Hoops HD Daily Rundown – Thursday, Nov 27th (Thanksgiving Edition!)

Posted on November 27, 2025 by David Griggs

-For our IN-SEASON TOURNAMENT page, which contains brackets, schedules, and viewing information – CLICK HERE

NEWS AND NOTES:

-Remember a week ago when I said I thought Michigan was underperforming and playing with their food in a lot of their wins?? I no longer feel that way. They faced three really good teams in the Players Era Festival and blew all three of them out. The best team they played was Gonzaga, and that’s the team they blew out the most. The final score was 101-61 and the game seemed like it was pretty much in hand by the first media timeout.

-Auburn defeated Saint John’s 85-74 to finish off a really good showing for them after getting blown out the day before. The Johnnies fall to just 4-3 on the year, but this is still a very good team that will likely get better as the season goes along. They have a tendency to do that.

-Kansas came from behind in the second half to beat Tennessee 81-76 and finish off a really good week for them. Kansas actually won all three of their Players Era games, which usually means you win the event, but because of the crazy set up the Jayhawks finished just 3rd. Tennessee just went ice cold in the latter part of the game and Kansas was able to get the lead and keep it.

-Western Kentucky is an Under the Radar team to keep an eye on. They gave Vanderbilt a battle in the Battle 4 Atlantis, but came up short 83-78. It’s a win the Toppers could have really used because they just don’t get too many chances at these types of wins that would impress the committee. Still, they should be a team that the committee has their eyes on.

-We figured Tulsa vs Northern Iowa would be a battle in the Acrisure Invitational, and it was. Tulsa picked up the huge 63-60 win and handed Northern Iowa their first loss of the year. Both of these teams needed this game as a resume building opportunity.

-USC pulled away from Arizona State 88-75 to remain unbeaten and win the Maui Invitational. The Trojans are a bit of a surprise this year, and we will see if they can continue to make noise as the season goes along.

-UC San Diego just keeps winning. They are now 7-0 after knocking off a really good Towson team 87-73 in the ESPN Events Invitational. They are starting to build up the kind of resume that should be getting the committee’s attention.

-Cincinnati must have started their holiday celebrating a little too early and ended up losing a home buy game to Eastern Michigan 64-56. That is a loss that is going to leave a lasting mark.

-Belmont and Buffalo are both 7-0 after picking up wins yesterday. Belmont knocked off Toledo and Buffalo took care of Bucknell.

-Liberty, who was coming off a bit of a surprising loss to Towson, lost again yesterday to Bradley 74-64. This will knock the Flames pretty far away from the bubble.

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HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:

-VCU VS VANDERBILT (Battle 4 Atlantis). Vandy got a battle from Western Kentucky yesterday, but held on to win and remain unbeaten. Today they face a VCU team that’s good and that needs to build up their resume. This probably means a little more to VCU since they won’t have as many chances at notable wins as Vandy will later on this season.

-OREGON VS CREIGHTON (Players Era Festival). Both teams have struggled in this event and both could really use this win today to at least get something of quality on their resume.

-SAN FRANCISCO VS COLORADO (Acrisure Holiday Classic). Both teams have good records, but both have played flimsy schedules (for the most part). This event, and this game today, is a chance to put some meat on their resume.

-NORTH CAROLINA VS MICHIGAN STATE (FORT MYERS TIP-OFF). This is one of the showcase games of the day. Both are unbeaten, both are in the rankings, and both have already passed some tests this season. This is the kind of of win that could be important in earning a protected seed later on.

-BYU VS MIAMI FL (ESPN Events Invitational). BYU is a solid top 10 caliber team. Miami’s resume doesn’t look all that impressive on the surface, but they have just one loss and it was agains a very good Florida team in a game where they competed for much of it, so they may be able to give BYU a test today, and if they could somehow win it would completely change the complexion of their season so far.

-SANTA CLARA VS SAINT LOUIS (Acrisure Invitational). This is a really good game between two unbeaten teams that look like they may be good enough to make the NCAA Tournament, but who need wins in games like this in order to build up their resumes. This is probably the biggest test of the year for each team up to this point, so it should be fun.

