Happy College Basketball Season!!! 2024-2025

Posted on October 13, 2024 by David Griggs

Folks, it’s finally here!! Well, sort of. Today, at 1pm, est, Northern Michigan will face off against Michigan State. It’s just an exhibition game, so it doesn’t count. And, it’s not likely to be a close or exciting game all. But, for the first time since last year’s national championship game between UConn and Purdue, two college basketball teams are playing against each other. So…

HAPPY COLLEGE BASKETBALL SEASON EVERYBODY!!!

There is another game tonight between Prairie View A&M and Sam Houston, which is a charity exhibition and would actually probably be a better game to watch, but so far as I know the only way to see it is to buy a ticket.

-For a list of all Exhibition Games – CLICK HERE

-For ALL of our Preseason Content, which we will be adding to almost every day between now and the start of the regular season – CLICK HERE

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Iowa State SO F Addy Brown

Posted on October 12, 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 Iowa State SO F Addy Brown, who talked about her great freshman year and her expectations for this season.

In the 2023 McDonald’s All-American Game you scored 5 PTS for the West in a 7-PT win over the East: which of your fellow honorees impressed you the most (Madison Booker/Hannah Hidalgo/JuJu Watkins/other)? I think Hannah impressed me quite a bit, as did MiLaysia Fulwiley: when she gets hot she cannot miss.

You were born/raised in Kansas and received scholarship offers from several great schools including Kansas State/TCU/Texas Tech: what made you choose Iowa State? I knew that I wanted to stay closer to home, at least in terms of driving distance. When I took my visit here, I saw that the culture/fan support was unmatched (for both the men/women). The coaching staff has been here 20+ years, so I felt comfortable knowing that they were not going anywhere.

You play for Coach Bill Fennelly: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him so far? He finds a way to keep us motivated, be it personal messages or meeting with us in person. He has had versatile players like me thrive in his offense, so he knows how to get the best out of his players.

As a freshman you were the only player on your team to start all 33 games: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I had to take myself out of the freshman mindset and just view myself as a college basketball player from day #1. Coach made it clear that I had to be ready to go for the team to succeed: there was no other option.

Last year you finished 2nd on the team in PPG and led the Cyclones in RPG/APG/MPG: how were you able to balance all the different aspects of your game? I just take it 1 game at a time and never look too far ahead. Some teams get so fixated on 1 specific matchup during the year but all we are worried about is our next opponent: I look at film and try to develop my skills.

You finished the season by being named All-Big 12 honorable mention: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It was very special. I started the year with no expectations, so it was cool to see that I could do that in a conference full of great players.

In the 2024 NCAA tourney you scored 5 PTS in a win over Maryland and scored 18 PTS in a loss to Stanford: what did you learn from your postseason run that you think will help you this season? I was a bit nervous against Maryland because it was my 1st March Madness game, but now I have the experience to know that it is not the end of the world if I make a turnover/miss a shot.

The Big 12 had several additions/subtractions this year: any thoughts on conference realignment? It is interesting to have a lot of new teams this year. We do not know a lot about their style of play yet, so we must be ready for that. However, I am not a huge fan of not being able to play everyone twice: now we will be traveling further and not playing as many games close to home.

Your parents Mike and Danika played college basketball, and your sister Kennedy played basketball at Duke/Oregon State: who is the best athlete in the family? I will have to say myself…because all of them would say themselves if you asked them!

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? I really want to win the conference: I think we can do that with the talent that is coming in. I want to get better at anything and everything and am looking forward to having another good year.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Ohio State SR G/F Taylor Thierry

Posted on October 11, 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 Ohio State SR G/F Taylor Thierry, who talked about facing her twin sister this December and her expectations for this season.

You were born/raised in Ohio: what made you choose Ohio State? I chose Ohio State because I wanted to stay close to home, attend a large university, and be part of a large community. My teammates and coaches also played a major role in my decision to attend Ohio State.

