ESPN Men's Basketball

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

Between the loss of the program's all-time leading scorer and rebounder, power forward Michael Harris, and two other accomplished starters, Jason McKrieth and Brock Gillespie, it wasn't all that surprising when Rice slipped to 12-18 in 2005-06.

At the same time, it's important to remember that the Owls won 41 games and made two consecutive NIT appearances in 2003-04 and 2004-05. That suggests the program isn't far removed from its success in the Western Athletic Conference.

"I don't think we are," said Willis Wilson, who enters his 14th season at Rice. "Last year we lost a lot of close games, but we were young and inexperienced and going through a rebuilding year. As a year you hate to call it a rebuilding year, but that's what it was. We were counting on new people to score and defense and a lot of our roles were changed."

This time around the Owls return three starters and 10 letter-winners from a team that learned a multitude of valuable and useful lessons in its first season in Conference USA. Of the Owls' eight C-USA losses, five came by seven points or less and two came in overtime.

"I think we have a much better lay of the land," Wilson said. "We have a much better understanding of the teams that have been in the league for awhile. The biggest thing we learned is that we have to establish ourselves again. We have to fight for respectability and prove ourselves."

Between its returning players, its C-USA experience and its recent success, Wilson is convinced Rice is ready to take a big step forward this season.

"It's going to be a challenge. Our schedule isn't easy by any means," Wilson said. "But I think we do have a really good nucleus and a beginning and that's something our guys didn't have a year ago. We were kind of searching for an identity and some leadership. Now I definitely think we have a really solid nucleus in place with Morris Almond and Lorenzo Williams."

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