Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Sacred Heart JR PG Ny’Ceara Pryor

Posted on October 30, 2024 by Jon Teitel

We are less than 1 week away from the tip-off of a new college basketball season, which means that we have a little time left to start preparing for the action ahead. We will do so via a series of season previews featuring the best players/coaches in the country. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage with Sacred Heart JR PG Ny’Ceara Pryor, who talked about leading the nation in SPG and her expectations for this season.

You were born/raised in Baltimore: what made you choose Sacred Heart? When I arrived on campus it was so beautiful and the staff/players were very welcoming. Some places try to sweet talk you to get you into the bag, but this felt like a home away from home with a close-knit family.

You play for Coach Jessica Mannetti: what makes her such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from her so far? She crafts her players into what she wants them to be but also trusts them, even as freshmen. She trusts us to make plays and do what is best for the team. We have position coaches who talk directly to us because she relies on them. Ever since I was named team captain as a freshman, she taught me how to be vocal, which will help me with other career goals.

As a freshman you became the 1st player in league history to be named NEC POY/DPOY/ROY in the same season: how were you able to come in and dominate right from the start? Putting in the work was the biggest thing for me. I am 5’3” but did all the work that nobody sees: the work you put in is the work you will get out.

That year you led the nation with 3.7 SPG and led the conference with 17.8 PPG: how are you able to balance your offense with your defense? Defense is WAY more important than offense: it wins you championships! There are so many other things you can get out of good defense: assists, buckets, etc. Scoring points is an individual thing but defense shows how connected you are with your team and how well you know your scouting report.

In the 2023 NEC tourney title game you had 20 PTS/11 REB/7 AST in a win over FDU en route to being named tourney MVP: how were you able to play your best when it mattered the most, and what was the feeling like in your locker room afterward? That was crazy: we had a pit in our stomach because it was now or never. The day before the game Coach had us write down what we wanted to get out of the game and what we prayed for. I won a state title in high school and remember telling myself to not make the game bigger than it was. When you make it bigger it becomes bigger, so I just did whatever my team needed.

Last December you had the school’s 2nd-ever triple-double with 25 PTS/11 REB/10 AST in a win over Bryant: where does that rank among the best all-around games of your career? Triple-doubles do not come easily for a 5’3” guard. I put so much out there so to get that accolade was amazing. My team was very proud of me, but I just put it behind me and moved on to the next game.

Last year you set a school-record with 636 PTS: what is the secret to being a great scorer? Just reading the defense, see how they are playing you, and adjusting. As a freshman a lot of teams sagged off me, so as a PG I just tried to make the right reads. It is all about your basketball IQ.

In 2024 you won the conference tourney again, were named conference tourney MVP again, and made the NCAA tourney again: what is the key to winning games in March? Being healthy: if you are still aching from the regular season then you will lose to a team that is more connected/focused. You must take it 1 quarter at a time and be yourself.

You are team captain again this year: what is the key to being a good leader? Knowing when to speak and knowing when to let your actions speak for themselves. I was more vocal last year as a sophomore but not everyone responds the same way. Most people do not respond to yelling but some people need to get called out to get their head into the game. You need to connect with your team and get everybody on board.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? A lot of people have expectations for me but the effort I put in will show itself, and when it does then the people who have my back will be proven right. Some of my goals are being a better leader, turning us into the best team that we can be, trusting in my coaches, etc. Accolades do not matter to me: it is all about winning, and the accolades will come if you put the work in. We are trying to get the 3-peat this season.

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Under the Radar – Preseason Special

Posted on October 29, 2024 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE For All of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

Chad is joined by Rocco, David, and the other David for the Under the Radar Preseason Special. We run through each of the 22 UTR conferences and discuss all of the league frontrunners as well as some interesting notes. Grand Canyon, McNeese, and Princeton are among the teams that we think could do more than just win their conferences, but make a run at landing inside the bubble. We discuss all that, and more. And, as we do every week, we close with this week’s UTR Top Ten.

