Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews UNC-Wilmington F Devontae Cacok

Posted on October 18, 2017 by Jon Teitel

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

When we were college sophomores we were just trying to find friends who had a fake ID and summer jobs that would pay us money.  All Devontae Cacok did as a sophomore last year was set the NCAA single-season record by shooting 80 FG%.  He was not just a dunking machine: he set a conference record with 24 REB vs. Drexel last January.  He did not just succeed against lesser competition: he had a double-double in the NCAA tourney against Virginia last March.  He does not just contribute on offense: he became the 2nd UNCW player to ever be named CAA Defensive Player of the Year.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Devontae about being a great rebounder and whether anyone will ever break his record.  We also wish him a belated happy 21st birthday earlier this month!

You have stated that your main reason for choosing UNC-Wilmington was former head coach Kevin Keatts: did you have any thoughts about following him to NC State after he took a new job last spring (like your former teammate CJ Bryce did)? There was a lot of emotion going on this summer and I thought about it but I felt that staying here would be the best decision for me. The current coaching staff will help me with connections after college.

Last year you led the team with 9.8 RPG and set a school record with 24 REB in a game: how are you able to grab so many REB despite only being 6’7”? If the ball is anywhere around me I will go get it. Helping give my team another possession will help us win games and I have a strong motor. I want to break the school record this year.

You finished the season by being named conference DPOY: what is the key to playing great defense? You have to be able to see the floor, know when you need to rotate, challenge every shot without fouling, and be a general presence in the paint.

You also set an NCAA single-season record with 80 FG%: how do you make so many shots, and do you think that anyone will ever break your record? I put a lot of concentration into finishing each shot so I try to have quick hands/feet. I do not think that anyone will ever break it even though records are made to be broken: if they do then I might return to college to break it again!

In the 2017 NCAA tourney you had 12 PTS/15 REB in a 5-PT loss to Virginia: how close did you come to beating the Cavaliers, and what did you learn from that game that you think will help you this year? The biggest factor was not having complete focus in the final seconds of the game. If we could have taken care of the ball then we might have won the game. We just need to stay focused the whole game and bounce back after someone makes a run against us.

You have a new coach this year in CB McGrath: how does his style so far compare to your former coach? Coach McGrath is a lot different that Coach Keatts: his system is more big-oriented due to coming from North Carolina, whereas Coach Keatts was more guard-oriented. It gives me a chance to excel in his system and I have prepared hard all summer.

1 of your biggest non-conference games this year is a trip to LSU: how will you prepare to face a team from the SEC like the Tigers? After playing a bunch of ACC teams like Virginia/Clemson/Duke we are prepared to face anyone so we will just try to treat it like a normal game…but every game is important.

In addition to CJ you lost the rest of your starting lineup from last year (Ambrose Mosley/Chris Flemmings/Denzel Ingram): how are you going to try to replace all of their offense/experience? We will need a lot of guys to step up this year to replace those 4 starters. Everyone has to fill their role and accept that challenge.

You turned 21 earlier this month: how was the big day? I actually went home for it.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? My goal is to be more efficient on the court, not foul as much, and make some smarter decisions. We want to win another conference title, make it back to the NCAA tourney, and then make a run after falling short the past couple of years.  We just need to learn from our mistakes.

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Conference Preview: Mountain West

Posted on October 18, 2017 by Chad

MOUNTAIN WEST

The Mountain West has fallen on hard times.  The conference has not received an at-large bid to either of the last two NCAA Tournaments, and its automatic qualifiers received a 14 and a 12 seed those two years.  Here at HoopsHD, we actually relegated the conference to “Under the Radar” status midway through last season, a status reserved for conferences that are normally single-bid leagues.  This needs to change, as the conference needs to find a way to regain its status of at least being on the same level as leagues such as the Atlantic Ten.  There is a chance that the turnaround could begin this season.

