Hoops HD

Big 12 Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 27, 2024 by David Griggs

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BIG 12 MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

Kansas
Houston
Iowa State
Baylor
Arizona
Cincinnati
Texas Tech
Kansas State
BYU
TCU
UCF
Arizona State
West Virginia
Oklahoma State
Colorado
Utah

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-BIG 12 1ST TEAM:

-Caleb Love – Arizona
-LJ Cryer – Houston
-J’wan Roberts – Houston
-Tamin Lipsey – Iowa State
-Hunter Dickinson – Kansas (Preseason Player of the Year)

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-BIG 12 2ND TEAM:

-Norchad Omier – Baylor
-Jeremy Roach – Baylor
-Keshon Gilbert – Iowa State
-Dajuan Harris Jr. – Kansas
-Coleman Hawkins – Kansas State

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

Simply put, the top of the Big 12 is stacked. It is half of the preseason top-10, and it looks like as many as five teams could end up as protected seeds.

-Kansas will begin the season ranked #1, and when you look at how stacked with talent they are it makes sense. They only made it as far as the Round of 32 a year ago, but three starters are back. Zeke Mayo, who is a very-high-caliber player, transfers in from South Dakota State and Hunter Dickinson returns as a 2-time All-American. If I were allowed to pick one team in the preseason to win it all…well…it would not be Kansas. Having said that, if I were allowed to pick up to four teams, Kansas would definitely be on the list of four. They are stacked, and they absolutely can go all the way this year. Now having said that…

-I like Houston more. They won 32 games a year ago, and while they will need to replace Jamal Shead at the PG position, pretty much everyone else is back. Milos Uzan will take over at the point, and he will have LJ Cryer around him for a very strong backcourt. But what really makes this team tough is their defense. They are also just so tough in general: they can go into tough road environments and win. I said that if I had four picks to win it all this year, Kansas would be one of my four picks. If I had just ONE pick to win it all this year…that pick would be the Houston Cougars. They’re not starting off ranked #1, and I understand why they are not, but they would be the team I would vote as #1.

-Iowa State is another preseason top 10 team. They are having to replace two solid starting forwards, but Tamin Lipsey is back at the point, and Curtis Jones, Milan Momcilovic, and Dishon Jackson are all double-digit scorers who make up a very strong frontcourt. Another thing that makes this team so dangerous is their depth. They have eight guys that can score. There is also the “Hilton Magic” to contend with!! It is as hard to win at Iowa State as it is pretty much anywhere in the country.

-Baylor has some reloading to do as just one starter returns, but when Jeremey Roach transfers in from Duke, VJ Edgecombe (who is a probable lottery pick) comes in as a freshman, and Norchad Omier (who was one of the top players in the portal) comes in from Miami FL, it is safe to say that the Bears have reloaded. They have high-caliber players, and Coach Scott Drew has shown that he can get talent to gel together.

-It is Arizona’s first year in the Big 12, and it is crazy to see them to only picked 5th in the league when we are so used to seeing them ranked in the top-10 of the nation. Here is the thing: while they are picked to finish 5th, they are STILL ranked in the top-10 in the nation! Like Baylor, they had to reload, but also like Baylor, they absolutely have reloaded. Jaden Bradley returns at the PG position, and Caleb Love will join him in the backcourt: that is one hell of a backcourt!! Trey Townsend (who was a star at Oakland and who the country fell in love with after their big NCAA tourney win over Kentucky) also transfers in, so this team is loaded with talent.

-I was actually a little surprised to see Cincinnati ranked in the preseason top-25. I thought the Bearcats would be good this year, and would have pegged them as a likely NCAA Tournament team, and I think Wes Miller is a great coach who has them going in the right direction. I just did not think they were so good that they would be a top-25 team. But…maybe I am wrong. Three starters are back from a year ago, and Dillon Mitchell also joins the squad as he transfers in from Texas. There is a lot to like here!! I just do not think they are quite a top-25 caliber team, and I certainly do not think they are on the same level as any of the top-five teams in the league.

