Last season, the Binghamton University men’s basketball team was stripped of its top players, shockingly removed from the America East tournament and bombarded with doubts from fans and media alike. This season, I think the Bearcats will be happy just to focus on basketball.

A season removed from finishing fifth in the conference despite being projected to be dead last out of nine ‘ a finish that dropped more than a few jaws ‘ the Bearcats are gearing up for their 2010 campaign. While they lost some key scoring, they are bringing back crucial role players and leaders from last year that could propel Binghamton even higher.

But the Bearcats have a few problems to address before they can start to dream about conference domination, beginning with their stat line.

Seeing Binghamton’s statistics from last season, it almost seems strange that a team like that could finish fifth. The Bearcats were eighth in scoring, seventh in free throw percentage, ninth in 3-point percentage, seventh in rebounds, ninth in assists, eighth in steals and ninth in assist/turnover ratio. Among the bright spots, however, they finished second in blocks, fifth in total defense and third in field goal percentage.

But games are about so much more than statistics, of course. It doesn’t seem like the Bearcats scored very much, but then how did they finish with a .500 conference record? Low percentages at the free-throw line and behind the arc are often the kiss of death for teams, and it seemed to show in the low scoring levels.

However, the low statistical prominence of the Bearcats may actually say more good about them than bad. The numbers show that the Bearcats had to scrap out wins more often than not, being outplayed on the stat sheet but making up for it with intangible factors, like motivation, heart and hustle. I’ll take those attributes over stats any day.

Besides, when interim head coach Mark Macon was asked what one thing the Bearcats needed to improve on from last season, his answer was not offense, but defense. He said that he focused primarily on defense during the offseason, which shows that he knows his team can put points on the board.

But another problem lingers regarding the loss of star freshman Dylan Talley, the team’s second-leading scorer. The offensive-minded point guard averaged 11.8 points per game last season and provided a thrilling spark to the Bearcat offense, and the team will have to fill that scoring void.

However, what the Bearcats lost does not seem nearly as important as what they kept. The team returns its core veteran leaders in seniors Chretien Lukusa and Moussa Camara, last season’s co-captains. These two have been around the program for four whole years now, providing valuable contributions both on the stat sheet and in leadership. I see both of them stepping up their roles even more, particularly on their outside shots.

But the biggest asset returning to the Bearcats is senior forward Greer Wright. He was not only their leading scorer last year with 15 points per game, but he was top-10 in the conference in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, field goal percentage and minutes. Wright is the real deal; he exploded for 20+ points eight times and reached double figures in 22 of 31 games. He was selected to the Preseason All-Conference team after finishing first-team All-Conference last year.

Wright’s impact was felt even more when it mattered: conference showdowns. He bumped up his scoring average by nearly two points in league games and his rebounding average by just under one. He is an offensive leader who has been working on playing at different positions on the floor. We might even see a little point-forward work out of him this year, as his passing ability is also top-notch. He has the capability to grow in every statistical category and should make a good run at the Conference Player of the Year award.

Another significant problem last year was the team hitting a wall at midseason and stumbling toward the finish line. After its Feb. 3 win over Albany, Binghamton was 6-3 in conference play and sitting at third in the standings. They went on to lose four in a row. Macon and his players know that this season they need to continue to fight through the whole season. Binghamton also struggled mightily in road games, compiling a dismal 3-12 road record last season, and if the team doesn’t address traveling well and staying consistent, it can never reach the upper echelon of the conference elites.

After all this preseason chatter was said and done, the Bearcats were projected to finish just seventh overall, but a look at the history books gives Binghamton more reason to hope. Each of the past two seasons saw the team finish four spots higher than it was projected, and they have also exceeded their projection six out of nine times. Also, a note to the America East coaches: despite your projections, the Bearcats have never finished lower than sixth overall.

We have seen what these Bearcats can do. They understand their potential, but reaching it and staying there will be the obvious key. Above all, look for an even more cohesive squad this year, led by Wright on the floor and Macon on the sidelines. Suffice to say that seventh place should be in the Bearcats’ rearview mirror this season with the talent and leadership that they return. If they stay healthy and consistent, this can be a very dangerous team.