Championship Week Video Notebook – Day 12

Posted on March 14, 2025 by David Griggs

Welcome Selection Committee Members!! We are here to help guide you through the selection process!!

Check out the HOOPS HD MOCK COMMITTEE Board and Update. See who we’ve voted into the field so far and who we still have under consideration.

Check out the HOOPS HD SURVIVAL BOARD, which shows who is a lock, who is on the bubble, and who needs the auto-bid

Also, don’t miss our CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT PAGE, which has brackets, times, and viewing information for all 31 conference tournaments

Check out our new HOOPS HD TEAM SHEETS AND DEFCON RATINGS for all 364 D1 teams

Finally, be sure to keep an eye on our most recent BRACKET PROJECTIONS

We are at the end of Thursday of Championship Week, which is the busiest and greatest day of the whole week! It was a crazy day in the SEC with all four games being exciting. The Big East also had four really good games, most notably with Marquette holding off Xavier. The ACC had a wild day where Duke, North Carolina, Clemson and Louisville all held on to win. The Big 12, Mountain West, and many other conferences were all in action. We recap it all and preview all of tomorrow’s games.

And, for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show…

ACC SEMIFINALS:

BIG 12 SEMIFINALS:

BIG EAST SEMIFINALS:

BIG WEST SEMIFINALS:

CONFERENCE USA SEMIFINALS:

METRO ATLANTIC SEMIFINALS:

MEAC SEMIFINALS:

MOUNTAIN WEST SEMIFINALS:

MAC SEMIFINALS:

SWAC SEMIFINALS:

WAC SEMIFINALS:

AMERICAN QUARTERFINALS:

ATLANTIC 10 QUARTERFINALS:

BIG TEN QUARTERFINALS:

SEC QUARTERFINALS:

Posted in Bracketology, Championship Week Video Notebook, Podcasts, Videocasts | 1 Comment

Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews St. Francis coach Rob Krimmel

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Jon Teitel

Last Tuesday St. Francis beat CCSU 46-43 in the NEC tourney title game to earn an automatic bid to next week’s NCAA tournament. The Red Flash had losing seasons each of the past 4 years but won each of their final 6 games to claim the school’s 1st NCAA tourney bid since 1991. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with St. Francis coach Rob Krimmel about playing an impressive non-conference schedule and making the NCAA tourney.

You played basketball at St. Francis and shot 39.8 3P% during your career: what is the secret to making shots from behind the arc? A lot of reps! After arriving I was fortunate to have some older guys who showed me how to work hard at the college level (including Eric Taylor/Sotiris Aggelou). They took me under their wing and paved the way for me to understand what it would take to be productive.

After graduating in 2000 you became an assistant to Coach Bobby Jones: was it weird to be an assistant while coaching guys who had been your teammates just months earlier? The transition was not always easy: my former teammates and I are friends for life and shared great moments together, but I quickly had to figure out how to create boundaries. Fortunately, the relationships I had fostered were strong and the guys got it.

In 2012 you were named head coach at St. Francis and in 2019 you were named conference COY: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? Since it was voted on by my peers and people who share my passion and know the challenges of coaching at the college level, it meant a lot. However, that award came from the fact that we won, so the staff/players deserve the credit as well.

Your team was 10-17 in mid-February: how have you able to turn things around during the past several weeks? It is a combination of a lot of things. We are playing our best basketball now and have gotten a little better each month. We were struggling with how to play composed but when you get knocked down and then get back up that is how you learn how to deal with adversity. We have a team that is truly player-driven: I know it is a cliché, but they are the ones driving the bus and controlling this thing, which makes a world of difference. We have talented players who created a camaraderie/chemistry, which helped us win close games down the stretch. We had a different player make the winning shot in each of our 3 conference tourney wins. We had a tough non-conference schedule so you cannot always measure success by wins/losses.

