LOWELL (Nov. 14, 2006) -- Basketball fans may have heard this one before, but it's work repeating for UMass Lowell fans. Stacey Moragne isn't walking through that door, Carl Benn isn't walking through that door, and Brandon Arnette isn't walking through that door.

But, given time, returners like Peter Monfort, Brandon Shelton, Dashon Harper, and Jerreh Saidybah hope to help this year's River Hawks knock the door off its hinges with the help of some talented newcomers.

Seven new additions, six of them freshmen, makes this the most changeover head coach Ken Barer has had since taking the helm for the River Hawks in 2001.

"I'd say it's easily the greatest challenge we've had since I've been here, but at the same time I really like the character of the guys we have, these young players, and though they have a lot to learn, I'm enjoying coaching them and I think they're receptive to the coaching," he said.

A 6-foot junior rumored to have a shooting touch sweeter than Halloween candy, Harper will be one of the guys Barer leans on as the rookies work through the inevitable rough spots.

Harper spent game days last season seated on the benchafter transferring from Division 1 Prairie View A&M. He really hasn't played in a game situation for about two years, but his high school resume includes All-State honors in Ohio, two Conference Player of the Year awards, and a selection as an alternate in the McDonald's High School All-American Game.

Harper's bloodlines aren't bad, either. His cousin is former NBA player Ron Harper, who grabbed five championship rings with the Chicago Bulls.

Harper says he held his own against last year's trio of senior guards Carl Benn (eighth all-time in assists and seventh all-time in steals), Brandon Arnette (an All-Northeast-10 selection), and Necus Mayne.

"I feel comfortable stepping in," Harper says. "I don't feel any pressure because I learned a lot from them. They taught me a lot and I'm ready to step in and do whatever I got to do to help the team whether that's diving on the floor, taking charges, scoring, it doesn't matter."

The River Hawks will also be looking to replace the output of Moragne, the two-time NE-10 Player of the Year, in the frontcourt as well as Adon El (transferred), Stace Gerrick (academically ineligible) and Kenny Webster (transferred).

Junior forward Jerreh Saidybah, a 6-foot-7 specimen out of Montreal, has plenty of potential.

The newcomers include Mike Watson, a speedy junior point guard who transferred from SUNY Delhi, a Canadian import in 6-foot-9 freshman Ali Kanaan, a heralded Catholic Memorial product and two-time Catholic Conference MVP in freshman Chris Donald, and former Sun All-Star Adam Dombrowski out of Groton-Dunstable.

The River Hawks, ranked sixth in the NE-10 preseason coaches poll, begin their season in New Haven in the Northeast-10/New York Collegiate Athletic Conference Challenge tomorrow before playing in the Bridgeport Purple Knights Classic tournament over the weekend.