Exhibition Games Start This Week – Previews Will Also Resume This Week

Posted on October 23, 2016 by John Stalica

Regulation games for each season officially begin on the second Friday in November.  Teams are now allowed to begin practice 42 days before the start of the season, and in that time they are allowed to play two exhibition games that do not count as regular season games.  For these games, teams have two options.  They can have a three hour closed scrimmage with another Div-1 team, or they can have a regulation game that is open to the public against another college team that is outside of Div-1 (i.e. Div-2, Div-3 or NAIA).  Some schools will opt for two closed scrimmages.  Some schools will opt for two open exhibition games.  Some will opt for one of each.

Below is a list of this year’s exhibition games that are open to the public.  All times are Eastern.

Not only do the exhibitions start on Tuesday, but Chad Sherwood will resume his conference previews tomorrow. Also be on the lookout for preseason podcasts which will debut this week!

Tuesday, October 25th

-Carroll College @ Idaho, 9 PM

Wednesday, October 26th

-Eckerd College @ Florida, 7 PM
-Southern New Orleans @ Southeast Louisiana, 8 PM – Live Stats

Thursday, October 27th

-Southeastern University @ Florida State, 7 PM
-Keiser @ Drexel, 7 PM
-Northwood @ Michigan State, 7 PM – BTN Plus
-Arkansas Monticello @ Arkansas State, 8 PM- EAS Red Wolves Sports Network

Friday, October 28th

-Virginia State @ Duke, 7 PM
-Bemidji State @ Northern Iowa, 8 PM – ESPN3
-Central Missouri @ Arkansas, 8 PM
-Shorter University @ Jacksonville State, 8 PM
-Pittsburg State @ Kansas State, 8 PM – Fox Sports Kansas City
-Lewis-Clark State @ Boise State, 9 PM

Saturday, October 29th

-Wabash @ Butler, 2 PM
-Husson @ Maine, 2 PM
-Cal State Los Angeles @ Cal State Northridge, 5 PM – Live Stats
-West Virginia Tech vs. West Virginia, 6 PM (neutral site game played in Beckley, WV)
-Wayne State-MI @ Detroit, 7 PM
-Carleton @ Providence, 7 PM
-Quebec-Montreal @ Vermont, 7 PM
-Master’s College @ Southern Utah, 8:30 PM
-Seattle Pacific @ BYU, 9 PM – Cougar IMG Sports Network
-Multnomah @ Portland, 10 PM

Sunday, October 30th

-New Haven @ Connecticut, 1 PM
-Washington University @ Illinois, 3 PM – BTN Plus
-Southeastern Oklahoma State @ UTEP, 3 PM – Live Video
-Saint Martin’s @ Eastern Washington, 5 PM
-Wisconsin-Platteville @ Wisconsin, 6 PM
-Clarion @ Kentucky, 7 PM – SEC Network

Monday, October 31st

-Baruch @ St. John’s, 7 PM

Tuesday, November 1st

-Randolph @ Elon, TBA
-Hope College @ Indiana, 7 PM – BTN Plus
-Mercy @ Notre Dame, 7 PM
-Southern Indiana @ Purdue, 7 PM – BTN Plus
-Indiana-PA @ Syracuse, 7 PM
-Thomas More @ Austin Peay, 8PM – Video
-Indiana Tech @ Green Bay, 8 PM
-Auburn-Montgomery @ Alabama State, 8 PM
-Washburn @ Kansas, 8 PM – ESPN3 (JayhawkTV)
-Pittsburg State @ Oklahoma State, 8 PM – Fox Sports Southwest Plus
-Campbellsville @ Western Kentucky, 8 PM
-Dakota Wesleyan @ UNLV, 9 PM
-College of Idaho @ Arizona, 10 PM- Pac Twelve Networks
-Cal State San Bernardino @ Fresno State, 10 PM
-Pacific Union @ San Jose State, 10:30 PM
-Master’s University @ UCLA, 10:30 PM – Pac 12 Los Angeles

