Season preview: HoopsHD interviews new CSUN head coach Mark Gottfried

Posted on October 15, 2018 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

We continue our season preview coverage with new CSUN head coach Mark Gottfried. It is hard to say which of his coaching performances has been the most impressive because there are so many to choose from: winning the 1995 NCAA title as an assistant at UCLA, going 29-4 as head coach at Murray State in 1998, making the 2004 Elite 8 at Alabama after upsetting Stanford/Syracuse along the way, or making 4 straight NCAA tourney appearances at NC State from 2012-2015. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Gottfried about winning an NCAA title and how the new job is going.

You were a Freshman All-American at Oral Roberts, then transferred to Alabama where you set school records with 8 3PM in a game against Vanderbilt and 48.5 career 3P%: what is the secret to making shots from behind the arc? You just pumped up my ego! You need to figure out the correct technique, practice it, and then be able to correct yourself. The key is repetition/repetition/repetition.

You won the 1995 NCAA title as an assistant to Jim Harrick at UCLA: what was he like to work for, and is it weird to be his boss almost 25 years later? He was amazing to work for: I learned a lot and he is a great teacher. His demeanor was something that I learned a lot about: he was very even-keeled. I do not think it is “weird” that he is working for me: it is a privilege because he brings so much to the table. I just wanted him to be himself and pass on the wisdom that he has acquired.

In 2002 you were named SEC COY at your alma mater: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It meant a lot. I love Alabama: the fact that we won the SEC title outright made me feel really good.

In the 2015 NCAA tourney as coach at NC State, you held #1-seed Villanova to 31.1 FG% in a 3-PT upset of the Wildcats: how were you able to beat Jay Wright in March? He is extremely good as a coach and his teams are very hard to defend. We had a good plan that day: to be honest that Villanova team was still 1 year away (when they won it all in 2016). They can dribble/penetrate and are fundamentally sound.

Last March you were hired as head coach at Cal-State Northridge: why did you take the job, and how is it going so far? I missed having a team. I worked for the  Dallas Mavericks and did a lot of scouting/draft preparation. Coming back to LA was a natural fit: I know this town and the people here so it just made sense.

You made the postseason during your 1st year as head coach at all 3 of your previous schools (Murray State in 1996/Alabama in 1999/NC State in 2012): how were you able to have such instant success everywhere you go? I do not know that there is any magic formula. The players I inherited all seemed to be very hungry and were tired of losing, as we are this year. However, this is obviously the greatest challenge that I have ever had as a head coach.

Last year PG Terrell Gomez was named conference ROY: how was he able to make such a smooth transition from high school to college despite standing 5’8”? It only took me about 2 days to fall in love with him. He has tremendous character and is a fun player to be around. He is excited for a fresh start.

Your non-conference schedule includes a game against Washington State: how do you prepare to face a team from a power conference? We open up with New Mexico, which is exciting for us: we have tried to create an aggressive schedule based on where we are. I am a believer in getting good at what we do and becoming confident in ourselves with what we want to run.

Your son Brandon played football at Stanford, your daughter Layson is an international fashion model, your father Joe was a basketball coach/athletic director, and your uncle Mike was a college football head coach/ESPN analyst: how proud are you of having such a high-achieving family? I also have a  couple of cousins who you may have heard of: Jim/John Harbaugh! We all grew up around coaching our whole lives so we have seen winning/losing and understand how difficult it can be. The good part is that we have been around a lot of fun times.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? Last year we finished 6-24 (337th out of 351 D-1 teams) but my goal every year is to make the NCAA tourney. It is a tall order for us so we will have to be playing our best basketball at the end of the year.

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Conference Preview: Mid-American

Posted on October 15, 2018 by Chad

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

The only conference that still uses a divisional format for its standings and regular season schedule, the Mid-American is poised to deliver us a very exciting 2018-19 season.  Cases can be made for at least ten of the twelve teams in this conference to win their division and contend for the conference tournament title.  The two best, however, should be defending champion Buffalo and Eastern Michigan.  Buffalo returns four starters from a team that got to the Round of 32 last year.  The pick to win the overall regular season title will, however, be Eastern Michigan. The Eagles feature three of the league’s best players in James Thompson IV, Elijah Minnie and Paul Jackson.  It will not be easy for the Eagles though, as this league is loaded with talent from top to bottom, and it is hard to imagine many conference games at all this season that will not be fun to watch.

