Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews new Stephen F. Austin head coach Kyle Keller

Posted on November 6, 2016 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of the Hoops HD Preseason Articles, Interviews, and Conference Previews

We continue our 2016-17 season preview interview series with new Stephen F. Austin head coach Kyle Keller. Every new head coach has big shoes to fill when stepping into his next job but Coach Keller might need some size 20 hightops, as Brad Underwood went 53-1 in 54 conference games over the past 3 years with the Lumberjacks before leaving for Oklahoma State last March.  However, if there is anyone who can handle that kind of pressure, it is a guy who worked for Eddie Sutton/Bill Self/Billy Kennedy.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Keller about winning 1 of the wildest NCAA tourney games ever and taking over a program that has only 1 senior.

keller

You were a student assistant as an undergraduate at Oklahoma State when Eddie Sutton was head coach and Bill Self was 1 of his assistants: what kind of basketball education did you receive from this pair of Hall of Fame coaches? Truth be told I really worked for Leonard Hamilton. I tried to get hired on by Coach Sutton when he replaced Coach Hamilton but it took me 9 years before he finally hired me! I think Leonard has proven that he is 1 of the great people/coaches/recruiters/mentors in the business. Coach Self was pretty young back then but he was wiser than his age and treated me very well. Bill taught me to treat everyone as equals, just as he does today. He had a great feel for the players and he challenged them, which is why his teams win so often.

In the 2004 Final 4 as director of basketball operations at Oklahoma State, Will Bynum made a layup in the final seconds of a 2-PT win by Georgia Tech: where does that rank among the most devastating losses of your career? It was painful: we had actually recruited Will after he transferred so it was a double-edged sword. We had a tragedy with the plane crash a couple of years earlier in 2001 so that Final 4 run gave everyone a little bit of closure. Every loss hurts…but as a coach when you lose 10 people who you are close to, losing a basketball game does not “devastate” you so you cannot compare the 2 things. Every day I dream of getting back to the Final 4 and I hope we get the opportunity because we should have won that game. There are 100 things we could have done differently but you cannot change the past.

In the 2010 Elite 8 as an assistant to Self at Kansas you had a 10-PT loss to VCU: now that you are a head coach in the same state as the former VCU coach, are we going to see Shaka Smart and the Longhorns on your schedule anytime soon? We would be blessed to play anybody in-state who wants to plays us but our schedule is hard enough as it is. I spent some time this summer asking him about what it is like to be a 1st-year head coach and he was very helpful. I admire him and I hope we can compete as well as his teams do.

As an assistant to Billy Kennedy at Texas A&M you did a great job of recruiting the best in-state players but your current roster only has 2 players from Texas: what kind of recruiting philosophy will you have at SFA? We are going to recruit this state because there are too many good players here. You have more pride in where you come from and kids want to come here because of what Danny Kaspar/Brad Underwood have done before me to build a winning culture with a legacy of championships. It is easy to sell the product because our guys want to play with other good players.

In the 2016 NCAA tourney the Aggies had a 4-PT 2-OT win over Northern Iowa: how on earth were you able to overcome a 12-PT deficit with 44 seconds left in regulation? I actually scouted Texas that week but I remember playing Northern Iowa in the same building when I was with Kansas. I told our team about the shot that Ali Farokmanesh made and I said that they believed they could win. I thought that our team last year was good enough to make the Final 4…but in the final minute while sitting on our bench I honestly thought that we had no chance to beat the Panthers. I was just wondering who would join me for breakfast the following morning with a recruit from Spain, especially after getting home at 2AM and feeling distraught. It was the craziest game and most dramatic comeback that I have every been a part of. The most amazing part is that Northern Iowa never quit: instead of just hanging their heads they actually took the lead back in OT. Coach Kennedy told us in a huddle with 15 seconds left that we were going to win.

You were hired in April: why did you take the job, and how is it going so far? I told my wife before last season started that it would be our last year in College Station. I am so blessed to be here: football is king in the South and there are not many jobs at schools where the campus is hot for basketball. If I could have picked 1 school and 1 region to be in, this would be the 1.  SFA is the perfect place for me and my wife to raise our 2 kids: the people here are great.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Kentucky/Arkansas/Tulsa: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? They are all going to be hard. It is not fair what I did to our team: there are no baby steps when you start the season by going to Rupp Arena. We only return 18% of our offense and our staff is new so it will not be easy. We are 1 of the youngest teams in college basketball as we only have 2 players who made a meaningful basket last year. We will play the same aggressive man-to-man defense as Coaches Sutton/Self.