Wednesday, November 2nd

-Bellarmine @ Cincinnati, TBA – BearcatsTV
-Barry @ Miami-FL, 7 PM
-Saginaw Valley State @ Michigan State, 7 PM – BTN Plus
-Virginia State @ Old Dominion, 7 PM
-Belmont Abbey @ Presbyterian, 7 PM
-Cedarville @ Wright State, 7 PM
-Southeastern Oklahoma @ Oral Roberts, 8 PM – Video
-Angelo State @ Texas, 8 PM
-Oklahoma Christian @ Tulsa, 8 PM
-LSU Alexandria @ Southeast Louisiana, 8 PM – Live Stats
-Southern Virginia @ Idaho State, 9 PM – 102.5 KMGI Pocatello
-Whitworth @ Montana, 9 PM
-Western New Mexico @ New Mexico, 9 PM
-Concordia Moorhead @ North Dakota State, 9 PM – MidcoSN
-Johnson & Wales @ Northern Colorado, 9 PM – WatchBigSky

Thursday, November 3rd

-West Virginia State @ Marshall, 6 PM
-Rose-Hulman @ Indiana State, 7 PM
-Ulndy @ Ball State, 7 PM
-Stonehill @ Boston College, 7 PM
-Lander @ Clemson, 7 PM
-Merrimack @ Fairleigh Dickinson, 7 PM
-Fort Valley State @ Georgia, 7 PM – SEC Network Plus (WatchESPN)
-Morehouse @ Ole Miss, 7 PM – SEC Network Plus (WatchESPN)
-Slippery Rock @ Tennessee, 7 PM – SEC Network Plus (WatchESPN)
-Berry @ Murray State, 7 PM – OVC Digital Network
-MIT @ Harvard, 7 PM – Ivy League Digital Network
-Assumption @ Holy Cross, 7 PM
-LaGrange College @ Savannah State, 7 PM
-Lees-McRae @ Georgia Southern, 7 PM
-Capital @ IPFW, 7 PM – Live Stats
-Kentucky Wesleyan @ Louisville, 7 PM – ACC Network Plus
-Voldosta State @ Florida State, 7 PM
-Lynn @ NC State, 7 PM – GoPack.com
-Southern Arkansas @ Louisiana Tech, 7:30 PM
-Jon Hopkins @ Loyola MD, 7:30 PM – Video
-Faulkner @ Alabama, 8 PM- SEC Network Plus (WatchESPN)
-Bemidji State @ Minnesota, 8 PM – BTN Plus
-Mississippi College @ Southern Miss, 8 PM
-Spring Hill @ Jacksonville State, 8 PM
-West Florida @ Louisiana Lafayette, 8 PM
-Missouri Saint Louis @ Southern Illinois, 8pm – ESPN3
-Auburn Montgomery @ Troy, 8 PM
-Loyola-New Orleans @ Tulane, 8 PM
-Carroll College @ Washington State, 8 PM
-Fisk @ Tennessee State, 8 PM – Live Stats
-Lincoln Christian @ Western Illinois, 8 PM
-Lindenwood @ UAB, 8:30 PM
-North Alabama @ Middle Tennessee, 8:30 PM
-Adams State @ Grand Canyon, 9 PM
-Chadron State @ Wyoming, 10 PM – Video
-UC San Diego @ San Diego State, 10 PM
-Pacific Union @ Sacramento State, 10 PM
-Western Washington @ Washington, 10 PM
-South Dakota Mines @ South Dakota State, 10:30 PM