-DAYTON VS GEORGETOWN (ESPN Events Invitational). Georgetown has gotten off to an incredible start, which has surprised a lot of people. They already have some big wins and have looked like a tournament team. Dayton is coming off a win at Marquette, but needs to keep building their resume and this event (particularly this game today) is a great opportunity for them to do that. Even though it’s November, these games are hugely important.

-DUKE VS ARKANSAS (CBS Sports Thanksgiving Classic). Both teams are high in the rankings and both have high expectations. Arkansas has struggled a little bit, but you get the sense that they will continue to improve as the season goes along. They certainly have the chance at a statement win today against a Duke team that looks good enough to go to the Final Four.

-OKLAHOMA STATE VS NORTHWESTERN (CBS Sports Thanksgiving Classic). Both teams are off to good starts, but both could also use some notable wins on their resumes, so this is a good opportunity for both teams.

OTHER NOTABLE GAMES:

-Richmond vs Furman (ESPN Events Invitational) – Richmond is unbeaten, but also hasn’t really been tested yet. This event will be a chance for us to see how good they actually may be

-Saint Bonaventure vs East Carolina (Fort Myers Tip-Off) – Saint Bonaventure can improve to 6-1 on the season and bounce back from their loss to North Carolina

-TCU vs Florida (Lady Children’s Invitational) – The Gators are 4-1 and may bet a bit of a test from TCU today, but should be able to hold serve

-Washington vs Nevada (Acrisure Holiday Classic) – Both teams have solid records, but neither has much in the way of a solid profile yet, so this is a good opportunity for both teams

-South Florida vs Western Kentucky (Battle 4 Atlantis) – Western Kentucky is a good team who battled Vanderbilt yesterday and who needs some wins in this event

-Providence vs Wisconsin (Rady Childrens Invitational) – Wisconsin looks to be a solid tournament team, whereas Providence has shown a few signs of life but hasn’t passed any really big tests yet

-Wichita State vs Colorado State (Battle 4 Atlantis) – Wichita State battled yesterday against Saint Mary’s, but came up short. They need to bounce back today. Colorado State battled Virginia Tech yesterday, but lost. Their only wins so far have been home buy games.

-Stanford vs Minnesota (Acrisure Invitational) – both teams have decent records, but neither has impressed me all that much this season. At least not yet.

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All-Access at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas: HoopsHD interviews Michelle Cadeau about her son Elliot

Posted on November 27, 2025 by Jon Teitel

We have seen some great in-season tournaments in the past (Battle 4 Atlantis, Maui Invitational, etc.), but the Players Era Festival has simply taken things to another level. Last year’s debut featured 8 teams, but this year there is an 18-team field featuring some of the best teams from the best conferences in the country. It is taking place this week in Las Vegas, 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 Sin City with an interview of Michelle Cadeau, whose son Elliot plays for Michigan.

Your son Elliot played several sports while growing up: how did he end up focusing on basketball? It is kind of a funny story. In 3rd grade he had not yet played basketball and wanted to play flag football because he was really good at it. However, he was playing with older boys and was a competitive kid so I was worried about him getting injured. I found a basketball organization that would let him play year round, whereas flag football was basically a 6-week season in the summer. He decided to play basketball, so that week we went to his 1st practice, and the rest is history.

In 2019 his club team (Sports U/Team IZOD) won the Under Armour Nationals, in 2022 he was named MVP for Sweden the FIBA U18 European Championship Division B, and in 2023 his Link Academy team won the GEICO Nationals championship: how is he able to play his best when it matters the most? He was extremely competitive even as a little kid. Winning is the most important thing to him and he has always been good at closing games out. I remember at the GEICO tourney he only had 2 PTS in 1 of the games, but then the following game he scored 15+ PTS. He understands his role and does whatever is needed of him for the team to win.

