Under the Radar – Preseason Show

Posted on October 30, 2025 by David Griggs

Chad, David, and Rocco run through all 22 Under the Radar conferences in this special preseason preview. We talk about who we think will be in the mix to win each league, and who could end up making some noise come March. UC Irvine is a strong team out of the Big West, Liberty looks really strong out of Conference USA, the Missouri Valley and Sun Belt Conferences are up for grabs, the and MAC has a lot of teams to keep an eye on. We discuss all that, and more! And, as we do every week, we close with the UTR Top Ten.

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

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Holly Warlick about 2-time Olympic gold medalist Candace Parker

Posted on October 30, 2025 by Jon Teitel

The NBA Finals date back to 1947 (when they were known as the Basketball Association of America Finals) and the very 1st NCAA tourney was held in 1939. Olympic basketball competition is even older: it debuted as a demonstration event in 1904, and the men’s version became a medal sport in 1936, with the women finally getting their chance to go for the gold in 1976. The United States has dominated Olympic basketball competition from the start: the men have now won 17 gold medals in the 20 tournaments they have participated in during the past 88 years, while the women have won 10 gold medals in the 12 tournaments in which they have competed during the past 48 years. While we must wait 3 years until the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel will fill the void by interviewing as many prior Olympic players/coaches as possible. We continue our coverage by chatting with Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer Holly Warlick about her fellow Hall of Famer Candace Parker’s time in Knoxville and the pair of gold medals she won in 2008/2012.

Candace was born in St. Louis, grew up in Illinois, and was named national high school POY in 2003/2004: what made her choose Tennessee? I think Pat Summit: simple as that. We gave her a chance to get better and play in front of a big crowd on a big stage…and she made it even bigger. Everything lined up for her to carry on the tradition here and she relished the opportunity.

In February of 2005 the school announced that she would be redshirting due to a knee injury she had suffered the previous summer: how bad was the injury, and how was she able to get back onto the court? It is hard to lose your star player, but it was also hard on her. Great athletes never want to sit out and wonder if they will ever play again at the same level they were at. Candace worked at her craft and went to rehab and did what she was supposed to do. It took commitment/training, and she was always willing to put in the hours. God gave her great athletic ability but what made her special is that she was in the gym a LOT every day outside of practice.

In March of 2006 she became the 1st woman to ever dunk in an NCAA tourney game: what was the reaction like when the crowd saw her dunk? Anytime they see a woman dunk they go nuts…and our bench went nuts as well! It is fun to watch because you do not get to see it too often, but she made it look easy.

In 2007 she was named national POY, won an NCAA title, and was named tourney MOP: how on earth was she able to do all of that again in 2008 despite suffering a dislocated shoulder in an 8-PT win over Texas A&M in the Elite 8? It is just her drive: she loves the game and tries to do everything with perfection. She had a lot of individual success but also found a way to bring her team in and play together with the goal of winning titles. She loved the team success/camaraderie: we had a talented team and when everyone has the same goal there is no jealousy.

In 2008 she was named D-1 Academic All-American of the Year: how was she able to balance her work on the court with her work in the classroom? Discipline. It was an expectation on our team that you would not miss class. She was disciplined on the court, and it carried over into the classroom.

The day after winning the 2008 title she was drafted 1st overall by the Los Angeles Sparks, and 6 months later she became the 1st WNBA player to be named ROY/MVP in the same season: how was she able to come in and dominate right from the start? Talent…but she does not settle on her talent: she takes it to the next level. She is driven and sets goals for herself and puts things in perspective. Her work ethic increased after she turned pro because it was her job and she took it very seriously.

She played for Team USA in the 2008/2012 Olympics: what did it mean to her to represent her country, and what did it mean to her to win a pair of gold medals? It was extremely important to her. She played with a lot of talented friends and anytime you can represent your country it is a tremendous honor/blessing.

In addition to all of her on-court success, she is the president of women’s basketball for Adidas, an analyst/commentator for the NBA/NCAA, and is part-owner of Angel City FC in the National Women’s Soccer League: is there anything she does that surprises you, or is she just 1 of those people who succeeds at everything she does in life? What I love about Candace is that she is willing to sign autographs and has a kind heart and is excited when she comes back to campus. Not all players who have done what she has done will give back: she had a lot of help along the way and has put herself in position to make a difference for women’s basketball by helping others. It did not happen by chance: she has a good business mind and has done well for herself, but also wants to further the game.