Friday, November 4th 

-Missouri Western State @ Texas Tech, TBA
-Queens (NC) @ VCU, TBA
-North Greenville @ The Citadel, 3 PM
-Capital @ Bowling Green, 5 PM
-Lock Haven @ Penn State, 6 PM
-Alvernia @ Central Connecticut State, 7 PM
-Covenant @ Chattanooga, 7 PM
-Allen @ College of Charleston, 7 PM
-Belmont Abbey @ Davidson, 7 PM
-Findlay @ Dayton, 7 PM – Audio Link
-Bridgeport @ Fairfield, 7 PM
-Saint Joseph’s IN @ IUPUI, 7 PM – Live Stats
-Georgia Southwestern @ Kennesaw State, 7 PM
-Armstrong State @ Michigan, 7 PM – BTN Plus
-Virginia Wesleyan @ Old Dominion, 7 PM
-USC Aiken @ Georgia State, 7 PM – Twitter Channel
-Bob Jones @ Furman, 7 PM
-Farmingdale State @ Stony Brook, 7 PM
-Piedmont International @ Wake Forest, 7 PM
-UNC-Pembroke @ North Carolina, 7:30 PM
-Huston-Tillotson E @ Stephen F Austin, 7:30 PM – ESPN3
-Emporia State @ Arkansas, 8 PM
-Sewanee @ Austin Peay, 8 PM – Video
-Wayne State @ Creighton, 8 PM – 1620 AM Omaha
-Augustana @ Duke, 8 PM
-Lewis @ Illinois, 8 PM – BTN Plus
-Regis @ Iowa, 8 PM – BTN Plus
-Wilmington College @ Northern Kentucky, 8 PM
-Illinois-Springfield @ Northwestern, 8 PM – BTN Plus
-Central Missouri @ Missouri, 8 PM – SEC Network Plus (WatchESPN)
-Greenville @ Saint Louis, 8 PM
-Mobile @ South Alabama, 8 PM
-Saint Edwards @ Texas A&M, 8 PM – SEC Network Plus (WatchESPN)
-Texas Tyler @ UTRGV, 8 PM – Live Stats
-Daemen @ Buffalo, 8:30 PM
-La Verne @ Southern Utah, 8:30 PM
-Colorado Christian @ Air Force, 9 PM
-New Mexico Highlands @ UNLV, 9 PM
-Montevallo @ Auburn, 9 PM- Audio Link
-Rockhurst @ DePaul, 9 PM
-Lewis-Clark State College @ Idaho, 9 PM
-Washburn @ Kansas State, 9 PM – Fox Sports Kansas City
-Montana Western @ Montana State, 9 PM
-Eastern New Mexico @ New Mexico, 9 PM
-Southern Virginia @ Utah State, 9 PM
-Sonoma State @ LMU, 10 PM – The W TV
-San Francisco State @ Nevada, 10 PM
-Corban @ Oregon State, 10 PM
-Bristol @ Pacific, 10 PM – Live Stats
-Evergreen State @ Portland, 10 PM
-Linfield @ Portland State, 10:30 PM

Saturday, November 5th

-Washington & Lee @ Radford, TBA
-Maine-Fort Kent @ Maine, TBA (30 minutes after Maine’s football game)
-Southeastern Oklahoma State @ Texas State, TBA
-IUP @ Villanova, 12 PM
-Southern Connecticut State @ Connecticut, 1 PM
-Slippery Rock @ Central Michigan, 1:30 PM
-Penn State-Behrend @ Youngstown State, 1:30 PM
-Henderson State @ Arkansas State, 2 PM- EAS Red Wolves Sports Network
-Mansfield @ Duquesne, 2 PM
-Carleton @ La Salle, 2 PM
-Rockhurst @ Marquette, 2 PM – TWC Sports Channel Wisconsin
-Catawba @ Maryland, 2 PM – Live Audio
-Rio Grande @ Ohio, 2 PM
-Ohio Dominican @ Toledo, 2:30 PM
-Concordia Wisconsin @ Milwaukee, 3 PM
-Kalamazoo College @ Western Michigan, 3 PM
-Augusta @ Wichita State, 3 PM – COX
-Alaska-Fairbanks @ UTEP, 3 PM – Live Video
-Mars Hill @ East Tennessee State, 4 PM – Live Stats
-Judson @ Illinois-Chicago, 4 PM
-Pittsburgh-Johnstown @ Pittsburgh, 4 PM
-Bloomsburg @ Rider, 4 PM
-Hood @ Mount Saint Mary’s, 4 PM
-Alfred @ St. Bonaventure, 4 PM
-Ferris State @ Xavier, 4 PM
-Hampden-Sydney @ Longwood, 5 PM
-Tougaloo @ Mississippi Valley State, 5 PM
-Sonoma State @ UC-Irvine, 5 PM – Live Video
-Missouri S&T @ UMKC, 5 PM
-Northwest Christian @ Boise State, 6 PM
-Concordia @ Drake, 6 PM
-Virginia State @ Norfolk State, 6 PM
-Saginaw Valley State @ Butler, 7 PM
-Bellarmine @ Indiana, 7 PM – BTN Plus
-Cal Tech @ Long Beach State, 7 PM
-Montreat @ UNC-Asheville, 7 PM
-St. Michael’s @ Vermont, 7 PM
-Black Hills State @ Weber State, 7 PM
-Shorter @ Georgia Tech, 7:30 PM – 91.1 FM Atlanta
-UNC-Pembroke @ Houston, 8 PM
-McKendree @ SIU Edwardsville, 8 PM – Video
-Our Lady of the Lake @ Rice, 8 PM
-Missouri Baptist @ Missouri State, 8 PM
-Concordia @ TAMUCC, 8 PM – Live Stats
-Hillsdale @ Valparaiso, 8:30 PM
-St. Martin’s @ Cal State Fullerton, 9 PM – Live Stats
-West Georgia @ Gonzaga, 9 PM
-Kentucky Wesleyan @ Western Kentucky, 9 PM
-Life Pacific @ Santa Clara, 10:30 PM

