Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews Middle Tennessee SR PF Reggie Upshaw

Posted on October 13, 2016 by Jon Teitel

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We continue our 2016-17 season preview interview series with Middle Tennessee SR PF Reggie Upshaw.  He has not missed a single game during his 1st 3 years in Murfreesboro while displaying his amazing versatility: he led the team in REB as a sophomore and in AST/STL as a junior.  He also singlehandedly ruined brackets across the country last March with 21 PTS/4 REB/4 AST/3 BLK/1 STL in an upset of Michigan State in the NCAA tourney.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Reggie about making a pair of FTs to clinch a conference tourney title and helping to write 1 of the best Cinderella stories in NCAA history.

reggie

Your father Reggie Sr. played football at Middle Tennessee: how much of an influence was he on your own decision to become a Blue Raider? Knowing that he played football here kind of influenced me, but he never pushed his alma mater over any other school that was recruiting me. He sat me down, told me to make the decision that was best for me, and that he would support me no matter what.

Last December you scored a career-high 32 PTS (13-16 FG) in a win over Trevecca: 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 a combination of the hard work that I put in leading up to that game, the confidence of my teammates getting me the ball, and the coach putting me in good spots to put the ball into the hoop.

You finished the season by leading the team in RPG/AST/STL: how do you balance your rebounding with your passing with your defense? I just try to be in the best shape that I can. Anytime you lead your team in so many categories it shows how hard you work. I am not worried about getting certain stats: I just try to make the right plays at the right time.

In the 2016 C-USA tourney title game you scored 9 PTS including a pair of FTs with 2.9 seconds left in a 2-PT win over Old Dominion en route to being named tourney MVP: did you think that you were going to make both FTs, and what was the reaction like when you got back to campus? After I got fouled I knew that I had to make at least 1 and that if I did we would have a good chance to win. The Monarchs almost converted a last-second shot that would have won the game. Once we got back to campus everyone was ecstatic for us and very supportive during the selection show the following Sunday. You could see the brand all throughout Murfreesboro because everyone was so excited.

Take me through the 2016 NCAA tourney:
You scored 21 PTS in a 9-PT win over #2-seed Michigan State: how did that game change your life (if at all)? Now when we go around town people recognize us at the bowling alley/restaurant and will come up to congratulate us on having a great game. As far as basketball, I got a lot of recognition and had to do a lot of TV interviews!

You had 8 REB in a loss to Syracuse: what did you learn from that game that you think can help you this year? I learned that we have to be more aggressive. We hung in with them until the 2nd half and played good defense: we just need to assert our authority on the offensive end and get the ball into the paint like we did against the Spartans.

You play for Coach Kermit Davis: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have ever learned from him? He comes to practice every day with the mindset to win that day. He put up some quotes in our locker room: 1 that I noticed is that “every rep has a life of its own”.  He approaches each day of practice as if it were our last. He taught me a lot about how to take on responsibilities both on and off the court: if I make a mistake on the court then I will take the blame and learn from my actions.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against UNC-Wilmington/Mississippi/Vanderbilt/VCU: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? We put a lot of emphasis on VCU last year: they are a smaller school like we are so we can relate to them. We only lost to the Rams by 6 points last year so our returning players know how big it will be.

You are 1 of 4 seniors on the roster: how crucial will all of that experience be to your team’s success? It will play a big part. 1 transferred from Arkansas, 1 was great for us in March, and 1 will help a lot off the bench. We will show the younger players the ropes and how Coach Davis wants us to approach every practice/game.

During the summer you had surgery to repair a damaged ligament in his left wrist: how is your health at the moment? It is great. I went to the doctor last month and got cleared to start practice/have contact so everything will be good to go.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? Our goal is to get the most out of each day. We definitely expect to be back in the NCAA tourney and expect to win our conference: anything less will be upsetting due to how dedicated we are each day.

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Conference Preview: Mid-American

Posted on October 13, 2016 by Chad

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MID-AMERICAN

Despite head coach Bobby Hurley having left for Arizona State, the Buffalo Bulls won their second consecutive automatic bid out of the MAC last season, advancing to the NCAA Tournament and losing in the Round of 64 as a 14 seed to Miami (Florida).  Five other MAC teams saw postseason action as well, with Akron playing in the NIT, Ball State and Central Michigan getting invites to the CIT, Northern Illinois participating in the Vegas 16, and Ohio playing in the CBI, advancing all the way to the semifinals of that event.  Of the remaining six teams, three more finished with winning records (Kent State, Eastern Michigan and Toledo), and only Miami-Ohio lost 20 games.  In all, the MAC has a productive season and will look to equal if not improve upon last season’s success this time around.