She retired in 2024 as a 3-time WNBA champ/2-time WNBA MVP/2020 WNBA DPOY, and yesterday she was elected to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame: when people look back on her career, how do you think that she should be remembered the most? As 1 of the best players who ever put on a Lady Vols uniform. She gives back to the community and has represented herself with a great deal of pride/honor.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Holly Warlick about 1976 Olympic silver medalist Cindy Brogdon

Posted on October 30, 2025 by Jon Teitel

The NBA Finals date back to 1947 (when they were known as the Basketball Association of America Finals) and the very 1st NCAA tourney was held in 1939. Olympic basketball competition is even older: it debuted as a demonstration event in 1904, and the men’s version became a medal sport in 1936, with the women finally getting their chance to go for the gold in 1976. The United States has dominated Olympic basketball competition from the start: the men have now won 17 gold medals in the 20 tournaments they have participated in during the past 88 years, while the women have won 10 gold medals in the 12 tournaments in which they have competed during the past 48 years. While we must wait 3 years until the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel will fill the void by interviewing as many prior Olympic players/coaches as possible. We continue our coverage by chatting with Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer Holly Warlick about her former college teammate Cindy Brogdon’s time in Knoxville and the silver medal she won in 1976.

Cindy was named state tournament MVP during each of her 4 years at Greater Atlanta Christian School: how big a deal was it when she became the 1st woman in the state of Georgia to receive a full college athletic scholarship in the 1970s? I did not meet her until she arrived here, but I am not surprised that she was the 1st.

Most female players of that era used a 2-handed set shot: why did she decide to use a 1-handed jump shot? It was unique: it seemed like anyone who shot from long-range used 2 hands back then, and very few people strayed away from that.

She won a silver medal with Team USA at the 1976 Olympics: what did it mean to her to represent her country, and what did it mean to her to win a silver medal? I know that she was extremely honored to be on that team at such a young age. It was well-deserved because I know her talent: she was proud to represent our country.

She began her college career at Mercer: why did she decide to transfer in 1977, and what made her choose Tennessee? She chose Tennessee due to her experience with Pat Summit, who was her teammate on the Olympic team. She wanted to be on a bigger stage and it was a huge get for our program. She was a scoring machine who elevated our team.

In the 1979 AIAW tourney you and Cindy helped the Lady Vols reach the Final 4 before losing to Louisiana Tech: how close did you come to winning it all? Every year we came close but could not get over the hump. Cindy was huge in us getting that far and a big reason why we competed for titles.

Her 3204 career PTS ranks 2nd in AIAW history: what was her secret for being such a great scorer? She was a fantastic offensive player who had 3-PT range even before the 3-PT line existed. Not too many people back then had her range.

She also had 1028 career REB: how did she balance her scoring with her rebounding? Pat believed in defense/rebounding so it was just expected of Cindy in addition to her scoring ability. She was big/stocky and knew how to position herself to get rebounds. She was expected to do that every day.

She was a 3-time All-American: what did it mean to her to receive such outstanding honors? That was a reward based on the time that she put in at the gym. It did not happen overnight: she took a lot of shots and did a lot to become an All-American. To do it 3 times was the ultimate goal, in addition to trying to win a title. She was proud of that and we were all proud of her: she helped put Tennessee on the map early in Pat’s career.

After graduating she became an All-Star with the New Orleans Pride of the Women’s Professional Basketball League, and in 2002 she was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame: where does she rank among the greatest players in school history? I consider her 1 of the best because I played with her and knew her ability. Now the sport has gotten more athletic with people playing different positions, but she was really good at her craft and was 1 of our best forwards in addition to Tamika Catchings/Candace Parker. She did so much for our team to help us win.

After retiring as a player, she became a high school teacher/coach: when people look back on her career, how do you think that she should be remembered the most? As a prolific scorer: that was her thing. I am a PG so I tried to find her every time we came down the court because she made me look good!

