Conference Preview: Conference USA

Posted on October 9, 2016 by Chad

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CONFERENCE USA

Conference USA may be ready for a name change to the Bracket Buster Conference.  Two years ago, UAB ruined everyone’s bracket by knocking Iowa State out in the Round of 64.  Last season, it was Middle Tennessee pulling an even bigger shocker, upsetting Tom Izzo’s 2-seed Michigan State team that many people had picked to win it all.  Although Middle Tennessee was the league’s only team to make the Big Dance, UAB also put together a solid season and played in the NIT.  Louisiana Tech and Old Dominion received postseason invites as well, both to the newly formed Vegas 16 event, where ODU cut down the nets as champions.

This year, UAB again figures to be at or near the top of the conference, even though head coach Jerod Haase moved west to Stanford.  Middle Tennessee and Louisiana Tech should also be in the mix, along with a handful of teams that have not made as much noise in recent years.  Western Kentucky has added Rick Stansbury as their new head coach, and his recruiting skills are already starting to pay off in Bowling Green.  North Texas may have the best overall collection of guards in the conference, and could use them to push their way into contention.  But the team that could rise the most this year is Rice.  The Owls bring their top 5 players back and add more to that.  They may have lost 20 games last season, but don’t be shocked to see them at 20 or more wins when the dust settles this year.

Predicted Order of Finish

1. UAB – With Chris Cokley’s offense, William Lee’s defense and Nick Norton at the point, the Blazers will be tough to beat every time they take the court – even with Robert Brown having moved on.

2. Rice – The Owls return their top five players from last season led by Marcus Evans and Egor Koulechov.  Added to that, Marcus Jackson is back healthy after missing last season.  The talent is there.  If the Owls can improve their defense, the sky may be the limit in this conference.

3. Western Kentucky – New head coach Rick Stansbury already has his team ready to challenge with transfers Que Johnson (Washington State), Junior Lomomba (Providence) and Willie Carmichael (Tennessee) coming in to join top returnee Justin Johnson.  Given Stansbury’s recruiting acumen, WKU should be at or near the top of the conference for years to come.

4. Middle Tennessee – The Blue Riders lost a pair of double-digit scorers but do return Giddy Potts and Reggie Upshaw.  A pair of new additions, Arkansas transfer Jacorey Williams and junior college transfer Brandon Walters will help make up for the offseason losses.

5. Louisiana Tech – Erik McCree has a chance to star for the Bulldogs, but making up for the loss of guard Alex Hamilton and his 19.8 points per game could be tough.  Having Qiydar Davis back healthy and returning players such as Jacobi Boykins and Derric Jean should help ease the burden.

6. North Texas – The Mean Green may have as much talent and depth at the guard position as any team in Conference USA.  J-Mychal Reese Reese is a scoring point guard, Deckie Johnson is a scary three-point threat, and SMU transfer Keith Frazier (yes, the same Keith Frazier that was the center of the scandal that landed the school on probation) is looking to make a fresh start for himself.  Jeremy Combs is the top player down low and a double-double threat every time out, but he will need some help down there if the Mean Green want to challenge for one of the top spots in the league.

7. Marshall – The Thundering Herd had the nation’s #3 scoring offense last season and, if nothing else, it makes them a fun team to watch.  They also had the #343 scoring defense, which needs to get much better if they want to contend.  The team has tons of scoring options again, led by Stevie Browning, Ryan Taylor and Jon Elmore.
8. UTEP – Three of the top five scorers are gone, so this looks like a rebuilding year for Tim Floyd’s team.  They do boast a dangerous backcourt, however, with Omega Harris and former Oregon Duck Dominic Artis.

9. Old Dominion – The champions of the inaugural Vegas 16 Tournament lost their top two players in the offseason, Trey Freeman and Aaron Bacote.  Brothers Brandan and B.J. Stith (sons of former NBAer Bryant Stith) will need to lead the way this season, but the team will be hard pressed to come anywhere close to last year’s 25 win total.

10. Charlotte – The 49ers return plenty of backcourt scoring led by Braxton Ogbueze, but may not have what it takes to make up for losing a pair of double-digit scorers down low.

11. Florida International – Guard Donte McGill is back after leading the team with 16.1 points per game.  Frontcourt players Adrian Diaz (15.3 ppg) and Daviyon Draper (15.9 ppg) are not. Replacing that much offense will be very difficult to do.