You faced several tourney-caliber teams in non-conference play (Clemson/Maryland/Robert Morris): which of them impressed you the most? Each 1 in their own way. RMU coach Andy Toole has been a friend of mine for a long time, and I have so much respect for him as a coach/person. It is a game that a lot of our alumni want to see played, and we will continue it for as long as we can. I have known Maryland coach Kevin Willard from a distance due to his connections to Pitt, which is right down the street. The talent on his roster is impressive, and I think that was the 1 game that checked our guys because we played well for 10 minutes before getting embarrassed. It was 1 of the turning points of our season due to how we responded to that. Clemson was fresh off a deep run in the 2024 NCAA tourney and had to replace some big pieces, but Coach Brad Brownell put together a talented/versatile team. We were down big early, but they are a special institution with a great coach. All those games helped prepare us for our conference tourney run.

Earlier this month FR SG Juan Cranford Jr. was named 2025 conference ROY: how was he able to come in and contribute right from the start? His transition to college was unique because you do not see many freshmen like that. He came from a high school in Ohio that was very successful…but he was not given the keys to the car as a freshman: he had to scratch/claw for minutes on the JV team. He knew what it would be like to come in and compete and add value, and then his talent took over more consistently.

Last Tuesday in the NEC tourney title game your team had a 3-PT win at CCSU: what did it mean to you to win a title, and what was the reaction like when you got back to campus? There are a LOT of emotions right now: excitement, passion, pride, etc. We got a police escort to campus and students/professors came out of their classrooms to cheer for us. The people who were there to support us is 1 of the things that makes this place so special.

Even though this is your 1st NCAA tourney you made 3 CITs/1 NIT during a 5-year span from 2015-2019: what is the key to winning games in the postseason? You must be able to put the past behind you. We will let our guys enjoy this and then get some shots up, but we are only promised 40 more minutes of basketball and our journey is not over. It is important to block out the distractions because it is the 1st time for all of us. The stakes are higher so we must keep the team focused on our next task and prepare to play with composure/belief/confidence.

St. Francis last made the NCAA tourney in 1991: what the heck were you doing back then at age 13?! I was an 8th grader and probably watching Selection Sunday, just hoping/dreaming that I could make it there myself someday. My high school coach was the 1st person to believe in me and tell me that I could play in college. I played several different sports growing up but when he told me that I had a chance it was important to me. It just takes 1 person to light that fire in you to take the next step.

What kind of seed do you think you deserve, and what kind of seed do you think you will get? The timing of us getting hot did not help us seed so we will be in Dayton, which is absolutely what we deserve. I know who we are as a program, and I will be grateful wherever they put us. We will prepare to play 40 more minutes as a #16 seed and will fight to try to win our 1st game and then face a #1 seed.

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All-Access at the A-10 Tournament in DC: HoopsHD interviews Loyola University Chicago dancer Miabella DiGrazia

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Jon Teitel

Conference tournaments are about basketball but also so much more: the fans, parents, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The A-10 Tournament is taking place this week in Washington, DC, and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from DC with an interview of Loyola University Chicago dancer Miabella DiGrazia about the DC foodie scene and how she thinks the Ramblers will do this afternoon.

You are from Addison, IL: what made you choose Loyola? I chose Loyola because the pharmacy program that I am in only allowed me to pick from around 10 schools for undergrad, and Loyola was the biggest one. I also had the opportunity to continue my dance career and be on a D-1 team that competes at college nationals. The pharmacy program and dance team really drew me in.

You are majoring in chemistry: how did you choose that subject? I technically do not have a major because I am not getting a bachelor’s degree from Loyola, but most of the classes I have to take are science-based. I have had to take chemistry every semester at Loyola so far because pharmacy is all chemistry-based.

You are a sophomore and will begin pharmacy school next year: how many years will that take, and what is the plan after that? I will be attending pharmacy school at Midwestern University’s College of Pharmacy in Downers Grove, IL: this is a 3-year/year-round program. Upon completion, I plan to do 2 post-graduate years of residency so that I can specialize in one area. I have no idea what I want to specialize in yet, but thankfully the first 2 years of pharmacy school will help me figure that out.

