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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Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews Creighton G Ronnie Harrell Jr.

Posted on October 16, 2017 by Jon Teitel

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

It has been 7 years of near-excellence for Coach Greg McDermott at Creighton: a bit of a hiccup in 2015 but 6 other seasons with 20+ wins.  Last year’s team was a tale of 2 seasons: 18-1 to start the year before an injury to Mo Watson and then 7-9 after his injury.  1 player who will be called on to help out in the backcourt this year is Ronnie Harrell Jr., who peaked at the right time with a career-high 15 PTS in the NCAA tourney last March against Rhode Island.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Ronnie about his cousin Chauncey Billups and losing 4 of the top-6 scorers from last year.

You were 5’8” as a high school freshman but grew a whopping 10” over the next 2 years: which position do you feel most comfortable at on the court? That is true: I was a pretty short dude so I grew up playing PG/SG, but I feel the most comfortable with the ball in my hands in the open court regardless of my position.

You grew up in Denver: what made you choose Creighton? I had a few offers coming out of high school and had a few visits lined up, but after coming to Creighton for my official visit in 2014 it just felt like the right fit for me. Playing with the team during open gym helped me learn their style of play: they have good people and good basketball.

You play for Coach Greg McDermott: what makes him such a great coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him? His knowledge of the game: I call him our “offensive guru” because he knows which plays will work in which situations. He is like a football coach in that he often scripts our 1st couple of plays. He also taught me to be a man and take care of my responsibilities.

For people who have never been to a game at the CenturyLink Center Omaha, how would you describe the environment during a big-time Big East home game? You have to get here and see it for yourself! It is really awesome to see 17,000 diehard fans even when we went 0-8 to start our conference season in 2015. The fan base here was 1 of the factors in my college decision.

You started last season 18-1 but went 7-9 the rest of the way to finish 25-10: was Mo Watson’s injury the main factor or was there something else that caused the downturn? The obvious 1 is Mo’s injury: there was an adjustment period that happened to occur right in the middle of conference play.

In the 2017 NCAA tourney you scored a career-high 15 PTS in a loss to Rhode Island: what did you learn from that game that will help you this year? We did not play as well as we could have but that is no excuse. It was a good experience for the whole team because we were young and had never been to the tourney before. Next time when we have the opportunity we will have a little more of an edge because we know that every game is a dogfight. We have been practicing all offseason on being more physical.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Northwestern/UCLA/Baylor or Wisconsin/Gonzaga/Nebraska: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? Every game is a test because we can play great 1 night and then come out and get smacked by someone else. We have to be ready to give our all every game, otherwise there will be a lot of ups and downs.

Your team was #2 in the nation last season with 50.4 FG% but lost 4 of its top-6 scorers (Watson/Justin Patton/Cole Huff/Zach Hanson): how will you try to replace all of that offense? This year we are a completely different team in a sense. We had a lot of good talent last year so we could do alley-oops to Justin or let Cole go 1-on-1 but now it is more of an entire team effort. Everybody on the team can shoot the ball so you can only imagine the problems it will cause a defense when we spread them out.

Your cousin Chauncey Billups was NBA Finals MVP in 2004 and you played for the Billups AAU Elite team in high school: what kind of advice has he given you about how to succeed either on/off the court? That is my guy: I do not know if I would be here had he not worked with me as a kid. He has been crucial in my development as a player and the past 2-3 years he has helped me become a man off the court and focus on my craft.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? As a team I want us to win as many games as possible and go further in the NCAA tourney, but we have to focus on winning that 1st game. Personally I want to do the best job I can to contribute to all of the above, whether it is scoring 100 points or making 100 assists: I do not care about anything else.

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Conference Preview: American

Posted on October 16, 2017 by Chad

Click HERE for all of Jon Teitel’s season preview interviews and Chad Sherwood’s conference previews

AMERICAN

When the non-football playing schools broke away from the old Big East, leading to the creation of the American Athletic Conference, it seemed to create a league with a mixed up bag of schools that had little to no history with each other and were not even generally located in the same portion of the country.  In just its fifth year, however, the AAC suddenly looks to be living up to its hashtag (#AmericanRising) as the conference heads into the season looking like the best non-power conference in the nation.  Of course, adding a Top-10 caliber Wichita State program to the league has helped a ton.  The Shockers return almost everyone from last year’s 30 win team, and look good enough to be playing late into the month of March.