12. Florida Atlantic – The good news is that the Owls should be better than last season.  The bad news is that it is not hard to improve on a 25 loss season.  There just don’t seem to be enough pieces here to make any serious move upwards in the standings.

13. Texas-San Antonio – The Roadrunners bring in longtime Lon Kruger assistant Steve Henson as their new head coach.  He will have his work cut out for him rebuilding this program.  Junior guard Christian Wilson should star this season and be among the top scorers in the conference.

14. Southern Mississippi – Last season was pretty much another train wreck.  This year may not be much better as Doc Sadler still has a ton of work to do.

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Conference Preview: Colonial

Posted on October 8, 2016 by Chad

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COLONIAL

Five programs from the CAA won 20 or more games last season and 8 of the 10 teams finished at least .500 overall.  That is a very good percentage for a “mid-major” conference, even if it did not translate into any postseason success.  In fact, only three CAA teams accepted postseason invitations.  UNC-Wilmington captured the conference tournament title and NCAA bid, losing in the Round of 64 as a 13 seed to Duke.  Hofstra received a bid to the NIT, and lost in their first game to eventual champion George Washington.  Towson made it 0-3 in the postseason, losing their first round game in the Vegas 16.

This season, the Colonial teams will look to turn regular season successes into a little more noise in late March.  UNC-Wilmington figures to lead the way again in the conference, but as many as 7 different teams could challenge in what may be a wide open race.  William & Mary seeks their first ever NCAA bid despite having been a member of Division I since the NCAA went to divisional play (joining only Army, St Francis-Brooklyn, The Citadel and Northwestern on this “elite” list), College of Charleston continues a rapid rebuild under Earl Grant, and teams like Elon, Towson, James Madison and Hofstra all have the weapons to make some serious noise.  In all, the CAA has a chance to be one of the most fun and exciting conferences this season, and one that will definitely be worth watching on a nightly basis.

Predicted Order of Finish

1. UNC-Wilmington – Four starters return for a veteran team that won last season’s automatic bid.  Led by Chris Flemmings and Denzel Ingram, the Seahawks have a real chance to dance again.

2. William & Mary – Forward Omar Prewitt averaged almost 18 points per game last year and returns this season to give the Tribe another shot at that elusive first dance ticket.  The team is deep enough to have a real shot at getting it done.

3. College of Charleston – The Cougars only won 9 games in 2014-15, but improved to 17 victories last season.  This year, all five starters from the end of the season return and are joined by point guard Joe Chealey, who missed last year due to injury.  Head coach Earl Grant could have this team in serious contention for the title.

4. Elon – With seven key rotation players back, and a balanced scoring attack, do not be surprised if the Phoenix end up among the league’s elite.

5. Towson – Losing Byron Hawkins to transfer (to Murray State) hurts, but with Mike Morsell running the backcourt and Arnaud William Adala Moto hitting the rim, the Tigers will still be tough to beat.

6. James Madison – Despite winning 21 games, JMU let head coach Matt Brady go and brought in Louis Rowe.  Rowe does have four starters returning from last season, but replacing point guard Ron Curry and his 17.3 points per game could be tough.

7. Hofstra – Rokas Gustys is a force down low, having averaged well over a double-double last year.  Unfortunately, three of his top supporting cast members are gone from last season and the Pride will need to rely on former role-players stepping up and the addition of a few newcomers if they want to be back among the league’s top teams.

8. Drexel – Bruiser Flint is gone, but in his place the Dragons hired Zach Spiker away from Army.  Spiker helped turn around the Black Knights program and at least put them among the contenders in the Patriot League, so he may be able to do the same in Philadelphia.  With only one starter back from last year, however, he will not be doing it in his first season.

9. Northeastern – The top three scorers are gone from a team that only went 9-9 in conference play last year, making this a rebuilding season.

10. Delaware – There are no returning double-digit scorers for new head coach Martin Ingelsby.  Just finding a way to better last year’s 7 wins may be an accomplishment.

