Roanoke College men's basketball boasts experienced scorers

The Roanoke College men's basketball team seems poised for another winning season.

Not only does Roanoke welcome back four starters, but all of them averaged double figures in points last season.

"The potential of our team, I really like," Roanoke coach Clay Nunley said. "You can't put a price tag on having veterans back. (This is) Year 18 for me as a head coach at this level and I don't think I've ever had four double-figure scorers back.

"It's a hope that experience translates on the floor with our group, that we play like a veteran team and we play like a poised team. And I'm confident it will."

The Maroons, who open the season Saturday against Eastern in the Shenandoah University Classic, went 16-10 overall and tied for fifth in the ODAC with a 9-7 league mark last season.

Roanoke has had nothing but winning seasons under Nunley, who is entering his ninth season at the helm of the Maroons.

"Him being hard on us really helps us," senior point guard Joshua McClary said. "We really go hard in practice every day. ... Once we get into a game, it might seem a little easier."

"He does a great job recruiting guys who mesh well together — high-character guys, so there's no problems off the court," senior forward Joshua Morse said. "Then once we get on the court, they're high I.Q. guys. We all play hard and he just instills great fundamentals into our team."

McClary averaged 12.3 points and 4.6 assists last season.

"He's probably one of the best passers in the ODAC," Morse said.

The 6-foot-7 Morse averaged 11 points and 5.8 rebounds. Nunley appreciates his versatility.

"He can step out, he can put the ball on the floor really well, he's a good passer," Nunley said.

Junior guard Marcus Morgan (10.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg) also returns.

"He genuinely is an energy giver," Nunley said. "He's our best leader. He's one of our toughest kids."

Senior guard Zach Rosenthal (12.6 ppg, 61 3-pointers) is also back, although he will be sidelined by an upper-body injury Saturday. Nunley said it has yet to be determined when Rosenthal will return to action.

Roanoke no longer boasts 6-6 post player Justin Kuthan, who led the team in scoring (14.4 ppg) and rebounding (8.1 rpg) as a senior last season. He earned All-ODAC second-team honors the past two seasons.

"We have to answer the question of how we replace Justin's production," Nunley said. "I think we'll do it by committee."

"We might be a little more perimeter-focused, so maybe not playing inside as much," Morse said. Roanoke might even play a four-guard lineup in some games.

The Maroons will not only miss Kuthan's scoring punch inside but also his presence on the boards.

"We need to rebound by committee," Nunley said.

Roanoke has not made the NCAA Division III tournament since 2001, when Page Moir was the team's coach.

Can the Maroons end that drought this season?

"My hope and my feeling is yes," Nunley said. "Three seniors that have played a lot, I think it starts with that."

"We have a strong chance of doing it," McClary said. "We have a lot of key players coming back."

Morse said that to make the NCAAs, Roanoke needs to fare better against the league's better teams.

ODAC members Randolph-Macon, Hampden-Sydney, Guilford and Virginia Wesleyan made the NCAAs last season. Roanoke did not beat any of them last season.

Roanoke did not beat Randolph-Macon, Hampden-Sydney or Guilford two seasons ago, either. Roanoke has never beaten Randolph-Macon under Nunley.

The Maroons said that to make the NCAAs, they also need to get off to a better start in ODAC play than they did last season. Roanoke dropped its first four league games last year.

"Last year we kind of struggled defensively at the beginning of the year," Morse said. "The additional experience will help us on defense (this year)."

Nunley hopes the Maroons can do a better job of disrupting enemy offenses.

"We're a little more athletic, so I hope that shows up on the defensive end," he said. "Maybe we can pressure a little bit more."

Patrick Clevenger (James River) or Gavin O'Malley will fill Kuthan's spot in the starting frontcourt Saturday.

Clayton Gaither or Jackson Bell will start at guard while Rosenthal is sidelined.

Another returning player of note is 6-10 Porter Stanley.

Roanoke was picked fifth in the ODAC's preseason coaches poll Wednesday.

Defending ODAC regular-season champ Randolph-Macon topped the poll. Guilford, which made the 2024 Division III final four, was picked second. Defending ODAC tournament champ Hampden-Sydney, which lost in the NCAA tournament final last year, was picked third. Virginia Wesleyan was fourth.

Washington and Lee, which made the ODAC tournament title game last year, was picked sixth. Ferrum was eighth out of 13 teams.

Mark Berman (540) 981-3125