Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Evansville coach Walter McCarty

Posted on September 25, 2019 by Jon Teitel

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We continue our season preview coverage with Evansville coach Walter McCarty. It is fascinating to look back at the 1996 Kentucky Wildcat championship roster and see how many of the players on that team went to to have further success as players and/or coaches. Nazr Mohammed won the 2005 NBA title as a player for San Antonio, Derek Anderson/Antoine Walker teamed up to win the 2006 NBA title as players for Miami, Allen Edwards won the 2017 CBI as head coach at Wyoming, and Mark Pope was named head coach at BYU last April. Evansville hopes that Walter McCarty can add to that legacy: after spending close to 2 decades as an NBA player/assistant coach, the Aces hired him as head coach in 2018 and he enters this season having lost 3 of his top-5 scorers from last year. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach McCarty about winning an NCAA title and coaching his hometown team.

In 1994 as a player at Kentucky you scored 23 PTS including a 3-PT shot with 19 seconds left to overcome a 31-PT deficit en route to a 4-PT win at LSU (which remains the biggest 2nd half rally in NCAA history), and in Game 3 of the 2002 Eastern Conference Finals as a member of the Celtics you had 4 REB as your team overcame a 21-PT 4th quarter deficit en route to a 4-PT win over New Jersey (which set a record for the biggest comeback in NBA playoff history): what is the secret to coming all the way back to win a game? You need guys who are really connected and care about each other as a team. The biggest thing is to be tough enough to come together and get the job done.

In the 1996 NCAA tourney title game you had 7 REB in a 9-PT win over Syracuse: what did it mean to you to win a title? It was awesome! We learned a lot the previous year when we thought we would win it all but fell a little short against North Carolina. It meant a lot because we worked really hard and the Kentucky fans were ready because it had been a long time since they had won a title.

You spent 10 years in the NBA: what is the biggest difference between college basketball and pro basketball? In the pros you have guys who are taller/more athletic and their response time is quicker. The pro game is faster/stronger and is the highest level of basketball: you cannot get it unless you are there in person.

After retiring you became an assistant to both Rick Pitino at Louisville as well as Brad Stevens with the Celtics: what is the most important thing that you learned from either of these 2 great head coaches? Both guys prepare better than anyone I have ever seen, which is something they have in common. I learned the importance of a good work ethic from Coach P, and Brad taught me how to keep my composure and treat my team well.

You were born in Evansville: what does it mean to you to be coaching your hometown team? It is awesome and I am thrilled/appreciative every day: each time I drive to work I see something that brings up a fond memory. It is an honor to be back here.

Last year you started 9-9 before losing 12 of your final 14 games: what happened? I love my guys and they played hard for me but we just did not have enough talent. We played hard/played together but knew that it would be a tough season.

Your 1st road game of the year is a trip to Lexington in November: will you treat it as just another game or do you think that it will be a very special moment? It is always a special moment to be in Lexington because I had the time of my life there for 4 years. It will be a businesslike approach as we try to get a win but will also be fun to see my friends.

You lost a pair of experienced assistant coaches last month in Todd Lickliter (who retired) and Matthew Graves (who became an assistant at Xavier): how comforting is it to be bringing in Bennie Seltzer (who was an assistant to Kelvin Sampson at Oklahoma and an assistant to Tom Crean at Marquette/Indiana) as 1 of your new assistants? It is very reassuring. I believe in Bennie and love what he has been able to do for this team. His basketball knowledge is on another level so I have already seen the tremendous impact that he will have.

You lost 3 of your top-5 scorers from last year (Marty Hill/Shea Feehan/Dainius Chatkevicius): how will you try to replace all of that offense? We had some guys who sat out last year so we will not have any problem scoring the basketball: I am not concerned with that at all.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? Our goal is to be the most physical/connected team as well as the team that plays the hardest. If we can do that on a daily basis then we will have a fun season.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews James Madison assistant coach Ashley Perez

Posted on September 24, 2019 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of our extensive Preseason Content

We continue our season preview coverage with James Madison assistant coach Ashley Perez. It is hard to find a mid-major assistant coach in either the men’s or women’s game with more on-court experience than Coach Perez. She started in the Big East, scored 20 PTS in an NCAA tourney game for JMU, played pro basketball overseas, and was even part of her country’s national team. Now she is an assistant coach at her alma mater for a squad that won 29 games last season and returns each of its top-5 scorers. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Perez about playing in the NCAA tourney and how she likes her new job.