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Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews South Dakota State SO PF Mike Daum

Posted on October 7, 2016 by Jon Teitel

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We continue our 2016-17 season preview interview series with South Dakota State SO PF Mike Daum.  There is very little room left in his trophy case despite having just 1 year under his belt: last season he was named Freshman All-American, Summit League Freshman of the Year, Summit League 6th Man of the Year, and conference tourney MVP.  He has only started 2 games in his college career yet he is the unquestioned leader of the Jackrabbits after topping the team in PPG/RPG/FT%.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Mike about his sensational debut season and adjusting to a new head coach.

daum

You grew up in Nebraska: what made you choose South Dakota State? It was a combination of the players/coaches when I took my recruiting trip here. SDSU made a big effort to stand out to me right away and I felt that it was the right school for me.

Last year you were named conference ROY/6th Man of the Year: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start, and how is your mindset going to change as you make the switch from sub to starter? I went into the season with the mindset of making the most of my minutes and playing as hard as I could. I kept my head down and just played the game.  This year I still have a humble mentality just like last year: I have a lot of work to do and will do whatever Coach asks of me.

You were also #3 in the conference with 82.4 FT%: what is your secret for making FTs? Nothing going through my mind: my mom said that I should just step up to the line and shoot it and it seems to go in for me.

You shot 44.6 3P%: how are you able to make shots from behind the arc despite standing 6’9”, 245 pounds? It started when I was younger: my mom worked with me on my form/wrist flick/release. I did not know that I would end up as 6’9” and my shot has improved over the years.

In the 2016 Summit League title game you scored 18 PTS in a win over North Dakota State en route to being named conference tourney MVP: how were you able to play your best when it mattered the most? There was not a different mentality in the title game: I take it 1 game as a time and treat it like the last game I might ever play.

In the 2016 NCAA tourney you scored 16 PTS in a 5-PT loss to Maryland: what did you learn from that game that you think can help you this year? The physicality of that game was a lot different: the Terps had several guys who ended up getting drafted. It just shows that we can compete with anybody if we get to work: it was a great eye-opening experience for me.

You have a new coach this year in TJ Otzelberger: what is he like, and how has the transition been so far? The transition was phenomenal: it was tough when Coach Nagy left but we have a whole new energy and we are super-excited about Coach TJ. We are looking forward to getting it going and playing for him.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Cal/Northern Iowa/Wichita State: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? All of those games will present big tests in a different way. Cal has great players: Ivan Rabb is a phenomenal player who will probably be a top-10 pick.

You only have 2 seniors on the roster: do you think this team is built to win now or is it going to be a work in progress? I think we are very capable of doing just fine right now. We have great leadership and we know what we can do.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? As of now we do not have any goals, but every team wants to win their conference tourney and make the NCAA tourney. We are focusing more on ourselves and making ourselves better both on and off the court. We will have more camaraderie this year, which should carry over into our games.

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Conference Preview: Big West

Posted on October 7, 2016 by Chad

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BIG WEST

Very little went wrong during a magical 2015-16 season for the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors.  The team went 28-6 overall and 13-3 against Big West competition to win the regular season title.  They followed that up with the conference tournament championship, defeating Long Beach State by four points in the final.  The Rainbow Warriors then earned a 13-seed in the NCAA Tournament and promptly upset Cal by 11 points before their season ended with a loss to Maryland.  Conference tournament runner-up Long Beach State received an NIT invite, while two other Big West teams also played in the postseason – UC-Santa Barbara in the Vegas 16 where they advanced to the semifinals and UC-Irvine in the CIT where they lost in the championship game to Columbia.

As much as went right for Hawai’i last year, things appear to be heading in the exact opposite direction this season.  The program is facing potential ineligiblilty for the postseason due to NCAA violations that occurred under the prior coaching regime, though their case is going to be reheard.  The team lost four of their starting players, who also happened to be their top four point scorers.  Last season was great – this season will be a complete rebuild with potentially not even having the chance for magic due to their probation.  The other three postseason participants, Long Beach State, UC-Irvine and UC-Santa Barbara could all be in the thick of the conference race this year, though Long Beach appears to be the team to beat.  One other team that could make some serious noise, however, is a veteran Cal State-Northridge squad.  Reggie Theus is entering his fourth season as head coach for the Matadors, and it is just about time for him to prove that he was the right man for this job.  On paper at least, he may just have the pieces to do it.

Predicted Order of Finish

1. Long Beach State – Nick Faust’s 17.4 points per game are gone, but the 49ers are still going to be tough to beat, especially with more playing time for Noah Blackwell and the addition of Loyola Marymount transfer Evan Payne.

