Big West Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on November 6, 2021 by David Griggs

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MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. UC Santa Barbara
  2. UC Irvine
  3. UC Riverside
  4. UC Davis
  5. Hawaii
  6. Cal State Bakersfield
  7. Cal State Fullerton
  8. Long Beach State
  9. Cal Poly
  10. Cal State Northridge

 

MEDIA DAY COACHES PRESEASON ALL CONFERENCE 1ST TEAM:

-Tray Maddox Jr – SR, G – Cal State Fullerton
-Ezra Manjon – SO, G – UC Davis
-Miles Norris – SR, F – UC Santa Barbara
-Zyon Pullin – SO, G – UC Riverside
-Amadou Sow – SR, F – UC Santa Barbara
-Collin Welp – SR, F – UC Irvine

MEDIA DAY MEDIA PRESEASON ALL CONFERENCE 2ND TEAM:

-Darius Brown – SR, G – Cal State Northridge
-Tray Maddox Jr – SR, G – Cal State Fullerton
-Ezra Manjon – SO, G – UC Davis
-Elijah Pepper – SO, G – UC Davis
-Amadou Sow – SR, F – UC Santa Barbara
-Collin Welp – SR, F – UC Irvine

 

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-A lot of schools and conferences struggled with COVID last year, but some struggled more than others, and the Big West collectively seemed to struggle more than most.

-UC Santa Barbara has some pieces to replace.  They won the league last year and earned a #12 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and I think they fell into the category that a lot of Under the Radar teams fall into, and that’s being much better than their season’s profile indicated.  I bet Creighton, who BARELY beat them in the Round of 64 before advancing to the Sweet Sixteen, would completely agree.  The Gauchos, on the court, were a legit top-30ish caliber team last year.  With just two starters back they may digress a little bit, but they do have some guys that came off the bench last year who can step up, and given Joe Pasternack’s track record as a coach, I would never underestimate the Gauchos.

-The Eaters of UC Irvine will not be far behind the Gauchos, and it wouldn’t shock me at all to see them finish atop the league.  Three key starters are back, Russell Turner is a proven coach (which may be the understatement of the year), and with guys who came off the bench last year stepping into bigger roles this year this team will once again be a force in this league.

-UC Riverside is an incredible story.  For a time it looked like they were going to shut down athletics entirely as an institution, so the huge improvements in basketball could not have come at a more crucial period.  Like every one else they battled COVID last season, but with three key starters back from a team that finished in 3rd place all signs point to them being high in the standings again.

-UC Davis had a really hard time getting on the court last year (as did a lot of teams in this league), but they had an impressive run in the latter part of the season, and with three key starters back, including two who averaged double digits, there is reason for optimism this year.

-Hawaii had a rough time getting on the court last year as well, especially in the non-conference portion of the season.  They are in somewhat of a reset mode with just two starters back, but they add a couple of key transfers and it will be interesting to see what they can do now that practices and games appear to be at a more normal pace.

-Cal State Bakersfield returns three starters from a team that finished in the middle of the pack last year, and seem to have the feel of a team that will finish in the middle of the pack again this year.

-Cal State Fullerton had a rough season last year, and finished with just five wins.  Four starters are back and that experience should help them this year.  Being able to play a normal year should also help them.

-After a rough season last year, Long Beach State is in reset mode.  Just one starter is back, so their roster has been overhauled somewhat.  Coach Dan Monson has had success with this program, but hasn’t quite broken through to where The Beach is a consistent Big West frontrunner and top-ten UTR program.  They could be in for another long season this year.

-Cal State Northridge had a rough year last year, and had some off the court issues over the summer on top of that.  That could add up to another rough year this year.

-Cal Poly could also be in for a long haul.  They’ve won fewer than ten games for the last four years and could be in for another rough ride this year.

