Entering the 2009-2010 season, the Dartmouth men's basketball team faces a challenge in replacing star forward Alex Barnett '09, who averaged 19.4 points per game last season to lead the Ivy League.
"It's going to take multiple guys, if not everybody from the team, to step up and improve a lot of things from last year," guard Marlon Sanders '09 said.
Barnett led the team in points, rebounds and assists last season, and was named the 2009 Ivy League Player of the Year and was an honorable mention on the All-America team.
The Big Green finished 9-19 (7-7 Ivy) last season, tied for fourth in the Ivy League
The team's 7-7 record in conference play was its best since head coach Terry Dunn's first season in 2004-2005. Dunn added two new coaches to his staff this year, Michael Brown and Mark Graupe.
Brown, who previously coached at Idaho State, works with the team's guards and brings experience from his days of playing professionally overseas. Brown himself played at Providence College and was a member of the Friars team that won the 1994 Big East championship.
"[Brown is] a great guy to have on the staff. He knows the game," Jabari Trotter '12 said.
Graupe comes to the team after a one-year stint with Colorado State University, and brings with him over 20 years of coaching experience.
"[Graupe] has seen a lot of different offenses and defenses," Trotter said. "[Both new coaches] are not afraid to tell us if we're doing something wrong, but they do it in a positive way."
Sanders also praised the new coaches.
"I love them," he said. "They're a great addition to the team."
Trotter, a point guard, is the Big Green's leading returning scorer, averaging 7.0 points per game last season. He started all 28 games last year and now will be counted on to direct the offense.
Ronnie Dixon '11 said that the team's new offense will give the players more choices on the court.
"There's a lot of freedom in our offense," Dixon said. "It's not so structured there's a lot of room for flexibility."
Trotter said that, as point guard, ensuring that the offense runs smoothly is part of his job description.
"I have to manage the game better," Trotter said. "I have to make sure everyone's on the same page out there on the court, and I have to adapt to any type of plays they're running against us."
Other significant veterans include Sanders, Dixon and swingman David Rufful '12. All three started at least 13 games for the Big Green last season and will be expected to step up their games to help compensate for the loss of Barnett, Trotter said.
"I expect [Dixon] to be an integral part, a knockdown shooter," Trotter said. "I expect Dave Rufful and Josh Riddle ['12] to hold down the perimeter."
Dartmouth's roster also features five freshmen, some of whom may see minutes right away, Trotter said.
"All the freshmen are going to make a big impact," he said. "Coach Dunn recruited at all the spots. They can definitely play. What determines playing time is how quickly they adapt to the pace of the game and the strength of the game."
The team will rely on a combination of scorers to replace Barnett's productivity, but Sanders said that defense will be at the team's core this year.
"The focus of our team is defense," Sanders said. "Rebounding and defense is going to help us win."
Dartmouth was picked to finish eighth in the Ivy League preseason poll, and has not won an Ivy championship since 1959.
The favorite in the Ivies right now is Cornell, coming off back-to-back titles. The Big Red was unanimously voted No. 1 in the poll.
Dartmouth begins play on Nov. 13 when the team will travel to Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Mass. The Big Green will return to Hanover for its home opener on Nov. 24 against Loyola University. Conference play will not begin until a Jan. 9 game against Harvard.