2. UC-Santa Barbara – Top scorer Michael Bryson is gone, but the Gauchos still figure to be in contention with Gabe Vincent in the backcourt and plenty of size down low.

3. Cal State Northridge – The team’s top three scorers (Kendall Smith, Michael Warren and Aaron Parks) all return to lead a veteran lineup.  Added into the mix will be 6-11, 240-pound Texas A&M transfer Dylan Johns.  If the Matadors can avoid any off-court issues, they should figure right in the mix.

4. UC-Irvine – Four starters from last year’s CIT finalist team are gone, including Mamadou Ndiaye, so a step back should be expected.  Head coach Russell Turner did bring in a solid recruiting class and does have senior guard Luke Nelson back, so don’t completely count the Anteaters out.

5. Cal State Fullerton – With last year’s Big West Freshman of the Year, Khalil Ahmad, and the team’s top scorer, Tre’ Coggins, both back, the Titans could be a dangerous team.  The problem will be down low, where the roster is incredibly thin and lacking in size.

6. UC-Riverside – With their top two scorers from last season gone, Secean Johnson will really need to step up his game and carry the load if the Highlanders want to avoid finishing at or near the bottom of the league standings.

7. UC-Davis – The Aggies have only one returning player who averaged in double figures in scoring, and that is Darius Graham who averaged exactly 10.0 points per game.  A move up in the conference standings does not seem likely this year.

8. Cal Poly – The Mustangs top three scorers from last season are all gone, meaning that the team may be in for a tougher year than last one – and last year they were only 10-20 overall.

9. Hawai’i* – Normally being potentially ineligible for the Big West and NCAA Tournaments would be a bad thing; however, given that almost everyone from last season’s magical team is gone, there probably wasn’t much chance of even qualifying for the Big West Tournament anyhow (which would have only required them to avoid last place).  Head coach Eran Ganot has to pretty much start at the bottom and rebuild the program now.

*Hawai’i may be ineligible for postseason play due to NCAA sanctions.  They have been granted a re-hearing on the penalties which is currently pending.

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Conference Preview: Big South

Posted on October 6, 2016 by Chad

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BIG SOUTH

For what seems like the past 15 years, John Brown has been making headlines and throwing down Top Ten plays for the High Point Panthers.  Yet, despite having one of the most exciting mid-major players in the nation, and at least finishing in a tie for four straight conference regular season titles, High Point failed to break through and advance to their first ever NCAA Tournament.  Brown is now gone, and his team appears likely to take a step backwards in the standings after qualifying for the NIT last season.  UNC-Asheville was the school that took the automatic bid last year, following a third place regular season finish.  The Bulldogs earned a 15 seed and fell in their first game to eventual national champion Villanova.  Winthrop, despite 23 wins, did not play in any postseason tournament. The only other Big South team that did play in the postseason was Coastal Carolina, earning an invite to the CIT and advancing to the semifinals.  The Chanticleers will not repeat that this season out of the Big South, as they were the only team to switch conferences during this past offseason, heading over to the Sun Belt in order to elevate their football program to the FBS level.

This season, Winthrop and UNC-Asheville both figure to be back in the hunt for the conference championship.  The surprise team that could move up to challenge the top two is Liberty.  The Flames have a deadly collection of three-point shooters who should be able to keep their team in most games against conference competition.  And if they get hot at the right time, a run through the conference tournament to the NCAAs would not shock us at all.   All three contenders, along with the rest of the league, will have something extra to play for this season as well. The Big South has revised its conference tournament format, and the regular season champion will host the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds, followed by the highest remaining seed hosting the title game.  Given the parity we have seen in this conference the past few seasons, this added bonus could make this season more fun to watch than ever.

Predicted Order of Finish

1. Winthrop – With the returns of Keon Johnson and Xavier Cooks, plus a deep roster of experienced players, the Eagles seem poised to make up for both the offseason loss of Jimmy Gavin’s 18.7 points per game and the remaining heartache from falling in last year’s conference tournament title game.

2. Liberty – The Flames could be very dangerous with four starters returning, three of whom shot over 35% from beyond the arc.  The biggest issue will be size down low after center Evan Maxwell decided to transfer to Kansas.