-Texas Tech made the NCAA Tournament in Grant McCasland’s first year, which was a pretty nice improvement from the previous year. Like a lot of teams they are having to reload their roster. Two starters return, JT Toppin is transferring in from New Mexico as both a good scorer/rebounder, and they have some promising-looking freshmen coming in that should be able to improve over time. If they can make it back to the NCAA Tournament this year, I think it would be a hell of an accomplishment.

-Kansas State lost most of their starters from a team that only made it as far as the NIT. I like Jerome Tang as a coach, but it is hard to keep up with the rest of the league when it is as strong as it is. The Wildcats did hit the transfer portal and got Coleman Hawkins from Illinois and Dug McDaniel from Michigan. They are also adding a few guys who were standout players from Under the Radar schools, so I think K State has plenty of talent, and may be undervalued a little bit.

-Welcome to Year #2 in the Big 12 BYU! One thing I will say about the Cougars is that while I think conference realignment has damaged more than it has improved, it is a lot of fun watching some of these Big 12 blueblood schools play at BYU. It is one of the more rabid fanbases in the country. The Marriott Center is huge, it is always packed, and the student turnout is incredible. They fit right in with Iowa State, and Kansas, and K State, and the likes of this league. Kevin Young takes over as head coach after Mark Pope departed for Kentucky. Just two starters are back, but several other players who saw key minutes and were able to contribute off the bench return, so the cupboard is not entirely bare. Keba Keita transfers in from Utah (I was not even sure that was allowed given the rivalry those two have!), and Mawot Mag comes in from Rutgers, so BYU has some pieces. Can a first-year coach step into this position and start winning in a conference that is 1 of the best in the nation?

-TCU is also having to replace several key players after an NCAA Tournament appearance a year ago. Vasean Allette had a fantastic 19 games at Old Dominion last year before being dismissed due to “misconduct unbecoming of a Monarch” and transfers in to TCU this year. Frankie Collins also put up some good numbers at Arizona State, Trazarien White was a big-time scorer for UNC Wilmington, and Noah Reynolds was a standout player at Green Bay. So TCU has reloaded with some pretty good talent. I also like Jamie Dixon as a coach: this will not be an easy team to beat this year.

-UCF was a respectable 7-11 in their first season of Big 12 play a year ago. With Jordan Ivy-Curry transferring in from UTSA, they should at least have a solid backcourt. “‘Solid'” probably is not good enough to compete with the majority of teams in this conference, and certainly not good enough to compete with the five teams that are starting off ranked in the top-10. I do not see them finishing any higher than where they have been picked.

-Arizona State has failed to post a winning record in 3 of the last 4 years. Coach Bobby Hurley has certainly had some successful teams, but in recent years they have fallen off. They struggled in the Pac-12. They are likely to struggle much more in the Big 12 because the league is, quite frankly, much better overall. Two starters return, and Adam Miller was a fairly solid player for them a year ago. Basheer Jihad put up amazing numbers at Ball State and should be able to help them as well…but once again I think Arizona State will likely lose more than they will win.

-Darian DeVries, who is an outstanding head coach, takes over at West Virginia. Having said that, “outstanding” is not the word I would use to describe the team they will probably have this year. Basically no one is back. Darian’s son Tucker follows his dad over from Drake, and Javon Small comes in from Oklahoma State. Both are solid players, and just having those two will probably make the Mountaineers a little better than they were a year ago. Jayden Stone, who put up ridiculous numbers for an otherwise awful Detroit Mercy team, joins the roster as well. I know this may be foolish, but given how much I like Coach DeVries, and given how their talent actually appears to be a little better than it was last year, I think West Virginia finishes higher in the standings than this. I do not think they will make the NCAA’s, but I could see them finishing as high as 9th or 10th in the Big 12.