You began your college career at St. John’s: why did you decide to transfer, and what made you choose JMU? After a year and a half I did not feel like St. John’s was the right place for me for a number of reasons. JMU recruited me out of high school and ever since then the people here have proven to be supportive and have helped me grow tremendously.

In the 2015 NCAA tourney you scored 20 PTS/6-9 3PM in 24 minutes off the bench in a 10-PT loss to Ohio State: where does Kelsey Mitchell (who scored 23 PTS and is now the #2 scorer in NCAA history with 3402 career PTS) rank among the greatest players that you have ever faced? Playing against Kelsey was a great experience! Playing at St. John’s/JMU/internationally I have seen a lot of phenomenal players…and Kelsey Mitchell is without a doubt one of the better scorers I have ever faced.

In December of 2015 you scored a career-high 33 PTS/7-13 3PM in 34 minutes in a 7-PT loss to West Virginia: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? I always felt like I had something to prove when playing against bigger-name teams. I was extremely focused but played really loose so that helped.

In the 2016 CAA quarterfinals you had 21 PTS/11 REB/3 STL and scored the final 7 PTS in a 3-PT win over Charleston: where does that rank among the best all-around games of your career? That game is really memorable for me but I am not sure that I would consider it to be one of my best all-around games.

You were an 83.9% career FT shooter at JMU: what is the secret to making FTs? Being extremely relaxed and trusting the countless free throws I have practiced so that I would make them when they counted.

You played pro basketball in Ireland and played for the Puerto Rican national team at the 2018 FIBA World Cup: what is the biggest difference between basketball in the US vs. basketball outside the US? There are a number of rules that I can specifically think of but the biggest differences are the physicality and the vast number of game styles. A lot of players overseas have their own style that is different from what I have seen here in America.

You graduated in 2016 and got your master’s degree in 2019: how much importance do you place on academics? I have grown to understand the importance of academics and the importance of personal growth. In order to be a well-rounded/understanding person it is necessary to be a lifelong learner.

Last June you were named an assistant at your alma mater to 1 of your own former assistant coaches (Sean O’Regan): why did you take the job, and how is it going so far? I took this job because of how important this program is to me and I think that I can help the program continue to grow. So far it has been challenging but rewarding.

You went 29-6 last year and return each of your top-5 scorers (Kamiah Smalls/Jackie Benitez/Lexie Barrier/Devon Merritt/Kayla Cooper-Williams): how crucial will all of that experience be to your team’s success this year? Those 5 seniors have worked extremely hard to be in the situation that they are currently in. They have experience in a number of situations which will help us hopefully tie it all together this year for a CAA Championship. They are all great kids who continue to work extremely hard: that is all that you can ask for.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? Our goals are always to win a CAA Championship and make the NCAA Tournament while developing our girls to be their best. We want to continue to be seen and grow on a national scale and our seniors will be able to lead us toward that.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Vermont SR SF Anthony Lamb

Posted on September 23, 2019 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of our extensive Preseason Content

We continue our season preview coverage with Vermont SR SF Anthony Lamb. The America East has been playing conference basketball tournaments since 1980 and during that 40-year span Drexel legend Malik Rose is the only player who was named conference tourney MVP more than twice (he did it 3 years in a row from 1994-1996). We have a new contender this year in the form of Anthony, who was named MVP in 2017 as a freshman and then again last season as a junior. Were it not for an injury as well as as an all-time Cinderella named UMBC in 2018 we might be looking at 1 of the only 4-time conference tourney MVPs in the history of the sport. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Anthony about overcoming a serious injury and being a senior leader.

You play for Coach John Becker: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him so far? He has been a key instrument to me growing up as both a man/player. He knows that there are differences between people and manages each player in the way that is best for them. He loves toughness/defense and has us buy into that. He gives you a chance to grow but also challenges you to reach a better version of yourself.

As a freshman in 2017 you started all 34 games, were named both conference ROY/conference tourney MVP, and scored 20 PTS in a 10-PT loss to Purdue in the NCAA tourney: how were you able to make such a smooth transition from high school to college? I just came in really determined to push myself. My game has always evolved but going from high school to college is a different kind of jump. There was less stress because people did not expect a lot from a freshman so it helped to not have the pressure of being “the man”.