There are no less than six teams that enter this season with legitimate conference title aspirations.  In the conference’s East Division, defending regular season champion Akron and conference tournament champion Buffalo should both be challenged by a deep Ohio team.  In the West, Eastern Michigan, Ball State and Northern Illinois all return teams capable of making a lot of noise.  In the end, our picks to win the two divisions are Ohio in the East and Eastern Michigan in the West, with Ohio, led by defending MAC Player of the Year Antonio Campbell, the choice as the top team in the league.  However, there is enough talent and depth in this conference that it would not be a shock to see someone grab an at-large bid as well.

Predicted Order of Finish

East Division

1. Ohio – The Bobcats are loaded with Jaaron Simmons running the backcourt, joined by Antonio Campbell and Kenny Kaminski down low.  Campbell, the conference Player of the Year last season, is a double-double threat every night that has the ability to step back and drill the three-pointer.

2. Akron – The Zips are one of the nation’s best teams from beyond the three-point arc, even without the return of Reggie McAdams.  Big man Isaiah Johnson could be in store for a huge season and will make the team very difficult to beat again.

3. Buffalo – The Bulls should contend for their third straight dance ticket thanks to the return three double-digit averaging perimeter players and having Raheem Johnson back healthy down low.

4. Kent State – Jimmy Hall is one of the top players in the conference, but his team was hit hard by transfers and has a major question mark at the point guard position.  Keep an eye on 7-0, 280 pound junior college transfer Adonis De La Rosa.

5. Bowling Green – The Falcons made a surprising run to the MAC Tournament semifinals last season, but were only 5-13 against the conference during the regular season.  Don’t expect much improvement on that record this time around.

6. Miami-Ohio – The only team in the MAC to lose as many as 20 games also lost its top three scorers in the offseason.  The good news is that the team is young, with no seniors, but this will still likely be a long year.

West Division

1. Eastern Michigan – Two freshmen averaged a double-double in the entire nation last season.  One of them was #1 NBA Draft pick Ben Simmons.  The other was Eastern Michigan’s James Thompson IV.  With three other starters back to join Thompson, the Eagles will be very difficult to beat.

2. Ball State – Six of the top seven players return from a team that won 21 games last season.  Head coach James Whitford’s team should be among the best three-point shooting teams in the nation again, and should seriously challenge for the league title.

3. Northern Illinois – The Huskies play very strong defense and return three double-digit scorers.  On top of that, guard Dontel Highsmith has missed the last two seasons due to injuries.  If he is healthy, this team should be right in the mix of things.

4. Western Michigan – Four starters return led by Thomas Wilder and Tucker Haymond.  The Broncos should be better than last year’s 13-19 record, but it will be tough to move up in a stacked league.

5. Central Michigan – With three of their top four players gone, including star Chris Fowler, Braylon Rayson will need to step up his game even more and get a lot of help if the Chippewas want to be in the postseason again.

6. Toledo – Jonathan Williams has the ability to light up the scoreboard, but the offseason losses of center Nathan Boothe and point guard Stuckey Mosley will hurt.

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Conference Preview: Metro Atlantic

Posted on October 12, 2016 by Chad

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METRO ATLANTIC

The Monmouth Hawks made as much noise on their sidelines last season as they did on the court, as the “Monmouth Bench” antics became national headlines, especially in the wake of key non-conference wins over UCLA, Notre Dame, USC and Georgetown.  Unfortunately for the Hawks, a 3 point loss to Iona in the MAAC Tournament championship game sent them to the NIT, though in our humble opinions they absolutely belonged in the Big Dance.  In fact, the powers that be at the NCAA seem to agree with our opinion, as the following statement was released in July: “The committee also agreed in concept with the NABC recommendation, as evidenced by past practice in the process, that criteria such as quality wins, overall and non-conference strength of schedule, and road/neutral wins were primary criteria in selecting and seeding the tournament field.  Further analysis and study of refining and possibly redefining those specific criteria for the future will be considered by the basketball committee and ad hoc group representatives over the next year.”  Although no specific selection process changes were announced, it appears that just this type of analysis is what a team like Monmouth would need in order to receive an at-large bid, especially when Tulsa was the team given a berth ahead of the Hawks.