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The Hoops HD Report – American/A10/MWC/WCC Conference Preview

Posted on October 29, 2025 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE For All of our Preseason Coverage, Including Interviews, Podcasts, and Conference Previews

It’s our annual four part special!! We’ve got four conference previews in one post. In the American we discuss how good Memphis is (or isn’t, depending on who you ask), and whether or not a team like North Texas, UAB, or Tulane can overtake them. The Atlantic Ten looks to be slightly improved this year, and many teams have improved their OOC schedules, which should help their metrics. VCU is the favorite, but we also like Dayton, and even think George Washington might be able to sneak into the field. The Mountain West has several good teams in San Diego State, Utah State, and Boise State who all seem to be built for possible NCAA Tournament runs despite major roster turnovers. Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s will once again be strong in the WCC, but we also like this San Francisco team and think they could be dancing. We discuss all that, and more!

AMERICAN PREVIEW:

ATLANTIC TEN PREVIEW:

MOUNTAIN WEST PREVIEW:

WEST COAST PREVIEW:

And for all you radio lovers, below are audio only links to all the shows:

American:

Atlantic Ten:

Mountain West:

West Coast:

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Southland Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 29, 2025 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE For All of our Preseason Coverage, Including Interviews, Podcasts, and Conference Previews

SOUTHLAND MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL AS DONE BY @GROK SINCE THE CONFERENCE DID NOT RELEASE ONE:

  1. McNeese
  2. Lamar
  3. Nicholls
  4. SELA
  5. TAMU-CC
  6. Stephen F. Austin
  7. Northwestern State
  8. Incarnate Word
  9. New Orleans
  10. TAMU-Commerce (this school no longer exists, but Grok picked them anyway!!)
  11. Houston Christian
  12. East Texas A&M

-Grok did NOT rank UTRGV!!!!!! That is HARSH!!!!

GROK’S PRESEASON AWARD FOR BEST MASCOT: Edgy (Northwestern State). Our sincere congrats to the FIRST-EVER mascot to receive a preseason award from an AI Generator!!!

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-McNeese has dominated the conference for the last two seasons with a combined record of 36-2 in SLC play, and that does not include the back-to-back tournament championships. Last year they won a game in the Round of 64 of the NCAA Tournament, so they have been one of the top Under the Radar programs in the country. It makes complete sense that they would be Grok’s pick to win the league this year!! There is one VERY notable change, and that is that Coach Will Wade, who was largely responsible for building up the program, has left for NC State. They do have two key starters returning in Javohn Garcia and DJ Richards, who were both double-digit scorers a year ago, and Tyshawn Archie comes in after a fairly impressive year at Tulsa. I do like this team. They are my pick to win the SLC. But, I do not think they will blow through the league like they have the last two years.

-I agree with Grok about Lamar! They had some sluggish stretches to their season last year, but played well down the stretch winning 7 of their last 9 before losing to McNeese in the championship game. Three starters are back from a team that won 20 games and they have added some pretty impressive JUCO players to the roster as well.

-Nicholls is another team that won 20 games last season and returns three of its starters, so I agree with Grok again! I think they will be in the mix for the top of the standings this year. They did lose a lot of their scoring and appear to be turning to some standout players from JUCO and NAIA to fill out the roster, so I do not like them quite as much as Lamar or McNeese, but I do expect them to be closer to the top of the standings than to the bottom.

-SELA is also dealing with the loss of several top scorers. Jalen Forrest from Chicago State was a nice pickup and he should be able to help them out some, but they just do not seem to have much proven D-1 experience at the moment. I have actually got them finishing in the bottom half of the league, so I do not quite agree with Grok on this one.

-TAMU-CC has had four straight 20+ win seasons and had it not been for the overwhelming success of McNeese they would have probably received a lot more credit and attention. Jim Shaw has done a great job in each of his two seasons there as head coach. This year may be tough, though. Just one starter is back. They are looking to fill out their roster with some standout players from the D-2 level and those guys should be able to help right away, but the competition is going to be a lot higher than what they faced in D-2.