In 2018 you missed 17 games due to a right foot fracture that you suffered during practice: how hard was it to get back onto the court, and how is your health doing at the moment? I am doing great right now and do not have any bite-back from the injury. It was more difficult mentally than physically. It took 8 weeks for me to get back to my regular health but took me until the end of the summer to get my body in the right shape to play the way that I wanted to play. Any time I can play basketball it releases stress for me.

Last December you scored a career-high 42 PTS/6-14 3PM in 47 minutes during a 7-PT 2-OT win over St. Bonaventure: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”, and how exhausted were you by the end of the game? I would not say that I was in the zone: they tried to make us play more 1-on-1 so I just scored a lot of PTS out of necessity. I definitely remember being tired but also felt exhilarated: I remember yelling/chanting at the end because I was so ecstatic that we won the game.

You finished the season by leading the conference in PPG/RPG and were named conference POY/conference tourney MVP/Honorable Mention All-American: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? I do not look at those that much: I appreciate people showing me love but I have different goals. Awards do not help us go farther in the postseason and that is the journey that I am on.

In the 2019 NCAA tourney you scored 16 PTS in a 7-PT loss to Florida State: how close did you come to pulling off the upset, and what did you learn from that game that will help you this year? I have actually watched film of that game the past couple of days. I need to become a smarter basketball player: there are so many different things you can do and so many strategies you can apply. Once you understand that then you have to understand what works and what does not, so I want to make the best decisions to help our team win. There were a lot of reasons why we lost but I think it just came down to how smart we played.

Your non-conference schedule includes road games at St. John’s/Virginia/Cincinnati: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? I have not looked at their rosters yet because right now we are trying to learn how our own pieces fit together. We have our whole core back and will try to be as sharp as we can be.

1 of your new players is graduate transfer Daniel Giddens: how big a deal is it to have a guy transferring in who has played at big-time schools such as Ohio State/Alabama? I cannot really say because I have not played at those schools myself but he is a good guy who is really trying to push himself. He has made a really good transition to becoming part of our family and Coach has definitely helped Daniel make great strides.

You are 1 of 2 seniors on the roster: how much pressure is there on you to be a leader this year? There is a lot of pressure but most of it is internal because I have really high standards. I take a lot of pride in my work and 1 of my roles is to be a leader. I am really grateful for the support system around me.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? I want to become an All-American, be DPOY, and be the best leader I can be so that they remember me for that. I also want to be top-10% in defense nationally. We want to win a national championship and I believe that we can actually do it: it will take a lot of hard work but we have the crew to do it.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Mississippi State SO SF Robert Woodard II

Posted on September 22, 2019 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of our extensive Preseason Content

We continue our season preview coverage with Mississippi State SO SF Robert Woodard II. The Bulldogs had an up and down season last year: after starting 12-1 overall, they began SEC play with a 4-6 record before winning 5 straight conference games in February. They destroyed Texas A&M in their conference tourney opener, then lost by single digits to both Tennessee in the SEC tourney and Liberty in the NCAA tourney. Coach Ben Howland had a very young team last year and returns much of his core (including Robert) in an attempt to give the fans in Starkville 3 straight 23-win seasons for the 1st time in a decade. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Robert about playing in a difficult conference and making the NCAA tourney.

You played for team USA at the 2015 FIBA Americas U16 Championships in Argentina: what did it mean to you to win a gold medal, and which of your teammates impressed you the most (Wendell Carter Jr./Markus Howard/Kevin Knox/other)? It was a great experience that I never expected to have at such a young age. Markus definitely impressed me the most: we bonded and became great friends. He has an amazing work ethic.

You grew up in Mississippi: what made you choose Mississippi State? It was the best fit for me. I saw the kind of players that Coach Ben Howland was bringing in and it was great for me to get some pointers from veterans like Quinndary Weatherspoon.

What makes Howland such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him so far? He knows the game so well and is big on shooting technique to make sure that our form is spot-on. He has great experience with college teams and has gone deep in the NCAA tourney so I really trust him.

Last season you split a pair of games with the Rebels: how do you explain the in-state rivalry to someone who has never witnessed it in person? It is something different. It is so competitive/scrappy and you can feel the energy from the fans in the gym. There is tension for all 40 minutes.