He missed his entire high school sophomore season due to a high ankle sprain he suffered during a scrimmage: how bad was it, and how was he able to get back onto the court? He actually tore a deltoid in his 1st foot during the very last scrimmage before the season started. I was watching the game with my other son: I heard a pop and then saw Elliot on the court in pain. The team only played 5 games the previous year due to COVID so he was really looking forward to that season. It was very tough on him both physically/mentally: he got off Instagram because he was tired of seeing all his other friends dunking. He worked hard to get back but was out until May.

In 2024 at UNC he was named to the Kyle Macy Freshman All-America team: how was he able to come in and contribute right from the start? He had previously reclassified down to give himself more choices. In Sweden he played with/against pro basketball players, and as an 18-year old he felt that he was just as good as the pros. He was not promised a starting spot but he was ready to go to college. He worked extremely hard at Link Academy the previous summer.

He has won 4 ACC tourney games/3 NCAA tourney games during his career: do you have a favorite memory from his postseason success? The win over San Diego State in the NCAA tourney last March stands out the most to me. He was really sick last spring and was in/out of the hospital while getting IV fluids. As a mom, to see him come back and play like himself was 1 of my favorite memories.

Last year he led the ACC with 231 AST/113 TO: what is his secret to being a great passer, and is he focusing on cutting down his turnovers this season? His superpower is that he is a millisecond quicker in his thinking than everyone else…but when you are sick you lose that millisecond. He has a very big heart and it is obvious that he is an unselfish player, which rubs off on the rest of the team. He is a pass-first PG who wants to make everyone happy. He and Tahaad Pettiford had great chemistry. They have played together since the 3rd grade so Elliot would not even have to look downcourt: he would just throw 94-foot-long passes to Tahaad:

Why did he decide to transfer last March, and what made him choose Michigan? He is very proud of his 2 years at UNC, but did not feel it was conducive to what he wanted to do with his career. He knew what kind of coach he wanted to play for and spoke to some people in his circle: 1 of the names that came up early was Dusty May. He watched the Auburn-Michigan NCAA tourney game last March and then called Dusty that weekend to say he wanted to come to Ann Arbor. The players play free because Dusty and his staff trust their players.

His father James/brother Justin both play tennis: who is the best athlete in the family? Me! Elliot is the most natural-born athlete. Tennis requires you to be much stronger mentally, but body-wise Elliot has the highest vertical jump.

He had 12 AST/3 STL in a win over San Diego State in the 2025 1st 4 and Wednesday is the 1-year anniversary of him scoring 10 PTS in a loss to Auburn at the Maui Invitational: any predictions for his rematches with the Aztecs/Tigers this week? We beat the Aztecs yesterday by 40 so that 1 is already in the books. Elliot lost to his best friend Tahaad at Maui so everyone will come out Tuesday firing on all cylinders. I hope that Tahaad performs well…but I think that Michigan will win.

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All-Access at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas: HoopsHD interviews Rob and Holly Lipsey about their son Tamin

Posted on November 26, 2025 by Jon Teitel

We have seen some great in-season tournaments in the past (Battle 4 Atlantis, Maui Invitational, etc.), but the Players Era Festival has simply taken things to another level. Last year’s debut featured 8 teams, but this year there is an 18-team field featuring some of the best teams from the best conferences in the country. It is taking place this week in Las Vegas, 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 Sin City with an interview of Rob and Holly Lipsey, whose son Tamin plays for Iowa State.

Your son Tamin played for Team USA at the 2019 FIBA Americas U-16 Championship: what did it mean to him to represent his country, and what did it mean to him to win a gold medal? Obviously, it was an honor for him to represent his country. He was unaware that he was even on the radar of Team USA, so it was an unexpected honor. He was 1 of the lowest-ranked players coming into training camp, but he had good knowledge of the game and played good defense. He was reliable so it was hard for them to take him off the court. I spoke with 1 of the coaches afterward: they were going to send him home, but he just did something every day that made them feel they had to keep him around.