Nevada won the regular season and conference tournament titles last year and is the favorite heading into this season, led by a host of talented transfers that should fill in the gaps left by offseason losses.  San Diego State welcomes a new coach for the first time this millennium, but has enough returning talent to rebound from a disappointing 2016-17 season and be right in the thick of things.  As many as five other programs have legitimate conference title aspirations, including Boise State, UNLV, Wyoming and Fresno State.  Perhaps the biggest disappointment this season will come in Albuquerque, and not because the team is expected to struggle mightily.  The disappointment is that The Pit has been renamed “Dreamstyle Arena.”  For us, however, it always has been and always will be The Pit.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Nevada – Despite losing three of their top four scorers, the Wolf Pack should be right in the hunt for another Mountain West championship thanks to the returns of point guard Lindsey Drew, star forward Jordan Caroline and several key additions.  Most notable among the newcomers are twins Caleb and Cody Martin who sat out last season after transferring from North Carolina State, where Caleb averaged over 11 points per game two years ago.
  2. San Diego State – The Aztecs enter a new era this season as Steve Fisher retired after 18 seasons, leaving the program’s reins in the hands of long-time assistant Brian Dutcher.  Dutcher has the pieces to land San Diego State in the Field of 68 in his very first season, with seniors Trey Kell and Malik Pope leading the way, and a handful of strong newcomers, including San Francisco transfer Devin Watson, ready to fill in the gaps.
  3. Wyoming – The Cowboys return the majority of their CBI Championship team and will be looking to parlay that success into an NCAA bid.  Justin James and Hayden Dalton both averaged double figures off the bench last year, and could be even bigger factors this season.
  4. UNLV – Despite losing 21 games last season, the Rebels have a great chance to bounce back with a recruiting class that was ranked in the Top 20 nationally.  Brandon McCoy is a legitimate NBA prospect at forward/center, and will be joined by one of the nation’s top Juco transfers, Shakur Juiston.  Also keep an eye on guard Jordan Johnson, a transfer from Wisconsin-Milwaukee who should be able to jump right in and lead the team from the point.
  5. Boise State – The Broncos should once again be among the top teams in the conference, thanks in part to Chandler Hutchison, a nightly double-double threat that could contend for conference Player of the Year honors.  In the end, they will need to find second and third options on offense if they want to seriously take a shot at the league’s top spot.
  6. Fresno State – The Bulldogs may have the Mountain West’s most dangerous backcourt with Jaron Hopkins, Jahmel Taylor and Deshon Taylor, the later two of which are deadly from beyond the arc.  They also add in graduate transfer Ray Bowles (Pacific) who averaged over 13 points per game last season.  The problems, of course, will be down low where the team lacks in size, depth and experience.
  7. Colorado State – Larry Eustachy performed miracles last season, getting 24 wins out of a rotation that was limited to only seven players after a slew of academic casualties hit the team in the spring semester.  This year a few of those casualties are back eligible, and the team adds in a handful of Juco transfers, but their top two scorers, Gian Clavell and Emmanuel Omogbo, are gone and the team is likely to take a few steps back.
  8. Utah State – The Aggies have a couple very nice pieces in their backcourt, led by last season’s conference Freshman of the Year, Koby McEwen.  However, it would be a shock for them to be much improved off of last season’s 14-16 record.
  9. Air Force – Although the Falcons are woefully lacking in the size and athleticism to keep pace with the top of the conference, this year’s team will be dominated by senior leadership, and that may be enough to keep them out of the conference cellar.
  10. San Jose State – The Spartans now have Jean Prioleau running the show after Dave Wojcik’s surprise retirement over the summer.  Although it may take the team time to adjust to a new head coach, they at least still have forward Ryan Welage.  The late decision by star Brandon Clarke to transfer to Gonzaga really hurt, and could make this a long season.
  11. New Mexico – Head coach Craig Neal is gone.  Almost 75% of last season’s scoring either graduated or transferred.  And The Pit has apparently been renamed “Dreamstyle Arena.”  In other words, this is going to be a very long season for new head coach Paul Weir.
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HoopsHD is LIVE at A-10 Media Day with: Commissioner Bernadette McGlade

Posted on October 17, 2017 by Jon Teitel

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

Since the A-10 was kind enough to bring their media day to Washington, DC, HoopsHD decided to take the day off from work and check out all the action.  With 14 teams there is a lot to cover so we did our best.  Next up is Commissioner Bernadette McGlade who is beginning her 10th season in charge of the conference.  She has held just about every role in the sport: star rebounder at North Carolina, head coach at Georgia Tech, Final 4 Tournament Director, Selection Committee chairwoman, etc.  Jon Teitel got to chat with the Commish about being an ACC double-legend and her admiration for the chairwoman of the Commission on College Basketball.