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WAC Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on November 6, 2021 by David Griggs

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MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. New Mexico State
  2. Stephen F. Austin
  3. Grand Canyon
  4. Abilene Christian
  5. Utah Valley
  6. Cal Baptist
  7. Sam Houston
  8. Seattle U
  9. Tarleton
  10. Lamar
  11. UTRGV
  12. Dixie State
  13. Chicago State

 

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL CONFERENCE 1ST TEAM:

-Fardaws Aimaq – SO, C – Utah Valley
-Jovan Blacksher Jr. – JR, G Grand Canyon
-Montre’ Gipson – SR, G – Stephen F. Austin
-Demarkus Lampley – SR, G – Sam Houston
-Jabari Rice – JR, G – New Mexico State
-Ty Rowell – JR, G – CA Baptist
-Darrion Trammell – SO, G – Seattle U

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL CONFERENCE 2ND TEAM:

-Teddy Allen – JR, G – New Mexico State
-Johnny McCants – SR, F – New Mexico State
-Coryon Mason – SR, G – Abilene Christian
-Reggie Miller – SR, G – Abilene Christian
-Reed Nottage – SO, G – Cal Baptist
-Roti Ware – SO, G – Stephen F. Austin
-Trey Woodbury – JR, G – Utah Valley
-Hollands Woods II – SR, G – Grand Canyon

 

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-New Mexico State could not catch a break last year.  It was seemingly one pause after another and they even ended up not being able to play in their home state for a while.  This year, with everything being (mostly) back to normal in regards to practice and play, I expect the Aggies to be at the top of the league once again.  They are immensely talented and have an exciting mix of returning experience players and key transfers.  New Mexico State is always one of the top UTR programs that we think can make noise in the NCAA Tournament and this year doesn’t appear to be any different.  It also looks as though this will be the curtain call for New Mexico State in the WAC, as they plan to become full members of Conference USA.

-Stephen F. Austin comes over from the Southland where they were a regular frontrunner, and should raise the quality of basketball in this conference (for a little while at least). Four starters are back from last year’s team, and expectations are high.  This is a program that routinely racks up a lot of wins and I expect that to continue this season.  They should also get some help from some key transfers.

-Grand Canyon won the league last year and went to the NCAA Tournament for the first time but they are in rebuilding mode this year.  Just one starter is back, and while the long term health of the program is still very strong a lot of players will need to step into new roles this season.

-Abilene Christian also went to the NCAA Tournament last year!  They won the automatic bid from the Southland and proceeded to knock off Texas in the Round of 64.  This is a program that has come very far very fast since making the jump to D1, and while I don’t think they’ll be quite as good as they were a year ago three starters are back and I think they could definitely be in the mix.  Brette Tanner takes over as head coach: he does have his work cut out for him but he also has some pieces to work with.

-Utah Valley has a good core of players returning, including a couple of guys who can really score in Fardaws Aimaq and Trey Woodbury.  They could be a bit of a dark horse in this league this season

-Cal Baptist finished in the middle of the pack last year, and appears to be heading back to that spot this year.  They do look to be facing a bit of a roster overhaul, but should still be fine.

-Sam Houston is also a WAC newcomer after being a consistent Southland frontrunner.  Four starters are back, and I’m a little surprised there wasn’t a little more love for the Bearkats.  This could be their only season in the WAC, as they will be leaving for CUSA along with New Mexico State very soon.  As for this year, they have quite a bit of experience to rely on and I think they’ll finish in the top half of the league, and maybe make even more noise than that.

-All five starters are back for Seattle. Like a lot of teams it was tough to get into a flow last year but there is reason to be optimistic this year.  They have two guys who can really score/shoot from the outside in Darrion Trammell and Riley Grigsby.  If they can step it up defensively then they could be dangerous because the offensive weapons are definitely there.

-Last year was a real struggle for Lamar, and that will likely be the case again this year as well.  Three starters are back, but with just a ten win season a year ago I can foresee them once again having trouble keeping up with the top half of the league.

-It was difficult for UTRGV to even play their season last year after their head coach Lew Hill passed away during the season.  Matt Figger, who had a good run at Austin Peay, now takes over and he’s got some rebuilding to do with only two regular starters back.

