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.

Posted in Interviews | Tagged , | Comments Off on Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews Bucknell head coach John Griffin III

Big Ten Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 12, 2023 by David Griggs

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

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POWER RANKINGS:

  1. Purdue
  2. Michigan State
  3. Maryland
  4. Illinois
  5. Wisconsin
  6. Indiana
  7. Ohio State
  8. Northwestern
  9. Rutgers
  10. Iowa
  11. Michigan
  12. Nebraska
  13. Penn State
  14. Minnesota

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL BIG TEN 1ST TEAM:

-Zach Edey – C – Purdue (Preseason Player of the Year)
-Tyson Walker – G – Michigan State
-Terrence Shannon Jr. – G – Illinois
-Jahmir Young – G – Maryland
-Boo Buie – G – Northwestern

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL BIG TEN 2ND TEAM:

-AJ Hoggard – G – Michigan State
-Cliff Omoruyi – C – Rutgers
-Xavier Johnson – G – Indiana
-Chucky Hepburn – G – Wisconsin
-Olivier Nkamhoua – F – Michigan

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-The most indelible and lasting impression that most people have of a team’s entire season is what they did in the NCAA Tournament.  Purdue won 29 games last year…but that is not what anyone remembers.  They were the first place team in the Big Ten by three full games but no one remembers that either.  They entered the NCAA Tournament ranked 3rd in the nation with a #1 seed, and I guess a few people remember that, but what most people remember is that they lost to Fairleigh Dickinson in what was probably the biggest upset in college sports history.  It was not just a 16 beating a 1.  It was a team that was not even in the top-300 of most metrics, and who did not finish 1st in the Northeast Conference (which was a conference comprised entirely of teams outside the top-300), and who did not even win their conference tournament but got the automatic bid anyway because Merrimack was a transitional team and was therefore ineligible to play.  Purdue was #3 in the NET:  Fairleigh Dickinson was 301st.  That is the biggest upset ever not just in terms of a 16 beating a 1 but in terms of just how far apart the two teams were in the metrics.  THAT is what people remember!

Now, I am going to go out on a limb here and say that loss to Fairleigh Dickinson was an extreme anomaly, and that what they did in all the games before that is what is indicative of how good Purdue actually was.  All five starters are back including Zach Edey, who is arguably the best player in the country.  The Boilers may not start off ranked #1 in the nation because of how indelible the end of their season was last year, but in my opinion they are the best team and a contender to win it all this year.

-Michigan State is not far behind.  They were a Sweet 16 team a year ago who nearly made the Elite 8 before losing to Kansas State in overtime.  Four starters are back including Tyson Walker and AJ Howard who make up one of the strongest backcourts in the country.  They are balanced, deep, physical, strong defensively, and have all the makings of a top-ten-caliber team.

-Maryland is getting a lot of preseason love, and while I like them, and think they will be better than they were a year ago, and think Kevin Willard is an outstanding coach, there is a drop-off between the two top-ten-caliber teams at the top of the league and the Terps.  Still, with three key starters back including Jahmir Young at PG and Julian Reese in the post, and with the addition of some pretty good transfers and freshman, this is a very solid squad.

-Illinois has three starters back from a team that won 20 games and made the NCAA Tournament, but there are questions as to who their PG will be.  This team has digressed some over the last two seasons after being a top-5-caliber team back in 2020-2021, but I still think Brad Underwood is a solid coach and they have enough pieces to land safely inside the bubble again this year.

-Every year I seem to like Wisconsin more than the consensus preseason prognosticators, and this year I feel that way again.  This is a team that has all five starters back from last season’s 20-win team, and while they were just 9-11 in the conference they battled in a lot of those games, losing seven of them either in overtime or by 5 pts or less.  With all of the experience they have back this will likely be a very strong team this year.  They are balanced, experienced, and have some depth.

-Indiana may be in a bit of a reboot mode with just one starter returning, but they have a very strong recruiting class that includes Mackenzie Mgbako (who NBA scouts are already looking at).  Xavier Johnson is the returning starter and is one of the better guards in the conference.  There are a lot of questions about this team but they appear to be talented and will likely improve as the year goes on.