You were 1 of 7 SEC teams who made the NCAA tourney as top-10 seeds last March: where do you think that your conference ranks among the best in the nation? I think that we can possibly be the best conference in the nation. There was so much collective talent on every single team that should carry over into this season.

In the 2019 NCAA tourney you scored 13 PTS/5-7 FG in a 4-PT loss to Liberty: what did you learn from that loss that will help you this year? Just to be prepared at all times. That loss really hit the whole team hard and we did not expect it, but you have to play hard on every possession and give it all that you got on the court.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Kansas State/Oklahoma and possibly Villanova: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? There is no 1 team that stands out: the biggest test is to just win the next game that we play.

Your father Robert Sr. played basketball for the Bulldogs after setting a Mississippi high school boys basketball career scoring record with 4274 PTS: who is the best athlete in the family? I might have to give it to my dad: I have heard that he was pretty fast and a high flyer!

You turn 20 years old this month: any big plans for the big day? Not really: it is on a Sunday so the plan is to just go to church and then chill out with my family before doing a little homework.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? Our team’s goal is to make it as deep as we can in the NCAA tourney and win the SEC. We need to play together, keep our heads on straight, and act as 1 unit.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Baylor SR PF Lauren Cox

Posted on September 21, 2019 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of our extensive Preseason Content

We continue our season preview coverage with Baylor SR PF Lauren Cox. Virginia lost several players after winning an NCAA title last spring (including Kyle Guy/De’Andre Hunter/Ty Jerome) but the Baylor women’s team lost almost as much after winning their own title, with Kalani Brown/Chloe Jackson each being selected among the top-15 picks at the 2019 WNBA Draft. 1 returner that Coach Kim Mulkey will be able to count on is Lauren: she was named conference DPOY and is finally healthy after suffering a left knee injury in the 3rd quarter of the title game win over Notre Dame. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Lauren about winning a title and playing against her sister next month.

You are 6’4”: how big of an advantage is your height on the court? It is a big advantage, especially on defense. I also have really long arms that help me alter shots and on offense it gives me the ability to shoot over smaller defenders.

In 2016 you were named national high school POY at Flower Mound High School: what made you choose Baylor? I chose Baylor because of the winning program, the family environment, and the fact that it was close to home.

Later that summer you were named tourney MVP at the FIBA Americas U18 Championship: what did it mean to you to win a gold medal, and which of your teammates impressed you the most (Chennedy Carter/Tyasha Harris/Evina Westbrook/other)? It meant a lot to win the gold with the U18 national team. It is always a blessing to be able to represent the US. I really enjoyed playing with every player on that team: they all brought different skills to the roster and now they are all having successful college careers.

You play for Hall of Famer Kim Mulkey: what makes her such a great coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from her so far? Coach Mulkey is one of the most competitive and intense coaches that I have ever seen and that is what I love about her. She hates to lose and you can see this through her coaching. One of the most important things that she has taught me is to never lose my competitive drive and never be content.

Last year your 92 BLK were #14 in the nation and you were named conference DPOY: what is the secret to being a great shot-blocker? I played volleyball in high school so I think that really helped with some of my shot-blocking ability. I also understand angles and timing.

In the 2019 NCAA tourney title game you scored 8 PTS before suffering a left knee injury in the 3rd quarter of a 1-PT win over Notre Dame: what did it mean to you to win a title, and how is your health doing at the moment? Getting that win was one of the best feelings of my life. We had worked hard all year so holding that trophy up at the end was a dream come true. I am 100% now and playing/practicing just like usual.

You are 1 of 4 seniors/grad students on the roster: how much pressure is there on you to be a leader this year? I do not think there is much pressure on me to be a leader because I was in that role during my sophomore and junior years. I just have to keep doing what I have been doing by leading my team both on and off the court.

In October Baylor will host an exhibition game vs. Lubbock Christian to raise awareness for diabetes: how excited are you to face your sister Whitney? I am really excited to play against Whitney. We have a ton of family coming to the game and it will be really exciting. It is also very special because it is our type 1 diabetes awareness game.

