2004-05 Men’s Basketball Preview Posted on November 10th, 2004 by

2003-04 MIAC Champions

2003-04 MIAC Champions


Coach Mark Hanson will likely record his 300th career victory this season

Coach Mark Hanson will likely record his 300th career victory this season


Senior Doug Espenson is one of the team’s top returners

Senior Doug Espenson is one of the team’s top returners


Junior Adam TeBrake hopes to make an impact as a starter

Junior Adam TeBrake hopes to make an impact as a starter

The Gustavus men’s basketball team will have a much different look in the 2004-05 season due to the graduation of five seniors from a team that won MIAC regular season and post-season titles and played in the NCAA Tournament. In spite of several new faces, the Gusties still look to field a competitive team and would expect to battle for a playoff spot once again.

Top returners include senior all-conference wing Doug Espenson, junior wing Adam TeBrake and sophomore post Phil Sowden. Espenson is a three-year regular, who can play any position on the floor and is a proven team leader. In addition to his all-conference honors, Espenson received the MIAC’s Sixth Man Award as the league’s top reserve and was named to the All-Defensive team. He averaged 11.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, while shooting 41.6 percent from three-point range. TeBrake played sparingly his freshman year, but moved into the regular rotation last season and averaged 5.7 points per game. TeBrake will need to raise the level of his play this season as a starter if the Gusties are to foster hopes of contending for a conference title. Sowden filled an important need in the post for the Gusties last season and proved to the coaching staff and his teammates that he is a bonafide college post player. He played particularly strong down the stretch scoring 22 points against Bethel and 15 against Macalester in the MIAC Playoffs. A member of the MIAC All-First Year team, Sowden averaged 9.4 points and 4.3 rebounds per game last year.

A key question heading into the season will be the health of senior Tim Brown. A two-time All-American, Brown was granted a fifth-year of eligibility by the NCAA and is set to compete for the Gusties this season. In the off-season, however, Brown severely sprained an ankle and it may prevent him from being able to play. Brown, one of the most talented offensive players in Gustavus basketball history, averaged 14.9 points per game last season and led the nation in three-point field goal percentage making 54.0 percent of his shots from behind the arc.

Others returners expected to contribute for the Gusties include juniors John Wippler,
Trent Hollerich and Adam Hoffarber and sophomores Andrew Olson and Jay Stien. Wippler is a post that played in 24 of the 28 games last season averaging 3.2 points and 2.0 rebounds per game. He is expected to be a key role player in the paint for the Gusties. Hollerich has had to wait in the wings behind a very talented group of perimeter players for the past two seasons and will now get the opportunity to make his own mark. He is a feisty defensive player, who is a very capable ballhandler and a reliable perimeter shooter. Hoffarber is a point guard who will compete for the backup point guard postion after playing on the junior varsity squad the past two seasons. Andrew Olson is a gifted outside shooter who split time between the varsity and junior varsity last season. He played seven games with the varsity, but will likely be called upon to be a part of the regular rotation this season. Jay Stien, a 6-7 post player, also split time between the varsity and junior varsity last season. He showed signs of being a very productive inside player both on the offensive and defensive end last year and will likely share time in the post with Sowden and Wippler this season.

Several newcomers are also expected to battle for playing time this season including freshmen Tyler Kaus (point guard), Kane Sivesind, (wing), Trevor Wittwer (wing), and Andrew Doble (post) and junior transfer Jered Hokenson (wing).

The season will likely see senior wing Doug Espenson score his 1,000th point (he enters the season with 715 points) as well as Coach Mark Hanson post his 300th career victory (he enters the season with 284 wins). Should Tim Brown be able to play this season he would likely score his 1,000th point at Gustavus as he has compiled 904 in the past two seasons. The Gusties will also be looking to extend their string of four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.

Once again, head coach Mark Hanson has put together a challenging non-conference schedule to prepare the team for the grueling conference schedule. The non-conference opponents include Buena Vista (11/23), Carthage (11/28), Luther (11/20), Whittier (12/30) and Pomona-Pitzer (12/31).