Audio-only version below:

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NEC Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 29, 2024 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE For All of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

NEC MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Central Connecticut (tied 1st)
  2. Wagner (tied 1st)
  3. Fairleigh Dickinson
  4. Le Moyne
  5. Long Island
  6. Chicago State
  7. Mercyhurst
  8. Saint Francis U (tied 8th)
  9. Stonehill (tied 8th)

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-NEC TEAM:

-Malachi Davis – JR, G – Long Island
-Jo’el Emanuel – JR, F – Fairleigh Dickinson
-Darrick Rose Jr. – SR, G – Le Moyne
-Jordan Jones – SR, G – Central Connecticut
-Jeff Planutis – SR, F – Mercyhurst

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID

To put it simply, WE AT HOOPS HD LOVE THIS CONFERENCE!!!! That is why we have it as the headliner of all our conference previews!! This conference is always at or near the bottom of the metrics, and the champion is oftentimes in the First Four, but the league is SOOO much fun! The small venues that are oftentimes packed with energy and the intensity the players bring seeing how the entire conference (other than Chicago State) is based in the Northeast makes this must-see viewing! You can watch all conference games for free on NEC Front Row: bookmark it now!! They’ve also got a free downloadable app: download it now!!!

-Central Connecticut finished in 1st place last year, but missed out on the NCAA Tournament after losing in the semis of the conference tournament. They did lose their top scorer and have just two starters back, but with Jordan Jones returning and some solid transfers coming in who can probably contribute right away, we could see CCSU back at the top of the standings this year.

-Wagner finished just 6th in the standings this year, but then went on to win the conference tournament and win their First Four game. Just two starters are back from that team and they are tasked with replacing their top-three scorers. They do seem to have some guys that can step into bigger roles and contribute this year.

-Fairleigh Dickinson struggled last year and went through periods of hot and cold. Just two starters are back and they are looking for a little more consistency this season. They do have some solid transfers that were contributors at non-D-1 schools a year ago and if some of them can step up we should see some improvement out of FDU.

-Le Moyne returns four starters from a team that did pretty well in their first year as a D-1 program. They won 15 total games and finished a very respectable 9-7 in the conference. It is good to see the players stick together given that they are a transitional team and are ineligible for the postseason. We could see that experience result in a few more wins this year.

-Long Island has been pitiful the last two years and the fact that just one starter is returning might be a good thing because it allows them to turn their roster over. They went into the portal to try and build up their roster and the Sharks should be a little better this year.

-Chicago State is finally back in a conference!! After years of having to play as an Independent, and having to deal with all of the disadvantages that come with that, Chicago State joins the NEC. I think given time they will be able to have success in this conference. As for this year, Scott Spinelli takes over as head coach and he’s got just two returning starters and a bunch of guys that have limited D-1 experience. It could be a long year this year.

-Welcome to D-1 Mercyhurst! They won just 15 games as a D-2 program last year, and given that D-1 is…well…a lot better, it could be a long first season for the Lakers. The fact that they are not picked last is kind of surprising. Then again…perhaps not.

-Stonehill won just 4 games a year ago and were closer to winning the Centenary Award then they were the NEC. Their roster is turning over so we could perhaps see some improvement this year, but just making the NEC Tournament would be an accomplishment.

-Saint Francis U seems like they will do better than last place. They may even be good enough to make the NEC Tournament. I do not think they will be in the top-half of the standings, but with three starters back they at least have some experience going for them.

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Patriot League Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 29, 2024 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE For All of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

PATRIOT LEAGUE MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Colgate
  2. American
  3. Boston U
  4. Bucknell
  5. Lehigh
  6. Lafayette
  7. Army
  8. Navy
  9. Holy Cross
  10. Loyola MD

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-PATRIOT LEAGUE TEAM:

-Matt Rogers, – SR, F – American (Preseason Player of the Year)
-Miles Brewster – SR, G – Boston U
-Noah Williamson – JR, C – Bucknell
-Tyler Whitney-Sidney – SR, G – Lehigh
-Austin Benigni – JR, G – Navy

Caleb Kennedy – SR, F – Holy Cross (Preseason Defensive Player of the Year)

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Colgate blew through this league a year ago with a 16-2 conference record. They finished a full 6 games head of the 2nd-place team and then breezed through the conference tournament. They did lose two of their top scorers, but they do return a really good core group of players that saw significant minutes last year and add a pretty impressive looking freshman class, so it would not shock me at all to see Colgate win the league again this year. Having said that, I am not sure if they will completely run away with it like they did a season ago.

So last year, there was a 4-way tie for 2nd place. Three of those four teams return the bulk of their contributing players, which makes this conference pretty wide open.

-American had a two week stretch in the middle of February where they lost 4 out of 5, and not only that but lost badly to bad teams. Injuries seemed to play a role in that stretch where they struggled, but other than that they were pretty good last year. With four starters back including Matt Rogers (who can score, rebound, and shoot from the outside), I think they have quite a bit of potential this year and could even end up winning the league.

