Conference Preview: Southland

Posted on October 28, 2017 by Chad

SOUTHLAND

The Southland Conference for four consecutive seasons was dominated by Stephen F. Austin.  When Brad Underwood left for Oklahoma State (and now Illinois) prior to last season, there was a chance the Lumberjacks would take a step back, and they did so last year losing six times in conference play.  It was the University of New Orleans, a school that almost dropped completely out of Division I not that long ago, which stepped up and stole both the regular season and tournament crowns.

This year, the big dog may return to its place on top, as SFA appears ready to re-establish themselves as the top team in the league.  However, it will by no means be a runaway performance.  Although New Orleans will likely fall back, both Lamar and Southeastern Louisiana appear ready to mount serious challenges.  Also, keep eyes on Abilene Christian and Incarnate Word.  Both teams completed their transition to full Division I membership last season and are eligible for the Southland and NCAA Tournaments for the first time ever this year.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Stephen F. Austin – During the four seasons from 2013-2016, the Lumberjacks lost a combined total of 3 regular season Southland games.  While 12-6 and a second place finish would sound great to most teams, it was a huge step back in Nacogdoches.  The Lumberjacks look to bounce back to the top of the standings this season with five returning players (assuming Leon Gilmore returns from suspension) that averaged more than 8 points a game, led by forward T.J. Holyfield.
  2. Lamar – The Cardinals return the majority of last year’s team that went 19-15 and qualified for the CIT.  They will be led by Colton Weisbrod, a senior forward with a real chance to average a double-double this season and contend for conference Player of the Year honors.
  3. Southeastern Louisiana – The Lions have a real chance to step up this season after they went a solid 16-16 last season despite having three regulars miss almost the entire year with injuries.  Keith Charleston, Joshua Filmore and Jordan Capps should all be back healthy, joining a pair of double-digit scoring returning starters to give this team the tools to contend for the league crown.
  4. Central Arkansas – Despite losing 24 games last season, the Bears did pick up 7 conference wins and slid into the conference tournament in 8th place.  Expect them to be back in the 8 team field this year behind seniors Jordan Howard and Mathieu Kamba, who combined to average over 33 points per game.  Also, keep an eye on freshman big man S.K. Shittu and his 86-inch wingspan.
  5. Abilene Christian – The Wildcats have completed their four year transition and are eligible for the Southland and NCAA Tournaments this season.  They have a chance to make it to both with all five starters back led by sophomore Jalone Friday — a big man who can step out and hit the long ball as well.
  6. Incarnate Word – The Cardinals are now eligible for the Southland and NCAA Tournaments, and return three players that averaged more than 14 points per game apiece in Jalin Hart, Simi Socks, and Shawn Johnson.  If they can improve defensively, they will be a factor in the conference race.
  7. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi – The Islanders had a huge 1-2 scoring punch last season with Rashawn Thomas (22.6 points per game) and Ehab Amin (17.2).  Thomas is gone now, but Amin is still here and will be asked to score even more to go along with his defense — he led the nation in steals.  A repeat of 24 wins seems unlikely, but the Islanders will still be tough to beat.
  8. New Orleans – New Orleans at one point began transitioning its athletic programs down to a lower division.  They not only changed course and chose to stay in D1, but quickly rebuilt to win the conference regular season and tournament titles last year.  With three starters gone, including their top two scorers, a repeat is unlikely.  However, there are still four key seniors on this roster, so the Privateers should not be counted out either.  If they can answer some questions at the point, they could finish higher than this.
  9. Northwestern State – The Demons will need to find more offense this season with three starters gone, including Zeek Woodley who averaged almost 20 points per game.  The returning inside-outside pairing of Devonte Hall and Ishmael Lane will help ease the losses.
  10. Sam Houston State – The Bearkats are likely to take a step back this season as only one starter returns, though Chris Galbreath is also back, and was second on the team in scoring as their sixth man last season.  However, unless some newcomers step up, this team may be fighting just to qualify for the conference tournament.
  11. Houston Baptist – The Huskies may take a big step back after a second place tie last season and a berth in the CIT.  Seven players from last year’s roster are gone, but center Josh Ibarra, a nightly double-double threat, is back and freshman David Caraher is a three-star recruit at small forward.
  12. McNeese State – Returning four of their top six players is a good sign for the Cowboys; however, this team lost 22 games last year and needs to get a lot better on the boards if they want to move up in the standings  A handful of bigger Juco transfers and freshmen recruits will be counted on to solve that problem.
  13. Nicholls State – The Colonels were a bit of a surprise last season, finding a way to win 14 games in head coach Richie Riley’s first season.  Seven seniors, including three starters, are gone from that team and they are likely going to take a step back.  However, keep an eye on UNC-Greensboro transfer Tevon Saddler, who led his former team in scoring during his freshman year.
Posted in Conference Preview | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Conference Preview: Southland

Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews USC F Bennie Boatwright

Posted on October 28, 2017 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of Jon’s interviews, and the rest of our extensive and continuous preseason coverage

USC is so good that McDonald’s All-American Charles O’Bannon Jr. might not even start for the Trojans, and they are so tall that the 6’6″ guard has a whopping 5 teammates who are 6’10” or bigger.  1 of those star forwards is Bennie Boatwright, who declared for the draft in April before deciding to return to campus.  Despite missing half the season due to a variety of injuries, he still scored 15.1 PPG last year including a career-high 24 PTS in a 4-PT win over Providence in the NCAA tourney.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Bennie about making free throws and his general health.  

Growing up your father Bennie Sr. served in the LAPD and brought you and your siblings to a gym at 6AM to take 500-1000 shots each morning: how much of an influence has he been on you either on/off the court? Words cannot describe how much he means to me: he has been there for me each and every day.

You play for Coach Andy Enfield at USC: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him? He is a great guy first and foremost who cares about his players. He has been around the sport for many years and is a guru when it comes to X’s and O’s.

In the 2016 NCAA tourney you scored 11 PTS but Rodney Bullock made a layup with 1.5 seconds left in a 1-PT win by Providence: where does that rank among the most devastating losses of your career, and how sweet was it to beat them in the rematch last March? That was the toughest loss of my career because we were up the whole game until losing at the buzzer. We battled back in the 2nd half last March and it felt good to beat them.

In the 2017 NCAA tourney you scored 16 PTS/4-9 3PM in a 4-PT loss to Baylor: what did you learn from that game that can help you this year? I learned a lot of things from that game. I knew that I had to get stronger when playing against guys like Johnathan Motley: he was a beast.

You shot 73.8 FT% as a freshman but improved that to an outstanding 90.7 FT% as a sophomore (including a streak of 34 in a row): what is your secret for making FTs? Just staying loose and concentrating. My dad always tells me to hold my follow-through.

Last April you declared for the draft and then withdrew your name a few weeks later: why did you declare, and why did you return? I wanted to get some feedback from NBA scouts and was going to go through the process, but thought it would be better to return because we can make a good run this year.

Your godfather Francois Wise was an All-American basketball player at Long Beach State: who is the best athlete in the family? That is a tough 1 but you know that I have to go with myself! We have a pretty athletic family: my dad played at Oregon for a year and my little brother is coming along as well.

You missed 17 games last year due to a variety of injuries: how is your health at the moment? I am feeling great: this is the best I have felt during my career and I worked extremely hard this summer.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Vanderbilt/Texas A&M/SMU/Oklahoma: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? There are a lot of great teams out there and those are all big-time schools, as well as Miami in the Diamond Head Classic.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? We will take it 1 game at a time but we are expecting to win the Pac-12 title and contend for a national title. We are focusing on winning games and I think that this is our time.

