Blue Hen Men’s Basketball Team Opens 2011-12 Season With Saturday Afternoon Practice
October 14, 2011
photo courtesy of Mark Campbell
NEWARK, Del. -- The University of Delaware men’s basketball team will open practice for its 2011-12 season on Saturday, October 15 from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Bob Carpenter Center.
The program invites all fans to get their first glimpse of the new Blue Hen squad prior to the Delaware football team’s home game against Massachusetts beginning at 3:30 p.m.
Delaware returns three starters from last year’s squad, including Colonial Athletic Association Rookie of the Year Devon Saddler. A co-captain along with juniors Jamelle Hagins (at right) and Kelvin McNeil, Saddler started all 31 games a year ago while setting UD freshman records with 411 points, 13.3 points per game, and 149 field goals.
The Blue Hens will feature a deep and talented frontcourt led by Hagins, a CAA All-Defensive Team selection last season when he led the league and ranked 12th in Division I with 3.0 blocked shots per game. Hagins was also an excellent rebounder, leading the squad with 7.3 boards per game to go with 8.4 points per outing. Hagins will be joined inside by classmate Josh Brinkley, who started the final 11 games of his sophomore year before suffering a foot injury. Brinkley ranked second on the team with 5.2 rebounds and was fifth with 7.5 points per game, and connected on a team-high 48.3 percent of his field goal attempts.
McNeil, who averaged 5.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, and senior Hakim McCullar, who contributed 4.6 points and 2.6 boards, will also see plenty of time in the Blue Hen frontcourt.
All Delaware men’s basketball practices are open to the public, and begin at 2:30 p.m. most weekday afternoons.
