ESPN Men's Basketball

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(Information in this team report is as of October 1.)

Orlando Early's second season at Louisiana-Monroe will be the Warhawks' first season in the Sun Belt Conference. And while he knows it will be a step up from the Southland Conference, the move isn't of the magnitude many probably would assume at first glance.

"Unfortunately, my first year in the Southland was probably the best the Southland's been in 30 years," Early said.

Indeed, the Southland finished with an RPI of 22 in 2005-06, which was at least a five-year high. And the Sun Belt's RPI of 18 was its worst in four years. Southland champion Northwestern State won 26 games, including an NCAA Tournament upset of third-seeded Iowa. Second-place Sam Houston State won 22 games and Stephen F. Austin and Lamar each won 17.

"We're definitely getting in a stronger league top to bottom," Early said, "but I'm not sure the jump from last year's Southland will be that big. It will be different. Every locker room is going to be new to us, every court's going to be new to us."

Louisiana-Monroe finished 6-10 in the league and 10-18 overall during a season in which point guard Brandon Roberts was out all year with a broken foot and four upperclassmen contributors left the team at the start of second semester.

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