Predicted Order of Finish

EAST

  1. Buffalo – The Bulls won the MAC regular season and tournament titles last year, then beat Arizona in the first round by about 500 points. Guard Wes Clark may be gone, but virtually everyone else of note is back, including CJ Massinburg, Jeremy Harris and two-time defending conference Sixth Man of the Year Nick Perkins.  The Bulls should be very dangerous all season once again and, if they make the Big Dance, will be a very scary first round matchup.
  2. Ohio – The Bobcats return four players who started the majority of their games last year and will gladly welcome back a now-healthy Jason Carter. This team was supposed to contend for the league title last season and, if they remain healthy, should be among the best in the MAC this time around.
  3. Akron – The Zips should be much-improved in head coach John Groce’s second year as they return a pair of double-digit scorers (Daniel Utomi and Jimond Ivey), have Emmanuel Olojakpoke back healthy, and welcome in a handful of transfers including Eric Hester (Florida), Loren Cristian Jackson (Long Beach State) and Deng Riak (East Carolina).
  4. Bowling Green – The Falcons got some great offseason news when 6-10 forward Demajeo Wiggins withdrew his name from the NBA Draft. Wiggins averaged a double-double last season and will be the key to the Falcons trying to make noise in this conference.  Bowling Green was only 16-16 overall last year, but were 16-10 on Valentine’s Day before breaking their fans’ hearts by before dropping their last six games in a row, including three games by 4 points or less.
  5. Miami (Ohio) – Head coach Jack Owens enters his second year at the helm of the RedHawks with a young team that may surprise a few people. All three returning starters are only sophomores, so the future is certainly bright for this team.
  6. Kent State – The Golden Flashes may have been among the conference favorites if 7-foot center Adonis De La Rosa had not decided to transfer to Illinois. However, they do return a pair of double-digit scorers.  The key may be how quickly forward Danny Pippen recovers from offseason knee surgery.

WEST

  1. Eastern Michigan – The Eagles feature a true three-headed monster with double-double machine James Thompson IV and Elijah Minnie down low, plus Paul Jackson in the backcourt. Head coach Rob Murphy also welcomes in a talented recruiting class led by forward Andre Rafus Jr.   There is a ton of talent in the MAC, but the West Division title will almost certainly run through Ypsilanti.
  2. Toledo – Leading scorer Tre’Shaun Fletcher may have graduated, but with three double-digit scorers (Jaelan Sanford, Nate Navigato and Luke Knapke) back, the Rockets appear to be the team most capable of challenging Eastern Michigan for the West Division crown.
  3. Ball State – The Cardinals should be a tough team to beat this season with four starters back, all of whom averaged at least 9.6 points per game. They also welcome in a handful of talented transfers, including K.J. Walton (Missouri) who should contribute right away.
  4. Northern Illinois – The Huskies will certainly score a lot of points this season with their entire starting five back, led by last season’s conference scoring leader Eugene German (20.6 points per game) back. They also get Jaylen Key back healthy after he missed last season due to a shoulder injury.  The key will be improving a defense that allowed opponents to shoot 47.7% from the field.
  5. Central Michigan – The Chippewas only return two starters from last season, but sixth man Kevin McKay averaged over 12 points per game, giving them three legitimate scorers on offense (to go with Shawn Roundtree and David DiLeo). In any other season, this team might contend for the division title, but there may not be enough depth here to make noise this year.
  6. Western Michigan – The Broncos were a disappointing 17-15 last season after being favored by some to win their division, and have now lost their star point guard, Thomas Wilder, from that squad. It is tough to see this team making any serious noise in the conference this year.
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Conference Preview: Metro Atlantic

