Under The Radar: December 17th

Posted on December 17, 2015 by David Griggs

Chad and David start off with a special holiday gift for all you last minute Christmas shoppers, and then move in to a quick Hoops HD Report Extra where they briefly discuss the retirement of Bo Ryan.

From there, they go on to discuss another huge win by Monmouth as they knocked off Georgetown.  They’ve now won at UCLA, at Georgetown, and have neutral floor wins against Notre Dame and USC.  They certainly appear to have the makings of a profile that will enable them to make the NCAA Tournament if they fail to win the MAAC.

Chattanooga is also coming off a big win at Dayton, and they discuss their chances of making the NCAA Tournament as an at-large team.

They run through all 23 Under the Radar Conferences, preview this week’s upcoming games, and reveal their weekly Under the Radar Top Ten…

 

And for all you radio lovers, below is an mp3 version of the show…

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Throwback Thursday: 1976 NCAA Tournament

Posted on December 17, 2015 by John Stalica

Click here for Chad Sherwood’s UTR Game of the Day and a brief recap of tonight’s games

1976 – this year represented the bicentennial celebration for the United States of America. Philadelphia hosted a couple of major sporting events that year – the first was the Men’s Final Four; the other would be the 1976 MLB All-Star Game. This season would also feature 2 teams that would enter the City of Brotherly Love with a perfect record.

The first team that finished with a perfect record was the Indiana Hoosiers. This was the 2nd season in a row in which the Hoosiers would finish with a perfect regular season; however, with star player Scott May injured the year before, they lost to Kentucky in the regional final in one of Bob Knight’s most devastating losses in his career (if not the worst loss). 3 notable wins by Indiana included a pair of wins against Michigan (another Final Four team that will be discussed later) and a revenge win against a Kentucky team that would win the NIT title that season. In the Mideast Region, the Hoosiers beat St. John’s, Alabama and Marquette to claim the 1st Final Four berth. Another ironic twist of fate here – Indiana beat a Marquette team that was arguably better and more talented than their 1977 team that would go on to win the national title.

The second team that finished with a perfect record came in the form of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Led by a starting unit that included Phil Sellers, Mike Dabney, Hollis Copeland, James Bailey and Eddie Jordan (yes, that would also be current Rutgers head coach Eddie Jordan), Rutgers beat several eventual NCAA Tournament participants including St. John’s, Syracuse (the last season in which Roy Danforth was head coach), and Princeton. In the NCAA Tournament, the Scarlet Knights would again defeat Princeton, UConn and VMI to clinch a Final 4 spot out of the East regional.

In the Midwest Regional, the Michigan Wolverines would become the 3rd team to clinch a spot in the Final 4. With wins over Wichita State, Notre Dame and Missouri, the Wolverines also helped the Big 10 become the first conference to have multiple teams in the Final 4. The Wolverines were lead by future NBA star Rickey Green.

The final team to clinch a spot in the Final 4 would be the UCLA Bruins. This season was expected to represent a passing of the torch since John Wooden had retired last season after UCLA won what was then a record 10th NCAA title against Kentucky. This season, Gene Bartow (the future architect of UAB’s basketball program) would be head coach and his star players included Richard Washington and Marques Johnson. In the NCAA Tournament, UCLA would defeat San Diego State, Pepperdine and future conference foe Arizona (who was in the WAC at that time) to advance to Philadelphia.

In the Spectrum, Michigan would spoil Rutgers’ perfect season with an 86-70 victory; the Hoosiers (led by Kent Benson, Quinn Buckner, Scott May, Tom Abernethy and Jim Crews) would defeat UCLA 65-51 to ensure an all-Big Ten final. In the championship game, Indiana would put on a clinic and defeated Michigan 86-68 to clinch Indiana’s third national title as well as the first of 3 titles for Bob Knight. UCLA would also defeat Rutgers to clinch 3rd place overall in the NCAA Tournament. Even in victory, Bob Knight had said, “Should have been two” to Bob Hammel of the Bloomington Herald-Telephone (now the Bloomington Herald-Times newspaper).

Click here to view the video of the 1976 Final Four; you’ll want to jump ahead about 30 seconds if you want to avoid the color bars at the beginning of the video.

