Hoops HD

Last Saturday North Dakota had a 4-PT OT win over Weber State in the Big Sky title game to earn an automatic bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Fighting Hawks have made 19 NCAA Tournament appearances but their very 1st as a D-1 program will come against #2-seed Arizona in a West Region match-up on Thursday night in Salt Lake City. Yesterday HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with North Dakota assistant coach Jeff Horner about his own tourney memories as a player at Iowa and winning a tourney title game in OT last weekend.

You graduated from Iowa as the school’s all-time leader with 612 AST/262 3PM: how did you balance your scoring with your passing, and what is the key to being a good PG? I just let the game come to me: I would start out trying to find my teammates, and then get my own scoring going later in the game if necessary. It was easy to balance it out because when you are playing 36 MPG you can make mistakes and still remain on the floor.

In 2006 you were named Big 10 tourney MVP but then lost to #14-seed Northwestern State in the NCAA tourney when Jermaine Wallace made a fadeaway 3-PT shot with 0.5 seconds left in a 1-PT upset: what is the key to winning games in March, and what is the key to being a Cinderella? You just have to come in and play with a lot of confidence. Even though we were a #3-seed, Northwestern State was not afraid of us: they played carefree whereas we felt that we had everything to lose. The biggest problem for us is that after we built a 17-PT lead we were unable to stop their own momentum during their comeback.

You work for Coach Brian Jones: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have ever learned from him? He has taught me how to handle players: he lets our guys be our guys regardless of their background. I think that is the toughest thing for college coaches to do, which is why our kids respect him and want to play for him.

In the 2016 CIT your team had a 3-PT OT loss to UC Irvine: what did your team learn from that game that you think can help them going forward this year? We were able to host a postseason game, which was a big deal for our school, and hopefully we got some experience that we can use to play on a bigger stage this week. We do not lack confidence and are not afraid to play against anyone.

You do not have a single guy on your roster who grew up in North Dakota: what sort of recruiting philosophy does your staff have? We have a kid coming in next year who was the North Dakota high school POY so hopefully we can get our in-state recruiting going well over the next couple of years. We have a lot of connections in Minneapolis/Iowa and have brought in a few JC guys as well. I feel that a lot of kids from the Midwest are a good fit for our staff’s personality.

You played several good non-conference teams this year like Bakersfield/Iowa/Northern Iowa: which 1 of them impressed you the most? Iowa was really young this year but still made the NIT. Bakersfield is super-athletic and UNI has a great coach in Ben Jacobson. Playing those good teams earlier this year should help us in the postseason.

SO PG/SG Cortez Seales was named Big Sky 6th Man of the Year: what makes him such a good player, and how crucial has your bench play been to your team’s success this year? He has an old-school game where he does not take a lot of threes or dunk the ball: his mid-range shooting is fantastic. His teammates call him “the ultimate bad shot-maker” because he misses a lot of open shots but it is just impossible for opponents to block his shot even when they are right on him. We bring a couple of other guys off the bench including a 7-footer in Carson Shanks, who he will be a big key when facing a big team like Arizona. Our bench has been huge and brings it everyday in practice even if they are not getting a lot of minutes during games.

Last Saturday Quinton Hooker was named conference tourney MVP after scoring 28 PTS in a 93-89 OT win over Weber State in the Big Sky tourney title game: how were you able to pull out the win, and what was the reaction like when you got back to campus? I honestly do not know how we pulled it out! We were trailing at the end and not making plays that we usually make but we just kept fighting. I told a fellow assistant that if we could somehow get it to OT that the game was ours. Everyone was happy and there were many tears of joy: this exact moment is why you work so hard during the off-season. We had an assembly when we got back to campus with hundreds of people who showed up: it was awesome.

After starting the season 5-6 you have only lost 3 games since New Year’s Eve by a combined 10 PTS: how were you able to turn things around in January? The 1st 10 games were against a lot of big/tough teams on the road, but we always competed and felt that we stayed right with our opponents. We got a big-time wake-up call after getting beat by 37 PTS at Portland State in late-December, so that loss helped us re-focus, as did our loss to Sacramento State a couple of weeks ago.