Your 1251 career REB remains #1 in UNC history: what is the secret to being a great rebounder? Get a lot of playing time!

In 1981 you were hired at Georgia Tech to be the head women’s coach at age 23: did you consider your age to be an advantage or disadvantage? It was a double-edged sword: people told me that I was crazy to take the job…but would also be crazy to turn it down. I was thrown into the fire immediately.  As a recruiter I got off my 1st flight in NY and only then realized that I was not old enough to rent a car because I was not 25!

In 1993 you served as Tournament Director for the Women’s Final 4: what was the best part?  We had a goal of getting an advance sellout, which has never happened at a neutral site.  People chuckled when they heard about the goal and just told us to work hard, but we sold out the week before the Final 4. I would call Ticketmaster every night to see what was available.  They said they only had 1 left in Row ZZ and I asked if there were 2 tickets together somewhere else: they said that was the only ticket left in the entire building and I bought it myself.

You were chairwoman of the Women’s Basketball Selection Committee in 1999/2000: do you focus on a single most important factor (RPI/SOS/road wins/other)? I think it is a combination of factors but a team’s record is also important. You should not get credit for losing even if your star player was injured. Head-to-head competition is also important, as is having an above-.500 record in conference play: we like to see if you have had success against your fellow at-large selections. While there is not just 1 thing that is most important, I am not so sure that there should be 15 factors taken into account.

In 2012 you became the first person to be named an ACC Legend as a player (UNC) and coach (Georgia Tech): many star players often turn out to be bad coaches so how were you able to succeed at both? I have had an opportunity to work with really great people. I had a great coach/teachers at UNC, and Homer Rice was a fabulous/supportive boss at Georgia Tech. The student-athletes could have chosen not to accept me because I was so young but that did not happen: it was a positive successful environment.

Several teams (GMU/VCU/Davidson) have been added to the A-10 during the past decade: what impact has realignment had on your conference? It has had a tremendous impact, especially after losing Temple/Charlotte who needed a conference that sponsored football.  We were able to add 3 schools who matched our profile and were in our geographic footprint, which has helped us remain a national conference.

Do you prefer a conference tourney that rotates cities or stays put in 1 place? I like the balance we have fallen into: 4 years in Brooklyn, then popping out to Pittsburgh/DC, but now we have the secondary excitement of returning to Brooklyn in 2019.  It helps the fan bases when we move it around: we had over $1 million in tickets sales last spring in Pittsburgh.

Your sister Agnus Berenato won her 450th career game last year: who is the best coach in the family? Of course I would have to say myself but she certainly outlasted me.  She did a fabulous job in Pittsburgh and won a WNIT title at Georgia Tech in 1992, to her credit. Last year at Kennesaw State she got a top-4 seed and made it to the Atlantic Sun semifinals.

What makes a good referee? Making good decisions.  The consistency of calls is what the players/coaches want, regardless of whether or not you call it tight.

You previously mentioned that the 1 woman in sports business who you would most like to meet is Condoleezza Rice: how do you feel about her being the Chairwoman of the NCAA’s brand-new Commission on College Basketball? I think it is fabulous. She is a remarkable individual with a great breadth/depth of knowledge, both in higher education/athletics. She is quite exceptional.

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HoopsHD is LIVE at A-10 Media Day with: Rhode Island head coach Dan Hurley

Posted on October 17, 2017 by Jon Teitel

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

Since the A-10 was kind enough to bring their media day to Washington, DC, HoopsHD decided to take the day off from work and check out all the action.  With 14 teams there is a lot to cover so we did our best.  Next up is Rhode Island head coach Dan Hurley, who is continuing to uphold the family name.  His father Bob Sr. was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010, his brother Bobby still holds the record for most AST in NCAA history, and now Dan has an Atlantic 10 conference tourney title under his belt.  Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Hurley about winning a conference title and his thoughts on the recent college basketball scandal.