Beyond Wichita State, as many as five other teams may be in contention for Tournament bids, led by a stacked Cincinnati team that may prove to be one of the best of Mick Cronin’s tenure.  Johnny Dawkins’ UCF Knights appear poised to break a 12 year NCAA Tournament drought, while UConn, SMU and Temple all have a chance to be in the picture at the end of the year.  The bottom of the conference may actually not be as dreadful as recent years either, with the likes of Tulsa, Tulane and South Florida poised to be more competitive.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Wichita State – Talent, experience and depth could make this a very special year, but they may struggle early until stars Landry Shamet and Markis McDuffie get healthy.  Once the roster is at 100%, the sky may be the limit for this squad.
  2. Cincinnati – Gary Clark and Kyle Washington help form arguably the best frontcourt in the conference, while the addition of Sacred Heart transfer Cane Broome, who averaged over 23 points per game two years ago, could land them on top of the league standings if Wichita State falters.
  3. UCF – The Knights have a great chance for their first Dance Ticket since 2005 with Tacko Fall swatting anything and everything away down low, B.J. Taylor dishing things out, and the addition of Michigan transfer and coach’s son Aubrey Dawkins. (UPDATE 10/31/2017: Dawkins is out for the season).
  4. Connecticut – The Huskies may have the best starting backcourt in the conference with Jalen Adams back and Terry Larrier and Alterique Gilbert healthy.  However, they have way too many frontcourt questions to be a contender for the top of the standings.
  5. SMU – Mustangs lost three players to the NBA and have some big question marks in the frontcourt, but Shake Milton may prove to be one of the league’s most exciting players to watch.
  6. Temple – With Obi Enechionyia, a (hopefully) fully healthy Josh Brown, and even more improvement from Shizz Alston, Jr., the Owls could have just enough pieces to be in the conversation for a Dance Ticket come March.
  7. Tulsa – With Sterling Taplin outside and Junior Etou inside, the Golden Hurricane may have just enough pieces to surprise people this year.
  8. Houston – Rob Gray, Jr. is a prolific scorer, and a healthy Devin Davis will help a lot, but there may not be enough here to make up for the loss of Damyean Dotson.
  9. Tulane – Mike Dunleavy, Sr. is quickly rebuilding the Green Wave roster and could only be a year or two away from making some serious noise in this conference.  This season should be better than last year (not hard when that was 6-25), led by the lone senior on the roster, Cameron Reynolds.
  10. East Carolina – The Pirates have a lot of holes in their lineup and question marks across the board with only one double-digit scorer (Kentrell Barkley) back from a team that finished in 9th place.  Equaling last year’s performance may be difficult, and even doing that may not be enough to get head coach Jeff Lebo another season beyond this one.
  11. Memphis – With almost every player from last season gone, including the Lawson brothers transferring to Kansas, Tubby Smith has virtually a complete rebuild on his hands.  He is certainly good enough of a coach to do it, but do not expect much this season.
  12. South Florida – Tubby Smith may have a daunting rebuild job ahead of himself in Memphis, but it isn’t nearly close to the size of the job in front of Brian Gregory as he takes over at South Florida.  The Bulls will rely on a ton of transfers this season.  The good news is that it will be hard to be worse than last year’s 7-23 record.
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Hoops HD Special Report Podcast: North Carolina is Off the Hook!!

Posted on October 15, 2017 by David Griggs

Kyle and David discuss the NCAA Committee on Infraction’s ruling in the North Carolina case, which came out this past Friday.  They first explain the technicalities of what happened, how it happened, and why it happened.  They then debate over whether or not the ruling was right and how bad this makes the NCAA look.  They also spend a few minutes discussing the Kansas vs Missouri exhibition game that is taking place to raise money for hurricane relief, as well as the ongoing fallout from the FBI’s investigation and the formation of the new basketball commission.

 

This podcast is Audio Only.  No video.  Our apologies to our TV lovers.

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Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews Dayton F Josh Cunningham

Posted on October 15, 2017 by Jon Teitel

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

Dayton has a fascinating roster this year: they have Jon Gruden’s nephew Joey, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s brother Kostas, and a new head coach in Anthony Grant.  Another new wrinkle is a healthy Josh Cunningham in the lineup: the reason this is “new” is because he only played 11 games last year due to a left ankle injury and none the year before as he had to sit out after transferring from Bradley.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Josh about replacing each of his top-3 scorers and how his health is doing.

You started your college career at Bradley, where you were 2nd in the MVC with 7.5 RPG as a freshman: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I knew that was 1 of the best things I had going for me so I just continued to work on that.

Why did you decide to transfer, and what made you choose the Flyers? My head coach and his staff got fired so it no longer felt like the right fit for me. I talked to my family and Dayton seemed like the only school that was serious about me coming in.

You have a new coach this year in Coach Anthony Grant: how has the transition been going over the past several months? It is going great. I did not know what to expect at 1st but as I learn more about him I think it will be a great thing.

