Ivy League Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 23, 2024 by David Griggs

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IVY LEAGUE MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Princeton
  2. Yale
  3. Brown
  4. Cornell
  5. Colombia
  6. Harvard
  7. Penn
  8. Dartmouth

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-After 22 wins a year ago, Princeton is the unanimous favorite to repeat as the 1st-place finisher this year, and I think the Tigers may be good enough to land inside the bubble. Caden Pierce/Xaivian Lee are high caliber players: not just by Ivy League standards, but by national standards. Lee averaged over 17ppg as a freshman last year, and Pierce nearly averaged a double-double. Princeton does lose two starters, and some guys will have to step into bigger roles this year, but they have the makings of a very strong team.

-Yale made the NCAA Tournament a year ago and got a big win against Auburn in the Round of 64. Just two starters are back, and while Bez Mbeng/John Poulakidas are both solid players, they will need guys to step into bigger roles if they want to be able to keep pace with Princeton and repeat the success they had a year ago.

-For most of last season, Brown had a rather unspectacular year, but they caught fire at the right time and won seven straight, which allowed them to qualify for the Ivy League Tournament, and then they nearly won it had it not been for a crazy finish in the championship game against Yale. This year three starters are back, including Nana Owusu-Anane (NOTE: Owusu-Anane is out indefinitely after left shoulder surgery) and Kino Lilly, who were both very solid players a year ago and form a strong nucleus for Brown this year. Considering how well they were playing down the stretch, I think they can make quite a bit of noise this year.

-In the past Cornell was always a fun team to watch because their fast-paced style was such a contrast to the rest of the league. Jon Jaques takes over as head coach, so you have to wonder if their style of play will change some. The Big Red had a great season last year finishing just one game out of 1st place and making the NIT, but a lot of their scoring is gone. That being said, they do return some guys who saw quality minutes and made key contributions of the bench, so it is not entirely hopeless. They are definitely going through a transition, but they could still have a big year.

There seems to be a pretty big drop off between the top-4 and the bottom-4:

-Columbia does have three starters back, and that experience should help them. Their 13 wins last year was the most they have had in a while so there are signs that they are getting better. Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa is a standout player who is fun to watch, so they do have some things going for them. I just do not think they are quite as good as the teams in the top-half of the league.

-It feels strange seeing Harvard picked as low as 6th, but it has been a while since the Crimson have had a solid team. They were a modest 5-9 in league play a year ago, they have just two starters back, and it looks like they are going to struggle again this year.

-Penn is a program with a rich basketball history…but a very poor basketball present. They won just 11 total games a year ago and finished 7th in the conference, which is where they have been picked to finish again this year. Steve Donahue is a very proven coach, but he just has not been able to get it going in recent years.

-Dartmouth won just six games a year ago, finished dead last in the conference, and from all accounts may be heading back to yet another last-place finish.

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Horizon League Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 22, 2024 by David Griggs

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HORIZON LEAGUE MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Milwaukee (tied 1st)
  2. Purdue Fort Wayne (tied 1st)
  3. Northern Kentucky
  4. Oakland
  5. Wright State
  6. Youngstown State
  7. Cleveland State
  8. Green Bay
  9. Robert Morris
  10. IU Indianapolis
  11. Detroit Mercy

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-HL 1ST TEAM:

-Trey Robinson – Northern Kentucky
-Sam Vinson – Northern Kentucky
-Rasheed Bello – Purdue Fort Wayne
-Jalen Jackson – Purdue Fort Wayne
-Brandon Noel – Wright State

MEDIA DAY PRESESON ALL-HL 2ND TEAM:

-AJ McKee – Milwaukee
-Erik Pratt – Milwaukee
-DQ Cole – Oakland
-Quinton Morton-Robertson – Purdue Fort Wayne
-Alex Huibregtse – Wright State

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Expectations are high for Milwaukee. They struggled for much of the season last year, but really turned it on down the stretch winning 8 of their last 9 before losing in the HL Championship game to Oakland. With four starters back, and AJ McKee who transfers in from Queens, Milwaukee appears to be stacked. The frontcourt and backcourt are both solid, they have good balance, and it would not shock me at all to see them Panthers win the league.