-Matt Braeuer takes over as coach at Stephen F. Austin and the days of SFA being a top Under the Radar program now seem like they were a long time ago. Only two players are back from last year’s team and with so much turnover it is really hard to gauge what they will be like this year. They do appear to have a handful of really good outside shooters, so that will be something to watch for.

-Northwestern State has three starters back from a team that was 12-8 in SLC play and looked pretty good in the second half of conference play. I actually like this team a little more than Grok does, although Grok did name their mascot Edgy to be the best in the conference!! As far as how good they are on the court, they return three of their top-five scorers including Micah Thomas (who is a fantastic outside shooter) and Willie Williams (who is a solid rebounder). Izzy Miles transfers in after having a solid year at Tarleton State last year. I like this Northwestern State team and expect them to finish higher in the standings than this.

-Incarnate Word!!! They have struggled ever since transitioning up to D-1, but last year they had a really solid season considering how recently they transitioned. They won 19 games and advanced to the semis of the CBI. Our good friend @TonyPatelis is a CBI Bracketology Expert and he LOVES this team!! In all seriousness, four starters are back on a team that was starting to click toward the end of last year. I think they can finish in the top half of the league this year. Davion Bailey may be one of the better players in the conference, and with Amani Drummond transferring in from Cleveland State, I am legitimately big on Incarnate Word this year! I gotta disagree with Grok on this one! I think they will be quite a bit higher in the standings!!

-If New Orleans can finish 9th it will actually be a notable improvement. After winning just 4 total games last year (and only 2 in conference) it is hard to expect much. MJ Thomas was a decent scorer and rebounder who is returning, and they have some decent transfers in Jakevion Buckley (SELA) and Coleton Benson (Texas State) who were double-digit scorers last year, so perhaps UNO will be a little better.

-Grok has selected TAMU-Commerce to finish 10th. This is a very bold pick. It is a pick I cannot quite agree with. The biggest reason I do not agree is because TAMU-Commerce NO LONGER EXISTS AS AN INSTITUTION! Not existing will likely be problematic when it comes to success on the basketball court. They are now East Texas A&M, who Grok has picked to finish last. They could very well be the worst team in the league. They won just 5 total games last season and while three starters are back and that experience should help them some, I do not see them finishing high in the standings. One notable transfer is Kollin Tolbert, who played at D-2 Concord last year. He averaged over 21ppg and shot an amazing 47% from beyond the arc: that is ridiculous!!

-I do not think Houston Christian is a good team, but I also do not think they are quite this bad. They were 9-11 in conference play a year ago and they have three starters back from that team. I think they will manage to finish ahead of at least a few teams.

-Let’s finish up with UTRGV, who Grok completely left out of his poll. There was a time last season where it looked like they would be one of the better teams in the league. They went to Wisconsin and nearly won the game. They were 10-4 at one point with three of those losses being road buy games that they competed in and they damn near won one of them. Then things sort of fell apart in SLC play. Just one starter is back from that team and they are sort of starting over. Jalen Ricks was a solid player and outside shooter for them a year ago. He will be joined by Marvin McGhee III (who averaged double-figures at Cal State Bakersfield last year) and Zae Blake (who was a fantastic outside shooter at Wagner). So, they have some pieces. They are good enough to where Grok should have at least included them in the poll!! I mean…SHEESH!!

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Missouri Valley Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 29, 2025 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE For All of our Preseason Coverage, Including Interviews, Podcasts, and Conference Previews

MISSOURI VALLEY MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL AS PER @GROK:

  1. Illinois State
  2. Northern Iowa
  3. Murray State
  4. Bradley
  5. Belmont
  6. Drake
  7. UIC
  8. Southern Illinois
  9. Indiana State
  10. Valparaiso
  11. Evansville

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

There was no Preseason MVC Poll at Media Day this year, so our thanks to GROK for doing a poll for us!!

-Illinois State, who is Grok’s pick to win the league, is not a bad pick. They were a modest 10-10 in MVC play a year ago, but they return four starters, which makes them far more experienced than most teams. Chase Walker averaged over 15ppg last year and is a solid rebounder. Johnny Kinziger was also a double-digit scorer. I do question their depth, but I like their experience and think they will at least be a lot better than .500 in conference play this year, but they are not MY pick to win it.