The good news for Monmouth is that, with the exception of guard Deon Jones, pretty much the entire roster is back to take another shot at the Big Dance – and maybe provide us with some new dance moves on the Bench as well.  Getting a bid is not a given though as the MAAC will be a tough conference this season, and our preseason pick to win it all is actually Siena, a team that won 21 games last year and did not play in the postseason.  Iona, who won last year’s automatic bid and lost in the Round of 64 as a 13 seed to Iowa State, Fairfield, who played in the CIT, St. Peter’s and dark horse Canisius could all be in the hunt as well.  We will also be keeping an eye on Marist.  The Red Foxes probably don’t have enough weapons to challenge for the league title, but may have one of the MAAC’s most exciting players in Khallid Hart.

Predicted Order of Finish

1. Siena – The Saints return all five of their starters, led by four seniors – defensive monster Javion Ogunyemi, double-double threat Brett Bisping, and standouts Marquis Wright and Lavon Long.  They will also have help off the bench from three-point specialist Nico Clareth.  This team is as deep, talented and experienced as any in the conference.

2. Monmouth – Justin Robinson and Micah Seaborn will help lead the way as the Hawks attempt to defend their regular season title from last year.  Deon Jones was the only player that graduated off of last year’s squad, and the Monmouth Bench is deep enough to make up for his loss.

3. St. Peter’s – The Peacocks return all five starters from last season led by sophomore Antwon Portley. The biggest challenge for the team will be a lack of size down low, especially when compared to teams like Siena and Monmouth.

4. Fairfield – The Stags are a young team with no significant seniors this season.  They are also coming off a very solid 19 win campaign last time out.  If the frontcourt of Jonathan Kasibabu and Matija Milin can increase its production and hold their own against some of the other teams in this league, the Peacocks could be very dangerous.

5. Canisius – Three returning double-digit scorers, led by Phil Valenti and Kassius Robertson, will be a huge help for new head coach Reggie Witherspoon as he takes over for the retired Jim Baron.  Despite only 14 wins last season, the Golden Griffins could make some noise this year.

6. Iona – A repeat of last season’s run to the NCAA Tournament will be difficult without A.J. English and Isaiah Williams, but if Jordan Washington and Deyshonee Much step up their production, the Gaels could be in the hunt.

7. Manhattan – The Jaspers should be improved even without leading scorer Shane Richards.  Head coach Steve Masiello returns three starters and has brought in Zavier Turner from Ball State.  Turner was the 2014 MAC Freshman of the Year and figures to be a big piece of the offense this season.

8. Marist – Guards Khallid Hart and Brian Parker will score a lot of points, but the Red Foxes still have question marks down low.  Regardless of the questions, they should still be markedly better than last year’s 7-23 record.

9. Rider – The Broncs should be solid in the backcourt if Kealen Ives proves he is ready to take over the point from departed senior Teddy Okereafor.  A lack of size down low will be an issue.

10. Quinnipiac – The Bobcats led the nation in offensive rebounding last season, and in fact did so in five of the last six years, so hitting the boards will not be a problem this year.  Getting more scoring production out of the backcourt and improving on last year’s 21 losses will be.

11. Niagara – Junior guard Matt Scott will look to lead the team, but just getting some improvement on last year’s 7-25 record would be an accomplishment.

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Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews Hampton SR PG Lawrence Cooks

Posted on October 11, 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 Hampton SR PG Lawrence Cooks.  The good news is that he has made it to the NCAA tourney each of the past 2 years: the bad news is that he got to face Kentucky in 2015 and Virginia in 2016.  However, when he actually gets to face teams who are not #1 seeds and has games that go down to the wire, he often emerges victorious.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Lawrence about winning his 2nd straight conference title last season and whether he can pull off the 3-peat this season.

cooks

You grew up in Charlotte: what made you choose Hampton? I did not have many offers coming out of high school and when I came here for my visit they treated me very well. The coaches all welcomed me and are all from Charlotte, which made it even better.

You play for Coach Ed Joyner: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have ever learned from him? He gives us chances and then forgives us if we make mistakes rather than dwelling on it.

You scored 8.9 PPG as a freshman: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? My teammates had the faith in me to knock down big shots and let me play my game.

In the 2015 NCAA tourney you scored 2 PTS in a loss to undefeated Kentucky: where does that Wildcats squad rank among the best college basketball teams that you have ever seen? They were clearly not the best team ever because they did not win it all…but they are probably 1 of the top-20 that I have ever seen.

In your season opener last November you scored a career-high 22 PTS/9-12 FG in a 7-PT loss at Winthrop: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? I was in a zone: 2 of my teammates were in foul trouble so myself/Quinton Chievous had to step up. I was playing close to home and had a lot of family there, which felt nice.

