Big South Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 18, 2024 by David Griggs

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

BIG SOUTH MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. High Point
  2. Winthrop
  3. Longwood
  4. UNC Asheville
  5. Charleston Southern
  6. Gardner-Webb
  7. Radford
  8. Presbyterian
  9. USC Upstate

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-BIG SOUTH 1ST TEAM:

-Kezza Giffa – SR, G – High Point
-Kelton Talford – SR, F – Winthrop
-Kimani Hamilton – JR, F – High Point
-Juslin Bodo Bodo – SO, F – High Point
-Taje’ Kelly – SR, F – Charleston Southern

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-BIG SOUTH 2ND TEAM:

-RJ Johnson – JR, G – Charleston Southern
-Michael Christmas – SR, F – Longwood
-Josh Banks – SR, G – UNC Asheville
-A’lahn Sumler – JR, G – Charleston Southern
-KJ Doucet – SR, F – Winthrop

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-High Point was the 1st place team a year ago, and with four starters back they are the clear favorite to finish at the top of the league this year. Kezza Giffa is probably the best PG in the conference and averaged over 16ppg a season ago. Kimani Hamilton gives them a ton of strength in the post and will be a big contributor as well. High Point also adds some pretty solid transfers. I do not see anyone else in the conference being able to keep pace with High Point. I think there is a much better chance of them running the table than I do them finishing any lower than 1st place. If anything, we may see this team make a run at the bubble.

-Winthrop also has four starters back, and that experience has raised their expectations this year. They were a modest 8-8 in conference play, and did struggle down the stretch going 3-6 in their last nine games, but with four starters back (all of whom averaged double-digits last year), people are expecting to see quite a bit of improvement out of the Eagles.

-Longwood has won 20+ games in each of the last three seasons, which is a hell of a run for a program that had not been all that strong prior to that. They also won the conference tournament last year and earned the auto-bid to the NCAAs. Just two starters return, but they appear to be experienced and talented out on the perimeter. If they can get some guys in the frontcourt to step up then they could end up having another big year.

-UNC Asheville is tasked with replacing Drew Pember, who was one of the best players the Big South had seen in quite some time. They do appear to be adding some solid guards, but repeating the success they had the last two years will not be easy after losing such a high-caliber player.

-Charleston Southern has failed to win more than ten games in each of the last four seasons, and has finished outside the KenPom top-300 for each of the last five. So, it is not a shock that they are not expected to finish in the top half of the league this year…but there is perhaps some reason to think we may see some improvement. Taje’ Kelly and RJ Johnson are two strong players who can provide some balance in both the frontcourt and the backcourt. They appear to be strong out on the perimeter and are adding some other guys with solid D-1 experience. While I do not expect them to contend for the league title, I do think we will see improvement this year.

-Gardner-Webb has just one starter returning and new Coach Jeremy Luther is tasked with rebuilding the roster. He will be relying on guys that in the past have either not played at the D-1 level or have only been role players, so it could be a long year for the Bulldogs.

-Radford is another team that is having to rebuild. All five starters from last year are gone, and they will have to rely on some guys who are expected to step into bigger roles this year.

-Presbyterian won 14 games last year, which was actually their best overall season in quite some time. They do have two starters back and a couple of standout players from JUCO transferring in, so there is reason to think they will not finish at the very bottom, but it will still likely be a long season for the Blue Hose.

-USC Upstate has a new coach in Marty Richter, and they have had to replace their entire starting lineup, so the team’s expectations are not exactly all that high or promising as we head into the season.

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Big 12 Conference Preview

Posted on October 17, 2024 by David Griggs

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

The top have of the Big 12 is absolutely stacked. Five teams start off ranked in the top 10, including Kansas who is the preseason #1 ranked team. Houston, Iowa State, Baylor, and Arizona are all legit Final Four contenders, so it should be a crazy good year in this conference. Cincinnati is also in the top 25 and has their highest expectations in several years. We take a look at all those teams, plus everyone else in the conference as it enters its first year with the 16 team format.

