Ask players on the men's basketball team what they think of their D3hoops.com number 12 preseason ranking, and they'll say the only number they're interested in is four, as in reaching the final four of the NCAA Tournament. "I don't take rankings too seriously. Rankings don't win you games," head coach Brian Meehan said. "We want to be considered one of the top teams in the country and go deep into the NCAA Tournament and see how good we really are."

After last season's breakout campaign, which featured the Judges' first NCAA Tournament berth since 1978, expectations for this year are high. Brandeis returns all of its major contributors from last season, including first-team all-UAA selection Steve DeLuca '08 and UAA honorable mentions Joe Coppens '08, Kwame Graves-Fulgham '08 and Florian Rexhepi '08. That team had a 20-7 overall record last year and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament, defeating Trinity College 77-70 in overtime before losing to Rhode Island College 70-67.

"Being ranked in the preseason [means] we have a bullseye on our back. We have to come out every day with intensity. We can't take anything for granted," DeLuca said.

Forward Stephen Hill '08 and center John Saucier '08 round out a group of seniors that Meehan recruited four years ago to revitalize the Brandeis basketball program.

"We came in trying to transform a program, [and] we really want to leave on a high note," Coppens said. "There's a lot of urgency, a lot of high expectations we have for ourselves. [Whether] we have success or we fail, it's all going to be placed on us."

In addition to experience, the Judges are deep and versatile, which allows Meehan to run a number of different successful lineup combinations. In addition to the seniors, guards Kevin Olson '09 and Andre Roberson '10 and forwards Terrell Hollins '10 and Rich Magee '10 create an effective nine-man rotation.

"No team with just one guy does great. When you can get guys to come in who can contribute as much as the starters do, it's a positive for the team," said Hollins, who missed the team's final eight games last season with a foot injury. "If it's close at the end of the game, whoever's playing well at the time can contribute."

With the nine-man rotation, Meehan has the luxury of not taxing any of his players. After routinely playing a majority of the 40-minute game in his sophomore season, DeLuca averaged just 30 minutes a game last season, which helped preserve him for the tournament run. In fact, no player on the team averaged more than DeLuca's 30 minutes per contest.

Depth also allows for the Judges to distribute scoring. DeLuca lead the team with 15.4 points per game, but Coppens, Graves-Fulgham, Hollins and Rexhepi each averaged at least 7.9 points per game last season.

"All good teams have that guy who's better than most; DeLuca is one of those guys," Meehan said. "[But] look at DeLuca, and what can make him really great is that he's surrounded by a lot of guys who are right there; guys who are really good players."

The team also welcomes a six-man freshman class, led by forwards Christian Yemga '11 and Napoleon Lherisson '11. While Meehan acknowledges the talent of this class, he said he hopes to bring them along slowly and allow them to adjust to the college level.

In terms of versatility, many players possess both an offensive presence in the post as well as beyond the arc. While players said their philosophy is to drive to the basket, they also have the ability to hit three point shots efficiently, evidenced by the 38.9 three-point percentage last season.

The Judges are built around their speed as well, operating a fast-paced offensive attack.

"While we could win any type of game, it's definitely to our advantage to make it a fast game," Hill said. "We have to make sure right from the opening tip that we're playing the way we want to play."

In order to make it back to the NCAA tournament, the Judges will have to find success in the ultra-competitive University Athletic Association, led by Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Rochester, which are ranked first and ninth, respectively, in the preseason d3hoops.com Top 25 poll. The Bears return senior center Troy Ruths, last year's UAA Player of the Year, and sophomore Aaron Thompson, last year's UAA Rookie of the Year, and Rochester returns five of its top six scorers from last season's NCAA squad.

Players stressed the importance of starting conference play strongly. Last season Brandeis got off to a 0-3 start in the conference, before winning its last seven UAA games to finish 9-5.

"It sets the tone for the rest of the way. It's such a confidence builder to have those first couple of wins under our belt," Coppens said.

As he begins his fifth year at the helm, Meehan sees a refurbished basketball program. The Judges have gone from perennial laughingstock to conference title contenders, and with last season's success, expectations have never been higher.

"Last season we got a taste of what [the NCAA tournament] was like. Everybody's hungry," Hill said. "We're not at all satisfied with getting to the second round. [Losing in the second round] left a bitter taste in our mouths.