-Purdue Fort Wayne also returns four starters and also played well down the stretch making it all the way to the CIT Championship game. They were not quite as good in conference play only finishing in 7th place, but the pieces appear to be there for them to be much better this year. Rasheed Bello/Jalen Jackson give PFW what is probably the strongest backcourt in the conference.

-Northern Kentucky was a bit of a disappointment last season, but they got things turned around in the second half of conference play. With three key starters back, as well as a few solid transfers, they have the potential to be at or near the top of the standings. Sam Vinson is back after missing part of last season due to a knee injury, so the Norse should be much improved. I think this league is a three-horse race…with them being the third horse.

-Oakland had a magical run last year, and it was great to see Greg Kampe (who is simply one of the better coaches in all of college basketball), finally win an NCAA Tournament game as the Grizzlies got a big win against Kentucky in the Round of 64. It capped off a 24-win season and was a high water mark for this program as a whole. They do have some rebuilding to do as just two starters are back from that team. Trey Townsend and Chris Conway both transferred out. Part of me really hates that: imagine if they were back!! Oakland would probably be looking at a top-25 ranking had they returned. If not in the preseason, then as the season played out. But, in the modern era of the transfer portal and NIL it is hard to build anything from year to year, because once the Oaklands of the world start to develop those kinds of players, they will often leave for what they feel is a better opportunity. Anyway, as for this year, Jalen Jones returns, and they also add some solid-looking JUCO transfers that should be able to contribute right away. While they lost some key players, Oakland should still be a solid team.

-Clint Sargent takes over at Wright State, which is a program that has seen a fair amount of success in recent years, but that may be in a bit of a rebuild mode now. Brandon Noel/Alex Huibregtse both return, and both saw a lot of minutes last year, but some other guys will have to step up in order for the Raiders to compete with the top of the league.

-Penguin Fever!! We at HoopsHD were all impacted by it!! We all love it!! And now, after back-to-back 20+ win seasons for a Youngstown State program that has seemingly never been that good, I fear that Penguin Fever is over. All five starters are gone from last year’s 2nd place team, and Coach Jerrod Calhoun is gone as well. Ethan Faulkner takes over, and he will be relying on a transfer heavy roster. The good news is they do have guys with D-1 experience that are used to playing key roles, so maybe finishing in about the middle, which is where they have been picked, is not too far out of the question.

-After three straight 20+ win seasons for Cleveland State, the Vikings may take a few steps back this year. Just one starter returns from a year ago, and it was a team that only finished 7th in the conference, so they do not appear to have a whole lot of momentum or experience heading in to this upcoming season.

-Green Bay welcomes new Coach Doug Gottlieb. It is an interesting hire and he has his work cut out for him: we certainly wish him the best!! The Phoenix finished in 3rd place a year ago, but this year they just do not seem to have much experience at all on the roster and they could go through their share of growing pains.

-Very little excites me about Robert Morris. They won just 10 total games a year ago and their roster is being overhauled. They do not appear to have much in the way of standout players at the D-1 level.

-IU Indianapolis won more games last year than they had the previous two years. The problem was that they still only won 6 total games. No starters are back, and new Coach Paul Corsaro has a lot of work to do to get this program back on track.

-It’s hard to be worse than IU Indy…but Detroit Mercy probably is. Mark Montgomery takes over as head coach and he is tasked with trying to rebuild what is now one of the worst prograsms in all of D-1.

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Big West Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 22, 2024 by David Griggs

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BIG WEST MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. UC Irvine
  2. UC Santa Barbara
  3. UC San Diego
  4. UC Riverside
  5. UC Davis
  6. Cal State Northridge
  7. Hawaii
  8. Long Beach State
  9. Cal State Bakersfield
  10. Cal State Fullteron
  11. Cal Poly

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-BIG WEST TEAM:

-Barrington Hargress – SO, G – UC Riverside
-Justin Hohn – SR, G – UC Irvine
-Ty Johnson – SR, G – UC Davis
-Keonte Jones – SR, F – Cal State Northridge
-Stephan Swenson – SR, G – UC Santa Barbara
-Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones – SR, G/F – UC San Diego

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-UC Irvine was the 1st place finisher a year ago, but failed to make the NCAA Tournament after losing in the quarterfinals of the Big West Tournament. Still, they were pretty clearly the best overall team, and with four starters back there is every reason in the world to think they will once again win the league. They are led by Justin Hohn out on the perimeter, and Andre Henry is an excellent outside shooter who will also be a big contributor. This is a fun team to watch, and if anyone in the conference is going to make a run at the bubble it will be the Eaters.