-Last year Ohio State went through a stretch where they lost nine straight and 14 out of 15, which basically torpedoed their season.   I think they will be better this year. They were not quite as bad as their overall 16-19 record indicated a year ago, but when looking at what they have right now they certainly do not jump off the page as having the pieces to be a conference frontrunner.

-I am a little surprised that Northwestern is not getting more love.  Granted, the roster has turned over quite a bit, but they still have three starters returning including Boo Buie, who is one of the better guards in the league, and the pieces they are adding appear to have some potential, particularly Princeton transfer Ryan Langborg.  I like the Wildcats again this year and it would not shock me at all to see them back in The Dance.

-Rutgers barely missed the NCAA Tournament last year and was arguably more deserving than some of the teams that just barely made it in.  With just two starters back they could be in a bit of a reset mode, but they do appear to have added some quality transfers and could, once again, be better than expected.

-It seems like in recent years Iowa has always had a big-time star.  This year it does not appear that they do.  They have just two starters returning and Tony Perkins appears to be their top player.  They will need some guys to step up and play bigger roles this year if they want to be competitive.

-Michigan failed to make the NCAA Tournament last year, and on top of that Head Coach Juwan Howard may be sidelined with health issues.  They look a little thin, especially in the backcourt, and it could be a long year for the Wolverines when trying to compete with the rest of the conference.

-Nebraska finished 11th in the league last year, which hardly jumps off the page, but they were a respectable 9-11 overall in Big Ten play, and were actually playing well down the stretch.  It was a noticeable improvement from their previous four seasons where they failed to win more than ten total games in each of those years.  I do not want to get carried away and say this team will land inside the bubble, but I do not see them as a doormat this year either.  Three starters are back, they have shown consistent improvement, and there is reason to think it will continue into this season.

-Penn State is coming off a great year where they made it to the Round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament.  The problem is that virtually everyone is gone, including Coach Micah Shrewsberry who left to take the head job at Notre Dame.  Mike Rhoades takes over, who I also believe to be a very good coach who I think will do well.  He comes in from VCU and he brought Ace Baldwin with him, who was a standout player in the Atlantic Ten, but with so many new pieces it could be a long year of rebuilding for the Nittany Lions.

-Minnesota was really bad last year, and while their top player is back in Dawson Garcia, they do not appear to have the pieces they need to finish all that much higher from the bottom.

Posted in Conference Preview, News and Notes | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Big Ten Media Day Recap and Response

American Athletic Conference Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 11, 2023 by David Griggs

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

AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Florida Atlantic
  2. Memphis
  3. Tulane
  4. UAB
  5. East Carolina
  6. North Texas
  7. SMU
  8. Wichita State
  9. South Florida
  10. Tulsa
  11. Rice
  12. Temple
  13. Charlotte
  14. UTSA

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL AAC 1ST TEAM:

-Eric Gaines – JR, G – UAB
-Johnell Davis – JR, G – Florida Atlantic (Preseason co-Player of the Year)
-Alijah Martin – JR, G – Florida Atlantic (Preseason co-Player of the Year)
-Jahvon Quinerly – SR, G – Memphis
– Jaylen Forbes – JR, G – Tulane

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL AAC 2ND TEAM:

-RJ Felton – JR, G – East Carolina
-Jordan Brown – SR, F – Memphis
-Max Fiedler – SR, F – Rice
-Zhuric Phelps – JR, G – SMU
-Kevin Cross – JR, F – Tulane

PRESEASON ROOKIES OF THE YEAR: (Carl Cherenfant – Memphis, JJ Taylor – Memphis)

 

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

It is a new look for the American!  It looks a lot like how Conference USA used to look about twelve years ago!  In fact I believe (and John Stalica will correct me if I am wrong) that Temple and Wichita State are the only schools that were not in Conference USA at one time or another.  Speaking of Conference USA…

-Last year Florida Atlantic was picked to finish 5th in the CUSA preseason poll and had exactly one player selected to the preseason all-conference team.  The 5th place team in CUSA is rarely within a hundred miles of the NIT, much less inside the bubble for the NCAA Tournament.  As the season progressed we quickly realized that FAU was good:  LEGIT good!  We believed them to be a top-40 caliber team that was safely inside the bubble, and when they cracked the rankings we all felt they had earned it.  When they entered the NCAA Tournament as a #9 seed we all felt their seed was about right.  We thought they were good/top-40 and about where they belonged.  I would say that none of us saw them going to the Final Four…but if I said that then I wouldn’t be correct.  ONE of us did have them going that far!  Rocco Miller, from the end of January on, was saying that FAU was a legit protected seed/top-15 caliber team.  He had them beating Purdue in the Round of 32 and had them in his Final Four, and while they ended up beating Fairleigh Dickinson instead he was absolutely right about how good they actually were.  They WERE a legit top-15 caliber team, and appear to be top-15 again this year!

