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

Posted on October 15, 2016 by Jon Teitel

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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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Conference Preview: Missouri Valley

Posted on October 15, 2016 by Chad

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MISSOURI VALLEY

35 of the 36 at-large bids to last year’s NCAA Tournament came from the top eight conferences.  The only “other” team to get voted in by the Committee was the Missouri Valley’s Wichita State Shockers, who received an 11 seed and a trip to the First Four after Northern Iowa captured the automatic bid (and an 11 seed as well).  After the NIT failed to come calling for any other MVC teams, the rest of the league members passed on appearances in other postseason events, leaving only the two NCAA teams to represent the Valley after Selection Sunday had passed.  Both teams did fare well as Wichita State knocked off Vanderbilt in the First Four and upset Arizona in the Round of 64 before losing to Miami.  Northern Iowa also pulled off an upset, eliminating Texas before falling to Texas A&M.  In all, it was another solid season for the Valley, proving once again that this league plays a very high level of basketball.

Wichita State said goodbye to senior leaders Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet after the season, meaning that the gap between them and the rest of the conference is almost certain to close.  Northern Iowa may take a step or two back this season with three of their top players gone.  Two other teams, Illinois State and Missouri State, may be the schools primed to fill in the gaps as both have solid weapons returning.  A potential surprise team could be the Bradley Braves, who return all five starters and still have one of the youngest rotations in the nation.  Evansville and Southern Illinois both won well over 20 games last year but got hit very hard by offseason losses and will need to begin rebuilding.

Predicted Order of Finish

1. Illinois State – The Redbirds return three of their top four players, guard Paris Lee and forwards MiKyle McIntosh and Deontae Hawkins.  The talent and experience are here to capture the regular season title.

2. Wichita State – It may be tough for the Shockers to win the league again without Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet.  The good news is that there are no significant seniors and there are several players that look ready to step up into starring roles, including Markis McDuffie, former Kansas transfer Conner Frankamp and a now healthy Landry Shamet.

3. Missouri State – Returnees Dequon Miller and Chris Kendrix both averaged over 12 points per game last season.  In addition, having Austin Ruder back healthy will make the Bears dangerous, especially if they can develop some depth down low.

4. Northern Iowa – Star Wes Washpun is one of three key players gone from last year’s team, meaning that Jeremy Morgan will have to be the leader of a squad that features 11 players that are either newcomers or redshirted last year.

5. Bradley – The Braves took a lot of lumps last season, but they were starting four freshmen and a sophomore.  All five are now a year older, and this dark horse pick could learn from last year’s experiences and surprise this time out.

6. Loyola-Chicago – Head coach Porter Moser has brought in a solid group of newcomers, but the team may still be a year away from making any serious noise.

7. Indiana State – Second leading scorer Brenton Scott does return, but top scorer Devonte Brown and third best Khristian Smith are both gone.  The Sycamores will need to find more offense to help Scott if they want to finish anywhere near the top of the league.

8. Drake – Four starters do return from last year, but that team lost 24 games.  They should at least improve on that, especially with guard Reed Timmer leading the way.

9. Southern Illinois – The Salukis lost their best backcourt player (Anthony Beane) and their best frontcourt player (Bola Olaniyan) from last year’s roster.  A serious lack of any size remaining down low could spell serious trouble for this team.

10. Evansville – The Aces will likely take a major step backwards now that both D.J. Balentine and Egidijus Mockevicius are both gone. Seniors Jaylon Brown and Blake Simmons are the top two returning players, but not much should be expected this season.

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Conference Preview: MEAC

Posted on October 14, 2016 by Chad

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MEAC

Just two years ago, South Carolina State was in jeopardy of folding.  Not the basketball team.  Not the athletic department.  The entire university was threatened with closure.  Thankfully, things worked out for the school, and this year things may be working out very good for the men’s hoops team.  After winning 19 games last season and earning a berth into the CIT, the Bulldogs appear, on paper at least, to be the team to beat in the MEAC.  Their toughest challenge may in fact come from a team that has not be an annual contender in this league.  Howard returns all five starters, despite losing 20 games last season, and may just be the top challenger.  This is mostly because they feature the player that led the nation in scoring last year, James Daniel (27.1 points per game).

One team that likely will not be contending this season is the two-time defending conference tournament champion Hampton.  The Pirates lost four starters off of last season’s team and are in rebuild mode this year.  Norfolk State, the only other postseason participant from last season with a CIT bid, may struggle to contend as well with their top three scorers gone.  Delaware State and North Carolina A&T may be the next best teams after South Carolina State and Howard, but neither team appears to have the pieces to be serious contenders.  In fact, if Howard is not able to improve as predicted, South Carolina State has a chance to simply run away with this league.

Predicted Order of Finish

1. South Carolina State – The top two players return from last season led by guard Eric Eaves who averaged 17.6 points per game.  All signs point to the Bulldogs being the team to beat in this year’s MEAC.

2. Howard – James Daniel led the nation in scoring last year and could do the same this season.  He leads a senior dominated lineup that could challenge for the league title, assuming that he can get enough help from the rest of his teammates.

3. Delaware State – All five starters return led by MEAC Rookie of the Year Devin Morgan. The Hornets should be much better than last season, when they lost 25 games.

4. North Carolina A&T – Junior guard Sam Hunt is the only returning starter, but has a chance to be a big-time scorer for the Aggies. If enough other pieces develop around him, his team could definitely contend for the conference’s upper division.

5. Norfolk State – The top three scorers may be gone, but head coach Robert Jones has done a great job finding a way to keep the Spartans near the top of the league standings every year.

6. North Carolina Central – Dante Holmes and Patrick Cole led the team in scoring last season, though even with both of them the Eagles only went 7-9 in conference regular season play.  Holmes is gone, and it may be tough for Cole to lead the team to a better mark than last year’s.

7. Bethune-Cookman – Point guard Jordan Potts may be the best player at his position in the entire conference.  Unfortunately, it does not look like he has enough other pieces around him to challenge this year.

8. Coppin State – The Eagles lost 22 games last season, and then lost both their leading scorer and their starting point guard.  Even if they can make up for Christian Keene’s 14.6 points per game, they don’t appear to have anyone ready to take over at the point.

9. Hampton – With four starters gone from a team that won the last two MEAC tournaments, this looks like a rebuilding year for head coach Ed Joyner.

10. Florida A&M – Head coach Byron Samuels inherited a complete mess two years ago.  Although the Rattlers are certainly not contenders yet, things are slowly getting better for them, and a last place finish can definitely be avoided.

11. Maryland-Eastern Shore – Bakari Copeland is the only returning double-digit scorer as head coach Bobby Collins tries to bounce back from a disappointing second season in Princess Anne, Maryland.

12. Savannah State* – Senior guard Troyce Manassa will try to lead the way, but with only one 6-7 player and no one taller than that on the roster, this will likely be a very tough season for the Tigers.

13. Morgan State – With four starters all gone from a team that lost 22 times last year, things are not looking very good for head coach Todd Bozeman’s team.

* Savannah State is ineligible for postseason play, including the MEAC Tournament, due to their APR score.

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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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