Posted on October 14, 2018 by Chad

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

If there is any conference in the nation that has a single team at the top of it that should, on paper, clearly run away with the league title this year, it would be the MAAC. Rider returns virtually every player of note from a team that won 22 games and shared the league regular season crown.  However, the Broncs were upset by St. Peter’s by double-digits in the conference tournament quarterfinals and should be playing this season with a major chip on their shoulders.  If someone else is going to find a way to keep up with Rider, keep an eye, as always, on Tim Cluess’ Iona team.  The Gaels stole the conference tournament title last year and return their top two players.  Canisius could also be in the hunt with three starters back and watch out for both Marist and Quinnipiac as teams that could make moves up in the standings.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Rider – Dimencio Vaughn averaged 16.1 points per game and 6.7 rebounds. Jordan Allen averaged 13.4 points.  Tyere Marshall averaged 10.3 points and 6.6 rebounds.  Stevie Jordan averaged 12.6 points and 5.9 assists.  Frederick Scott, the MAAC Sixth Man of the Year, averaged 12.8 points and 6.5 rebounds.  All of them, as well as senior guard Anthony Durham, are back this year from a team that won 22 games and tied for the MAAC regular season title.  Anything short of a trip to the Big Dance would be a major disappointment.
  2. Iona – Never count out Tim Cluess’ team in this conference, as he proved again last season by taking the 4th place Gaels to the conference tournament championship and NCAA Tournament bid. While only two starters return, Rickey McGill and E.J. Crawford, they were the top two scorers on the team.  Top reserve Roland Griffin (11.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game) is back as well.  Also keep an eye on Robert Morris transfer Isaiah Still, who led his former team in scoring two years ago.
  3. Canisius – Three starters, including a pair of double-digit scorers in Isaiah Reese and Takal Molson, do return but the Golden Griffins will need to find a way to replace Jermaine Crumpton’s 17.1 points per game if they want to contend for the league crown.
  4. Marist – This could be a breakout year for the Red Foxes as they return their top seven players from a 25-loss team and add in new head coach John Dunne, who has proven he knows how to win games in this conference during his time at St. Peter’s. Brian Parker, who averaged over 17 points per game last season, should have another huge season.
  5. Quinnipiac – Another team that could vastly improve on last season (12-21 overall), the Bobcats return four starters led by Cameron Young’s 18.8 points per game. Young was granted a fifth year of eligibility by the NCAA back in May and will play as a graduate student this season.  They also welcome in George Washington transfer Kevin Marfo, a 6-8 forward with double-double potential.
  6. Niagara – Senior forward Marvin Prochet could be poised for a monster year as he is a double-double threat every time he takes the court. However, the Purple Eagles will need to find a way to make up for over 40 points per games scored by Kahlil Dukes and Matt Scott if they want to make any serious noise in this league.
  7. Monmouth – With Austin Tilghman and Micah Seaborn gone from a team that lost 20 games last year, this could be another rough season for the Hawks. They do, however, return three starters and welcome in Florida Atlantic transfer Nick Rutherford.
  8. Fairfield – The Stags lost their top two players (including the school’s all-time scoring leader Tyler Nelson) from a team that barely finished above .500 last season (17-16 overall). Matching last season’s record may be an accomplishment this time around.
  9. Saint Peter’s – The Peacocks welcome in former Seton Hall star Shaheen Holloway as their new head coach, but don’t look for any huge improvement from last year right away. Only two starters return from a team that went 6-12 in conference play.
  10. Manhattan – With their top three scorers gone from last season, this could be a long year for the Jaspers. The one bright spot is the return of junior forward Pauly Paulicap who led the conference in blocks and was named MAAC Defensive Player of the Year.
  11. Siena – The Saints went 8-24 last year and did not lose a single player that averaged double figures. The bad news is that they didn’t retain anyone that averaged double figures either.  Without a legitimate scoring threat on the roster, new head coach Jamion Christian should expect another long season in Albany.
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Conference Preview: Ivy League

Posted on October 14, 2018 by Chad

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

 

Sometimes the easiest way to identify which teams will be the best in a league is to focus solely on those with at least four returning starters.  In the Ivy League this season, that would bring the number of teams to look at down from eight to seven.  In other words, we could be in for some great competition as these teams go head-to-head seeking the four available spots in the conference tournament.  The pick to win it all will be Harvard, a team full of talent that has under-achieved the last two seasons.  However, Penn is poised to make a run at a repeat, and Yale should be equally dangerous – maybe more so because the Bulldogs get to host the conference tournament and will likely be the pick to win it even if they don’t take the regular season crown.  Princeton is looking for a bounce-back now that the Tigers’ young players have more experience, but it would not be a shock to see Cornell, Columbia or Brown sneak in and steal one of the four tournament spots.  In other words, the battle for first will be fun, but the battle for the top four should be even more entertaining.  The Ivy League is always one of our favorite conferences, but this year may be one of the most entertaining in recent memory.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Harvard – Tommy Amaker brought in what was probably the highest rated recruiting class in school history two years ago, and that group has yet to make the NCAA Tournament. Guard Bryce Aiken’s knee injury last season was one of the causes of the 277th nationally ranked assist-to-turnover ratio.  With him back healthy, and a more efficient offense, the Crimson could hear their name called on Selection Sunday.
  2. Penn – The Quakers return four starters from last year’s NCAA Tournament team, led by guard Ryan Betley and forward A.J. Brodeur. Also keep an eye on Jelani Williams, the 6-5 point guard who missed last season with an ACL injury.  The worst news for the Quakers may be the league’s decision to move the conference tournament from the Palestra to Yale.
  3. Yale – The Bulldogs have a team capable of winning the conference and, given that they are hosting the conference tournament, may end up being the pick to make the Big Dance even if they don’t win the regular season crown. All five starters return from last year, and they all averaged over 9 points per game.  On top of that, Jordan Bruner, who missed last year with a torn meniscus, should be back healthy.  This team has both the talent and depth to win.
  4. Princeton – The Tigers are looking to rebound from a disappointing 5-9 conference record last season. Four starters do return, led by senior guards Devin Cannady and Myles Stephens.  The other two returnees, Sebastian Much and Jerome Desrosiers, are only sophomores, but gained a ton of experience last year.  As they continue to develop, this team could become very dangerous.
  5. Brown – The Bears return all five starters from last year, led by a pair of guards who both averaged over 17 points per game – Desmond Cambridge and Brandon Anderson. Perhaps the best news for this team, given how stacked the conference is with returnees this year, is that none of the five are seniors.
  6. Cornell – The Big Red got the fourth spot in last year’s four-team Ivy League tournament and would have been projected to finish even better this year had Stone Gettings decided to play his senior season instead of sitting out and transferring to Arizona next year as a graduate. Even without his 16.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, Cornell will still be dangerous with four starters returning including three-time Ivy League defending scoring champion Matt Morgan (1,646 career points).
  7. Columbia – Four starters return for the Lions led by junior guard Mike Smith (17.6 points per game). While that would normally be a formula for success, even after losing 19 games last season, the number of teams stacked with returning starters this year will probably keep the Lions from making any serious run at the top four and a spot in the conference tournament.
  8. Dartmouth – The Big Green lost their top two scorers from a team that went only 7-20, though the return of Guilien Smith from injury will help. Still, with the depth in the conference, avoiding an eighth-place finish may be an accomplishment.
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Conference Preview: Horizon League