Your mother Brenda played basketball at SMU and your father Dennis also played college basketball: who is the best athlete in the family? I would say that right now I am the best athlete based on my experience but my sisters all have different skills and they will all improve as they get older.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? Our ultimate goal is to make it back to the Final Four and win another national championship. I expect everyone to come back this year with the same intensity and the same will to win as last year so I am excited to get started with this team.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Colgate assistant coach Mike Jordan

Posted on September 19, 2019 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of our extensive Preseason Content

We continue our season preview coverage with Colgate assistant coach Mike Jordan. The Raiders lost a home game last February to fall to 13-10 overall, and then proceeded to turn things around by winning 11 straight games to make the NCAA tourney for the 1st time since 1996. 2019 conference COY Matt Langel deserves a lot of the credit but had 3 awesome assistants to rely on in Dave Klatsky/Pat Moore/Mike Jordan. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Jordan about his famous basketball name and having a brutal road schedule this November.

You played for Coach Fran Dunphy at Penn: what made him such a great coach, and what was the most important thing that you ever learned from him? He was an awesome person who was very knowledgeable about the game. He pushed you to be your best and never accepted anything less. I learned to always be the best I can even though my best might be different than someone else’s best.

In 1996 you were named Ivy ROY and in 2000 you were named Ivy POY: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? It is always good to be recognized for the work you put in but the awards did not compare to winning an Ivy championship during my final 2 years of college: that is all that matters at the end of the day.

After graduating you played pro basketball for more than a decade in 9 different countries: what is the biggest difference between basketball in the US vs. basketball overseas? The 24-second shot clock is a big difference. They also have club teams abroad rather than college teams. They have a different style where everyone can shoot the ball, even if we are finally leaning toward that model a little in the US. The big men overseas are very good passers.

What is the best part of being a basketball player named Mike Jordan, and what is the not-so-best part? The best part is that nobody forgets your name…and the worst part is that nobody forgets your name! If you ever do anything bad you will always hear about it.

You currently work for Coach Matt Langel at Colgate, who was your former teammate with the Quakers: what was he like as a player, and what is he like as a boss? He was a very good shooter/hard worker and knew how to play, which is what we teach our guys now. I am very fortunate to work for 1 of my best friends: he learned a lot from Dunphy and allows us to do a lot of things as assistants. He allows us to grow as coaches, which is perfect for me, and is very family-oriented so our kids are always around the gym. He is a very understanding boss and it is a very unique situation for me: I am lucky to work for a guy like that.

In the 2019 conference tourney title game Jordan Burns scored a Patriot League tourney-record 35 PTS in a win over Bucknell en route to being named tourney MVP: how was he able to play his best when it mattered the most, and how big a deal was it to win the school’s 1st Patriot League regular season/tourney titles since 1996? It was a big deal for our players/staff. We had been close before and were down a bunch the previous year while Bucknell was having a party down on the other end of the court: it was like a nightclub with a DJ and people dancing! I made our guys watch that and Jordan worked hard every day to step up and become a better player. He wanted to beat Bucknell because he remembered how it felt in 2018 and he did not want to feel that way again.

In the 2019 NCAA tourney you had a 7-PT loss to Tennessee: how close did you come to pulling off the upset, and what did your team learn from that game that will help them this year? We were close: Rap (Rapolas Ivanauskas) not being able to play hurt us size-wise since he is such a big guy who can spread the floor but we had a good chance to win even without him. When the opportunity comes you have to step up. We try to teach the players that each possession matters: the game is so fragile that you can win or lose it on a crucial turnover or not boxing out or letting someone get into the lane. It all comes down to the details.

Last year Langel was named conference COY, PF Rapolas Ivanauskas was named conference POY and Tucker Richardson was named conference ROY: is there anyone on your team who did NOT win an award last season?! We also had a couple of guys on the all-defensive team and they all earned everything that they achieved last year. However, they were happiest that we got to play in the NCAA tourney, which trumped everything else as the team’s highlight of the year.

Your non-conference schedule includes 3 straight road games in November at Clemson/Syracuse/Auburn: how do you prepare for such a brutal road trip? We have to prepare for NJIT 1st because they beat us last year, and then you prepare just as if it was anyone else on your schedule. We have to play a little smarter/better and not give those high-major teams extra possessions/easy points. If they earn it and beat us then so be it, but if we trust our scouting report and stick to the script then we will be fine.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? Same as usual: continue to get better each day and compete for a championship. Most people probably have us as favorites but the league is very good this year so it is wide open.

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