And for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show…

FACT CHECK: The end of the show featured a train wreck of errors. For whatever reason, we started discussing Hampton during final thoughts despite this being a Big 12 Preview. A shoutout was given to Tristan Maxwell from Jon Teitel for his triple-double in tonight’s exhibition game. Upon hearing this, Chad was so impressed he said Hampton was going to be his pick to win the MEAC this year. Tristan Maxwell did have a triple-double, but it was in December of last season during a regular season game and not on Thursday night. In fact, he isn’t even on the team anymore. Hampton is also no longer in the MEAC. They are now in the CAA. And Hampton lost their exhibition game to Bowie State tonight. Oh well, it is a preseason podcast. These don’t count.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Drexel SR PG Amaris Baker

Posted on October 17, 2024 by Jon Teitel

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

We are still about 3 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 Drexel SR PG Amaris Baker, who talked about being a great scorer and her expectations for this season.

You began your career at Kennesaw State and then transferred to Harcum College, where you led all of D-2 with 27 PPG in 2023: what is the secret to being a great scorer? Keep working! I would always find time in my schedule to get into the gym twice/day and get up extra shots, which gave me confidence in myself.

You were also named 1st-team All-American: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? I was truly grateful to have the support of my staff/teammates. They helped elevate my game and it meant a lot so I will keep working hard.

How did you choose Drexel for the next part of your journey? My mom went to Drexel and it is close to home. As soon as I came here for my visit it was a green flag for me. I had a lot in common with the rest of the team so it felt like a mutual connection: it checked off all the boxes and was a win-win.

You play for Coach Amy Mallon: what makes her such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from her so far? She is a great person: she is very genuine and that translates into her coaching. You want to run through a wall for a coach who cares about you. She taught me to continue to be confident and is very supportive/caring.

Take me through the 2024 postseason:
In the CAA tourney title game you scored a game-high 19 PTS in an 8-PT win over Stony Brook en route to being named tourney MOP: how were you able to win 4 games in 4 days when it mattered the most? We just had confidence and stayed connected at the right time. It took a long time…but we elevated our game that week.

In the NCAA tourney you scored 10 PTS in a loss to Texas: what did you learn from the loss that you think will help you this season? To continue to be confident. We knew what we needed to get better at and we got a lot of experience while giving it our all. We know what it takes to get back there and what to expect when playing against a national-ranked team.

You also received the CAA Commissioners Academic Honor Roll with honors: how do you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? I am very routine-oriented so I will write down what I must do that day in my calendar. I know what I have to get done, which allows me to make time for school/basketball/family.

You are the only senior on the roster (along with 2 grad students): how much pressure is there on you to be a leader this year? I would not call it pressure: I just need to elevate my communication and share all my knowledge with our freshmen/transfers. Everyone is very supportive so we will just try to keep learning every single day and stay on the right track.

Your non-conference schedule includes road trips to Penn State/Florida State: is there any game that you feel will present your biggest test or that you are looking forward to the most? I would say both of those teams will be good, but we also have the Big 5 Classic so people should pay attention to that tournament as well.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? I want to be an all-around vocal leader, stay patient, maintain my confidence, and just get better each day. I am a hard worker and want to get the best out of everyone.

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Conference USA Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 17, 2024 by David Griggs

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

CONFERENCE USA MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Lousiana Tech
  2. Western Kentucky
  3. Sam Houston
  4. Middle Tennessee
  5. Liberty
  6. UTEP
  7. New Mexico State
  8. Jacksonville State
  9. Florida International (tied 9th)
  10. Kennesaw State (tied 9th)

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-CUSA TEAM:

-Zach Cleveland – JR, F – Liberty
-Kaden Metheny – SR, G – Liberty
-Daniel Batcho – SR, F – Louisiana Tech
-Jestin Porter – SR, G – Middle Tennessee
-Camryn Weston – SR, G – Middle Tennessee
-Christian Cook – SR, G – New Mexico State
-Lamar Wilkerson – SR, G – Sam Houston
-Otis Frazier III – SR, F – UTEP
-Tyrone Marshall Jr. – SR, F – Western Kentucky
-Don McHenry – SR, G – Western Kentucky

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Louisiana Tech had a good season last year, and was really playing well down the stretch. Daniel Batcho, who is perhaps the best big man in the conference, returns to the lineup. They will also look to several transfer players, some who saw limited roles at P4 schools and others who were standouts in JUCO, to help fill out the roster. I know they had a fair amount of roster turnover, but I liked how this team looked a year ago and think they will be strong again this year.