-Tarleton State and Dixie State continue their transition process to D1, and like nearly all transition teams they could be in for a bit of a rough ride.

-Last, and least…Chicago State.  They are in their last season in the WAC, which is probably a good thing so long as they can find a new home.  They continue to be among the worst programs in all of D1 and I’m not expecting a whole lot of improvement this year.  They have been completely overhauled, though, with a new coach and just three returning players, so we will see if this translates into a fresh new start for them.

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Summit League Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on November 6, 2021 by David Griggs

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MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

I just want to start with this!!  THIS IS AN AMAZING GRAPHIC!!!  FOUR STARS!!!  A PACMAN STYLE GRAPHIC WINS!!!!  Motion to offer the Summit League TWO auto-bids this year simply because of how awesome their Media Day graphics are!!!

 

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL CONFERENCE 1ST TEAM:

-Max Abmas – JR, G – Oral Roberts
-Josiah Allick – JR, F – Kansas City
-Sam Griesel – SR, G – North Dakota State
-Rocky Kreuser – SR, F – North Dakota State
-Baylor Scheierman – JR, G – South Dakota State
-Douglas Wilson – SR, F – South Dakota State

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL CONFERENCE 2ND TEAM:

-Will Carius – SR, F – Western Illinois
-Tyree Eady – SR, G – North Dakota State
-Noah Freidel – JR, G – South Dakota State
-Xavier Fuller – SR, F – South Dakota
-Tasos Kamateros – JR, F – South Dakota

 

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-I love this league.  I think it deserves far more national exposure than what it gets, but nevertheless if you have the premium cable or satellite package that you need to watch this league: it is well worth it!!

-South Dakota State was last year’s first place team and all five starters are back.  It seems like we say this every year about the Jackrabbits but I think they’re good enough to play their way onto the bubble this year.  Douglas Wilson is a forward who can really score and he’s got a very good supporting cast around him.

-North Dakota State also has all five starters back with high expectations.  They did hit a skid at the beginning of February last year, but other than that they were really strong and if they can consistently play up to their level they’ll be right in the mix for first place.

-Oral Roberts was a national feel-good story last year.  I’ll admit I was surprised when they won the Summit League Tournament.  I just didn’t expect it to happen and hadn’t seen them kick it into that high of a gear.  I was astounded when they beat Ohio State in the Round of 64, then knocked off Florida to make the Sweet Sixteen, and then had a shot in the final seconds at knocking off Arkansas to make the Elite Eight.  On February 27th, this team was below .500.  Anyone proclaiming them to be one possession away from the Elite Eight would have been sent to a home somewhere.  Four starters are back from that team, including some outstanding outside shooters, and while they did lose a key player to the transfer portal in Kevin Obanor, there is enough here to once again expect big things out of ORU.

-The Yotes!!  South Dakota returns three starters from an impressive team a year ago that finished 2nd in the league.  They did lose some key players, but with the experience they have coming back, along with a key juco transfer, they could end up making some noise this year.

-Western Illinois is a team that we are used to seeing at the bottom of the league.  They have a history of wreaking havoc in the conference tournament but rarely finish in the top half of the standings.  With all five starters back from last year, and seeing as how they won six straight games down the stretch before heading into their final series with Oral Roberts, the expectations have been raised a little bit for the Leathernecks.

-Kansas City isn’t getting a ton of love in the preseason…and I guess I can kind of see why, but I do think you’ll see a lot of improvement out of the Roos this year.  They return a couple of key players and went into the transfer portal to pick up some nice additions.

-North Dakota returns three starters from a team that finished in the middle of the pack a year ago, and I think that’s about where they’ll end up this year.  They are by no means a doormat but I don’t see them competing for the top spot either.

-Omaha is coming off of a rough season where they won just five total games and finished 8th in the conference.  It could be another rough ride this year.

