Bobby Gonzalez can coach. All you have to do it look at the 17 wins or the seven Big East victories while playing with an extremely short deck that consisted basically of six players last season.

This coming season, Gonzo won't be worried about depth.

It'll be chemistry that decides whether the Pirates can crack the top half of the league in Gonzalez' fourth season at the helm.

``That's 100 percent right," Gonzalez said. ``It's a different challenge this year. We're deeper and more athletic. It's the best team I've had in my four years here. This can be a really good team - if we play together, there's no jealousy and we share the ball."

And transfers Herb Pope and Keon Lawrence remain focused.

The 6-foot-8 Pope, a Pittsburgh native, transferred from New Mexico State - where he averaged 11.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Gonzalez said the facet of Pope's game that has impressed him more than anything has been his passing ability.

``I think he can become a first-team or second-team all-league guy," Gonzalez said.

Lawrence returned to New Jersey after averaging 11 points as a sophomore two years ago.

Now Gonzalez can put out a starting unit that features guards Eugene Harvey (12.5 ppg, 4.9 apg) and Lawrence along with Pope up front and Jeremy Hazell (22.7 ppg) and either Robert Mitchell (14.6 ppg) or Memphis transfer Jeff Robinson (who becomes eligible in December) on the wing.

Gonzalez will never be mellow on the sidelines, but he was hit with just two technicals in the Big East last season - down from nine a couple of years ago.

``I think I'll always have a reputation as intense and as a maniac, but there's no question having to settle down last year matured me," Gonzalez said. ``I learned people take me more seriously. I didn't realize how much my behavior took away from what people thought of me as a coach. I don't think I got a lot of credit for coaching until last year."

Gonzalez said that Pope and Lawrence will undoubtedly be the keys to this season.

``They've both come a long way," Gonzalez said. ``I'm not going to say they're perfect, but they've come a long way."

Both have reputations of being tough to handle, but that seems to mesh well with Gonzalez.

``Maybe I'm a little crazy and that's why I can coach kids who are a little crazy," Gonzalez.

Gonzalez can go a legitimate 10 deep once Robinson becomes eligible with reserves John Garcia (who was granted a fifth year), guard Jordan Theodore and newcomers Jamel Jackson and Ferrakohn Hall.

``We can finally play the way we want to play," Gonzalez said.

GREAT DANES RETURN CORE

Albany coach Will Brown is hoping for health next season.

The Great Danes began the season 5-2 with the two setbacks coming on the road to Villanova and DePaul. They also started league play strong, winning three of their first four games, before injuries derailed the team into finishing 15-16 overall and 6-10 in America East play.

However, Brown has his two top players, junior guard Tim Ambrose and Virginia transfer Will Harris, back in the fold. He lost two starters - Anthony Raffa transferred out of the program and Brian Connelly graduated - but Brown is confident a strong group of newcomers can make up for the losses.

Jake Lindfors is a 6-foot-10 redshirt freshman who has used the year off to get stronger while wing Logan Aronhalt missed the season after suffering a broken foot.

``We'll need a third guy to step up because Will and Tim can't have to get big numbers every night," Brown said. ``We've got to be able to give them a night off and still be able to win."

Ambrose averaged a team-high 14.3 points per game and Harris put up 12.9 points and 6.5 boards.

Brown is hopeful that Scotty McRae, who has been reinstated after a suspension, can expand his role - and he's also excited about the addition of recent signee Fran Urli - a 6-foot-9 Croatian who played at Panola Junior College in Texas for the past two seasons.
 
RANDOM NOTES: Memphis coach Josh Pastner made it official, hiring long-time friend Jack Murphy - who was working with the Denver Nuggets for the last few years. ... Washington transfer Joe Wolfinger is headed to The Citadel. ... Former Kansas State forward Ron Anderson will transfer to South Florida. ... Chas Wolfe of highmajorscoop.com reports that one-time Tennessee pledge Aaron Craft will take an unofficial to Ohio State.