Last year the Lumberjacks were top-25 in the nation in both PPG and PPG allowed: which end of the court are you most comfortable at as a coach? We have spent as much time on defense as anything else. The jump shot does not always get off the bus so we have concentrated on defense/rebounding. My lineage is from coaches who win by guarding, and if we can win a title it will be because we are the best defensive team we can be. We will play fast as well.

You only have 1 senior on the roster: do you think this team is built to win now or is it going to be a work in progress? If I did not think that we could win every game we play then I would be doing our guys a disservice. I expect our guys to compete and be right there in March. The character of our kids will hopefully give us a chance when it matters. I like what they are going to become so I will not judge them on where they are now. We will be battle-tested by the time we enter league play.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? I expect our team to grow closer because we are all new. If they learn to try hard then I think we can expect the same thing that the teams who came before us had: success. I know there are some really good coaches/talented players in the league but I have not faced them yet.

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The Hoops HD Report: AAC, A10, MWC, and WCC Conference Previews

Posted on November 6, 2016 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE for all of the Hoops HD Preseason Articles, Interviews, and Conference Previews

We complete our conference preview video podcasts with four short individual shows the last four remaining regular multi-bid leagues.  In the American, the group feels that Cincinnati and Connecticut are the teams to watch, and agree that Houston is a program on the rise, but still has a way to go.  In the Atlantic Ten, Dayton and Rhode Island are the favorites with VCU getting some love, as well as Fordham not so much because they’re to the level of being NCAA or NIT caliber yet, but because of the progress they’ve made.  In the Mountain West, they fell the league will once again have a down year, but they do like Nevada and San Diego State and feel that both have good NCAA Tournament Chances.  In the West Coast both Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s are in the preseason rankings, and we like both of those teams as well, along with BYU.  We also discuss what we feel are some very good coaching hires in this league.

 

And for all you radio lovers, there are mp3 versions for all four shows available below, including a bonus WCC preview where the video was lost!!

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Conference Preview: Big 12

Posted on November 6, 2016 by Chad

CLICK HERE for all of the Hoops HD Preseason Articles, Interviews, and Conference Previews

BIG TWELVE

Although the ACC came close to dominating the NCAA tournament last year, the regular season clearly belonged to the Big 12.  The Big 12 placed seven of its ten members into the NCAA Tournament, and all 7 of them wore white in their first round games.  In fact, the conference had a team seeded on each of the first eight seed lines other than 7, as Kansas was a 1, Oklahoma 2, West Virginia 3, Iowa State 4, Baylor 5, Texas 6 and Texas Tech grabbed an 8.  Four of those teams (West Virginia, Baylor, Texas and Texas Tech) all suffered first round upset losses, while Kansas fell in the Regional Final and Oklahoma in the national semifinal, both to national champion Villanova.  Only Iowa State, losing to Virginia, was wearing the road jerseys of the underdog when they were eliminated.  In all, despite a great regular season and Oklahoma’s Final Four appearance, the postseason was somewhat disappointing for a league whose conference tournament semifinals looked stronger than most NCAA Tournament regionals.

This season should only feature one thing that is the same in the Big 12 and that is the team that will finish on top.  Kansas can and should tie UCLA’s record from 1967-79 by winning their 13th straight conference regular season title.  Beyond the Jayhawks, however, most of the conference’s top teams will be taking a step back as every team was hit hard by offseason player losses.  Iowa State and West Virginia appear to be the top challengers to Kansas, while teams like Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech may struggle just to be in contention for a postseason bid.  It will also be interesting watching how three new coaches affect the bottom half of the league, with Jamie Dixon taking over at TCU, Chris Beard at Texas Tech and Brad Underwood coming in at Oklahoma State.  Although the Big 12 may not have the power at the top (beyond Kansas) that it did last year, there looks to be a ton of parity in the league which should make things very exciting during conference play.

Predicted Order of Finish

1. Kansas – The Jayhawks are loaded again with Frank Mason III, Devonte’ Graham and the nation’s #1 recruit Josh Jackson in the backcourt.  Down low they have Carlton Bragg, Jr. and Landen Lucas back, plus add in Ole Miss transfer Dwight Coleby and freshman big man Udoka Azubuike.  This team may have lost a few of its best players (Perry Ellis and Wayne Selden, Jr. notably), but Bill Self’s squad should win the league again and will be a serious contender for the Final Four.