This year, their starting 5/entire rotation is back, Coach Dusty May is back, and given how they finished last season it is difficult to think of them as anything other than a legit top-15 team that can absolutely end up as a protected seed and maybe get back to the Final Four.  This team is good/talented all over the place.  They are deep, they can defend, they have guys who can score in the frontcourt, they have rebounders, they have guys who can hit from the outside, and they have guys who can contribute off the bench.  They also have some heavyweights on their OOC schedule, and as new members of the American they have a slightly stronger conference to help boost their metrics, so their resume will likely be looking really good by the end of the year.

-Memphis is coming off of a 26-win season where they made the NCAA Tournament, faced FAU in the Round of 64, and nearly beat them.  The problem is that only one starter is back so there will likely be a period of adjustment with so many players stepping into new roles.  The good news is they once again have a very strong recruiting class and were able to add several key transfers including Jahvon Quinerly from Alabama.

-It has been a very long time since Tulane was nationally relevant, but Coach Ron Hunter has done a masterful job building up this program.  They won 20 games a year ago, made it to the semifinals of the conference tournament, and have three key starters back from that team including Jaylen Forbes, who is one of the top forwards in the conference.  This could be a year where we really see the Green Wave make a lot of noise.

-UAB had an outstanding team a year ago where they won 29 total games, lost the Conference USA title game, and just missed making the NCAAs…and then followed that up with a run to the NIT finals.  The problem is that everyone from that team is gone and the Blazers are starting completely over.  Coach Andy Kennedy enters his fourth year and has a mixture of Power-5/JUCO transfers to help rebuild his roster.  They are unlikely to be as good as they were a year ago but they may not take a huge step back either.

-East Carolina is getting a little more love from the media this preseason than I thought they would.  Three starters are back from a team that had what was pretty much a meh finish to last season and was just 6-12 in conference play.  RJ Felton is a strong guard and there are some other good pieces so I suppose there are reasons to be optimistic heading into this year.

-North Texas was incredible last year with 31 total wins, a top-40 NET, and 10 true road wins.  I felt they belonged in the NCAA Tournament but was not entirely shocked when they were not selected.  They still went on to win the NIT and cap a fantastic season for the Mean Green.  The problem is that most of the key players from last year are gone and they are shifting into a rebuilding mode.  Ross Hodge takes over as head coach and is tasked with replacing his top three scorers and four starters.  I have more questions than answers about their future right now.

-Wichita State is also in reset mode with four starters gone and a new head coach in Paul Mills, who had a fantastic run at Oral Roberts. Given time he can also do very well at Wichita State…but the key words there are “given time.”  It will likely be a rebuilding year for the Shockers.

-Amir Abdur-Rahim takes over at South Florida after a very successful run as head coach at Kennesaw State.  He took a program that was…well…terrible, and made them into one of the top programs in the Atlantic Sun.  He will have his work cut out for him.  The Bulls won just 14 games a year ago and are overhauling their roster. They do have some notable transfers who have been contributing players at D1 schools, particularly Chris Youngblood from Kennesaw State, so the Bulls may be a little better than expected this year.

It is hard to be at all excited about the rest of the teams in the league…

-Tulsa won just five games a year ago, has no starters back, and second year coach Eric Konkol could be in for another long season.

-While Rice was really bad in the second half of conference play last year I think they have at least some reasons to hope.  I do not see them finishing in the top half of the conference, but they should not finish at the very bottom either.  Four starters are back including Max Fiedler, who is one of the best frontcourt players in the conference, and they have been improving in recent years (albeit slowly).  We should see some more improvement from them this year.

-Temple has not been nationally relevant for a while.  Adam Fisher takes over as coach and while he does have some pieces to work with, the expectations are not exactly high.

