Conference Preview: Ohio Valley

Posted on October 17, 2018 by Chad

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Murray State and Belmont finished 1-2 in the conference regular season standings again last season, with the Racers winning the OVC Tournament and heading to the NCAAs.  This seems to be the story almost every year in the Ohio Valley, and will likely be the tale again when the dust clears this season.  The one relative newcomer that will look to once again crash the party is Jacksonville State, where head coach Ray Harper has turned the Gamecocks into a legitimate threat to win.  Austin Peay could also be in the hunt this season and keep an eye on Morehead State as a team with a huge chance to improve after losing 21 games last year.  Unfortunately, much of the bottom half of the conference is teams in rebuild mode, so don’t be surprised to see a lot of bad overall records pulling down the Strengths of Schedule for the league’s top teams.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Belmont – Dylan Windler just barely missed averaging a double-double last season and could do so this year as he and his teammates will have to make up for the absence of Amanze Egekeze. With two other starters and key reserve Nick Hopkins also back this season, the Bruins have a great chance to claim the Ohio Valley championship.
  2. Murray State – Last year’s OVC Player of the Year, Jonathan Stark, may be gone, but the Racers have another guard ready to replace him in Ja Morant who averaged over 12 points and 6 rebounds per game as a freshman. There is no reason why the Racers will not be right back in the thick of the battle for first place.
  3. Jacksonville State – Ray Harper continued to work his magic last season, guiding the Gamecocks to 23 wins and a run to the semifinals of the CBI. The team returns four of its top six players and welcomes in a pair of transfers from high-major programs that should help – Detrick Mostella (Tennessee) and Ty Hudson (Clemson).
  4. Austin Peay – The Governors should be among the conference’s top teams, led by their sophomore backcourt pairing of Terry Taylor (last year’s OVC Freshman of the Year) and Dayton Gumm. Also keep an eye on freshman big man Matheus Silveira.  At 7-feet tall, the Brazilian import figures to be a force in the middle.
  5. Morehead State – The Eagles have a chance to be the surprise team in the OVC this season. Despite losing 21 games last year, all five starters return and head coach Preston Spradlin welcomes in some intriguing new recruits, including 6-11 Russian forward Sasha Sukhanov.
  6. Tennessee Tech – The Golden Eagles will likely take a step back this season with only one starter returning from last year’s 19-14 squad. They do welcome in graduate transfer Malik Martin (South Florida), who at 6-11 has a chance to make a major impact this season.
  7. Southeast Missouri State – The Redhawks might have been picked as a contender for the league title this year had Denzel Mahoney (19.3 points per game) not opted to transfer to Creighton. Even without him, this team should remain competitive thanks to sophomore guard Ledarrius Brewer.
  8. Tennessee State – With Dana Ford now running the show at Missouri State, the Tigers have hired Brian “Penny” Collins as their new head coach. He may have a tough time in his first season as only one starter returns from a .500 team.  Donte Fitzpatrick-Dorsey is eligible after transferring from Ole Miss, where he had been a highly regarded recruit that struggled during two seasons.  This could be a fresh start and chance for him to shine.
  9. Tennessee-Martin – The Skyhawks only won 10 games last season and could be in for another tough ride with leading scorer Matthew Butler gone. Keep an eye on senior forward Fatodd Lewis who will be a double-double threat just about every night.
  10. Eastern Kentucky – Nick Mayo is back for his senior season and should be in the mix for conference Player of the Year. Unfortunately, pretty much everyone else of note, including head coach Dan McHale, is gone from a team that went 11-20.  Mayo will be fun to watch, but don’t expect much else this year under new head coach A.W. Hamilton.
  11. Eastern Illinois – The Panthers will be in rebuild mode this season with only guard Mack Smith back from last year’s starting lineup. The good news is that Smith, who averaged over 12 points per game, is only in his second year and the experience he and newcomers gain this season could translate into wins next season and beyond.
  12. SIU-Edwardsville – The Cougars went 9-21 last season and do not return a single player that scored 10 or more points per game. That is not a recipe for success, and just avoiding the 20-loss mark may be an accomplishment.
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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Mississippi State F Aric Holman

Posted on October 16, 2018 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

We continue our season preview coverage with Mississippi State F Aric Holman. On the majority of college basketball teams the 6’10” Holman would be the tallest player on the roster. In Starkville it just makes him part of the crowd, as the Bulldogs have a whopping SIX guys on the team who stand between 6’10” and 6’11”. He certainly knows how to use his height on defense, finishing in the top-10 in the SEC in BPG during each of the past 2 years. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Aric about his team’s NIT semifinal run last spring and how the rest of the frontcourt is looking this season.

