Cool-Lookin' Cam
By Grant Taylor

Cam Henderson Center and the Marshall men's basketball team
will both have a new look for the 2003-2004 basketball season. Both
were unveiled at media day on Monday.

Cam Henderson Center has a brand new floor and new score boards
replacing the old center court one. The new massive score board on
the east wall has a video board for replays and messages. A smaller
score board is located on the west wall.

The question for the men's basketball team this year is how
will well they do with coach Ron Jirsa in charge. Jirsa was named the
head coach late last spring when Greg White decided to take over the
coaching duties at the University of Charleston.

Jirsa takes over a team that was 14-15 last year and 9-9 in
the MAC. Jirsa and new assistants Bob MacKinnon, Josh Postorino and
Aki Collins will be trying to improve on that mark with a keep it
simple and aggressive defense philosophy.

Jirsa said, "When you go into the arena you will see the new
floor and score board. What that means to us is a program that got
these things afforded to us. That makes us want to work a little bit
harder."

"We have got a great place to play and we have the best wood
court in the league."

"Our team will need to stay humble and hungry right now. We
have a really tough schedule."

"To win and be successful with that schedule we will have to
over achieve. That is the message to our team everyday. We have got
to over achieve. We have got to go beyond where we think we can go.
We have to push ourselves harder than we think we can handle."

"Right now we will have to do the little things. We have a
new lease on life with a new coach. We will have to work extremely
hard."

"We are going to keep what we are doing simple. We have got
an aggressive style of play."

"If we can keep it simple and our guys can get comfortable
with what we are doing then we can be aggressive. We need to be
aggressive from game one."

"We are looking for that attitude in practice. We are not
even
close. We got a lot done in September to give us that foundation for
being ready to practice in October. We have to have that attitude in
practice."

"Right now it does not look pretty. We are playing hard,
diving on the floor and hitting each other. That is going to carry
over when we start learning exactly what to do. That is where we are
right now."

Letter winners returning from last year are Marvin Black, A.W.
Hamilton, Enoch Bunch, Ronny Dawn, David Anderson, LeVar Carter, Mark
Patton and Ardo Armpalu. New incoming players are Eric Smith and
Luther "Tre" Whitted.

Monday Night Madness

On Monday, October 27 Marshall basketball fans can come to
Cam Henderson Center to see the new look and basketball team during
Monday Night Madness.

Monday Night Madness will start at 7 PM with band and
cheerleaders getting the crowd ready. Players and staff will be
introduced at 7:15. A dunking contest will start at 7:35 followed by
a
scrimmage. There will be prizes and giveaways. Admission is $5.00.