Sunday, November 6th

-Charleston-WV @ Marshall, 2 PM
-Mount Olive @ UNC Wilmington, 2 PM
-Georgetown College @ Eastern Kentucky, 2 PM
-Cincinnati Christian @ Morehead State, 2 PM
-UW La Crosse @ Bradley, 3 PM
-Walsh @ Ohio State, 4 PM –BTN Plus
-Quincy @ Illinois State, 4 PM – ESPN3
-Newberry @ South Carolina, 4 PM – SEC Network Plus (WatchESPN)
-Fresno Pacific @ UC Santa Barbara, 4 PM
-Eureka College @ Eastern Illinios, 4 PM
-Cal State East Bay @ San Jose State, 5 PM
-Cal State Chico @ Arizona, 7 PM- Pac Twelve Networks
-Sioux Falls @ Iowa State, 7 PM – Cyclones.TV
-Asbury @ Kentucky, 7 PM – SEC Network
-Emporia State @ Kansas, 8 PM – ESPN3 (JayhawkTV)

Monday, November 7th

-Ryerson @ Canisius, 6 PM
-Ferris State @ Detroit, 7 PM
-Point University @ Georgia State, 7 PM – Twitter Channel
-Bellarmine @ Louisville, 7 PM – ACC Network Extra
-Barton @ NC State, 7 PM – GoPack.com
-Catholic @ Notre Dame, 7 PM
-Grand Valley State @ Oakland, 7 PM
-Nova Southeastern @ South Florida, 7 PM – 1040 AM Tampa
-Christian Brothers @ Memphis, 7:30 PM
-Missouri S&T @ Southeast Missouri State, 7:30 PM
-Armstrong State @ Savannah State, 8PM
-Chadron State @ Nebraska, 8 PM – BTN Plus
-Reinhardt @ LSU, 8 PM – SEC Network Plus (Watch ESPN)
-Louisiana College @ Louisiana Monroe, 8 PM
-Champion Christian @ Prairie View A&M, 8 PM
-Huntingdon College @ Alabama State, 8PM
-William Carey @ Southern Miss, 8 PM
-Arkansas Tech @ Texas-San Antonio, 8 PM
-Northeastern State @ Tulsa, 8 PM
-Transylvania @ UT Martin, 8:30 PM
-Western State Colorado @ Utah Valley, 9 PM
-Northwest Christian @ Oregon, 10 PM – Pac Twelve Networks
-Cal State San Marcos @ San Diego State, 10 PM

Tuesday, November 8th

-Methodist @ Appalachian State, 7 PM
-Tiffin @ Cleveland State, 7 PM
-Le Moyne @ Syracuse, 7 PM
-Washburn @ Oklahoma, 8 PM
-Regis @ Colorado State, 9 PM

Wednesday, November 9th

-BYU-Hawai’i @ BYU, 9 PM – Cougar IMG Sports Network
-Master’s University @ CSU Bakersfield, 10 PM – Live Stats

TEAMS NOT PLAYING OPEN EXHIBITION GAMES:  Abilene Christian, Akron, Alabama A&M, Albany, Alcorn State, American, Arizona State, Arkansas-Little Rock, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Army, Baylor, Belmont, Bethune-Cookman, Binghamton, Boston U, Brown, Bryant, Bucknell, California, UC Davis, UC Riverside, Cal Poly, Campbell, Central Arkansas, Central Florida, Charleston Southern, Charlotte, Chicago State, Colgate, Colorado, Columbia, Coppin State, Cornell, Dartmouth, Delaware, Delaware State, Denver, East Carolina, Eastern Michigan, Evansville, Florida A&M, Florida Atlantic, Florida Gulf Coast, Florida International, Fordham, Gardner-Webb, Georgetown, George Mason, George Washington, Grambling, Hampton, Hartford, Hawai’i, High Point, Hofstra, Houston Baptist, Howard, Incarnate Word, Iona, Jackson State, Jacksonville, James Madison, Kent State, Lafayette, Lamar, Lehigh, Liberty, Lipscomb, LIU Brooklyn, Loyola Chicago, Manhattan, Marist, Maryland-Baltimore County, Maryland-Eastern Shore, Massachusetts, McNeese State, Mercer, Mississippi State,, UMass-Lowell, Miami-OH, Monmouth, Morgan State, Navy, New Hampshire, New Mexico State, New Orleans, NJIT, Niagara, Nicholls, Northeastern, Northern Arizona, North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central, North Dakota, North Florida, Northern Illinois, North Texas, Northwestern State, Omaha, Pennsylvania, Pepperdine, Princeton, Quinnipiac, Rhode Island, Richmond, Robert Morrs, Rutgers, Sacred Heart, Samford, Saint Francis Brooklyn, Saint Francis University, Saint Joseph’s, Saint Mary’s, Saint Peter’s, Sam Houston, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Seton Hall, Siena, South Carolina State, South Carolina Upstate, South Dakota, Southern, Southern Methodist, Stanford, Stetson, TCU, Temple, Tennessee Tech, Texas Arlington, Texas Southern, Towson, UNC Greensboro, USC, Utah, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Virginia Tech, VMI, Wagner, William & Mary, Western Carolina, Winthrop, Wofford, Yale

