, 6-5 junior guard Gylan Dottin, a former WCC freshman of the year, and sophomore guard Joe Temple, one of the team’s best athletes.

“We’re counting on them a bunch,” Egan said.

The only freshman is guard Clayton Madden, 6 feet, out of Bakersfield.

Egan begins his 21st season as a head coach and seventh at USD, where he is 111-86.

In a poll of WCC coaches, defending-champion Pepperdine was the heavy favorite to repeat. Its starting lineup returns intact and is led by WCC player of the year Doug Christie. Loyola Marymount, which also returns most starters and conference scoring leader Terrell Lowery, is considered the top contender along with Santa Clara, which has the league’s only dominant center in 7-foot-1 Ron Reis.

The Toreros were picked sixth, trailing St. Mary’s and San Francisco. Gonzaga was seventh, Portland eighth.

However, USD was the heavy favorite last year and placed a distant third.

The Toreros will play two exhibitions--against Marathon Oil on Nov. 7 and a Czechoslovakian team Nov. 17--before officially opening the season Nov. 22 against San Diego State at the Sports Arena.

USD Roster

Player Pos Ht Wt Yr Brooks Barnhard C 6-9 220 So. Michael Brown C/F 6-3 235 Sr. Carlos Carrillo G/F 6-6 205 Sr. Gylan Dottin G/F 6-5 215 Fr. Chris Grant F/C 6-8 225 So. Doug Harris G 6-0 170 So. Neal Meyer G 6-3 200 So. Geoff Probst G 5-11 165 Jr. Wayman Strickland G 6-2 184 Sr. Joe Temple G/F 6-4 208 So. Reed Watson F/C 6-8 210 Fr. Kelvin Woods F 6-6 235 Sr.

Coach: Hank Egan.