-Charlotte won 22 games a year ago and as a program really seemed to be going in the right direction.  They do have a new coach in Aaron Fearne after Ron Sanchez decided to go an assistant coach at Virginia, which is not a move you see all that often.  Still, three starters are back including Lu’Cye Patterson who averaged double digits last year.  While I do not see them winning the league, it is kind of crazy to see them picked THIS low.

-As for UTSA…yeah, it makes sense they are picked this low.

Posted in Conference Preview, News and Notes | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on American Athletic Conference Media Day Recap and Response

Summit League Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 11, 2023 by David Griggs

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

SUMMIT LEAGUE MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. South Dakota State
  2. Oral Roberts
  3. North Dakota State
  4. Saint Thomas
  5. North Dakota
  6. South Dakota
  7. Omaha
  8. Kansas City
  9. Denver

PRESEASON ALL SUMMIT LEAGUE 1ST TEAM:

-Luke Appel – SR, F – South Dakota State
-Parker Bjorklund – SR, F – Saint Thomas
-Frankie Fidler – JR, F – Omaha
-Zeke Mayo, JR, G – South Dakota State
-Isaac McBride – SR, G – Oral Roberts
-Boden Skunberg – SR, G – North Dakota State

PRESEASON ALL SUMMIT LEAGUE 2ND TEAM:

-Tommy Bruner – SR, G – Denver
-William Kyle III – SO, F – South Dakota State
-Andrew Morgan – JR, F – North Dakota State
-BJ Omot – SO, F – North Dakota
-Kareem Thompson – SR, G – Oral Roberts

 

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-South Dakota State has been the alpha program in this league for the past decade or so.  Last year was the first time since the 2013-2014 season where they failed to either finish in first place or win the conference tournament.  Still, they were good and finished second overall.  Six of their top eight players are back including Zeke Mayo, who is one of the best players in the conference.  Of all the teams in this league that have a shot at landing inside the bubble, South Dakota State appears to have the best shot.  For their out-of-conference schedule they are going to Kansas State, as well as to the Jacksonville Classic where they will face a decent UCF team, but like a lot of top Under the Radar teams it is hard for them to put together an ideal schedule that gives them the opportunities to impress the selection committee.  Eric Henderson is a fantastic coach and they have a roster that’s talented/experienced/deep.

-Oral Roberts was perfect in league play last year, going 18-0 in the regular season and then winning the conference tournament before losing to Duke in the NCAA Tournament.  They also have a new coach in Russell Springmann so there could be an adjustment period before we see them back at the top of the conference.  Expectations are still reasonably high, though, and they will once again have some guys who can really light it up from the outside.

-I like this North Dakota State team…a lot.  They were a very modest 14-17 against D1 competition last year, but during the last four weeks of the season they were really on fire, winning seven of eight before losing in the conference tournament championship game.  Four starters are back, and while their top player is not returning they still have a lot of talent/depth/experience including Boden Skunberg, who averaged over 15ppg last year and is a good outside shooter.

-Saint Thomas is entering year three of what is a five-year transition, and they actually managed a winning record last year with 17 D1 wins.  The stated reason for the transitional period is to help teams become assimilated to D1…but that is crap.  If you win 17 D1 games then YOU ARE ALREADY ASSIMILATED!!!  They are picked to finish in the middle of the league, which is actually pretty incredible for a team that is in the third and arguably most difficult period of transition.

-North Dakota was noticeably improved last year, and with three starters back (including BJ Omot) we may see that improvement continue into this season.  They won just 11 D1 games but did win six of their last eight before falling to Oral Roberts in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament.

-THE YOTES!!!  As a fan I will always have a huge soft spot for the Yotes of South Dakota!  As an analyst…well…it is gonna be a rough year.  All five starters are gone from a team that won just ten D1 games and was absolutely pitiful in the second half of conference play.  Perhaps a roster overhaul was what they needed, but when you look at what they added to this year’s roster it just does not seem like this is going to be their year.

-Omaha won just eight D1 games a year ago so it is no surprise that they are not getting a lot of love from the media.  Four starters are back, and with that experience we may see some improvement, but for a team that lost 12 of their last 14 it is hard to get your expectations up all that high.