-Oklahoma State is also rebuilding with a new coach and a mostly new roster. Steve Lutz takes over after being at Western Kentucky…and he may end up wishing he had stayed where he was. They did go into the portal to pick up some guys who were standout players on some less-than-outstanding teams, but I just do not think they have the kind of guys who can play with most of the teams in this conference.

-I have been very supportive of Colorado over the years, and think Tad Boyle is largely underappreciated as a coach. Colorado has had some fantastic years. They have actually won 20+ games in five of the last six years, made the NCAA Round of 32 twice, and were ranked in the top-20 for part of last season…but for whatever reason no one ever seems to think of them as being good at basketball. When I tell people, “They won 26 games and made the Round of 32 last year,” the typical response is “They did?? I had forgotten that.” Having said all that, Colorado has nobody left from last year’s team, and much of their roster is made up of freshmen and guys who were standout players at non-D-1 schools. As much as I like this program, and as chronically overlooked as I think it normally is, even I cannot say that I expect them to do much better than next-to-last this year.

-I do not expect Utah to be good, but I am a little surprised they are being picked to finish last. Two starters are back from a team that won 22 total games and went to the NIT. That is not bad: hell, some would even say that is decent. I know they have to replace a lot, but I do not think they will finish dead last.

Posted in Conference Preview, News and Notes | Tagged arizona, baylor, big 12, cincinnati, Houston, Iowa State, kansas, Kelvin Sampson | Comments Off

America East Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 27, 2024 by David Griggs

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

AMERICA EAST MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

Vermont
UMass Lowell
Bryant
Maine
UMBC
Binghamton
UAlbany
NJIT
New Hampshire

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-AEAST TEAM:

-Marcus Banks Jr. – SR, G – UMBC
-Shamir Bogues – SR, G – Vermont
-Max Brooks – SR, F – UMass Lowell
-TJ Long – SR, G – Vermont
-Earl Timberlake – SR, G – Bryant

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Vermont blew through this league a year ago, losing just one conference game during the regular season and then winning the conference tournament to advance to the NCAAs. With four starters back from that team, which won 28 total games, they are the hands-down favorites to win it again, and one cannot help but ask if they’re good enough to do a little more than just win the conference. Shamir Bogues gives them a strong presence in the frontcourt, TJ Long is a solid guard who can hit from the outside, and overall this team is both experienced and balanced.

-UMass Lowell has won 20+ games the last two seasons and once again looks to have a solid lineup. It has been fun to watch this team build themselves up over the years, and they are now among the conference frontrunners. Pat Duquette has done a great job as head coach, and he has three starters back, including Max Brooks/Cam Morris who make up a solid frontcourt, and Quinton Mincey who actually averaged over 14ppg last year coming off the bench. I do not know if they are quite as good as Vermont, but I do think they can be a solid 2nd-place team in the conference and should be better enough than most of the rest of the league to keep pace with them in the standings.

-Phil Martelli Jr. had a good year in his first year as head coach of Bryant with 20 total wins at a 2nd-place finish. This year they are expected to be one of the better teams in the league again. Earl Timberlake returns, who is one of the better guards in the conference. The problem is they do not seem to have much else in the way of experience. I think they will do okay…but I do not see them being as good as the top-two teams.

-I never remember Maine being picked this high! They are actually expected to finish in the top-half of the league! And, if you look at them in recent years, their win total has improved in each of the last three seasons, so they have shown steady improvement. Just two starters return for the Black Bears, but they appear to have a solid backcourt in Kellen Tynes/Jaden Clayton, so they do have some pieces. Can Chris Markwood take this program another rung up the ladder in his third year as head coach?

-UMBC was pretty unremarkable last year, but they did show signs of improvement in the last few weeks of the regular season winning 4 of their final 6 regular season games before losing in overtime in the conference tournament. With three starters back including Marcus Banks (who is one of the better players in the conference), we could see some improvement out of the Retrievers this year.

-Binghamton showed some signs of improvement last year, and they do return a really strong player in Tymu Chenery, but I do not know if they have quite enough to finish in the top-half of the conference standings. If some of the incoming transfers can step up then we could see some more wins from them this year.

