Conference Preview: ACC

Posted on October 10, 2017 by Chad

Click HERE for all Season Preview articles from Jon Teitel and a schedule for Chad’s conference previews

ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE

This is the place where we expected to be writing about North Carolina starting their national title defense and Duke coming in with another roster full of some of the best looking one-and-done players in the nation.  That all changed in the final week of September when the FBI dropped a bombshell on college basketball.  The explosion from the investigation led directly to a complete house-cleaning in Louisville that took out Athletic Director Tom Jurich, head coach Rick Pitino, and highly touted recruit Brian Bowen.  As of the moment, it is unclear if the Cardinals will even be post-season eligible, but that may not even matter.  The investigation touched a handful of other programs across the nation, including Miami, but for now at least we will assume that the Hurricanes will be playing with a full roster and eligible for the Big Dance.

Turning matters to the on-court stuff, the Tar Heels lost a ton in the offseason, but should still be strong enough to contend for the league crown.  Virginia Tech, Miami, Notre Dame and Virginia should all be in contention as well, but to win the title teams will have to get past Coach K’s Duke Blue Devils, and his team is so loaded that just does not seem possible.  The conference will be deep again, with a chance for 8 or more bids.  Georgia Tech, Florida State and North Carolina State could all push for postseason invites, though the latter two would certainly be surprises to anyone but us.  As usual, the worst team in the conference looks like it will be a pushover; however, this year that team plays in Pennsylvania – not Massachusetts.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Duke – Despite losing four double-digit scorers, the Blue Devils have a great chance to make it to San Antonio with Grayson Allen leading the way and heralded freshmen Trevon Duval, Gary Trent, Jr., Wendell Carter, Jr. and Marvin Bagley III.  Don’t forget Marques Bolden, who could be primed for a breakout season.
  2. Miami – Assuming the ongoing FBI investigation stays away from the court, the Hurricanes could have one of the nation’s best backcourts, especially if Ja’Quan Newton can improve his ball-handling skills.  Bruce Brown and Lonnie Walker have a chance to score a ton of points –  more than enough to make up for a frontcourt that will be better defensively than on offense.
  3. North Carolina – The defending national champions must make up for a ton of offseason losses but should still be strong in the backcourt with Joel Berry II and Pitt transfer Cameron Johnson.  The problems may be down low where Theo Pinson will need to step up and get help from a bunch of newcomers.
  4. Virginia Tech – Buzz Williams continues to build the Hokies into a legitimate ACC contender.  The addition of highly-touted freshman Nickeil Alexander-Walker and the return of Kerry Blackshear Jr. from injury, together with the likes of Chris Clarke, Ahmed Hill, Justin Robinson and Justin Bibbs should lead them back to the Big Dance again this year.
  5. Notre Dame – The combination of point guard Matt Farrell and power forward Bonzie Colson may be one of the best two player combos in the nation and the two of them alone may be enough to have the Irish near the top of the ACC standings.  They will need to find some more scoring help though, especially with Steve Vasturia and V.J. Beachem gone.
  6. Virginia – The Cavaliers always play great defense and this year should not be any different.  The question, as always, will be scoring.  Senior Devon Hall, an improved Kyle Guy and the additions of redshirt freshman De’Andre Hunter and Rutgers transfer Nigel Johnson could all be key factors here.
  7. Georgia Tech – Despite not making the NCAA Tournament, the Yellow Jackets were one of the nation’s biggest surprises in Josh Pastner’s first year, making a run all the way to the NIT title game when they were predicted by many to finish at the bottom of the league.  Expect even better results with year with Tadric Jackson, Josh Okogie and Ben Lammers all back and ready to go.
  8. Florida State – Most teams that lose three double-digit scorers (Dwayne Bacon, Xavier Rathan-Mayes and Jonathan Isaac) will be in rebuilding mode, but that may not be the case in Tallahassee.  Terance Mann returns at guard and is joined by five-star wingman recruit M.J. Walker.  The ‘Noles have a ton of size down low too with a pair of seven-footers leading the way.  Another 12 win ACC season is a longshot, but don’t be shocked to see FSU back in the Big Dance.
  9. North Carolina State – The Wolfpack have a chance to be the conference’s surprise team, especially with Omer Yurtseven and Lennard Freeman healthy down low.  Although Kevin Keatts is supposed to have a rebuilding project ahead of him, there are enough pieces here to be competitive this season.
  10. Louisville – After everything that happened in late September, with the FBI investigation eventually leading to Rick Pitino being placed on what will eventually be a permanent leave of absence, Brian Bowen being declared ineligible, probably never to play a minute of college hoops, and David Padgett finally taking over head coaching duties, it is close to impossible to figure out what will happen on the court this year.  The Cardinals do have some very good pieces, led by the likes of Quentin Snider and Deng Adel, but even if the team technically remains postseason eligible, it is tough to see them getting away from the offcourt issues to actually make it there.
  11. Syracuse – Tyus Battle and USF transfer Geno Thorpe will do the majority of the outside scoring, but there are lots of question marks defensively and down low.  This looks like another season riding the bubble.
  12. Wake Forest – The Demon Deacons have a pair of guards in Bryant Crawford and Keyshawn Woods good enough to keep them in most games.  However, there are way too many questions (and very few answers) down low to put this team back in the NCAA Tournament picture.  The good news is the team is very young, and the outlook may be a lot different this time next season.
  13. Clemson – The Tigers were a disappointing 6-12 in ACC play last year and that was with Jaron Blossomgame leading the way.  Without him, it is tough to see them even being able to match that mark.  Unfortunately for head coach Brad Brownell, another season that doesn’t come close to a dance ticket could be his last one here.
  14. Boston College – Ky Bowman and Jerome Robinson will help make the Eagles a fun team to watch again this year, which is more than can be said of Boston College for quite some time.  Illinois State transfer Deontae Hawkins could be a big piece inside, but there is still not enough depth or talent in Chestnut Hill to finish anywhere but near the bottom of the league standings.
  15. Pittsburgh – The Panthers won only 4 ACC games last year.  Their top five scorers from last season are gone.  They have no true point guard on the roster.  And they have Kevin Stallings as their head coach.  In other words, it is going to be bad.  Very bad.
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Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay

Posted on October 9, 2017 by Jon Teitel

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

How do you know if you are a good fit for a school?  Liberty University likes Ritchie McKay so much that they hired him to be their head coach TWICE!  The 1st time was in 2007 after he led New Mexico to the 2005 Mountain West tourney championship and a spot in the NCAA tourney.  Then after spending 6 years working for Tony Bennett at Virginia he was re-hired by Liberty University in 2015 and won 21 games in his 2nd year back on the sideline in Lynchburg.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach McKay about how the program has changed and how you build a top-20 defense.

You played basketball at Seattle Pacific: how good a player were you back in the day, and how did you get into coaching? It depends on who you talk to! The old fish tales get bigger and bigger but I had a great experience in college with an unbelievable mentor in Coach Claude Terry. I love him to this day and we still stay in touch. He shaped my passion for the game as well as my faith: he was absolutely awesome. I thought that I would play until I was 50 but he was the 1 who told me that he thought I would make a good coach. I applied for a grad assistant job with Coach Andy Russo at Washington, and later ended up working for Coach Dale Layer at Queens College as we helped build a program from scratch.

In the 2005 MWC tourney title game as coach at New Mexico you had a 4-PT win over Utah: what did it mean to you to win the title? At the time it was my dream job because my father had played there. Danny Granger was the catalyst of that team and we were able to beat a good Utah team featuring Andrew Bogut. Albuquerque is a fabulous place with a rabid fan base.

You were previously hired as head coach of Liberty in 2007: how has the program changed over the past decade? Jerry Falwell Sr. hired me before his passing that May.  It was an incredible place because of the people here in Lynchburg. Our campus was genuine/friendly and I loved it every single day. I only left because my good friend Tony Bennett hired me to be his assistant at Virginia: I actually tried to hire him when I was at Colorado State. Coming back here has allowed me to see how the place has transformed. I think the university has committed $1 billion to new construction, which has blessed our whole student body. Not only is it 1 of the best campuses educationally but also spiritually. My daughter is graduating from here next semester and my son is a freshman.

As an assistant to your long-time friend Tony at Virginia you had back-to-back 30-win seasons in 2014/2015: what makes him such a great friend, and what makes him such a great coach? He is a great coach because he sees the game in a way that not a lot of other people do. As a former player he has amazing instincts: after a play I often was impressed because I had not seen how it would work out myself. He is 1 of the best defensive coaches in the country but also has a bright offensive mind as well. That being said, he is an even better person and I love him dearly. He is laced with humility and genuinely cares for the people in his program. I learned a ton from him during my 6 years there even though he is younger than me.

