Slippery Rock University's Devin Taylor (1) hauls down a rebound against Clarion last season. Taylor, a New Castle graduate, will be one of The Rock's leaders during the 2011-12 basketball season.

SLIPPERY ROCK — Maron Brown is gone. So is Jabril Bailey. And their combined 33 points and 17 rebounds per game went with them.

No matter. Kevin Reynolds has gotten used to this.

The fourth-year Slippery Rock University men's basketball coach has retooled his roster again. He is looking to build on a 2010-11 season that saw The Rock finish 21-11, reach the PSAC championship game and earn an NCAA Division II tournament berth for the first time since 1991.

“This is the way we have to do it,” Reynolds said. “We don't have the scholarship dollars to bring in players and develop them over three or four years.

“Our style changes from year-to-year, based on the type of personnel we have. Two years ago, we were perimeter-oriented. Last year, we were post-oriented.”

The Rock's men's basketball scholarship budget is roughly $87,000. Mercyhurst's is at $359,000, Gannon's at $345,000.

“They're the Yankees and Red Sox, we're the Tampa Bay Rays,” Reynolds said, making a baseball analogy. “But that doesn't mean we can't get it done.”

SRU does return eight players who started at least a couple of games last year. Devin Taylor, a 6-foot-5 senior guard, tops that group at 11.8 points, 6.3 rebounds per game last season. He started 22 games while senior guard Jon Valeriano started 23.

Taylor did not attain preseason All-PSAC West status and The Rock is picked fifth in the preseason coaches poll.

“That's the highest they've picked us since I've been here, so I guess we're making progress,” Reynolds said. “I guess Devin has something to prove this year. He's one of the guys we're counting on.”

Tabari Perry, a 6-7 junior forward, returns from an injury that ended his season after just four games last year. Reynolds describes him as “a versatile player who can help us in a number of areas.”

John Bayardelle is a 6-1 junior guard who started 12 games a year ago. Newcomers include Wesley and William Kirkland, a pair of 6-5 twin forwards who transferred in from Shippensburg University.

Luiz Santos is a 6-9 sophomore center from Brazil.

“We haven't had a player his size here, but he doesn't dunk the ball every possession or shoot the 3 ... If he did, we'd be watching him on TV.”

Chaquille Pratt, a 6-4 freshman guard, played for state champion Lincoln Park High School last season.

“Our starting lineup changed a lot over the course of last season and that will probably happen again,” Reynolds said. “We'll play the players who give us the best chance to win.”

2010-11 SRU MEN'SBASKETBALL SCHEDULENov. 5-at Penn State, 4 p.m.; Nov. 11-WESTMINSTER, 7 p.m.; Nov. 19-at West Chester, 3 p.m.; Nov. 20-at Millersville, 3 p.m.; Nov. 26-SETON HILL, 3 p.m.Dec. 3-EAST STROUDSBURG, 3 p.m.; Dec. 4-KUTZTOWN, 3 p.m.; Dec. 9-at Bloomsburg, 7:30 p.m.; Dec. 10-at Mansfield, 4 p.m.; Dec. 19-CHESTNUT HILL, 4 p.m.; Dec. 30-OHIO UNIVERSITY EASTERN, 3 p.m.Jan. 6-CHEYNEY, 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 7-SHIPPENSBURG, 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 11-LOCK HAVEN, 8 p.m.; Jan. 14-at Mercyhurst, 3 p.m.; Jan. 18-at California, 7 p.m.; Jan. 21-EDINBORO, 3 p.m.; Jan. 25-at Gannon, 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 28-INDIANA, 3 p.m.Feb. 1-at Clarion, 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 4-MERCYHURST, 3 p.m.; Feb. 8-at Lock Haven, 8 p.m.; Feb. 11-at Edinboro, 3 p.m.; Feb. 15-CALIFORNIA, 8 p.m.; Feb. 18-at Indiana, 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 22-GANNON, 8 p.m.; Feb. 25-CLARION, 3 p.m.

<B>East Division</B>1. Kutztown (3)2. East Stroudsburg (3)3. Bloomsburg4. Mansfield (1)5. West Chester (1)6. Cheyney7. Millersville8. Shippensburg<b>West Division</B>1. Indiana (6)2. California (1)3. Gannon (1)4. Mercyhurst5. Slippery Rock6. Clarion7. Edinboro8. Lock Haven(1st-place votes in parantheses)