2. West Virginia – The Mountaineers will be tough to beat again with guards Jevon Carter, Daxter Miles, Jr., and Tarik Phillip all returning.  The questions marks will be in their frontcourt with scoring production and rebounding.

3. Iowa State – Even with three double-digit scorers gone, the Cyclones still have a ton of solid pieces, especially in the backcourt, where they are led by point guard Monte Morris, along with Naz Mitrou-Long, Matt Thomas and Deonte Burton.

4. Texas – All five starters are gone, but Shaka Smart has brought in a Top 10 recruiting class led by big men Jarrett Allen and James Banks, plus guard Andrew Jones.  The Longhorns may struggle early, but could be very dangerous by March.

5. Baylor – Even with Taurean Prince and Rico Gathers gone, the Bears have a lot of talent led by forward Jonathan Motley.  Scott Drew’s team will rely on Ishmail Wainwright, Al Freeman and Miami transfer Manu Lecomte to lead the backcourt.

6. Oklahoma – A step back is expected with Buddy Hield, Isaiah Cousins and Ryan Spangler all gone.  The Sooners will need Jordan Woodward, Khadeem Lattin and their newcomers to step up just to challenge for an NCAA Tournament bid this year.

7. Texas Tech – New head coach Chris Beard will rely heavily on transfers this year.  Junior college transfers Niem Stevenson and Shadell Millinghaus, Quinnipiac transfer Giovanni McLean, and Arkansas State transfer Anthony Livingston will all need to be key contributors if the Red Raiders want to succeed.  Even then, a serious lack of size down low could be the team’s undoing.

8. Oklahoma State – The Cowboys have a strong backcourt led by last year’s Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Jawun Evans, and the now-healthy Phil Forte III.  They are undersized down low, but new head coach Brad Underwood had a ton of success without a lot of size during his time at Stephen F. Austin.

9. Kansas State – Most of last year’s team is back, but the Wildcats struggles against Big 12 foes.  The team needs to improve vastly on the 226th nationally-ranked shooting percentage and 332nd nationally-ranked 3-point percentage if they want to move up in the standings.

10. TCU – It will take Jamie Dixon a little bit of time to grow this program, but there are enough pieces this year for the Horned Frogs to steal a few games, led by juniors Malique Trent and Vladimir Brodzlansky.

 

For the Big 12 Conference Preview Video Podcast – CLICK HERE

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Conference Preview: Big Ten

Posted on November 5, 2016 by Chad

CLICK HERE for all of the Hoops HD Preseason Articles, Interviews, and Conference Previews

BIG TEN

Eight times.  Since the NCAA started seeding teams, a 2 seed has faced a 15 seed 128 times and the 2s have won 120 games and lost only 8 times.  Unfortunately for the Michigan State Spartans, one of those 8 losses happened last season, when Tom Izzo’s team was upset by Middle Tennessee.  The loss particularly stung for the Spartans, as they were a veteran team that was good enough, at least on paper, to cut down the nets at the end of it all.  In fact, Michigan State’s loss helped open the door for 10th-seeded Syracuse to make an improbable Final Four run.  Purdue (5 seed) joined Michigan State as a first round upset loser, while two other Big Ten teams that got 5 seeds (Maryland and Indiana) advanced to the Sweet 16, along with 7 seed Wisconsin thanks to a last second win over 2-seed Xavier in the Round of 32.  Iowa (7 seed) lost in the Round of 32, while Michigan (11 seed) won a First Four game before falling in the Round of 64.  The most disappointing thing about the Big Ten last season was that the conference was done playing by the time the Elite Eight rolled around.  The second most disappointing thing may have been the under-performance of the Ohio State Buckeyes, a team with high preseason expectations that ended up in the NIT.

This year, the Big Ten has a very good chance to advance deeper than the Sweet 16, as Purdue, Indiana and Michigan State are all poised to return to the Big Dance, and Illinois and Ohio State both have chances to rebound off of last season’s disappointments.  A few other teams, notably including Maryland and Michigan, will be contending for tournament spots as well.  However, the conference’s top story starts and ends in Madison, Wisconsin, where Greg Gard starts his first full season as head coach of the Badgers after Bo Ryan’s mid-season retirement last December.  The Badgers, who struggled early in the year, came on strong down the stretch, turning an 1-4 Big Ten conference start into a 12-6 record and the eventual Sweet 16 berth.  Every player of note returns from last season’s squad, giving the Badgers a ton of veteran leadership.  Not only is Wisconsin the preseason favorite to capture the league title, it would not be a shock at all to see them playing on the final weekend in Glendale, Arizona at the Final Four.