In the 2023 NCAA Tournament you had 11 PTS/4 STL in a win over UConn: what was it like to face Geno Auriemma and the Huskies in the postseason, and how big a deal was it to help the Buckeyes make their first Elite 8 appearance in 30 years? It was super-cool to face legendary coach Geno Auriemma and his team. I have a lot of respect for him as a coach and was excited to have the opportunity to play against UConn. Therefore, it was an even better feeling beating them to move forward to the Elite 8. Any game is a great win for the Buckeyes, but being able to make an appearance in the Elite 8 after 30 years was an unforgettable accomplishment that I hope we will have the opportunity to do again this season.

Your first regular season game last year was a loss to USC and your final regular season game last year was a loss at Iowa: where does Caitlin Clark (35 PTS/9 AST/3 STL) rank among the greatest players that you have ever faced and how far behind her is JuJu Watkins (32 PTS/6 REB/5 AST)? Caitlin is a generational player who has changed the game of basketball, so I have a lot of respect for her as a player and what she has done for the sport. I would say she is top-2 as far as the greatest or hardest players that I have faced or had to guard. Georgia Amoore is #1…but JuJu is not far behind her. She may not be shooting from the logo during every game, but she is an exceptional all-around player who has a bright future ahead of her.

You have a career 61.1 FG%: what is the key to being a great shooter? It is important to take the right shots and be confident in your ability to make shots. I also focus on not forcing any shots and just being patient and trusting our offense and my teammates to allow me to take great shots.

You only made 1-5 3PM (20%) as a FR but have made a combined 25-60 3PM (41.7%) during the past 2 years: do you think you should be allowed to take more since you have proved that you can make more? I was never “not allowed” to shoot threes. I just struggled with my confidence to MAKE threes, which is why I consistently avoided shooting them my freshman year…but I have always been capable of making threes. Moving forward, I want to continue to increase my confidence offensively and take the right shots, whether that includes a layup, three-pointer, or mid-range jumper.

You were named a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar in 2023 and Academic All-Big Ten in each of the past 2 years: how do you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? It is not easy, but I have done well at staying organized and communicating with my coaches/professors to ensure that I am staying on top of my work, especially when I must miss classes for games. I also focus on avoiding procrastination, which has helped me succeed academically.

The Big Ten added several new schools last summer: any thoughts on conference realignment? I thought the Big Ten was already a tough conference so adding these teams is only going to increase the competitiveness of the league. I am also excited for the new competition and think that it will be a different-but-exciting season for us.

Your late father John was selected 11th overall in the 1994 NFL Draft, your mother Elin played volleyball at Oklahoma, and your twin sister Haley plays basketball at Youngstown State: who is the best athlete in the family? I have to say we are all the best athletes in our family in our own different and unique ways. Obviously, I give all the credit for my athleticism and success as an athlete to my parents because I would not be in the position that I am today if it were not for them!

You host the Penguins on December 14th: will facing your twin sister be a dream or a nightmare or something in between? I am looking forward to it…but more so just viewing it as another game to try and win as a team. It has been an interesting experience playing college basketball without having her on my team, so playing against her just seems kind of off or weird to me, but I am excited for the competition of course and just the opportunity to play another game.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? Two of my biggest goals for this season are to win the Big Ten Tournament and then win a national championship. I have a lot of expectations for this upcoming season because of the high level of talent on the team and am just excited to continue to grow and improve as team and see what we will accomplish.

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Summit League Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 10, 2024 by David Griggs

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

SUMMIT LEAGUE MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Kansas City
  2. South Dakota State
  3. North Dakota State
  4. Saint Thomas
  5. Oral Roberts
  6. North Dakota
  7. South Dakota
  8. Omaha
  9. Denver

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SUMMIT LEAGUE 1ST TEAM:

-Kendall Blue – JR, G – Saint Thomas
-Jamar Brown – SR, G – Kansas City
-Treysen Eaglestaff – JR, G – North Dakota
-Amar Kuljuhovic – SR, F – North Dakota
-Isaac McBride – SR, G – Oral Roberts (Preseason Player of the Year)
-Kaleb Stewart – SR, G – South Dakota