You like trying new restaurants: will you have a chance to explore the DC foodie scene this week? In the past 2 days I have been able to try 2 DC restaurants. At the café Chez Lily, I had a vanilla latte and an everything bagel, which were both spectacular. I also was able to try the chicken fried rice at Wok and Roll, which was amazing. Hopefully I can sneak in a few more restaurants before we head home!

How did you 1st get into dancing, and what is the best part? My parents put me in ballet at 3 years old and I have been dancing ever since. The best part of dance for me is getting to perform. It is one of the only sports that takes an insane amount of athleticism/skill, but also allows you to express yourself and create art.

Your team has won 21+ games for the 2nd straight year: is it more fun to support the team when they are doing well? I always love getting to support the Ramblers. The team doing well the past two seasons has only made my job easier: I get so into the games and take pride in making Gentile Arena come to life on game days. The energy in Gentile is always electric and I think that Dance/Cheer/Band along with our student section (The Pack) do a great job at getting all the fans involved in the game.

What has been the highlight of your season so far: starting 8-0, Senior Night, other? The highlight of my season so far has been cherishing all my “lasts”. My college dance career looks a little different than most because I only get a rookie season and a senior season. I am so thankful to my Coach (Gina Parenti) for all the opportunities she has given me and for treating me as a senior. These are moments that I will cherish for a lifetime.

How does your school decide who gets to go to DC, and what will it mean to you to see your group doing its thing in front of a national TV audience? Our coaches pick the girls who have been excelling during game day appearances and always bring the energy. They also look at how each spirit team member participates in and out of practice and how they are committed to embodying what it means to be a Rambler. It is so exciting that we get to perform in such a big atmosphere. Getting to travel for the A-10 Tournament is something that my younger self would not have thought was possible, but I know that she would be so proud of where I am at. I had always assumed that my dance career would end after high school so being here is a dream come true.

Does your squad have anything extra-special planned for this week? We have been soaking in all the teammate time that we can with coffee runs every morning, exploring monuments/museums/federal buildings in the afternoon, and team bonding and review sessions every night. It has been so special to share this experience with my best friends.

The Ramblers are the #4 seed this week: how far do you think they will go? They are going all the way: this team has the drive/passion to make it far this season. With the band, spirit teams, and a ton of fans here to support them, I know the boys are ready to win!

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All-Access at the A-10 Tournament in DC: HoopsHD interviews Loyola University Chicago cheerleader Estelle Ryhal

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Jon Teitel

Conference tournaments are about basketball but also so much more: the fans, parents, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The A-10 Tournament is taking place this week in Washington, DC, and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from DC with an interview of Loyola University Chicago cheerleader Estelle Ryhal about her favorite podcast and how she thinks the Ramblers will do this afternoon.

You are from Bloomington, IN: what made you choose Loyola? I chose Loyola because I was impressed by its wonderful STEM programs and the high post-graduation success rate of its students in the healthcare and related fields. Additionally, I wanted to be a collegiate cheerleader and saw myself being able to succeed and be a leader on this team. I felt like being in Chicago would also force me out of my comfort zone and help me gain independence while also not being too far from home and my family.

You are majoring in biology and minoring in chemistry/women’s studies and gender studies: how did you choose that subject? I chose biology because I am passionate about science and knew that I could make a difference in people’s lives by going into the biology field. I am pre-health, and biology gives me a very well-rounded perspective on the health field. I wanted to augment my biology education with chemistry to give myself an added challenge, and chemistry is fundamental to the understanding of biological processes on both a macroscopic and microscopic level. Finally, I chose women’s studies & gender studies because I find it to be a very important topic and knew that it would give me a more universal understanding of women and gender.

You are a senior: what is the post-graduation plan? At some point, I hope to return to school to pursue a master’s/doctoral degree in a health-related field. In the interim, I plan to spend a couple of years working in a field that will propel me in the direction of those goals. Additionally, I hope to coach a high school cheer team immediately upon graduation and plan to do that for the remainder of my life.

