Coach J.P. Piper had hoped his group would be more of a team without having to rely on Stefan Blaszczynski, the leading scorer in the Southland Conference, for point production.

Instead, the team leaned on freshman guard Anatoly Bose and Wing Ryan Bathie. Nicholls ended up missing the Southland Conference tournament for the seventh season in a row, definitely not the path Piper had in mind.

Piper beefed up the roster with bodies after fielding only seven players at the end of the 2006-2007 season. That did not mean strength in numbers, though. Nor did it mean strength inside, as Nicholls was out-muscled inside.

The team, as was the case the previous season, did improve as the season drew to a close. But again it was way too late.

The Colonels could play "what-if" wondering how the season might have unfolded with G Michael Czepil, who was injured and knocked out for the season Dec. 28. This was, after all, the same group that had played then-No. 1 North Carolina within 10 points during the nonconference season.

But if Piper does return for a fifth season, he will find a roster with plenty of promise -- and only one senior lost.

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