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SUMMIT LEAGUE 2ND TEAM:

-Oscar Cluff – South Dakota State
-DeAndre Craig – Denver
-Kalen Garry – South Dakota State
-Marquel Sutton – Omaha
-Jacari White – North Dakota State

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Kansas City is the preseason favorites, and there is reason for the Roos to be at the top of the poll. Last year they had a rather unspectacular season, but they caught fire late and ended up winning their final six regular season games. With all five starters back, and considering how they looked at the end of the year, the expectations are high. In addition to the five returning starters, they also add a solid grad transfer and JUCO transfer, so it makes sense to pick them to win the league.

-It sounds a little crazy to say that a 1st-place finisher was a bit of a disappointment, but I really thought South Dakota State would play their way inside the bubble last year. This year, expectations are once again high (they always are) despite all five regular starters from a year ago being gone. Coach Eric Henderson has done a fantastic job since taking over five years ago, but I think this year they may struggle more than what we are used to seeing. They are very young and just do not seem to me like they will finish this far up the standings.

-North Dakota State had a below-average season a year ago, at least by their standards, and are looking to bounce back this year. They do return a couple of double-digit scorers and are adding some rather strong transfers. The Bison are a bit of a darkhorse pick for me (if you can even say that about a team that is picked to finish as high as 3rd).

-Saint Thomas is entering year #4 of their 5-year transition up from D-3, and in that time they have been surprisingly competitive. They won 20 games a year ago, which is pretty remarkable for a transitional team that plays in a conference as strong as the Summit League, and with two key players returning from a year ago we could see the Tommies make some noise again this year.

-Oral Roberts really struggled last year. It was one of their worst seasons in recent memory where they won just 9 D-1 games and finished the regular season losing 8 out of 9. Issac McBride is perhaps the best player in the conference, but he will need more help from his supporting cast if the Golden Eagles are going be competitive within the conference this year.

-North Dakota had one of their best seasons in recent memory last year with 19 total wins and a 2nd-place finish. Still, it will be hard for them to continue that momentum into this season as three of their key starters are gone, but they appear to be adding some solid players from NAIA schools. While I am not predicting them to finish 2nd again this year, I am a little surprised they are being picked to finish this low.

-We at HoopsHD have always had a soft spot for the Yotes!!! Unfortunately, us having a soft spot for them does not directly result in any success. They have struggled the last couple of years and will likely struggle again this year. Three starters do return, including Kaleb Stewart who is one of the better guards in the conference, and Paul Bruns is another double-digit scorer. That experience could result in a few more wins this year for South Dakota.

-Omaha has three starters back, appears to have a deep rotation, and will look to get some contributions from what appear to be some solid JUCO players. Still, the preseason polls were not too friendly to them. I do not think they will finish atop the league, but they should finish a little better than 8th.

-Last, and least, is Denver. They are expected to finish 9th and it is hard to disagree with that. Having said that, though…they did win 17 total games a year ago and made it all the way to the championship game, which is their best season in recent memory. With two starters back they probably will not be a team that everyone in the conference can just walk all over.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews San Francisco coach Chris Gerlufsen

Posted on October 10, 2024 by Jon Teitel

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

We are still about 4 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 San Francisco coach Chris Gerlufsen, who talked about the importance of analytics and his expectations for this season.

You were captain of the basketball team at Randolph-Macon where you made a pair of D-3 tourneys: how good a player were you back in the day, and what is the secret to being a good leader? In my own mind I was a much better player than I was, which is why I had some level of success. I was extremely confident/competitive and never backed down from a challenge. I like to think that I became a coach due to how I was as a player/leader. It is about being around the right kind of people when I was growing up.

Your father Ron was head coach at UMass: what impact did he have on your own decision to become a coach? I do not think that I ever had a choice to do anything else because it was in my blood: I was in the gym since before I could walk. Basketball was always my driving force: the coaches I had were great mentors/father-figures who taught me the game. Philadelphia is a special city for that: there is something in the water and it is a great place to grow up.

