West Coast Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 17, 2023 by David Griggs

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WEST COAST MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Saint Mary’s
  2. Gonzaga
  3. San Francisco
  4. LMU
  5. Santa Clara
  6. Portland
  7. Pepperdine
  8. Pacific
  9. San Diego

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL WEST COAST:

-Alex Ducas – SR, G/F – Saint Mary’s
-Graham Ike – Jr, F – Gonzaga
-Keli Leaupepe – SR, F – LMU
-Aidan Mahaney – SO, G – Saint Mary’s
-Houston Mallette – JR, G – Pepperdine
-Ryan Nembhard – JR, G – Gonzaga
-Jevon Porter – SO, F – Pepperdine
-Tyler Robinson – SR, G/F – Portland
-Mitchell Saxen – SR, C – Saint Mary’s
-Anton Watson – SR, F – Gonzaga

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-It seems crazy, and almost surreal, to see anyone atop the preseason standings other than Gonzaga. Saint Mary’s tied the Zags for 1st place last year, but prior to that you wouldd have to go all the way back to 2016 for the last time Gonzaga was not the outright first place finisher, and all the way back to 2012 for when they did not win at least a share of first place. That being said, the Gaels of Saint Mary’s are your preseason WCC favorites! They won 27 games last year and advanced to the Round of 32 before losing to the eventual national champions. Three key starters are back, including Alex Ducas/Aidan Mahaney, both of whom were double-digit scorers and part of a really strong backcourt. They add to that a very strong freshman class that should make up a very strong frontcourt as well. This is a top-25-caliber team that should cruise to the NCAA Tournament and challenge Gonzaga for the top spot in the WCC. Speaking of Gonzaga…

-Gonzaga did what they normally do a season ago. They won more than 30 games and advanced to the Elite Eight. That is a typical season for them, and it would not shock me to see them do the same thing again. Three starters are gone who were a big part of their scoring, most notably Drew Timme/Julian Swarther, and replacing those two is no small task. But they are getting some help from the portal, namely Steele Venters who was a standout player at Eastern Washington, and Graham Ike who averaged just under 20ppg at Wyoming last year, so the Zags do have a lot of weapons. They will be in the top-25. They will win a lot of games. They will make the NCAA Tournament, and they will likely go several rounds into it. Again. It is just what they do.

-San Francisco had been irrelevant for pretty much several decades on end, but all of a sudden they have managed to win 20+ games in four of the last five seasons and made the NCAA Tournament two years ago. They are rebuilding this year with just two starters back from last season and have to replace some of their top scorers, but they are adding some key transfers and have what look to be a couple of really strong freshmen coming in so we may not see them take a huge step back.

-LMU is coming off their best season in a while, but they are losing some of the key pieces from that team including Cam Shelton, who averaged over 21ppg a year ago. Nevertheless, they should be good enough to finish in the top half of the conference. They are adding some key transfers, a couple of whom were key players at P5-level programs a year ago, so they have some nice pieces and we should see their improvement continue into this season.

-I have been big on Santa Clara for the last couple of years and think that Coach Herb Sendek has done a fantastic job building them up. They have had back to back 20+ win seasons and have been in the top-100 in most of the major metrics. Having said that, all five starters are gone from last year and they have to start completely over. Now, they do have several guys transferring in with D1 experience. Jalen Benjamin (Mount Saint Mary’s), Johnny O’Neil (American), and Tyeree Bryan (Charleston Southern) were all double-digit scorers a year ago, so they have managed to put a few things into the cupboard, but it could still be a bit of a transitional year for the Broncos.

-Portland’s program has shown steady improvement since Coach Shantay Legans took over two years ago, but they still have a long way to go and it looks like they will have a hard time finishing in the top half of the standings this year. They lost one of their top players to the portal, and while Tyler Robertson is back as one of the better players in the conference, the question is how good his supporting cast is.