-I am a little surprised to see UCSB as high as 2nd in the poll. They’ve had some great seasons in recent years, but last year was not one of them and they return just two key players. Having said that, injuries did impact them a year ago and just being healthy this year should result in more wins. They also add two key transfers in Stephan Swenson (Stetson) and Deuce Turner (San Diego) who should be able to contribute. I do think the Gauchos will be better this year. I am just unsure if they will be THIS much better.

-UC San Diego won 21 games last year, and was a very impressive 15-5 in Big West play, which placed them 2nd in the conference. More good news for UCSD is that they have completed their transition and are now eligible for the NCAA Tournament. Only two starters return from last year’s team, but Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones and Tyler McGhie are both standout players. McGhie in particular is a very good outside shooter, so there is reason to be excited in San Diego this year!

-UC Riverside is a team to watch this season. They were very strong in the second half of conference play a year ago going 7-2 in their last 9 regular season games, and with four starters back there is reason to think that momentum will carry through into this year. This is a program without a rich history, but they have been getting noticeably better in recent years and may be poised for a breakout season this year. Mike Magpayo has done an outstanding job as head coach, and with the experience and balance they have coming back I think they can make quite a bit of noise in this league.

-UC Davis is coming off a 20 win season where they finished 3rd overall in the conference, but they are having to replace three starters from that team, so we could see a bit of a setback. I think Jim Les is a fantastic coach who has done a great job the last two years. Ty Johnson gives them a lot of talent and experience out on the perimeter, and with the addition of some key transfers, as well as some guys that can step into new roles, UC Davis will likely be competitive again this year.

-Cal State Northridge won 19 games last year, which was by far their best season in quite some time. Coach Andy Newman did a great job in his first year, and will look to build on that this year. He is tasked with replacing three starters, but with Keonte Jones back, as well as some good looking transfers, it seems like CSUN is turning the corner and can continue that improvement this year.

-Hawaii has won 20+ games the last two years, but with only one starter returning the Rainbow Warriors are probably in a rebuild-mode. Marcus Greene had a fantastic season at Houston Christian last year, and he should be able to give them a boost, but I do not know if they have the depth to contend for a spot at or near the top of the standings this year.

-After a blah season where they were just 10-10 in conference play, Long Beach State ended up winning the Big West Tournament and earning the automatic bid to the NCAAs. It was a great way for Dan Monson to go out as head coach. Chris Acker takes over this year and he has his work cut out for him. He needs to replace all five starters and has gone into the portal and JUCO ranks to try and put some pieces together.

-Cal State Bakersfield was an unspectacular 9th in the conference last year, which is where they are picked to finish again last year. There is perhaps some reason for hope as four starters from that team are back, and they were showing a few signs of life down the stretch. They also add one of the top JUCO players in the country from last season in Jemel Jones, so we could see some improvements from Bakersfield this year.

-Cal State Fullerton looks to rebuild after a frustrating season last year. They have undergone a roster overhaul as just one starter is back and will be depending on a mix of transfers from lower divisions as well as returning players who will need to take on bigger roles this year.

-Cal Poly won just 4 total games a year ago, lost all 20 conference games, and was just terrible all around. Their expectations are not all that much higher this year.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews UC Irvine SR PG Deja Lee

Posted on October 22, 2024 by Jon Teitel

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

We are still about 2 weeks away from the tip-off of a new college basketball season, which means that we have plenty of time to start preparing for the action ahead. We will do so via a series of season previews featuring the best players/coaches in the country. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage with UC Irvine SR PG Deja Lee, who talked about a future in neurosurgery and her expectations for this season.