2003-04 Statistics

General Information
School Name: Gustavus Adolphus College
Location: 800 West College Avenue, St. Peter, Minn. 56082-1498
Founded: 1862
Enrollment: 2400
Nickname: Golden Gusties
School Colors: Black and Gold
Gym: Gus Young Court
Capacity: 3000
Affiliation: NCAA Division III
Conference: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
President: Jim Peterson
Athletic Director: Al Molde (GAC ’66)
Athletic Phone: 507-933-7617

History
First year of basketball: 1911
All-time play-off record: 40-24
Years in post-season play: 23
Last post-season appearance: 2004 / Result: Lost second round NCAA Tournament game to UW Stevens Point 55-66
All-time record: 1228-863

Sports Information
Sports Information Dir.: Tim Kennedy
SID office phone: 507-933-7647
Home phone: 507-934-2642
SID Fax: 507-933-8412
Press Box phone: 507-933-7668
E-Mail: timgasid@gustavus.edu

Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Mark Hanson
Alma Mater/Year: Gustavus/1983
Record at school (years): 284-104 (14)
Career record: same
Head Coach’s office phone: 507-933-7037
Best time/day to reach coach: 9:30-11:00am

Assistant Coaches: David Flom, Jim Arnold

2003-04 Game-by Game Results

DATE OPPONENT RESULT
Nov. 22 LUTHER L 55-59
Nov. 24 Buena Vista L 59-63
Nov. 29 Carthage W 74-61
Dec. 3 AUGSBURG W 66-42
Dec. 6 CONCORDIA W 76-56
Dec. 8 St. Olaf W 86-48
Dec. 20 Concordia (CA) L 79-80
Dec. 22 Thomas More W 84-72
Jan. 3 Hamline W 77-52
Jan. 5 Macalester L 54-66
Jan. 7 ST. THOMAS W 70-61
Jan. 10 St. Mary’s W 68-58
Jan. 14 ST. JOHN’S W 72-51
Jan. 17 Bethel W 74-44
Jan. 19 CARLETON W 59-51
Jan. 21 Augsburg W 71-52
Jan. 24 Concordia W 72-54
Jan. 28 ST. OLAF W 61-50
Feb. 2 HAMLINE W 62-43
Feb. 4 MACALESTER W 73-72 (OT)
Feb. 7 St. Thomas L 56-61
Feb. 11 ST. MARY’S W 64-52
Feb. 14 St. John’s W 83-73
Feb. 18 BETHEL W 65-49
Feb. 21 Carleton W 66-46
Feb. 24 MIAC Tournament 1st Round Bye
Feb. 26 BETHEL MIAC Tournament Semifinal W 76-59
Feb. 28 MACALESTER MIAC Tournament Final W 75-69
Mar 6 UW-STEVENS POINT NCAA Tournament L 55-66
Second Round

Home games in CAPS

2004-05 Schedule

Date Opponent Location Time
11/20 Luther College Decorah, Iowa 3:00 pm
11/23 BUENA VISTA ST. PETER 8:00 pm
11/28 CARTHAGE ST. PETER 3:00 pm
12/1 Hamline University St. Paul 7:30 pm
12/4 CONCORDIA COLEGE ST. PETER 3:00 pm
12/8 St. Thomas St. Paul 7:30 pm
12/30 Whittier College Whittier, Calif. TBA
12/31 Pomona-Pitzer College Claremont, Calif. TBA
1/3 CARLETON COLLEGE ST. PETER 7:30 pm
1/5 SAINT MARY’S UNIVERITY ST. PETER 7:30 pm
1/8 Bethel University St. Paul 3:00 pm
1/12 St. Olaf College Northfield 7:30 pm
1/15 AUGSBURG COLLEGE ST. PETER 3:00 pm
1/17 MACALESTER COLLEGE ST. PETER 7:30 pm
1/19 St. John’s University Collegeville 7:30 pm
1/22 HAMLINE UNIVERSITY ST. PETER 3:00 pm
1/26 Concordia College Moorhead 7:30 pm
1/31 UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS ST. PETER 7:30 pm
2/2 Carleton College Northfield 7:30 pm
2/5 St. Mary’s University Winona 3:00 pm
2/7 BETHEL UNIVERSITY ST. PETER 7:30 pm
2/9 ST. OLAF COLLEGE ST. PETER 7:30 pm
2/14 Augsburg College Minneapolis 7:30 pm
2/16 Macalester College St. Paul 7:30 pm
2/19 ST. JOHN’S UNIVERISTY ST. PETER 3:00 pm

