That's the theme over at M&T Bank Arena this season, where the Quinnipiac men's basketball team looks to build off last season's success and take it a step further. Maybe several steps.
In their first season under head coach Tom Pecora, the Bobcats won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular-season title at 15-5 before being unceremoniously bounced from the conference tournament in the semifinal round.
But Pecora brings back a quartet of veterans who could have gone elsewhere and earned a little more name, image and likeness money but elected to stay put and chase an automatic NCAA tournament bid. He also brought in a talented transfer who can really shoot and a group of freshmen who could contribute, along with several returning bench players, including a UConn national champion.
"I think it's a really good blend," Pecora said. "They're really competing every day in practice, they're going after it. And I think there's a mindset, after going to the semi's last year, of 'unfinished business.'"
It all starts with the veterans. Point guard Savion Lewis enters his seventh (yes, seventh) and final season of college ball. Lewis was a second-team all-MAAC performer last season after finishing second in the nation in assists (248), averaging 7.3 per game.
Sophomore Amarri Monroe, the team's top returning scorer (12.9 points), was also a second-team All-MAAC team after starting 33 of 34 games as a freshman. Senior Paul Otieno was last season's third-leading scorer (11 points) and tied for the team leading in rebounding (6.9) with Monroe. Alexis Reyes returns as a steady senior forward.
All four players were wooed with NIL deals by other programs last spring. All returned to Quinnipiac.
"They could've left, could've put more money in their pocket," Pecora noted. "They showed some loyalty to the university and the program. I think that's impressive."
Ryan Mabrey, a 6-5 junior guard, transferred from Miami-Ohio, where he shot 36 percent from 3-point land in MAC (not to be confused with MAAC) play. He's the brother of Connecticut Sun guard Marina Mabrey.
George Young made an impact off the bench a year ago and should contribute more this season, as should Khaden Bennett, who didn't play much at all last season.
The top freshmen should be 6-9 wing Grant Randall and versatile, 6-5 combo guard Jaden Zimmerman. There's also Samson Reilly, the Glastonbury native who starred for his father, Luke Sr., the past four years at East Catholic-Manchester.
"It's rare to get someone to come in and dominate minutes right away, especially with Savion in front of him," Pecora said of Reilly. "Going against Savion every day only makes him better. They've got a great relationship. Savion's got his arm around him, talking to him all the time, even though they're competing each other. He treats him like a young teammate he can help get better."
And, of course, there's Richie Springs, who won a national title with the Huskies in 2023 before transferring an hour down the road in Hamden. The 6-9 redshirt senior averaged just 3.8 points in 9.5 minutes off the bench last season, but his experience and championship mettle should be a big boon to the Bobcats.
Pecora, now armed with a four-year extension, loves his team's depth and anticipates a 10-man rotation. The Bobcats will play at St. John's and at Saint Louis, as well as opening the season on Nov. 4 against Yale, a tradition Pecora hopes to repeat every year.
"I think it's going to be a good season because of our depth, and our ability to compete every day," Pecora said. "That's what makes teams better."