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.
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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.

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Conference Preview: Ohio Valley

Posted on October 27, 2017 by Chad

OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE

And then there was one.  At one time, playing divisional format was all the rage in college basketball, leading to such fun inventions as the “Big East 6/Big East 7” and Conference USA’s Red, White and Blue divisions.  This season, the Ohio Valley becomes the second-to-last conference to get rid of divisions (leaving only the Mid-American), as they simultaneously expand to an 18-game conference regular season.  Getting rid of divisions is not the only change though, as the OVC also says farewell to Dave Loos, who spent 27 seasons on the bench at Austin Peay.

Having a new head coach proved to be a good thing last season as Jacksonville State (with Ray Harper) and Tennessee-Martin (with Anthony Stewart) met in the conference tournament championship game.  UT-Martin may take a step back this season, but Jacksonville State should be right back in contention and is our preseason pick to take the crown.  Belmont is always tough and will be in the picture, along with Murray State, a very dangerous team with Jonathan Stark leading the way.  Stark is the only active college player to average at least 21 points, 5 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game in a season, and one of only 15 players since 2000 to do so.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Jacksonville State – The Gamecocks are no longer an after-thought in the OVC, thanks to head coach Ray Harper working his magic last year, in his first season at the helm, guiding them to 20 wins and their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance. They could be back again this season in part due to the combination of point guard Malcolm Drumwright outside and big man Norbertas Giga inside.
  2. Belmont – Even without two-time OVC Player of the Year Evan Bradds, the Bruins will be tough to beat as they are led by Amanze Egekeze and Austin Luke.  Having both a 6-10 and a 6-11 center on the roster should also help a ton.
  3. Murray State – The Racers had their first losing season in 30 years last season, but don’t expect them to stay down long.  Jonathan Stark can take over games, as he averaged almost 22 points per game and could put up even bigger numbers this season.  Also keep an eye on junior college transfer Anthony Smith, who joins Terrell Miller in the frontcourt.
  4. Eastern Illinois – The Panthers should be improved on last season, when they missed qualifying for the OVC Tournament, thanks to four returning starters.  Three of those four averaged over ten points a game, and the fourth was actually their best player. Forward Muusa Dama averaged 9.1 points and 9.6 rebounds and will likely take those averages into a double-double this year.
  5. Eastern Kentucky – The Colonels have one of the conference’s most exciting players in Nick Mayo, who averaged over 18 points and 6 rebounds a game as a sophomore last season.  The question will be whether they have enough help for him, though three other returning starters, including guard Asante Gist, should be a good start.
  6. Tennessee State – The Tigers lose over 28 points per game in offense without Wayne Martin and Tahjere McCall.  Although they do have some depth and experience, it will be tough for them to be successful if someone does not step up to take over the scoring load.
  7. Tennessee-Martin – The Skyhawks won the OVC’s West Division last season and advanced to the conference tournament championship game, losing there to Jacksonville State, before going on to the CIT.  Unfortunately, four of the five starters from that team are gone and head coach Anthony Stewart is going to need to get a ton of production from 10 newcomers on the roster in order to have success this time around.
  8. Tennessee Tech – The Golden Eagles lost a pair of double-digit scorers from last season’s 20 loss team, but do have some prospects for success with the return of guard Aleksa Jugovic.  Jugovic averaged over 15 points per game last season and will be called on to score even more this time around.
  9. SIU Edwardsville – The Cougars only won one game in OVC play last season, but do return Jalen Henry who averaged over 12 points per game.  Finding a way into the top 8 and qualifying for the conference tournament would be a successful season this year.
  10. Austin Peay – The Governors have a new head coach for the first time in 27 years as Dave Loos retired following last season.  Matt Figger takes over, and has his work cut out with only one starter returning.  He has already made some noise with his recruiting, including grabbing South Carolina State graduate transfer Ed Stephens.
  11. Southeast Missouri* – The Redhawks had a chance to have 12 seniors on the roster this season, which probably would have landed them near the top of this list.  Instead, they are banned from postseason play due to their APR and only have four seniors back, none of whom was a starter last season.  Antonius Cleveland signed a contract with the Portland Trail Blazers during the offseason and it is not clear how they will make up for his loss, although sophomore guard Denzel Mahoney is a bright spot for the team.
  12. Morehead State – The Eagles removed Preston Spradlin’s interim head coach tag after a 14-16 record last year.  This season will likely not even be close to that good as Spradlin needs to get six freshmen and three junior college transfers to learn to play as a team, and has no seniors or returning starters to help pull them together.