Both of you work at Iowa State, where he was offered a scholarship at age 14: how easy was his decision to go there for college? Growing up in Ames, he always wanted to be a Cyclone and went to so many games as part of the community. It was a dream come true to represent his city. He loved his experience at Ames High School and is thankful for the opportunity to play for Coach TJ Otzelberger.

As a freshman he started all 33 games, averaged 4.4 APG, and was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman team: how was he able to come in and contribute right from the start? The coaches had confidence in him, and he worked hard throughout his 1st year. He went into the season giving it his all and the coaches saw that right away. His basketball IQ was much higher than that of a typical freshman, and that combined with his physical ability helped him get onto the court: much like with Team USA, it was hard to take him off it.

As a sophomore he set a school record with 8 STL in a win over Prairie View, was named to the conference all-defensive team, and was a finalist for national DPOY: what is his secret for being a great defender? He just loves playing defense. As a football player, he was a strong safety and enjoyed that part of the game. He is always thinking ahead and knows where the ball will go because he has great instincts. He also has grit: it is hard to develop that, but it has always been there in everything he does.

That year he was also named 2nd-team Academic All-American: how does he balance his work on the court with his work in the classroom? In our family we always stressed the importance of school early on, even over athletics. He is well-rounded and can interact with people from all different areas of life. He takes it very seriously and knows that it is important to do well in the classroom. He has trained himself to give the appropriate time to study.

He got married last August: what is your favorite memory from the big day? It was a small wedding, so he got to spend a lot of time with our family. It was nice to just see him so happy and living out his dream: that is all you can want for your kid as a parent.

Last September he suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain to his right knee during practice: how bad was it, and how was he able to get back onto the court? It was not too serious, but he worked with the team’s trainer/strength and conditioning coach. Just like he is on the court, he is competitive with his rehab and trying to stay healthy.

He has won 49 of his 54 career home games: how do you explain “Hilton Magic” to someone who has never seen it in person? It is a special place. There is no pro competition in town, and the Iowa State fans have embraced the players and the homecourt experience. People come there from all over the country and bring the excitement with them. They feel they can “will” the team to win as the 6th Man. It is electrifying because the arena is so loud/deafening.

You both played sports in college, your daughter Amara played college basketball, and your daughter Teagan was runner-up in the 4×200 relay at the 2019 state track and field meet: who is the best athlete in the family? We have all been competitive in our own ways. We have passion for competition and something bigger than us and we support 1 another as if we are competing ourselves.

How is his health, and any predictions for the Cyclones this week? He strained a muscle, so he is probably day-to-day or week-to-week. The strength and conditioning team will help him get ready, and it is a great opportunity for other people on the team to play and step up in the long run.

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Hoops HD Daily Rundown – Wednesday, Nov 26th

Posted on November 26, 2025 by David Griggs

-For our IN-SEASON TOURNAMENT page, which contains brackets, schedules, and viewing information – CLICK HERE

NEWS AND NOTES:

-For our latest UNDER THE RADAR Video Podcast – CLICK HERE

-Michigan, who I wasn’t all that impressed with before the start of the Players Era, has been unbelievably impressive in their two Players Era games and absolutely mauled Auburn yesterday 102-72.

-California got a big win against former conference rival UCLA 80-72. Cal is suddenly 6-1 on the year with a really good win on their resume. They’re a team that no one was all that big on, but that now appears to be worth paying attention to.

-UC San Diego is now 6-0 on the season after their 87-77 win against Bradley in the ESPN Events Invitational). UCSD had a great year last year and they’re a team we need to keep our eyes on this year.

-McNeese completed their sweep of the Cayman Islands Classic yesterday as they held off Middle Tennessee 82-72. They are looking like one of the top UTR teams and could be good enough to make a run at the bubble.

-USC handed Seton Hall their first loss of the season in an 83-81 thriller out in Maui. Both these teams have been in some battles, both appear to be better than what we were expecting before the start of the season, and both could go on to have big years.

-Iowa remains perfect on the year after getting a battle from Ole Miss, but also getting the win 74-69. This was another one of those early season neutral floor games between two teams that we could see inside the bubble.

