A coup d’etat of sorts has brought new management to the Dartmouth men’s basketball team after players reportedly threatened to boycott their game against Harvard unless their coach resigned.
According to Fox Sports, all thirteen players took a signed document to the administration saying they would no longer play under coach Terry Dunn. He resigned later that evening.
For a team that has finished in the lower half of the Ivy standings every year since 1999, improving on last year’s 7-7 record and 4th place finish (where they tied with Columbia) is a lot to ask, especially with a shake up at the top.
And considering that this year’s version is without the services of graduated Ivy League Player of the Year Alex Barnett — who averaged a League-high 19.4 points per game — it seems any semblance of a repeat performance will be virtually impossible.
But that doesn’t mean the Big Green (4-12, 0-2 Ivy) aren’t going to try.
Despite being picked to finish close to the basement of the League standings, this Dartmouth team has shown it can compete with the class of the conference under the control of interim coach Mark Graupe.
Though it was routed in its Ivy opener against an impressive Harvard team in Cambridge, the Big Green came back 14 days later to push the Crimson to the limit last Saturday before falling 62-58.
This year, Graupe will be relying on guard play because his team lacks any low post threat and will be seriously disadvantaged against strong frontcourts.
Struggling to cope with Barnett’s departure, Dartmouth currently averages a league-worst 55.6 points per game. It has only exceeded 70 points once this season, and even then, it occurred against Division III Lyndon State.
The challenge for Dartmouth players is clear: with Dunn and Barnett gone, a new coach and a new-look roster will have to fill the new roles left by their departures.
Without any safety nets in place in 2010, unassuming players will be presented with an opportunity to make a major impact.
If these players can rise up to meet the challenge, this Big Green team could surprise the league for a second straight year.
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