-First and foremost, we had our first Quadrupler of the season!!!! Notre Dame held off Cal 112-110 in a four overtime thriller!
-Alabama and Auburn squared off in what may turn out to be the most exciting game of the regular season. Alabama, having lost two straight, managed to get a huge OT win in this one 93-91 as Mark Sears hit the game winning shot at the buzzer. The two teams won on each others’ home floors, and may face off again this week in the SEC Tournament!
-North Carolina was competitive with Duke for a half, but the Blue Devils wore down the Tar Heels in the 2nd half and cemented outright first place in the ACC with their win. UNC is now in must-win mode for the entirety of the ACC Tournament.
– Houston also finished conference play 19-1 with their road win at Baylor; the Cougars continue to make a strong case for a #1 seed themselves.
-Saint John’s also won in a buzzer beating overtime thriller as they took down Marquette on the road 86-84. The Johnnies may struggle with shooting the ball, but they do everything else right and keep finding ways to win games.
-Kentucky’s resume got a lot stronger as they added another high caliber road win to it. They went into Missouri and picked up a 91-83 win in a game they basically lead from tip to buzzer.
-Arkansas barely held on to beat Mississippi State 93-92 and keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive. Mississippi State actually had a shot at the buzzer that would have won them the game, but it didn’t go down.
-Georgia finished the regular season on a four game winning streak, which may be enough to land them inside the bubble. They knocked off a pretty solid Vanderbilt team 79-68 yesterday and will face an Oklahoma team in their first SEC Tournament game that is also squarely on the bubble. Speaking of Oklahoma…
-The Sooners are lacking in road wins and conference wins, so picking up a conference road win against their rivals Texas 76-72 is exactly what they needed to do to close out the season. That upcoming conference tournament game against Georgia is absolutely huge.
-Indiana is squarely on the bubble and got a nice 66-60 win against Ohio State, who is also squarely on the bubble. The Hoosiers will feel a lot safer if they can pick up some wins in the Big Ten Tournament, but right now they appear to be on the right side of the cut line.
-UC Irvine and UC San Diego both closed out their season with road wins. I think UC San Diego will get in regardless of what they do in the Big West Tournament, and that UC Irvine should get in, but is less likely to be selected.
– Xavier and San Diego State were other teams near the cut line that also won their regular season finales. Neither team should assume that they’re in if they’re one-and-done in their conference tournaments, though.
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HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:
-MICHIGAN AT MICHIGAN STATE (Big Ten). Both teams are probable protected seeds, but Michigan State is red hot and Michigan has lost their last two. Beating Michigan State on the road to close the season would be one of their biggest wins both on and off paper, but pulling it off won’t be easy.
-IOWA AT NEBRASKA (Big Ten). This is a must win game for Nebraska. They are at home against a team that’s nowhere near the bubble, so they need to win it to avoid slipping outside of it themselves. They also need to win it just to make it to the Big Ten Tournament. If they lose, they are mathematically eliminated and I can’t see the committee taking them if they don’t even make it into the Big Ten Tournament.
-OREGON AT WASHINGTON (Big Ten). It’s a road rivalry game for the Ducks, so it’s a chance to add another road win to their resume and feel good about themselves for beating their rivals in the process.
And in case you missed it, here is our first look at the NCAA Selection Board for 2025:
SIU-Edwardsville and Omaha are the first teams to qualify; there will be 3 more auto bids handed out today in the Atlantic Sun, Missouri Valley and Big South. Also keep an eye on the board on Thursday as this is when the Hoops HD Selection Committee will reveal their first ballot of NCAA Tournament teams as well as teams Under Consideration.
Posted inDaily Rundown, News and Notes|Comments Off on Hoops HD Daily Rundown – Regular Season Finale! Sunday, March – 9th
Conference tournaments are about basketball but also so much more: the fans, parents, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The CAA Tournament is taking place this weekend 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 Hampton basketball father Lamont Strothers about playing in the NBA and his prediction for his son’s game tonight against UNCW.