You were selected as a co-captain prior to last year despite never having played a single game for the Flyers: what is the key to being a good leader? You need to be able to be a good teammate, get out there every day, and be a good person.

You missed more than 3 months last season due to a torn left ankle ligament: how bad was the injury, and how healthy are you at the moment? I could not even walk on it after it happened but now I feel 100%.

In the 2017 NCAA tourney you scored 2 PTS in a 6-PT loss to Wichita State: what did you learn from that game that will help you this year? We have to come out and play hard from the start. We need to play good defense and have fun out there.

Last year you lead the team with 79.2 FT%: what is your secret for making FTs? Just practicing every single day and stepping up to the line believing that you will make every single 1.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Auburn/Mississippi State/St. Mary’s: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? We have to go out and play every game the same.

You lost each of your top-3 scorers from last season (Charles Cooke//Kendall Pollard/Scoochie Smith): how will you try to replace all of that offense? We will play within Coach Grant’s system and knock down our shots when we are open.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? We want to win the A-10 title, go to the NCAA tourney, and advance as far as possible. I want to enjoy the game and give it my all.

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Conference Preview: SEC

Posted on October 15, 2017 by Chad

Click HERE for all of Jon Teitel’s season preview interviews and Chad Sherwood’s conference previews

SEC

It has been ten years since the SEC placed more than five teams in the NCAA Tournament, and four times during that stretch the conference only had three teams receive bids.  The conference has made a commitment over the past few years to upgrading its basketball, and the results are starting to show.  Last season, five teams made to field with three of them advancing to the Elite Eight and South Carolina making an amazing Cinderella run to the Final Four.  This year, the SEC looks even stronger and six or more bids is very realistic.