-Boston U has all five starters back and is also a team that can make a ton of noise this year. They also finished in the big logjam tie for 2nd place last year and looked really good in the latter part of the season as they won their last six games before losing in the semis of the conference tournament. Miles Brewster received preseason honors and is a fantastic outside shooter, but is not the only scoring threat on this team. They have what appears to be a deep and experienced rotation. I always value collective experience, especially now when so many teams are so transfer heavy. I think the Terriers will be in the race this year and are also good enough to challenge for a league title.

-Bucknell is another team with a lot of experience coming back. Four starters return for a team that was in that logjam 2nd place tie. They did lose their top scorer, but Noah Williamson is back and is a 7-footer and the best post-player in the conference. Some of the other guys will have to step up in order for Bucknell to keep pace with the teams at the top of the league. I think the PL is a four-horse race this year with Bucknell being the 4th horse.

-Lehigh was a modest 9-9 in league play last year, but was much better in the second half of conference play than in the first, winning 7 out of 9 before losing in the championship game. Three starters are back including Tyler Whitney-Sidney (who was one of the top scorers in the conference) and Keith Higgins Jr. (who missed part of the year due to an injury). So, the Mountain Hawks have some pieces.

-Lafayette had a bit of a crazy season. Between January 3rd and February 7th they were 9-2. For the entire rest of the year, they were just 2-19. They started off 1-12, and finished by losing 6 of their final 7. Three starters are back and they actually somehow managed to play their way into that 4-way tie for 2nd place last year so you would think there would be some reasons to be optimistic, but given how bad they were for most of the year and how they played down the stretch I just do not see them keeping up with the top half of the league.

-It is so hard to win at Army. For any student to be accepted into the school they have to prove themselves to be far more exceptional than most of the rest of us, and they are limited when it comes who they can even recruit. I have nothing but respect for anyone who plays on this team. They won just 10 games a year ago, and with three starters back and Jalen Rucker (who was a proven scorer two years ago) rejoining the team, hopefully they can manage a few more wins this year.

-It is so hard to win at Navy. For any student to be accepted into the school they have to prove themselves to be far more exceptional than most of the rest of us, and they are limited when it comes who they can even recruit. I have nothing but respect for anyone who plays on this team. I actually like this team a lot more than where they are picked to finish. They have four starters returning from a team that kind of crapped out in the middle of conference play, but was pretty solid down the stretch, winning their final 5 before losing in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament. Austin Benigni is one of the top players in the conference and with the experience they have around him I think they can win some games this year. I could see them finishing close to the middle of the standings and if things fall right for them perhaps doing even a little better.

-The days of Holy Cross being a consistent PL frontrunner and making teams sweat in the Round of 64 of the NCAA Tournament seem like it was a generation ago. Well, that is because it was. The Crusaders have not won more than 10 games since prior to COVID, and have only been to one NCAA Tournament since 2007. Three starters are back from last year’s team and that experience should help, but at no point did Holy Cross look like they were building toward anything. It could be another long, and frustrating, and ultimately disappointing year for the Crusaders.

-Loyola MD won just seven games a year ago and finished near the bottom of virtually every D1- metric. Josh Loeffler takes over as head coach and he’s got his work cut out for him as he’s tasked with building up a program that does not look to have a whole lot of substantial D-1 experience heading into this season.

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Big East Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 29, 2024 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE For All of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

BIG EAST MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Connecticut
  2. Creighton
  3. Xavier
  4. Marquette
  5. Saint John’s
  6. Providence
  7. Villanova
  8. Butler
  9. Georgetown
  10. Seton Hall
  11. DePaul

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST 1ST TEAM:

-Ryan Kalkbrenner – SR, C – Creighton (Preseason Player of the Year)
-Alex Karaban – JR, F – Connecticut
-Kam Jones – SR, G – Marquette
-Bryce Hopkins – SR, G/F – Providence
-Kadary Richmond – SR, G – Saint John’s
-Eric Dixon – SR, F – Villanova

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST 2ND TEAM:

-Pierre Brooks – SR, F – Butler
-Jahmyl Telfort – SR, F – Butler
-Deivon Smith – SR, G – Saint John’s
-Zach Freemantle – SR, F – Xavier
-Dayvion McKnight – SR, G – Xavier

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST 3RD TEAM:

-Aidan Mahaney – JR, G – Connecticut
-Steven Ashworth – SR, G – Creighton
-Jayden Epps – JR, G – Georgetown
-Wooga Poplar – SR, G – Villanova
-Ryan Conwell – JR, G – Xavier

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-UConn won an amazing 37 games last year, has won the National Championship each of the last two years, and is on an amazing stretch of 49 wins in their last 53 games. Four of those starters are gone and UConn will have to reload this year, but reloading is not an issue for them. Aidan Mahaney comes in from Saint Mary’s, and Liam McNeeley is a McDonald’s All-American. They are not quite as stacked as they were a year ago. I do not think they will win 37 games and repeat (again) as national champions, but this is still one of the best teams in the country.