Posted on October 13, 2018 by Chad

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

The Horizon League tournament has become the home to some of the craziest Cinderella runs we have seen the past few seasons.  Two years ago, 4th seeded Northern Kentucky defeated 10th seeded Milwaukee in the finals.  Last year, it was the 2 seed, Wright State, going up against the 8 seed, Cleveland State, in the finals.  In other words – while the regular season means a ton, it may have no bearing whatsoever on what team actually gets the automatic ticket to the Big Dance.

Wright State is the favorite, at least for the regular season crown, as the Raiders return four starters from their NCAA Tournament team.  Northern Kentucky should be the top contender to knock them off, though keep an eye on Illinois-Chicago as well.  At the bottom of the conference, where we may see several teams struggle mightily this season, a new head man is welcomed in at Detroit.  Mike Davis, who coached previously at Indiana, UAB and Texas Southern, comes in and looks to begin to rebuild the Titans program.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Wright State – The Raiders stumbled late in the regular season last year to lose the conference regular season title but bounced back to win the conference tournament and get the league’s automatic bid. Four starters are back from that team, led by big man Loudon Love, and there is no reason why this team will not be right back near the top of the league again.
  2. Northern Kentucky – The bad news is that three of five starters, two of whom averaged double digits in scoring, are gone from last year’s regular season champions. The good news is that double-double machine Drew McDonald is back and, with him leading the way, the Norse should again be in contention for the regular season crown.
  3. Illinois-Chicago – The Flames may have lost leading scorer Dikembe Dixson in the offseason, but they return three starters and the conference’s Sixth Man of the Year, Godwin Boahen, who shot over 42% from beyond the arc.
  4. IUPUI – The Jaguars lost their top two starters from last season, but hit the transfer market hard, so don’t be surprised if they are able to remain at least in the middle of the pack. Camron Justice (Vanderbilt), Grant Weatherford (Purdue and a season at Midland College), and 7-1 Ahmed Ismail (Manhattan) should all contribute immediately, while Mike Sagay (Boston College) becomes eligible in the second semester.
  5. Green Bay – The Phoenix were a disappointing 13-20 overall last season and lost two starters from that squad including leading scorer Khalil Small. A group of Juco additions must gel with the returning players if the team wants to improve this year.
  6. Oakland – Kendrick Nunn’s 25.9 points per game are gone, together with all four of the team’s other starters. All may not be lost, however, as the Golden Grizzlies will at least have some very good size with 6-10 Babatunde Sowunmi and 6-11 Brad Brechting.
  7. Cleveland State – Dennis Felton’s team made a Cinderella run to the Horizon league title game last season, but with only two starters back from that squad, don’t expect much this season. The good news is that the two returnees are only sophomores, so the team will be young and could be ready to move up by next season.
  8. Milwaukee – The Panthers were a solid 16-17 last season, but the top four players from that team are all gone now and head coach Pat Baldwin will have to rebuild. Don’t expect much at all this year.
  9. Youngstown State – The Penguins lost 24 games last year and then saw six of their top eight players leave the team. The only good news may be the arrival of Delaware State transfer Devin Morgan, who averaged over 14 points per game for his former squad.
  10. Detroit – The Titans have a new head coach in former Indiana/UAB/Texas Southern head man Mike Davis. Davis has a history of building success, despite what IU fans might tell you, but it will take a few years.  As for this season – seven of the top eight scorers from an 8-24 team are gone.  ‘Nuff said.
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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Robert Morris head coach Andy Toole

