College Basketball: Can Wofford Dance Again?

Posted by CoHoops Paul Seaver

There is nothing like a ten-win improvement and a school's first ever NCAA Tournament bid. Wofford and head coach Mike Young, got them both last year, finishing with an overall record of 26-9 and a near upset over fifth-seeded Wisconsin in the first round.

Mike Young is back for his ninth season, leading the Terriers into what will be their first Southern Conference title defense and a search for back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances.

The key for Wofford, last season and again this upcoming season, will be stud senior forward Noah Dahlman. Dahlman, an honorable mention as an AP-All American a season ago and the brother of former Michigan State guard Isaiah Dahlman, returns for his final year as a Terrier, with the goal of returning to the Big Dance on his mind.

Dahlman led Wofford in minutes per game and points per game on way to earning the Southern Conference Player of the Year award. Head coach Mike Young followed suit, being named the Southern Conference Coach of the Year.

The two will be back, along with a roster that returns six of the seven leading scorers from a season ago and a program that lost only two seniors from their first NCAA Tournament appearance.

Freshmen Josh Corry and Aerris Smith join the program this season, but the Terriers will likely rely on a more veteran and experienced lineup in their quest for back-to-back conference championships. Alongside Dahlman, Wofford returns guards Jamar Diggs and Cameron Rundles in the back court, along with the team's leading rebounder, Tim Johnson.

The Southern Conference lost its star player Stephen Curry last season, but still boasted four 20+ win programs from 2009-2010.

Mike Young wants to test his Terrier squad and they will be tested early, with match-ups at Minnesota and at Clemson to open the season, before an appearance in the Charleston Classic, which includes the likes of the Georgetown Hoyas. Wofford's schedule also notes road games at both Xaiver and South Carolina as part of their non-conference campaign.

Dahlman will return in search of his second consecutive Player of the Year award, but more importantly a shot at another appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Possibly the most experienced and most talented team in school history will embark on yet another season in search of more success and exposure.

Can the Wofford Terriers dance again in 2010-2011?


*Photo: Noah Dahlman *Credit: washingtonpost.com
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