1 of your hobbies is listening to true crime podcasts: any great ones that you recommend to our readers? I highly recommend “Crime Junkie”. Not only is it one of the most thoroughly researched and well-produced true crime podcasts, but it also does a lot of advocacy work, including funding DNA testing for cold cases and through the creation of the non-profit organization Season of Justice. Additionally, the hosts are from Indiana, which creates a special Hoosier connection for me.

How did you 1st get into cheering, and what is the best part? I first got into cheerleading when I switched to a gym with an all-star cheerleading team: I would always get in trouble for being distracted by the cheer team’s stunts ay practice. I tried out at the start of the next season and immediately excelled and have not been able to stop since. My favorite part about cheerleading on a general level is stunting, but overall it is the amazing opportunities I have been granted and, more importantly, the countless wonderful coaches/teammates/colleagues/athletes I have been able to work with.

Your team has won 21+ games for the 2nd straight year: is it more fun to support the team when they are doing well? While a highly successful season is always exciting, I love being a Rambler and cheering on Loyola through the highs and the lows is a gift in any case!

What has been the highlight of your season so far: starting 8-0, Senior Night, other? The highlight of my season this year has been competing at the UCA College Cheerleading National Championship. I have competed through UCA at the national level since sophomore year of high school and this year it was more special than ever. I focused on being present and enjoying every moment and I am extremely proud to say that our team placed 7th in the nation after being bumped up to a more competitive/advanced division.

How does your school decide who gets to go to DC, and what will it mean to you to see your group doing its thing in front of a national TV audience? The choice of who travels with the team is based on several factors, but mainly seniority/stunt positions. I am lucky enough to be travelling to this tournament with six of my best friends/teammates who have helped shape who I am as a person and cheerleader, three of whom are also seniors. More than anything, I feel lucky to have the opportunity to continue to cheer with them at least one more time and continue to make core memories with them.

Does your squad have anything extra-special planned for this week? We spent Thursday exploring DC, including the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History as well as some of the monuments. I also expect we will have some sort of team dinner at some point. We are lucky enough to get to travel with our dance team and pep band (the Band of Wolves), which always makes these trips that much better. We truly are a family!

The Ramblers are the #4 seed this week: how far do you think they will go? I have no doubt that the Ramblers will go all the way…and further!

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews St. Francis cheerleader Lizzy Frank

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Jon Teitel

Last Tuesday St. Francis beat CCSU 46-43 in the NEC tourney title game to earn an automatic bid to next week’s NCAA tournament. The Red Flash had losing seasons each of the past 4 years but won each of their final 6 games to claim the school’s 1st NCAA tourney bid since 1991. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with St. Francis cheerleader Lizzy Frank about the historic win earlier this week and making the NCAA tourney.

You are from Altoona, PA: what was it like to be a high school cheerleader during COVID? It took a toll on my senior year, and my team was not allowed to cheer at a lot of our games. It was not fun, but I made sure to cheer at every opportunity I could.

What made you choose St. Francis? I waited a long time to apply to any schools. St. Francis is a good school and is close to home, so after I got accepted I decided to go there.

You are pursuing a degree in marketing with a concentration on digital media: how did you choose those subjects? I was originally a psychology major but quickly decided that marketing would be the best way for me to connect with the fashion industry.

You are a senior: do you have a post-graduation plan yet? I wish I did! I have been working at an internship all year and have not looked anywhere else. My dream job would be to go to a big city and become a marketing executive at a high-end fashion brand.

How did you 1st get into cheering, and what is the best part? I 1st started cheering for my school’s flag football team during elementary school, and I was 1 of those kids whose parents always put me in Penn State/Steeler uniforms. The best part is just cheering for the team on game day.