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HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:

-USC VS ARIZONA STATE (Maui Invitational). I’m surprised to see Arizona State in this game, but so far this year they’ve won at Hawaii, knocked off Texas in this event, and beat Washington State yesterday. Their only loss on the year was a game against Gonzaga where they were competitive. USC is perfect on the year and has won some really exciting games along the way. Today is another resume building opportunity for both teams.

-NORTHERN IOWA VS TULSA (Acrisure Holiday Invitational). Northern Iowa is a solid UTR team that hasn’t lost a game yet and Tulsa has probably looked like the best team out of the American so far. Both are good (or at least have been so far), and both have limited opportunities at notable wins, which is why today is so important for both of them.

-KANSAS VS TENNESSEE (Players Era Festival). Both teams won their first two games with Tennessee getting a big win against Houston yesterday and Kansas knocking off Syracuse. Kansas is 5-2 overall and a win today would be their biggest of the season so far. The Vols are high in the rankings and looking to remain unbeaten.

-SAINT MARY’S VS WICHITA STATE (Battle 4 Atlantis). We fully expect Saint Mary’s to be inside the bubble come March and this event is a chance for them to start building up their profile. Wichita State comes in at a respectable 4-1 overall, but they haven’t beaten anyone that is even remotely noteworthy and must do well in this event in order to establish themselves

-SAINT JOHN’S VS AUBURN (Players Era Festival) – The Johnnies picked up their first notable win of the season yesterday as they knocked off Baylor and Auburn was blasted by Michigan and is looking to rebound.

-NC STATE VS TEXAS (Maui Invitational). Both teams have a lot of potential, but both are also off to somewhat rough starts and finishing off this event with a win in this game today would really help each team going forward. You get the sense that both could end up inside the bubble, so this game could turn out to be more important than what it feels like it is at the moment.

-BAYLOR VS SAN DIEGO STATE (Players Era Festival). Both teams could really use this win. Both have struggled some throughout the year, but San Diego State had a nice win against Oregon yesterday that they really needed, and Baylor is coming off of their first loss of the season, but a win today would be one of the better wins they’ve managed so far.

OTHER NOTABLE GAMES:

-Vanderbilt vs Western Kentucky (Battle 4 Atlantis) – both teams come in unbeaten, but neither has really been tested yet. If WKU wants to build up a profile that can land them in the inside the bubble, they need to do well in this event, and they probably need to win today

-Towson vs UC San Diego (ESPN Events Invitational) – both teams are solid UTR teams. UCSD is looking to remain unbeaten and Towson is coming off a big win against Liberty

-Syracuse vs Iowa State (Players Era Festival) – Syracuse has battled in their two games in this event, but has lost both games and has a really tough test today against an Iowa State team that has won both their games and is looking to finish perfect.

-New Orleans @ Texas Tech – it’s a buy game, but New Orleans has a talented roster so Texas Tech better not overlook them

-Toledo vs Belmont (Coconut Hoops) – Belmont is trying to remain unbeaten

-Buffalo vs Bucknell (Fort Myers Tip-Off) – Buffalo is off to a surprising 6-0 start and has another winnable game today

-Liberty vs Bradley (ESPN Events Invitational) – both teams are coming off a loss and looking to bounce back. Bradley has struggled a little more than expected and Liberty dropped a somewhat surprising one to Towson yesterday

-VCU vs South Florida (Battle 4 Atlantis) – both teams need to build up their profiles, both need to play well in this event, and both could really use this win today

-Notre Dame vs Houston (Players Era Festival) – Houston won a battle on Monday, lost a battle yesterday, and given how their opponents have looked so far they shouldn’t get much of a battle today

-Virginia Tech vs Colorado State (Battle 4 Atlantis) – both teams have built up good records against weak schedules so far, so we will learn something about them in this event

-Seton Hall vs Washington State (Maui Invitational) – Wazzu has struggled this year and Seton Hall has been a surprise. The Hall should be able to rebound after losing their first game of the season yesterday

-Rhode Island vs Temple (ESPN Events Invitational) – I’m not expecting either team to end up near the bubble, but both are off to solid starts and have had some good moments early on

