2000-01 record: 14-18; 6-10 in A-10 (7th) Final Ranking: NR Postseason: None RETURNING LEADERS Points: Monroe 18.7 ppg | Rebounds: Monroe 6.1 rpg | Assists: Monroe 2.7 apg | FG %: Smith 48.8% | 3pt %: Collucci 43.7% | FT %: Monroe 79.4% 00-01 Stats: GW | A-10

		Tuesday, Oct. 30 The single biggest key for George Washington will be the maturation process. For the Colonials to be a factor, Karl Hobbs needs his young players to grow up in a hurry and help Chris Monroe, who can't do it alone. Monroe is a power guard who can score, pass and get to the free throw line. He's one of the A-10's best.

Outlook
New coach Karl Hobbs, a longtime assistant at Connecticut, faces quite a rebuilding task in the wake of former coach Tom Penders' decision to resign and star SirValiant Brown's decision to enter the NBA draft early. The one building block is a good one, 6-foot-3 junior guard Chris Monroe, a pounding scorer who led the team in scoring (18.7 ppg, compared to Brown's 17.3) last season. Monroe also was second in rebounds (6.1) and assists (2.5).

On the other hand, he's almost all that's left.

Monroe comes into this season with 25 career starts. The rest of the roster has started a combined seven games. Spanish 7-footer Albert Roma has three of those starts, and will undoubtedly get more this season. Hobbs can only hope Roma does more with those starts than the two points and 1.7 rebounds he averaged last season. After Monroe, the top returning scorer is 6-8 senior Jaason Smith (5.7 points, 3.1 rebounds).

The freshman class will be a huge factor this season, led by Philadelphia's player of the year, Tamal Forchion, a 6-6, 225-pound forward. Other freshmen include 5-11 point guard T.J. Thompson and 6-6 forward Darrio Scott.

What we like: Monroe is productive across the board, and Forchion could be especially good right off the bat. Hobbs will bring a new energy to the team and is fan base.

What we don't like: Beyond Roma, the Colonials have no size to speak of. Smith may be 6-8, but at 200 pounds he's a skinny 6-8. No one else on the roster is bigger than 6-6. This team better be fast.

The bottom line: If last season's squad could only manage 14 wins, what will this inexperienced, undersized group do?

Key Players Returning
Player	Yr.	Pos.	Ht./Wt.	Comment
Greg Collucci	So.	G	6-3/185	PTS: 3.9 | REB: 0.9 | AST: 0.6
Chris Monroe	Jr.	G	6-3/228	PTS: 18.7 | REB: 6.1 | AST: 2.7
Jason Smith	So.	F	6-8/200	PTS: 5.7 | REB: 3.1 | AST: 0.2

Key Losses
Player	Pos.	Ht./Wt.	Comment
SirValiant Brown	G	6-1/158	PTS: 17.3 | REB: 2.7 | AST: 1.8
Mike King	G	6-4/179	PTS: 11.7 | REB: 4.7 | AST: 2.0

George Washington Signings
Player	Pos.	Ht.	High School/College
Tamal Forchion	F	6-7	Philadelphia/Roman Catholic
Darrio Scott	F	6-6	Virginia Espiscopal School/Lynchburg, Va.
T.J Thompson	G	5-11	Newport School/Germantown, Md.