Your team was 10-17 in mid-February: what was the mood like inside DeGol Arena last month, and how has it changed since then? St. Francis does a great job of keeping the energy positive: our band acts as another student section and has a great vibe. It is a very big deal to see how far the team has come, but we have not lost any speed in terms of our encouragement/support.

Last Tuesday in the NEC tourney title game your team had a 3-PT win at CCSU: what was the reaction like after the final buzzer went off, and how excited is everyone on campus this week? We all hugged each other and started jumping up and down. The band was going crazy, and it was fun to see the team cut down the nets. It was cool to see everyone on campus come together considering we are such a small school.

How does your school decide who gets to go to the NCAA tourney, and what will it mean to you to see your group doing its thing in front of a national TV audience? We are only allowed to have 12 people combined between cheer/dance. I am a senior and a captain, so I will be going with our 2 other captains. Attendance at games and passion for the team are also important. I am a little nervous for us to receive all this national attention, but we are a good team so we deserve it.

Does your squad have anything extra-special planned for next week? We will just go out and do what we have been doing all year…but we will be much more excited for it.

Any predictions for next week? I am kind of a bad cheerleader so I only keep up with our team, but I have a strong hope/desire for us to win…and I think that we will do it!

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews UNCG SR PG Jayde Gamble

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Jon Teitel

Last Sunday UNCG beat Chattanooga 64-57 in OT in the SoCon women’s tourney title game to earn an automatic bid to next week’s NCAA tournament. The Spartans have won 14 games in a row as they claimed the school’s 1st NCAA tourney bid since 1998. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with UNCG SR PG Jayde Gamble about being a great defender and making the NCAA tourney.

You began your college career at UNCW: why did you decide to transfer, and what made you choose UNCG? I had 2 different coaching changes during my 2 years at UNCW, and UNCG has 1 of the best speech pathology programs in the state.

You play for Coach Trina Patterson: what makes her such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from her so far? She is a players’ coach and gives us what we need at that moment. She taught me to embrace the present and never get too high/too low.

Last year you were also named 1st-Team All-Conference and conference All-Tournament Team: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? It was a blessing, especially after coming here from a new conference and having to prove what I could do.

In the 2024 WNIT you scored 8 PTS in a 5-PT loss to North Carolina A&T: what did you learn from that loss that you think will help you this time around in the postseason? When you get into March everyone knows what you like to do. This year I am more than just a scorer so I can focus on trying to impact the game in different ways.

You are leading the team in PPG/APG: how do you balance your scoring with your passing? The opposing defense kind of makes it easy for me. I do not force shots up and just play within the flow of the game.

You faced several power-conference teams in non-conference play (North Carolina/Georgia/Wake Forest): which of them impressed you the most? I think the Tar Heels are always a good matchup because they have a lot of athletic players who can run the floor. The SEC is very big, so it was also fun to face Georgia.

You finished top-3 in the conference in SPG during each of the past 2 years: what is the key to being a great defender? Just being in the right place at the right time. I am lucky to have a teammate behind me in Khalis Cain who is a shot-blocker. It also can fuel our offensive energy to get steals.

Last Sunday in the SoCon tourney title game you scored 12 PTS in a 7-PT OT win over Chattanooga to clinch the title: what did it mean to you to win a title, and what was the reaction like when you got back to campus? I was blessed to be in that moment. I did not win a lot of games at UNCW, and the chance to play a Chattanooga team who beat us in the conference tourney last year was nice. It has brought a lot of attention to our school, and we have received a lot of appreciation from our alumni and the people who work here because this has not been done in a long time.

You enter the NCAA tourney on a 14-game winning streak: has it reached a point where you expect to win every time that you step onto the court? 1 thing that I have been taught is to play hard, so even if we are in a hole early, we will not give up because we thrive in those moments. We are in great physical condition and are mentally tough, which allows us to compete with anyone.

What kind of seed do you think you deserve, and what kind of seed do you think you will get? I have never been in this position, so I do not know what we deserve. I have heard that we will get a 15/16 seed, but I am just grateful for this moment.

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