-Denver won just two games a year ago, and expectations aren’t all that high for them this year.  They do welcome in a new coach in Jeff Wulbrun, who definitely has his work cut out for him.

-Saint Thomas begins their transition up to D1 this year.  They’re coming all the way up from D3, and while they were a very successful program at that level, the teams in this conference are not low level D1 teams.  It could be a rough transition.  I do think the Tommies have the potential to be successful in the future, but they will likely take their lumps for a year or two as they begin the transition.

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SWAC Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on November 5, 2021 by David Griggs

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MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Texas Southern
  2. Prairie View A&M
  3. Jackson State
  4. Grambling
  5. Southern
  6. Florida A&M
  7. Alcorn State
  8. Alabama State
  9. Alabama A&M
  10. Bethune Cookman
  11. Arkansas Pine Bluff
  12. Mississippi Valley State

 

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-This is a league that always seems to struggle to get inside the First Four, and almost never seems to get above the #16 line.  When it comes to OOC games, home games are a rarity.  The majority of the league is on the receiving end of buy games, which means getting any sort of wins to collectively help with the metrics is tough.

-Texas Southern returns four key starters from a team that made the NCAA Tournament a year ago.  If there is a SWAC team that can get above the #16 line it’s probably this one.  Johnny Jones has done exceptionally well since taking over and I think that will continue this year.

-Prairie View ran the table last year in league play before losing in the championship game.  They do return three starters, including Jawaun Daniels who averaged over 15ppg, and should be the nucleus of a very strong backcourt.  There is reason for high expectations in Prairie View.

-Coach Donte Jackson has done really well in his four years at Grambling.  This was a team that struggled to win any games at all, and he has put together an overall winning record during his tenure and really raised the expectations.  With three starters back from a year ago they should once again be able to finish in the top half of the league.

-Jackson State is another team that ran the table during the regular season last year, and there were hopes that we’d see two undefeated teams in the conference championship game.  They ended up losing in the semifinals but with three starters back the expectations are once again high.  Unfortunately they will have to replace their leading scorer and one of the better players in the SWAC from a year ago in Tristan Jarrett, but if they can do that they can be in contention.

-Southern was a middle of the pack team a year ago…and looks to be a middle of the pack team again this year.  Three starters are back, but even with that I don’t see them keeping pace with the top-three teams in the league.

-Florida A&M comes over from the MEAC, and I’m a little surprised the Rattlers aren’t getting a little more love.  All five starters are back and with the nucleus of talent they have they could make some noise in this conference.

-Alcorn State will struggle this year.  There starters are back…but they’re back from a team that went through a tough season last year, and that could very well continue into this year.

-Alabama State and Alabama A&M both return a majority of their starters.  The question is whether or not that will translate into wins given how much both teams struggled a year ago.

-Bethune Cookman is new to the SWAC this year after coming over from the MEAC.  They didn’t play at all a year ago so it’s hard to forecast just what they’ve got this year, but considering that they’re having to start over it will probably be a rather frustrating debut.  Not nearly as frustrating as not getting to play at all, but frustrating nonetheless.

-Arkansas Pine Bluff and Mississippi Valley State are just not very good.  I don’t want to pile on but I will say that both of them are solid Centenary Award candidates, particularly Mississippi Valley State.

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Sun Belt Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on November 5, 2021 by David Griggs

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MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Georgia State
  2. Louisiana
  3. Texas State
  4. Appalachian State
  5. South Alabama
  6. Arkansas State
  7. Coastal Carolina
  8. Little Rock
  9. Troy
  10. UT Arlington
  11. Georgia Southern
  12. UL Monroe

 

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Georgia State had an impressive year last year where they finished in first place in their division before losing in the SBC Championship game.  All five starters are back so expectations are again high.  Coach Rob Lanier is doing a good job of continuing the success that Ron Hunter built with this program.

-Louisiana has three starters back and adds some key transfers to the mix: they seem to be poised to have a big year this year as well.  They certainly have a lot of solid pieces in both the frontcourt and the backcourt and also guys who can contribute off the bench.