You won a national title in 1989 while playing for your dad Bob Hurley, Sr. at St. Anthony’s High School: what makes him such a great coach, and what makes him such a great father? His mastery of basketball philosophy at both ends of the court and his understanding of the total game. He is obsessive in terms of his preparation/scouting: he is a master. He always tried to teach his players greater lessons at St. Anthony: basketball was a vehicle to create a better life. He now runs an afterschool program called the Hurley Foundation that has an athletic/academic component.

In the 1992 NCAA tourney as a player at Seton Hall, Terry Dehere scored 24 PTS including an 18-foot jumper with 1.8 seconds left in a 2-PT win over La Salle: where does that rank among the most clutch shots that you have ever seen? It is in the top-3 or 5 in terms of teams that I have played on. It was a super-clutch shot that allowed us to get to the Spectrum against Duke, but that is what you expect from your all-time leading scorer.

In the Sweet 16 you played 18 minutes in a loss to eventual champion Duke: what was it like facing your brother Bobby (1992 NCAA tourney MOP), and are we going to see ASU on your schedule anytime soon?! It is too far west for me to go. We would love to play each other in the NCAA tourney 1 day: that would be a super-cool moment. I was a nervous wreck playing against Duke. I was truly a backup PG and comfortable in that role but Coach PJ Carlesimo doubled my minutes that game because he felt that my presence on the court would disarm my brother. Bobby’s greatest assets were his grit/intensity…but when you face your little brother it gets diffused a bit. I think I went 0-9 from the field but my brother was more affected by that game than I was. I could not sleep before the game: playing my brother, in the City of Brotherly Love, on CBS, talking to Lesley Visser, etc.

At Wagner you went 13-17 in year #1 and 25-6 in year #2, and at Rhode Island you went 8-21 in year #1 and 23-10 in year #3: what is the secret for being able to turn things around so quickly everywhere you go? When you are bad there are so many other things going on that it is hard to hear everything else around you. Now we are closer to having a sustainable program: it is a great feeling to take something from the bottom and now be picked near the top of the league. Recruiting/development have been huge for us.

As a #4-seed in the 2017 A-10 tourney you won 3 games in 3 days to clinch the title: what did it mean to you to win a title, and what was the reaction like when you got back to campus? It was an amazing reaction that started at the airport when we landed. It was a bit of a surreal thing: to go from the depths in previous years to that moment was exhilarating. When I would talk to people on campus about their most joyous moment during the past 20 years, many of them said it was our run last March from VCU to Oregon.

In the 2017 NCAA tourney you had a 3-PT loss to Oregon: what did your team learn from that game that will help them this year? We had a great end to the season and return a tremendous group of guards. There was so much excitement in March that it becomes intoxicating, so we remind them of what that felt like.

You have 5 seniors on the roster: how crucial will all of that experience be to your team’s success this year? Anytime you have that type of mature/talented depth you will have high expectations.

1 of them is EC Matthews: what makes him such a great player? He had spurts throughout that year and had plenty of great moments. Guys who can score in the final seconds of a tight game against a good team are guys who can play. In the final 10 games he got his rhythm/timing back and he has had a great offseason so I expect him to be an even more efficient player. His mindset as a sophomore was to score his way into the NBA rather than pass the ball and make the right plays. He understands things so much better now and is such a different player due to his maturity.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Seton Hall/Providence/Alabama: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? I think 8-9 of the 11 teams on our non-conference schedule are predicted to make the NCAA tourney so it is filled with opportunities to move the needle when it comes to Selection Sunday. The Seton Hall game will get a lot of attention due to how bad a player I was: I am sure that they will want to see if I am a better coach! We try to play an aggressive schedule because it affects recruiting but now it is about getting as many chances as we can to get an at-large bid. We were the only top-50 RPI team last year to play 3 non-conference road games.

What are your thoughts on the college basketball scandal from the previous few weeks? When you deal with young people there will always be some mistakes so we try to educate them about decision-making all the time. It was a black eye for our sport: for the 1st few days after the news came out I was almost embarrassed to be a college basketball coach. In the A-10 that is not the world we are in: the underbelly of college basketball does not exist in our league.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? We are hungry like a wolf. We have never won a regular season title so we do not have an incredibly long tradition of A-10 success but we have a chance to do something that has never been done. A lot of what we talk about is preparing like a champion.