-Pepperdine has been abysmal the last two years. Lorenzo Romar has had success as a head coach, most notably during his time at Washington, but he has not gotten it done at Pepperdine, especially during the last couple years where they failed to win ten games either season. The Wave also lost Maxwell Lewis, who was their top player. He is still in the Los Angeles area…but is playing for the Lakers. They do have a couple of double-digit scorers back, and they are adding a couple of freshmen that look pretty good, so perhaps we will see some improvement.

-I am a little surprised Pacific is picked this low. I do not think they will be anywhere close to the top of the league, but I think they will be closer to the middle than the bottom. They were 7-9 in league play last year, which certainly is not great but also is not the worst. They did lose one of their top scorers, but three other starters are back and they have some guys returning who can contribute off the bench as well.

-San Diego has just one starter back, and while I like Steve Lavin as a coach and think he will improve this program over time, any finish this year that is higher than last year will be an accomplishment. I do not mean that as faint praise. They do not have a lot of experience and do not appear to have a lot of potential.

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The Hoops HD Report: ACC Conference Preview

Posted on October 16, 2023 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE for All of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

A nearly full Hoops HD panel convenes to preview this year’s ACC. Duke and Miami FL are who we believe the top teams to be. We discuss Duke’s tremendous talent and experience, and whether or not the Canes are bringing back enough pieces to repeat as the first place team. We also discuss Virginia’s and Clemson’s chances of making the NCAA Tournament, whether or not Florida State will struggle again this year, and whether or not Wake Forest can have a breakout year. All that, and more!

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

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Mountain West Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 16, 2023 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE for All of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

MOUNTAIN WEST MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. San Diego State
  2. Boise State
  3. New Mexico
  4. Nevada
  5. Colorado State
  6. UNLV
  7. San Jose State
  8. Fresno State
  9. Utah State
  10. Wyoming
  11. Air Force

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL MOUNTAIN WEST:

-Tyson Degenhart – JR, F – Boise State
-Isaiah Stevens – SR, G – Colorado State
-Jaelen House – SR, G – New Mexico
-Jamal Mashburn Jr. – SR, G – New Mexico
-Lamont Butler – SR, G – San Diego State

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

I have always loved this conference.  I have loved it ever since it split off from the old bloated WAC, and I liked a lot of those original Mountain West schools even before then.  It is a league that’s rich with passionate fanbases, intense rivalries, and an abundance of exciting games throughout the season.  I do not care what our colleague Joby Fortson says: this is a great league!!  I wish this league got more national attention/appreciation than what it typically does.  The one criticism of this conference, which was totally fair, was its lack of success and deep runs in the NCAA Tournament.  Hopefully San Diego State’s run to the championship game a year ago will help change that perspective.  Speaking of San Diego State…

-The Azetcs are losing three key starters from last year’s national runner-up team, but they are so balanced and had a decent amount of depth which should help them transition rather smoothly into this year.  Predicting another run to the National Title game is a bit of a stretch, but I do think they will be a solid top-25-caliber team throughout the season.  Lamont Butler is one of the most talented guards in the conference and he has a very experienced supporting cast around him.

-Boise State returns several key players, including three starters, from a team that made the NCAA Tournament last year and now seems in position to get back for a third straight year.  Tyson Degenhart is a solid frontcourt player, and Chibuzo Agbo can really shoot the ball.  They have some weapons, they have experience, and I expect to see them dancing again come March.

-New Mexico could be a bit of a dark horse this year, and it is no surprise to see them picked as high as 3rd at Media Day.  They did fall apart in the latter part of last season, and were really bad in the month of February after starting off with a very impressive 18-2 record.  While they floundered down the stretch, the season was still a huge overall improvement for the program, and with the return of Jamal Mashburn Jr./Jaelen House this team has as much talent as anyone in the conference.

-Nevada was one of the last teams selected for the NCAA Tournament last year, and they ended up losing their First Four game rather decisively to Arizona State, which meant they ended the season with four straight losses and caused people to question whether or not they should have been selected at all.  Nevertheless, it was still a good year overall, and three starters are back from that team, including Jarod Lucas/Kenan Blackshear, so this a team with guys who are both experienced/talented.  I would not be surprised to see them back inside the bubble this year.

