Rhode Island

Bullock's Steve Atwater Jersey return gives UNC another shooter

The 6 foot 7 guard played through pain much of his freshman season at North Carolina before finally suffering an injury to his left knee that required arthroscopic surgery and sidelined him for the final nine games. His return this season could prove critical Authentic Steve Atwater Jersey for the Tar Heels, who need outside shooters to take the pressure of their touted inside game and have already lost top outside shooter Leslie McDonald to his own knee injury this summer.

"Coming into the season, even before Leslie went down, I just knew it would be a big season for me," Bullock said Thursday during the team's preseason media day. "I knew, Leslie going down, my game would have to step up a lot. (Hairston) are going to have to be able to spread the floor (by) knocking down shots. I know my role will be a lot bigger this year, so I'm just ready to step up to the challenge."

Bullock averaged about six points per game last year, but the player regarded for his outside shooting was making just 30 percent of his 3 point tries as he played through pain much of the year. When he tore the lateral meniscus in his left knee in a win against Maryland, Bullock knew that it was time to shut it down for the rest Shannon Sharpe Jersey of the year even though the Tar Heels would have just eight scholarship players left.

North Carolina coach Roy Williams said Bullock appears to have responded to a conservative recovery plan, with players reporting to him that Bullock has looked sharp in offseason pickup games.

"I'm expecting big things," Williams said. "I'm expecting him to make a higher percentage of those shots, play better defense and be able to do some more things with the ball, because I'd like to be able to find him some time Terrell Davis Broncos Jersey at the 2 spot and not just the 3 spot."

Bullock's return is a smaller note amid the news that Harrison Barnes, Tyler Zeller and John Henson all passed on a chance to enter the NBA draft after last year and return to school. But with that front line and the return of starting point guard Kendall Marshall, Bullock and Hairston, for that matter know there will be plenty of open looks as defenses focus on stopping the Tar Heels' stars.

Last year, McDonald was the one often knocking down those looks, hitting 38 percent of his 3 point tries and averaging seven points off the bench. But McDonald, a 6 5 guard, tore his right anterior cruciate ligament in a summer league game in July, putting even more emphasis on Bullock's healthy return.

Barnes remembers watching Bullock labor through pain as roommates Shannon Sharpe Broncos Jersey for part of last year.

"I remember before games, he'd been in there doing treatments, and I'd be trying to take Terrell Davis Jersey a nap and I'd hear this little machine going off that would retract his leg up and down," Barnes said. "So we definitely had some growing pains there. But it's great to see him how he is now. He's definitely back active, working out again. He doesn't have too much pain anymore, so he's definitely going to help us with spreading the floor."

Bullock is eager to play without pain this season.

"I'm not second guessing anything," he said. "I'm feeling OK with it. I'm trusting and building confidence back up with it, just still going hard in the weight room and doing what my trainer wants me to do."

Xavier runaway No. 1 in A 10 preseason poll

NEW YORK (AP) Xavier and Temple have a lot in common in regard to the Atlantic 10 Conference. They are the teams that have made the top of the standings their own.

Xavier has won at least a share of the regular season title for the last five years. Temple has won the postseason tournament three of the last four years.

There is bad news this season for the other 12 teams in the league: Xavier and Temple have two of the best backcourts in the nation.

"I feel like when you have a senior point guard who has been through the wars and he has a running mate as talented as any guard in our conference, it makes me feel good as a coach that you can hand the ball to those two guys and they can run the team the way you want," Xavier coach Chris Mack said of Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons.

"They have leadership and a desire to really make their mark on the program nationally. . When you have that as opposed to kids just learning the system it's such a huge advantage and we have to take advantage of it. We've scheduled very aggressively and I think they're up to challenge and we're going to need them."

Holloway, the conference player of the year last season after averaging 19.7 points and 5.4 assists while being selected the league's defensive player of the year, is really ready for his senior season.

"When you're in sports you need a great pitcher, a great quarterback, a great point guard and we have someone who's been there for 90 games and three NCAA tournaments," Holloway said Thursday at the conference's media day when he was chosen preseason player of the year. "The coaches always ask the seniors 'What is your legacy? What will you leave?' I know what I want to leave."

The Musketeers have been to six straight NCAA tournaments and 10 of the last 11. Holloway's first two seasons ended in the round of 16 and last year they lost in the second round. Holloway would like to lead Xavier to its first final four.

Temple broke a three game losing streak in the NCAA tournament with a second round win over Penn State. It was coach Fran Dunphy's first NCAA win in 10 appearances the first seven were with Penn.

"It was so good for our guys. It was fabulous to get that tournament win," Dunphy said.

The Owls' backcourt is seniors Ramone Moore, who averaged a team leading 15.2 points, and Juan Fernandez, who averaged 11.2. They both had over 100 assists and Fernandez had just 64 turnovers while playing 32 minutes a game.

"It's comforting to know we have a backcourt like we have," Dunphy said.

Xavier was the runaway choice of the league's coaches and members of the media, getting 18 of 22 first place votes. Temple got the other four No. 1 votes.

"There are good backcourts in this league," Saint Joseph's coach Phil Martelli said, rattling off the names Holloway, Lyons, Moore and Fernandez like he has said them many times. "It's been like the big brothers on the block kicking your butt and saying 'Come on again,' and you always do."

Saint Louis was third followed by St. Bonaventure, Richmond, Dayton, Saint Joseph's, George Washington, Duquesne, Rhode Island, Charlotte, Massachusetts, La Salle and Fordham.

The preseason first team is all seniors: Holloway, St. Bonaventure's Andrew Nicholson, Moore and Fernandez, and George Washington's Tony Taylor.

One change in the league's look will be Dunphy's facial hair. After having a mustache for 40 years, he shaved it off last week to honor the graduation of former player Dionte Christmas.