-I do not think Kansas City will finish near the top, but I am a little surprised the Roos are picked to finish this low.  Three starters are back along with Anderson Kopp, who was a double-digit scorer before having to take a medical redshirt last season.  They are also adding some decent-looking JUCO transfers.  They are picked 8th but I do not see them as the league’s doormat this year.

-Every year I seem to overvalue Denver, but having said that I do not quite understand why they are picked last.  Tommy Bruner averaged just under 16ppg and is one of the best guards in the conference.  With him and the addition of some decent looking JUCO players I cannot quite see them as the doormat of the league this year either.

Posted in Conference Preview | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Summit League Media Day Recap and Response

Southland Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 11, 2023 by David Griggs

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

SOUTHLAND MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. SE LA
  2. McNeese
  3. New Orleans
  4. TAMU-CC
  5. Northwestern State
  6. Nicholls
  7. TAMU-Commerce
  8. Houston Christian
  9. Lamar
  10. Incarnate Word

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL SOUTHLAND 1ST TEAM:

-Christian Shumate – JR, F – McNeese
-Jordan Johnson – SR, G – New Orleans
-Roger McFarlane – SR, G- SE LA
-Bonke Maring – SR, C – Houston Christian
-Shahada Wells – SR, G – McNeese

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL SOUTHLAND 2ND TEAM:

-Nick Caldwell – SR, G/F – SE LA
-Tyson Jackson – SR, F – New Orleans
-Javohn Garcia – JR, G – McNeese
-Jerome Brewer Jr – SO, F – TAMU-Commerce
-Micah Thomas – SR, G – Nicholls
-Alec Woodard – SR, G – SE LA

 

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-SE LA is the preseason media favorite with four starters returning from last year’s team.  They finished a very respectable 12-6 in the league despite having only eight scholarship players throughout most of conference play.  With more depth and more experience this year they are definitely good enough to win the league.  Roger McFarlane is one of the best guards in the conference and a terrific outside shooter so he is a player to watch.

-McNeese is coming off of an unspectacular year where they were just 6-12 in league play and finished 8th in the conference, but with Will Wade taking over as coach (after being fired from LSU amidst allegations of NCAA violations) and the addition of several players who were contributors at D1 programs prior to transferring in, the expectations are immediately high.  They do have some talent and we likely will see a big turnaround.

-New Orleans won just ten D1 games a year ago, but they were very good in the final few weeks of the season, winning six of seven before losing in the semis of the conference tournament.  With three starters back including Jordan Johnson (who shot over 48% from beyond the arc last year) and Tyson Jackson (who also averaged in double figures), expectations are high for the Privateers considering how strongly they finished the season last year.

-TAMU-CC had a great year last year!  They were the first place team!  They won the conference tournament!  They advanced to the NCAA Tournament!  This year…none of their starters are back, their coach is gone, and they have to start completely over.  Only two players are back from last year’s roster so it is hard to know what to make of them just yet.

-Northwestern State is also in a reset mode after a really good season a year ago where they won 22 games.  Rick Cabrera takes over as head coach and he has just one starter returning.  They do have some guys coming in who were really strong at the JUCO level, namely Addison Patterson and Jamison Epps, but while they are adding several strong JUCO players they are kind of light on guys with D1 experience.

-Nicholls is yet another team with a new coach (Tevon Saddler) and an overhauled roster.  Micah Thomas is the only returning starter and they are a team that, like many teams in this conference, is a little hard to read coming into the year.

-TAMU-Commerce won an impressive 12 D1 games as a first year transitional team, but the second/third years of the four-year transition are often the hardest.  Most key players have either graduated or transferred to teams that are not barred from the NCAA Tournament, and it is hard to replace them with players who can contribute at the same level because the team is barred from the NCAA Tournament.  It could be a long year for the Lions.

-Houston Christian won just ten games a year ago, and finished outside the KenPom top-350.  Bonke Maring is a really solid player and their top returner.  The bad news is that he is their only key returner.  They’ve added some JUCO guys to fill some key roles and we may see some improvement this year…but it may end up being another long season.

-Lamar won just six D1 games last year, and while three starters are back expectations are low.

-The expectations for Incarnate Word are even lower as they have just one starter returning and are looking to overhaul their roster.