You grew up in Kentucky: what made you choose Mississippi State? I just wanted to be different: most of the guys I grew up with wanted to stay close to home but I wanted to go out on my own path.

You play for Coach Ben Howland: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him? He gets the best out of you and will teach you things that help you both on/off the court. If you are far away from your family he will help you grow/develop.

All of your shooting percentages went way up last year even though your minutes/game actually went down: what is the key to being a good shooter? Just staying in the gym, getting plenty of reps up, and building your confidence when nobody else is around: it paid off.

You have finished in the top-10 in the SEC in BPG each of the past 2 years: what is the secret to blocking shots? It is an instinct thing: I have cherished doing that since high school as an athletic big man and I tend to be pretty good at it.

Last December you scored a career-high 23 PTS/10-12 FG in a win over North Florida: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? I would say so. I was also trying to take as many smart shots as I could to make them all count.

In the 2018 SEC quarterfinal you had 4 BLK in a 3-PT loss to Tennessee: how is Nick Weatherspoon’s health at the moment (he hurt his neck in the 2nd half and had to be taken to the hospital)? He is doing fine now, has recovered from his injury, and is ready to roll.

In the 2018 NIT semifinal you had 10 PTS/4-8 FG/3 BLK in a loss to Penn State: what did you learn from that game that will help you this year? Just how dominant we are as a team when we are all on the same page. When we are out here having fun and playing hard we get good outcomes.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against ASU/Clemson/Cincinnati: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? I would add Dayton in there as well because they have a great home atmosphere. I think that our biggest game will be against Clemson: it is at a neutral site (Newark, NJ) and they had a great season last year (25 wins and a run to the Sweet 16).

You have a great returning backcourt including guys like Quinndary Weatherspoon/Tyson Carter/Lamar Peters/Nick Weatherspoon: what kind of help do you have in the frontcourt? We have a great forward in Abdul Ado, KeyShawn Feazell is only a sophomore, and we have some good freshmen as well.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? My goal is to help get my team to the NCAA tourney and make it a season that we all remember.

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Conference Preview: Northeast