In 2016 in your 1st season (the 2nd time around) as head coach at Liberty you were named conference COY: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? I was flattered to receive that honor but I know that the assistant coaches have a major hand in that accomplishment. We lost our 1st 13 D-1 games so it showed that through our perseverance/strength in unity we were able to take a small step which showed that our guys we were headed in the right direction. The credit goes to our assistants/players.

In the 2017 CIT quarterfinals you had a loss to UMBC: what do you think your team learned from that game that can help them this year? We hosted the 1st 2 rounds so winning a couple of games restored our sense of confidence. UMBC just got away from us because they were better that night, but it gave us an appreciation for how difficult it is to win outside your venue, which you have to do in the postseason more likely than not.

Your 63.4 PPG allowed last season was top-20 in the nation: what is the key to playing great defense? We have stolen the Pack-Line defense from Coach Dick Bennett and did not change a thing but we give him the copyright! I try to visit Charlottesville every month to get some more insight. We think we have some more athleticism this year and will try to gain our identity through our defense.

Your non-conference schedule includes a game against Wake Forest: how did you do against the Demon Deacons when you were in the ACC, and how do you prepare your current squad to face an ACC team? Danny Manning is a terrific coach and I got to see it firsthand when I was at Virginia. They do not beat themselves and are sound defensively. Anytime you play “up” your guys will be excited about the game, and it should prepare us really well for our conference season. Anytime you get to play tough/physical games it can only help you. We also look forward to the Paradise Jam with teams like Colorado/Mercer/Drexel.

You return each of your top-4 scorers from last season (Ryan Kemrite/Caleb Homesley/Lovell Cabbil/Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz): how crucial will all of that experience be to your team’s success this year? Caleb is coming back from ACL surgery so if we can get him healthy by conference play that will be great for us. Ryan is working on his Masters’ degree and could have transferred anywhere he wanted so it is a blessing that he stayed here. Georgie is from Puerto Rico but prepped in Richmond and was the surprise of our team last year. Lovell has taken great strides since being my 1st recruit: he has gone from 145 pounds to 170 and is gaining weight like his head coach!

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? I never pick goals based on numbers.  I am just pleased that we have bonded as a family so if we can continue to play together then those relationships will last for a long time. I am excited for the season and look forward to the challenges.

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Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews South Dakota State assistant coach Eric Henderson

Posted on October 8, 2017 by Jon Teitel

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

It was a case of new coach/same success for South Dakota State last year.  After making the 2016 NCAA tourney with Coach Scott Nagy, they made it again last March with Coach TJ Otzelberger.  The players deserve a lot of the credit but do not forget about the importance of the coaching staff.  Assistant coach Eric Henderson is on quite a nice run of his own: at North Dakota State he made the NCAA tourney in 2015 and the Summit League tourney title game in 2016, then made it back to the NCAA tourney last March with the Jackrabbits.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Henderson about making the NCAA tourney and his recruiting philosophy.  

You previously spent a couple of years coaching girls’ basketball: what is the biggest difference between coaching boys vs. coaching girls? The biggest difference is that the girls are more eager to learn since their skill level is not quite as high, whereas the boys think they are farther along in the process and have more of the answers.

You were a graduate manager for Coach Greg McDermott at Iowa State: did you ever get to watch his son Doug play at Ames High School, and could you have ever imagined that he would turn into 1 of the best scorers in D-1 history at Creighton? I played for Coach McDermott at Wayne State so I have known Doug since he was 2 years old. Even at an early age I recall him being our ballboy: he loved to be in the gym around the guys and always had a ball in his hand. He was never afraid of any moment. I got to watch him in high school when he was just the 6th man and it was fun to watch him progress after he got to Creighton. I am really fortunate to know their family and their work ethic.

You spent 2 years as an assistant at North Dakota State before switching to South Dakota State in 2016: why did you make the move, and how big is the rivalry between your old school and your new school? It was a tough decision because I have a lot of respect for the people at North Dakota State. I got to know TJ over the past few years and we have always talked about working together. He called me after he got the job and invited me to join him: the faith/trust he had in me trumped everything else while he developed this new program. As for the rivalry, it is pretty big.