Posted in Interviews | Tagged , | Comments Off on Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews USC F Bennie Boatwright

Hoops HD Report: Big 12 Conference Preview

Posted on October 28, 2017 by John Stalica

Today, our Hoops HD panel discusses the Big 12 conference. While Kansas is considered a mortal lock to win the conference, other teams that are expected to make noise include a West Virginia team coming off of a Sweet 16 run that ended with a tough loss to eventual national runner-up Gonzaga, a surprising TCU team that won the NIT in Jamie Dixon’s first season as head coach, and the Texas Longhorns who were coming off of a rare down season. Baylor, Kansas State and Iowa State have to reload this season, and Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State are also discussed as well.

And for all of you who listen on the radio and/or on the go, here is the mp3 version of the show:

Posted in Conference Preview, Hoops HD Report, Podcasts, Videocasts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Hoops HD Report: Big 12 Conference Preview

Conference Preview: Southern

Posted on October 28, 2017 by Chad

SOUTHERN

The Southern Conference gave us one of the best regular season conference title battles last season, which ended with Furman, UNC-Greensboro and East Tennessee State in a three  way tie at 14-4.  ETSU won the conference tournament and got the league’s automatic bid.  While seeing three teams tie like that is a pretty rare event, it wouldn’t be a complete shock if the same thing happened again this season, although the participants in such a tie will almost certainly be different.

Five of the ten SoCon members return four (2 teams) or all five (3 teams) of their starters from last season.  That means that the league is flush with experience and depth, and could lead to some very exciting battles.  The pick to win it is Samford, as the Bulldogs seems to have every ingredient needed for a league crown.  However, any of the top six preseason picks can make a case for being the champions, most notably Furman with conference Player of the Year Devin Sibley back.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Samford – The Bulldogs return almost their entire rotation, including four starters that averaged in double figures.  They have a double-double threat big man in Wyatt Walker and a big-time scoring guard in Demetrius Denzel-Dyson.  In other words, every piece seems to be here to take the conference championship this season.
  2. Furman – The Paladins tied for the league title last season on their way to 23 overall victories.  They return four senior starters, led by defending conference Player of the Year Devin Sibley.  If they can get enough rebounding down low to make up for the loss of Kris Acox, new head coach Bob Richey could have them back on top of the standings again this season.
  3. Mercer – The Bears should be right in the thick of the SoCon battle this season with five returning senior starters, led by guards Ri’an Holland and Jordan Strawberry.  If they can develop even more of a presence down low, there will be very few teams in this conference that will be able to beat them.
  4. Wofford – The Terriers have three returning starters, all of whom will contribute significantly this season.  Fletcher Magee led the conference in three-pointers made, while Cameron Jackson is a solid post player and Nathan Hoover can hit the long ball as well.  The biggest issue will be finding a replacement at the point for Eric Garcia.  One replacement that Wofford does have ready is its arena, as they open a new 3,300 seat facility this season.
  5. UNC-Greensboro – With the amount of returning talent in this conference, the Spartans may find it difficult to make up for the loss of two of their top three scorers from last season.  That being said, Francis Alonso can certainly pick up the slack, especially if he shoots over 45% from three-point range again.
  6. East Tennessee State – 27 wins, a regular season tie for the conference championship, a SoCon tournament title and an NCAA Tournament appearance made 2016-17 a pretty good second year for head coach Steve Forbes.  Unfortunately with only one starter back from that team, the Buccaneers should take a few steps back this time around.
  7. Western Carolina – The Catamounts return all five of their starters, including Haboubacar Mutumbo (Dikembe’s nephew).  These same five only went 9-23 last season and, in a conference so stacked with returning talent, moving up more than a few spots in the standings may be difficult.
  8. Chattanooga – One problem with success in the SoCon?  It can cost you your head coach.  Three years ago it was Will Wade moving on up to a higher-paying job, and this past season the same happened with Matt McCall.  The Mocs did bring in Lamont Paris, former assistant for Bo Ryan and Greg Gard at Wisconsin and a guy noted for his recruiting, so this team should rebuild quickly.  As for this season, not a single starter returns, and a finish near the bottom seems likely.
  9. The Citadel – The Bulldogs were #1 two years ago and #2 last season — in Adjusted Tempo according to kenpom.com.  Their style of play is certainly entertaining, but even with four starters returning they don’t really have the size or talent to do more than pull off a few upsets during the course of the conference season.
  10. VMI – The Keydets went 6-24 last season, only have one starter returning, and have no returning players that averaged 8 or more points per game.  Matching their 3-15 SoCon record last season may be an accomplishment in itself.
Posted in Conference Preview, News and Notes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Conference Preview: Southern

