THE GOOD NEWS
Junior F Chris Devine will return to provide a veteran post presence next season, and sophomore G James Powell showed signs that he could become the team's primary scoring option. The Gauchos also can count on reinforcements. They'll add Jesse Byrd, a 6-8 transfer from USF, and bring in a talented recruiting class that includes G Will Brew, G/F James Nunnally, F Jaime Serna and C Greg Somogyi, who is 7-2 with a 7-8 wingspan. Nunnally, a high school standout from Stockton, Calif., could have an immediate impact. "He has all the tools, physically, but we're probably not going to know if he's ready until he gets here," Williams told the Santa Barbara News-Press.

THE BAD NEWS
Replacing G Alex Harris and F Ivan Elliott won't be easy no matter how many players the Gauchos bring in to audition. Harris appeared in 31 games this season and never scored fewer than 13 points. He scored 20 or more 16 times. Elliott averaged 9.6 points and 5.7 rebounds. He scored in double figures 15 times and grabbed at least six rebounds in 19 games. He was also a consistent 3-point threat, shooting 44.8 percent beyond the arc.

KEY RETURNEES
G James Powell and F Chris Devine both averaged 12.3 points per game. Powell improved his field-goal percentage from 39.8 to 43.4 and his 3-point shooting from 33.9 percent to 46.7. Devine's numbers declined this season, from 14.1 points per game to 12.3 and 6.6 rebounds to 5.4. The Gauchos will need more from Devine and sophomore PG Justin Joyner, who struggled with his shot the past two seasons.

ROSTER REPORT

--Fate took F Beau Gibb home for his final college game. The Gauchos played Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss., Gibb's hometown. He had one point, one rebound and one assist in three minutes.

--PG Justin Joyner ranked third in the Big West in assists and first in assist-to-turnover ratio, but he averaged just 3.8 points on 38.9 percent shooting.

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