-Denver @ Wyoming (Front Range) – We at Hoops HD love the Front Range!! Wyoming can get to 6-1 on the year, and Denver can pick up their second Front Range win on the road

-Iowa vs Grand Canyon (Acrisure Classic) – Iowa is still unbeaten and Grand Canyon has been playing better after a bit of a rough start to the season. If the Lopes could get this win it would be big for them

-Utah vs Ole Miss (Acrisure Classic) – both teams are looking to bounce back from losses yesterday

BUY GAMES/CRAP GAMES:

-UNC Greensboro vs Miami OH – game is in Jacksonville FL
-Georgia State vs New Mexico State (Cancun Challenge) – New Mexico State can remain unbeaten
-Lipscomb @ Marshall – Marshall can get to 6-1 on the year
-Tennessee Tech @ Kentucky
-Pepperdine vs Fresno State (Acrisure Series) – Fresno is having a better than expected season
-Eastern Michigan @ Cincinnati
-NJIT @ Louisville
-Alabama State @ New Mexico

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Under the Radar – Week 4

Posted on November 25, 2025 by David Griggs

Tonight’s feature conference is the MAC, and Chad and David take a look at the surprise start that Buffalo is off to. We also look at Miami OH and how they’re unbeaten, and Kent State and Akron that are also off to good starts.

After that we run through the other 21 UTR conferences. Murray State managed a couple of big wins in the Cayman Islands, Liberty suffered a surprising loss to a Towson team that is looking really good, Central Connecticut from the NEC had a big week, McNeese blew through their event in the Cayman Islands and is looking really strong, UC San Diego from the Big West is undefeated, and Saint Thomas is a team to keep an eye on out of the Summit League. We discuss all that, and more!

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

Posted in Podcasts, Under the Radar, Videocasts | 1 Comment

All-Access at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas: HoopsHD interviews Wes Mallette about his son Houston

Posted on November 25, 2025 by Jon Teitel

We have seen some great in-season tournaments in the past (Battle 4 Atlantis, Maui Invitational, etc.), but the Players Era Festival has simply taken things to another level. Last year’s debut featured 8 teams, but this year there is an 18-team field featuring some of the best teams from the best conferences in the country. It is taking place this week in Las Vegas, 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 Sin City with an interview of Wes Mallette, whose son Houston plays for Alabama.

Your son Houston originally committed to Penn State before beginning his college career at Pepperdine, where he was a 2-time team captain: what makes him such a good leader? He cares about all the right things: his teammates, his coaches, and doing the job the right way. He cares about the small details and winning the margins. He is a young man who wants to make his team better, which is why he chose to wear #95: 95% of the time the ball is not in your hands, so what are you going to do to affect your team in a positive way? He is a “we” guy, not a “me” guy. In a game like tonight against Alabama where he did not score at all, he only cares if his team wins. He has scored almost 1400 PTS in college and has had an unbelievable career. Leadership is not about managing but rather getting people aligned: they must follow the direction together to get where they need to be. He is 1 of the highest IQ kids on the floor: the plays he makes on/off the ball reflect a high understanding of the game. At age 9 he was watching YouTube videos of Magic Johnson/Doctor J and studying what they were doing. Growing up in the Bay Area, he got to watch Steph Curry from a young age: it was rough at 1st, but then the Warriors started rolling.