1 of your previous stops as an assistant coach was at Hartford: what was your reaction when the University’s Board of Regents voted to drop its athletic department down to D-3 back in 2021? That was really disappointing to see. I spent 8-9 years there and learned a lot from Dan Leibovitz (Note: Penn Class of 1996!)/John Gallagher. To see all the work that was put in to eventually make the 2021 NCAA tourney…and then drop down was sad to see, but it was a decision the administration thought was best for the school.

In the 2024 NIT Simas Lukosius made the game-winning 3-PT shot with 4 seconds left in a 1-PT OT win by Cincinnati: what did you team learn from that painful postseason loss that you think will help them this season? I have been reliving the last few minutes of that ever since our season ended. San Francisco has had a pretty good level of success over the past 7 years. It is a building block to where we want to go but we aspire to something greater. You must experience those hard times to learn what it takes to get it done.

You won 20+ games during each of your 1st 2 years at San Francisco: how have you been able to come in and be so successful right from the start? #1: we have really good players, which is a good starting point. We also have a solid/experienced staff: I am really thankful for the guys I come to work with every day. Winning is important to San Francisco, and after spending 24 years as an assistant coach I would not want to have changed my path. I was around some successful coaches, which prepared me for the opportunity to be a head coach when it presented itself.

You are known for having an analytically driven offensive system: how do you make it work so effectively? “Analytics” is 1 of the hottest words in the sport over the past several years. We spend a lot of time diving into stats to figure out what shots we want to take and who we want to take them. In year #1 we had 1 of the highest 3-PT rates in the country, but we scaled it back in year #2 based on our personnel. We adjust year to year, but the analytics dictate some of what we do on offense.

While you have many players from California your roster also includes guys from 6 foreign countries (Australia/China/England/Estonia/Georgia/Greece): what sort of recruiting philosophy do you have? We do not care where we must go to find players: we want to find the best players who fit what we do. Everyone on our staff has had a good experience recruiting internationally, and this is a great city for that. Kids from abroad feel comfortable here and our style of play fits well with Europeans. We also have players from all over the country, such as Marcus Williams from Texas.

You had a birthday last month: what did you do for the big day? Not much: we had a team workout. As you get older you want birthdays to fly under the radar, so I think I just tuned into the Falcons-Eagles game on Monday Night Football.

The WCC has been in the news a lot this year: any thoughts on conference realignment? It is kind of the world we are living in now. It was driven by football but is now trickling down to basketball…and we are right in the middle of it. Gonzaga just announced they are leaving the WCC, and I would anticipate some more movement before things settle in as schools jockey for position.

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? The expectation is to continue to move the program forward, which we have done a solid job of during the past 2 years. After making the NIT last year we will chase an NCAA tourney appearance this year. We are excited for the challenge/journey…but it is a long season.

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Metro Atlantic Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 9, 2024 by David Griggs

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

METRO ATLANTIC MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Quinnipiac
  2. Marist
  3. Iona
  4. Fairfield
  5. Saint Peter’s
  6. Merrimack
  7. Rider
  8. Niagara
  9. Siena
  10. Manhattan
  11. Mount Saint Mary’s
  12. Canisius
  13. Sacred Heart

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-MAAC 1ST TEAM:

-Dejour Reaves – SR, G – Iona
-Josh Pascarelli – SO, G – Marist
-Adam “Budd” Clark – SO, G – Merrimack
-Savion Lewis – SR, G – Quinnipiac
-Amarri Monroe – JR, F – Quinnipiac (Preseason Player of the Year)

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-MAAC 2ND TEAM:

-Deon Perry – JR, G – Fairfield
-James “Biggie” Patterson – JR, G/F – Iona
-Shaquil Bender – SR, G – Manhattan
-Jadin Collins-Roberts – SO, G – Marist
-Paul Otieno – SR, F – Quinnipiac
-Major Freeman – JR, G – Siena

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-MAAC 3RD TEAM:

