Rogers, Bearcats seek national title
Media Relations
Issue date: 11/18/09 Section: Sports
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The 'Cats will have their regular season home-opener on Thursday Nov. 19, when they host MidAmerica Nazarene.
SBU will then visit Dallas Baptist on Saturday Nov. 21, a team that SBU eliminated last year from the NCAA Tournament.
The Bearcats have won back-to-back MIAA regular season crowns (and three in four years) and last year, set an MIAA record with 17 conference wins. They were ranked in the top-10 all season and currently have the nation's second-longest D-II home court winning streak at 30 games.
In preseason polling, the Bearcats were number three in both the NABC coaches poll and the D-II Bulletin ranking. In the MIAA polls, the 'Cats were tabbed for first by the coaches and second by the media.
National Player of the Year candidate Matt Rogers returns for his senior season, looking to lead the Bearcats to greater heights. In the three games in Florida, Rogers averaged 20.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game and was named Most Outstanding Player.
Rogers was named the MIAA MVP and had a Division II-leading 123 blocked shots in the 2008-09 season. He was named to four All-American squads and was named Daktronics South Central Region Player of the Year, unanimous MIAA MVP, first team All-MIAA and MIAA Defensive Player of the Year.
The other returning starter for SBU is junior point guard Tomas Brock, who started every game last season. Brock is averaging nine points and assists per game
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