You received a #15-seed: what do you know about Arizona, and are you going to ask your old college coach Steve Alford (now at UCLA) for any tips on his Pac-12 rival? They are huge and super-talented with big guards and a very good team. Some people are picking them to go all the way, but we just have to keep it close and play with nothing to lose. I have already texted Coach Alford so hopefully he can help us out a bit!

Last Saturday New Orleans had a 3-PT OT win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the Southland tourney title game to earn an automatic bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Privateers have not made the NCAA tourney since 1996 but are finally back this year and will face fellow #16-seed Mount St. Mary’s tonight in the 1st 4 in Dayton, with the winner having the daunting task of facing defending champ Villanova in an East Region match-up on Thursday night in Buffalo. Yesterday HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Coach Mark Slessinger about why he took the job and how he ended up as conference COY.

You played PG at Aurora: how good a player were you back in the day, and how did you 1st get into coaching? I was an absolutely horrible player but the only thing I have wanted to do since 5th grade is become a coach. I worked at camps, became a student assistant, and was lucky enough to break into D-1 at age 22.

You spent more than a decade as an assistant to Mike McConathy at Northwestern State: what was the most important thing that you ever learned from him? We do not have enough time to discuss everything because I learned so much while working next to him. He taught me how to keep basketball in perspective and use the game as a coaching ministry to teach kids about life. He was very influential in how I approach the game.

You were hired in 2011 with a 3-player roster and no conference affiliation: why did you decide to take a job that you yourself later called a “train wreck”? The circumstances were unlike anything that I have ever seen but it was an opportunity to become a head coach in a city I love. I met my wife here and it is a special place. I saw a chance to build a winner the right way.

You played several power conference teams this year in Northwestern/Oklahoma State/USC/Washington State: which 1 of them impressed you the most? We were very impressed with USC’s athleticism: it was simply incredible. The Cowboys were really good and I am very impressed with how Coach Brad Underwood turned things around so quickly. Ernie Kent/Chris Collins are great coaches as well.

SR SF Erik Thomas was named conference POY/conference tourney MVP: what makes him such a great player, and how crucial has he been to your team’s success? He is extremely disciplined in his game: he scores within our framework and is 1 of the most efficient players in the country. He can put the ball in the basket in a ton of ways but plays very selflessly. He is a winner and once we figured that out we became aggressive in getting him the ball in places where he can score.

You won 10 games last year and are now in the NCAA tourney: how were you able to improve so much in only 1 year? A lot of the credit goes to my staff: we never stopped working because we knew that we had a lot of the pieces already here and had a lot of good guys. Sometimes you just have to invest the time/human resources into getting your players to believe that they are winners.

Last week you were named Southland COY: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It was a great honor not just for me but for my entire staff. I have been in the league for almost 15 years so it was very humbling.

Last Saturday you had a 3-PT OT win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi: how were you able to pull out the win, and what was the feeling like in your locker room afterward? We just stayed the course with our game plan and did not get sideways with what we thought was important: defend/rebound. We have had some up and down nights during the season.  You cannot always make your shots but we were relentless in the 2nd half and just would not lose. It was as good of a coaching experience as any that I have ever had: the looks on the guys’ faces was phenomenal.

Your $5 million athletic budget is 1 of the smallest in D-1: did you have anything saved for the Selection Show party?! We had a wonderful event on campus at our great facility featuring 1 of the best brass bands in the city: we have a very supportive campus.

How do you feel about getting a #16-seed, and what do you know about Mount St. Mary’s? We could not be happier to be in Dayton: there is no better venue to play in and we are pulling up for practice right now. We know that Mount St. Mary’s is very talented so it should be an entertaining game.

Last Saturday New Orleans had a 3-PT OT win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the Southland tourney title game to earn an automatic bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Privateers have not made the NCAA tourney since 1996 but are finally back this year and will face fellow #16-seed Mount St. Mary’s on Tuesday evening in the 1st 4 in Dayton, with the winner having the daunting task of facing defending champ Villanova in an East Region match-up on Thursday night in Buffalo. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with SR PG Christavious Gill about winning a conference title in OT.

You are 1 of several players on the roster who grew up in Louisiana: what made you choose New Orleans? I have had a relationship with Coach Sless since he started recruiting me when I was back in the 9th grade.  When he came to UNO he gave me my only D-1 offer and showed me that this could be home.

