Although Towson lost three of its top four scorers, six veterans return with at least nine starts from last year. Members of a very talented newcomer group will blend in to give the Tigers their best shot at success since joining the CAA a decade ago.

"If you're 20-10 and you've lost two guys averaging 18 points a game, then it's difficult to replace them," says Kennedy. "But when your main guys are averaging 10 or 11 points it shouldn't be that difficult."

Josh Thornton (11.4) and Calvin Lee (10.6) were seniors last year. Jarrel Smith (9.2) opted out of his final year at Towson and has transferred.

"My teams have always been fairly high powered on the offensive end," says Kennedy. "I feel for the first time we're going to have five guys on the floor who can all go and get 17 or 18 points on a pretty consistent basis."

Things clicked for the Tigers down the stretch last year. They were 5-4 on their final run, averaging 74.1 points per game. They put up 68.5 for the entire season to finish as the third highest scoring offense in the CAA. Kennedy hopes the scoring trend continues.

Towson's pre-season roster consists of six guards and eight forwards.

"The guys who can make baskets, get rebounds and guard somebody are going to play," says Kennedy.

Point guard is the Tigers' most experienced position where 5-11 junior Troy Franklin and 6-6 graduate student Brian Morris return. They split the duty last year. The job could go more to Franklin this year with Morris moving over a spot on occasion.

"Troy has matured tremendously," says Kennedy. "Last year was a year I thought he really developed and showed all his talents at the end of the year. We want him to continue building on that."

Franklin averaged 8.3 points for the season but finished with a flourish, averaging 13.4 points in his final eight games, shooting 12 of 24 from beyond the arc and .897 (35-39) from the foul line during that span. He also averaged almost four assists per game.

Morris, who was second in the CAA last year in assist-to-turnover ratio and a first team All-Academic pick, might be utilized differently this season.

"We're asking Brian to concentrate more this season on shooting and scoring so he'll be playing the wing a little bit more," says Kennedy. "He has the capability to take the ball to the basket and with his size advantage we need him doing that more."

Another versatile veteran who can play either guard is 6-1 senior Josh Brown, a walk-on who averaged 28.2 minutes, 7.6 points and shot .530 from the floor in his 10 starts last year.

The newcomer to the lead guard crowd is 6-0 freshman Fred (Dreon) Connor whose 18.3 scoring average (4.4 apg) led Blanche Ely H.S. (Pompano Beach, Fla.) to a 26-1 record and a number 22 national ranking.

"Dreon is a good, quality, solid basic standard lead guard," says Kennedy. "He's a winner, he's tough and he's hardnosed. He's a guy that's certainly going to be playing that position."

The off guard is loaded, beginning with last year's late bloomer, 6-2 junior RaShawn Polk, a junior college transfer who started the final five games of 2009-10 for the Tigers. In the last seven games he averaged a team high 15.5 points. He was the only Towson player during that stretch to average 30 or more minutes on the floor.

"RaShawn was very consistent on scoring with the ball and did a really good job using his size and strength guarding people," says Kennedy. "He got some tremendous experience in the month of February and I think that's going to carry over for him."

The addition of 6-2 junior Cephas Oglesby, a junior college transfer, has the Tigers thinking three guards when they go small.

"Cephas is a guy we feel, because of his athleticism, can play either wing - the two or three," says Kennedy. "He's a really solid, high quality junior college kid; a real CAA prototype player. He's one of the quickest jumpers I've ever seen."

Oglesby, a NJCAA honorable mention All-America, finished his career at Cape Fear (N.C.) Community College as the Sea Devils all-time leading scorer with 1,015 points, and is the only player in that school's history to score over 1,000 points. He averaged 16.9 points while the Sea Devils piled up a 43-17 record that included a trip to Hutchinson, Kan. for the 2009 NJCAA National Tournament.

The Tigers think the improved outside play of 6-7 sophomore Isaiah Philmore makes him an ideal candidate for the small forward spot. Due to a dearth of size underneath Philmore was asked to play out of position in his freshman season.

"Isaiah had a tremendous summer," says Kennedy. "He's done a lot of work at playing the perimeter. Last year, because of our lack of inside players, we had to put him down there with the big guys. By playing on the perimeter he's really opened up his game."

Philmore made 12 starts at the power forward, averaging 6.4 points and 3.9 rebounds. He finished sixth in the balloting for the CAA All-Rookie team.

Wing support will come from 6-7 freshman Milton Geddes, a lanky forward from Jacksonville, Fla.

"He can put the ball on the floor from the perimeter and make some things happen," says Kennedy. Geddes' high school coach was James Collins, one of Kennedy's former players at Florida State.

Holdover, 6-6 senior David Brewster, remains a possibility at the small forward. His last two seasons have been shortened by academic commitments. He played in 10 games last year with four starts.

"If Brew is ready to come back," says Kennedy, "he could certainly add quality depth."

The inside gang that has been assembled is perhaps the best, if not the deepest, in the program's history. How this group performs could be the determining factor in the season's outcome.

Back as a starter is 6-8 senior Robert Nwankwo, a member of the CAA All-Defensive team last year who led the league for most of the 2009-10 season in rebounding (8.9), field goal percentage (.558) and blocks (83). His 9.9 scoring average was third best for Towson.

"Robert did a great job defensively for us," says Kennedy. "There are things he needs to improve upon, like his foul shooting (55-126 for .437) but in terms of being a force, he could be just that this year."

Joining Nwankwo down low is 6-8 junior Braxton Dupree, a transfer from Maryland who sat out last year. Kennedy doesn't mince words when he describes Dupree.

"There aren't a lot of guys in our league who look like Braxton," says the coach. "He is all of 6-8 and 280 pounds and he's as thick as a house. If he continues his present course he has the potential to be a first team All-CAA player."

Dupree spent last year battling his teammates in practice.

"Robert Nwankwo was a first team All-Defense performer for us last year and he couldn't stop Braxton at all in practice," Kennedy says. "He's too big and too strong."

As talented as Nwankwo and Dupree are, they'll have to contend with a healthy 6-9 Erique Gumbs whose 2009-10 season was cut short by a knee injury. He has salvaged his freshman year after receiving a medical redshirt.

"Erique has had a terrific summer," says Kennedy. "He's healthy now. He isn't showing any signs of the knee problem that plagued him last year. He has a chance to be a very good player."

A fourth player in the mix is 6-10 freshman Jamel Flash who averaged 16.0 points for West Hempstead H.S. (Hempstead, N.Y.).

"Jamel has very good hands and catches the ball well," says Kennedy. "He runs the floor and he's a shot blocker."

Providing additional backup is 6-7 senior walk-on Danny Quinn who had quality minutes last year against George Mason.