You were born/raised in Canada: how big is basketball up north? Basketball has grown over the years, especially the women’s game, compared to when I was young. I would not say that it is more popular than hockey, but it has garnered more attention and excitement towards it as the years have gone by, especially considering the growing number of Canadians in the NBA (and even in the NCAA).

What made you choose UC Irvine? I did not spend much time at UCI when I first came down: I only came on an unofficial visit just before COVID hit. After meeting the coaches and touring the campus, I had this feeling in my gut that I was supposed to be here, and I could really envision myself at the school. I also loved the fact that UCI is a research institution, and the entire coaching staff made me feel so welcome and that they truly cared about me as a person and not just a basketball player.

You play for Coach Tamara Inoue: what makes her such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from her so far? One thing that makes Coach T such a good coach is that she is very detail-oriented. She will never let things slide if we are not performing up to a certain standard, even if it is something as small as running to the corners and touching the baseline in transition, and those little things really do go a long way. The most important thing I have learned from her so far is that you always have a little extra to give, even when you are exhausted. In other words, you are tougher than you think you are.

You played in 29 games as a freshman: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? My freshman year was one of my most difficult overall. I struggled a lot in games and practices but the one thing I took pride in was my defensive intensity.

Last year you set a school record with 82 STL: what is the secret to being a great defender? One thing that I always tell myself is that I am not going to let my opponent get by me, and I do everything in my power to make sure that does not happen. One thing our coaches tell us is that if we are tired, the other team must be exhausted, so all it takes is an extra push to cause a turnover or slow the ball down.

You finished the year by being named conference POY: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It felt very rewarding to be recognized with such an award…but honestly that was not a focus for me at any point in the season. One of the best feelings was when my teammates surrounded me and cheered for me when I found out that I got the award after practice one day: it was a really humbling moment to see how proud they all were of me.

Take me through the 2024 postseason:
In the Big West tourney title game you scored 21 PTS in a win over UC Davis en route to being named tourney MVP: how were you able to play your best when it mattered the most? I try to bring my best to every game, and playing on a stage as big as the Big West Championships raises the excitement tenfold. I think it is a combination of the excitement of playing in March and being part of something our team has been working towards all year that makes playing in those games that much more special.

In the NCAA tourney you scored 13 PTS in a loss to Gonzaga: what did you learn from the loss that you think will help you this season? March Madness was a new experience for our whole team, and I think having the confidence to know that we were right there with teams ranked higher than us was a big takeaway.

You are majoring in biological sciences and want to be a neurosurgeon: how did you choose that career path? I have been interested in the human brain ever since a science project I did during elementary school. That interest has really followed me as I continued my education into college, and I am passionate/encouraged by the fact that there still is so much to discover about the human brain. To turn that into a profession where I would be able to help people in real-time as a surgeon would be a dream come true for me.

Your mother played college volleyball, and your father played college basketball: who is the best athlete in the family? I would say that the best athlete is my “baby” brother, Zane. He is only 13 right now but is already a better basketball player than anyone in our family was at that age!

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? One goal for me this upcoming season is to be more of a vocal leader on the court. It is a little outside of my comfort zone, but I have been trying to be more assertive with my voice in addition to my game overall.

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Sun Belt Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 22, 2024 by David Griggs

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SUN BELT MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Arkansas State
  2. James Madison
  3. Troy
  4. Louisiana
  5. Southern Miss
  6. Appalachian State
  7. Texas State
  8. Georgia Southern (tied 8th)
  9. Old Dominion (tied 8th)
  10. Marshall
  11. South Alabama
  12. Georgia State
  13. Coastal Carolina
  14. UL Monroe

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SBC 1ST TEAM:

-Mark Freeman – SR, G – James Madison
-Kobe Julien – SR, F – Arkansas State
-Hosana Kitenge – SR, F – Louisiana
-Nate Martin – SR, F – Marshall
-Myles Rigsby – SO, F – Troy

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SBC 2ND TEAM:

-Obinna Anochili-Killen – SR, F – Marshall
-Tayton Conerway – SR, G – Troy
-CJ Huntley – SR, F – Appalachian State
-Toneari Lane – SR, G – Georgia State
-Taryn Todd – SR, G – Arkansas State