At Forest Glen High School you were struck in the left eye during a fistfight involving a guy with brass knuckles: what impact did that incident have on you either on or off the court? It happened after my senior year. I was already enlisted at the time but he hit me 5 days before I was going to begin my military service. The doctors reexamined me and decided that it was such a serious injury that they honorably discharged me before I served a single day!
How close did you come to attending Georgia, and what made you choose Christopher Newport? I only had a partial scholarship to Georgia so I decided to make some money by working for 1 year. Most people know about the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (PIT) but I played in a tournament after that called the Suffolk Invitational Tournament. I played against a team that had a bunch of ex-pros and I ended up scoring 28 PTS in the 2nd half. I introduced myself to the opposing coach and he assumed that I was an older guy due to my performance. When I told him that I was just 18 he told that he would come back the next day with some papers to sign so that I could get enrolled at Christopher Newport.
In 1991 you were named 1st-team All-American and D-3 national POY: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? I went to school for an education, but 1 of my advisors suggested that since I was so good at basketball I might want to change majors. The honors were great, but I credit it all to my work ethic.
You scored 2709 career PTS in college and graduated as the #3 all-time scorer in D-3 history: what is the secret to being a great scorer? WORK! Those unseen hours will add up. I tell young players that if you play against guys in your age group then it will make you comfortable, but when you play against older guys you have to work harder and come up with new moves.
In the summer of 1991 you were drafted 43rd overall by Golden State (2 spots ahead of Bobby Phills and the highest-ever selection of a D-3 player at the time) and were subsequently traded to Portland: what did it mean to you to get drafted, and what did it mean to you to get traded? Getting drafted meant everything to me: it is something that every player dreams about. Portland did not think I would be around at #43. You hear a lot of teams tell you, “Oh yeah, we think you are a good player so we will trade up to get you if you are available”…but it actually happened!
You played 13 games with Portland/Dallas: what is your favorite memory from your time in the NBA? The 1st real time I spent on the floor was in a game vs. the Lakers: I scored 7 PTS in 6 minutes. There was also a preseason game vs. the Bulls when some guy named Michael Jordan ran past me and caught a lob for a dunk.
You also played in the CBA but spent most of your career in the Philippines: what is the biggest difference between basketball in the US vs. basketball overseas? I spent 6 years in the Philippines and 4 years in Turkey. Back then big men in the US would play in the post with their back to the basket, but in Turkey the “bigs” would play on the perimeter and were good passers. The pace overseas was a bit slower: they used 20-minutes halves. The rules in the Philippines were patterned after NBA rules (such as illegal defense) so the game was pretty similar. The other big difference was the physicality: it was a much more physical game in the US.
Since retiring as a player you have spent many years as a high school basketball coach: how do you like coaching? I enjoy all aspects of it: coaching/developing/strategizing. I have been running a spring break camp for more than 2 decades. 1 of the alumni from my camp is Kennedy Harris, who just won the A-10 women’s tourney title today with GMU after beating St. Joe’s.
Your brother Calvin Jr. played football/basketball at New Hampshire, your sister Janell Joyner played high school basketball, your son Allen plays at ETSU, your daughter Adria played at Hampton, and your son Etienne plays for Hampton: who is the best athlete in the family? Allen is the most athletic, but Adria is the best shooter.
Any predictions for your son’s game tonight vs. UNCW? It is hard to say. UNCW beat Hampton by 21 PTS in January but lost to Hampton by 13 PTS in Feburary. The Seahawks have 8 grad transfers so it is tough to play against all those grown men. I like Hampton coach Ivan Thomas: I actually coached against him when he was a high school coach.
Posted inNews and Notes|TaggedHampton, Lamont Strothers|Comments Off on All-Access at the CAA Tournament in DC: HoopsHD interviews Hampton basketball father Lamont Strothers
We had our first conference champion and an additional auto-bid that was clinched tonight. SIUE won the OVC for their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance, and Omaha has clinched the auto-bid out of the Summit League. They will face Saint Thomas tomorrow, who is ineligible for the postseason. We also had a crazy day in the SoCon with a couple of upsets, a wild 2nd round day in the CAA, two crazy semifinal games in the NEC, and a lot of other 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…
Conference tournaments are about basketball but also so much more: the fans, parents, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The CAA Tournament is taking place this weekend 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 a recap of the 2nd round quadruple-header on Saturday.
