Colby College Mules
2017-2018 Record: 11-13 (2-8 NESCAC)
Projected 2018-2019 Record: 13-11 (3-7 NESCAC)
Key Losses:
G Pat Dickert ‘18 (6.0 PPG, 4.8 REB/G, 1.3 AST/G)
Dickert was a solid role player, seeing at least 10 minutes of action in 23 of the Mules 24 games last season. He was extremely efficient in the preseason last year but when it came to conference play his numbers took quite a hit and subsequently so did his playing time.
F Dean Weiner ‘19 (10.8 PPG, 9.2 REB/G, 3.1 AST/G, 3.1 BLK/G)
Weiner, who was named Maine’s Defensive Player of the Year last season, does not return to the Colby basketball roster for the 2018-19 season. Despite missing a third of last season due to injury, Weiner still lead the Mules in rebounds and blocks while averaging nearly a double-double per game. This will be a huge loss for the Mules because when Weiner was in the lineup last year Colby had a completely different dynamic.
Projected Starting Lineup:
G Matt Hanna ‘21 (11.0 PPG, 3.7 REB/G, 3.3 AST/G)
After starting every game but one for the Mules in his freshman campaign, Matt Hanna returns to the starting lineup for another season. Hanna made his presence felt as a freshman, he finished first on the team in assists (76), second in steals (23), and third in points (253). Hanna was a consistent presence for the Mules, he was almost guaranteed to give you 10/3/3 every game and on a good day possibly some more. Hanna is the best ball distributor on this team and will be called upon to facilitate the Mule offense.
G Sam Jefferson ‘20 (15.4 PPG, 3.8 REB/G, 1.9 AST/G)
Jefferson is another returning starter on this Colby team. Jefferson was the leading scorer for Colby last season and that is due to his volume shooting from beyond the arc. Jefferson shot a respectable 36.1% from 3 last year, but he put up an average of 8.4 3-point shots per game, leading to a slight inflation of his scoring. Jefferson is the Mules greatest threat from 3 and when he gets hot it can be dangerous for other teams.
G Ronan Schwarz ‘20 (DNP)
Schwarz did not appear in any action for the Mules last year but nonetheless it appears as if he will work his way into the starting lineup for the 2018-19 season. Schwarz is not a threat from deep but is a consistent mid-range shooter and can work his way into the paint. He is also a solid defender who can record multiple steals per game. Due to the fact that we have not seen a lot of Schwarz in the past he will be a real wildcard in the Colby lineup.
G Wallace Tucker ‘21 (12.4 PPG, 3.1 REB/G, 2.8 AST/G, 37.5% 3PT)
Tucker returns for his second season and cracks the Colby starting lineup for the second time as well. Tucker started 20 of the Mule’s 24 games last season and will look to make an even bigger impact with a year of NESCAC experience under his belt. He is a high percentage, efficient shooter who does not take a lot of shots but when he does they usually go in. He finished second in points for the Mules last year and first in steals. Look for him to continue to improve and develop his game this year.
G Noah Tyson ‘22
Tyson will be a first year starter for the Mules after an extremely impressive high school career. He lead his Rutland HS team to two straight Vermont D-I State Championships in his junior and senior year. After his senior season he was presented with the prestigious “Mr. Basketball” award for the state of Vermont. Similarly, he was named to the First Team of the USA Today All-Vermont Basketball Team. Tyson has been described as a leader, facilitator and relentless on the boards. He will contribute from the get-go for Colby and will hope that his high school success translates to the NESCAC.
Everything Else:
No you did not read that wrong, Colby will be starting 5 guards this year. Of the 14 players on their roster, 9 are guards and 5 are forwards. None are listed as centers although their tallest player (6’7” Sean Gilmore ‘20) could possibly be considered one. This will inevitable make it difficult for the Mules to compete against NESCAC teams that have dominant centers. Although this may detract from their abilities in that sense, it will also create a very fast paced dynamic on the court which other teams will need to be ready to deal with. The biggest positive for the Mules is that the only lost one starter and they have replaced him with high school phenom Noah Tyson. Tyson was a heavily decorated player in high school and it will be interested to see whether he can play at a similarly high level in college. They also are an extremely young team. None of their starters are seniors (2 juniors, 2 sophomores, 1 freshman) and they only have one senior on the roster. This young core may struggle initially but it could blossom into a dynasty in a year or two. The Mules lost quite a few close conference games last year and perhaps with more experience under their belts they will be able to more easily hold off and finish off their talented NESCAC opponents. I believe that this year will begin to move the Colby basketball program in the right direction. While they might not see success immediately, they are well set up for success in the future.