Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Cleveland State head coach Dennis Felton

Posted on October 23, 2018 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

We continue our season preview coverage with Cleveland State head coach Dennis Felton. I wonder if the NCAA welcomed Cal Baptist and North Alabama to D-1 this year because they were running out of schools that Coach Felton does not have a connection to: he has been a player at Howard, assistant at Delaware/Tulane/St. Joseph’s/Providence/Clemson/Tulsa, and head coach at Western Kentucky/Georgia/Cleveland State. His 1st year in Cleveland was not a winning 1 but after reflecting on his 6 postseason appearances in an 8-year span from 2001-2008 I do not expect it will take very long for him to turn things around. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Felton about the unforgettable 2008 SEC tourney and the time he spent working with Steve Kerr/Gregg Popovich.

You were born in Tokyo and lived all over the world: how did you 1st get into basketball? When I was living in Germany at age 10 I saw a flyer on a bulletin board encouraging kids to sign up for a basketball league and I told my dad that I wanted to sign up. I was terrible that 1st year but fell in love with the sport.

You made the MEAC All-Academic team at Howard: how much importance do you place on academics? It comes naturally for me because my parents would not have it any other way. Education was a non-negotiable part of our lives so we just did our best and planned to go to college. I was far from a brilliant student but those simple values paid off: go to class, do your work on time, and take pride in doing your best. I enjoyed history classes and majored in radio/TV/film production.

In the 1997 NCAA tourney as an assistant to Rick Barnes at Clemson, you had a 6-PT 2-OT loss to #1-seed Minnesota despite overcoming a 15-PT 1st half deficit: where does that rank among the most devastating losses of your career? That year was memorable for me because we started with an epic OT win on the national stage over Kentucky at the RCA Dome and then ended our season with an incredible game against Minnesota. Both teams felt quite confident that they would reach the Final 4 because the most likely Elite 8 matchup was going to be UCLA. We were tough mentally/physically and had great momentum going into the Sweet 16, which made it that much more devastating. Coach Haskins was a good friend of mine and always complained to us that we cost him the national title because Harold Jamison set a legal screen on Eric Harris and dislocated his shoulder. He was the heart/soul of that team as the PG.

In the 2008 SEC tourney as head coach at Georgia, you won 4 games in 3 days (due to a tornado) to win the title despite going 4-12 in conference play and only having 8 healthy scholarship players: what are your memories of that wild weekend? We staggered into the end of the season with a 14-PT home loss to Mississippi, who turned out to be our 1st round opponent in the conference tourney. We knew exactly why we lost so it really allowed us to focus on how to win that 1st game, which is the key for any postseason run. As quickly as we got some momentum, the tornado hit and threw the tourney into utter disarray. I remember fighting for our lives with the SEC to keep it going: it was obvious that our only chance to make the NCAA tourney was to win the SEC tourney and we did not deserve to lose that opportunity. We were in the Georgia Dome literally from 7PM until 1:30AM, which is when we finally realized the devastation from the storm in downtown Atlanta. Around 2:30AM we were told that the plan was to play at noon, with the winner playing again a few hours later against a totally-fresh opponent. We had some concerns but talked about getting refocused on our next game: we refused to be distracted from our goal and let our bodies do what they were capable of doing without taking a single possession off. We got off to great starts and played with a lead for most of the tourney. 2 of our games went into OT and we had to finish them without our best player (Sundiata Gaines) so we were even more short-handed than usual. I have won 7 championships in my career but none more unlikely than that 1.

You spent a few years in the NBA: what did you learn from working with great basketball minds like Steve Kerr/Gregg Popovich? I wanted to work in the NBA for a variety of reasons and was fortunate to work for the Spurs because I identified with what they were about. Kerr is a Spur at heart after winning a few titles with them: 1 of the biggest lessons I took from him was how to be a great teammate and share the experience with your fellow players. We worked hard but also worked smart and at the end of the day it all comes down to relationships: you need to have faith/trust in each other. It was good to get that confirmation of my own values at the highest level of the game. You need talent but you do not need to be the most talented if you have the best team. Steve gets buy-in from all his players.

Last year was your 1st season as head coach at Cleveland State: what was the best part, and what was the not-best part? It was pretty much all good. We knew that we would be building from scratch for 2 years in a row since last year’s team was so senior-dominant but most of the guys were all-in to take advantage of opportunities they had not previously had at the college level. We were losing some tough games where we came up just a little short but they kept believing in what we were teaching/preaching. They kept coming back to the gym for more and were excited for the chance to get better, which is what we did most weeks. We learned how to win close games during the latter part of the season and made a fun run in the Horizon tourney (3 straight single-digit wins before losing to Wright State). I was really happy for those seniors who had enough dedication to stay with it and turn the corner.

You lost 4 of your top-6 scorers from last year (Kenny Carpenter/Bobby Word/Anthony Wright/Jamarcus Hairston): how will you try to replace all of that offense? We will actually be more talented this year: recruiting went very well as we brought in some good players who will fit into our program. We have a lot more answers for putting the ball in the basket now but the major challenge will be that we might be the least experienced team in the nation. We only have 2 significant returning players so we are trying to learn/mature as rapidly as we possibly can.

Last year your team set school records with 294 3PM/863 3PA: how crucial is the 3-PT shot to your offensive philosophy? We play position-less basketball and play with space/pace. We have a team full of versatile guys who can play anywhere on the court. We play a style that includes significant use of the 3-PT line. We play spread pick and roll with a lot of flow and an open rim so you need players who are empowered to shoot. We expect to make major use of the 3-PT line even though we were not a great 3-PT shooting team last year. Hopefully we will have better shooting talent this year and become more efficient.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Ohio State/DePaul: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? With this team we will be pushed to our limits every single night starting right out of the gate. Hopefully we will be able to figure out a way but I do not know how many coaches would enjoy starting the season at Davidson. Their offense is so intricate so we will find out really fast that they are at a different level when they put us into the blender!

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? This year will be predictable in some ways but unpredictable in others. I do not know how quickly the young guys will put it together but as the year plays out we will be 1 of the most improved teams in the country from the start of the year to the end of the year. We just need to keep growing week by week.

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The Hoops HD Report: Pac 12 Preview

Posted on October 23, 2018 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

Last year was a rather disappointing year for the Pac 12 with just three teams making the NCAA Tournament, and only one making the Round of 64.  We do expect the league to be better this year (although I know that isn’t the highest of bars to set) and really like both Washington and Oregon.  There was no consensus as to who the preseason favorite was.  UCLA and USC should be strong as well and Colorado could end up being somewhat of a surprise team.  We also discuss whether this could be Ernie Kent’s last year at Washington State, whether or not Cal will improve, how Stanford could be in for a rough year with such a young roster, the obstacles and challenges facing both Arizona and Arizona State, and whether or not Oregon State can try and get things turned around.  All that, and more…

 

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

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Conference Preview: West Coast

Posted on October 22, 2018 by Chad

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

There was a time that some of us can still remember when Gonzaga was just this funny-named school out in Washington State whose scores would occasionally flash across the bottom of the screen.  The only funny thing now is that there is an entire generation of fans and players that have never seen a Selection Sunday which did not include the announcement of the name “Gonzaga”.  The Zags have played in 20 consecutive NCAA Tournaments and won at least one game in the Big Dance for each of the last 10.  Mark Few’s team has made at least the Sweet 16 for the past four seasons, and of course made it all the way to the 2017 national championship game.  So, when will the Zags finally step back down to the level of their West Coast Conference brethren?  Not this year!  On paper, Gonzaga has a team that may actually be better than the one from two years ago and picking them as a preseason Final Four team almost feels like a given.

Beyond Gonzaga is where the WCC runs into problems.  After Saint Mary’s missed the field last year, despite 28 regular season wins, the league needs to find a way to put together better resumes and better teams.  The recent influx of name head coaches should continue to help.  The league now has Damon Stoudamire, Terry Porter, Herb Sendek, and this year’s newest addition (or you could say return) – Lorenzo Romar at Pepperdine.  At the end of the day, BYU and Saint Mary’s should again be among the best teams not named Gonzaga, but keep an eye on San Diego as a team ready to make a big leap up into the upper echelon of the standings.  However, unless the Zags get upset in the WCC Tournament, this is also likely once again a single-bid conference.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Gonzaga – The Zags should be a decent team this season, and by decent we mean serious national championship contender. There simply are no holes in the lineup.  In the frontcourt, the team has top returnees Rui Hachimura and Killian Tillie along with San Jose State transfer Brandon Clarke, who should easily fill in for the departed Johnathan Williams.  In the backcourt, Josh Perkins will run the point again and Zach Norvell should light up the scoreboard.  Maybe backcourt depth is the weakness?  Not with former North Dakota star Geno Crandall coming in as a graduate transfer.  As long as Clarke and Crandall gel with the returning cast, and of course everyone stays healthy, there is easily enough talent here for a trip to Minneapolis.  Heck, there is enough talent here to cut the nets down in Minneapolis.
  2. San Diego – Picking a team not named BYU or St. Mary’s this high may be considered heresy by some, but the Toreros return most of the key pieces from a 20-win team, including the inside-outside combo of the Isaiah’s – Isaiah Pineiro and Isaiah Wright. Add in the three-point shooting touch of Olin Carter III and this just may be the year for USD.  The biggest obstacle for the team to overcome is dealing with a new head coach, as former assistant Sam Scholl takes over – though he did lead them to the third round of the CIT last year after Lamont Smith was suspended and eventually resigned due to a domestic abuse allegation.
  3. BYU – The Cougars would likely be on most people’s lists of NCAA Tournament caliber teams if Elijah Bryant had not decided to turn pro a year early. Without his 18.2 points per game, it is tough to see where the outside scoring will come from (TJ Haws runs the point more than he scores and Nick Emery must sit out the first nine games).  Inside, however, this team is just fine with double-double threat (and possible conference Player of the Year) Yoeli Childs.  Childs could end up averaging 20+ points and 10+ rebounds per game this season.
  4. St. Mary’s – 28 wins was not enough to get an at-large bid last season, due entirely to way too weak of a non-conference schedule. With the WCC regular season cut to only 16 games, and a few more challenges on their slate, SOS should not be as big of an issue.  Making up for the graduation losses of Jock Landale, Calvin Hermanson and Emmett Naar, however, will be a problem.  One player to keep an eye on will be Seattle transfer Aaron Menzies, a double-double threat down low who is among the best shot blockers in the entire nation.
  5. Pacific – Head coach Damon Stoudamire improved the Tigers from 4 conference wins in his first season to 9-9 last year. There is no reason why things will not keep heading in the right direction, especially with Jahlil Tripp and Roberto Gallinat back to lead the way.  Tripp is a triple-double (or is that tripple-double?) threat with his ability to pick up rebounds and assists, while Gallinat scored 41 points in a game against San Francisco late last season.  Also keep an eye on North Dakota State transfer Khy Kabellis, a double-digit scorer two years ago for the Bison.
  6. San Francisco – The Dons won 22 games and advanced all the way to the CBI finals in head coach Kyle Smith’s second year at the helm. To match that level of success this season they will need to replace a pair of double-digit scorers.  Guard Frankie Ferrari (11.4 points per game last season) and the return of Charles Minlend, who missed last season with a torn labrum, should help keep them competitive at least.
  7. Loyola Marymount – The Lions only had two problems last season – offense and defense. At 71.8 points scored per game, they ranked 234th in D1.  At 76.4 points allowed, they ranked 278th.  Those numbers have to improve, and luckily the players to make them better may be here.  James Batemon can score and dish (17.8 points and 4.6 assists per game last year), former Northwestern State guard Jordan Bell should be a threat from deep, and both Eli Scott and 7-4 Mattias Markusson are double-double threats down low.  Head coach Mike Dunlap may be on the hot seat entering this season, but the pieces are here for an improvement.
  8. Portland – The Pilots enter the third year of the Terry Porter era and may finally have the pieces to begin the slow climb out of the conference cellar. A pair of double-digit scoring guards (Marcus Shaver Jr and Josh McSwiggan) return, and the new recruits will finally add some size to the roster.  Keep an eye on 6-10 Theo Akwuba who averaged over 10 blocks per game in high school and 7-0 Jacob Tryon, a big with a solid three-point shot.
  9. Santa Clara – KJ Feagin averaged over 17 points per game last season and could improve on that number with the Broncos having a lot of holes to fill on the roster of a team that had 20 losses last season. The key will be transfers, most notably Tahj Eaddy from Southeast Missouri State who will look to step into the point guard role after having a 2-to-1 assist to turnover ratio at his former school.
  10. Pepperdine – In 1996, Lorenzo Romar took over the Pepperdine head coaching job from then-interim head coach Marty Wilson. 22 years later and Romar is back, replacing the head man for the past seven years, Marty Wilson.  Romar has the ability to recruit some huge talent, so don’t be surprised to see this program get better fairly quickly.  The team this year does return some pieces as well, including sophomore scorer Colbey Ross (over 14 points per game) along with Kameron Edwards and Eric Cooper (who both dealt with injuries last season).  At the end of the day, it is a transition year and Romar’s recruiting has never matched his in-game results, so don’t expect any huge improvement on last year’s 2-16 WCC record.
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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews George Mason head coach Dave Paulsen

Posted on October 22, 2018 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

We continue our season preview coverage with George Mason head coach Dave Paulsen. Some coaches get into the business by becoming an assistant at a big-time program and then just waiting to take over once their boss retires, while others prefer to become head coach at a smaller school and keep moving up the ladder by moving from 1 school to another. Coach Paulsen appeared to be taking the former route as a grad assistant to Steve Fisher at Michigan in 1990 but later opted for Plan B. He has had success everywhere he has coached: back-to-back D-3 tourney appearances at St. Lawrence, a winning record at Le Moyne, back-to-back D-3 national COY awards at Williams, then 3 straight 25-win seasons at Bucknell before joining George Mason in 2015. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Paulsen about winning a D-3 title and celebrating his birthday last month.

You played basketball at Williams and were Phi Beta Kappa: how good a player were you back in the day, and how did you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? I was short but made up for it by being extremely slow! I was a very-average-to-below-average player but loved the game and knew that I wanted to coach. My coach later hired me at Williams. I think that academics/athletics should go hand in hand: when you stay busy there is a sense of urgency to everything you are doing. You need time to blow off steam every day so it was not that difficult to put down the books.

In the 1990 NCAA tourney as a grad assistant to Steve Fisher at Michigan you faced high-scoring Loyola Marymount: what are your memories of that 149-115 loss? I remember Jeff Fryer running right by me on the wing and banging in 3 after 3. I was a lowly grad assistant but I knew that there was no way we could run with them: it was just a disaster.

In 2003 as head coach at your alma mater you went 31-1 and won the D-3 title, and in 2004 Jason Kalsow made a jumper with 0.2 seconds left in a 2-PT loss to Wisconsin-Stevens Point: what did it mean to you to win a title and have a near-perfect season, and how did it feel to lose a title at the buzzer? There is no better feeling in the world then winning a national championship: it is something you dream about. It felt so surreal when we actually won: we were down by 8 PTS with 3 minutes left and I started to think about what I would tell my guys in the locker room. We got some lucky breaks and it was just a magical ride. The following year we made 15-30 from behind the arc and only had a couple of turnovers: we probably deserved to win it more that year then we did in 2002. Stevens Point made a couple of shots while falling out of bounds so it all kind of balances out. Both of those teams came as close to realizing their full potential as any that I have ever coached.

In the 2012 NIT as head coach at Bucknell, Mike Muscala had 20 PTS/9 REB/4 BLK in a win over Arizona: where does that win in Tucson rank among the greatest of your D-1 career? It is hard to say. I do not rank it as high as the wins in our conference championship games. 1 of the biggest challenges for NIT teams is to play with great passion after the gut-punch of losing in your conference tourney, so to bounce back and play so well on the road against a #1-seed was a pretty remarkable accomplishment.

You were a 2-time D-3 national COY at Williams and a 3-time Patriot League COY at Bucknell: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? Those honors are a reflection of teams who were willing to be coached and were unselfish and willing to sacrifice. My assistants did a great job behind the scenes to teach/coach/scout. I will reflect on it more when I am done coaching but I share it with everyone in the program.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Cincinnati/Kansas State/1 of Baylor or Mississippi: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test?  Penn…because it is our season opener. Penn gave Kansas everything they could handle in the NCAA tourney last March. Whatever the heck they call the new metric that is replacing the RPI, we should rank high in it because we probably over-scheduled ourselves. Nobody will be able to say that we did not challenge ourselves.

After having only 1 senior on last year’s team you now have a great veteran backcourt of Otis Livingston II/Jaire Grayer/Justin Kier: how crucial will all of their experience be to your team’s success this year? It will be very important because we did not lose anyone. I told people last year that I viewed it as a 2-year season: I was not sandbagging because we have a ton of experience and way more depth now than we have ever had. We are not coaching effort/culture: just execution. Everyone on the roster has bought in so it is a ton of fun to go to practice.

1 of your assistant coaches is Duane Simpkins, who was a McDonald’s All-American: how nice is it to have an assistant who played for a pair of Hall of Fame coaches like Morgan Wootten/Gary Williams? Our entire staff is great. If you walk into our practice it seems like he has been with us for the past 7 years like the rest of us have. Nobody is worried about having their own recruit: it is about the team. Gary is actually going to drop by to speak to our team during the preseason. Duane is a tremendous coach/role model: he spent 5 years as a high school coach so he is a teacher/mentor foremost.

You had a birthday last month: what did you do for the big day (besides having a celebratory Diet Mountain Dew!)? The fun thing that Sunday is that I met up with my 3 brothers and we went to the Packers-Vikings game. Before that it was practice with the team/recruiting.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? The goals are the same all the time: reach the level of your potential. We want to define our own success by taking care of our business every day. We have some expectations for the 1st time since we have been here but we just need to take care of our own business.

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Conference Preview: Mountain West

Posted on October 22, 2018 by Chad

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

For years, the Mountain West was about Steve Fisher’s San Diego State teams and just how deep those squads might go in March.  Steve Fisher is gone, and the balance of power has most certainly switched from San Diego to Reno, Nevada.  Eric Musselman has done an amazing job building a powerhouse program.  The Wolf Pack reached the Sweet Sixteen last season and enter this year as a legitimate Final Four contender.  Nevada’s success should also help the rest of the league, as anyone that knocks them off this year will add a very good win to their resumes.  The Mountain West looks like a multi-bid league, and it would not be a shock to see at least three teams dancing from this conference.

Beyond Nevada, the top two candidates to play after Selection Sunday are New Mexico and San Diego State.  Paul Weir has the Lobos headed in the right direction after a great first season at the helm.  Although he does not return much from last season’s lineup, a couple of key transfers and his ability to meld players together should equal success.  San Diego State will be tough again and look to return to the Big Dance.  Also keep an eye on UNLV, where head coach Marvin Menzies looks like he has finally sorted things out and has the Rebels headed back to being among the conference’s elite.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Nevada – This is the Mountain West and we are talking about a team that looks like a legitimate Final Four contender. The Wolf Pack are stacked this season, from twins Caleb (MW Player of the Year) and Cody (MW Defensive Player of the Year) Martin, to Jordan Caroline, to freshman Jordan Brown who could have had a spot on pretty much any team in the nation.  The frontcourt is even deeper with the addition of Old Dominion graduate transfer Trey Porter (over 13 points per game last season).  The only question is the heath of point guard Lindsey Drew, but even if he cannot play, Cody Martin proved last season that he is more than capable of running the point too.
  2. San Diego State – The Aztecs won 22 games and made the NCAA Tournament in Brian Dutcher’s first season at the helm, and similar results could be on tap for this season. The team does need to find a way to replace Trey Kell in the backcourt and Malik Pope down low, but Jeremy Hemsley should slide back into the starting lineup alongside Devin Watson at guard and having Jalen McDaniels pull his name out of the NBA Draft will help a ton down low.
  3. New Mexico – Paul Weir inherited a mess at New Mexico last season and promptly found a way to win 19 games and finish in third place. The Lobos only return one player who averaged more than 10 points a game last season, but one should not bet against Weir’s ability to patch a team together, especially with the additions of two key transfers, Vance Jackson (Connecticut) and Carlton Bragg (Kansas/Arizona State).  Bragg will not be eligible until after the first semester and must stay away from off-court problems that plagued him at his prior two schools.  A third transfer, JaQuan Lyle (Ohio State) is out for the season with an injury, which hurts the team’s chances a lot.
  4. UNLV – The Rebels took a major step forward last season, notching 20 wins after losing 21 games the year before. Two of the top three scorers from last season are gone, but the one that does return, Shakur Juiston, averaged a double-double and should be a force this season as well.  The Rebels may not be able to contend for the league title, but they will not be an easy out anymore either.
  5. Wyoming – Three starters and six other players are all gone from last season’s 20-13 team, making this a bit of a rebuilding year for head coach Allen Edwards. The good news is that Justin James, who tied for the Mountain West scoring lead at 18.9 points per game last season, is back.  The Cowboys also add in redshirt freshman Hunter Thompson who, at 6-10 with the ability to knock down 3’s, has a chance to make some serious noise in this conference.
  6. Boise State – Leon Rice has guided the Broncos to 20 or more wins each of the past six seasons but extending that streak may be difficult this season. Three of the team’s top four scorers are gone including NBA Draft first round pick Chandler Hutchison.  Leading returnee Justinian Jessup will need to get immediate help from former bench players and a couple of Juco transfers for this team to have success.
  7. Fresno State – Rodney Terry somewhat surprisingly left Fresno State for the UTEP job after last season. The Bulldogs now welcome in Justin Hutson, and it looks like a rebuild is ahead with only one double-digit scorer returning.  The good news is that one player is Deshon Taylor, who averaged over 17 points per game on route to an All-Mountain West first team selection.
  8. Colorado State – Last season was a disaster, to say the least, that ended with 12 losses in the final 13 games and head coach Larry Eustachy being placed on administrative leave and eventually stepping down. The Rams need to rebuild almost from the ground up.  They may have found the right man to lead the way in former Tim Miles assistant Niko Medved, who more than doubled Drake’s win total in his one year on the job there.  Medved has another Niko (or at least Nico) – Nico Carvacho – to help with the rebuild effort.  Carvacho is a double-double machine that should cause the Rams’ opponents a ton of headaches.
  9. Utah State – The Aggies have a new coach in former South Dakota head man Craig Smith. Smith has his work cut out for him especially after star point guard Koby McEwen decided to transfer to Marquette.  Keep an eye on guard Sam Merrill this season as he averaged over 16 points per game last year and will be looked on to score even more this season.
  10. Air Force – The Falcons have veteran leadership. The Falcons also finished 12-19 with these same players last season and are undersized compared to the rest of the conference.  In other words, this team may be competitive and pull off an upset or two, but don’t expect them to contend for an upper division finish.
  11. San Jose State – Jean Prioleau took over the San Jose State head coaching job last August and may be wondering why he did so. The Spartans not only finished a horrible 4-26 last year, but they then saw their top three returning players all transfer out.  The cupboard is now empty, so it is time to rebuild from the bottom up.  With a roster filled with underclassmen, this season may be more about kids learning to play and, hopefully, things can start looking up in the next few.
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Conference Preview: Atlantic Ten

Posted on October 21, 2018 by Chad

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

The Atlantic Ten found a way to put three teams into the Big Dance last season, as regular season champion Rhode Island was joined by auto-bid winner Davidson and First Four team St. Bonaventure.  The league has at least four teams with legitimate NCAA Tournament aspirations this season, though the conference as a whole needs to improve in non-conference play if they want to find a way to pick up multiple at-large bids again.

The pick to win the league is George Mason, as the Patriots return all five starters from last year.  Travis Ford’s Saint Louis team should also be in contention, along with Davidson and a (hopefully) healthy St. Joe’s team.  Keep an eye on two teams that are on the rise as well – Duquesne and Massachusetts.  Both teams enter their second seasons under their new head coaches and have already made remarkable strides.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. George Mason – The Patriots return all five starters from last year’s team, led by the outside duo of Otis Livingston II and Jaire Grayer. They also add several key pieces, most notably Virginia transfer Jarred Reuter, whose size and strength down low should help them get better on defense.
  2. Saint Louis – Travis Ford enters his third season at the helm and has the Billikens ready to break through and earn a ticket to the Big Dance. This team was one of the best defensively both in the A-10 and nationally last year and if a handful of key transfers and a solid recruiting class can help add more scoring, Saint Louis should hear its name called on Selection Sunday.
  3. Davidson – Peyton Aldridge may be gone, but the Wildcats return enough pieces for head coach Bob McKillop to keep them in contention. The trio of Jon Axel Gudmundsson, Kellan Grady and KiShawn Pritchett will still wreak havoc with opponents, and keep an eye on redshirt freshman Luke Frampton who is back healthy after missing last season with a ruptured ACL.
  4. St. Joseph’s – The Hawks finished .500 last season despite not having their two best players, Charlie Brown and Lamarr Kimble, for the majority of the season due to injuries. Both are back and, if they can stay healthy, there is no reason the Hawks won’t contend for the conference title.
  5. Dayton – Even though the top scorer is gone from a team that finished 14-17, the Flyers should be improved with their other four starters returning and Ryan Mikesell, who started two years ago, back from injury. Keep an eye on Josh Cunningham to light up the scoreboard this season for head coach Anthony Grant.
  6. St. Bonaventure – The Bonnies got hot at the right time last season and found a way to not only make the Big Dance but also knock off UCLA in the First Four. That team was led by Jaylen Adams and Matt Mobley, both of whom are gone now.  However, a very strong recruiting class should have Mark Schmidt’s team contending for the league crown again soon – though probably not this season.
  7. VCU – The Rams struggled (by VCU standards) under Mike Rhoades last season and may do so again with Marcus Evans still trying to recover from a torn Achilles. It is hard to count this program out, however, so don’t be surprised if they finish even higher than this.
  8. Duquesne – The Dukes were vastly improved under new head coach Keith Dambrot last season, finding a way to move from perennial doormats to 16-16 overall and 7-11 in A-10 play. This season will be almost like starting over, however, as five transfers and a seven-man recruiting class join a handful of returnees.  Once the team chemistry develops, there is no reason why Duquesne will not be tough to beat again.
  9. Massachusetts – The Minutemen understandably took a lot of lumps last season, but head coach Matt McCall seems to be the right man to rebuild this program and the fruits of his efforts may begin to show as early as this season. Keep an eye on junior guard Luwane Pipkins, who averaged over 21 points per game last season.
  10. Rhode Island – Expect this team to take a big step back with four starters and head coach Dan Hurley all gone. David Cox takes over the helm, and does have point guard Jeff Dowtin back, but a return to the top of the league standings may be a few years away.
  11. Richmond – The Spiders had five players average in double figures last season yet finished the season 12-20 overall. Three of those five (Jacob Gilyard, Nick Sherod and Grant Golden) do return, but this team needs to find a way to get a lot better defensively, and on the boards, if they want to improve.
  12. La Salle – The Explorers welcome a new head coach in former Villanova assistant Ashley Howard. It may take a few years for Howard to build something here, but Pookie Powell should score a ton of points and cause opponents plenty of headaches this season.
  13. George Washington – It could be another tough season for the Colonials after their top two players, Yuta Watanabe and Jair Bolden, left the program. The team will have to rely on transfers, such as former Illinois top recruit DJ Williams, if they want to have any chance for success.
  14. Fordham – Jeff Neubauer was supposed to be just the right man to figure out how to build Fordham into a competitive contender. Entering his fourth season, he has not done so yet, and the Rams appear to once again be in rebuild mode with a roster full of freshmen and sophomores.  It remains to be seen just how much more time Neubauer has left to get things turned around here.
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