*Southeast Missouri is ineligible for postseason play due to APR scores.

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Hoops HD Report: Pac Twelve Conference Preview

Posted on October 26, 2017 by David Griggs

The Hoops HD panel is pretty unanimous on Arizona not just being the favorite to win the conference, but being a legit Final Four candidate.  USC, is another team that looks to be very strong and could end up as a protected seed this year.  UCLA returns some talent, but will it be enough to overcome the loss of Lonzo Ball??  Oregon loses a ton of talent after making their first Final Four since 1939 and we think they’ll struggle just to get back to the NCAAs.  We discuss that, as well as all the other teams in the Pac Twelve…

 

And for all you radio lovers, below is an mp3 version of the show…

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Conference Preview: Northeast

Posted on October 26, 2017 by Chad

NORTHEAST

The Northeast Conference may not produce teams that win games in the NCAA Tournament, but it regularly provides us with some of the most heated rivalries and exciting action of all the Under the Radar conferences.  It is also a conference whose regular season continues to have meaning, as the 10 teams compete for 8 conference tournament spots and the right to host those games on their home courts.

The team to beat this season may be the Red Flash of St. Francis University.  They return four starters, get a key player back from injury and have some talented newcomers joining the lineup.  Fairleigh Dickinson, Sacred Heart and Mount St. Mary’s could all be factors in the conference race as well.  For Sacred Heart, this may be a chance to qualify for a postseason tournament for the first time in the school’s Division I history — and with a senior-laden roster, it may be their only chance to do so for a few more years.  One other team to keep an eye on is LIU-Brooklyn, as the Blackbirds welcome in former UMass head man Derek Kellogg as their new head coach.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. St. Francis (Pa) – The Red Flash have a chance to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1991 with four returning starters, led by guard Isaiah Blackmon, the return of a now-healthy Malik Harmon, and several key newcomers such as junior college transfer Luidgy Laporal.
  2. Fairleigh Dickinson – The Knights should be a lot better than last year’s 11-19 record despite losing a pair of double-digit scorers.  Darian Anderson is poised to score a ton of points, and newcomers that include New Hampshire transfer Pat McNamara should help complement him.
  3. Sacred Heart – The Pioneers have never played in a postseason tournament at the Division I level, but this season they may be eyeing the Big Dance itself with four starters back.  They will certainly have experience, as five of their top six returning players are all seniors.
  4. Mount St. Mary’s – The Mountaineers will need to blend three seniors with a group of eight freshmen if they want to repeat their NEC regular season and conference tournament championships.  Having Junior Robinson’s 14 points per game back will help.
  5. Wagner – The Seahawks have a pair of guards that should be able to compete with anyone in the conference — JoJo Cooper and a now-healthy Romone Saunders.  However, they have way too many question marks in the frontcourt to contend for a top spot in the league, and the late decision of Corey Henson to transfer to Nevada hurts.
  6. Long Island University – The Blackbirds welcome in a new head coach in Derek Kellogg and welcome back Joel Hernandez, who missed last season with injury after averaging over 12 points per game the year before.  However, with 3 of their top 4 starters gone, matching last year’s 20 wins will be a difficult.
  7. Robert Morris – The Colonials will be without their top two scorers and three of their starting five from last season, so they may be closer to missing the conference tournament than finishing near the conference’s top.  The good news is that there are no seniors in the lineup and the experience gained this season may pay off next.
  8. Bryant – The top two scorers from a team that lost 20 games decided to transfer after the season, meaning that this may be a rebuilding year for Tim O’Shea’s team.  The good news is that three of the top four returning players are only sophomores, so the future remains bright.
  9. Central Connecticut – Head coach Donyell Marshall’s team should improve with the pairing of Austin Nehls at guard and Mustafa Jones at forward.  Of course, it is not hard to improve off of only 6 wins last year.
  10. St. Francis (Brooklyn) – The Terriers return four starters, but those same players lost 27 games last season and ended the year on a 16 game losing streak.  It may not be much better this season, but at least it probably can’t be worse.
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Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews East Tennessee State head coach Steve Forbes