-Colorado State had a rather unimpressive season last year where they were 6-12 in conference play and finished just 8th, so I am a little surprised to see them picked as high as 5th, but they do have three starters back and that experience should result in some improvement.  Josiah Strong also returns after missing much of last season with an injury so there are reasons for the Rams to be optimistic.

-Coach Kevin Kruger begins his third season at UNLV, and while they are not getting a lot of love from the media right now, it would not shock me if this is the year where they took a big step forward and were at least in a position to make the NIT.  Just two starters are back, but they do have some good looking transfers coming in and I think this is a team that can make some noise if they stay healthy.

-Prior to last season the last time San Jose State won more than ten games was in 2016-2017.  Last year they won 21 and finished with a conference record of 10-8, which is an outstanding improvement.  Coach Tim Miles is the greatest coach ever: that is indisputable!  Despite his greatness, the Spartans do lose three key starters, and while I do not expect them to be as bad as they were prior to last year, I do not expect them to be better either.  They were picked to finish 7th in the preseason media poll…and I have to say that feels about right.

-Fresno State did lose four key players from last year’s rotation, but Isaiah Hill is back, and they also add some experience via the transfer portal with Isaiah Pope who was a key player at Utah Tech (formerly Dixie State) a year ago.  I think this team is being a little undervalued and could actually finish at or near the middle of the league.  I am a little surprised that they are picked to finish as low as they are.

-Utah State had a fantastic season last year: they won 28 games and made it to the NCAA Tournament!  The problem is that everyone from that team is now gone, including their coach.  It is a complete reset mode for the Aggies as Danny Sprinkle takes over.  He brings with him some key players from Montana State and they will likely be key contributors this season, but it is still looking like an uphill climb.

-Wyoming and Air Force!!  Two Front Range teams battling it out with teach other for a top ten finish in the league!!  We at Hoops HD Love the Front Range!!!!  Air Force has four returning starters, and while they only finished 10th a year ago I think with that experience and how hard they can be to play against they will finish higher than last year.  As for Wyoming…NO ONE GETS HIGHER!!!  But, it will likely be a long year for the Cowboys.

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Pac-12 Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 16, 2023 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE for All of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

PAC-12 MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Arizona
  2. USC
  3. UCLA
  4. Oregon
  5. Colorado
  6. Arizona State
  7. Utah
  8. Stanford
  9. Washington
  10. Washington State
  11. Cal
  12. Oregon State

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL PAC-12 1ST TEAM:

-Oumar Ballo – C – Arizona
-Adem Bona – F/C – UCLA
-Keion Brooks Jr. – F – Washington
-Branden Carlson – C – Utah
-Isaiah Collier – G – USC
-N’Faly Dante – C – Oregon
-Tristan da Silva – F – Colorado
-Boogie Ellis – F – USC
-Spencer Jones – F – Stanford
-KJ Simpson – G – C0lorado

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL PAC-12 2ND TEAM:

-Fardaws Aimaq – F – California
-Kylan Boswell – G – Arizona
-Kobe Johnson – G – USC
-Caleb Love – G – Arizona
-Jordan Pope – G – Oregon State

 

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

People say they love college sports because in college it is all about the game.  Well, if that were true then we would not be looking at the end of the Pac-12.  It may be about the game to the players and fans, but not to the administrators who actually make the decisions.  To them, it is in fact LESS about the game than any other sports league in the world.

-Arizona won 28 games last season and earned a #2 seed in the NCAA Tournament before being upset by Princeton in the Round of 64.  Coach Tommy Lloyd is tasked with replacing four starters, including star PF Azuolas Tubelis who averaged just under 20ppg/10rpg, but he does have Caleb Love (who transferred from North Carolina) and Oumar Ballo, so they are adding some really big pieces and are understandably the preseason favorites to win the league.

-USC is getting a lot of preseason love as well with three key returning starters and a very strong recruiting class.  They made quite a bit of noise last year with 22 total wins and played reasonably well down the stretch before losing to Michigan State in the Round of 64, and appear to be in a position to take a huge step forward this year and contend for the top of the Pac-12.

