News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Sunday, Feb 27

Posted on February 27, 2022 by David Griggs

NEWS AND NOTES:

-To view the HOOPS HD SURVIVAL BOARD – CLICK HERE

-To View the HOOPS HD CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT TAB – CLICK HERE

So, let’s review what a lot of the top ten teams did yesterday!!

-Gonzaga fell behind early at Saint Mary’s, and stayed behind.  The final score was 67-57 and at no point was Saint Mary’s not in control of the game.

Arizona played a decent first half at Colorado, and then just decided to call it a day and not come out for the second half.  The Buts outsored the Wildcats by 21 and basically blew #2 ranked Arizona off the floor 79-63.

-Auburn fought hard at Tennessee, but ended up coming up just short 67-62.  This wasn’t THAT big of a surprise.  Tennessee is a really good team who was projected as one of the top teams just last week, and protected seeds typically don’t lose at home.  Ever.  But, As a team that has a shot at a #1 seed, it was a game that Auburn was good enough to win.

-Purdue fell to Michigan State 68-65 in an upset.  Michigan State had been slumping a little but and this could pull them out of it.  It was close the entire way with Michigan State hitting a go-ahead game winning 3-pointer in the final seconds.

-Kansas went on the road and lost to Baylor.  No real big surprise there.  Baylor is still within reach of a #1 seed (although it would take a lot).

-Kentucky could not get it done at Arkansas.  Again, not a huge surprise since it is very difficult to win at Arkansas.  They came up just short 75-73, but I still think they have a case for (and a path to) a #1 seed, and that Arkansas now has a case for and a path to a protected seed.

-Texas Tech, who had been playing really well in recent weeks, fell at TCU 69-66.  Again, this wasn’t overly jaw dropping.  Texas Tech hadn’t been as good on the road as at home, and TCU is a good team (obviously) who needed a big win.

-Duke won at Syracuse rather easily.  It was 97-72.  This was an anomaly yesterday.  A top ten team that actually won!

In other news..

-Providence blasted Creighton to lock up a first place finish in the Big East.  The Friars deserve a protected seed unless they totally tank out this last week and in the conference tournament.

-USC picked up a nice road win against an Oregon team that could have really used a nice win.  I don’t think the Ducks will miss the field, but their resume is a little bit hollow.  As for USC, they gave their resume a huge boost after winning the 70-69 thriller.

-Murray State trailed at SEMO for much of the game, and appeared to be beaten, but had a late flury to secure the 70-68 win and a perfect regular season record in the Ohio Valley.  They should be a lock for the NCAA Tournament regardless of what happens next week in the OVC Tournament.

-Iowa State and Kansas State squared off in a game that both teams really needed, Iowa State needed to pad their Big 12 record, and Kansas State needed to pad their overall record.  The Cyclones picked up the 74-73 win on the road, and their overall resume is looking better and better despite them being just 7-9 in league play.  In fact I don’t think that matters.  The Cyclones should be safely in.

-Dayton appeared to have played their way onto the bubble.  They went into La Salle yesterday.  They did not beat La Salle.  Dayton is now back outside the bubble.  The final score was 62-60, and Dayton had the ball with less than 10 seconds to go.  After that, I don’t know what happened, because the video stream went dark.

-Miami FL, who appeared to be climbing the seedlist, had a setback after losing at home to Virginia Tech 71-70.  I don’t think this win gets the Hokies inside the bubble, but it certainly gets them closer than they were before.

-Seton Hall got a big road win at Xavier.  They basically blew them off the court 82-66, which helps shine up their resume.  Xavier is now in a complete tailspin having lost six of their last seven.

-Virginia appeared to be inching toward the bubble, but suffered a crippling loss to Florida State 64-63.  Florida State actually hit a last second mostly desperate heave at the buzzer to pick up the win.

-Northern Iowa and Loyola Chicago went into overtime in a season finale where the winner would clinch first place in the Missouri Valley.  Northern Iowa, who we were big on coming into the season but who also struggled OOC, got the 102-96 win.  This actually knocks Loyola Chicago down to 4th place in the conference, and while that shouldn’t matter too much to the committee…I can’t help but think that it certainly doesn’t help.

HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:

-UCONN AT GEORGETOWN (Big East).  UConn is in the hunt for a protected seed, and this should be an easy road game for them because Georgetown is most likely just counting down the days until the season mercifully ends.

-SMU AT HOUSTON (American).  We have SMU outside the bubble.  If they want in, they need this win.  It’s not easy, but that’s just it.  They need to win a game that’s not easy to win in order to get there.

-ILLINOIS AT MICHIGAN (Big Ten).  Illinois is trying to lock up a protected seed and Michigan is just trying to make it into the field.  Both teams have something at stake, but the stakes are certainly different given the places that they’re both in.

-IONA AT RIDER (Metro Atlantic).  Iona will be seriously considered for a bid, but they basically need to win out.

-WICHITA STATE AT MEMPHIS (American).  Memphis is hovering around the bubble after picking up a few big wins.  They need to keep holding serve and can’t afford to drop this one at home.

-OHIO STATE AT MARYLAND (Big Ten).  Ohio State is really starting to climb the seedlist after picking up some big wins last week.  It’s never easy to win on the road, but this is one that they should be able to get.

-INDIANA AT MINNESOTA (Big Ten).  Indiana needs some road wins to polish up the overall look of their resume, and this is a winnable road game.  if they win, I think they can breathe a lot easier.  If they lose they’re not out, but a win really does help even though it’s not against a top level team.

UNDER THE RADAR:

-PRINCETON AT HARVARD (Ivy League).  Princeton is trying to lock up first place.  Harvard is trying to make the Ivy Tournament

-Bryant knocked off Wagner in a season finale thriller 78-70.  This means that Bryant will have home court advantage in the Northeast Conference Tournament, which begins tomorrow!!

-South Dakota State wrapped up a perfect season in the Summit League with their 86-75 win over Kansas City.

-New Mexico State lost at Chicago State.  I can barely process that information.  I know that seven top ten teams lost today, but I think this may actually be more surprising than all seven of those losses combined.  The Aggies were missing two of their top players for this game, but that still is not an excuse.

-North Texas knocked off Louisiana Tech to wrap up first place in Conference USA.  This is a team that deserves to be inside the bubble.  On the court, they’re good enough, and on paper, they’re good enough!!  ARE YOU LISTENING SELECTION COMMITTEE??

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News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Saturday, Feb 26th

Posted on February 26, 2022 by David Griggs

-PURDUE AT MICHIGAN STATE (Big Ten).  Purdue is within reach of a #1 seed, and Michigan State is in a tailspin and may be falling into the bottom half of the bracket.  This is a chance for the Spartans to turn things around.

-FLORIDA AT GEORGIA (SEC).  Florida is right around the bubble, and they better not lose to an awful Georgia team.

-BUTLER AT MARQUETTE (Big East).  Marquette has a strong profile with a lot of high caliber wins.  They should be able to hold serve in this one today.

-KENTUCKY AT ARKANSAS (SEC).  This is a huge game between a Kentucky team that is knocking on the door of a #1 seed, and an Arkansas team that is climbing the seedlist and has some massive wins at home.  Arkansas actually has a path to a protected seed, but it would involve winning a few more big games like the one they’re going to play today.

-TEXAS AT WEST VIRGINIA (Big 12).  The wheels have come off at West Virginia.  Road wins look good on resumes, and this is a winnable road game for the Longhorns.

-NORTH CAROLINA AT NC STATE (ACC).  North Carolina looks to be outside our bubble, but they are still on the board.  They need a strong finish, and that includes being able to win this one on the road.

-IOWA STATE AT KANSAS STATE (Big 12).  I know K State’s overall record is 14-13, but half of those losses have come to teams that are likely to be seeded on the #5 line or higher, and they have some good wins.  Despite their record, I believe they still deserve some SERIOUS consideration for a bid.  Now, having said that, this is the kind of game they need to be able to win.  Iowa State is good, but they’re not 5-seed-or-better good, and K State is at home.

-DAYTON AT LA SALLE (Atlantic Ten).  Dayton hasn’t been on many radars this year, but I believe they are close to making it inside the bubble.  They were our first team out last night, and don’t be surprised if they get a serious look by the committee, and even end up getting selected if they finish strong.

-FORDHAM AT DAVIDSON (Atlantic Ten).  We have Davidson rather safely inside the bubble, but they aren’t a lock.  They need to hold serve in order to stay there, which they should be good enough to do.