Leading the way, once again, will likely be Kentucky, though the Wildcats’ roster is so lacking in veteran leadership (moreso than normal) that it will be fascinating to see how John Calipari gets his kids to play together and learn how to win as a team.  Should they falter, Texas A&M, Florida and Georgia all have rosters good enough to compete for the league crown.  Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Missouri, and Mississippi State all have legitimate NCAA aspirations, but it would not be a complete shock to see any team (other than maybe LSU) in the bubble picture this March.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Kentucky – The top seven players from last season are gone.  The top returning scorer averaged less than 5 points per game.  There are almost 350 programs in the nation that would have data like that mean a long rebuilding year with next to no postseason aspirations.  Luckily for Wildcats fans, their team is one of a very, very small group (read: Kentucky, Duke and no one else) that can actually contend for the Final Four in that type of case.  Freshmen Kevin Knox, P.J. Washington, Nick Richards and Jarred Vanderbilt (assuming a healthy return from foot surgery in a couple months) will join sophomore returnees Sacha Killeya-Jones and Wayne Gabriel in the frontcourt, while Quade Green, Hamidou Diallo, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jermari Baker could form one of the nation’s most dangerous backcourts.  In other words, the talent in UK’s cup is practically boiling over, and if John Calipari can get them to play together as a team despite only the tiniest amount of experience, this squad could once again be looking at 30+ wins and a deep NCAA Tournament run.
  2. Texas A&M – This has a chance to be a very special season for the Aggies, as it is hard to find any significant holes in the team.  In the backcourt, Admon Gilder  is joined by several talented freshmen, including Jay Jay Chandler, T.J. Starks and J.J. Caldwell, along with Marquette transfer Duane Wilson.  The frontcourt is even stronger, led by D.J. Hogg, Tyler Davis and Robert Williams.  If Kentucky’s youth proves to be an issue, the Aggies could easily find themselves atop the SEC at the end of the day.
  3. Florida – The Gators made a run to the Elite Eight last season, and did so without center John Egbunu, who tore his ACL in February.  Egbunu should be close to 100% by the time conference play starts, as will freshman forward Isaiah Stokes (another ACL tear victim).  Once the frontcourt is healthy, this team will be very dangerous, especially with KeVaughn Allen and Chris Chiozza in the backcourt joined by Rice transfer Egor Koulechov who averaged 18.2 point and 8.9 rebounds per game for the Owls last season.  Also, keep an eye on Virginia Tech transfer Jalen Hudson on the wing, as he could be yet another big scorer for Mike White’s team.
  4. Georgia – 19-15 overall and 9-9 in SEC play was a major disappointment for the Georgia Bulldogs last season.  With everyone of note other than J.J. Frazier back, and the addition of freshman standout Rayshaun Hammonds to the frontcourt, there are no excuses left for this team if they fail to make the Big Dance again.  Hammonds will be joining Yante Maten up front, who flirted with the NBA before deciding to bring his 18+ points and almost 7 boards per game back to Athens.  The key may be whether or not Juwan Parker can stay healthy and up his production — if he does, this team may even be able to contend for the league crown.
  5. Alabama – Head coach Avery Johnson is in his third season in Tuscaloosa, and this should be the year he breaks through and gets the Tide into the Big Dance.  He has a young, talented roster led by sophomores Braxton Key and Ohio State transfer Daniel Giddens in the frontcourt, plus freshmen Collin Sexton and John Petty joining sophomore Dazon Ingram and senior Riley Norris in the backcourt.  This team has the depth and talent to put Alabama in the NCAAs for the first time since 2006.  (UPDATE 11/7/2017: Sexton is being held out of games for possible recruiting violations and Key is about to undergo surgery — those two losses will hurt bad).
  6. Arkansas – Despite losing a pair of double-digit scorers from last year’s team, the Razorbacks should be right back in the hunt for a Dance Ticket as they feature a great combination of four seniors, led by guards Jaylen Barford and Daryl Macon, plus a strong group of freshmen newcomers, led by forwards Darious Hall and Daniel Gafford.  There should be enough depth here to continue to run the high-octane “Fastest 40” attack that makes this team so dangerous to play and so much fun to watch.
  7. Auburn – The Tigers got a ton of experience for freshmen Mustapha Heron, Jared Harper, Daniel Purifoy and Austin Wiley last year.  This season, they are all sophomores, and a few more pieces are being added including Desean Murray, a transfer from Presbyterian who led the Big South in scoring two years ago.  There appear to be the pieces here to put Bruce Pearl’s team in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2003; however, assistant coach Chuck Person was indicted as part of the recent FBI investigation, and the team will need to find a way to keep the off-court issues from affecting the on-court play. (UPDATE 11/2/2017: Due to the FBI investigation, Daniel Purifoy and Austin Wiley are being held out of competition indefinitely)
  8. Missouri – Mizzou went 8-24 last season, Kim Anderson’s last as head coach.  Cuonzo Martin is on the bench now, and the roster looks a lot different.  Leading the way is arguably the best freshman in the nation, Michael Porter, Jr.  Freshmen Jeremiah Tilmon, Blake Harris and Jontay Porter (Michael’s brother) could all be factors as well, along with Canisius graduate transfer Kassius Robertson.  The problem is going to be getting all these new players to blend with the new head coach and a handful of returnees.  Things will be a lot more exciting in Columbia than they have been for a few years, but it may be premature to declare this an NCAA Tournament caliber team.
  9. Mississippi State – The Bulldogs will be strong in the backcourt, led by star Quinndary Weatherspoon (who averaged over 16 points per game last year despite playing most of the season with a wrist injury), his freshman point guard brother Nick, and sophomore Lamar Peters.  The problems are down low, where they struggled defensively last season and need to get tougher if they want to have a shot at a dance ticket.
  10. South Carolina – The majority of the scoring and rebounding from last season’s Final our team are gone, including all-everything Sindarius Thornwell.  Having Chris Silva back will help some, as should the addition of Delaware transfer Kory Holden.  However, this is nowhere near last season’s magical roster, and just making the NCAA Tournament would be a major accomplishment.
  11. Vanderbilt – The Commodores suffered heartbreak in the NCAA Tournament last season when Matthew Fisher-Davis mistakenly thought his team was trailing and committed a foul, giving Northwestern a pair of what proved to be game-winning free throws.  Fisher-Davis will be looked upon to redeem himself and try to lead his team to another postseason berth, but that may prove difficult without any real replacement for star center Luke Kornet.
  12. Ole Miss – The Rebels will get a ton of offense out of their backcourt again this season, led by Deandre Burnett, Terence Davis and Memphis transfer Markel Crawford.  The frontcourt may be a problem, however, with no true heir-apparent to the departed Sebastian Saiz available.
  13. Tennessee – Rick Barnes’ team is undersized for the SEC, but that does not mean they will not be competitive.  A repeat of last year’s 8 conference wins may not happen, but it will only be because the rest of the league got better.  Two players to keep an eye on this year will be sophomore Grant Williams and Howard transfer James Daniel III.  Daniel will be particularly interesting to watch as he led the nation in scoring two years ago (27.1 points per game), but is coming off of ankle surgery.
  14. LSU – The Tigers may be picked in last place this year, but it could be a long time before they end up picked this low again as Will Wade has proven he has the ability to recruit, build a program and win games.  He will have a few solid pieces this year, including North Texas graduate transfer Jeremy Combs, who averaged a double-double two years ago before suffering through injuries last season.
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