GETTING INSIDE

Matt Brady came to James Madison last year after proving he could coach at Marist. He did a magnificent job of not only improving the team’s record but also its attitude.

The Dukes’ 21 victories were the most since the 1992-93 season and they not only got to the Collegeinsider.com Tournament but the wound up reaching the semifinals.

Brady is hoping for bigger and better things after everyone has a year to get to know him.

It begins with the three freshmen who played big roles last year, headed by the Colonial’s Rookie of the Year, Julius Wells.

“It’s very unusual that I’ve been around a group that has, from one year to another, improved as rapidly and as much as these three guys have improved,” Brady said. “You can make the argument that they’re our three most improved basketball players.”

Wells burst into the league by averaging 11.6 points and 5.5 rebounds, as well as hitting 78 3-pointers.

He was joined on the All-Freshman team by guard Devon Moore, who was second in free throw shooting in the conference by making 84.6 percent. He contributed 10.7 points a game and 2.9 assists.

The senior leadership will be provided by guard Pierre Curtis, who found his scoring touch late in the season and hopes it carries over into the new year.

Brady will have to be patient up front as he waits for Dazzmond Thornton, who scored six points a game, to heal from shoulder surgery. He’s expected back in December, which is when 6-10 Texas A&M transfer Denzel Bowles becomes eligible.

Until then sophomore Andrey Semenov, who averaged 8.2 points a game, will have to carry the load with senior Matt Parker and freshman Trevon Flores.

NOTES, QUOTES

• F Andrey Semenov played for the Russian national 18-and-under team in the European Championships last summer.

• G Julius Wells set a school record in starts for a freshman with 35 and shares the school freshman record for games played (36) with teammate Pierre Curtis.

• G Pierre Curtis’ field goal percentages have improved in each of his first three years, from .426 to .452 to .500, as has his free throw shooting, going from .752 to .798 to .826.

• Steve Hood, a two-time CAA Player of the Year and a second-round pick of the Sacramento Kings, was named to the All-CAA Silver Anniversary team.

Last Year:   21-15 overall, 9-9, seventh in CAA, semifinalist in Collegeinsider.com Tournament.

Head Coach:   Matt Brady (career 94-65); second year at James Madison (21-15).

Quote To Note:   “Year in and year out I think our goal is to be a program that’s to be reckoned with. We want to give ourselves a chance to be regular-season champions here, or CAA Tournament champions. If we can do one of those two things, then we’ve had a great season.”—Coach Matt Brady on the program’s long-term goals.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

Scouting The Newcomers:   Denzel Bowles, a bulky 6-10 post from Texas A&M, had a hard time cracking the rotation with the Aggies, but he’s expected to a significant contributor at James Madison, when he becomes eligible after the first semester. He averaged 1.7 points in two seasons at Texas A&M.

Other newcomers:

• Alioune Diouf is a 6-5 guard from McEachern High in Powder Springs, Ga., who averaged 15.7 points and nine rebounds while making second team all-state.

• Darren White is a 6-3 guard from Dan River High in Danville, Va., who averaged 19 points and 6.4 rebounds, and scored as many as 43 points in a game as a senior.

• Trevon Flores is a 6-11 forward out of Harvey, La., who averaged 13 points and seven rebounds for a Helen Cox team that was district, regional and state champions.

• Eric Beard is a 6-7 forward from Reynoldsburg, Ohio, who prepped at New Creations School in Indiana averaging 15 points a game. Two other players off the team signed Division I scholarships.

Key Early-season Games:   The best way to find out what you have is to test yourself early, and James Madison comes out of the gate with a pretty strong test, playing at Ohio State on Nov. 12. James Madison also has an interesting test for its first league game on Dec. 5 when improving Georgia State and its running, pressing game comes to town.

Program Direction:   Coach Matt Brady came from Marist and immediately turned around the program’s direction around with a 21-15 record and a trip to the semifinals of the postseason Collegeinsider.com Tournament. The 21 victories were the second most in JMU history.

Probable Starting Lineup:   PG Pierre Curtis, SG Devon Moore, PF Dazzmond Thornton, SF Julius Wells, F Andrey Semenov.

Roster Report:  

• F Andrey Semenov was ill toward the end of last year and missed the Collegeinsider.com Tournament but is well now and ready to play.

• G Julius Wells was named to the preseason All-CAA second team at media day. He was Rookie of the Year in the conference last year.