New coach. Nearly a brand new group of players. Same old Carroll College Saints.

The Carroll men's basketball team has seen five seniors graduate and former assistant coach Brandon Veltri take over the helm since the retirement of Gary Turcott in April, but this group of youngsters is determined to keep the Saints' tradition alive.

"It's just the nature of the beast," Veltri said. "Kids leave and other kids need to fill those spots.

"We want this to look like Carroll College basketball. We're running the stame stuff we have the last couple of years and we haven't changed what we're doing."

Now, after starting the season 2-0 at the Craig Finberg Memorial Tournament last weekend in Dillon, Carroll will be hosting Simpson University (Calif.) in its home opener tonight at 8 p.m. in the P.E. Center

"I think we're ready," said redshirt freshman and starting point guard Casey Rogers. "Obviously we're a young team, but we've been practicing hard for a month now, and we've been playing real well as a team. I think our chemistry is there.

"Even though we're a little short on seniors, I think we'll be ready to come out and play well."

The Saints return just one senior, forward Chris Medina, to the roster. The transfer from Salt Lake Community College averaged 11.5 points per game his first season with Carroll, and is expected to once again be a leader on the scoreboard.

He's been accomplishing that feat so far, tying teammate Andy Garland for the Frontier Conference lead with 18 points per game after the first two of the season. The Saints defeated Dakota Athletic Conference opponent Dickinson State (N.D.) 74-51 before routing Multnomah Bible University (Ore.) 117-59 to start this year.

With a cast that includes Garland, an NAIA honorable mention All-American, and a number of redshirt freshman that have had a year of studying the Saints systems under their belt, Medina feels confident his squad can step to fill the voids left by last season's graduates.

"Most of the freshman this year know what they saw last year," Medina said. "Everybody knows what's expected."

"I am a senior, but it's just a title. My coach told me as a freshman that I don't look as you as a freshman, I look at you as a basketball player. I look at us individuals just as Carroll basketball players."

Garland, a 6-foot-5 sophomore, returns a year after leading the Saints with 15.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per game at the post position. The only other Saint to see game action last season, 6-8 sophomore post Chase Godecke, saw limited time for 1.6 points and 1.5 rebounds per game.

Rogers and junior transfer Sam Cartmell and have the difficult duty of replacing top guard Chad Vaculin, also an All-American honorable mention, and sharpshooter Josh Saunders. New additions Jordan Reyes and Ben Cutler will likely be the first off the bench to fill in at guard.

"There's no pressure," Rogers said. "Chad's such a great player and I learned so much practicing with him everyday last year. I'm just looking to do half the things he does well and I'll be fine out there."

Rogers is averaging 14.5 ppg while Cartmell has added 9.0 ppg. Freshman post James McIntyre, meanwhile, rounds out the top five scorers so far this season with 11.5 ppg.

"We've got a lot of shooters," Medina said. "James McIntyre is coming off the bench, Andy is a force out there.

"Chase is coming off really good and getting alittle more confidence with his experience. Whether we come together or not is really going to show our strength."

Simpson is coming off a 78-57 loss to the Oregon Institute of Technology and is led by Dwight Bond's 15 points and Jason Stubbs' 14 points in their season opener.

"We don't really know a lot. We know they're guard-oriented, they like to bring pressure," Rogers said. "Our guards will have to be ready to handle the pressure, and maybe work it inside and let Garland get some touches."

Jeff Windmueller: 447-4065 or jeff.windmueller@helenair.com