-UAlbany has just been down for the last four or five years, and while they did show signs of improvement last year, all signs this year point to them being down again. Amar’e Marshall is a standout player, but for a team that lost 9 of its final 11 games there just does not seem to be a whole lot of forward momentum going into this season.

-NJIT has won just 7 total games in three of the last four years, and finished pretty far outside the top-300 in most of the metrics the last three seasons. This was a program that showed a fair amount of promise not that long ago. but they have seemingly done nothing but lose since. Tariq Francis is a solid guard, but he will need some help from his teammates if they are going to have any success at all this year.

-New Hampshire only returns three scholarship players from a year ago and will have to rely on a lot of players who don’t have a whole lot of D-1 experience this year.

Posted in Conference Preview, News and Notes | Tagged AEast, america east, UMass Lowell, Vermont | Comments Off

CAA Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 25, 2024 by David Griggs

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

CAA MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

Towson
Charleston
UNC Wilmington
Hofstra
Delaware
Northeastern
William & Mary
Monmouth
Stony Brook
NC A&T
Drexel
Elon
Campbell
Hampton

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-CAA 1ST TEAM:

-Ante Brzovic – SR, F – Charleston (Preseason Player of the Year)
-Gabe Dorsey – SR, G/F – William & Mary
-Landon Glasper – JR, G – NC A&T
-Kyrese Mullen – JR, F – Hampton
-Tyler Tejada – SO, G/F – Towson

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-CAA 2ND TEAM:

-CJ Fulton – SR, G – Charleston
-Christian May – JR, G/F – Towson
-TK Simpkins – JR, G – Elon
-Masai Troutman – JR, G – Northeastern
-Jaret Valencia – SO, F – Monmouth

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Towson won 20 games a year ago and with four starters coming back they are the preseason favorites to win the league this year. The job that Pat Skerry has done as head coach has been phenomenal when you consider just how bad this team was when he first arrived. They went from winning just one game his first year to 20 or more these past three years. It would be great to see them reach the top of the mountain this year. Tyler Tejada had a solid year as a freshman, and considering how players tend to improve the most between their first and second years he could be a huge asset to the Tigers this year. Christian May gives them experience at the PG position, and they have guys that can rebound, shoot, and defend. This is a solid Towson team that is going to be a lot of fun to watch this year.

-Charleston has had two incredible seasons in a row, but with Pat Kelsey departing to take the head coaching job at Louisville, and with just one starter returning from a year ago, this team is in what you would call a transitional phase. Having said that, Chris Mack is taking over as head coach, and he has been very successful at Xavier (and I would argue he did a much better job at Louisville than what he got credit for). I think he can keep this program winning at a high rate. They do have the Preseason Player of the Year in Ante Brzovic, and they went into the portal to get some standout D-1 players who were all big-time scorers, so it would not shock me to see the Cougars atop the standings again in March despite all the changes they have gone through.

-UNC Wilmington is also coming off three straight 20+ win seasons, but like a lot of teams they are having to overhaul their roster. Takayo Siddle has had a good run as head coach, but he is faced with some challenges this year. The cupboard is not completely bare as they have some guys transferring in that appeared to be key role players, and that can sometimes be some really strong building blocks, but right now I have far more questions than answers when it comes to this team.

-Coach Speedy Claxton has won 20+ games in each of his three years at Hofstra, but this year he is once again tasked with replacing several key players. Just one starter returns…and when you go down their roster it looks as though literally every player will be expected to play a bigger role than they have ever previously played as a college players. We are used to seeing this team win a lot, but it could be a struggle this year.

-Delaware is another team that is having to replace the bulk of their starting lineup. Niels Lane/Tahron Allen help make up what should be an experienced backcourt, but the rest of the roster is inexperienced and will have to step up into bigger roles this year if the Blue Hens are going to be successful.