3. UNC-Asheville – MaCio Teague has a chance to be the conference’s top freshman player, but losing three starters from last year’s NCAA Tournament team could be tough to make up for.

4. Campbell – Defending Big South Rookie of the Year Chris Clemons can take over the game from the point guard position, but the Camels need to develop other pieces around him in order to challenge the league leaders.

5. Gardner-Webb – The inside combination of forward Tyrell Nelson and 6-10, 240-pound center L’Hassane Niangane will keep them competitive, but the Runnin’ Bulldogs need to find a way to make up for losing three starters from last season’s 17-16 team.

6. High Point – John Brown is gone, along with three other starters.  Head coach Scott Cherry will need to rely on transfers if this team has any chance at staying near the top, notably Brandon Kamga from Northeastern and Jahaad Proctor from Iona.

7. Charleston Southern – Armel Potter and Raemond Robinson should form a solid pairing at the guard positions, but a lack of depth and size will likely prevent the Buccaneers from challenging for the upper division.

8. Presbyterian – Sophomore DeSean Murray led the Big South in scoring last season, then promptly transferred to Auburn.  This looks like it will be another long year.

9. Radford – The Highlanders could be in store for a tough season with only one starter and no double-digit scorers back from last year.

10. Longwood – The Lancers lost 23 games last year, and then lost their top three scorers after the season ended.  Losing less than 23 games might be an accomplishment this time around.

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Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews Saint Joseph’s JR PG Shavar Newkirk

Posted on October 5, 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 Saint Joseph’s JR PG Shavar Newkirk.  Last season he was the starting PG for the A-10 champs and led the Hawks to within a few points of making the Sweet 16.  After the loss of Isaiah Miles/DeAndre’Bembry he will be counted on to play some major minutes this season.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Shavar about making a game-winner and clinching an NCAA tourney victory on a last-second review.

shavar

You grew up in New York: what made you choose Saint Joseph’s? I grew up in Harlem but went to school in the Bronx. I fell in love with the school: it is in a great area, the campus is wonderful, and it is not too far from home.

You play for Coach Phil Martelli: what makes him so down to earth, and what is the most important thing that you have ever learned from him? He does not sugar-coat anything: he tells you exactly what he expects from you. He taught me to trust myself and believe in my abilities.

Last November you scored 10 PTS including the game-winning shot in the final seconds of a 2-PT win over Old Dominion: where does that rank among the most clutch shots of your career? It is definitely up there but I have had that opportunity many times. The ball was actually supposed to go to DeAndre’ Bembry for the last shot but it ended up going to me.

Last season your shooting percentages from 1-PT/2-PT/3-PT land all skyrocketed: what was the biggest difference between your freshman and sophomore seasons? I just got used to the pace of the game.  Everything was very fast when I was a freshman and I felt rushed, but as I learned the game more it became easier for me and I got more comfortable.

In the 2016 A-10 tourney title game you had 4 AST in a win over VCU: what did it mean to you to win a title, and did you have a lot of family/friends who got to attend the game in Brooklyn? I had a lot of people who attended the game, which was wonderful. They can never take the title away from me or our team.

Take me through the 2016 NCAA tourney:
You scored 3 PTS in a 2-PT win over Cincinnati: how nervous were you while the refs spent a few minutes reviewing Octavius Ellis’ potential game-tying dunk to see if it came after the buzzer? It was a crazy/surreal feeling. I hoped that it was after the buzzer but at the time we could not tell.

You scored 10 PTS in a 5-PT loss to Oregon: what did you learn from that game that you think can help you this year? I learned that it all comes down to determination/grit and how much heart a person has. In the NCAA tourney you play against the best of the best so it is the little things that determine who advances.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Temple/Villanova: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? The whole schedule will be tough.  We have a new group of guys this year so I do not know how good we will be on the court but it is a long season.

You lost your top-2 scorers from last year in Isaiah Miles/DeAndre’Bembry: how do you plan to replace all of that offense? It is a team game so we are looking for everyone to step their game up. We need to play to our strengths by getting up and down the court.

You only have 2 seniors on the roster: how much pressure is there on you to be a leader this year? I am ready to take on the responsibility of being a leader. Isaiah/DeAndre’ have showed me the ropes so I am ready for the task.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? My goals are to win another A-10 title and make the Big Dance again. I expect to have a great season and be 1 of the standouts in the A-10.

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