When Tony Wingen told anyone within shouting distance that his Carnegie Mellon men's basketball team would be even better in 2006-07, it was easy to dismiss such bold statement as the rantings of a cockeyed optimist.

After all, the Tartans would lose their top five scorers and top four rebounders from a 20-6 team that set a school record for victories, won the school's first University Athletic Association championship and participated in the NCAA Division III tournament for the first time since 1977.

	Last week revisited Highlights from individual and team performances in district colleges last week: Ron Galbreath won his 600th game as a college basketball coach when Geneva defeated Notre Dame College, 70-60, in a women's game Saturday. His 600-304 record includes a 448-206 mark with Westminster's men's team, 75-48 with Clarion's men's team and 77-50 with Geneva's women's team. Edinboro senior Deonte Penn (165 pounds), who took first place at the Southern Scuffle, is the Eastern Wrestling League's co-wrestler of the week. Penn has 41 career falls, one shy of the school record shared by Jason Robison and Tom Herr. Penn State (6-1) remained 10th and Edinboro 12th in the USA Today/InterMat/NWCA Division I poll. Pitt-Johnstown's junior forward Chris Gilliam is 15th in Division II in field-goal percentage (.638, 83-130) and the team is second (.539). Point Park (17-0), one of two undefeated teams in NAIA Division II, moved up one spot to third in the men's basketball poll for the highest ranking in school history. The Pioneers received one first-place vote. Thiel's Joe Hermann, a 6-foot-5 junior, had 28 points and 13 rebounds in a 64-60 victory against Waynesburg and is the Presidents' Athletic Conference men's basketball player of the week. Chatham College's Allason Holt, a 6-1 sophomore from Shaler, ranks second in the Atlantic Women's College Conference and ninth in Division III with 2.6 blocks per game.

But Wingen might be right.

The Tartans are 9-3 and 2-1 in the UAA coming off a glorious weekend with league victories against previously undefeated and then-No. 20 New York University, 68-64, and then-No. 23 Brandeis, 75-68. They will take a four-game win streak on the road for a non-league game at Lycoming, Monday, and league games against the University of Chicago, Jan. 19, and Washington (Mo.), Jan. 21.

"I felt like we had a bunch of very talented young players who were sitting behind a bunch of very talented, experienced players," Wingen said. "I did not think we would be 9-3 at this point, but I saw these guys hold their own against our first-team players in practice last year. We're ahead of schedule."

CMU's three losses have been by a total of 19 points against teams with a combined record of 37-5 -- Point Park (17-0), Bluffton (12-2) and Rochester (8-3).

The UAA is one of the most competitive conferences in Division III, with Washington (10-1) ranked 16th and NYU (11-1) 24th. Rochester is a perennial power, winning the national championship in 1990 and reaching Final Fours in 1992, 2002 and 2005.

Because the UAA doesn't stage a postseason tournament, the champion of the regular season receives an automatic bid to the playoffs. Other teams from the league are eligible for an at-large bid.

The 100th season of varsity basketball already has been memorable for the Tartans, who have an opportunity to string together four consecutive winning seasons for the first time. They are having success with a rebuilt lineup that includes only one returning starter, 6-foot junior Geoff Kozak. His 12.7 points and 3.1 rebounds per game are up from 5.8 ppg. and 2.5 rpg a year ago.

The Tartans are without their most talented returning big man, 6-8 senior Greg Gonzalez (5.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 29 blocks) who is being redshirted this year and is expected to be back next season.

Wingen has molded this team with players who either were reserves last season or merely made cameo appearances and a highly touted freshman.

The leading scorer is 6-foot-5 Ryan Einwag (17.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg), a sophomore from Baldwin who was on the court for 68 minutes total a year ago.

"We knew Ryan was going to be a star. You could see flashes of it in practice and the few games he played last year," Wingen said. "I probably should have used him more last year, but there are only so many minutes in a game to slice up."

The leading rebounder and shot-blocker is 6-6 sophomore Terrance Bouldin-Johnson (5.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 15 blocks), who played a total of 10 minutes as a freshman. The other starters are 6-1 senior Brad Matta (11.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg) and 6-2 sophomore Corey O'Rourke (6.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg., 3.5 apg).

The Tartans have gotten quality minutes from reserve Jack Anderson (6.8 ppg), a 6-3 freshman guard who was first-team All-Section 6-AA as a junior and senior at Beaver Falls.

"I felt like he was the freshman most ready to play," Wingen said. "I felt like he could play right away, and he's shown flashes of brilliance."

A year from now, people will listen more closely and take Wingen more seriously when he tells you how much better CMU will be in 2007-08.