Rowan Men's Hoops One Of Area's Best In Division III

By Matt Leon

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- Not a lot of people outside of Glassboro expected much out of the Rowan Profs coming into the 2014-15 college basketball season.

With just one starter returning from a team that finished 12-13, the Profs were picked to finish eighth in the ten-team New Jersey Athletic Conference in its preseason coaches poll.

However, the Profs have already matched their win total from a season ago and they will bring a 12-2 record into Saturday's road game against Rutgers-Newark.

Rowan brought in several talented transfers to help fill the gaps on this season's squad. Head coach Joe Cassidy says this group has come together rather quickly.

"I think that is part of what has led us to become a better team is because the chemistry has become better," Cassidy tells KYW Newsradio. "The guys have gotten used to playing with each other and understanding what other guys strengths or weaknesses are and then making the adjustments that way. From a team perspective, I think that they've come together, maybe even better than I anticipated from the beginning. We've just got to continue to get better and better each month as the season goes along, or now each week or each game."

Listen to the entire interview with Rowan's Joe Cassidy:

One of the transfers playing a key part for the Profs is 6-5 junior forward Ike Robinson. He poured in a season high 33 points in a tough 86-84 loss to William Paterson on Wednesday night.

"We're not the biggest team, but we are athletic," Robinson tells KYW Newsradio. "We are strong when we want to be, so if we just keep our energy up, just keep our focus, just don't back down, we should be good for the rest of the season."

Listen to the entire interview with Rowan forward Ike Robinson:

Robinson leads the Profs in scoring, averaging 15.6 points per game while shooting 54% from the field. Mike Simpson, a senior forward who is a transfer from Division I Coppin State, is second on the team in scoring at 14.7 ppg. Junior guard Kris O'Connor chips in about ten and a half points a game as well.

"Those three give us three really good offensive weapons," Cassidy says. "And then we need the other guys to fill the roles and do what we need to do. The rebounders (have) got to rebound, the passers (have) got to pass."

The Profs are currently 6-2 in the NJAC and for the moment that has them third in the conference behind two other very good squads in Stockton and William Paterson.

"The NJAC is always one of the better conferences," Cassidy says. "Certainly one of the best in the east, and one of the better conferences in the country. And like every year, it's going to be a scramble and anybody can knock anybody off."

That game between Rowan and Rutgers-Newark on Saturday tips off at 8:00pm.

You can follow Matt on Twitter @mattleonkyw.