Conference Preview: Patriot League

Posted on October 27, 2017 by Chad

PATRIOT LEAGUE

The Patriot League is one of a handful of conferences that truly rewards regular season play in its conference tournament.  Every game of the postseason event is played on the home court of the higher seeded team, which makes the battles throughout the season a lot more significant.  Nine of the conference’s ten teams should be engaged in tight battles for seeding all season long.  The tenth, Bucknell, looks good enough on paper to not have to worry about any of that, as the Bison have a chance to run away with the regular season crown.  If they do in fact run away with the title, and find a way to pick up one or two key victories during a challenging non-conference schedule that includes the likes of North Carolina, Arkansas, Maryland and St. Joseph’s, do not be surprised to see this team cracking the Top 25 polls by early February.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Bucknell – The Bison have five returning starters, four of whom averaged more than 10 points per game.  Forward Zach Thomas led the team in scoring and was Patriot League Tournament MVP.  Center Nana Foulland was conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.  The question for Bucknell should not be if they will win the league again, but maybe just how far will they go in the Big Dance?
  2. Loyola – Despite losing their second leading scorer, the Greyhounds return almost everyone else from their rotation, giving this team enough depth and experience to win the battle for second place.  Andre Walker, who averaged almost 15 points per game, will lead the way for G.G. Smith’s squad.
  3. Navy – This may be head coach Ed DeChellis’ best team during his time at the Naval Academy, as he returns guard Shawn Anderson outside and forward Tom Lacey down low, giving the Midshipmen a very strong inside-outside pairing.
  4. Army West Point – The Black Knights return four starters from last season, led by guard Jordan Fox, and have sophomore center Matt Wilson ready to move into a starter’s role.  There is a real chance that this team could surprise people.
  5. Lehigh – The Mountain Hawks need to find a way to replace Tim Kempton, a double-double averaging machine who scored over 2000 career points and pulled down over 1000 career rebounds.  Having Jack Lieb back healthy and the scoring that guard Kyle Leufroy should contribute will help, but probably not enough to contend for the league crown.
  6. Boston University – The Terriers lost their top two scorers from last season and will need to find some help in the frontcourt, to go with a solid backcourt, if they want to contend for a spot near the top of the league standings.
  7. Colgate – The Red Raiders will benefit this season from having their entire starting lineup back, led by guard Sean O’Brien and forward Will Rayman.  If they can get some more backcourt help, allowing O’Brien to move off of the point, this team could challenge for an upper division finish.
  8. Lafayette – The Leopards do return four starters, but the one they lost was their star point guard Nick Lindner.  If they cannot find a replacement for him, they may not improve much on last season’s 9-21 record.
  9. Holy Cross – The Crusaders are likely to take a step back this season as they have only one starter from last year’s 15-17 team back.  With Bill Carmody on the bench there is no doubt that they will excel on defense, but finding scoring may be an even bigger problem than normal.
  10. American – The Eagles have a few building blocks in place for success, led by sophomores Sa’eed Nelson and Mark Gasperini, plus top freshman recruit Sam Iorio.  They should develop the depth and experience this season to make a move up next year.
Posted in Conference Preview | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Conference Preview: Patriot League

Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews new Cal head coach Wyking Jones

Posted on October 27, 2017 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of Jon’s interviews, and the rest of our extensive and continuous preseason coverage

I know that Inglewood is often up to no good…but Inglewood native/part-time actor Wyking Jones is ready for his close-up after being hired in March to coach the Cal Golden Bears. He scored almost 20 PPG at Loyola Marymount before playing professionally overseas for several years, then worked for a number of notable coaches including Paul Westphal at Pepperdine and Steve Alford at New Mexico.  After joining Rick Pitino at Louisville, he was part of the Cardinals’ 2013 NCAA title team before heading West to become part of Cuonzo Martin’s staff in Berkeley.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Jones about winning a title and starting a new job.  

As a freshman at Loyola Marymount your team was #2 in the nation with 91.8 PPG: were you surprised that the team was able to keep piling up points even after the Hank Gathers/Bo Kimble/Paul Westhead era? I was not surprised at all because we still had a lot of talent on that team. We had great scorers like Terrell Lowery (26 PPG) and a great PG in Tony Walker.

As a junior your 19.7 PPG was #2 in the WCC: what is the key to being a good scorer? Having unselfish teammates who are willing to sacrifice and do the things needed for you to shine. It takes a team effort with guys setting screens, guards looking for you in the post, and the coach calling your play. I was talented but could not have done it without them.

You played pro basketball overseas for several years after graduating: what is the biggest difference between basketball in the US vs. basketball in other countries? Back when I played the biggest difference was that big guys were more skilled overseas, but I think that we have bridged the gap since then with 6’9” NBA guys like Kevin Durant/the Greek Freak. Coaches utilize the skill set of their bigs a lot more now.

You spent 2 years as an assistant to Steve Alford at New Mexico: what kind of relationship do you 2 have, and how will it feel when you have to face his UCLA squad? We have a good relationship: going against him will be like going against anyone else. Competition is the same no matter who you are playing.

In the 2013 NCAA tourney title game as an assistant to Rick Pitino at Louisville you had a 6-PT win over Michigan: what did it mean to you to win a title? It was an unbelievable feeling to be the last team standing and know that all your hard work paid off. It was very rewarding to do it with a group of guys who were very close.

You were an assistant to Cuonzo Martin at Cal before being hired as his replacement in March: why did you take the job, and will you still have time to pursue your part-time acting career? I took the job as an assistant to be closer to my home/family in southern California, and my wife was raised around Berkeley as well. I appreciate Coach Martin for hiring me and allowing me to do that. Acting has always been something that pops up and sometimes I will sneak in for a cameo, but it is not what pays the bills! I am a coach and that is what I do every single day.

In the 2017 NIT you had a 7-PT loss to Bakersfield: what did your team learn from that game that will help them this year? You have to prepare and be ready no matter what you think the level of competition is. I think we took the Roadrunners lightly and thought that we could just show up and win but we got a butt-whupping. You have to give everything you got no matter who you play.

Your sister-in-law Dr. Na’ilah Suad Nasir was Vice Chancellor for Equity and Inclusion at Cal: is she a basketball fan, and is the basketball team doing anything special to further the principles of equity/inclusion? She has now taken another job in another field but supports our program because of our relationship. We do not specifically focus on equity/inclusion because treating everyone with respect is already part of our culture.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Wichita State/St. Mary’s: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? The next game is our biggest test: that is my mentality/approach and what I am instilling in our players/staff. It does not matter what school’s name is on your opponent’s jersey: you have to give every team respect and try to give 110% in every game.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? My long-term goal is to continue to take the program in an upward trajectory and continue to get better. We have a young team and it feels like we are teaching them something new every day so I do not expect us to win a specific number of games. We need to increase our teamwork because there are so many new faces but ultimately it is about taking the program in the right direction.

Posted in Interviews | Tagged , | Comments Off on Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews new Cal head coach Wyking Jones