New coach needs to get cohesion between returning players, several transfers
opened the formal part of practice last week with five returnees and 12 newcomers, including two players who started for teams in the Pac-12 Conference last season.
The list of newcomers is highlighted a pair of graduate seniors from the Pac-12, 6-foot-7 wing Eric Williams Jr., and 6-9 forward Jaiden Delaire. Williams played in 33 games with 11 starts for Oregon last season and averaged 8.4 points and 4.6 rebounds; Delaire played in 32 games with 26 starts at Stanford, averaging 10.1 points and 4.0 rebounds.
Graduate senior center Nic Lynch, a Seattle native, made the move back west from Lehigh where he was a four-year starter and totaled 793 points and 409 rebounds and shot 45.9 percent from three-point range last season. Lavin, who posted a record of 226-133 at UCLA and St. John’s and guided teams to eight NCAA appearances, wants to play an up-tempo style built around aggressively turning defense into “downhill” offense and believes his team is made up of a mix of good shooters with a nice blend of size, length and versatility.