Posted in News and Notes | Comments Off on Exhibition Games Start This Week – Previews Will Also Resume This Week

Bracket Projections: Friday, October 21st

Posted on October 21, 2016 by David Griggs

Okay folks, this is it!!  Selection Sunday is less than six months away!!  We are down to crunch time!!

Posted by John Stalica…

The bracket below represents a combination of the preseason USA Today Top 25 poll and other under-the-radar conferences that have announced their preseason picks to win their respective conferences.  For conferences that haven’t made their selections yet, we took the highest rated team from the comprehensive 1-351 list from CBSSports.com (click here).  We will also update the bracket when we get the preseason AP Top 25 Poll and will update in the event that a preseason pick to win a conference is not listed below.  If you’re also wondering why the Midwest Region says 31 and the other regions say 35, that is the total composite score of the top 4 seeds of each region (a variance of up to 5 is permitted).

Editor’s Note – The East and the West Regions should be paired up together since Duke is the #1 overall team and Kentucky is #4. As for the Midwest and South Regions, Kansas is #2 overall and Villanova is currently #3 overall.

Why did we do this??  Well, we got sick of just having a blank BRACKETOLOGY PAGE that’s why!!

10-20-16-show-bracket-part-1

10-20-16-show-bracket-part-2

 

 

*Also note that the bracketing rules dictate that the Michigan/Pittsburgh play-in game had to be flipped with Chattanooga. Not only could Maryland and Michigan could not play in the first round, we couldn’t resist a potential first-round Backyard Brawl!

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Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews Georgia State assistant coach Ray McCallum

Posted on October 19, 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 Georgia State assistant coach Ray McCallum.  As a player at Ball State in the 1980s he graduated as the all-time leading scorer in MAC history.  If you want the inside scoop on the Big 10 then he is your man, having been an assistant at Wisconsin/Michigan/Indiana.  He also has 300 wins on his resume as head coach at Ball State/Houston/Detroit.  This offseason he switched school and moved farther down the bench after becoming an assistant to Panthers head coach Ron Hunter.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach McCallum about his son’s blossoming NBA career and his team’s summer trip to the Dominican Republic. 

ray

You won a pair of Indiana state titles at Muncie Central High School and were named MVP of the 1979 state title game after scoring 18 PTS: was it extra-special to beat your archrival Anderson to win the title? It was very special because they were in our conference and had beaten us earlier in the year. We were the defending state champions and the 2 schools were only 19 miles apart so it was a huge rivalry. We also played in 2 of the best venues in the state of Indiana. The Fieldhouse (where I played) seated about 5,000 and the Anderson Wigwam seated about 7,000. It was a big deal and kind of like bragging rights for not only the state but within both communities as well.

At Ball State you were named MAC ROY/POY/conference tourney MVP: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? The individual awards were great but coming in off a state championship was the ultimate for me. The thing that I am proudest of is having my number retired at Ball State, but the thing that is most important to me was winning the MAC tournament title and going to the NCAA tournament. To be a part of the school’s 1st NCAA tournament team in 13 years and representing Ball State was my biggest highlight.

You also won the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award as the best senior in the nation under 6’: did you consider your size to be an advantage or disadvantage on the court? I was one of those guys who was under 6’ tall but I never looked at myself as being under 6’: I think I played bigger and was quicker then my opponents. I could jump and was very athletic, which was an advantage for me. I knew heading into the NBA Draft that it would be used against me, but when I stepped onto the floor I felt as though I was as big as anybody.