-VIRGINIA TECH AT MIAMI FL (ACC).  If VA Tech wants any real chance at all of making the field, they need to thunder down the stretch and beat some good teams in the ACC Tournament.  I like this Miami FL team and think they’ll be fine so long as they hold serve, which means winning at home in a game like this.

-SETON HALL AT XAVIER (Big East).  Neither team NEEDS this, but both could REALLY use it.  Xavier has lost five out of six (including a close one at Seton Hall), and while none of the losses are horrible, the overall accumulation is starting to drag them down.  Seton Hall has won two straight, but it was against DePaul and Butler.  A win in this one would give their resume a nudge upward.

-AUBURN AT TENNESSEE (SEC).  Both were projected as protected seeds last week, and Auburn is on pace to get a #1 seed.  A win today would really solidify that they deserve it, but a loss wouldn’t knock them out of it.  It would obviously be a resume boost for Tennessee as well.

-UCLA AT OREGON STATE (Pac 12).  UCLA slipped up at Oregon the other night, but that wasn’t that damaging of a loss.  Losing this one certainly would be, though.

-LOUISIANA TECH AT NORTH TEXAS (Conference USA).  I think North Texas is squarely on the bubble and is a team the committee should definitely look at, and so long as they hold serve the rest of the way, they should select them if they trip up in the CUSA Tournament.  LA Tech is pretty good as well, but North Texas should be able to beat them at home.

-FLORIDA STATE AT VIRGINIA (ACC).  Virginia is not on the bubble, but they are perhaps on the bubble for being on the bubble.  They need a very strong finish to the season.

-VCU AT UMASS (Atlantic Ten).  If VCU wins out and avoids an early exit in the Atlantic Ten Tournament they should get a serious look.

-MURRAY STATE AT SEMO (Ohio Valley).  I believe Murray State is already a lock (or at least they should be).  If they win this one, they will almost definitely be.

-SAN FRANCISCO AT SAN DIEGO (West Coast).  San Francisco must hold serve in games like this if they want to land on the good side of the bubble.

-GEORGIA TECH AT NOTRE DAME (ACC).  Notre Dame needs to be in holding-serve mode in this one.  They are inside the bubble (we think), but their resume is flimsy and it wouldn’t take much to knock them onto the wrong side of it.

-DUKE AT SYRACUSE (ACC).  Duke appears to be on a path to a protected seed.  Syracuse had been playing better, but is still unlikely not within reach of an at-large bid.  But, this is a showcase game for them, so Duke certainly won’t want to overlook them.

-TEXAS TECH AT TCU (Big 12).  Texas Tech’s profile is amazing, and adding another road win to it against what looks to be a very solid TCU team would make it even more amazing.  I believe TCU is rather safely inside the bubble, but a win today would certainly give them an upward nudge.

-WISCONSIN AT RUTGERS (Big Ten).  Wisconsin is a likely protected seed, and Rutgers is likely good enough to be selected, but it’s kind of hard to read them.  Their good is very good, but their bad is worse than the bad of most tournament teams.  They’re also a bit of a home court hero.  Fortunately for them, they’re at home today.

-SOUTH CAROLINA AT ALABAMA (SEC).  South Carolina has been playing noticeably better, but still appears to be a mile from making the field and winning at Alabama is a huge ask.  The Tide have been very strong at home this year.

-LOYOLA CHICAGO AT NORTHERN IOWA (Missouri Valley).  I think this is one that Loyola Chicago needs.  I wouldn’t call them a lock even if they win it, and I wouldn’t say they’re completely out even if they lose it, but it VERY MUCH help them if they win this game.  Northern Iowa has been playing well, and won’t be easy to beat at home.  In fact a win for UNI jumps them over Loyola Chicago in the standings, so…it’s a huge game.

-LOUISVILLE AT WAKE FOREST (ACC).  Wake appears to be hovering around the bubble and needs to hold serve in this one.

-ARIZONA AT COLORADO (Pac 12).  Arizona seems to be getting closer and closer to locking up a #1 seed.  It’s never easy to win on the road at Colorado, but it is the kind of game you’d expect a #1 seed to be able to win.