-Up until recently I had been highly critical of Creighton and how they always seemed to tank out down the stretch. Well, I have stopped saying it because they have stopped doing it. They made it to the Sweet Sixteen or further in three of the last four seasons, and look to be good enough to do it again this year. Trey Alexander/Baylor Scheierman are big players to have to replace, especially Scheierman (because he was such a strong post player), but three other starters are back along with some solid transfers. I think they are good enough to win the Big East this year. They are exceptionally tough to beat at home, they tend to shoot well from the outside, they rebound well, and can score in the paint as well with Ryan Kalkbrenner at center. In short, they are good!

-Expectations are high for Xavier this year, and while they’ve already been hit with an injury to a key player (again), and while most of last year’s starters are gone, the roster does appear to be pretty stacked. Ryan Conwell/Dayvion McKnight make up a very solid backcourt, and Zach Freemantle is a huge contributor as well. Some pretty strong portal additions give Xavier a fair amount of talent and depth. While Xavier has had a lot of success throughout its history, they have actually missed five of the last six NCAA Tournaments, so they may be getting a little anxious in X-Land.

-I like this Marquette team. A lot. It seems a little nuts to me that they are being picked as low as 4th. I would personally have them…well…about four spots higher. Three starters return from a team that made it to the Sweet Sixteen, Kam Jones is one of the best guards in the conference and can hit from the outside, and while they may not have any players in the post that will likely end up on NBA rosters, their frontcourt is still solid enough. What makes this team so hard to beat is their pressure defense, and it is something that seems to get better and tougher the more they play together. Shaka Smart is a fantastic coach and this may be one of the better teams he has had in a while.

-Rick Pitino enters season #2 as the head man at Saint John’s, and the roster has been completely overhauled. No starters are back from a year ago. Deivon Smith is a solid player, and it looks to be a transfer-heavy roster. I will say this about Rick Pitino: he knows what he wants and he can usually get his guys to play together, so you never want to overlook the Johnnies.

-Kim English won a respectable 21 games his first year at Providence last year and once again has his work cut out for him. He has a high-caliber player in Bryce Hopkins who is a great scorer and rebounder, and they have some nice looking transfers coming in including Jabri Abdur-Rahim from Georgia, so the Friars have the pieces to take a step forward this year.

-The days of being able to pencil Villanova into your top-10 and seemingly always seeing them make deep runs in the NCAA Tournament now suddenly seem like it was all a long time ago. I like Coach Kyle Neptune, and was particularly impressed with how he was seemingly starting to turn Fordham (of all places!) around. But, since arriving at Nova they just have not been that good. And, it does not look like they are going to be all that good this year. Wooga Poplar is a solid player out on the perimeter, but he will need some help.

-Preseason rankings really do not mean much. A week into the season no one will even care about any of this, so I normally do not try and get too deep into the weeds with it. I am really doing all this to help myself learn the teams rather than make any predictions. Having said that, Butler being picked to finish 8th seems over the moon insane to me. I am trying to figure out what I am missing. Pierre Brooks/Jahmyl Telfort are both very solid players, Pat McCaffery is transferring in from Iowa and can be a solid role player and provide some depth, Kolby King comes in from Tulane who is a fairly decent PG. I mean…perhaps they are not the deepest team, and I certainly do not think they’re as good as the top three/four teams in the league, but to pick them 8TH!!?? I actually think they can be an NCAA Tournament team this year! This is a pick I disagree with: they are better than this!

-Georgetown has been synonymous with awful for the last three or four years, and while they will probably be slightly less awful this year, I still do not see them being all that good. Malik Mack (who had a strong freshman season at Harvard)/Jayden Epps should make a pretty talented backcourt, and that alone will result in them being somewhat better than what we have seen.

-Seton Hall won the NIT last year, but given how much their roster is overturned they could be taking a step back instead of forward. I like Shaheen Holloway as a coach, and I think they did get a few decent players out of the portal, but I do think they will be closer to the bottom than the top this year. They will win both games against DePaul, though!

-DePaul might lose every single Big East game they play this year. It would be the second year in a row where that happened. Chris Holtmann takes over as head coach, and I think he is a phenomenal coach, and they are getting some guys in the portal that should make them a little better…but “a little better” is a very low bar.