What makes Coach Mark Slessinger such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have ever learned from him? He gives all his players confidence and shows us how to grow up and the qualities of being a man.

You are only 5’8”: do you view your size as an advantage or a disadvantage on the court? I view it as an advantage because I am much quicker on offense and can stay lower than my opponent on defense. I can do a lot of things that taller guys simply cannot do.

Last March you scored a career-high 38 PTS/8-12 3PM in a win over Northwestern State: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? We had to win that game to make our conference tourney and I did not want our lone senior to go out like that so I played my hardest and laid it all on the line.

Your roster is loaded with juniors and seniors: how crucial has all of that experience been to your team’s success this year? It has been very crucial. Myself and 3 other juniors on the team had a down year last season but worked hard this summer. We brought in a couple of JC transfers and we all stuck together. We dropped 2 games down the stretch but pulled together and made a run in the conference tourney.

You played several power conference teams this year in Oklahoma State/USC/Washington State: which 1 of them impressed you the most? The Cowboys pressured hard on defense but that game helped turn our whole season around because it showed us that we needed to work harder.

SR SF Erik Thomas was named conference POY/conference tourney MVP: what makes him such a great player? His work ethic/positive attitude: he is always smiling and never has any negative energy. He has worked so hard for the past 12 months and even told us before the season started that he would win POY. I am prouder of him than anyone else and I let him know it every day.

You won 10 games last year and are now in the NCAA tourney: how was your team able to improve so much in only 1 year? Just working! We are blue-collar street-sweepers and never take a day off because we wanted it so much. Stephen F. Austin had won our conference for the past 3 years but we wanted to show the world that we could win. Our coaches believed in us and we listened to every word they had to say.

Last Saturday you scored 10 PTS in a 3-PT OT win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi: how were you able to pull out the win, and what was the feeling like in your locker room afterward? It was all about executing down the stretch. We felt like we had a story to tell. We were down by 7 PTS at halftime but it was like a movie in that we were able to come all the way back and make our dream come true. It was a surreal/special moment that I will never forget.

What do you think about being a #16-seed, and what do you know about Mount St. Mary’s? We are happy to be here and it is a blessing. Mount St. Mary’s is a good team who presses a lot but we look forward to playing them.

Last Friday Florida State had a 4-PT loss to Notre Dame in the ACC tourney but were still good enough to earn an at-large bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Seminoles have not made the NCAA tourney since 2012 but are back this year and will face #14-seed/in-state foe Florida Gulf Coast on Thursday evening in a West Region match-up in Orlando. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with SO SG Terance Mann about why he has a rooting interest in Rhode Island’s run to the tourney.

You grew up in the Northeast: what made you choose the Seminoles? I have known 1 of their assistant coaches since I was 13 years old and I had a lot of faith in him because he thought that he could help me go far.

Your mother Daynia is the head women’s basketball coach at Rhode Island: how much of an influence has she been on you both on and off the court, and how happy are you that her school in not in your region?! I am very happy because that would kind of suck! I am rooting for URI and hope they do great things but I am glad that we are not playing them because it would be awkward.

Last year Dwayne Bacon was a Freshman All-American and this year he has made the most 3-PT shots of anyone on your team: how crucial has he been to your team’s success? He has been a huge key to our success: whenever we need a clutch basket to get us going he is there to come to our rescue. He is 1 of the best finishers that I have ever played with.

You play for Coach Leonard Hamilton: what makes him such a great coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him? He lets guys play through their mistakes, learn from our experiences, and grow into great college players. He tells us so many life stories and teaches us so many things that it is hard to put my finger on just 1.

In the 2016 NIT you scored 10 PTS in a loss to Valpo: what did you learn from that game that you think can help you in the postseason this year? I learned that you have to do all the little things: if you get too hyped up then you will not be successful.

You went 12-6 in ACC play this year: how were you able to be so successful in arguably the best conference in the country? We just stayed focused and did not buy into all the hype. We stuck together and were connected on the court.

Your FT% went way up from last year to this year: how were you able to have such incredible improvement? A lot of repetition over the summer: I worked out twice/day and got in the gym a lot: I cannot even tell you how many FTs I shot! I still need to work on my concentration and think that eventually I can make even more of them.