You graduated as the all-time leading scorer in MAC history with 2109 PTS: what is the secret to being a great scorer? I developed into a great scorer: I was a small player but I used my fundamentals. I was a sound player who could use both hands as well as my speed/quickness/jumping ability. I also felt that I could shoot with range, which helped a lot. I was a good shooter who defenses had to respect. I worked hard on my shooting and shot 50 FG% for my career. I think that my consistency helped as well: in 116 career games I think I scored in double figures 109 times. I credit that to fundamentals and the work ethic that I had.

As head coach at Ball State in January of 2000 you had back-to-back triple-OT losses on the road: how were you able to bounce back from that to win each of your 3 conference tourney games that March by 3 PTS or less? I talk a lot about eliminating mistakes and then learning from them. We used those losses as learning experiences and talked about them a lot: the key was eliminating mistakes. In the Mid-American Conference and other schools at the mid-major level there is a very fine line between winning and losing. We really used those games to our advantage later in the year.

Your son Ray Jr. played for you at Detroit before making it to the NBA: what was it like to coach him, and how proud are you of all of his success? I was very proud that he came to play for me. The 3 best years I have had as a coach were when I got to coach him. I am really happy that he made the decision to come and play for me. With that said, there was a lot of pressure/expectations because he was coming in as a McDonald’s All-American and being recruited by everyone. I have a lot of respect for him because it is not only hard on the coach but it is also hard on the kid when all eyes are on you. When you turn down premier programs in the country to go to a place that had not been to the tournament in 13 years, it is a lot to ask for a young man who will obviously take the credit or the blame. It was a special time and he is now battling as he goes into his 4th year in the NBA. In my mind he made it even if he did not put in the years he has had so far.

You currently work as an assistant to Coach Ron Hunter: how have you been able to make the transition time and again between head coach and assistant coach? In my 32 years as a coach I have been a head coach for 19 years and an assistant coach for 13 years. I thought that I was a good assistant because I always understood that my agenda was whatever the head coach wanted us to get done. I think that is the job of an assistant: you have to understand that and then do what is best for the program. What better way to get back to being an assistant than working for a great friend in Coach Hunter. I am happy to be a part of his staff and to work with him.

You have several transfers on your roster (from Alabama/Indiana/Murray State/Samford/St. Bonaventure): what is the key to having everyone come together and bond as a team? I think that the character of the guys is the most important. We have the high-major guys who have transferred and come here because of Coach Hunter and his program. To be a part of the program you have to meet a certain criteria. Those young men have met his criteria: high character levels and good hearts. They just want an opportunity and I think that each of them will make the most of it.

Speaking of bonding, what did your team get out of its trip to the Dominican Republic in August? It was truly a bonding trip: there was no basketball involved. It was a mission of service and I think that it helped each coach/player learn about each other and the art of giving back and helping each other. We just became a closer staff/team because it was about emotion/teamwork/spirit and all of the other important things in life.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? As coaches we always prepare for victory. We are going to prepare for Game #1 just as hard as we prepare for the Sun Belt tournament: with a plan to win. As coaches you want your guys to be continually growing/maturing as the team gets better. For us it is all about the end of the season so we want to be playing our best basketball in February/March.

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Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews Iowa SO PF Ahmad Wagner

Posted on October 17, 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 Iowa SO PF Ahmad Wagner.  He only scored 83 PTS as a freshman but that was not a reflection of his scoring ability: rather, it is hard to get your hands on the ball when 4 of your team’s top-5 scorers are seniors.  Fortunately his high school career was about a lot more than scoring baskets in America: he played basketball in Italy for 1 year, he helped lead his high school football team to the state title game as a wide receiver, and he even ran the anchor leg on the 4×100 relay team that placed fourth at the state track meet.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Ahmad about the rollercoaster that was conference play and winning an NCAA tourney game at the buzzer.

wagner2

In high school you were a 1st-team all-state WR and ran the anchor leg on the 4×100 relay team that placed 4th at the state track meet: which sport are you best at, and which sport do you enjoy the most? I played a lot of sports growing up but I enjoy basketball the most.

You play for Coach Fran McCaffery: what makes him such a great coach, and what is the most important thing that you have ever learned from him? I have only played for him 1 year so far but I have already learned a lot and keep learning more and more each day. I appreciate him a lot.

You played in 32 games as a freshman: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? Coach told me what I needed to do to come in and play right away: rebound, defend, and be a team player. I kept improving and kept getting more minutes, which allowed me to have a positive impact on the game.