-KANSAS AT BAYLOR (Big 12).  Kansas was given a #1 seed by the committee a week ago.  To me, the ONLY thing missing from their resume that would lock them into a #1 seed is a true road win against another top four seed.  Well, they can check that box today.  It won’t be easy.  Baylor is also Final Four good, and isn’t in the habit of losing at home.

-PEPPERDINE AT BYU (West Coast).  This is a virtual buy game for BYU.

-NEVADA AT WYOMING (Mountain West).  Wyoming should lock up a tournament bid if they can hold serve the rest of the season, which means winning games like this one.

-CREIGHTON AT PROVIDENCE (Big East).  Providence is on the brink of wrapping up a first place Big East finish, which should all but assure them a protected seed.  I think Creighton is safely in the field, but not everyone is as big of a fan of theirs as I am.  Well, if they could somehow win this game, they’ll be in great shape.

-MISSOURI AT LSU (SEC).  it’s hold-serve-mode time for LSU.

-GONZAGA AT SAINT MARY’S (West Coast).  This is probably the toughest test Gonzaga will face in conference.  That being said, it’s still a test that we are fully expecting them to pass.  If the Zags win this one, I think they should lock up a #1 seed regardless of what happens in the conference tournament.  Winning the conference tournament would merely be repeating what they’ve already accomplished, and losing a game in the conference tournament should not erase what they’ve already accomplished, which is running the table in regular season league play.

-USC AT OREGON (Pac 12).  USC barely escaped the other night, but appears to be safely inside the bubble and will likely go in on the first ballot.  Oregon won a big one against UCLA the other night, and as a team that’s right on the bubble, they could really use this one as well.

-BOISE STATE AT UNLV (Mountain West).  I really like this Boise State team.  I think they have a good resume.  I think they have a team that’s even better than their resume indicates.  I think they belong in the top half of the bracket.  Now, all that being said, although UNLV is nowhere near the field, they have been very tough for a lot of good teams to beat at home.

-COLORADO STATE AT UTAH STATE (Mountain West).  This won’t be the easiest of road games for Colorado State, but they’re good enough to win it, and even if they don’t I still think they’re in good shape.

UNDER THE RADAR WATCH.  CLICK HERE to view the SURVIVAL BOARD

-WAGNER AT BRYANT (Northeast Conference).  The winner gets the #1 seed and home court advantage for the Tournament.

-AMERICA EAST – Vermont has clinched home court.  Maine has been eliminated

-NORTH ALABAMA AT JACKSONVILLE STATE (ASun).  Jax State clinches top seed with a win.  Liberty and Jacksonville are both a game back in the other division

-BIG SKY – Montana State clinches at least a share of first place if they win at Montana tomorrow

-LONGWOOD AT CAMPBELL (Big South).  Longwood clinches first place outright with a win. Winthrop Is just a game behind, but they don’t own the tiebreaker

LONG BEACH STATE AT UC IRVINE (Big West).  UC Irvine is red hot all of a sudden, but is still a game behind Long Beach, who has won 12 of 13.  Just one game separates the two at the top of the standings with just three games to go, so this is pivotal

-UNC WILMINGTON AT DELAWARE (Colonial Athletic).  UNCW Clinches first place with a win.  Towson is just a half game behind them and can jump over them if they win at James Madison and UNCW loses today

-CONFERENCE USA – mentioned above.  North Texas is on pace to finish first, and should be seriously considered for a bid if they don’t win the conference tournament.

-CLEVELAND STATE AT OAKLAND (Horizon League).  This is Cleveland State’s fifth straight road game, which is a rough way to end the year, but if they win it they clinch first place.

-IVY LEAGUE.  Princeton and Yale are deadlocked.  Princeton faces Harvard today and Yale plays at Cornell.  The other thing to watch is that Cornell, Harvard, Brown, and Dartmouth are all separated by just one game for the 4th place spot, and with just two to play all those games are huge in regards to making the conference tournament

-MAAC – Iona is mentioned above.  They have clinched first place

-MEAC – Norfolk State and NC Central are separated by just one game with just three to go.

-MAC – this league is very exciting all of a sudden.  Toledo, Ohio U, Kent State, and Buffalo are all within a game of each other at the top of the standings, Akron is starting to play some good ball as well.  Any of those teams would be dangerous in the Round of 64, and we should be set up for an exciting end to the season and a great conference tournament.