You work for Coach TJ Otzelberger: what makes him such a good coach and what is the most important thing that you have ever learned from him? What makes him extremely special is “relationships”. I look at how he pours his heart/soul into our team, which was a big reason why we turned the corner last year after starting off the season 1-6 and starting conference play 1-5. It was hard to climb out of those dumps but our players trusted him. It also goes to recruiting, which is the lifeblood of college basketball. He takes a lot of time to get to know the kids and build that relationship.

In the 2015 NCAA tourney at North Dakota State you lost to Gonzaga and in the 2017 NCAA tourney at South Dakota State you lost to the Bulldogs again: how sick are you of facing Mark Few every other March? It would be fun to play somebody else! Mark does a tremendous job.  Last March it seemed like he had a totally different team on the defensive end and they were also better athletically.  We look at them as a blueprint of what we hope to become.

Last year your team’s 77.1 FT% was top-15 in the nation: what is the key to making FTs? Getting the right guy there. Mike Daum is a 40 3P%/50 FG%/90 FT% guy and a lot of our offense went through him, so having him lead the nation in FTA helped a lot. He is a hard guy to officiate because he is so versatile and puts so much pressue on the defense. We spend a lot of time after workouts at the line while the players are still tired: that was certainly 1 of our strengths last year.

Daum was conference ROY in 2016 and conference POY in 2017: what makes him such a great player and are there any awards left for him to win? That is to be determined. He is such a unique player that he is a mismatch nightmare for everyone in our league. He is so physical on the block and has great touch around the rim. The nice thing is that he does not get caught up in the awards: as good as he is on gameday, I give him so much credit for what he does in practice. He does not take possessions off, which trickles down to the rest of our guys as he becomes more mature/vocal.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Kansas/Iowa/Mississippi/Wichita State/Colorado: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? Our entire schedule is set on purpose: to take the next step we want to be challenged in every single game. Kansas/Wichita State are both top-10 teams but the tourney in the Cayman Islands will be tough as well so we just have to put our best foot forward and let the chips fall where they may. We are not focused on the NCAA tourney: we just want to get better every day.

You only have 3 players on the roster from South Dakota: what sort of recruiting philosophy do you have? We recruit guys who can help us win the Summit League title. We mostly recruit in the Midwest and the in-state guys have a huge passion for the university. We want it to be a destination place but we have a kid from Washington and try to take advantage of the relationships that we have created along the journey. We like high-character kids who are proud to be Jackrabbits.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? I do not think the expectations change: they are always high. We do not sit around and talk about winning titles and making the NCAA tourney: we just talk about enjoying the moment and staying together as a team. We are very process-driven: we want to show up in practice and be great players every day. Hopefully the end result is where our expectations are.

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Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews South Dakota State G/F Reed Tellinghuisen

Posted on October 7, 2017 by Jon Teitel

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

It was a case of new coach/same success for South Dakota State last year.  After making the 2016 NCAA tourney with Coach Scott Nagy, they made it again last March with Coach TJ Otzelberger.  1 of the steadying influences for the Jackrabbits was Reed Tellinghuisen: he does a little of everything including scoring, rebounding, making threes, and even leading the team in BLK as a 6’6″ SG.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Reed about making the NCAA tourney and making FTs.  

You grew up in Iowa: what made you choose South Dakota State? I grew up about 3-3 ½ hours from Brookings so it was not too far away, and my older brother went to pharmacy school here. The community is what stood out to me: everybody here cares about the school/basketball team. They did a great job of getting to know me and my family.

You got a new head coach last year in TJ Otzelberger: what makes him such a good coach and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him? What is special about him is that he is so easy to get along with and makes the family atmosphere even greater. He knew things about my personal life, which set a great tone of showing how much he cares about all of us. He is a great motivator/person.

You played in all 35 games as a freshman: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I came in very undersized for a 4 at 170 pounds, but the strength and conditioning staff helped me get up to 185. I was able to shoot the ball and had the mindset to not get pushed around so I think my toughness helped me get on the floor.