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HoopsHD is LIVE at A-10 Media Day with: Rhode Island G EC Matthews

Posted on October 17, 2017 by Jon Teitel

Since the A-10 was kind enough to bring their media day to Washington, DC, HoopsHD decided to take the day off from work and check out all the action.  With 14 teams there is a lot to cover so we did our best.  First up is Rhode Island’s EC Matthews: 2014 Atlantic 10 Co-ROY, then missed most of the 2015-16 season with a torn ACL, but bounced back last year to be named Most Outstanding Player at the Atlantic 10 conference tourney.  Jon Teitel got to chat with EC about overcoming an injury and winning a conference title.  We also wish him a happy belated birthday earlier this month!

You grew up in Detroit: what made you choose the Rams? See that guy right there (Coach Hurley as he is being interviewed by Andy Katz): it was him. When I 1st got an offer I did not know who Coach Hurley was as a coach or his family tradition so I just did my homework. He had a vision for me and I trusted him.

You play for Coach Dan Hurley: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him? His passion for the game: he is the definition of a hard worker and wants us to be great. He takes us all under his wing.

In February of 2014 you scored a career-high 32 PTS/11-15 FG in a loss to Duquesne: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? It was 1 of those situations and it is just indescribable. Everyone wants to have a game like that and I hope to have some more this season: the rim was like an ocean.

You finished that season by being named A-10 co-ROY: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It meant a lot at the time because I was trying to make a name for myself.

In the 2015 season opener against American you tore your right ACL and missed the rest of the season: how difficult was the rehab process, and how is your health at the moment? The rehab was actually easy for me and I healed well. The hard part was not doing things I had done before but I found my niche toward the end of last season. I did more rehab this summer and am 100% so I am confident in what I can do.

In the 2017 A-10 tourney title game you scored 19 PTS in a 7-PT win over VCU en route to being named tourney MOP: what did it mean to you to win a title, and how were you able to play your best when it mattered the most? It meant everything to me. It has not been done at URI since Lamar Odom so we are in the history books and will try to do it again. God does not make mistakes.

In the 2017 NCAA tourney you had 13 PTS in 2017 2nd round 3-PT loss to Oregon: what did you learn from that game that will help you this year? We were supposed to win that game! It gave us confidence that we can play with any team in the country. We will carry that confidence over to this season, which will help in big games.

You are 1 of 5 seniors on the roster: how crucial will all of that experience be to your team’s success this year? I think we have everything to gain and nothing to lose.  The sky is the limit and I think that we will have a lot of success this year. We are a veteran group and think that we can do much better.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Seton Hall/Providence/Alabama: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? All of them will be a test for us in some way. We still have a lot to prove and want to be a good team even earlier this year.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? Just do what we did last year but way better. I want to bring another A-10 title back to URI, make the NCAA tourney, and then advance farther: why not us?!

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Conference Preview: Atlantic Ten

Posted on October 17, 2017 by Chad

ATLANTIC TEN

The Atlantic Ten has always been one of our favorite leagues here at HoopsHD and the conference certainly has a chance to deliver up another fun season this time around.  The league appears to be dominated by teams with great backcourts, which should lead to some exciting games and fast-paced action.  The Rhode Island Rams, led by E.C. Matthews, are the preseason pick to win the conference, but there are quite a few teams that could take the title, including a Saint Louis team that Travis Ford has very quickly brought up from the bottom of the league standings.