-MISSOURI VALLEY – As mentioned above, the game between Loyola Chicago and Northern Iowa will determine the first place finisher

-OHIO VALLEY – Murray State has clinched.  SIUE and UT Martin are tied for 8th place, and Eastern Illinois is one game behind them.  Only 8 teams make the conference tournament, so we will see two of them get eliminated today.

-PATRIOT LEAGUE – Colgate has clinched first place and home court

-SOCON – After two straight losses, Chattanooga finally got the win they needed to clinch first place this past Wednesday

-SOUTHLAND – Nicholls and New Orleans are deadlocked at the top of the standings with just three games to go.  They will face each other in the season finale.

-SUN BELT – Texas State has clinched first place after their win at Troy last night, and the bracket is set.  CLICK HERE to see it

-SWAC – Texas Southern, Alcorn State, and Southern are all tied atop the standings in the loss column with three or four games to go (depending on the team)

-SUMMIT LEAGUE – South Dakota State has clinched first place, and will complete a perfect regular season if they win at Kansas City today.  North Dakota has been eliminated,

-NEW MEXICO STATE AT CHICAGO STATE (WAC).  A win gives New Mexico State at least a share of first place

Posted in Daily Rundown, News and Notes | Comments Off on News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Saturday, Feb 26th

Happy Anniversary!: HoopsHD interviews Frank Layden about John “Taps” Gallagher

Posted on February 25, 2022 by Jon Teitel

Cinderellas may not become CINDERELLAS until March but there are still lot of legendary upsets that have taken place during the regular season. In February of 1961 Coach John “Taps” Gallagher brought his Niagara team 90 miles south to face a St. Bonaventure squad that was ranked 2nd in the nation and featured a near-30 PPG scorer in Tom Stith and a double-double machine in Fred Crawford. The Bonnies had won 99 straight games at home (the 2nd-longest such streak in NCAA history), while the Purple Eagles were coming off of a 20-PT loss the previous weekend to St. John’s at Madison Square Garden. Somehow, someway, Niagara shocked the world with a 10-PT upset, and the rest as they say is history. Coach Gallagher passed away in 1982 but HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Gallagher’s former player/assistant Frank Layden about his boss as well as an amazing 6-OT game. Today marks the 61st anniversary of that unbelievable upset on February 25, 1961, so we take this time to remember that remarkable feat.

Gallagher got the nickname “Taps” in the 1920s when getting the center tap after each basket was vital: who gave him the nickname, and how did he like it? I do not know who gave it to him but I think that he liked it. He was the guy who did the jumping.

He played 3 sports at St. John’s: which sport was he best at, and which 1 did he enjoy the most? I think he enjoyed all sports but he was like me in that he enjoyed baseball the most: we would always chat about the Dodgers. He was an innovator: he was 1 of the 1st people to scout opponents, which he did at great sacrifice to himself. We would practice in the morning and then he would drive off to scout someone in the afternoon. I believe that he belongs in the Hall of Fame because he created winners.

He spent 3 years in the Navy during WWII: what impact did the war have on him either on or off the court? He was a teacher of men as a commander in the Navy. He met a lot of great coaches while he was in the service. A lot of teams put on exhibitions so he met coaches like Johnny Wooden, who used to always ask me how Taps was doing.

In February of 1953 as coach at Niagara he had a 7-PT 6-OT win over Siena despite the scoreboard timer breaking down: where does that game (the 2nd-longest in NCAA history) rank among the most exciting of his career? It was a great win and an important win. I actually played in that game: we had lost to St. John’s in the Garden and were worried that it might cost us a spot in the NIT. We got a lot of publicity about it and it was an exciting-yet-draining win. That is when he was at his best in terms of resting players and using his substitutes well.

What are your memories of the 1954 NIT (Bo Erias scored a team-high 20 PTS in a 3-PT win over Dayton)? I was there but cannot tell you a lot about it. We had a good run and had a little rivalry with Dayton.

In the 1955 NIT he had a a 2-PT loss to Cincinnati: how close did he come to beating the Bearcats? They had Jack Twyman, who was a great player: I got to know him later on after he became a pro. For a little school we played quite an impressive schedule and upset a few big-time teams. Taps never overreacted to any specific win/loss: he respected all of our opponents and would keep his focus by moving on to the next game at hand. I got to work for him and saw that he never got down on anyone or held a grudge. He was called a “gentleman coach” for a reason: he coached for 35 years on the biggest stages in the country and never got a technical foul! He had a very even temperament.