-I am always big on Northern Iowa. I like Ben Jacobson as a coach and this year I think the Panthers can win the league. Three starters are back including Trey Campbell, who is a good all-around player and a fantastic outside shooter. Ben Schwieger is another guy who can defend, rebound, and hit from range. They do have to replace their two leading scorers, and their depth is questionable, but I still like this team a lot.

-Murray State has not had anywhere close to the success they had in the Ohio Valley since switching Valleys and joining the Missouri Valley. They have had two straight sub-.500 seasons and have lost all five starters from a year ago. Ryan Miller takes over as coach and he has his work cut out for him. Ten players have transferred in, and many played limited roles (and that is being friendly) at some power schools a year ago. Layne Taylor was a big get from Central Arkansas, but almost no one else has really produced at the D-1 level. I am not so sure I agree with Grok on this one!

-Bradley is coming off a phenomenal year where they won 28 total games and finished in 2nd place in the conference. The problem is very little from last year’s team is being carried over to this year. They do return some guys who were role players last year, and many of them appear to be very good shooters. While they did not play a whole lot of minutes, they did contribute quality minutes when they did play, so I think they can step into bigger roles this year. AJ Smith comes in from James Madison and Alex Huibregtse comes in from Wright State. This is a team that can shoot the ball very well. I do not think they will be quite as good as they were a year ago, but I still like them quite a bit.

-Belmont, like Murray State, has not experienced the success in the Missouri Valley that they did in the Ohio Valley. Having said that, they do appear to be getting better. They have managed 20+ win seasons every year since joining the league and were a very respectable 13-7 in conference play a year ago. Tyler Lundblade was the best 3-pt shooter in the nation last year and he returns to the lineup this year. Three players who redshirted as freshmen last year join the roster and should be able to contribute right away as well, and Nic McClain is a solid grad transfer from Eastern Washington. I like this Bruins team. I am not going to pick them to win the league, but I definitely think they can be in contention.

-Drake was the biggest surprise in the nation last year. They had no D-1 experience (either playing or coaching) but proved that they were a top-40 team in the nation with 31 total wins and a trip to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. The problem is most of that team is now at Iowa, and Drake is having to start completely over. Again. Can they do it again!!?? Probably not. But, who knows?? It is a transfer-heavy team with a lot of solid role players with D-1 experience. Can those guys step up and be more than role players this year?

-UIC win 17 games last season, which was their best overall season in quite some time. Just one starter returns, though, so it is doubtful that they will be able to build upon that improvement this year. Ante Beljan transfers in after averaging double-figures at Little Rock last year, and Chris Walker was a solid player and excellent outside shooter at Binghamton, so they do have a few pieces to work with.

-The Salukis of Southern Illinois struggled last year under first-year coach Scott Nagy and completely limped down the stretch last season. They do not have much in the way of experience and could be in for a very tough season again this year. I agree with where Grok has them.

-Indiana State won just 14 games last year after winning 32 the year before and missing the NCAA Tournament even though they should have been selected. I like the Trees a little bit this year, though. Three starters are back including Camp Wagner, who averaged double-figures last year and was a very good outside shooter. Sterling Young transfers in from Florida A&M, and he was a great player for them a year ago. Ian Scott, who was an NAIA All-American last year, also joins the roster. I do not know what Grok was smoking when it picked this team to finish 9th!! I really like them!! I think they can compete in this league and possibly even win it (although I am still sticking with Northern Iowa)!!

-Valparaiso has not had a winning season in quite some time, and their 15 wins last year were the best they have done in recent memory, but most came out of conference. They were just 6-14 in league play and finished 11th in the standings. All five starters are gone, and the expectations are not high this year. The roster seems to be noticeably lacking in D-1 experience.

-I do not think Evansville is going to be very good, but I do not think they will be the worst team in the league either. I cannot quite agree with Grok that they are dead last. Two starters return in Connor Turnbull and Joshua Hughes, and both help make up what should be an at least decent frontcourt. Keishon Porter transfers in from NC Central after being a solid player for them. They have a few pieces. I do not think they win the league, or for that matter even finish in the top half, but I think they will do a little better than dead last.

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