-For the past several years when you would look at Western Kentucky, you would think that they were always talented and always had high expectations, yet never get the feeling they played all the way up to their ceiling. Hank Plona takes over as head coach, and he inherits a team that returns four starters after having a so-so year, but then won the conference tournament to advance to the NCAA Tournament. Don McHenry is one of the stronger players in the conference, and with three other starters returning, along with Braxton Bayless (who transfers in from Niagara), the Toppers once again look to have a lot of talent, and once again look like they can win the league. But…will they live up to it?

-Sam Houston is having to rebuild a little bit after their 1st place finish a year ago. Just two starters are back, but they are also adding some solid transfers, most notably Josiah Hammons (who was a standout player at Incarnate Word a year ago). They also return several players who gave them some quality minutes off the bench and they look like they will be a solid team again this year.

-Middle Tennessee has fallen off in the last couple of years, and after just a 14-19 campaign a year ago they are not expected to be conference frontrunners this year either. Jestin Porter and Camryn Weston make up a solid backcourt, and they add a couple of decent-looking transfers with some D-1 experience. If they can get some strength in the post we should see a turnaround this year.

-Liberty won just 18 games last year and has not quite made the big splash in CUSA that we thought they would when they first joined. Having said that, a 5th place finish does seem a bit low for the Flames. Zach Cleveland gives them some strength at the forward position, and Kaden Metheny is a strong guard who can really hit from the outside. They add some transfers who were standout players at the D-2 level, and if those guys can step up we could see some improvement this year.

-UTEP has three starters back from a year ago. They are really tough to beat in El Paso, but are sort of homecourt-heroes given how they tend to struggle on the road. With more experience this year and the addition of a few quality transfers we may see more consistency out of the Miners this year.

-New Mexico State was a consistent WAC frontrunner, but after some severe off-court issues a few years ago they have not quite bounced back to what they used to be. Three starters are back for Coach Jason Hooten, who enters his second year and is tasked with getting things turned around and perhaps building up the culture as well. Christian Cook is their top player, but Dionte Bostick who was a great player for Cal State Northridge last year also joins the roster. I think the Aggies will have a big bounce back this year. It is kind of surprising to see them picked this low, but I guess I get it. They were not all that good down the stretch last year.

-Jacksonville State is tasked with replacing their top scorer along with two other starters, and the prognosis does not seem to be that good. Coach Ray Harper has had success throughout his career, but has struggled in recent years at Jax State and most signs are pointing to them struggling again this year.

-Last year Kennesaw State struggled in the Atlantic Sun and could not recapture the great run they had the year before when Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim departed for South Florida and took several top players with them. This year, they are new to CUSA, and the level of competition will be higher: it could be a long year for the Owls.

-Florida International is also likely in for a long year. They will look to some transfers from lower divisions to try and step in and contribute this year.

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Big East Conference Preview

Posted on October 17, 2024 by David Griggs

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

UConn won their second straight National Championship last year, and despite losing a big part of their roster to the NBA, they still look to be stacked again this year and will once again be in a position to win the Big East. Marquette and Creighton are also really strong teams, and we think all three of them have a really good chance at ending up as protected seeds. Xavier has sustained a substantial injury already, but they still have some solid pieces and we think they can return to the NCAA Tournament after missing it a year ago. Butler is a team we feel could be a sleeper, and Saint John’s with a revamped roster can also make a run at the NCAA Tournament. Georgetown and DePaul have been the doormats of the league the past few years, but they’ve both added some pieces and should be improved this year. We discuss all that, and more!

And for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show…

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Atlantic Sun Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 17, 2024 by David Griggs

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

ATLANTIC SUN MEDIA DAY PRESEASON COACHES POLL:

  1. Lipscomb
  2. Austin Peay
  3. North Alabama
  4. Eastern Kentucky
  5. Jacksonville
  6. FGCU
  7. North Florida
  8. Stetson
  9. Queens
  10. Bellarmine
  11. Central Arkansas
  12. West Georgia

ATLANTIC SUN MEDIA DAY PRESEASON MEDIA POLL:

  1. Lipscomb
  2. Eastern Kentucky
  3. Austin Peay
  4. FGCU
  5. North Alabama
  6. Stetson
  7. North Florida
  8. Jacksonville
  9. Queens
  10. Central Arkansas
  11. Bellarmine
  12. West Georgia