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SBC 3RD TEAM:

-Xavier Brown – JR, G – James Madison
-Andre Curbelo – SR, G – Southern Miss
-Tyrel Morgan – SR, F – Texas State
-Izaiyah Nelson – JR, F – Arkansas State
-Myles Tate – SR, G – Appalachian State

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Arkansas State won 20 games last season, which was their best season in quite some time, and with three key starters back including Kobe Julien (who is one of the top players in the conference), expectations are high for the Red Wolves this year. Bryan Hodgson enters his second year as head coach and he has done a fantastic job turning this program around and is a rising coaching star. They were absolutely on fire down the stretch, winning 10 of their last 11 games before losing in the Sun Belt Championship game to James Madison. Taryn Todd and Derrian Ford are two other players to watch as well: both averaged double figures last year.

-James Madison had a remarkable season last year winning 32 total games, cracking the rankings for a good portion of the season, and advancing to the Round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament. The magic actually started on opening night with their overtime win at Michigan State and that just set the tone. Unfortunately, most of that team is now gone, including Coach Mark Byington. Preston Spradlin takes over and is tasked with rebuilding the talent on the roster. While they do have some nice pieces coming in including Mark Freeman (who missed last season at Morehead State due to an injury), asking them to repeat what they did last season is a very tall order.

-Troy has managed to win 20 games in each of the last three seasons, and finished a very respectable 3rd place in a pretty tough conference a year ago. This is a team that may be poised to have a bit of a breakout year. Three starters are back, including Myles Rigsby who was voted Freshman of the Year in the conference a year ago. In addition to the three starters, Tayton Conerway is also back after seeing significant minutes off the bench last year and was voted 6th man of the year. I really like this Troy team. I think Scott Cross is a phenomenal coach and have been saying that since before he even arrived at Troy, and while it has taken some time for them to get all the way to the top, this may be the year the Trojans do it. In fact, they are my pick to win the league.

-The Ragin’ Cajuns of Louisiana!!! They struggled down the stretch last year after looking really strong in the first half of conference play. It was as if they suddenly could not hit any shots. They did lose some key players to the portal, but they also have some key pieces back and add a few solid looking players as well. If they can hit their shots, they should be a tough team to beat.

-Southern Miss is starting completely over after a bit of a rough season last year. All five starters are gone and they appear to be looking toward transfers who were key players at some lower division schools to contribute this year.

-Appalachian State had a HOT HOT HOT season last year where they won 25 total games, finished in 1st place in the conference before losing in the semifinals of the SBC Tournament. They did not get the early season wins that James Madison got, so they were not inside the bubble at the end of the season, but by the end of the year they looked like an NCAA Tournament team. The bad news is that none of the starters from that team are back, and they are now having to look to rebuild. Coach Dustin Kerns does have some pieces including CJ Huntley (who is a strong forward who can also hit from the outside), so I am a little surprised they were picked as low as 6th this year, but I guess it makes sense considering most of their key players departed. Myles Tate, who was a former key player for Butler, is also on the roster. I definitely think they have pieces to be better than their preseason expectations.

-Texas State showed some signs of life down the stretch after what was mostly an unspectacular season. They did win six straight before losing in the semis of the SBC Tournament, and with three starters back there is reason to think that some of that momentum can carry over into this year. Tyrel Morgan, who missed most of last season due to injury, is also back, so that alone should give them a bit of a boost.

-Georgia Southern won just 9 total games a year ago, but somehow was starting to come to life at the very end of the year, and nearly upset Appalachian State in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament. So, is there reason to hope this year? Three starters are back, including Eren Banks who was their top scorer. That experience, and how they seemed to be better at the end of the year, could be signs that we will see improvement this year.

-I remember when Old Dominion used to be consistently good, and even landed inside the bubble a few times. Those days now seem like a long time ago, and given that they won just 7 total games a year ago the expectations are not high at all for them this year.