Last year your team started 10-1 in conference play before losing 5 of your final 7 regular season games: what was the biggest reason for the turnaround? I cannot pinpoint 1 thing but we have recently talked about trying to get the fire back. At the start of the year we were the hunter but by the end of the year we were the hunted.

In the 2016 Big 10 tourney you played 6 minutes in a 2-PT loss to Illinois: how on earth did the Illini overcome an 11-PT deficit in the final 3 minutes? They played hard and were a good team. The fact is that we lost that 1, so it is on us.

Take me through the 2016 NCAA tourney:
You scored 2 PTS and Adam Woodbury made a put-back at the buzzer in a 2-PT OT win over Temple: what was your reaction like after you saw the ball go through the hoop? I was ecstatic. If you watch the video you can see our whole team jumping for joy! It was amazing and we were all happy for Adam, who is a great guy.

You scored 2 PTS in a loss to eventual champion Villanova: what did you learn from that loss that you think can help you this year? We need to start every game hard and come out ready to attack. I think we started that game drowsy/methodical and fell into a hole that we could not dig ourselves out of.

You shot 68 FG%: what is the key to being a great shooter? I try to take efficient shots that I know I am capable of making. I stuck to what I was good at and did not take a lot of risky shots.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Seton Hall/Virginia/Notre Dame/Iowa State: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? I cannot pick 1 game in particular but each opponent will be difficult. Coach likes to schedule high-quality competition during the non-conference schedule to help prepare us for conference play.

4 of your top-5 scorers last year were seniors (Jarrod Uthoff/Anthony Clemmons/Mike Gesell/Adam Woodbury): how are you going to try to replace all of that offense? I think a lot of people will step up for us on both ends of the floor. We have some tremendous freshmen so I think that we will surprise a lot of people.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? Our team goal is always to win the Big 10 title and make the tourney. I will try to become more versatile, guard more positions on the court, carry more of the offensive load, and help the team as much as possible.

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Conference Preview: Northeast

Posted on October 16, 2016 by Chad

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

NORTHEAST

Of the ten teams in the Northeast Conference, only three finished with winning overall records in the 2015-16 season.  Wagner was 23-11 overall, though the Seahawks faltered in the NEC Tournament and wound up in the NIT, where they did pick up a first round upset win over St. Bonaventure.  Fairleigh Dickinson posted an 18-15 record and captured the conference’s automatic bid, falling in the First Four to fellow 16-seed Florida Gulf Coast.  The only other team to finish at or better than .500 was Long Island University, whose 16-15 record did not put them in any postseason events.

This season, the same three teams are expected to be the top contenders to win the conference title.  LIU returns a star player in Jerome Frink, Wagner brings back three starters from last year’s regular season champions and FDU has four starters back from their NCAA team.  In the end, these three teams may be in a class above everyone else in the league, and it would probably be a shock if anyone else ended up winning the title.  That being said, the best candidates to sneak into the conversation could be Bryant or Sacred Heart, despite neither team having had a very successful 2015-16 campaign.

Predicted Order of Finish

1. Wagner – With three starters back and key reserve Romone Saunders ready to take on an even bigger role, the only question for the Seahawks may be developing enough bench depth.

2. Fairleigh Dickinson – Most of last year’s conference tournament championship team is back, led by perimeter players Darian Anderson and Earl Potts, Jr.  The Knights will be looking to capture both the regular season and conference tournament titles this time around.

3. Long Island University – The Blackbirds may have one of the better guards in the conference in Jerome Frink.  As long as he can get enough help, and the team can make up for the late offseason loss of Martin Hermannsson, they should be right there at the end of the season.

4. Bryant – Despite struggling to only 8 wins last year, head coach Tim O’Shea returns four solid starters and could have his Bulldogs back in the upper division.

5. Sacred Heart – Cane Broome’s 23.1 points per game is gone, along with two other double-digit scorers.  All is not lost, however, as guard Quincy McKnight is back and De’von Barnett is healthy after missing last season.

6. Central Connecticut – The Blue Devils return four starters for a new head coach with Connecticut ties in Donyell Marshall.  The team only won four games last year, however, so expectations should not be too high.

7. Mount St. Mary’s – The Mountaineers will be among the NEC’s best defensive teams again, and will be fun to watch as they are led by 5-5 Junior Robinson.  They probably do not have enough pieces to seriously contend.