-Texas State has really turned it around in recent years: as TJ Johnson enters his second year as head coach he seems to be in position to take another big step forward with this program.  Four starters are back from a team that went 12-3 in league play last year.  They play an up-tempo style, they have experience, and guys who can score.

-Appalachian State surprised everyone last year when they ended up winning the conference tournament.  They were just 7-8 in conference play heading into the tourney.  With three starters back, all of whom averaged double figures last year, they are looking to carry that momentum into this season.

-South Alabama will have to replace some of their top players from a year ago, and while they still have some pieces and add some transfers that saw some limited minutes at bigger programs I don’t think they’ll be in the hunt for the top of the standings.

-Arkansas State has all five of their starters back from a year ago: it is often said that experience can sometimes equal success.  They were under .500 in conference play last year so they’ll need to step up this year if they want to be contenders.

-Coastal Carolina has four starters back from what was a pretty solid team a year ago.  Unfortunately DeVante’ Jones is not one of them, but I’m kind of surprised the Chanticleers did not get a little more love in the preseason poll.  Cliff Ellis is a legendary coach, and while none of the four returning starters are NBA prospects I do think they’ll be able to step up in this conference and produce.

-Little Rock went through some growing pains last year and finished just 7-11 in the conference.  They do have some experience back, including their top scorer, so there is reason to expect improvement this year.

-Troy won just four SBC games a year ago and there isn’t a whole lot of reason to think they’d be picked to finish any higher than where they were, but I am a big believer in Scott Cross as a coach. With all five starters back I do think they can develop and show noticeable improvement this year.  Having said that, they did totally crap out down the stretch last year.

-UT Arlington, Cross’s former program, has taken a bit of a step back since he left.  They have two starters back and will be relying on them along with some key transfers this season.

-Georgia Southern was hardly great last year but they weren’t at the bottom of the league either.  With four starters coming back I’m a little surprised to see them picked to finish this low.

-UL Monroe being picked this low really isn’t a surprise at all.  They struggled last year with just seven total wins and appear to be looking to rebuild this year.

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Southland Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on November 5, 2021 by David Griggs

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MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Nicholls
  2. New Orleans
  3. SELA
  4. Northwestern State
  5. McNeese
  6. TAMUCC
  7. Incarnate Word
  8. Houston Baptist

 

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-With Sam Houston State, Abilene Christian, and Stephen F. Austin departing the league, it doesn’t appear to be nearly as strong at the top as what we’ve seen in recent years, and chances are the winner of this league will end up in the First Four.

-Nicholls has had a good run the last two years, and posted an impressive 14-2 regular season record last year before losing in the finals.  Only two starters are back, but they add some pretty impressive looking transfers and are the favorites to win the league again this year.

-New Orleans has four starters back from a team that played well down the stretch last year and ended up finishing ahead of most of the teams who are still in the conference, so there is reason for UNO fans to be optimistic.  They have strength in both the frontcourt and the backcourt, and quite a bit of depth as well.

-SELA has had a rough couple of seasons and only finished 9th last year, but expectations are a little higher this year with three starters back, including some guys that can really score: we could see quite a bit of improvement this year.

-Northwestern State had a modest 9-7 record in league play last year and is looking to replace some of their key pieces.  They could still finish in the top half of the league but I’d say they are a long shot to win it.

-McNeese is rebuilding after a 10th place finish a year ago.  Just one starter is back, and only four total players from last year’s roster are returning.  They’re hoping to get some help from several transfers and incoming freshmen.

-TAMUCC had a rough season a year ago where they won only five games, and while three starters are back and we should see some improvement, they’re likely in for another rough year this year.

-Incarnate Word returns three starters, but none were double digit scorers.  They have brought in some grad transfers and will be relying on them this year.

-I love Houston Baptist’s uniforms.  Four (at least semi-regular) starters are back, and I hope that translates into some improvement, because…well…I really do like their uniforms.

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