MEDIA COVERAGE- Patriot Broadcasting Network
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OPENING TIP – The Dallas Baptist Men's Basketball Team 2013-2014 campaign tips-off on Saturday, November 9, versus East Texas Baptist at 2 pm. The Patriots hope to continue their development off last season's 11-15 overall record and 7-7 mark in Heartland Conference games.
 
Many familiar faces return for DBU, featuring 12 players that were with the team last year. Still, opportunities exist for new Patriots earning minutes with three redshirted freshman and four newcomers added to the roster.
 
SEASON EXPECTATIONS – Winning games is usually a solid measurement of a team's success, but for his eighth year at the helm for the Men's Basketball team; Head Coach Blake Flickner knows traits that build a successful program go beyond what shows up in the win column.
 
"The goal is always to get better each day. We try not to put a number on things and just work on improving each time out," Flickner explained.
 
The Patriots finished last year fifth in the Heartland Conference, and were picked in the preseason polls to finish in the same spot this season. Still, Coach Flickner isn't letting that determine the attitude entering a fresh slate. "It's always nice to exceed others expectations," the Head Coach stated.   
 
If DBU is to do that, they will need to finish in the top four of the Heartland standings as only the top four seeds qualify the Heartland Tournament. After last year's campaign, the Patriots missed a tournament for the first time in three years. That streak included Dallas Baptist's NCCAA National Championship Title in 2010-2011.
 
PLAYERS TO WATCH – The Patriots do bring back many players from last year's squad, but will be without their top scorer, Nick Fox. The 6-8 Forward from Colorado Springs, Colorado graduated and was the lone holdover from the championship team three seasons ago. He averaged 21.5 points per game (ppg), but as a team had plenty of contributors for a DBU unit that put up 73.3 ppg.
 
Behind Fox in scoring was Heartland Freshman of the Year, Jonathan Perry, with 11.2 ppg. Senior Cory Carden and sophomore Jason Gentry return and will be expected to provide steady contributions running the backcourt.
 
Carden's greatest strength is his three-point range, as the native of Clearwater, Florida demonstrated with a .474 field goal percentage behind the arc. Long-range shooting was a big strength for Dallas Baptist, as evident by being tops in the Heartland Conference last season at .404. The closest to matching in the league was Texas-Permian Basin with a .367 percentage. Gentry finished last year as the team leader in assists with 77 and ranked sixth in the conference with three assists per game.
 
The front court will be a land of opportunity for new guys to step up. Senior Remy Ndiaye should be a force down low after playing in 26 contests last year. The forward led the team in blocks with 13.
 
Two other players that could make an impact weren't with DBU last season. Junior transfer Chris Strong spent the past two season at Otero College, and is a former New Mexico Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior at El Dorado High School. Newcomer Myles Johnson is another potential key performer that was redshirted his freshman year due to a knee injury.
 
SCOUTING EAST TEXAS BAPTIST – The contest on Saturday will not count toward the regular season for ETBU. After posting a 9-16 (5-14 ASC) record last year, the Tigers were picked to finish sixth in the American Southwest Conference this season.
 
11 players return for ETBU, losing only one from a squad that struggled after going 4-2 in non-conference action. Leading the Tigers in scoring was Joseph Jaron with 13.2 ppg. Mitchell Junior trailed not too far behind also finishing in double-digits with 11.0. Erby Thompson was a force from three-point range tallying a .430 average (37-86).
 
The Tigers did struggle on the road last season going 2-9. This group was tough and did deliver some memorable successes last year. One of the five ASC wins came against Mary Hardin-Baylor, who played for the NCAA Division III National Championship. ETBU pulled the upset after winning 66-57 and had a trio of players finish in double-digits scoring.
 
Saturday's meeting marks the first time these programs face each other on the court.
 
UPCOMING SCHEDULE – Dallas Baptist hosts 15 games in the Burg Center this year. Slated next is another contest at the friendly confines, before the team hits the road for a duo of matches spread over the next two weeks. Following Saturday's lid-lifter, the Patriots welcome Dallas Christian on November 13 at 7 pm.