Why did he decide to transfer in 2024, and what made him choose Alabama? Pepperdine coach Lorenzo Romar was relieved of his duties right before the WCC tourney that March. There are 2 things in life that nobody says: “San Diego sucks” and “I hate Lorenzo Romar”! He is a world-class human, so when Houston heard the news he was devasted, and he quickly decided to enter the portal to find a place that is more invested in basketball. We love the state of California, but it just does not compare to the SEC. In California the emphasis in on high school/pro sports. We all go through the problem of how to get fans to come to our games…but that just does not happen in the SEC. I took my daughter to the “Real SC” game earlier this month, and afterward she mentioned that it is nice to not have to force people to cheer! 77 schools called him/me/his coach within the 1st 4 hours after he entered the portal. We put together a grid: all the things that he wanted were on the X axis, and all the schools that called were on the Y axis. We quickly narrowed it to 8 schools based on a variety of factors: culture, coaching, the opportunity to compete at a high level, academic support, etc. He is working on his master’s degree, so he is not just there to play basketball. We have a “good humans only” policy. We also looked at all the little things: sports medicine, how do you travel, etc. We had a relationship with Alabama assistant coach Preston Murphy when he recruited Houston to Creighton as an assistant to Greg McDermott in 2018, which meant everything. There were some ACC/Big 10/SEC schools in the Final 8, but they knew that Houston is more than just basketball. I tell him that THROUGH basketball he will see the world but BECAUSE of basketball he will change the world. He grew up on the Berkely campus when I worked there and I have video of him at age 10 trying to guard Jaylen Brown: I will release it someday. I also introduced him to Jared Goff, who took the time to go back into the locker room to give him a signed football, which he still has to this day. He watched those college stars and all the other players at Cal, so from a young age he knew what being a power-conference athlete was supposed to look like. I already had a relationship with Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne from his time at Arizona, and I knew Preston/Player Development Coordinator Christian Pino: they are just a bunch of quality humans. I was in Vegas at the Big West tourney with UC-Riverside while Houston was at the WCC tourney, so we did a zoom with them. We lost our game, and I went home that night, but 12 hours later Houston said that he wanted to visit the campus…and 6 hours later we were in Tuscaloosa…and 6 hours after that he told me that he wanted to go there. Their head trainer and strength and conditioning coach helped rebuild his knees after he averaged 32+ MPG for 3 straight years at Pepperdine. They got him healthy, and he has put on 25 pounds of muscle since he arrived. He loves all his coaches, especially Nate Oats. I told him that his 1st recruitment was when he committed to Penn State, then #2 was when he chose Pepperdine, and this was #3. When he talked to Coach Oats and his staff, he loved their energy level/basketball acumen. It is a fun offense to play in, and it will build him for a pro career so how could he say no?!

He was planning to sit out last season, but after Latrell Wrightsell Jr. injured his Achilles tendon, Houston replaced Latrell for 6 games before suffering his own season-ending knee injury: what did you think of the decision to “burn” his redshirt, and how is his health doing now? He told me that he has never felt better thanks to all the trainers/staff. When Latrell got hurt here last year in this very arena, I felt so bad for him: he transferred here from Fullerton in 2023, so we were used to seeing him in California. The way he went down, I felt that it could have been his Achilles…and soon after that I realized that Houston would have to burn his redshirt. However, our family has a selfless approach. If you watch his press conference after the UNC game, he said that a lot of kids are only focused on what is best for them, but what is best for me is to get out there and be a good teammate. He played very well for the next few games, and I started to get texts from fans begging him to keep playing! The people in Alabama cared about his health: nothing is ever guaranteed, but I trust their staff. He is not trying to game the system: he does things the right way, and it pays off.

Last May his medical redshirt was granted, which allowed him to return for 1 final season in Tuscaloosa: did you think it was going to happen, and what was your reaction when you got the good news? I am so thankful that he got the medical redshirt. It is such a joy as a parent to hear everyone praise him for being a good human. At the end of the day, winning is important…but it is not the most important thing in the game of life. Our family had to overcome some challenges: I was a single parent, so it was not easy for him when he was younger, but I always told my kids that I would invest in them. Once they found their passion, I told them to follow it, and by age 9 I could tell that he was going to be a good basketball player due to his work ethic/commitment. A lot of kids want to be great, but to get to this level you must put in 10,000 hours. Last October at SEC media day he mentioned that 2024 was the biggest year of growth in his life: he became a sponge and had to figure out how to help his team.