Last February you scored a career-high 28 PTS/8-13 3PM in a loss at South Dakota: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? It is always cool to play at USD because they have a ton of fans there: I like it when there are a lot of people cheering against me. It was kind of an unconscious feeling so I do not remember being on fire while it happened, but I went back and looked at the tape and it seemed like I played great.

In the 2017 NCAA tourney you lost to eventual runner-up Gonzaga: what did you learn from that game that will help you this year? It gave a bunch of our returning guys some valuable experience, which we also got from losing to Maryland the previous year. It is a big stage and you have to stay in the moment: there is nothing else like it in college basketball. We have 7 players back this year who played big minutes last year, which will be very important for us.

Last year your team’s 77.1 FT% was top-15 in the nation and you improved from 61.2% as a sophomore to 80.8% as a junior: what is the key to making FTs? Just getting in the gym and improving your confidence. My 1st 2 years at the FT line were not good at all and it kind of got in my head, but the more you get to the line the more comfortable you get. It really helps us win games.

PF Mike Daum was conference ROY in 2016 and conference POY in 2017: what makes him such a great player and are there any awards left for him to win?! His versatility: he is 1 of the best shooters in the nation.  He can take big guys outside but also has a 7’4” wingspan so he can finish inside as well. He is the favorite to be POY again this year and I hope that he is named All-American: it would be great for recruiting.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Kansas/Iowa/Mississippi/Wichita State/Colorado: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? Kansas will be a fun game: it will be cool to go to Allen Fieldhouse. We are just taking it game by game and start off with UC-Irvine: we are pumped up for that game since they beat us last year so our focus right now is the next practice.

You are 1 of 4 seniors on the roster: how much pressure is there on you to be a leader this season? We had 2 seniors last year who were both grad transfers. We lacked some strong leadership but are ready to lead this year and show the younger guys what Jackrabbits basketball is all about.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? We want to get back to the NCAA tourney and then win some games, which is the goal every year. We have made it 4 of the last 6 years so that has become the expectation. Coach tells us to worry about the task at hand so we just want to get better every day.

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Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews Samford C Wyatt Walker

Posted on October 6, 2017 by Jon Teitel

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

There are few true centers outside the power conferences these days but the SoCon has a legitimate 1 in Wyatt Walker. The Samford big man led the conference in rebounding last year and helped his team beat Canisius in the CIT before losing to Liberty. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Wyatt about his former teammate Grayson Allen and the importance of having 5 returning starters in Birmingham this year.

1 of your teammates at Providence High School was Grayson Allen: how good a player was he back in the day? He was phenomenal: his competitive fire was unlike anyone who I have ever played with. He went after it every day as if his life depended on it.

You grew up in Florida: what made you choose Samford? The coaching staff. I was not highly recruited out of high school so I was not worried about the size of the college.  I just wanted a good fit where I could play as soon as possible and win some games.

You play for Coach Scott Padgett: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him? He is a players’ coach.  He played the 4-spot in the NBA and made some good money doing it so he can teach me things that not a lot of people have done. He taught me how to see the game from every single angle. I was primarily a physical post player but he showed me how to see all the different aspects of the game.

In February of 2016 you scored a career-high 30 PTS/9-12 FG/12-14 FT in a loss at ETSU: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? I felt that I got more touches that game than I normally do. It was frustrating to lose but it just showed that I am good enough to do good things.  I hope to have more games like that in the future.

In 2016 you were named to the SoCon All-Freshman team: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I just tried to do all of the little things. I lived in the weight room that year and gained about 20 pounds of muscle. I learned the plays really quickly and was blessed to have the opportunity to come right in and play.

Last year your 9.7 RPG was #1 in the conference: what is your secret for being a great rebounder? There is no secret. I do not jump that high so it is about my will. The 1 thing you should be selfish about is rebounds: I do whatever I can to get the ball.

In the 2017 CIT you had 12 PTS/11 REB in an 8-PT loss to Liberty: what did you learn from that game that will help you this year? The biggest takeaway was to not underestimate you opponent. Liberty was a tremendous team but we were kind of looking ahead to see if we would have a rematch with our conference rival Furman. We just need to focus on every single game.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Arkansas/LSU/Clemson: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? I would say Arkansas. I love that Coach Padgett is very aggressive when it comes to scheduling.  Those 3 are the caliber of teams we would see if we end up as a 13 or 14 seed in the NCAA tourney.