In the 2016 MEAC tourney title game you scored 5 PTS in a win over South Carolina State: what did it mean to you to win a title, and how much of a home court advantage did you have while playing in Norfolk? Winning that 2nd title was really big for us because a lot of people had doubted us earlier in the season. We were down in the 1st half so it was a weird situation, but to come all the way back was great. We might have had a few more fans because we are closer to Norfolk, but the Bulldogs still had a nice crowd.

In the 2016 NCAA tourney you had 7 REB in a loss to Virginia: what did you learn from that game that you think can help you this year? It just taught me to play tougher. You cannot look to the refs to make calls: you just have to come out and be ready for any type of matchup, and I feel that I am making progress toward that every day.

You had 4 games last year that were decided by 1-2 PTS and another 4 that went into OT…and you won all 8: what is the secret to winning games that come down to the wire? You cannot give up. We were down by 22 PTS in the 1st half at NAU last December and just kept working hard until we won 98-94. We trusted the process and believed in our teammates/coaches. It also helps to knock down big shots but you have to stay focused on the task at hand.

Your non-conference schedule includes a trip to Kansas State: how do you prepare to face a Big 12 opponent? We prepare just like it was any other game: we will come out and give it our all, make sure we have the scouting report down pat, and play to the best of our abilities.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? I expect us to 3-peat and win another conference title. I do not like to share my goals out loud but I want to make sure the younger guys are ready after I graduate and try to win another ring. It will be my job to lead them to do that.

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Conference Preview: Ivy League

Posted on October 11, 2016 by Chad

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

IVY LEAGUE

Princeton 1975.  Columbia 2016.  Through the history of college basketball, only two Ivy League teams have ever cut down the nets as the winner of a postseason tournament.  In 1975, it was Princeton that defeated Providence in the championship game to win the NIT.  Last season, Columbia defeated UC-Irvine to win the CIT.  Given that the Ivy League has not held a conference tournament before, last season was truly the second ever postseason championship by a school from this conference.  And Columbia’s CIT championship was not even the biggest March highlight for the Ivy.  That came in the NCAA Round of 64 when Yale, making their first appearance since 1962, picked up their first ever NCAA Tournament win, upsetting 5 seed Baylor by 4 points before falling to Duke in the next round.  Princeton rounded out the cast of postseason teams, earning a berth into the NIT.

This year, we are guaranteed to have an Ivy League team celebrating a postseason tournament championship.  That is because the Ivy has become the last conference in the country to institute a postseason conference tournament to determine its automatic bid recipient.  Only the top four teams will qualify to the event, which will occur on the last weekend of the season at the Palestra in Philadelphia.  Princeton and Harvard appear to be heavy favorites to capture two of those four spots, but there should be some fun battles lower in the standings for the other two.  Cornell has a rising program, Yale will be looking to repeat despite some key offseason losses, and Dartmouth may be the league’s surprise team.  Obviously, don’t count out Penn, as they will have the home court advantage if they can just make it into the top four.

Predicted Order of Finish

1. Princeton – The Tigers return all five of their starters, four of whom are seniors, led by Henry Caruso, Steven Cook and Spencer Weisz.  To make things even better, Hans Brase, who averaged 11.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game two years ago, is back after missing last season due to injury.

2. Harvard – The Crimson will be dangerous with Siyani Chambers back and healthy, the return of double-double threat Zena Edosomwan, and a recruiting class by head coach Tommy Amaker that is ranked in the Top 20 nationally.

3. Cornell – New head coach Brian Earl has almost every player returning from last season, led by guards Matt Morgan (18.9 points per game) and Robert Hatter (17.1 points per game).  The Big Red have a chance to be a surprise contender.

4. Yale – Makai Mason averaged 16 points per game last year, but is the only starter returning this season.  With Justin Sears, Jack Montague and company all having graduated, the Bulldogs are likely to take a step or two back.

5. Dartmouth – The Big Green have a chance to be in the running for one of the four conference tournament spots with Ivy League Rookie of the Year Evan Boudreaux leading the way for new head coach David McLaughlin.

6. Pennsylvania – Four starters are back, but the one the Quakers lost was big, literally.  6-11 center Darien Nelson-Henry was a nightly double-double threat and a solid shot blocker.  Steve Donahue may not have anyone able to step up and fill those shoes.

