UpDate - Vol. 12, No. 10, Page 6
November 5, 1992
Men's basketball team hopes to relive the dream

     The 1991-92 season was like a dream come true for the University
of Delaware men's basketball team.
     Head coach Steve Steinwedel's squad accomplished things never
thought possible years earlier. A 27-4 record, a perfect 14-0 mark in
North Atlantic Conference play, a school record 20-game winning streak
entering the NCAA playoffs, the NAC tournament title and the Hens'
first-ever NCAA tournament appearance. It was, quite simply, the
pinnacle of Delaware's 87-year basketball history.
     This season, despite the loss of all-NAC standouts Mark Murray
and Alex Coles, the No. 2 and No. 3 all-time leading scorers in U.D.
history, respectively, the Blue Hens are planning to keep the dream
alive. Nine letterwinners, including three starters, return in 1992-93
as the Hens once again look to be the pre-season favorite to capture
the NAC title and make a return appearance to the NCAA tournament,
where they lost to eventual Final Four participant Cincinnati in the
opening round of the Midwest Regional at Dayton, Ohio, in March.
     The Hens bring a 17-game regular season win streak into this
history-making season of 1992-93, but will be faced with one of the
most competitive and grueling schedules in school history. In addition
to NAC play, the Hens open the season against highly touted Seton Hall
in the first round of the Pre-Season National Invitational Tournament
Nov. 19; host Rutgers in the first game in the new Bob Carpenter
Center Dec. 1; and travel to Tokyo, Japan, Dec. 18-20 to take on
Xavier (Ohio), Rice and the All-Japan Team in the Japan Classic
Tournament. The Hens also will travel to Bucknell, the Mt. St. Mary's
Tournament and to Delaware State College in Dover, for only the second
meeting between the state's only NCAA Division I programs.
     Optimism runs high in Blue Hen country despite the loss of
four-year regulars Murray and Coles, two players who helped build the
solid foundation of Delaware basketball. Steinwedel welcomes the
return of three starters: 6-6 hustling senior forward Anthony Wright,
shot-blocking 6-11 senior center Spencer Dunkley and steady 6-2
sophomore point guard Brian Pearl-the 1992 NAC Rookie of the Year.
Joining the threesome is an experienced supporting cast of six other
returning letterwinners and three solid freshman recruits.
     "Losing players like Coles, Murray and Denard Montgomery
represents a challenge to us this year," said Steinwedel, Delaware's
all-time winningest coach with 115 victories. "But we have a good
nucleus of quality players to fill some of those voids. The potential
certainly exists (for another NAC title and NCAA berth), but just like
every year, we have a long way to go. We got a lot of respect last
year. We went from being a team with potential to one that realized
its potential. It gets tougher to maintain and the expectations get
greater, but I'm confident in the things this team can do.
     "Last year's success had a very positive effect," said
Steinwedel, the 1992 NAC Coach of the Year. "Our success, national
exposure and NCAA appearance meant a great deal to the University of
Delaware. We have started a foundation, one that we can build on and
continue for many more years. This year, moving to the new Carpenter
Center, playing in the pre-season NIT Tournament and the trip to
Japan, we have some great opportunities once again."