Posted on October 16, 2018 by Chad

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

The Northeast Conference has long been a favorite of ours here at HoopsHD.  These schools all tend to be fairly close to one another geographically and have built up some incredibly intense rivalries through the years.  This season should be another fun one as there are five or possibly even six teams that have a chance to win the league title.  The favorite will be the Red Flash from St. Francis (PA) as the team returns the majority of its roster from last season.  Defending conference tournament champion Long Island University should also be in the mix, along with Fairleigh Dickinson, Wagner, Robert Morris and maybe even St, Francis (Brooklyn).  Mount St. Mary’s, which has been in the conference title race more times than not recently, will not be in that mix as the Mountaineers lost virtually everyone from last season’s second place team, including their head coach.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Saint Francis (PA) – The Red Flash return the majority of their roster from last season’s team that went 12-6 in NEC play. Jamaal King led the team with 18.2 points per game, Keith Braxton should reach 1,000 career points and 600 career rebounds this season, and Isaiah Blackmon is back healthy after missing most of last season due to injury.
  2. Long Island University – The Blackbirds won the automatic bid and a berth in the First Four last season. They return four starters, though the one that is gone, Joel Hernandez, averaged 20.5 points per game.  Forward Tyrn Flowers could help make up for some of the lost scoring after following head coach Derek Kellogg over from Massachusetts.
  3. Fairleigh Dickinson – The Knights return four starters, three of whom averaged at least a dozen points per game last year. Keep an eye on senior guard Darnell Edge who led the entire nation in free throw shooting percentage (94.1%) last season.
  4. Wagner – The defending regular season champions lost two of their top three players from last year’s team so a repeat would be a bit of a surprise. Romone Saunders will be looked on to lead the way.  Also keep an eye on Elijah Davis who should move into the starting lineup after averaging 7 points and over 4 rebounds per game off the bench.
  5. Robert Morris – The Colonials will have to replace leading scorer Dachon Burke who transferred to Nebraska, but the rest of the starting lineup returns. They also get Malik Petteway back healthy after he missed the second half of the season, and welcome in starting guard Jon Williams’ brother, Josh, who transferred from Akron.
  6. Saint Francis (Brooklyn) – The Terriers return a pair of double-digit scorers in Glenn Sanabria and Jalen Jordan but will have to find a way to replace leading scorer Rasheem Dunn. The team does have depth and experience, so don’t be surprised if they are in the hunt for a top seed in the conference tournament.
  7. Central Connecticut – Tyler Kohl led the Blue Devils in points, rebounds, assists and steals last season. He may need to do even more than that this year, however, with three starters gone from a team that finished in eighth place in the conference standings.
  8. Sacred Heart – The Pioneers were 10-21 last season. Even though leading scorer Sean Hoehn (13.1 points per game) is back, there probably are not enough other pieces here to see much of an improvement on that record.  Finding a way to finish in the top eight and qualify for the conference tournament should be the goal.
  9. Bryant – Tim O’Shea retired after last season so the Bulldogs welcome in former Tim Cluess (Iona) assistant Jared Grasso. The good news for Grasso is that seven key players return including the team’s top three scorers.  The bad news is that this same group only won 3 games last season.
  10. Mount St. Mary’s – Head coach Jamion Christian took the Siena job so the coaching duties now fall to Dan Englestad. He will have his work cut out for him as the only returning player that averaged more than 10 minutes per game is Omar Habwe, who scored just 2.6 points per game. In other words, this will be a complete rebuild project at the Mount.
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The Hoops HD Report: ACC Conference Preview

Posted on October 16, 2018 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

Chad and the panel look at all 15 teams in the ACC and discuss everything from the Final Four contenders at the top in Virginia, Duke, and North Carolina, to the teams that will struggle to finish in the top 200 at the bottom.  Most of us like Virginia, but some feel the hangover from last year’s early tournament exit to UMBC could still be looming over their season.  Most of us also like North Carolina, but have questions about them at the point guard position.  Most of us like Duke, but question their youth.  We discuss other teams we feel are tournament contenders such as Florida State, Clemson, Louisville, Virginia Tech, and Syracuse.  We go through all of that, and more!

 

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

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Conference Preview: Missouri Valley