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MAC Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 28, 2024 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE For All of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

MAC MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Ohio U
  2. Akron
  3. Kent State
  4. Toledo
  5. Bowling Green
  6. Miami OH
  7. Ball State
  8. Central Michigan
  9. Eastern Michigan
  10. Western Michigan
  11. Northern Illinois
  12. Buffalo

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-MAC 1ST TEAM:

-Payton Sparks – SR, C – Ball State
-Anthony Pritchard – SR, G – Central Michigan
-VonCameron Davis – SR, F – Kent State
-AJ Clayton – SR, F – Ohio U
-Javan Simmons – SO, F – Toledo

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-MAC 2ND TEAM:

-Isaiah Gray – SR, G – Akron
-Jalen Sullinger – SR, G – Kent State
-Shereef Mitchell – SR, G – Ohio U
-AJ Brown – SO, G – Ohio U
-Isaiah Adams – SR, G – Toledo

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Ohio U won their last 7 games before losing in the semifinals of the conference tournament last year, and they return the bulk of the talent from that team. Jeff Boals is a coach that I have always thought a lot of and I think he may have one of his best teams in a while this year. AJ Clayton/Shereef Mitchell were both double-digit scorers a year ago, and both received preseason honors this year. They have experience, they have depth, and I think they can win the MAC this year.

-Akron is a regular 20+ game winner, but they do face some challenges this year as four starters are gone from last year’s team that made the NCAA Tournament. Isaiah Gray comes in from Cornell, and they do add several other players from power programs that are perhaps come to Akron wanting to play bigger roles, so the cupboard has probably been restocked and the Zips will likely be near the top of the standings again.

-Kent State had a subpar season last year and are looking to bounce back this year. VonCameron Davis received preseason honors, and he’ll be joined by Marquis Barnett (who comes in from Presby) and Anthony Morales (who comes in from Boston U). So, the Golden Flashes have some solid pieces and I think we will see a few more wins out of them this year.

-Toledo finished atop the standings last year, but lost their conference tournament opener and ended up without a postseason invite despite having a really solid year. The Rockets have won 20+ games the last four years and have two key starters back from last year, including SO PG Sonny Wilson. They also add a couple of transfers that were double-digit scorers a year ago and should be able to step right in and help the Rockets. I could actually see them finishing higher than 4th. I do not like them as much as Ohio U, but I do think they could finish right behind them.

-Bowling Green was another team that won 20 games last season…but is also another team that is tasked with rebuilding its roster and replace four of their starters. Trey Thomas comes in from Vanderbilt and he should be a major contributor for Falcons this year. They also add some guys that were standout players at the D-2/JUCO levels, but it remains to be seen if they can contribute at the D-1 level.

-Miami OH showed some signs of improvement last year and finished a modest 9-9 in conference play in Coach Travis Steele’s second season. Three starters are back and that experience could result in this team seeing a few more wins this year and continuing their steady improvement.

-Michael Lewis had an impressive debut season at Ball State two seasons ago when he won 20 games. Last year, they took a step back and won just 15 and were a so-so 7-11 in conference play. Only two starters return from that team, but one of them is Payton Sparks, who is probably the best center/post player in the conference. They also add a high-caliber player in Jeremiah Hernandez, who averaged over 17ppg at Southern Indiana a year ago, so Ball State should be better this year. I think they can finish higher than they are being picked.

-Central Michigan was a big surprise last year with 18 total wins and a 4th place finish in the conference. This was a team that many (including myself) were expecting to be either at or near the bottom along with the other Directional-Michigan schools. Anthony Pritchard returns to the lineup and is one of the better guards in the conference. Jakobi Heady, who was a standout player at Bethune Cookman last year, transfers in and should be a big contributor. Can the Chippewas exceed expectations again this season?

-Eastern Michigan managed 13 wins a year ago, which is not good at all, but was still better than they had done the previous three years and perhaps better than what was expected. They did finish just 10th in the league and with three starters gone they do not appear to have a ton of experience or guys that have proven themselves as solid D-1 players yet. They could be in for a long year.

-Western Michigan could be in for an even longer year. They won just 12 games a year ago, which is not good, but was still an improvement, but with four starters gone from that team they are once again rebuilding. They also seem to be a little light on guys with solid D-1 experience.

-Northern Illinois has no starters back after several contributing players from last year jumped into the portal. Just four scholarship players return in total and the expectations are not high.

-Buffalo won just four games a year ago and the days of Nate Oats having this team in the NCAA Tournament, and winning tournament games, and in the top-25, now seem like it happened a long time ago. They are most likely in for another very long season this year.

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