Posted on October 26, 2017 by Jon Teitel

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

Steve Forbes is having a pretty good decade: he made the Elite 8 in 2010 as an assistant to Bruce Pearl at Tennessee, went 62-6 in 2 years as head coach at Northwest Florida State, won 35 straight games as an assistant to Gregg Marshall at Wichita State in 2014, and has won 51 games during the past 2 seasons as head coach at East Tennessee State.  After losing last year’s regular season finale at UNC Greensboro, the Buccaneers bounced back to win 3 games in 3 days to clinch the SoCon tourney title before losing to Florida in the NCAA tourney.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Forbes about winning games in OT and having a bunch of seniors on the roster this season.  

You played baseball at Southern Arkansas: how did you get into basketball coaching? I went to a small high school where I played 4 sports. I played baseball/basketball during my 1st 3 years of college but basketball was always my passion. My baseball experience helped me get my 1st coaching job.

In the 2006 NCAA tourney as an assistant to Billy Gillispie at Texas A&M, Darrel Mitchell scored 16 PTS including a long 3-PT shot with 3.9 seconds left in a 1-PT win by LSU: did you think that the shot was going in, and where does that rank among the most devastating losses of your career? It is by far the hardest loss of my career. We were really playing well and had great chemistry. We were so good defensively that I never thought LSU would be able to have a player make that shot over our 6’10” defender.

In February of 2008 as an assistant to Bruce Pearl at Tennessee you had a 4-PT win at Memphis that resulted in you rising to the top of the AP poll: what does it feel like to be on a team who is ranked #1 in the nation? That was the greatest game that I have ever been a part of. It was a very hostile environment: it was probably as close as you can get to a Final 4 game in the regular season. Unfortunately, we were only #1 for about 48 hours until we lost to Vanderbilt.

In 2014 as an assistant to Gregg Marshall at Wichita State your team won 35 straight games before losing to Kentucky in the NCAA tourney: are there any key factors that separate a good team from a great team? That was by far the best team I have ever been a part of. They play to a standard of being excellent rather than to the level of their competition. We had to survive every team’s best shot: you need incredible purpose/desire to win. Coach Marshall held them accountable from day 1 through the very last day.

After being hired at East Tennessee State in March of 2015 you won 24 games in year 1 and 27 games in year 2: how were you able to come in and be so successful right from the start? I had great teachers in all of the guys you mentioned above. I came to a place that really cared about basketball and really wanted to win: the administration has been very supportive. We flipped the roster and were able to have a lot of success.

You have played 5 OT games during your time in Johnson City and are 5-0: what is the key to winning games in OT? Having great players! I have guys who are not afraid to take/make the last-second shots. You have to inspire confidence in your players so they believe we can win. Samford made a shot at the end of regulation last January but we stayed together and found a way to win in double-OT due to our resolve.

In the 2017 NCAA tourney you lost to Florida: what did your team learn from that game that will help them this year? You have to play really well on the big stage. We had too many live-ball turnovers that led to easy baskets. You have to play your best when you reach that day but Florida gets all the credit.

Your non-conference schedule includes road games at Kentucky/Xavier: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? Both of those schools have incredible programs with a great history. We have to get a couple of guarantee games each year and I am pleased that they agreed to play us. It will be good for us to see where we are at. We also have some strong mid-major teams like Northern Kentucky/Troy/Fordham: I want to play the toughest schedule I can.

You have 8 seniors on the roster this year: how crucial will all of that experience be to your team’s success? I think we only have 5-6 but it is crucial every year. I try to stay old/athletic because the veteran players can provide tremendous leadership for the younger guys. We have also had graduate transfers play very well for us in the past.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? Our expectations are always the same: a winning record in non-conference play, win the conference tourney, and then try to have a meaningful game in March.

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