Posted in Conference Preview | Tagged , | Comments Off on Southland Media Day Recap and Response

Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews Ohio State director of professional development Terence Dials

Posted on October 11, 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 Ohio State director of professional development Terence Dials, who talked about some of his team’s new additions and his expectations for this season.

You played for Coach Thad Matta during your final 2 years as a player at Ohio State: what makes him such a great coach? Thad was a motivator who was able to get the best out of his guys by letting them play free, which did not happen under the previous coach. He instilled a lot of confidence in us, which is why we were able to be so successful.

As a senior in 2006 you averaged 15 PPG/8 RPG and were named conference POY: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It meant a lot. We went 26-6 that year so it was a testament to all of our coaches/players who all had 1 common goal and believed in what Coach Matta was preaching. We made the Big 10 tourney title game before losing to Iowa and made the 2nd round of the NCAA tourney before running out of gas against a juggernaut in Georgetown.

After going undrafted you spent almost a decade playing pro basketball overseas: what is the biggest difference between basketball in the US vs. basketball in other countries? It is more about fundamentals in other countries. Players born in the US are more physically advanced from a younger age. When you see team USA play in U16/U17 tourneys we are more physically imposing. A lot of basketball in the US is about a highlight-driven/1-on-1 kind of game but the game overseas was a little bit slower for me. The NBA game is built for entertainment while European ball is more about “real basketball”.

In 2015 you were inducted into your school’s Hall of Fame: where does that rank among the highlights of your career? That is right up there with winning a Big 10 title and playing in the NCAA tourney. When you get inducted into the Hall of Fame at a prestigious school like Ohio State it is very humbling. It was never in my thoughts because I was just playing because I loved the game.

After a few years out of basketball you were hired at your alma mater in 2019 as director of professional development: why did you take the job, and how do you like it so far? I took the job because it gave me an opportunity to be around the sport and get paid for it: there is literally no better feeling than coming to “work” and having fun on the court while talking strategy with coaches and helping student-athletes. It was a no-brainer for me and is very fulfilling because I love my school: I am so glad that Coach Chris Holtmann gave me the opportunity.

How much involvement do you have with NIL stuff, and how would your own college experience have been different if NIL had been around 20 years ago? That is something new on my plate so I am starting to help guys get out in the community because there are a lot of local small businesses who love the Buckeyes. A lot of it is relationship-based: the more people you engage with, the more possibilities are out there. It is a mind-shift for them but it is happening. I see what a lot of the players now are getting and the biggest thing is to take care of your own. 20 years ago I was the best player on my team for 3 straight years so I feel that I would have garnered a few dollars! However, I am not mad that I missed out because I walked so they could run. It is just about advancing the culture and how the NCAA views student-athletes: the NIL intentions are correct.

2 of your new additions this year are FR Scotty Middleton and grad transfer Jamison Battle: how are the new guys looking so far? They are looking pretty good. Jamison is a proven commodity in the Big 10 after playing at Minnesota the past 2 years so we know he can shoot/score and is very smart. Scotty is a highly-ranked recruit but we do not know how he will perform until the bright lights come on. He is a big-time communicator and is 1 of the more vocal freshmen that we have: he has been doing a really good job in practice.

Last summer you started co-hosting a podcast with Coach Holtmann called “More Than Coach Speak”: any advice for those of us who want to do our own podcast? Like with anything you should do your research with whoever you have as a guest so that you do not offend anyone or look unprepared. You should read all of your notes in advance and just let the conversation flow a little bit, which Coach and I have gotten better at. You can always ask a foundational question if things go dry but a back-and-forth conversation is the best. It is easier than I thought it would be to start.

The Big 10 will be adding several new teams next year: how do you feel about the future conference realignment? We all know why we are realigning: football/money. The 4 new teams are really good schools/programs and will boost our conference footprint on the West Coast. I look forward to going out to California during the winter where there is not 6” of snow: LA will be a breath of fresh air!

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? Last year was a down year so we are looking to be much better this year and compete for a Big 10 title in a very tough conference. Michigan State/Purdue are bringing most of their rosters back so it is a tough task ahead, but if we get better every day then we can be peaking in February/March. There are definitely some salty vibes in our office and we have a chip on our shoulder.

Posted in Interviews | Tagged , | Comments Off on Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews Ohio State director of professional development Terence Dials