-Bill Coen has had some great years at Northeastern. Unfortunately none of those have come recently. They have had four straight losing seasons, and while three starters are back and that experience should result in a few more wins this year, they do not seem to be a team that will finish near the top of the standings this year.

-William & Mary has not won more than 10 total games in any of the last four years, nor have they finished in the top-300 of most metrics. With three starters back, we may see some improvement this year, but I don’t think we will see them near the top. They do have a new head coach in Brian Earl, so the style of play of valuing outside shooters in the past might change as the program moves forward.

-Monmouth showed a ton of improvement last season winning 18 total games after winning just 7 the season before. Two starters are back, including Jaret Valencia, who received all-conference preseason honors. They do have to replace an awful lot, though, and it looks as though a lot of guys with limited experience will have to step up.

-Stony Brook had a very strong overall season and was on fire down the stretch. They won six out of seven before losing in the conference championship game in overtime to Charleston. The problem is that most of that team is now gone and head coach Geno Ford is starting over. Joe Octave was a solid player at Holy Cross and he is a nice get from the transfer portal, but the rest of the roster has limited experience.

-NC A&T returns all five starters!! That is almost unheard of in this day and age. The problem is the team only won 7 total games a year ago. While the experience should result in a few more wins this year, I do not see the Aggies finishing in the top half of the league.

-Drexel is a program that appeared to be building itself up in recent years. They won 20 games a year ago, but three of their starters graduated and the other two transferred out, so Coach Zach Spiker has to completely start over. It is hard to say what they will be like this year.

-Elon has three starters back, and that experience should help them some. TK Simpkins is a solid player, but he will need some help if the Phoenix are going to finish any higher in the standings this year, and they seem to be a little low on experience.

-Campbell was a modest 8-10 in conference play last year, which is not great by any means, and with three starters back I think the Camels can do a little better than next to last in the league this year.

-Hampton is just struggling. They have not managed 10 wins in any of the last three seasons, and with very little experience returning it looks like it is potentially another long year for the Pirates.

Posted in Conference Preview, News and Notes | Tagged CAA, Charleston, Coastal Athletic Association, Cofc, College of Charleston, towson | Comments Off

South Florida Head Coach, and All Around Awesome Human Being, Amir Abdur-Rahim Passes Away at Age 43

Posted on October 24, 2024 by David Griggs

I don’t know what to say. For starters, he was just awesome at both coaching and at life. As a coach he took over a Kennesaw State team that was such a tire fire that they probably would have struggled to win at the D3 level, and made an NCAA Tournament and brought excitement to a place that had no basketball history at all. Then in his one year at South Florida, they cracked the rankings for part of the season and you just knew that they would continue to be successful and become more and more of a national brand. He was absolutely a rising star that had already risen pretty high. But beyond that is that, as a person, he was absolutely one of the good guys. Not everyone in this sport is. I don’t know what to say other than that. I wish I was a better wordsmith so I could express this in the way that it deserves to be expressed. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, players, and everyone that was close to him. This is just unbelievably sad.

STORY HERE

Posted in News and Notes | Comments Off

OVC Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 24, 2024 by David Griggs

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

OVC MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

Little Rock
Western Illinois
SIUE
Tennessee State
Morehead State
Eastern Illinois
SEMO
Southern Indiana
Lindenwood
UT Martin
Tennessee Tech

MEDIA DAY OVC PLAYERS TO WATCH:

-EASTERN ILLINOIS -SR, G Nakyel Shelton, SR, F Kooper Jacobi
-LINDENWOOD – SR, G Markeith Browning II, JR, G/F Jeremiah Talton
-LITTLE ROCK – SR, G KK Robinson, SR, G Jordan Jefferson
-MOREHEAD STATE – SR, F Dieonte Miles, SO, G Trent Scott
-SEMO – SR, G Teddy Washington Jr., Jr, G Rob Martin
-SIUE – SR, G Ray’Sean Taylor, SR, G Desmond Polk
-SOUTHERN INDIANA – SO, F Stephen Olowoniyi, JR, G Jayland Randall
-TENNESSEE STATE – SR, F Ahmir Langlais, JR, G Justus Jackson
-TENNESSEE TECH – JR, F Daniel Egbuniwe, SR, F Rodney Johnson Jr.
-UT MARTIN – SR, F Vladimer Salaridze, JR, G Josue’ Grullon
-WESTERN ILLINOIS – SR, G Ryan Myers, SR, G Sean Smith