What are your memories of the 1956 NIT (a 2-PT loss to St. Francis NY)? I saw it but it was after I had graduated and was in the Army. I drove in for the game: it was a tough loss. That St. Francis team was a very good team and Niagara had graduated several great players. The 2 coaches (Taps/Daniel Lynch) were friends from their childhood days in Brooklyn.

In February of 1961 his team had a 10-PT upset of 2nd-ranked St. Bonaventure to snap their 99-game home winning streak (the 2nd-longest in NCAA history): where does that rank among the greatest upsets in school history? St. Bonaventure coach Eddie Donovan brought a peace pipe with him to that very historic game. I think that it was probably the greatest win in school history.

When people look back on his career, how do you want him to be remembered the most? He was a great credit to the institution. When you talk about the great coaches of that era like Adolph Rupp/Joe Lapchick…I would say that Taps has to be there as well. Nowadays coaches change jobs all of the time because of money but Taps loved the school and loved what he was doing. He was a classy man: the luckiest thing that ever happened to me after marrying my wife was the chance to play for Taps. He was a great teacher and a very moral man who was admired by many people. They named the gym after him, which was a very deserving honor. He was a good player and a better coach. When I see some of the characters in the Hall of Fame, I think that he belongs because he had such a great impact on the lives of so many people. If his accomplishments had occurred at a bigger school then I think he would have already been inducted.

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News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Friday, Feb 25

Posted on February 25, 2022 by David Griggs

-For the latest HOOPS HD BRACKET RUNDOWN Video Podcast – CLICK HERE

-For the HOOPS HD SURVIVAL BOARD, which was updated last night – CLICK HERE

-For the CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT TAB – CLICK HERE

-Belmnot’s chances of playing their way inside the bubble got blown off the court last night.  Murray State doesn’t always play at a high level because, quite frankly, they don’t have to in order to beat a lot of the teams in their conference.  When they do play at a high level, they really do look like a top 25 team, and that’s what they looked like last night as they blew Belmont away by a score of…you know what??…I don’t even know what the final score was.  I turned it over.

-Oregon is straddling the bubble, and they got a big win last night against UCLA 68-63.  It was a home win, but it still gave them a much needed upward nudge.

-Ohio State picked up what is easily their biggest win of the year as they won at Illinois 86-83.  They were pretty much in control for the entire game, but after Brad Underwood had been tossed for presumably continuing to act like Yosemite Sam after being asked repeatedly to stop, the Illini actually went on a run, got back into it, and in the final minute of the game had a chance to win it.  But, the Buckeyes held on, and this is a win that REALLY helps their resume.

-USC really had to sweat out Oregon State, which is not a good thing to have to do, but held on for the overtime 94-91 win.

-In Under the Radar news, Wagner had a chance to clinch at least a share of first place in the Northeast Conference last night.  All they had to do was beat Fairleigh Dickinson, who came into the game at 3-20 on the year.  They failed to do so.  They lost an overtime thriller 88-86, and the results sets up a season finale with Bryant where the winner clinches home court advantage throughout the conference tournament.

-HARVARD AT PRINCETON (Ivy League).  Harvard is fighting for a spot in the conference tournament and Princeton is fighting for the top seed.

-CANISIUS AT IONA (Metro Atlantic).  It’s my feeling that Iona will have to win the MAAC Tournament to make the NCAA Tournament.  But I do think they are on the board, and as shocking as this is, I’m not actually on the committee, so I could be wrong.  Either way, they need to win tonight, though.

-IOWA AT NEBRASKA (Big Ten).  Road wins make resumes look better.  This is a winnable road game for Iowa.  In fact saying it’s a winnable road game may be an understatement.

-SAN JOSE STATE AT SAN DIEGO STATE (Mountain West).  It’s a conference game that is virtually a buy game.  San Diego State is hovering around the bubble and can’t afford to lose a virtual buy game at home.