-Cornelius Jackson takes over as head coach at Marshall, and is tasked with turning things back around for the Thundering Herd. They won just 13 games a year ago, and while they were strong the year before, they haven’t been consistently good from year to year in a while. Obinna Anochili-Killen/Nate Martin appear to make up a rather solid frontcourt, and that alone should help them out this year. They have two guards transferring in from NAIA and if they can get contributions from them we may see some improvement this year.

-South Alabama has two starters returning, and in these days that actually seems like a fair amount of experience. Other than that, they are transfer heavy, but very few of the transfers have solid D-1 experience (or any D-1 experience at all), so it could be a tough year for the Jaguars.

-Georgia State. It just seems like as a program they should be better. And there was a time when they were. But it has been a while since they’ve managed 20 or more wins, they only won 14 total games last year which was their second straight losing season, and expectations are not all that high this year. Toneari Lane returns, and he is a very solid guard, but he will need some help if the Panthers are going to finish in the top half of the league.

-Coastal Carolina is another program that does not seem to be anywhere near as good as they should be. As Big South members they were regular conference frontrunners, but since joining the Sun Belt they have fallen off, and last year they fell WAAAY off when they failed to win 10 games. The campus is right in Myrtle Beach: it seems like they should be reeling in recruits left and right! Justin Gray takes over as head coach, he has just one starter back, and is tasked with rebuilding the Chanticleers program.

-It has been a while since UL Monroe has had a winning season…and it does not appear that they have the pieces to do very well this year.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews new Canisius coach Jim Christian

Posted on October 21, 2024 by Jon Teitel

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

We are still about 2 weeks away from the tip-off of a new college basketball season, which means that we have plenty of time to start preparing for the action ahead. We will do so via a series of season previews featuring the best players/coaches in the country. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage with new Canisius coach Jim Christian, who talked about why he took the job and his expectations for this season.

You played for Ralph Willard in high school (before later becoming his college assistant) and Rick Pitino/Tom Penders in college: what was the most important thing that you learned from that terrific trio? I learned the way they handled every day and attacked the whole job: I still use things every day from those guys.

In 1988 as a player at Rhode Island your team made the Sweet 16: what was it like to face Jim Boeheim/Mike Krzyzewski back-to-back in March? I coached against them later in life: it was not fun! However, anytime you get to play in March it is fun.

As an assistant to Stan Heath at Kent State in 2002 your team made the Elite 8 before losing to Indiana: what is your favorite memory from that remarkable run? It was all a great memory: every player/game/day, and is something I will never forget.

1 of the stars of that team was Antonio Gates: could you tell at the time that he was going to become 1 of the best tight ends in NFL history? I thought he could be the best at anything: he was the best basketball player I ever watched due to his basketball IQ and the way he prepared himself. He never got rattled and could have been a great NBA player if he had wanted to.

You were a 2-time MAC COY as coach at Kent State: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? Those are staff awards: I was happy for my staff, all of whom later became head coaches.

In 2021 you were inducted to the Kent State Hall of Fame: where does that rank among the highlights of your career? I spent about 9 years of my life there and met my wife there. To be recognized for what our teams accomplished is not lost on me: it was the most fun that I ever had.

Last April you were hired as head coach at Canisius: why did you take the job, and how is it going so far? It is going great and I am loving every single day. I wanted to go to a place that had not had a ton of success so hopefully we can put something together that will be remembered.

Your roster has players from 5 different foreign countries (Australia/Canada/the Netherlands/Nigeria/Sweden) and 8 different states (CA/GA/MA/MI/NC/NY/OH/WI): what sort of recruiting philosophy do you have? It is not a philosophy: just the state of college basketball in 2024. I want the best guys I can get who will buy into the things we are doing. A lot of them were already here.

Your season opener in 2 weeks will be in Tucson: how do you feel about getting thrown right into the fire in your team’s very 1st game? That is what happens at this level of basketball. Those are the games that kids want to play, which is part of recruiting. We will not play a bunch of non-D-1 schools to build some fake momentum. We will see what Arizona can expose and then learn how we can get better and do what we need to do at the right time.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? The goals/expectations are the same: we want to represent the MAC in the NCAA tourney. There is no other goal, and it is a hard thing to do, but that is the only reason to play the game.

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