GAME #1: Elon-Drexel After inhaling some pizza/garlic bread, let’s tip-off a quadruple-header from CareFirst (formerly the Entertainment & Sports) Arena:
The CAA usually puts me above the 100 level in a press box, but apparently I have not alienated them because I got to sit in the 2nd row! Towson coach Pat Skerry (fresh off being named 2025 conference COY last Thursday) was a few seats to my right doing some scouting, as he will face the winner of today’s game at noon on Sunday:
The Drexel Dragon was feeling very confident as his team built a big lead early:
Drexel G Kobe MaGee lived up to his legendary 1st name in the 1st 20 minutes with 19 PTS/4-7 3PM:
His backcourt mate Jason Drake lived up to his legendary last name (Love the Drake!) with 14 PTS/6-8 FG in the 1st half including a 30-footer at the halftime buzzer (not pictured) to give his team a huge 45-22 halftime lead:
Speaking of huge, you do not see too many 7’4″ guys in the NCAA, much less the CAA, but Elon C Matthew Van Komen certainly qualifies:
After falling behind by 25 PTS early in the 2nd half, the Phoenix instituted a full-court press and made a furious rally to cut the deficit to 5 PTS thanks to Sam Sherry/TK Simpkins (who each scored 23 PTS on 50 FG%):
However, Drexel was able to stop the bleeding with an 11-0 run of its own to win it by a score of 91-74 and will face #1 seed Towson on Sunday at noon.
In the postgame press conference I asked Drake about his buzzer-beater (which helped him tie his career-high of 25 PTS). He said that the team did not run a specific play, but that he works on that shot after practice and has always been trying to do that his whole life. I wanted to see how Drexel coach Zach Spiker felt about facing Towson since his 2 losses to the Tigers were in OT in January and by 1-PT in February. He confirmed that Towson is the #1 seed for a reason and won a lot of 1-possession games this year. He warned me that Coach Skerry would try to find a nugget to put on the bulletin board in his locker room…but that he was not getting anything today!:
GAME #2: Delaware-Campbell
The Blue Hen is certainly not feeling blue today (while also freaking me out!), and the Camel is ready to rock after stretching his legs:
Campbell G Tasos Cook led the way with 9 PTS in the 1st half, but Delaware F John Camden scored 11 as the Blue Hens took a 36-30 halftime lead:
I missed most of the 2nd half while interviewing a couple of Campbell band members, but Delaware G Erik Timko picked up much of the slack with 19 PTS/3-6 3PM/12 REB as the Blue Hens cruised to a 79-62 win.
In the postgame press conference I asked Delaware coach Martin Ingelsby whether he would take any lessons from his team’s double-digit win over William & Mary exactly 4 weeks ago or whether you just throw out the tape because the regular season and postseason are so different. He said that it is 1 of his team’s only wins recently despite taking place a LONG time ago, and that the Tribe will make things chaotic for 40 minutes. When you are only playing 7 1/2 guys you need to get some rest, but since the 2 teams have similar styles on offense that will help prepare his guys for tomorrow:
GAME #3: Hampton-Northeastern Dinner was delicious: make-your-own taco salad, then cheesecake for dessert! The Husky must be as exhausted as I am because he was resting in the front row with his tongue hanging out:
I missed most of the game while typing up 1 interview and conducting another. George Beale Jr. scored 10 PTS for Hampton in the 1st half but Rashad King had 13 PTS (and an incredulous stare in my direction) as Northeastern headed to halftime with a 37-29 lead.
Those 2 stars kept it rolling in the 2nd half, but Hampton’s Noah Farrakhan (22 PTS) stepped up and helped his team hang on down the stretch for a 70-65 victory:
In the postgame press conference I asked Hampton coach Ivan Thomas how a 1st year coach was able to beat the winningest coach in CAA history (Bill Coen). He noted that while he is a 1st-year college coach, he was a high school coach for 15 years. Coen is a great coach and they hail from the same coaching tree “indirectly”. They both preach physicality/toughness and he was happy that Hampton was able to prevail:
I wondered how Farrakhan felt about finally winning a conference tourney game after going 0-2 during his time at ECU/West Virginia. He said that it felt good: he had talked to his teammates before the game and told them to cherish these moments because they go by real fast.
