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We continue our season preview coverage with Northern Kentucky SR PG Tyler Sharpe. The Norse had 4 straight losing seasons from 2013-2016 but Coach John Brannen turned things around since then with 3 straight 22+ win seasons and a pair of NCAA tourney appearances. Brannen was hired as head coach of Cincinnati in April and the school’s all-time leading scorer/rebounder (Drew McDonald) graduated in the spring so new coach Darrin Horn will have to rely on Tyler to be 1 of his senior leaders this season. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Tyler about being a great 3-PT shooter and touring the Virgin Islands last summer.
You played in the 2016 Derby Festival Basketball Classic: which of your fellow honorees impressed you the most (Jarron Cumberland/Terrance Ferguson/Temple Gibbs/other)? Temple Gibbs was very impressive: his skill level was extremely high and he stood out right away. Jarron was impressive with how well he moved and his ability to play out on the perimeter with his size/strength.
You began your career as a walk-on at Louisville: what was it like to play for Rick Pitino, and why did you decide to transfer to NKU? Being at Louisville was an amazing experience and is something that shaped me into the player I am today. Coach Pitino is a Hall of Famer for a reason: he is a genius on the court and it was an honor to be able to play and learn under him for a year. I ultimately decided to transfer because I was unsure what the future held for me at Louisville and I was hoping to take the skills I developed and my newfound knowledge about the game with me to a school where I could contribute more quickly.
Last year your 90 3PM ranked top-80 in the nation: what is the secret to making shots from behind the arc? It is all about confidence. Obviously you have to put up shots and practice frequently but at the end of the day you have to be able to trust that no matter what you are going to make the next shot. Repetition and shooting form are also important: you want to practice the shots that you will shoot during a game and make sure that you are shooting each shot the right way. That will add to your confidence come game time.
In the Horizon tourney semifinals last March you scored 10 PTS and Drew McDonald made a 3-PT shot with 1.6 seconds left in a 1-PT win over Oakland: did you think the shot was going in, and what was the feeling like in your locker room afterward? Yeah: I never had a doubt. As soon as I saw that Oakland messed up the switch and left Drew open I knew that it was good. Drew is arguably the best player to ever play at NKU so for him to make a shot like that in his senior season was great. We were elated in the locker room and celebrating…but also knew that we were not done. We had business to take care of the next day in the Championship game.
In the 2019 NCAA tourney you scored 23 PTS/4-7 3PM in a loss to Texas Tech: what did you learn from that game that will help you this year? It was a big momentum boost for me coming into my senior season. I always feel like I can compete with anyone but that was definitive proof that against one of the best defenses in the country I could still have one of my best games of the year.
You have a new head coach this year in Darrin Horn: how is it going so far, and how does he compare to former coach John Brannen? Just like any type of change there are a lot of things that are different and my teammates and I are adjusting and learning everyday. Coach Horn and Coach Brannen are both great coaches with extremely high consistency. You know what type of energy and effort they are bringing each day and we know that they are both going to hold us to a high standard to ensure that we get better.
Your team took a tour of the US Virgin Islands last summer and you led them in scoring during every single game: what was the best part of the trip? I think that the best part of the trip was just getting to make memories with my teammates. The summer is such a grind and no students or other athletes are on campus so we really only see each other and it can get repetitive. However, to be able to switch it up and go enjoy ourselves was very nice. It was also a perfect opportunity for us to get to know the new coaching staff. We were able to do a few more practices leading up to the trip, which is crucial since we are learning an entirely new system.
Your non-conference schedule includes road games at Missouri/Arkansas: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? I think they both will be huge tests. I do not know enough about them yet to be able to say which one will be tougher but at the end of the day they are both Power-5 SEC schools that have a history of being good. Anytime you are on the road the game is not going to be an easy one.
You are 1 of 2 seniors on the roster: how much pressure is there on you to be a leader this year? I truly do not feel like there is any pressure on me. I am taking the same approach and just doing whatever I can to help my team and make sure our new guys are prepared for the season ahead. I know that the guys trust me and value my input so I am going to continue to lead by example and be a consistent voice to help my teammates. I have been there before and have the ability to help our new guys adjust to the speed of the game at this level.
What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? First and foremost, the most important goal is to repeat as champions (both regular season and conference tournament), then we want to take the next step and win once we get to the NCAA tournament. NKU has never won a game there and it would be amazing if we can get the job done. My personal goals include being 1st-team All-Conference.