UND Features Tougher Look, Tougher Schedule

Tougher look, tougher schedule for North Dakota

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota men's basketball will have a new look this season that extends beyond graduating four of its five starters.

Along with turnover in the starting lineup, UND has a deeper squad, a bigger lineup, both in height and muscle — and a much tougher schedule.

An extensive offseason weightlifting program was designed to add muscle to the players. Senior guard Travis Bledsoe, for one, added 15 pounds.

"In the spring and summer, we spent more time in the weight room than on the floor," Bledsoe said. "The team workouts were mostly about strength. The basketball we did mostly on our own."

The four starters who left contributed 54 percent of last season's point total. The top point-producers back are the 6-foot Bledsoe, who averages 10.7 points per game, and senior forward Travis Mertens, who averages nine points a game.

"We have some big pieces back," UND coach Brian Jones said. "And a lot of the new faces will make an impact, too."

The new faces will provide depth and size that were lacking last year. In its first year of Division I, the roster had only 10 players. Injuries and illness sometimes meant only eight healthy players for games. Last year's shortage was because all six freshmen were redshirted.

"Instead of playing 7, 8 guys a game, we'll be playing 10, 11," Jones said. "We think we'll have a lot of depth."

Nick Haugen, Jordan Allard and Doug Archer are the red-shirt freshmen who are expected to make the biggest immediate contributions. Junior college transfer Chris Clausen, the son of UND Hall of Fame basketball player Dan Clausen, also will join the rotation.

The lineup also will be taller. The 6-foot-5 Mertens usually was the tallest starter last season. "This year we might have lineups where we'll have players 6-foot-7 and taller at four spots," Jones said. "Not only will be a lot longer, we'll be a lot thicker."

The Sioux will need the extra muscle because the 30-game schedule includes 27 NCAA Division I opponents. Last season, in their first year as a D-I transition team, they had 15 games against D-I competition. They went 5-10 in those games and 12-2 against teams in lower divisions.

"We have no cupcakes on the schedule this year," Bledsoe said. "It will mean lots of traveling and lots of challenges."

Jones welcomes the schedule, which has 16 of its 27 D-I games on the road. "That's life in D-I when you're starting out," he said. "There's no easing into it. But I think it's better for our young players to throw them into the fire right away. It's a great learning tool for them."

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.