We also learned that Beale/Farrakhan shared this beautiful “Put in the Work” belt because…well, they had both put in in the work:
GAME #4: Hofstra-Monmouth I am sure that it was a fun game but quadruple-headers are a young man’s game. I got to see a pair of former interviewees (Jack/Kathleen Miller) as they were preparing to cheer for their son Corey’s Monmouth team…and then headed out before I fell asleep. That is a wrap for today, check back tomorrow for the quarterfinal quadruple-header as the top seeds finally take the court.
Posted inNews and Notes|TaggedCAA Tournament|Comments Off on All-Access at the CAA Tournament in DC: 2nd Round Saturday
Conference tournaments are about basketball but also so much more: the fans, parents, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The CAA Tournament is taking place this weekend 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 Hampton cheerleader Sanai Charles about what to watch on Netflix and her prediction for tonight’s game vs. Northeastern.
You are from Rockland County, NY: what made you choose Hampton? Both of my cousins went there, and when I got to visit them while I was in high school it felt like home.
You did track in high school: how does that compare to cheer in terms of the effort involved? They are the same. Even though track is an individual sport, I ran relay events so we still had a team environment. You have to do well in your individual events if you want your team to win.
You are a Biology pre-med student: how did you choose that subject, and what is the post-graduation plan? I loved science classes growing up and had a great biology teacher in high school. I have a lot of lawyers in my family so I wanted to go a different route.
I heard that you are a big Netflix binge-watcher: any recommendations for our audience? I like “Beauty in Black” by Tyler Perry.
After 5 straight losing seasons you have a winning record this year: is it more fun to cheer for the team now that they are doing well? Definitely! It keeps our spirit up when the basketball team is fighting hard on the court to be the best they can be.
What has been the highlight of your season so far: the 5-game winning streak in February, Senior Night, other? My personal highlight was beating Stony Brook in our home finale…since my dad is a Stony Brook alum!
How does your coach 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? It is based on our overall cheer/dance ability. I have been on the team since my freshman year and I am very grateful for the opportunity.
Does your squad have anything extra-special planned for this week? Nothing off the top of my head, but my birthday is coming up so I think we will be doing something to celebrate.
Any predictions for tonight’s game vs. Northeastern? I think the Pirates will come up with the win. They have great teamwork so I think they have a good chance to go all the way.
Posted inNews and Notes|TaggedHampton, Sanai Charles|Comments Off on All-Access at the CAA Tournament in DC: HoopsHD interviews Hampton cheerleader Sanai Charles
– The final spot in the Ivy League Tournament will go to Brown if they defeat Yale at home, Princeton loses at home to Penn and Harvard loses at home to Dartmouth. Otherwise, it goes to Princeton.
– The final spot in the SWAC tournament goes to Prairie View if they win at home vs Texas Southern or Arkansas-Pine Bluff loses at home to Alcorn State. Otherwise, it goes to Pine Bluff.
– The final spot in the MAAC Tournament goes to Fairfield if they win at home vs Quinnipiac or St. Peter’s loses at home to Canisius. If Fairfield loses and St. Peter’s wind, then the spot goes to Niagara if they win at Rider, or St. Peter’s if Niagara loses.
– The final 2 spots in the Big West Tournament will go to Cal Poly and Hawai’i if Cal Poly wins at Long Beach and Hawai’i wins at Northridge. If one of the two teams loses, then the team that wins and Cal State-Bakersfield will take the two spots. If both Cal Poly and Hawai’i lose, then Cal State-Bakersfield and Hawai’i will get the 2 spots.
– One more team will be eliminated from the Big Ten Tournament. If UCLA defeats USC at home OR Northwestern wins at Maryland today, Sunday’s Iowa at Nebraska game will be a virtual play-in game for the final spot in the Big Ten field. If UCLA and Northwestern both lose, there is one possible scenario where Northwestern ends up getting left out instead (both Iowa and Minnesota would have to win Sunday as well).