7. Columbia – Four starters and head coach Kyle Smith are all gone, so the expectations will not be too high this season. The Lions did grab a very strong replacement for Smith in NJIT’s Jim Engles, so don’t be surprised to see the Lions back among the league leaders in a year or two.

8. Brown – The Bears have three senior guards led by Tavon Blackmon, but they did lose double-double and shot blocking threat Cedric Kuakumensah from a team that only went 10-20.  Improving on that record this season could be difficult.

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Conference Preview: Horizon League

Posted on October 10, 2016 by Chad

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

HORIZON LEAGUE

Three Horizon League teams participated in three different postseason tournaments last season, and two of them came very close to cutting down the nets.  The Green Bay Phoenix, who won four games in four days to capture the league’s automatic bid, were not one of those teams, as they got handled fairly easily as a 14 seed by 3 seed Texas A&M in the Round of 64.  Valparaiso, the regular season champions, played in the NIT and advanced all the way to the championship game, falling there to George Washington.  Oakland, behind star guard Kay Felder, advanced to the championship game of the inaugural Vegas 16 tournament, losing by one point to Old Dominion.  Milwaukee and Wright State also put up 20 win seasons, but neither team played in a postseason event.

This year, the theme in the Horizon League may be more about what they lost than what they gained.  Green Bay will be without two of their top three scorers from last year.  Valpo will be without head coach Bryce Drew, who took the Vanderbilt job.  Oakland lost Kay Felder, who declared for the NBA Draft instead of returning for his senior season.  Below those top three, who are the most likely to contend for the title despite their losses, other teams felt attrition as well, such as Detroit losing star Paris Bass and head coach Ray McCallum, and both Wright State and Milwaukee having made their own somewhat controversial changes at the head coach position.  There is certainly room for someone to make a surprise run at the top of the league standings, and in that regard we are not overlooking Youngstown State as the team with just the right mix of size, talent and veterans to possibly surprise.

Predicted Order of Finish

1. Valparaiso – Bryce Drew may be in Nashville this season, but star player Alec Peters is back in the fold.  Combining him with guards Tevonn Walker and Shane Hammink could be enough to put the Crusaders right back on top under new head coach Matt Lottich.

2. Oakland – Even without Kay Felder’s amazing skills, the Golden Grizzlies will be tough to beat with guys like forward Jalen Hayes leading the way.  Keep an eye on junior college transfer Stevie Clark who has a chance to pick up a lot of Felder’s scoring load.

3. Green Bay – The Phoenix made a run from fourth place to the NCAA tournament automatic bid, but then promptly lost two of their three best players in the offseason.  Guard Charles Cooper will likely be the team’s top player this season, but a return to the Big Dance will be tough.

4. Youngstown State – Admittedly a longshot pick in this league (some publications have predicted the Penguins to finish dead last), but Cameron Morse averaged over 20 points per game from the backcourt, and the combination of Matt Donlan and 7 foot tall center Jordan Kaufman up front could make this team, with a roster full of juniors and seniors, a lot tougher to beat than most people expect.

5. Detroit – Paris Bass left the team after last season giving new head coach Bacari Alexander a more difficult rebuilding project, but having Chris Jenkins and Jaleel Hogan back will help.

6. Wright State – Regardless of whether Billy Donlon deserved a pink slip after last season, the Raiders have brought in a head coach that has proven he can win in Scott Nagy from South Dakota State.  Nagy only has two starters returning, but one of them is guard Mark Alstork who has a real chance to star.  He also has an intriguing freshman recruit in 6-9, 300 pound Loudon Love.

7. Illinois-Chicago – Despite only winning five games last year, the Flames return four starters led by defending Horizon League Freshman of the Year Dikembe Dixson, who averaged almost 20 points per game and is a double-double threat each time he steps on the court.  If the rest of the team develops and grows talent around him, UIC should be vastly improved this time around.

8. Northern Kentucky – One of the few teams in the Horizon League to actually gain something in the offseason, the Norse have gained postseason eligibility as they enter their first full year of Division I membership and place the long four year transitional period behind them.  Head coach John Brannen’s team returns three double-digit scorers and brings in one of the higher rated mid-major recruiting classes in the nation.  The future is looking bright for the Norse, though probably not this season.

9. Cleveland State – The Vikings lost 23 games last season.  The good news is that they only return one significant senior contributor and add in six newcomers, so the program is headed in the right direction.

10. Milwaukee – Despite winning 20 games last season, head coach Rob Jeter was fired and the three starting players that should have been returning all promptly transferred out.  This looks like a very long first season at the helm for LaVall Jordan.

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