College Basketball

Virginia sophomore center Assane Sene has been suspended for the first three games of the regular season for conduct detrimental to the team.

OUTLOOK: After such a successful 2008-09 season, Siena thinks it is about time to make an even bigger statement on a bigger stage and that's what the Saints are aiming for in 2009-10. Siena was just one of three programs in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference last season to finish better than .500 in league play and there's not much of a chance that that will change this time around.

OUTLOOK: The Big East Conference makes and the rest of the basketball world takes should be the theme for this league as it enters the 2009-10 campaign. Last season, the Big East sent both Connecticut and Villanova to the Final Four in Detroit and although neither program brought home the trophy, it was still a strong sign that college basketball is more than just alive and well in the region. Another indication that the Big East has the makings of a basketball superpower is that, of the top 14 picks in the latest NBA Draft, four came from the league. Overall, the conference was drained of nine top performers in the two rounds of the event, which is both good and bad for this year's version of Big East basketball.

OUTLOOK: Every season in the West Coast Conference of late, resembles the one before it, as Gonzaga wins the conference crown going away and everyone else falls in line behind. The 2008-09 season was no different, as the Bulldogs won their ninth straight regular season crown, made it to their 11th consecutive NCAA Tournament (Sweet Sixteen) and amassed 28 victories overall.

OUTLOOK: Last season saw the Big Sky boast of two 20+ win teams in Portland State (23-10) and Weber State (21-10), but there was only one other program, Montana (17-12), that finished above .500 overall. In-conference was a different story as Weber State ran over the Big Sky competition, winning 15 of its 16 league tilts, followed by Portland State jumped up and won the tourney title and take Weber State's NCAA Tournament bid. It was the second straight ticket to the Big Dance for the Vikings, who earned the spot, despite finishing four game behind the Wildcats in the league standings. Montana finished tied with PSU in league play at 11-5 and won 17 games overall.

OUTLOOK: For 2009-10, Western Athletic Conference basketball will not look all that dissimilar from what the member schools put out on the hardwood last season. Of the 10 players named to the All-WAC First and Second Teams at the conclusion of the 2008-09 campaign, all but two are returning to their respective teams and that is good news for a league that continues to fight for national recognition. All of those top-notch performers will provide the WAC with some credibility right off the bat, especially as 14 of the league's top 15 scorers from a year ago make it back for another turn as well.

OUTLOOK: The Alabama State Hornets posted one of their best seasons in school history by claiming the SWAC regular season and Conference Tournament titles, while earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament. However, the Hornets did not last long in the Big Dance, losing to Morehead State in the play-in game.

OUTLOOK: There was plenty of success in the Ohio Valley Conference last season, beginning with the Morehead State Eagles who won the league tournament and made their first trip to the NCAA Tournament in 25 years. The Eagles defeated Alabama State in the play-in game, but were no match for Louisville in the opening round.

OUTLOOK: From start to finish last season the Morgan State Bears were the top team in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, reeling off 13 league wins, while also claiming the MEAC Tournament title and earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

OUTLOOK: Last season was supposed to be a down year for Butler basketball. With a bunch of fresh new faces coach Brad Stevens' squad was entering a rebuilding phase. However, someone forgot to inform the Bulldogs, as four freshmen helped lead Butler to a Horizon regular season title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.