EVENTS
 Sportsman of the Year
 Heisman Trophy
 Swimsuit 2001

CNNSI.com GROUP
 Sports Illustrated
 Life of Reilly
 Television
 SI Women
 SI for Kids
 Press Room
 TBS/TNT Sports
 CNN Languages

COMMERCE
 SI Customer Service
 SI Media Kits
 Get into College
 Sports Memorabilia
 TeamStore

Tulane Green Wave

Plenty of challenges await new coach

Last season

Coach

Projected starting lineup

G Sherod Teasley, 6-4, Fr.
The point is junior Waitari Marsh's job, but he's ineligible for the first semester. Which means Teasley will have to learn fast.

G Brandon Spann, 6-1, So.
Has some experience (9.1 minutes) but not much height for an off-guard, and could be pushed by freshman David Hawkins.

C George Brown, 6-10, Fr. Either Brown or fellow 6-10 freshman Ivan Pjevcevic must develop rapidly, or Tulane's middle will prove to be pudgy and soft.

F Ledaryl Billingsley, 6-7, Sr.
He's the only returning frontcourt weapon, but at 250 pounds, there's a lot of him. Averaged 9.4 points but just 19.6 minutes due to constant foul trouble.

F Wayne Tinsley, 6-5, Fr.
A quick and athletic wing who will be asked to do alot early, since the Green Wave has so few offensive weapons.

Top guy off the bench

Key games

Outlook

The program, good or at least solid for so long under Perry Clark, is pretty much starting over. Finney has been through the wars as an assistant coach under Tubby Smith, and he knows plenty about running a winning program. The challenge will be sustaining the momentum Clark left. Finney's teams will probably look like Smith's -- fast-paced with an emphasis on full-court defense. But it doesn't look like the talent is there to jump into the C-USA fray right away. Almost a lock for the National Division cellar.

--Stan Olson

Copyright © 2001 CNN/Sports Illustrated An AOL Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines.