Conference Preview: American

Posted on October 21, 2018 by Chad

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

There may not have been a conference in the nation that was more struck by injuries last season than the American.  UCF was devastated by losses of the likes of Aubrey Dawkins and Tacko Fall, while SMU (Shake Milton) and UConn (Alterique Gilbert) were among others that had their season hopes dashed by doctors’ reports.  Of course, not every team’s problem was injuries – just ask Cincinnati, who apparently forgot how to play defense midway through the second half of their NCAA Tournament loss to Nevada.

This season, the American has a large number of teams that appear to be good enough to contend for tournament bids, led by Cincinnati, UCF and Houston.  Expect UConn to make big upwards strides with Danny Hurley taking over at head coach, and it will be tough to count out SMU, Wichita State or Temple, all of whom have excellent coaching as well.  Memphis should be fascinating to watch as Penny Hardaway gets his first-ever college head coaching job.  All in all, there should be a ton of competitive teams in this league, and if they don’t end up just beating each other up too much, it would not be a shock to see four or more NCAA bids come March.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Cincinnati – The Bearcats need to put what happened against Nevada last March in the rear-view mirror and find a way to gel without Jacob Evans, Gary Clark and Kyle Washington around anymore. That may not be too difficult for Mick Cronin, especially with Jarron Cumberland poised for a breakout season in the backcourt and some good size down low with the likes of Nysier Brooks and redshirt freshman Mamoudou Diarra.  Getting solid scoring from the likes of Cane Broome and Juco transfer Rashawn Fredericks could be the key to the team’s success.
  2. UCF – The Knights were snake-bitten by injuries last season and need to keep their players on the floor if they want to succeed this year. If they can do that, between the experience gained last season by backups thrown into starting roles, and the returns of stars Aubrey Dawkins, B.J. Taylor and Tacko Fall, this team has enough talent to win the league and even challenge for a protected (top 4) seed in March.  If they stay healthy, that is.
  3. Houston – It will be tough for Kelvin Sampson to make up for the loss of Rob Gray’s 19.3 points per game and Devin Davis’ rebounding skills. Corey Davis, Jr. should score a ton of points for the Cougars, and Fabian White Jr. has a chance to be a force down low, but the rest of the frontcourt is full of question marks and depth could be an issue.
  4. Connecticut – Dan Hurley takes over as head coach and he may not have as big of a rebuild project as some people fear. Despite finishing 14-18 last season, the Huskies return potential conference player of the year Jalen Adams and will hopefully finally have Alterique Gilbert healthy.  There is enough talent here that, if Hurley can pull the team together, it would not be a shock at all to see UConn in the Big Dance in his very first season.
  5. SMU – Much like UCF, the Mustangs were hit hard last season with injuries and will need to find a way to stay healthy this season, especially given that they are still limited to only 11 scholarship players due to NCAA penalties. The key will be the return of Jarrey Foster and how much offense he can add to complement his superb defensive skills and help make up for the loss Shake Milton.  Also keep an eye on Duquesne transfer Isiaha Mike who averaged over 11 points per game as a freshman at his former school.
  6. Temple – Do not be surprised if the Owls find a way to challenge for a Dance Ticket to give Fran Dunphy one last hurrah on his way to retirement at the end of the season. Guards Quinton Rose and Shizz Alston Jr. will lead the way, but there are a lot of holes in the front court with forward Obi Enechionyia now gone.
  7. Tulane – Picking the Green Wave this high may surprise some, but Mike Dunleavy is finally starting to make some noise in New Orleans. The team lost both Melvin Frazier and Cameron Reynolds to the pro ranks but does have three other starters and a lot of depth returning.  Tulane is still a few years away from contending for a tourney bid, but things are definitely looking up.
  8. Wichita State – The Shockers have made 7 straight NCAA Tournament appearances and it is hard to bet against Gregg Marshall. However, the only significant contributor back from last season’s team is Markis McDuffie, making this a rebuilding year in Wichita.
  9. Memphis – Of all programs in the American, the Tigers may be one of the most intriguing to follow this season. Penny Hardaway takes over as head coach after never coaching above the prep level.  If he proves that his coaching skills on the court are as good as his recruiting so far has been, the Tigers could be on their way to the top of the AAC in just a few years.  As for this season, a nice handful of heralded freshmen are joining 2017-18 HoopsHD American Conference Player of the Year Jeremiah Martin (almost 19 points per game last season) and Kyvon Davenport (just over 13 points per game).  Expect the Tigers to struggle early as they attempt to put the pieces together and Hardaway learns the ropes, but this could be a very dangerous team by February and March.
  10. Tulsa – The Golden Hurricane were a big surprise last season, putting together a 12-6 conference record and 4th place finish. With Junior Etou and Corey Henderson gone now, it is difficult to see them finishing anywhere close to that mark, even with one of the conference’s top point guards in Sterling Taplin.
  11. East Carolina – Joe Dooley’s return to the helm, after a great run over the past five years at Florida Gulf Coast, bodes well for the future of East Carolina basketball. Unfortunately, this team lost two of its best players from a team that took an ‘L’ 20 times last season, and making any serious progress will take a few years, even with AAC Rookie of the Year Shawn Williams on the court.
  12. South Florida – If you are going to be on a team that has the sort of season we expect the Bulls to have, at least you can take solace in the fact that you are spending the winter in Tampa. David Collins averaged 10 points per game last season and will likely be the team’s top scorer.
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Conference Preview: WAC

Posted on October 20, 2018 by Chad

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

The Grand Canyon Antelopes finally became eligible for the NCAA Tournament last season after what seemed an impossibly long transitional period up from Division II.  The Lopes made a run to the WAC title game but fell there to New Mexico State.  This season, the Lopes will look to take that final step as NMSU enters a bit of a rebuilding phase (though the Aggies should still be good enough to contend for the conference title).  This season also marks the start of another long four-year transitional period for a program that could make some noise in this conference once they become postseason eligible.  The Cal Baptist Lancers, who have been a force at the D2 level for the past five years, begin their NCAA-imposed time in Purgatory.  The four-year wait is still both too long and too unfair.  #LancerWaiver anyone?

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Grand Canyon – Despite losing three starters who each averaged 9 or more points per game, including star Joshua Braun, the Lopes should be just fine this season thanks in part to their sophomore standout Alessandro Lever, who led the team in scoring last season. Also keep an eye on the Finke brothers – incoming four-star recruit Tim and older brother/Illinois graduate transfer Michael.
  2. New Mexico State – Chris Jans did a great job guiding the Aggies to the NCAA Tournament in his first year at the helm in Las Cruces. With only one starter returning from that team, New Mexico State is likely to take a step or two back this season.  Utah transfer JoJo Zamora should help pick up some of the lost scoring load, as will former sixth man Eli Chuha.
  3. Seattle – Jim Hayford’s first season as head coach was a successful one as the Redhawks won 20 games. Only one starter returns, but that player is leading scorer Matej Kavas (15.2 points per game).  The team also gets former Patriot League Freshman of the Year Delante Jones (American) eligible this season.  One other thing to watch in Seattle is the home court.  With Key Arena starting to undergo renovations, all home games will be played in the on-campus 999 seat Redhawk Center.
  4. Utah Valley – All five starters for the Wolverines averaged in double figures last season as the team won 23 games and finished second in the conference standings. Three of those five are gone and the team will need to blend several transfers in if they want to try to match that level of success.  There are only two seniors on the roster, and three more transfers sitting out this season, so the WAC better watch out for the team from Orem next season!
  5. Cal State-Bakersfield – Three years ago, the Roadrunners made their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. Two years ago, the team made a run all the way to Madison Square Garden and the semifinals of the postseason NIT.  Last year . . . they only won 12 games overall.  Bakersfield does return a pair of double-digit scorers in Rickey Holden and Damiyne Durham so an improvement is likely this season, even if a return to the postseason is not.
  6. Cal Baptist* – The Lancers begin their four-year transition to Division I this season and should be competitive right from the start as the program has been to five consecutive D2 tournaments. Jordan Heading is the leading returning scorer at 14.3 points per game.  However, watching the sidelines and stands may be interesting as well this season as Washington State transfer Milan Acquaah (ineligible to play this season) may be visited by his best friend – Los Angeles Laker Lonzo Ball.
  7. Texas-Rio Grande Valley – The Vaqueros finished 15-18 last season, though they did play postseason basketball in the CBI (don’t get us started on whether or not sub-.500 teams should be invited to postseason events!). Leading scorer Nick Dixon (20.3 points per game) is gone and no other player on the roster averaged double figures last season.  In other words, don’t expect much from UTRGV this season.
  8. UMKC – The Roos only won 10 games last season. Even worse, one of their 22 losses was to William Jewell – a Division II school that even the most die-hard college basketball fans may have never heard of…by 12 points…at home!  The good news is that the team is still young, with only one senior of note on the roster.  The bad news is that, if they do not start turning things around, head coach Kareem Richardson may not still be here this time next year.
  9. Chicago State – The Cougars will (once again) attempt to start over as they welcome in Lance Irvin, who spent the last six years as an assistant coach for high school basketball in Chicago (though he did spend over 20 years as a D1 assistant before that). The team only returns one starter, but a clean slate may be exactly what is needed after the Cougars only managed a single Division I win last season.

*Cal Baptist is ineligible for the NCAA Tournament due to being in the first of a four-year transitional period to Division I.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Utah G Parker Van Dyke

Posted on October 20, 2018 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

We continue our season preview coverage with Utah G Parker Van Dyke. In an era of scandalous recruiting stories involving cars/money/etc., Parker is a breath of fresh air. Coach Larry Krystkowiak just happened to find the right kid in the right place at the right time, as Parker grew up in Salt Lake City and was a 1st-team all-state selection who always wanted to play for the Utes. He began his college career in the fall of 2013, but due to following up that season with a 2-year LDS Church mission in Alabama he still has 1 more year of eligibility left. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Parker about making the NIT title game last March and being a senior leader. We also wish him a belated happy birthday earlier this week!

You grew up in Salt Lake City: what made you choose Utah? I was born/raised here and grew up as a big Utah fan. When they started recruiting me it just felt like the right decision and I have had a great experience here.

You served a 2-year LDS Church mission in Birmingham, AL: what was the best part of the experience? I served all over the state and it was a great experience. The best part was the people I met: the South is very different from Utah so I enjoyed partaking in a different environment. I created some great relationships that I will have for the rest of my life and it taught me to be a better student/player.

You play for Coach Larry Krystkowiak: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him? Coach K is extremely passionate about what he does: he loves the game and all of his players. He coaches us both on the floor and in life: to be better players as well as better men. He knows the game but takes it upon himself to be a mentor. We talk about how there are no little things in life and that you should represent something bigger than yourself in who you are and how you do things. He has taught me a lot.

You played in 23 games as a freshman: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? Thinking back to that year, we had a great coaching staff who prepared me to play at that level. We balance player development with team development. It was Delon Wright’s junior year and going up against him in practice made me better.

In the 2018 NIT title game you had 2 AST in a loss to Penn State: what did you learn from that game that will help you this year? Just being able to play in a survive-and-advance atmosphere, which will prepare us for the Pac-12 tourney…and hopefully the NCAA tourney. When you have little time to prepare and are at a road/neutral site it is not easy to win but we can build off of that.

The Pac-12 had 3 teams make the NCAA tourney last year (none of whom made it to the 2nd round) and had 3 players taken in the 1st round of the NBA draft (Deandre Ayton/Troy Brown Jr./Aaron Holiday): if the conference has so much talent then why are there not more teams in the tourney? That is a great question that has been on my mind the past couple of years. We have finished top-4 in the conference the past 2 years but have not been able to get a bid. The Pac-12 is viewed as a lesser Power-5 conference even though a team like ASU had a great non-conference schedule last year (including wins over Kansas/Kansas State/Xavier). We have set ourselves up this year with some tough games so if we can win a couple of those then it will make us look pretty good. I think that our conference can compete with anyone in the nation so hopefully that changes.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Minnesota/Kentucky/Nevada: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? Nevada is a great team with a lot of experience but playing against Coach John Calipari at Rupp Arena is a once in a lifetime experience for a person like me. They have talent and I am excited for the atmosphere: it will be a test but also fun.

You are 1 of 3 seniors on the roster: how much pressure is there on you to be a leader this year? I am definitely expected to be a big-time leader because I have been around the block a few times. I have been working on communication so that guys know they can come to me if they have any confusion. They can lean on me and ask me questions because I have been here before and I know what they are going through. We are expected to lead both on and off the floor by executing and living the right way.

You turned 24 earlier this week: what were your plans for the big day? That is old for a college basketball player! It will probably be a normal day of lifting/practicing but the good part of being a local kid is that I have so much family/friends around.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? We want to make the NCAA tourney: when you grow up watching March Madness you envision yourself being a part of the experience someday so that is the ultimate goal for our team. Individually, I do not want to have any regrets. As a leader of this team I want to lead to the best of my ability: defending, helping my teammates be better, etc.

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The Hoops HD Report: Big East Conference Preview

Posted on October 20, 2018 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

The Big East has produced two of the last three national champions in Villanova, routinely sends more than half of its teams to the NCAA Tournament, and is coming off a year where they produced two #1 seeds.  While we think Nova is still the best team in the conference, we don’t think they’re quite as good as they were a year ago, and while the league as a whole is still really good, we don’t see them getting six or seven teams in this year.  But…they might.  This is a conference where the teams always seem to finish higher than where they were projected in the preseason.  In addition to Villanova we also really like Marquette.  After that we discuss the other eight teams, but there isn’t a whole lot of consensus other than that we feel that DePaul will once again be the worst team.

 

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

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Conference Preview: SWAC

Posted on October 20, 2018 by Chad

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

For the past six seasons, the SWAC has been all about Texas Southern.  During that time period, head coach Mike Davis led the Tigers to four SWAC regular season championships and four NCAA Tournaments, including last season’s berth (and win) in the First Four.  Davis has moved on to Detroit and the school has hired Johnny Jones as his replacement.  With the team likely needing to rebuild this year, the conference race is wide open.  Last year’s regular season champions, who were ineligible due to an APR ban, are our pick to make their first ever trip to the Big Dance this season.  Grambling was long looked at as one of the worst programs in Division I, but now they are poised to win the conference title.  It will not be easy with at least three other programs set to contend, including Alabama State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Prairie View.  At the end of the day, expect SWAC teams to take a lot of lumps in non-conference guarantee buy-games, and then battle each other tight once conference play starts in January.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Grambling State – The Tigers, who spent years batting to avoid being the worst team in Division I, captured the SWAC regular season title last year. Unfortunately, an APR ban kept them out of postseason play.  The ban is now lifted, and the school’s first ever NCAA tournament bid is within reach.  Ivy Smith, a contender for SWAC Player of the Year, will lead the way.  He averaged 16.7 points per game last year.
  2. Alabama State – The Hornets may have only been 8-23 last season, but all 8 wins came against SWAC opponents including a stretch where they won 4 out of 7 shortly before SWAC Freshman of the Year Jacoby Ross went down with a hand injury. Ross is now healthy and the entire starting lineup, including leading scorer Reginald Gee and double-double threat Branden Johnson, is back.  This team could end up a serious contender by the time the dust settles.
  3. Arkansas-Pine Bluff – The Golden Lions tied for second place in the regular season and lost the conference tournament title game to Texas Southern last season. This year, they will look to take the next step led by SWAC Player (and Newcomer) of the Year Martaveous McKnight.  McKnight averaged over 18 points per game for UAPB last season and has two other starters plus a handful of key reserves returning to help try to take this team into the postseason.
  4. Prairie View A&M – The Panthers only return two starters from last season, but those two both averaged over 12 points per game in helping the team go 12-6 in SWAC play. Keep an eye on Gary Blackston who has a chance to average over 20 points per game this year.  If he does, do not be surprised to see him leading his team into the Big Dance.
  5. Alcorn State – Reginal Johnson got a medical redshirt after suffering an injury last season, and with that injury went the Braves’ chances for contending for the SWAC title. Johnson is back, as is double-digit scorer Maurice Howard, so there is a chance this team could make some noise.  They will, however, have to find a way to make up for the 27 points per game that A.J. Mosby and Dante Sterling combined to score last year.
  6. Texas Southern – The Tigers begin the post-Mike Davis era after he led them to four NCAA Tournaments in six seasons as head coach. They did bring in another big name, however, in former Memphis/North Texas/LSU head man Johnny Jones.  With Demontrae Jefferson’s 23.4 points per game gone, and only one double-digit scorer (Derrick Bruce) returning, it may take Jones a year or two to get TSU back to its customary spot atop the league standings.  If they have a slow start then have no fear; last year the Tigers became the first team since 1985 to start a season 0-13 and still end up making the NCAA Tournament.
  7. Mississippi Valley State – The good news for the Delta Devils is that four starters, including their top two scorers (Dante Scott and Jordan Evans), are back from last year. The bad news is that this same team only won four games all of last season.  MVSU should be better, but probably not enough to make any serious noise in the SWAC.
  8. Southern – Sean Woods returns to the SWAC where he had previously led Mississippi Valley State to the NCAA Tournament before he coached at Morehead State, which ended controversially. With only one starter returning from last year’s team, Woods will have his work cut out for him this season.
  9. Jackson State – The Tigers lost 20 games last season and do not return a single starter from that squad. This could be a long season in Jackson, as the team will need to go to a faster guard-oriented offense to try to make up for a serious lack of size, even by SWAC standards.
  10. Alabama A&M* – Donnie Marsh his job as head coach of the Bulldogs to become an assistant coach at Florida Gulf Coast. That should tell you all you need to know about how abnormal things are in Normal!  Former assistant Dylan Howard is now in charge (as interim head coach) and does have four starters back.  However, coming off of a 3-win season, and with only one returning double-digit scorer, this is likely going to be another long season for a team that is not even postseason eligible due to an APR ban.

*Alabama A&M is ineligible for postseason play due to an APR ban.

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Conference Preview: Sun Belt

Posted on October 19, 2018 by Chad

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

Watching head coach Ron Hunter fall off his chair as his son RJ made the game winning shot in the upset win over Baylor in the 2015 NCAA Tournament will never get old.  Hunter had his Panthers back in the Big Dance last season and will have a great chance to return this year with four starters returning led by D’Marcus Simonds.  Winning the Sun Belt will not be easy, however, as the Panthers should get stiff opposition from the likes of Georgia Southern, Louisiana, Appalachian State and South Alabama.  For South Alabama, new head coach Richie Riley will be the key after he led Nicholls State to an amazing turnaround last year.  One recent perennial power that will not be in contention is Texas-Arlington.  The Mavericks inexplicably fired head coach Scott Cross after last season and now look destined to finish the year in the conference cellar.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Georgia State – Head coach Ron Hunter’s team will be among the best in the Sun Belt this year thanks to four returning starters from a 24-win team that lost to Cincinnati in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. D’Marcus Simonds (21.2 points per game) will be a candidate for Conference Player of the Year.
  2. Georgia Southern – The Eagles could make a run at the conference crown thanks to double-digit scoring returning guards Tookie Brown (18.9 points per game) and Ike Smith (12.0 points per game), as well as forward Montae Glenn, a nightly double-double threat. Also keep an eye on redshirt Tyshaun Crawford.  In fact, at 7-1, he will be hard to miss.
  3. Louisiana – The Ragin’ Cajuns only lost three games to Sun Belt opponents last season – 2 in the regular season and an upset loss in the semifinals of the Sun Belt Tournament to Texas-Arlington. Two of the top three scorers are gone, but virtually everyone else is back, including forward JaKeenan Gant (13.7 points per game).  Justin Miller and Cedric Russell could be big factors this season after coming off the bench last year.
  4. Appalachian State – The Mountaineers could take another big step up in the standings this season with four starters back, led by their frontcourt pairing of Tyrell Johnson and Isaac Johnson (no relation), both of whom could be double-double threats. They should have scoring in the backcourt as well, led by senior guard Ronshad Shabazz, who averaged over 18 points per game last year.
  5. South Alabama – Richie Riley did an amazing job bringing Nicholls State from an afterthought to a share of the Southland championship last season.  His reward was getting the head coaching job at South Alabama, where the Jaguars have four returning starters and will get help from graduate transfer Kory Holden.  Do not be surprised if USA contends for a spot near the top of the league standings this season.
  6. Troy – The Trojans did lose guard Wesley Person and his 17.6 points per game but return one of the league’s best frontcourts duos in Jordon Varnado (18.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game) and Alex Hicks (11.7 points and 8.4 boards). If the team can develop some consistent outside shooting, they could finish even higher than this.
  7. Coastal Carolina – It is tough to bet against head coach Cliff Ellis’ teams, but the Chanticleers could struggle again with only one returning double-digit scorer from a team that was only 8-10 in Sun Belt games. Zac Cuthbertson should have a big season down low but will need help for this team to improve.
  8. Louisiana-Monroe – The Warhawks were 9-9 in Sun Belt play last season and 16-16 overall. They had four players average in double figures, but only two of those return.  Senior forward Travis Munnings is a double-double threat, so there is a chance for improvement here.  However, the team will need a few newcomers to step up and provide depth for them to even match last season’s mediocrity.
  9. Texas State – Nijal Pearson averaged over 15 points per game for the Bobcats last season and could put up even bigger numbers this year. The problem is that the team has very few scoring options after him.  Unless another legitimate threat emerges, don’t expect much better than a middle of the pack finish for the team from San Marcos.
  10. Arkansas State – The Red Wolves were 6-12 in Sun Belt play last season, thanks mostly to a defense that allowed opponents to shoot 55% from inside the arc and 42% from beyond it. They need to get a lot better on that end of the court.  Offense could be a problem as well with only one returning player that averaged in double figures.  In other words, this could be a long season in Jonesboro.
  11. Little Rock – Three years removed from a 30-win season and NCAA Tournament bid, Little Rock is welcoming in another new head coach in former Arkansas star and NBAer Darrell Walker. The good news for Walker is that the roster is young, so he will have a chance to build the team up.  However, another 20+ loss record will be tough to avoid this season.
  12. Texas-Arlington – Apparently regular season success is meaningless in Arlington if a team cannot make the NCAA Tournament. In perhaps one of the worst coaching decisions we have ever seen, highly successful Scott Cross was fired from his alma mater in March (and now has a job as an assistant to Jamie Dixon at TCU).  The one good move was a solid hire in Chris Ogden, who spent many years as an assistant to (and player for) Rick Barnes.  Ogden only gets two players back from last season that even scored a single point, so this will be the start of a complete rebuild.
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