Posted in Daily Rundown, News and Notes | Comments Off on News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Friday, Feb 25

Philling it up: HoopsHD interviews McDonald’s All-American Julian Phillips

Posted on February 25, 2022 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for the latest HOOPS HD BRACKET RUNDOWN Video Podcast, where we build a seedlist on the air

If you want to win an NCAA title you usually need a good coach, a great resume…and a McDonald’s All-American. Only 3 championship teams since 1979 have not featured such a player (2002 Maryland/2014 UConn/2021 Baylor). The McDonald’s All-American Game has been canceled during each of the past 2 years due to COVID but hopefully the 3rd time is indeed the charm to see everyone back on the court in Chicago on March 29th. The rosters were announced on January 25th after selecting the 24 best high school basketball players in the nation from a list of almost 800 nominees. If you do not think these guys can make an immediate impact this fall just ask Coach Bruce Pearl how he likes having 2021 honoree Jabari Smith at Auburn! Duke seems to be the big winner so far as Coach Jon Scheyer will inherit a trio of 2022 honorees to join him in Durham next season. Earlier this week HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Julian Phillips about being named a McDonald’s All-American and getting faster/stronger.

You come from a military family: what impact did that have on you either on or off the court? Both of my parents were in the military and definitely taught me a lot of discipline. I stay humble both on and off the court.

You started your high school career at Blythewood High School where you were a 3-time all-state selection: how did you like playing with former teammate Tre Jackson, and how do you think his Iowa State team will do in the NCAA tourney next month? I had a great time playing with Tre and learned a lot from him. He is a great player and a better teammate so I think the Cyclones can go far and do great things.

Why did you decide to transfer to Link Academy last year, and how is it working out so far? I wanted a better opportunity to further my career: player development, a national schedule, etc. It has been great for me and is working out in my favor.

You have gained almost 35 pounds since your freshman year but can still put up a good time in the 40-yard dash: how have you been able to maintain your speed while also gaining so much muscle? I was like 145 pounds as a freshman but am now around 190! We do a lot of running in practice, which helps our conditioning.

What has been the hardest part of being a high school basketball player during a pandemic? Just not knowing if things will go wrong, like losing a teammate to COVID for a couple of weeks. You cannot take any opportunities for granted and just have to stay in the moment.

You received offers from several great schools including Florida State/Tennessee/USC but signed with LSU last November: what was the biggest factor in your decision? I just wanted to be somewhere where I was comfortable with the coaching staff and could fit into the system. I built a great relationship with the Tigers and love their facilities/campus.

Last month you were named a McDonald’s All-American: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It meant the world to me and is 1 of the highest honors you can get as a high school player. It was really special to see my family so proud of me.

Your teammate Jordan Walsh was also named a McDonald’s All-American: did you think that your team had enough talent to go undefeated this year (you started 26-0 before a 9-PT loss to Sunrise Christian Academy a couple of weeks ago), and how will it feel to face him in the SEC next year when he is at Arkansas? We definitely had enough talent to go undefeated and were rolling for a while but will keep our heads high even after the loss. It will be even more fun to play against him next year on the college stage.

You are 6’8”: what position do you play now, and what position will you feel most comfortable at in college? I play the wing now and feel comfortable shooting and making plays off the dribble. I would feel great to keep playing the wing in college.

You stated that you would like to have a nice long pro basketball career: what would it mean to you to get drafted by an NBA team? It would mean a lot. I have been dreaming about it since age 5 and have worked hard at it my whole life. I will stay level but would love to support my family.

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Bracket Rundown – Feb 24, 2022

Posted on February 24, 2022 by David Griggs

The seedlist reflects all games that were completed before 10pm est on Thursday, February 24th.  None of the games that went final after, particularly the Gonzaga vs San Francisco, Murray State vs Belmont, Ohio State vs Illinois, and Oregon vs UCLA, were considered.

The panel builds a seedlist line by line, and assess, discusses, and debates each team as they get brought up.  Find out who the #1 seeds are, who the other protected seeds are, who is safely inside the bubble, who just made the field, who is on the bubble, and who is on the outside looking in.

The bracket below was put together using the seedlist we built, but don’t look at it until you’ve watched the show!!

The bracket below was put together using the seedlist we built, but don’t look at it until you’ve watched the show!!

Posted in Bracketology, Podcasts, Videocasts | Tagged , | 2 Comments