Posted on October 16, 2018 by Chad

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

Did someone say that the Missouri Valley Conference isn’t that good anymore now that Creighton and Wichita State are no longer in it?  The Loyola Ramblers disproved that notion last season with their amazing run to the Final Four.  Although predicting them to make it that far again this year would be foolish, there is certainly enough returning talent on the roster for the team to hear its name called on Selection Sunday . . . and they may not be the only MVC team to go dancing.  Southern Illinois, Illinois State and Bradley all have large chunks of their rosters returning after strong campaigns last season.  It would not be a shock at all if the Valley found a way to get an at-large bid this year in addition to its conference tournament champion.  No matter what, we should be in for a fun and exciting season.  Have no doubt– the Missouri Valley Conference is for real.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Loyola (Chicago) – Last season’s feel good story, complete with Sister Jean leading the way as the Ramblers made the Final Four, should have a great chance at a return to the Big Dance this year. Even though Donte Ingram, Ben Richardson and Aundre Jackson are all gone, this team still has a ton of talent.  Leading the way will be MVC Player of the Year Clayton Custer and MVC Freshman of the Year Cameron Krutwig.  And don’t forget about Marques Townes as well (Nevada fans surely won’t).  Returning to the Final Four will take another miracle or two, but this team will be tough to beat every time they take the floor.
  2. Southern Illinois – The Salukis return all five starters from a 20-13 team that finished second in the conference last season. Armon Fletcher and Sean Lloyd are scorers in the backcourt, while Kavion Pippen (Scottie’s nephew) is one of the conference’s best big men down low.  He should get some help down there as well with Thik Bol back after missing last season and having two surgeries on his knee.  Thik will likely be limited in his playing and practice time due to his knee, but will be a force to reckon with when he is on the court.
  3. Illinois State – The Redbirds return four starters from last season along with pretty much all of their key reserves. Milik Yarbrough, Phil Fayne and Keyshawn Evans each averaged more than 15 points per game.  This team has experience and depth, two ingredients that could have them in contention for the league crown or even an at-large bid.
  4. Bradley – The Braves return four starters, though will have to make up for the loss of their second leading scorer from last season, forward Donte Thomas. The roster features seven juniors and seniors, so experience will not be an issue.  One newcomer to keep an eye on is 7-1 freshman Ari Boya from Cameroon, one of the tallest players in school history.  Boya recently suffered an ankle injury, however, and is not expected back until at least January.
  5. Valparaiso – The Crusaders return three starters led by Bakari Evelyn, who led the team in scoring at over 17 points per game. They also add in Providence transfer Ryan Fazekas who should have an immediate impact.  This team finished in last place (albeit at 6-12) in the conference last season.  They should be improved this time around.
  6. Northern Iowa – Ben Jacobson’s team was 16-16 overall last season and only 7-11 in conference play, which is far below the standards that have been set in Cedar Falls in recent years. With only two starters back, this year may not be much better.  However, keep an eye on freshman A.J. Green, a top 100 recruit who should be on the court a lot this year.
  7. Indiana State – The Sycamores only return two starters from a team that seemed to fall apart as the season wore on last year. One of those two could compete for conference Player of the Year though, as guard Jordan Barnes averaged 17.4 points per game last season.  This team could get much better when the second semester hits as a pair of transfers will become eligible – Cooper Neese (Butler) and Christian Williams (Iowa).
  8. Evansville – New head coach Walter McCarty has work ahead of him with two of his team’s best players (MVC scoring champion Ryan Taylor and guard Dru Smith) having decided to transfer. Keep an eye on Evansville’s first-ever gradate transfer, Shea Feehan (Eureka College), who averaged more than 30 points per game in Division III last season.
  9. Missouri State – With Paul Lusk gone, Dana Ford comes in to try to rebuild the Bears; but, with only three players who saw serious minutes last season back, it may be a true rebuild. Jarred Dixon is the leading returning scorer, at 9.1 points per game.
  10. Drake – The Bulldogs had a great 2017-18 season, finishing 10-8 in conference play after only winning 7 games overall the year before, but then head coach Niko Medved left (after only one season) for Colorado State. To make matters worse, the majority of the roster is also gone, with Nick McGlynn and Noah Thomas being the only returnees who even scored a point last year.  New head coach Darian DeVries will need to rebuild almost from the bottom up.
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Conference Preview: MEAC

Posted on October 15, 2018 by Chad

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

North Carolina Central, Howard, Bethune-Cookman and possibly Norfolk State appear to be the top contenders for this season’s MEAC regular season championship, though the regular season champion does not have a very good track record in the conference tournament, as was shown again last season when sixth seed North Carolina Central captured the automatic bid.  However, none of that matters.

Hampton packed its bags after last season and has moved its athletic programs over to the Big South Conference.  That does not matter either.