Predicted Order of Finish

1. Wisconsin – Virtually everyone is back from last year’s Sweet 16 team.  Nigel Hayes and Ethan Happ will lead the way in the frontcourt, while Zak Showalter and Bronson Koenig help form a lethal backcourt (just ask Xavier fans).  This team could go very far.

2. Purdue – The point guard position will get some help with the addition of Michigan transfer Spike Albrecht.  The returnees in the frontcourt, however, will be the true standouts as Vincent Edwards, Caleb Swanigan and Isaac Hayes should all be major factors.

3. Indiana – Yogi Ferrell may be gone, but James Blackmon, Jr. is back healthy and Thomas Bryant passed on the NBA Draft to return for one more season.  They key to how well the Hoosiers perform could be Pittsburgh transfer point guard Josh Newkirk.

4. Michigan State – The Spartans lost a ton of scoring, but look for Eron Harris to become a standout player and Miles Bridges to lead one of the nation’s strongest freshman recruiting classes.  In the end, it is simply impossible to ever count out a Tom Izzo coached team.

5. Illinois – If Tracy Abrams, Malcolm Hill and Leron Black are able to stay healthy, the depth the team built without the three of them last year could really pay off.  The real player to watch will, once again, be Malcolm Hill, who has the ability to lead the team in almost every stat category that is out there, but hopefully will not have to do so again.

6. Ohio State – Only JaQuan Lyle returns from last year’s highly ranked five-man freshman recruiting class (the other four all having transferred).  The good news is that forward Jae’Sean Tate and guards Keita Bates-Diop and Marc Loving are back.  In the end, this season could end up being one of addition by subtraction.

7. Maryland – The Terps lost four double-digit scorers off of last year’s team, but they will remain dangerous this year due to the return of Melo Tremble.  Tremble’s stats went down last season from his freshman form, but if he is able to get his numbers back up, Maryland’s name could very well be called on Selection Sunday.  Keep an eye on freshman forward Justin Jackson as well.

8. Michigan – The five players that were starting for the Wolverines at the end of last season are all back, though star Caris LeVert, who was injured at the end, is gone.  This team’s success will depend on the play of Derrick Walton, Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman and Zak Irvin.  Freshman small forward Xavier Simpson could be the key to pushing them into the conference’s upper division.

9. Penn State – The Nittany Lions have a young roster featuring a pair of key Philadelphia recruits in guard Tony Carr and forward Lamar Stevens.  Junior Shep Garner may be the team’s top player this year, but as the young guys gain experience, Big Ten foes will need to watch out.  Next year could be a very good one in Happy Valley.

10. Iowa – Peter Jok has a chance to star for the Hawkeyes, but almost everyone else from last year’s NCAA Tournament team is gone.  Head coach Fran McCaffery has brought in a solid freshman recruiting class led by Tyler Cook, but this year looks to be a rebuilding one.

11. Northwestern – The combination of Bryant McIntosh at guard and a healthy Vic Law at small forward will keep the Wildcats competitive, but there doesn’t seem to be quite enough here for them to get that first-ever invite to the Big Dance.

12. Minnesota – It is hard to pick this team too high given that they only won 8 games last season, but there are a few solid pieces including freshman guard Amir Coffey, Milwaukee transfer Akeem Springs and returnees Nate Mason and Jordan Murphy.

13. Rutgers – New head coach Steve Pikiell does have a few solid pieces in place to start the rebuild in New Jersey, led by guards Corey Sanders, Mike Williams and Kansas State transfer Nigel Johnson.

14. Nebraska – This looks like a long season for Tim Miles’ team, especially after Andrew White III decided to transfer to Syracuse.  In order to have any success, the Huskers will need to rely heavily on guards Tai Webster and Glynn Watson, Jr.