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Little Rock finished in a tie for 1st place last year and won 13 of their final 14 before losing to Morehead State in the OVC Championship game. KK Robison/Makhel Mitchell return to the roster, both of whom were big time contributors and likely will be again this year. Isaiah Lewis transfers in after having a big year at Murray State last year and will be a big piece for the Trojans as well. Little Rock is the preseason favorites because, quite frankly, no one else has as many talented players as they do. They look to be the hands down favorite to me.

No one else is really all that close to Little Rock. They will likely sprint away from the rest of the conference.

-Western Illinois has just one starter back from last year’s 21-win team. Ryan Myers is a solid player and a very good outside shooter, but some of the new guys are going to have to step up in order for this team to have success. They do have some players who were standouts in the JUCO ranks, so the cupboard is not completely bare.

-I like Brian Barone as a coach. Having said that, while he has certainly had some success at SIUE, he has not had quite as much as I thought he would over the last two years. Just one starter is back so the Cougars are in a rebuilding mode. Much of their roster is made up of guys with limited D-1 minutes along with some JUCO and NAIA transfers, so it is hard to tell what kind of team they will have this year.

-Tennessee State is having to replace their entire starting lineup. In fact pretty much the entire team is brand new as just one player returns. They did hit the portal and have a few guys with a decent amount of D-1 experience, but no one that really jumps off the page. Several standout players from lower divisions also join the squad. They are picked 4th in the preseason, which is not bad, but it is really hard to say how good they will be with so many new pieces.

-Morehead State has won 20+ games for each of the last four years and played in two NCAA Tournaments during that stretch. Having said that, Preston Spradlin (who was the head coach during that run) has departed for James Madison, and Morehead State’s roster has been overhauled. Dieonte Miles is the only returning starter and he averaged just 5ppg last year. Kade Ruegsegger was a standout player at the NAIA level last year, but other than that they just do not have any prolific or experienced players. Johnny Mattox takes over as head coach and he may have a difficult rebuilding project in front of him.

-Eastern Illinois just cannot seem to get it going. They won just 10 D-1 games last year, and while they do have three starters returning and perhaps have more experience than most of the teams in the league, the expectations still are not all that high. Kooper Jacobi gives them some strength at the forward position, and Nakyel Shelton was also a double-digit scorer last year, so their experience could help them get a few more wins this year.

-After making the NCAA Tournament two years ago, SEMO won just 9 total games last year and was an abysmal 4-14 in conference play. They do not seem to be all that improved this year, so I am a little surprised they are picked to finish as high as they are.

-Both Southern Indiana and Lindenwood are entering their 3rd year of the 4 year transition to D-1. The transition process is painful, especially in the second and third years. It is that period of time when all of their key players from before are gone, and it is hard to replace them because they are still on a postseason ban. Neither team won 10 games a year ago, and in looking at them both this year it is hard to picture them finishing very high in the standings.

-UT Martin finished in a tie for 1st place last year. This year, almost NO ONE is back. They have a new head coach in Jeremy Shulman, and rather than go into the portal he opted to sign 8 JUCO players. Many were solid contributors at the JUCO level, and I think they will do okay at the D-1 level. I do not think they will win the league, but I like them to finish a lot higher than this.

-Tennessee Tech is just bad. I do not quite understand why they are as bad as they are. John Pelphrey appeared to be a solid hire when he first arrived at Tennessee Tech, but in all five seasons he has been there they have been awful. They have so-so players that seem to play worse than what you would expect. They’re picked to finish last this year, and I agree. That is probably where they will finish.