Last July you were named Deputy AD/Chief Marketing Officer at South Carolina: how is the new job going so far, and who do you root for when the Gamecocks face Alabama?! I LOVE South Carolina. We have a great athletic director in Jeremiah Donati, and I love being 1 of his lieutenants. It is nothing short of awesome and feels great to be in a place that cares so much. I am new to the school but have a lot of years under my belt in this business, so I help the coaches as part of a great leadership team. You do not find that everywhere, but they have a lot of very good humans. On February 14 when we travel to Tuscaloosa it will be the quietest that people have ever seen me because I do not cheer against my son OR against my school! Cuonzo Martin told me a long time ago that it is different when it is your kid. I told Shane Beamer about it: it is wonderful to see his father Frank’s pride at the press conferences when he sees what his son is doing. I think Houston is the model student-athlete, but I am not saying that just because he is my kid. The way I have heard other athletic directors/coaches talk about him makes me so proud.

1 of your previous jobs was VP of Communications for the Pac-12 Network: how did you like it, and why did the network end up not working out? I loved my roles at Cal/UC-Riverside and at the Pac-12 Network. It is frustrating/sad because that did NOT have to happen: it was completely avoidable…but is more of a 3-4 beer conversation! In terms of where it is now under Commissioner Teresa Gould’s leadership, they are rebuilding the brand, and it will be successful. However, seeing a 100-year-old conference go by the wayside was tough. I enjoyed the folks I worked with, both at the conference and with all 12 schools. Just look at how some of them are doing in the ACC/Big 10/Big 12.

He is a career 38% 3-PT shooter/81% FT shooter: what is his secret for being a great shooter? Reps! He also watches films, stays focused, and studies the game. It is a relentless pursuit to be the best player he can. There was a high school tourney in Corona Del Mar during his junior year where he made back-to-back buzzer-beaters in the 1st 2 games, but his team lost the 3rd game to Mater Dei by 40 PTS. It was a holiday weekend, and it was a very quiet ride home. After we got back he called 1 of his trainers, ate a quick dinner, and then he went to 24-Hour Fitness and ran through a 2½ hour training session that did not end until 1AM. I told him that I needed to go to bed but we stayed another 20-30 minutes after that brutal loss. THAT was the point when I realized that he was going to make it.

In addition to 3 tough games at the Players Era Festival, Coach Nate Oats has 1 of the toughest non-conference schedules in the nation (including St. John’s/Purdue/Illinois/Clemson/Arizona): are you in favor of that because it gets them battle-tested for SEC play, or do you think they would be better off facing some mid-major teams that they would be more likely to beat? I cannot speak for Alabama, but when I was at UC-Riverside I told our coaches to schedule as hard as they possibly could in non-conference play because it would prepare them for conference play. You must think past your conference tourney into mid-March when you are facing a big-time team in the NCAA tourney. You need to prepare for that in November because if you schedule cupcakes and go 11-0, you could still get dusted in conference play. We were not afraid of losing and played to win by being willing to play anyone/anywhere/anytime.

You were a 2-sport athlete at JMU (football/track and field), and your daughter Soledad plays basketball in high school: who is the best athlete in the family? One of my brothers played football at Princeton and his wife ran track at Princeton. Three of their four boys have played or are playing college football: one played at Northern Illinois, one started at Iowa and is now at Drake, and the youngest will play at Howard this fall. My oldest brother rowed crew at Harvard. But, Houston has already gone the farthest and is the most prepared for the next level: the pro level. I was the fastest of all of us (4.5 and sub-4.5 40s back in the day) but my mom was probably the best athlete. She just turned 90 and played basketball in her teens. Back then, girls in sports was not what it is today, and if she had a chance to play in the modern era, I have no doubt she would be one of the best players in the country! But Houston is the most successful of anyone in the family AND he is the best video gamer!

Any predictions for the Tide this week? I am not 1 to make predictions, but what I love to see with all the teams we play on is their growth and how they will rebound the next day. I think the Tide will be fine: the SEC is a gauntlet and there are no off-nights. This team will be prepared to make a run into late March: they do not even have everyone back yet. I am glad my son is having a great experience and can help change the outcome of games: it is a lot of fun being his dad right now.

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