 

To watch the Big Ten Preview Video Podcast – CLICK HERE

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Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews Notre Dame assistant coach Ryan Humphrey

Posted on November 4, 2016 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of the Hoops HD Preseason Articles, Interviews, and Conference Previews

We continue our 2016-17 season preview interview series with Notre Dame assistant coach Ryan Humphrey.  There are a variety of reasons that players switch colleges during their careers but few have done with as much success as Ryan did at both Oklahoma and Notre Dame.  He was an All-Big 12 player as a sophomore with the Sooners, then averaged a double-double as a senior in South Bend.  Humphrey’s commanding college career helped him become a 1st-round pick of Utah in the 2002 NBA Draft, followed by a very long pro basketball career overseas.  Last May head coach Mike Brey hired him to be 1 of his assistants…and Irish eyes have been smiling ever since.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Humphrey about being a McDonald’s All-American and making the game-winning shot in the NCAA tourney.

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In 1997 you were named a McDonald’s All-American in basketball as well as a Parade All-American as a tight end: which of your fellow hoops honorees impressed you the most (Shane Battier/Elton Brand/Lamar Odom/Baron Davis/Tracy McGrady/other), and which sport were you best at back in the day? It is hard to say which player impressed me the most because so many players from the class went on to the NBA. I think I am proudest of Earl Watson, who I used to play with while growing up in the Midwest. As far as my best sport, it depends on who you ask, but I think that choosing basketball was a fortunate decision for me.

In the 1999 NCAA tourney as a player at Oklahoma you scored 15 PTS including the game-winning tip-in toward the end of a 1-PT win over #4-seed Arizona: where does that rank among the highlights of your career, and do you think that you should have been called for goaltending? That was a big highlight for me. Growing up every kid who likes basketball wants to play in the NCAA tourney, and to win a game like that was very important for my confidence. The ref did not call goaltending so I guess it was not goaltending!

That spring you transferred to Notre Dame: why did you decide to switch schools, and what made you choose South Bend? I grew up in Tulsa and just needed a change of scenery. I knew that once I finished my playing career my Notre Dame degree would help me find a great situation.

In 2002 you led the Big East with 10.9 RPG, and your 2.8 career BPG is #1 in Notre Dame history: what is the secret to rebounding/shot-blocking? It was just timing. I was blessed with good timing and the refs do not want to call goaltending on every shot. I hope that my record is broken some day because it means that the next crop of big men here are defending the paint.

In the summer of 2002 you were drafted 19th overall by Utah (4 spots ahead of Tayshaun Prince) and then traded to Orlando: what did it mean to you to be drafted, and how did it feel to be traded the same day? It was surreal: I spent a lot of time in the gym when I was younger so it was nice to see my hopes and dreams come true. It was tough to get traded but great to play for Coach Doc Rivers: I later implemented some of his methods into my own coaching style.

Last May you were hired to work for your former coach Mike Brey: what makes him such a great coach, and what made your decision to join his staff such a “no-brainer”? I was working for Chris Collins at Northwestern and learned a lot while developing my craft. This is my alma mater and Coach Brey has put his imprint on the program. It is key to talk to 18-year old versions of my self and being in the ACC is great.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Colorado/Iowa/Villanova/Purdue: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? Night in and night out it is not about the other team: it is about our own team getting better. By the time we reach ACC play we will be able to face some adversity and then push through it.

You lost your top-2 scorers from last year in Demetrius Jackson/Zach Auguste: how are you going to try to replace all of that offense? We can replace the points but the key is for our veteran guys to replace their leadership. We have new guys stepping up at the point guard and center positions and I am excited to see who takes charge of those roles.

Your father Al played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and your brother Rod played football at Pitt: who is the best athlete in the family? Probably my twin sister: she is the most competitive/fiery 1 in the group.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? As a team we want to continue getting better. Coach Brey has established a program so we just want to represent the Notre Dame brand as 1 to be reckoned with in the ACC.

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The Hoops HD Report: Pac 12 Conference Preview

Posted on November 4, 2016 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE for all of the Hoops HD Preseason Articles, Interviews, and Conference Previews

Oregon won the Pac Twelve last year.  Oregon earned a #1 seed last year.  Oregon advanced to the Elite Eight last year.  Oregon returns their top six players, and adds some talented freshmen this year.  Oregon will be very good this year, at least that’s what the panel thinks.  Arizona is another team to watch despite being without some key players early on, and Cal and Colorado should be factors as well.  Check it out as they run through and assess all twelve teams. 

 

And for all you radio lovers, below is an mp3 version of the show…

 

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