Also in contention this season for both the league title and the NCAA Tournament will be St. Bonaventure, Saint Joseph’s, Davidson and maybe even La Salle.  Missing from that list are a pair of perennial favorites in the A-10, namely VCU and Dayton.  Both teams welcome in new head coaches with rebuilding projects ahead of them, but don’t expect either program to remain down for too long.  Finally, for those that have followed our previews the last few years when we have routinely claimed that this would finally be the breakout year for Fordham, that ship has finally sailed and the team from the Bronx is sadly picked to finish dead last.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Rhode Island – The Rams finally made it to the Big Dance last season (first appearance since 1999) and they should be back again this year with four key seniors, including guards E.C. Matthews and Jared Terrell, back.  If URI does have any holes, it may be up front where they need to make up for the loss of Hassan Martin’s 13.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, plus near double-double numbers they got from Kuran Iverson.  However, in a conference that will be backcourt-centric this season, there is no reason to pick against this team.
  2. Saint Louis – To pick a team that lost 21 games last season this high may look like a stretch, but in just his second season, head coach Travis Ford is pulling in more talent and experience seemingly every day.  The Billikens, in addition to having four starters back, have a pile of solid eligible transfers that include D.J. Foreman (Rutgers), Adonys Henriquez (UCF) and Javon Bess (Michigan State).  This may be the deepest team in the conference, and it would not be shocking at all to see them finish on top of the conference standings.
  3. St. Bonaventure – Rhode Island has a great set of guards, but the best pair in the conference may actually be playing in Olean, New York as Matt Mobley and Jaylen Adams will try to put the Bonnies in the Big Dance for the first time since 2012.  Much like URI, the Bonnies biggest issues will be down low where someone will need to step up if they want to feel safe for a bid before the A-10 tournament starts.
  4. Saint Joseph’s – Despite a 12th place Atlantic Ten finish last season, the Hawks could contend for the league championship with virtually everyone back and, even more importantly, everyone healthy.  Phil Martelli’s team was hit hard by injuries last season, but with Shavar Newkirk, Lamarr Kimble and Checco Oliva healthy, plus Charlie Brown having gained a ton of experience, this team has a better chance at 14-4 than being 4-14 again.
  5. Davidson – The Wildcats return four starters and most of the bench from a team that won 17 games.  They also return Peyton Aldridge, who averaged 20.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.  This is a recipe for contention, though they will need to find a way to make up for their biggest offseason loss, the conference’s leading scorer last year, Jack Gibbs.
  6. VCU – Mike Rhoades takes over head coaching duties now that Will Wade is at LSU, but don’t expect a departure from HAVOC as he is a former Shaka Smart assistant who used the style of play to guide Rice to some of their most successful seasons in recent memory.  The biggest problem is a lack of depth, with seven key contributors gone from last season; however, Justin Tillman may be one of the league’s best players, and Maine transfer Issac Vann could surprise.
  7. Richmond – The Spiders return a pair of double-digit scorers in the backcourt, with De’Monte Buckingham and Khwan Fore ready to score even more now that T.J. Cline and ShawnDre’ Jones are gone.  They will need to find some help for their two standouts, and that may come in the form of forward Solly Stansbury.  Repeating last season’s 22 win performance will be a stretch, but the Spiders should be competitive.
  8. La Salle – The Explorers should once again score a ton of points with Pookie Powell in the backcourt and B.J. Johnson on the wing.  The biggest question will be whether they can improve defensively, and Demetrius Henry’s late decision to leave school really hurts them there.
  9. George Mason – Another Atlantic Ten team with a pair of standout guards, the Patriots will be led this season by Otis Livingston II and Jaire Grayer.  However, there are a ton of question marks down low, and it will be tough to replace the 17 rebounds per game that Marquise Moore and Jalen Jenkins combined to pull down last season.
  10. Dayton – Archie Miller is now coaching in Indiana and the majority of last year’s team is gone.  In fact, the only starter from last season still on the roster, Ryan Mikesell, will not play this season due to hip surgery.  That means that Anthony Grant has a pretty big rebuild project ahead, and not much should be expected this year.
  11. George Washington – The Colonials were a surprise finding a way to win 20 games last season despite firing their head coach in late September.  Maurice Joseph has had the “interim” tag removed from his name, but probably lost too many pieces in the offseason to sniff another 20 win season.
  12. Massachusetts – Matt McCall inherits a mess in Amherst, which was made worse by Pat Kelsey’s decision to accept and then reject the head coaching job.  Perhaps the biggest saving grace for this season will be 6-11 center Rashaan Holloway — a rare force down low in such a guard oriented conference.
  13. Duquesne – Keith Dambrot has been one of the nation’s winningest coaches the past 12 years at Akron, and he may be just the man to turn around a woeful Duquesne program.  It will not be happening in Year One however, as there are very few pieces in place.  Dambrot did manage to convince Mike Lewis II to remain with the program, and the standout sophomore guard could begin to lay the foundation of successes to come.
  14. Fordham – Joseph Chartouny can not only score, but was among the best in the nation at stealing the ball last season.  Unfortunately for the Rams, he may be their only player of note this season, leading to another long year in the Bronx.
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