You only had 1 senior on the roster last year but you have 7 seniors this year: how crucial will all of that experience be to your team’s success this year? All 5 starters return for us and that experience will trickle down the line. There is nothing that will scare us: we can win close games and we can win big games so we just have to play together as a team.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? As a team we try to take it 1 game at a time but I hope to win the regular season title, the conference tourney, and become the 1st team in school history to win an NCAA tourney game. Anytime you can make history that is the ultimate goal. I really take pride in my rebounding and want to make the statement that I am the best post player in the league.

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Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews new Rice head coach Scott Pera

Posted on October 5, 2017 by Jon Teitel

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

When Scott Pera was hired by Rice last March to take over for Mike Rhoades (who was hired at VCU), he probably thought that his biggest challenge would be helping maintain the success of last year’s 23-win season.  By the middle of the summer his focus may have shifted to finding the talent to replace a host of departed transfers including Marcus Evans (VCU)/Egor Koulechov (Florida)/Marquez Letcher-Ellis (Nevada).  Then Hurricane Harvey hit Texas in August and flooded his new house, which added yet another obstacle for him to overcome as he begins his 1st year as a D-1 head coach.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Pera about coaching James Harden and handling a hurricane.

In 2006 as head coach at Artesia High School you went 33-1 and won a state title with the help of a future NBA All-Star who you later recruited to ASU: how good was James Harden back in the day, and how proud are you of all his success? He was very good but I could not have predicted that he would become 1 of the elite players in the NBA. He improved his body and had an incredible work ethic back then, and has kind of done the same thing in the pros. I am unbelievably proud to be in the same city as him and see him playing so well for the Rockets.

In the 2010 NIT as an assistant to Herb Sendek at ASU, Ben Smith scored 26 PTS including a 24-footer off the glass with 1.5 seconds left in a 1-PT win by Jacksonville: where does that rank among the most devastating losses of your career? We were extremely disappointed in not making the NCAA tourney, especially because it was Derek Glasser’s last game for us.

You spent 2 years as an assistant to Jerome Allen at Penn: why was the best Quaker player who I have ever seen in person unable to translate his success to being a coach? He did have success during his 1st year with Zack Rosen but then Fran Dougherty broke his wrist and we had some other injuries/problems. He is 1 of the great human beings that I have ever met in my entire life.

As an assistant to Mike Rhoades at Rice your team went from winning 12 games in 2016 to winning 23 games (the 2nd-most in school history) in 2017: how were you able to have such a huge improvement in only 1 year? We also won 12 in 2015 and had 2 guys suffer season-ending knee injuries before the 2016 season, which crippled our depth. We had everyone back last year and they all played terrific.

In the 2017 CBI quarterfinal you had a 6-PT loss to Utah Valley: what did your team learn from that game that can help them this year? Any postseason experience is helpful whether it is winning or losing. When you play 35 games and learn the importance of being fresh/ready every night, it is tremendous.

You were hired as head coach of the Owls in March after Coach Rhoades became head coach at VCU: why did you take the job, and how is it going so far? My 3 years here with Mike were a great opportunity: he is 1 of my closest friends. My family and I love this community so it was a no-brainer to take the job.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Mississippi or Utah as well as Texas Tech: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? Those are 2 of them.  We also have to play New Mexico/UNLV and Texas-Arlington will also be a very difficult place to play.

You lost 6 of your top-7 scorers from last season (Marcus Evans/Egor Koulechov/Marcus Jackson/Marquez Letcher-Ellis/Chad Lott/Corey Douglas): how will you try to replace all of that offense? It will obviously be a challenge but my staff and I have done a really good job trying to get some grad transfers/freshmen to help balance things out, and now there is an opportunity for everyone to step up.

You only have 4 players from Texas on your roster: what sort of recruiting philosophy do you have? We try to find the kids who are the best fit for our university. We recruit our state hard but also look around the nation for players from San Diego to Boston.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? We want to try and maintain some level of success after winning 23 games, but right now we are just getting to know each other, which will hopefully translate to some wins.

How bad was Hurricane Harvey and how is everyone coping with the aftermath? It was like nothing that I have ever experienced in my entire life. We moved into a new house that got flooded but other people have it much worse so we want to try and help get other people up and running. We have terrific young men on the team and I am proud of all the efforts to help people get their lives back to normal: we will continue to move forward.

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