-Mick Cronin is probably underrated as a head coach…which is saying a lot since he is rated pretty high.  However, the job he did turning Cincinnati from a total dumpster fire into a nationally relevant program and turning UCLA into a consistent Final Four contender has been tremendous.  The Bruins will have to replace four starters so they may take a bit of a step back from last year’s 31-win season where they finished 1st place in the Pac-12, but they have another monster recruiting class. You know they will once again be very tough defensively and I think they’ll once again end up exceeding expectations because it seems like they do that every year.

-Oregon missed the NCAA Tournament a year ago largely due to a really tough stretch at the beginning of February where they lost three straight, and two of those losses came to Washington and Wazzu (teams that were not within 1000 miles of the bubble).  They were also plagued with injuries throughout the year, which certainly affected them.  Still, they did show promise throughout the year, and with three key starters back I think the Ducks are good enough to end up inside the bubble this year, especially if they stay healthy.

-Every year I always say I like Colorado and every year I usually end up overvaluing them…but I guess I will never learn because I really like this Buffs team!  I think Tad Boyle is a really good coach, I like the talent and experience that they seem to have on their roster (particularly KJ Simpson/Tristan da Silva), and I think they can be one of the dark horses in the league this year.

-Utah had a so-so season last year and did not look all that good at the end of the season when they lost their last six games, but prior to that they had looked like a team that could make the NCAAs.  Branden Carlson is back, who is one of the better players in the league, and they do seem to have a little more depth this year.  I don’t think the Utes will contend for the league title but I would not just write them off either.

-Coach Jerod Haase is entering his eighth year at Stanford, and while the last three have been rather unspectacular there may be reasons to think we may see some improvement this year.  Three starters are back, including Spencer Jones, and they did show some signs of life in the second half of conference play a year ago, particularly with an upset win over Arizona last February and how they battled against UCLA/USC.

-Washington has certainly been showing signs of improvement in the last couple of years after winning just 5 total games in 2020-2021, but they still seem destined to be at around .500 for the year and near the bottom of the standings in the Pac-12.  They have a very solid frontcourt player in Keion Brooks Jr., but the question is whether he will have enough of a supporting cast to make them competitive in the league.

-Washington State is in a bit of a reset mode with just one starter back from a year ago.  Coach Kyle Smith has done a great job at a Wazzu program that has seen more struggles than successes, and they went a very respectable 11-9 in league play a year ago, but this may be a year where they’re once again having to run uphill.

-I am so used to Cal being so bad that I almost cannot believe that there is actually a team picked behind them!  They won just 3 total games last year, and while they did hit the transfer portal and add what appear to be some quality players, chances are they will still finish closer to the bottom than the top.

-Oregon State won just ten games a year ago and was really bad in the second half of conference play.  Three starters are back, so with that experience we may see some improvement…but it is going to be a LONG year for the Beavers.

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Patriot League Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 13, 2023 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE for All of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

PATRIOT LEAGUE MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Colgate
  2. Lehigh
  3. American
  4. Holy Cross
  5. Boston U
  6. Loyola MD
  7. Lafayette (tied 7th)
  8. Navy (tied 7th)
  9. Bucknell
  10. Army

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL PATRIOT LEAGUE:

-Matt Rogers – SR, F – American
-Keegan Records – SR, F – Colgate
-Ryan Moffatt – SR, F – Colgate
-Keith Higgins Jr. – JR, G – Lehigh
-Tyler Whitney-Sidney – JR, G – Lehigh

 

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Last season Colgate blew through this league by going 17-1 in the regular season, finishing six full games ahead of the second place team, and then blew through the conference tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in five years.  They are once again the preseason favorites.  Three starters are back, including Ryan Moffatt and Keegan Records, who are two of the best players in the conference and make up one of its strongest frontcourts.  They have some other key returners and some promising looking freshmen coming in so picking them to finish first is a pretty safe bet.

