Our first look at the 2013-14 Middlebury Panthers, at practice November 1st.

With two days to go before Middlebury takes the court for its season opener, we will be rolling out our basketball preview here on the blog throughout the next 48 hours. There is plenty to cover, as Middlebury faces its toughest non-conference schedule in recent history, and roster uncertainty abounds. With the loss of Nolan Thompson, Jake Wolfin, and Peter Lynch, there are 90 minutes per game up for grabs, and three talent-infused recruiting classes inherit the program’s high expectations. The combination of limited experience and abundant talent could result in higher highs and lower lows than we have been accustomed to the past couple of years. Outside of senior Joey Kizel’s consistent excellence as an offensive playmaker, individual roles are uncertain. Jeff Brown faces the difficult task of shuffling lineups and creating opportunities while challenging his team against two top 25 opponents in November. What this means is that nobody, inside or outside of the program, really knows what the shape and potential of this team will be come January. It’s going to be an exciting and unpredictable year. With that caveat, we will be profiling every player on the roster, projecting roles and opportunities, and previewing the conference, team-by-team, and often player-by-player. Check in between now and Friday for new content as the excitement peaks for the 2013-14 season.