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NEWS AND NOTES:
-Illinois finished off their regular season with a big 88-80 home win over Purdue. The Illini have gone through good and bad stretches this year, but they now appear to be healthy, they on their last three regular season games, and are a potentially dangerous NCAA Tournament. Purdue, who had been flying high, ended their regular season by losing five of their last seven
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HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:
-SAINT JOHN’S AT MARQUETTE (Big East). This is one of the tougher games of the year for Saint John’s and a win perhaps locks them into a protected seed. Even with a loss the Johnnies are still in really good shape heading into the Big East Tournament. As for Marquette, they are solidly in the field, but can improve their seeding with a win today and a strong showing in the Big East Tournament.
-KENTUCKY AT MISSOURI (SEC). Both teams are safely in the field and both are on the fringe of earning a protected seed. One thing Kentucky could improve upon is their number of true road wins and to get one in a game like this may lock them into a protected seed regardless of what happens next week. Mizzou has been very tough to beat on their home court and I’m sure the committee realizes that.
-MISSISSIPPI STATE AT ARKANSAS (SEC). Arkansas is squarely on the bubble. This game, along with the early round games in the SEC Tournament, feel like must win games. Mississippi State has a good profile and has the chance to really improve upon it with a win today and then some wins in the SEC Tournament.
-VANDERBILT AT GEORGIA (SEC). Vanderbilt is already a virtual lock, but a win today makes then a certain lock. Georgia is still right on the bubble and has work to do. They have been playing better lately and they’re at home against a team that has not been the best on the road. The Bulldogs need this one, and they’ll probabaly need some wins next week as well.
-ALABAMA AT AUBURN (SEC). Alabama has shown that they are a remarkably good team, but they’re also capable of losing to other remarkably good teams. They have lost two straight coming into this, but they were to Tennessee and Florida. This is perhaps the toughest matchup of the three. Auburn is at home, and it’s a rivalry game, and they’ll be jacked way up for it. This may be the toughest game that anyone plays all year. Beating a Final Four caliber team is hard to do, but beating the best team in the country on their court is even harder. And…in about a week’s time we may see these two squaring off again!!
-OHIO STATE AT INDIANA (Big Ten). This is about as bubblicous as they come! Both teams are squarely on the bubble and both really need this win today. Both will also need to probably pick up at least one win in the Big Ten Tournament, but winning today is a almost a must.
-ARIZONA AT KANSAS (Big 12). This is a really tough road test for an Arizona team that’s had some really high water marks this year, but that’s not always played up to their ceiling. Having said that, they’ve played well enough to where a win today should lock them into a protected seed. It won’t be easy, though. While Kansas has had their struggles, they’re still a solid tournament team and are very tough to beat at home.
-OLE MISS AT FLORIDA (SEC). Ole Miss is safely in the field and can really give their potential seed a boost if they can somehow win this one on the road. Florida is battling for a #1 seed and needs to hold serve today and pick up some big wins next week.
-DUKE AT NORTH CAROLINA (ACC). So, the storyline from this one is that Duke is fighting for a #1 seed and even if they lose I still think they’ll end up on the #1 line. North Carolina is fighting for a spot in the field. A win helps, and it probably puts them in, but a loss doesn’t necessarily eliminate them depending on who they end up playing and beating in the ACC Tournament next week. Oh yeah, this is also a rivalry game! And the two teams are just 8 miles apart! And they’ve NEVER met in an NCAA Tournament game and an odd numbered year!!!
-OKLAHOMA AT TEXAS (SEC). This is another super-bubblicious game. Oklahoma has struggled in conference play and has only won one true road game. Today, they have a chance to win a true conference road game against a team that’s also on the bubble. That will address a lot of the things that are missing from their resume. Texas got a big road win at Mississippi State earlier in the week to keep themselves in the discussion. A win today and a couple of wins next week may be enough to get them in, but if they lose today it will really hurt their chances and make the hill they need to climb up a whole lot steeper.
