Holy shit the season starts tomorrow, better get a preview in

It's the best day of the whole season: all the excitement and optimism of the upcoming months, before the drag of losses and injuries sets in. Today, we're undefeated. Today, we can all have visions of that magical George Mason/Davidson year that we still think is possible for us. Today, we can envision the huge crowds that will flock to Case and The Greek because the buzz is finally growing around this sure-to-be-special team. Today, we're so sure we're getting that autobid.

Well, that could all change tomorrow if we lose to GW of course. But let's not think about that.

This year's squad returns just about everybody of importance. Not that Ibe wasn't important, because we all know he changed my life as well as yours, but I mean of importance to the success of the team. We've still got our two-time All-AE performer, our HEALTHY 2007-08 AE Rookie of the Year, our reigning AE Rookie of the Year (plus reigning All-Defensive Teamer), our Olympic Hero, our Dunk Champion. Plus we add a couple new guys who seem to have some promise.

Will all these guys (plus one more year of experience and bonding without the distraction of transfer rumors thank God) translate into more wins than last year's campaign? Dennis Wolff seems to think so, and so do I.

Out of Conference Schedule
This year's schedule looks to be a fair bit easier than it was for last year's disastrous 3-9 campaign. Not easy, mind you, but a little easier. As the Wolff-man said, there's a few conference winners on there.

My prediction: 7-3
I think we beat up on Yale, Harvard and St. Peter's, as we should. Delaware, Bucknell and Holy Cross are all down from where they once were, and I think we take em. As for Cornell and the Mount St. Mary's, yes they're conference winners but I think our conference is stronger than both the Ivy and the NEC, so we should be able to beat both. I'm chalking up Marshall and Notre Dame, as much as I loathe them, as losses. That leaves Northeastern, who's up this year, and GW, who's down this year - I think we split those, but I don't know which one we beat.

Conference Schedule
Vermont is going to be loaded. Hartford brings almost everyone back, except for their one big guy, so they're a question mark. Albany loses way too much. Same for UMBC. UNH brings everyone back including a good freshman class, so they're on the upswing. Maine brings almost everyone back, but they're just not as talented overall - they probably stay about the same. Stony Brook lost their only two scorer, so they suck again. And who the eff knows what's going on in that clusterfuck known as Binghamton?

My prediction: 11-5
With everyone from ESPN to Blue Ribbon to the AE coaches picking us to come in first, expectations are high. I think this group can live up to them, with a few minor hiccups along the way.

1. Vermont
2. BU
3. Hartford
4. UNH
5. UMBC
6. Albany
7. Maine
8. Binghamton
9. At this point do I even have to write it?