8. St. Francis (Brooklyn) – Guard Yunus Hopkinson is the Terriers’ top returning scorer and a legitimate three-point threat.  He probably does not have enough other pieces around him for his team to fight for anything other than a top 8 finish and berth into the conference tournament.

9. Robert Morris – Rodney Pryor’s 18 points per game are gone from a team that only averaged 65 points per game last season.  This could be another very long year.

10. St. Francis (Pennsylvania) – The Red Flash lost their top three players in the offseason, though having Isaiah Blackmon back after suffering an ACL tear should help.  There just are not enough other pieces here to make any noise this season.

 

Note: I will be taking a one week break and the next preview (Ohio Valley) will be posted on Monday, October 24.  Keep an eye on the site for all our other great content until then!

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Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews Iowa State SR SG Naz Mitrou-Long

Posted on October 15, 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 Iowa State SR SG Naz Mitrou-Long…or more accurately, Nazareth Jersey Mitrou-Long.  He spent his sophomore year showing the nation how lethal his 3-PT stroke is: 8-11 in a season-opening win against UNC-Wilmington, a 30-footer at the buzzer against Oklahoma State, 4-6 in the Big 12 tourney title game against Baylor, and a trio of threes in the final 6 minutes of a win over North Carolina in the NCAA tourney.  His chances of becoming the most prolific long-range shooter in Cyclone history were halted last season after 8 games when he took a medical redshirt after off-season hip surgery, but if he can remain healthy this season then he has a legitimate shot to break the school record.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Naz about growing up in Canada and coming back from an injury.

naz

You were born/raised in Canada: how did you 1st get into basketball? There was a basketball net inside this boxing gym I used to go to. During breaks in boxing I would gravitate toward the hoop, and later I would play outside on the playground.

2 of your AAU teammates were Cory Joseph/Tristan Thompson: how good were they back in the day, and how exciting was it to see them face off in the Eastern Conference Finals last spring? They were the best! I was a little younger than them but I remember going to watch my older friends play on our varsity team and see them get it done. It was pretty cool to watch the Eastern Conference Finals: the entire country of Canada was tuned in. They definitely deserve it because they set the bar so high.

You received scholarship offers from many schools including Creighton/Dayton/Miami: what made you choose the Cyclones? Ultimately it was the fan base. Coach Fred Hoiberg was great when he came up to recruit me. I did not plan to commit during my campus visit but I just came here and fell in love with it. Once I heard that the practice facility was open 24 hours, I told Coach that it was a done deal. It is a different type of place here: I can free my mind and get to work.

In the 2013 season opener you scored a career-high 26 PTS (including 8-11 3PM) in 26 minutes in a win over UNC-Wilmington: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? It was definitely a situation where I felt like I could throw a rock into the ocean. I did not play very much as a freshman so I wanted to prove that I could play in the best conference in the country: my teammates did a great job of finding me that night.

In February 2014 against Oklahoma State you made your only 3-PT shot of the game at the end of the 2nd OT en route to a 1-PT 3-OT win, and 1 month later you scored 14 PTS including a 30-footer at the end of regulation en route to a 4-PT OT win: do Cowboy fans just start crying whenever you show up to Gallagher-Iba Arena?! Something like that! I work basketball camps at Iowa State and 1 kid mentioned that he thinks about those shots even today.

Last year you played 8 games before deciding to sit out the rest of the season due to continuing pain from a pair of hip surgeries the previous offseason: did you think that you would receive a medical redshirt, and how is your health at the moment? I honestly was unsure about getting a redshirt: you never know until you know but it was a weight off my shoulders. My health is the best that it has ever been. I know it is hard to believe but I have more mobility now than I have ever had in my life.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Miami/Stanford/Cincinnati/Iowa/Vanderbilt: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? All of them will be big tests. Vandy on the road is a big deal and Miami is at a neutral site. Iowa is always a hostile environment: it does not make sense to me why road games are so tough but they just are.

You play for Coach Steve Prohm: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have ever learned from him? He wants to build relationships and preaches about doing things the right way. He challenges us every single day and brings the same type of energy when it is time to get onto the court.

You are a part of a loaded backcourt that includes Monte Morris/Matt Thomas/Deonte Burton: do you feel that you have 1 of the best/deepest crops of guards in the nation? I definitely do. I am sure that other players feel the same way about their own backcourt, but we are excited to show the country our mix of talent/experience.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? I want to finish the season with a “W” in the NCAA tourney and there is only 1 team who can do that. I want to win with my guys and finish my career on the right note.

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