MEDIAY DAY PRESEASON ALL-A-SUN TEAM:

-Devontate “Tae Tae” Blanton – Eastern Kentucky
-Keeshawn Kellman – FGCU
-Jacob Ognacevic – Lipscomb
-Will Pruitt – Lipscomb
-Isaac Haney – Austin Peay
-Sai Witt – Austin Peay
-Ben Johnson – Bellarmine
-Robert McCray V – Jacksonville
-Jacari Lane – North Alabama
-Daniel Ortiz – North Alabama

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Lipscomb had a strong finish to the regular season a year ago and appeared to be one of the favorites to win the ASun Tournament, but they ended up losing their first tournament game. Just two starters are back, but Will Pruitt is one of the better players in the conference and they return enough experience off the bench to where it looks like they will once again be at or near the top of the standings. They appear to be balanced, solid in both the backcourt and the frontcourt, and have a fairly deep bench.

-Expectations are high for Austin Peay this year despite having just one starter back. Isaac Haney averaged double digit figures a year ago, as did Sai Witt who came off the bench, so they do have some pieces. Akili Evans was also a key player and double-digit scorer for Sacramento State last year, so the Govs appear to have some pieces.

-After a rough OOC campaign last year, Eastern Kentucky turned it around and ended up finishing 1st in the ASun last year and seemed to be on pace to make the NCAA Tournament, but they lost in the quarterfinals on their home court and are now tasked with rebuilding. Just one starter is back for Coach A.W. Hamilton, but it is Tae Tae Blanton who is one of the better players in the conference. This a transfer-heavy team with guys with some limited D-1 experience and some standout players from lower divisions. It is hard to say just how good they will be considering how different they look this year.

-North Alabama, who has not been up at D-1 for very long, has had two straight fairly-solid years and shown quite a bit of improvement as a program. This year the expectations are perhaps as high as they have ever been. Just two starters are back for the Lions, but Jacari Lane is one of the better players in the conference and is a very good outside shooter. I like this team this year. They are not my pick to win the league…but I think they may finish just behind Lipscomb.

-FGCU had a frustrating season last year, but they were looking better down the stretch and with three starters back there is reason to be somewhat optimistic heading in to this season. Pat Chambers is a solid head coach, and with experienced guys like Keeshawn Kellman returning to the roster (who is a solid all-around player) and Isaiah Thompson (who was affected by injuries last year) hopefully being healthy again, there is reason to be optimistic at Gulf Coast.

-I am a little surprised that Jacksonville is picked to finish in the top half of the league. They do have two returning starters and do seem to be adding some key transfers, but they also struggled all of last season. Having said that, I guess finishing toward the middle of the pack is within their capabilities.

-Stetson won 22 games a year ago, which was their best season in recent memory, and it has been fun watching them progress over the years. Having said that, much of last year’s team is gone and they are now tasked with replacing most of their key players. They are adding several players who were standouts in either JUCO or the lower divisions, but it remains to be seen if they can perform like that at the D-1 level.

-I have been a fan of North Florida coach Matt Driscoll for quite some time. They did lose their top player from a year ago, and he was such a big piece of the team that you wonder if they can replace him, but three other starters are back along with some standout players from JUCO and NAIA, so the Ospreys could be set up to surprise some people this year.

-Queens is in their 3rd transitional season, and once they complete the transition I think they will be a strong program within the ASun, but for now they are still taking their lumps. It is a great atmosphere and they have a lot of potential, but this year they just do not seem to have the pieces.

-Central Arkansas has won just nine games in each of the last two seasons, and this year things are not expected to go much better. Elias Cato is a solid player, but other than him they do not seem to have the personnel they need to compete with most of the teams in the league.

-Bellarmine is finally eligible for the postseason!! That’s the good news. The bad news is that they are not expected to be very good at all. They won just 8 games a year ago, and have just one starter back, so they are tasked with having to rebuild. I do think this team will be much better than many expect. They were plagued with injuries a season ago, and they did underperform, but this is a team that plays a unique (and fun) style that can be difficult to play against, and they have enough guys with D-1 experience that I think they will be closer to the middle than the bottom.

-Welcome to D-1 West Georgia! This team won 27 games a year ago and made the D-2 Tournament. I think they will be a solid D-1 program once they complete the transition, but as seemingly all transitional teams do, they are likely to struggle.

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