You only have a couple of seniors on your roster: do you think that your team is ready to win right now or do you think that you might be 1 year away from making a deep run in the NCAA tourney? I think that we do not need many experienced dudes because we already work so well with each other. We just need all 13 guys to play their best.

James Earl Jones’ fictional character in the movie “Field of Dreams” is named Terence Mann: have you even seen the movie, and does everyone think you were named in honor of the author? Everyone assumes that I was named for him: I hear it ALL the time. I have not seen the movie yet.

Do you expect a ton of fan support while playing in Orlando, and what do you know about Florida Gulf Coast? I expect a lot of our fans to show up because it is so close. We do not know much about the Eagles but I am sure that our coaches will get us prepared. I do know that they are athletic and have given a championship effort so we will be ready for them.

Last Thursday Oklahoma State had a 9-PT loss to Iowa State in the Big 12 tourney but were still good enough to earn an at-large bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Cowboys did not make the 2016 NCAA tourney but bounced back this year and will face #7-seed Michigan on Friday afternoon in a Midwest Region match-up in Indianapolis. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with SR SF Leyton Hammonds about why he was not in panic mode after an 0-6 start to conference play.

You grew up in Texas: what made you choose the Cowboys? Former coach Travis Ford recruited me pretty hard and I knew a couple of other guys who came up here from Texas to play like Le’Bryan Nash/Marcus Smart.

You play for Coach Brad Underwood: what makes him such a great coach, and how has your team been able to have so much success during his very 1st season in Stillwater? He came in and told us that we would work hard every day, so I was ready to get after it from the very 1st day that he stepped onto campus. He cares about us as players/men and has led us in the right direction both on and off the court.

You faced several NCAA tourney teams in non-conference play including Arkansas/Maryland/UNC/Wichita State: which of these teams impressed you the most? All of those teams were great tests for us (especially the 2 on the road with their great crowds) because they are all great teams. We went 2-2 against some great competition but they are all well-rounded.

You started conference play 0-6 before winning 10 of your next 11 games: how were you able to turn things around so dramatically in late-January? Coach made some changes defensively and we all bought in. I give all our players/coaching staff the credit because our confidence never wavered even when we were 0-6: we never doubted ourselves so it was just a matter of time until we turned things around.

You lost each of your final 3 games this season by single digits to #1-seed Kansas and Big 12 champ Iowa State: what is the mood of the guys knowing that you are a 20-win team but entering the tourney on a 3-game losing streak? Our heads are held high because the Jayhawks are a #1-seed and the Cyclones are playing as well as anyone in the country (9 wins in their past 10 games). We are not doubting ourselves and we are ready to face Michigan because we know that our next loss will be our last loss.

 SO PG Jawun Evans was Big 12 ROY last year and 1 of the best PGs in the nation this year: what makes him such a great player? He has a great feel for the game and knows when to take over and the right plays to make on the court. I think he is the best PG in the country because he can do it all and knows where everyone needs to be on both ends of the court. He is 2 steps ahead of whoever is trying to defend him.

You and Phil Forte III are the only 2 seniors on the roster: how much pressure has there been on you to be leaders this season? None at all. It would be hard if we had teammates who were nutcases, but everyone bought in to our style of play, so we just go out there and keep the train going. They make it easy on us because they do whatever it takes for us to win.

Your team missed the NCAA tourney last year but faced Oregon in 2015 and Gonzaga in 2014: what did you learn from those losses that you think can help you this time around? I learned that you cannot just flick the switch whenever you want to: it is win or go home so you have to be locked in physically/mentally the entire week and cannot take anything for granted.

Your older brother Justin played basketball at the Air Force: who is the best athlete in the family, and how proud are you of his service to our country? I would say that he is the best athlete: to play basketball and serve in the military at the same time takes incredible physical/mental strength. I am blessed to have a brother who is such a role model: he understands that there is a bigger picture than just himself and is trying to make our world a better place.

How do you feel about getting a #10-seed, and what do you know about Michigan? I am glad that we have an opportunity to make the NCAA tourney again: when you do not have something after you had it in the past it makes you miss it more. I watched some of the Wolverines’ games last night: they have a great offense and make a lot of threes but I think that we will be prepared.