-Clarence Rupert – SR, F – Iona
-Jaden Winston – SO, G – Manhattan
-Dola Adebayo – JR, F – Mount Saint Mary’s
-Tanner Thomas – JR, F – Sacred Heart
-Marcus Randolph – SR, G – Saint Peter’s
-Mouhamed Sow – JR, F – Saint Peter’s

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Quinnipiac was the 1st place team a year ago, and Coach Tom Pecora did a fantastic job in his first year. With three starters back, including Savion Lewis and Amarri Monroe, they are the sensible choice for a first-place finisher again this year. This is a program that has been on an upward trajectory in recent years, and I think that will continue into this season. They are a fun team to watch!

-Marist has high expectations this year with three starters returning from a team that looked pretty good in the second half of conference play a season ago. Josh Pascarelli is a double-digit scorer who can shoot from the outside and gives the Red Foxes some strength out on the perimeter. I do not know if they will finish quite as high as 2nd, but I do think they look good this year.

-Iona lost all their starters from a year ago, and while Coach Tobin Anderson is certainly proven, it is never easy to assess a team that has so many new players. They are a very transfer-heavy team, and while they appear to have some solid pieces, especially with Dejour Reeves (who was a standout player at Northern Colorado a season ago), and while I think they have the potential to be really good, it is still hard to say how guys will play together that have not played together before.

-Coach Chris Casey had a great debut at Fairfield last year, winning 24 total games and finishing 2nd in the league. It was the best season in recent memory for the Stags. They are losing three starters, but are adding 1 very solid transfer in Deon Perry (who was a standout player at Loyola MD a year ago), and adding another grad transfer in Kyle Jenkins. I really like this Fairfield team and think they can make a run at a first place finish.

-Saint Peter’s lost three of their starters from a year ago, but have added some really nice pieces from the transfer portal and should be able to hit the ground running and finish in the top half of the conference without too much trouble. Marcus Randolph and Mouhamed Sow both received preseason honors and will be guys that the Peacocks depend on this year.

-Merrimack makes their Metro Atlantic debut after leaving the NEC. They managed 21 wins last year and advanced to the NEC Championship game. The competition in the MAAC will be a little stronger, and with just two starters back there could be a bit of a transitional phase before we start seeing them at the top of the standings. They were recently a transitional program and during that time proved that they are ready for D-1. Adam “Budd” Clark and Devon Savage make up what should be a more than capable backcourt for the Warriors.

-Rider won each of their final seven regular season games a year ago, which earned them a tie for 3rd in the standings. Two key starters are back, and they also add Jay Alvarez, who was a standout player at Houston Christian. They are adding a couple of decent JUCO transfers as well. I kind of think they’re being undervalued in the preseason poll seeing that they are picked as low as 7th.

-Niagara’s entire starting lineup is gone from a year ago. Like many programs, they were gutted by the portal and are basically having to start from scratch. It is hard to say what kind of pieces they will have this season.

-Up until recently, it seemed like Siena was one of the stronger programs in the conference. Last year, they had just four total wins, and this year none of their starters are back. That may be a good thing for new coach Gerry McNamara, who clearly has his work cut out for him.

-Manhattan struggled last season, but there is reason to be optimistic that we may see some improvement this year. Brett Rumpel was unable to play the majority of last year due to injury, so just having him back in addition to two other returning starters should mean a few more wins for the Jaspers this year.

-Mount Saint Mary’s has a new head coach in Donny Lind, and he could be in for a rough start. Expectations are rather low: they were a modest 9-11 in league play last year, and several key pieces are gone.

-Jim Christian takes over as head coach at Canisius, which is a fantastic hire. Unfortunately for him, they do not have a whole lot in the way of personnel. I think he will do well as head coach, but they could be in for a long year this year.

-Sacred Heart is another team that is in their first year of MAAC play after being long-time members of the NEC. And, the expectations are…well…not great. Tanner Thomas is a solid player, but he will need some help from his supporting cast if the Pioneers are going to have any success this year.

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