The only thing that does matter in the MEAC is what is going on in Savannah, Georgia.  The Savannah State Tigers are entering their final season in the MEAC and in Division I, as monetary issues are forcing the school to return to Division II.  Of course, this ignores the fact that the cost of maintaining athletic teams at Division I versus Division II, especially in a conference like the MEAC, are not too far apart.  It also ignores the fact that the “cost” of scholarships for athletes is not a real cost, as the school is simply giving away for free something that has minimal cost to the university itself.  It also ignores the increased exposure that being in Division I gives a school, and the increased enrollment that it can bring – thus actually generating revenue.  The decision, which in our opinion was a bad one, has been made.  But there may still be time to convince the school to change its mind.  Stay in Division I!  It is the right thing to do and you know it!  #SaveTheTigers.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. North Carolina Central – The Eagles were only 9-7 in MEAC regular season play last year but got hot at the right time to win the conference tournament and steal the league’s NCAA Tournament automatic bid. Four starters return from that squad, led by double-double threat Raasean Davis, and a repeat trip to the Big Dance is certainly possible.
  2. Howard – The Bison may have only gone 10-23 last year, but they went 7-5 in their final 12 regular season games and return all five starters led by 2018 MEAC Rookie of the Year RJ Cole (23.7 points and 6.9 assists per game) and 2017 MEAC Rookie of the Year Charles Williams (20.4 points per game). The two teammates could in fact battle it out for both conference Player of the Year and the league scoring title this season.  The biggest question is whether they can improve on defense with the experience they gained last year.  If so, a conference title should be within their grasp.
  3. Bethune-Cookman – The Wildcats tied for the conference regular season title last year before a one point upset loss to Morgan State in their first conference tournament game. Although Brandon Tabb and his 18.9 points per game are gone, three other starters who averaged double digits are returning.  There is no reason why B-CC will not be right in the mix for the top of the MEAC again this season.
  4. Norfolk State – The Spartans return three starters and a pair of reserves who each averaged over 8 points per game last season. Norfolk State was one of the better defensive teams in the MEAC last year, and if they can keep that up this season, they should win more conference games than they lose.
  5. North Carolina A&T – The Aggies won 20 games last season, but only return one of their top four scorers from that team. Point guard Aaren Edmead (9.6 points per game) is the returnee and should be one of the better point guards in the conference this season.  The leadership on the point, together with having last season’s MEAC Coach of the Year, Jay Joyner, on the bench, should help this team find a way to win games despite their offseason losses.
  6. Maryland-Eastern Shore – The Hawks dismissed head coach Bobby Collins after going 7-25 last season, although having three of their best players taking medical redshirts may have been the real problem. All three, including former MEAC Rookie of the Year Ryan Andino, are back, together with a pair of double-digit scorers from last season (Tyler Jones and Ahmad Frost).  Clifford Reed is the interim head coach and will have a great chance to remove the interim tag from his title if the team stays healthy and plays up to its potential.
  7. Morgan State – Todd Bozeman’s Bears finished 7-9 in the MEAC last season but will have to find a way to get by without their two leading scorers from that team including Tiwian Kendley’s 26.1 points per game. It may be difficult to win 7 conference games again this season.
  8. Florida A&M – The Rattlers lost 25 games last season despite having three players who averaged 11 or more points per game. All three of them are gone now, so it is hard to see how the team will be improved.  One player to keep an eye on is 7-foot center Isaiah Martin, who should pick up more than a handful of double-doubles.
  9. Coppin State – Former Maryland All-American Juan Dixon enters his second season as coach of the Eagles, but he has barely made a dent in the rebuilding job needed at this program. 5-27 was rough last season, but at least the team can say they were improved late by going 5-10 after starting 0-17.  Four seniors will play significant minutes this season, so things should get better.
  10. Savannah State – #SaveTheTigers!!! Savannah State enters its final season at the Division I level before beginning the transition D-2 next season.  Although the Tigers shared the MEAC regular season crown last season, only one starter (Zach Sellers) returns from that team.  They should still remain fun to watch, as they run an up-tempo high-scoring offense, but defense will likely once again be a major problem.
  11. South Carolina State – The Bulldogs do not have a player taller than 6-8 on the roster and only return two starters from a team that lost 22 times last year. Damani Applewhite could have a big season, but that likely won’t be enough to avoid a finish near the bottom of the league standings.
  12. Delaware State – Sixth man Marquis Collins averaged 9.0 points per game last season. Guard Johquin Wiley averaged 8.5 points.  No other returning player averaged more than 3.  That is not a good sign for a team that went 4-28 last year, with two of those wins being over Cairn and Georgian Court.  New head coach Eric Skeeters will certainly have his work cut out for him.

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