-HOUSTON AT BAYLOR (Big 12). Houston will likely end up as a #1 seed even if they lose this game. We are forecasting Baylor as being inside the bubble, but not far enough inside to where you could call them safe. A win tonight, even though it’s at home, would make them a whole lot safer!!
OTHER NOTABLE GAMES:
-Penn State @ Wisconsin (Big Ten) – Wisky is a solid protected seed and is positioning themselves for a possible deep run in the NCAA Tournament. They just need to hold serve and win their last regular season game
-Iowa State @ Kansas State (Big 12) – Iowa State was beaten in the first meeting between these two, so this is a chance for them to avenge that loss and add another road win to their profile
-South Carolina @ Tennessee (SEC) – this really is just a hold-serve game for the Vols. They’re in the hunt for a #1 seed and will remain that way heading into the SEC Tournament
-Stanford @ Louisville (ACC) – Louisville can pretty much lock up a spot in the top half of the bracket with a win today
-Yale @ Brown (Ivy League) – Yale has wrapped up 1st place and this is really just a warmup game for the Ivy Four
-Georgia Tech @ Wake Forest (ACC) – I get the sense that Wake will be on the board, but won’t be inside the bubble barring a run to the ACC Championship game
-Seton Hall @ UConn (Big East) – UConn is a lock for the NCAA Tournament and should cruise through this one. Although, Seton Hall did win the first game!
-Northwestern @ Maryland (Big Ten) – Maryland is on the brink of earning a protected seed. If they can hold serve at home today and pick up some wins in the Big Ten Tournament they could end up getting it
-Liberty @ Western Kentucky (Conference USA) – Liberty is potentially a tough opponent in the Round of 64 if they can get there. They can wrap up at least a share of 1st place with a win today, but they’ll need to win the auto bid to make the field
-Texas A&M @ LSU (SEC) – TAMU pulled themselves out of a tailspin in a big way with their win against Auburn earlier in the week. It’s not easy to win on the road, but this is still a road game they should win
-SMU @ Florida State (ACC) – SMU probably can’t reach the bubble, but if they win out to the ACC Championship game they may get a serious look
-Air Force @ Utah State (Mountain West) – Utah State can virtually lock themselves in if they avoid a loss today
-Providence @ Xavier (Big East) – Xavier is squarely on the bubble and needs to avoid a loss in this game. Even with a win they may have a little more work to do in the conference tournament next week
-Grand Canyon @ Abilene Christian (WAC) – GCU is probably the best team in the WAC, but the best they can do in the conference standings is a tie for 1st and they’ll need a Utah Valley loss for that to happen
-UC San Diego @ UC Davis (Big West) – UCSD can clinch an outright 1st place finish, and in my opinion clinch a spot inside the bubble, with a win today
-Virginia Tech @ Clemson (ACC) – Clemson’s resume is very strong and if they can hold serve and pick up some big wins next week they may be on the brink of a protected seed
-Butler @ Creighton (Big East) – Creighton is safely in the field and should be safely in the top half of the bracket. A win today would ding them a little bit, but not by too much
-Texas Tech @ Arizona State (Big 12) – Texas Tech is a virtual lock for a protected seed and should be able to add another road win to their resume
-USC @ UCLA (Big Ten) – It’s a rivalry game, but it’s also a big mismatch. UCLA should hold serve and depending on what happens next week could end up with a really solid seed
-Utah Valley @ Tarleton State (WAC) – Utah Valley can clinch 1st place outirght with a win tonight
-Utah @ BYU (Big 12) – BYU is one of the hottest teams in the country right now. They’re riding a huge wave of momentum and energy, the fans should be bonkers tonight, and Utah is probably just going to be far too overwhelmed
-UC Irvine @ UC Santa Barbara (Big West) – at-large hopes are barely flickering for UCI. My feelings on them are that if they win tonight they belong in, but that the actual committee isn’t likely to take them. But, to have any chance at all, they need to win tonight
-Nevada @ San Diego State (Mountain West) – the Azetcs should be safely in if they win this one, but they may not be safely in with a loss. They need to hold serve