Home games in CAPS

Player & Team Information
Overall record last year: 22-6
Conference record/finish: 18-2/1st

Letterwinners returning/lost: 8/5
Starters Returning/lost: 2/3

Key Returning Players
Tim Brown, SR, wing, 14.9 ppg, .540 FG Pct., 3.3 rpg, .842 FT Pct., 20 stls — All-Conference, DIII All-America, Kodak 1st Team All-Region
Phil Sowden, SO, post, 9.4 ppg, .551 FG Pct., 4.3 rpg — MIAC All-First Year Team
Doug Espenson, SR, wing, 11.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg, .416 3pt Pct., 25 Stl, 22 Blk — All-Conference, MIAC 6h Man and All-Defensive Team
Adam TeBrake, JR, wing, 5.7 ppg, .828 FT Pct., .310 3pt Pct.
John Wippler, JR, post, 3.2 ppg, .643 FG Pct.

Key Newcomers
Tyler Kaus, FY, guard, 5-6, 155, St. James, Minn.
Kane Sivesind, FY, wing, 6-6, 185, Madison, Wis.
Trevor Wittwer, FY, wing, 6-5, 170, Redwood Falls, Minn.
Andrew Doble, FY, post, 6-6, 200, Sarasota, Florida
Jered Hokenson, JR, wing, 6-1, 170, Watertown, Minn. / UW-Milwaukee

Key Losses
Chris TeBrake, grad, guard, 8.8 ppg, 53 Stl, 110 A — All-Conference
Eric Nelson, grad, wing, 7.4 ppg, .418 FG Pct., .390 3pt Pct. — All-Conference Honorable Mention
Brett Boese, grad, post, 4.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg, .598 FG Pct.

2004-05 Preseason Roster

Varsity
No. Name YR Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School
3 Tyler Kaus FY Guard 5-6 155 Saint James, Minn.
4 Doug Espenson SR Wing 6-4 200 Mankato, Minn./East
11 Trevor Wittwer FY Wing 6-5 170 Redwood Falls, Minn/Redwood Valley
12 Adam Hoffarber JR Guard 5-11 170 Hopkins, Minn.
20 Jered Hokenson JR Wing 6-1 170 Watertown, Minn./Watertown-Mayer
21 Trent Hollerich JR Wing 6-3 165 Good Thunder, Minn./LCWM
23 Derek Dreifke SO Guard 6-1 175 Richfield, Minn.
30 Andrew Olson SO Guard 5-11 180 Owatonna, Minn.
32 Jon Lien SO Wing 6-5 190 Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson
33 Tim Brown SR Wing 6-5 205 Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson
34 Adam TeBrake JR Wing 6-5 205 St. Peter, Minn.
40 Kane Sivesind FY Wing 6-6 185 Madison, Wis./Memorial
42 Jay Stein SO Post 6-7 215 Arlington, Minn./Sibley East
43 Andrew Doble FY Post 6-6 200 Sarasota, Florida/Cardinal Mooney
44 Phil Sowden SO Post 6-5 255 Brooklyn Park, Minn./Park Center
54 John Wippler JR Post 6-6 215 Vadnais Heights, Minn./White Bear Lake

Junior Varsity
No. Name YR Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School
10 Tyler Kramer SO Guard 5-10 150 Hayfield, Minn.
11 Pat Wotta FY Guard 5-11 160 Shoreview, Minn./Totino-Grace
12 Michael Hammel FY Guard 6-1 175 Eyota, Minn./Dover-Eyota
20 Justin DeGrood SO Wing 6-3 175 Faribault, Minn./Bethlehem Academy
21 Brandon Ness FY Guard 6-2 160 Spring Valley, Minn./Stewartville
23 Michael Grieme FY Wing 6-2 175 Wadena, Minn./Wadena-Deer Creek
30 Corey Erickson FY Guard 6-3 170 Waconia, Minn.
32 Dan Folkerds FY Wing 6-3 171 Red Wing, Minn.
40 Luke Anton FY Wing 6-4 195 Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo
43 Matt Wilberg FY Post 6-8 200 St. Paul, Minn./South
50 Adam Nemmers SO Post 6-3 185 Sioux Falls, S.D./Lincoln
54 Sam Healy FY Post 6-5 207 Northfield, Minn.

Head Coach: Mark Hanson
Asst. Coaches: Dave Flom, Jim Arnold

 

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