Posted on October 13, 2018 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

We continue our season preview coverage with Robert Morris head coach Andy Toole. It seems like just 15 years ago Coach Toole was Player Toole who helped Penn go 14-0 in conference play before making the 2003 NCAA tourney. In 2010 he was hired as head coach of the Colonials and became 1 of the youngest head coaches in the country. Now he joins St. Francis of Brooklyn’s Glenn Braica as the longest-tenured coaches in the NEC, as they each begin their 9th season as head coaches next month. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Toole about facing a pair of Wildcats in the postseason and coaching the defending NEC ROY.

You played in back-to-back NCAA tourneys at Penn for Fran Dunphy, who is poised to become 1 of the few coaches to ever win 250+ games at 2 different schools (Penn/Temple): how much of an influence was he on your own decision to become a coach? He had a major influence on me, even today with the day-to-day decisions we make while running our program. He knows how he wants his team to operate. I talk to other former Quakers like Coach Matt Langel at Colgate who helped shape our mindset.

In the 2010 NCAA tourney as head coach at Robert Morris, Karon Abraham scored 23 PTS in an OT loss to #2-seed Villanova: what is it like to face Jay Wright in March? That version of Villanova basketball was not even close to what it is at this point, but there are some similarities between Dunphy and Wright. They are so strong/tough in how they execute and they do not beat themselves so it is hard to get them out of their style. They play the same way and have great connectivity: all coaches marvel at their unselfishness/ball movement.

In 2014 you were named conference COY: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? To me it is a bit of an overblown honor because your players have so much of an impact on that. Our 2 best seniors (Karvel Anderson/Anthony Myers-Pate) did most of our heavy lifting to keep our guys on the right track each and every day. My staff was instrumental in continuing to game plan night after night after night.

It is extremely rare for a #8-seed to beat a #1-seed in the NIT, but you did it 2 years in a row by beating Kentucky in 2013 and St. John’s in 2014: what is the secret to pulling off an upset in postseason play? I am not entirely sure. In both of those situations we really tried to play loose and with a sense of freedom because there was no longer any pressure on us to make the NCAA tourney. There was so much pressure during the conference tourney but after we became the underdog we just tried to compete/play aggressively and took the court with something to prove.

Last year Koby Thomas was named conference ROY: how was he able to come in and contribute right from the start? The biggest thing is his activity level: when he is engaged on both sides of the ball he just fills up a stat sheet. He has great instincts for rebounding/cutting and can finish around the rim: he is a double-double threat each and every night. This offseason we talked about opponents who try to counter his strengths, but he is always able to put pressure on our opponents.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against USC/Purdue/Louisville: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? All of them! I have not dug deep into their rosters yet but they will all present unique challenges. USC returns a lot of their core that finished 2nd in the Pac-12, Purdue has a lot of size/physicality, and Louisville with a new coach in Chris Mack will be a hostile environment for us right before Christmas.

You have a couple of assistant coaches who played college/pro basketball (including 1991 NEC POY Mike Iuzzolino and 2012 CBI champion Tray Woodall): how does a coach’s playing experience translate to sideline success? Some of it is on the sideline, while other parts of it involve success in the office/locker room. They can relate to the players and be good models for guys about how hard you have to work every day. Most college players I know want to make the NCAA tourney and then play pro, and many of our guys have done that.

Your roster has players from 9 different states, as well as France and the Bahamas: what sort of recruiting philosophy do you have? We just try to find the best players we can. We cast our net locally and then expand it from there. We want guys who are willing to sacrifice for the team and have some humility/toughness wherever that path takes us.

You had a birthday last month: how hard is it to “celebrate” when you are born on 9/11? My birthday was fine and (as usual) low-key. It gets less and less fun to celebrate as you get older but I have been dealing with it for 17 years.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? Our goals are always the same: compete for a conference championship. My expectations are to be in the mix for that. We hit the proverbial wall coming down the stretch last year but I think that our returning guys have learned from that and will grow from that experience. We had a lot of positives and the opposite of that will hopefully teach us to stay engaged without having a dip.

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