-If there is a team that can challenge Colgate it is Lehigh.  Four starters return, including Keith Higgins and Tyler Whitney-Sidney, who make up one of the strongest backcourts in the conference.  They also have a pretty strong looking freshman class to add to all that experience.  Having said all that, they did kind of flounder down the stretch last year after playing really well in the first half of conference play, so they need to find a way to get the momentum back they had throughout January.

-American had an unspectacular season overall last year and a particularly awful second half of conference play.  Four starters are back including Matt Rogers, who is one of the better forwards in the conference, so there are some preseason expectations.  While I think they are certainly good enough to finish in the top half of the league, I do not see them contending for the title.

-Holy Cross won just eight D1 games last year, and while they do have three starters back I am not seeing them being so improved that they will be finishing near the top.  Dave Paulsen takes over as coach, and they do return two double-digit scorers in Will Batchelder/Joe Octave, so we could see them take a step forward this year.

-Boston U plays at one of our favorite venues in all of college basketball: The Roof!!!  Unfortunately, their team this year does not appear to be quite as spectacular as their home floor.  All five starters are gone from a year ago and Coach Joe Jones is in a bit of a reset mode.  They will be relying on some transfers to step up for them this year.

-I kind of like this Loyola MD team this year.  Now, when I say I like them, I mean that I think they will be better than expected.  I do not think they’re as good as Colgate, but they finished last season on a high note by winning five of their last six in the regular season, three key starters are back, and considering that last season was somewhat injury-plagued they could be much better than where they are being picked in the preseason.

-Lafayette finished last year’s regular season by losing seven of their final nine, and with just two starters back it may be a long year again for them this year.

-It is hard to win at the service academies, but in the second half of conference play last year Navy was really strong and ended up finishing in 2nd place in the conference.  The problem is that nearly every key player from that team is now gone so the Midshipmen are looking to rebuild.

-Bucknell has a very rich history as a program.  Unfortunately, their recent history has been awful.  They won 11 D1 games last year, which was the first time in two years they had managed double-digit wins.  John Griffin III takes over as coach, and while they do have a few pieces to work with, especially a very good outside shooter in Jack Forrest, he has some work to do get the Bison back to the top of the conference.

-Army had a very respectable year last year where they finished 4th overall in the conference and managed 17 total wins for the season, but with four starters from that team gone the Black Knights appear to be in reset mode and the expectations are not high.

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Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews Bucknell head coach John Griffin III

Posted on October 12, 2023 by Jon Teitel

We are still about 4 weeks away from the tip-off of the college basketball season, which means that we have plenty of time to prepare for the action ahead. We will do so via a series of season previews featuring the best players/coaches in the country. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage with Bucknell head coach John Griffin III, who talked about getting hired last March and his expectations for this season.

In the 2005 NCAA tourney as a player at Bucknell you had 2 STL in a 1-PT win over #3 seed Kansas for the 1st-ever tourney win by a Patriot League team: where does that upset rank among the highlights of your career? It is certainly in the top-5. I won a pair of Patriot League titles that are # 1 & #2, plus a couple of Philly Catholic League titles, which was a royal achievement. That environment/buildup was amazing and we were able to emerge victorious.

Your 220 career 3PM remains #3 in Bucknell history: what is the secret to making shots from behind the arc? I did not really have a choice because I did not drive the ball inside the arc. I lived by the motto “Never up never in” and had the Michael Jordan poster which said, “You miss 100% of the shots you never take.” Coach Pat Flannery was a schematic genius and we had a bunch of unselfish players, which gave a player like me opportunities when the opposing defense crashed the rim.

After graduating you played pro basketball for several years in Europe: what is the biggest difference between basketball in the US vs. basketball overseas? The 24-second shot clock changes the pace of the game internationally. I had to make quicker decisions and the set plays did not have as much “fluff”. It was really a blessing for me because it gave me another perspective as to how the game is played. I tore my ACL in Germany but it gave me a great perspective on both life/basketball so I am a big advocate of playing overseas.

You later spent a year as a video coordinator for the Indiana Pacers: what was your favorite memory from your time in the NBA? It was a master class in coaching. I learned from some of the best coaches in the world: Jim O’Brien gave me an unbelievable opportunity/starting point and kind of threw me into the fire. I did some analytics work during the early stages of what it has now become and it provided me a base for my coaching philosophies and knowledge of player development. I learned how to work: NBA coaches spend unusual amounts of time trying to win a championship and really try to put their players in the best positions to be successful. It grounded me: Eric Spoelstra started as a video guy in the “dungeon” cutting film in a windowless room and providing as much as he could to the assistant coaches. I refer back to it often due to everything that I learned. The memory I hold onto the most was making the playoffs as an 8 seed and facing the Bulls when Derrick Rose was an MVP. I got to coach guys like Paul George/Lance Stephenson and my experience was amazing. Frank Vogel was an assistant (and now head coach of the Suns) and Walter McCarty was a Kentucky legend. Most importantly, I met my wife!

In March you were hired as head coach at your alma mater: why did you take the job, and how is it going so far? I took the job because it has always been a dream of mine to be a D-1 head coach. My dad became the coach of Siena at age 25. I have great relationships with the community, which has always been so loyal/supportive of my journey. I got to reignite my passion and am truly grateful. There are hundreds of qualified assistant coaches and I worked with a number of people who could easily be in my shoes. I have spent 4 years in the Patriot League as a player and 4 more as a coach and been a part of 7 titles so I know the path to success. I am super-excited to see if it will work quickly. We got to go to Italy last summer and see our strengths/skills. There is not a ton of data attached to the players who are still in the program so we wanted to see what we have. It was a great opportunity to play a few games and feel good about the direction in which we are going. We have very capable offensive versatility and a little inexperience that we will have to work through but they have grasped onto the idea of “program pride”. They are starting to learn it and we have had a lot of great energy from amazing visitors such as Mike Muscala talking about the “Bucknell Brotherhood”.

You only have 2 freshmen on your roster: how crucial is it to have so much veteran experience as a 1st-year coach? We have 5 sophomores who are essentially freshmen, which is a lot, plus another guy who is a D-2 transfer. Having 8 guys without significant D-1 experience makes us uniquely young in the current college basketball landscape. Last year we had size/physicality but this year we have more speed/athleticism so it is a completely different roster. It is an interesting model with a young core and a hungry group of returners who are seeking opportunity.

In November you head to Cameron Indoor Stadium for the Blue Devil Challenge: how do you feel about facing Duke in Durham? It is exciting: I played there as a sophomore when JJ Redick was a senior and it was a memorable experience. My scheduling philosophy involves national-level opportunities. Duke is on top of the world and I am looking forward to it, as is our athletic department since the 2 schools share academic similarities.

Your father John II played basketball at St. Joe’s and was a coach at Siena/St. Joe’s, your brother Matt played basketball at Rider/BU and is 1 of your assistants, and your wife Brianna played basketball at Mt. St. Mary’s and was an assistant at Manhattan: who is the best player in the family, and who is the best coach in the family? My wife is the best player: she scored more PTS than me in both high school/college. We are all different kinds of coaches: my dad’s success was based on toughness/grit and my brother’s approach was about energy/positivity. I am somewhere in-between but it makes it really fun because we all share in this experience. Having my highly-qualified brother on my staff is great: I watched Bobby/Danny Hurley when they were on the bench together at Wagner.

The Phillies are 1 game away from making the NLCS and the Eagles are undefeated: what is it like to be a Philly sports fan this month?! It is exciting. We are passionate people who are unapologetic about our love for our teams. We may not be nationally-liked…and are completely okay with that! We are fired up and the city is rocking so we just need to keep it going. The players connect with us as fans at such a unique level because they are blue-collar guys themselves. I have 3 boys and sharing the experience with them is even cooler than the games.

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? The goal is to make the NCAA tourney and I am unapologetic about that: I am hoping that we surprise a few people. I want to get this group to become the best version of themselves that they can be. When you commit to Bucknell you will get a great education and hopefully make the NCAA tourney. We want to play competitively with great pride and show our exciting brand of basketball.

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