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Under the Radar Game of the Day – Thursday, December 17: Belmont at Middle Tennessee

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Chad

Under the Radar Game of the Day: Belmont at Middle Tennessee, 7:00 PM Eastern, ASN

Tonight’s UTR Game of the Day comes from Murfreesboro, TN, home of the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders.  MTSU enters play tonight with a solid record of 6-2, including having taken home the championship at the Great Alaska Shootout and having picked up an overtime win this past weekend in Nashville against Auburn.  Other than a season-opening loss at Murray State, the Blue Raiders’ only slip up so far this season was a home game on December 2 to VCU, which they lost by 6 points.  Reggie Upshaw has led the way for Kermit Davis’ squad so far this season, including a very strong 21 point and 13 rebound effort in the Auburn win.  He also picked up 4 assists, 3 steals and a block in that game.  Giddy Potts also bears keeping an eye on for MTSU, as his stat line this season includes 17 points and 14 rebounds in a win against South Alabama.

Tonight, the Blue Raiders welcome in the preseason pick to win the Ohio Valley Conference, Coach Rick Byrd’s Belmont Bruins.  Belmont was a team that we here at HOOPS HD though might have at-large bid potential heading into the season.  However, a 7-4 start with the only win of note having come at Marquette has probably dashed those hopes.  Although none of the Bruins’ four losses were bad by any means (at Arizona State, Evansville, BYU and Valpo), the Bruins really needed to pick up at least two wins in those four games to put enough solid numbers on their resume before OVC play begins.  The good news is that the season is far from over, and if they can dominate the rest of their schedule, including picking up a road win over a solid team tonight, Belmont will certainly prove that they will be a very tough out in March.  Of course, they have the added bonus of playing in the OVC, which gives its top two seeds byes into the conference tournament semifinals and plays the entire tournament in Belmont’s backyard in Nashville.  In other words, this is one team that really should not have to worry too much about putting together an at-large bid resume — they really should not need it.

 

OTHER HIGHLIGHTED GAMES

-WEST VIRGINIA VS MARSHALL (Charleston, WV).  This is a rivalry game in the sense that it has all the bitterness that most rivalries have and then some, but it’s not in the sense of it being a huge mismatch in terms of the status of the two programs.

-Hampton @ SMU (Buy Game)
-Norfolk State @ Evansville (Buy Game)
-Cal Poly @ USC (Buy Game)

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News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Wednesday, Dec 16th

Posted on December 16, 2015 by David Griggs

NEWS AND NOTES

-Yesterday was another slow day, but Monmouth ended up picking up what will perhaps be their most impressive win on the season when they won going away at Georgetown.  I realize Georgetown isn’t high on everyone’s radar yet, but they had lost to Duke and Maryland by a combined total of six points, and had REALLY been playing well.  I still think Georgetown will end up having a big year, and that this will be a hugely important win for Monmouth.  On another note, I like seeing people complain about Monmouth’s bench after each big win.  Anyone who is annoyed by kids in their late teens and early twenties that they don’t even know just because those kids are having a good time deserves to be annoyed.  I’m glad they’re annoyed!  I hope they continue to be annoyed!

Speaking of Monmouth…

For Jon Teitel’s most recent interview with Monmouth Legend Ron Kornegay – CLICK HERE

-For Chad Sherwood’s UTR Game of the Day between Alabama A&M and Western Kentucky – CLICK HERE

-We had some technical difficulties creating the mp3 audio file for our most recent Hoops HD Report.  We have it sorted out now, though.  If you haven’t seen it yet, CLICK HERE TO WATCH AND/OR LISTEN

 

HIGHLIGHTED GAMES

-HIGH POINT AT NC STATE.  This is a buy game, and it’s between two teams that may not be anywhere close to the bubble, but we highlight it because High Point is off to a very good 8-2 starts and has looked like one of the better teams in the Big South, and NC State has played at least decently well since dropping their opener to William & Mary.  We also highlight it because there is so little else to highlight.

-OLD DOMINION AT RICHMOND.  This is an old Colonial rivalry.  Richmond has been somewhat disappointing, but they are at least hovering around the bubble right now.  Old Dominion has been one of the more disappointing teams in the country this year.

-SOUTH DAKOTA STATE AT TEXAS TECH.  Both teams come into this with just one loss, and although both are flying way under the national radar right now, I’m not ready to rule out the possibility that neither will end up having a big year.

-LITTLE ROCK AT CENTRAL ARKANSAS.  A win for Little Rock keeps them unbeaten and keeps a pretty healthy profile in tact.

-MISSISSIPPI STATE AT FLORIDA STATE.  Florida State doesn’t have a ton of meet on their profile yet, but they are playing better and are good enough to get some big wins once they start to get the opportunities.

-WINTHROP AT ALABAMA.  Both teams come in at 6-2, and Alabama has had some pretty impressive wins despite having to overcome injuries and a somewhat sluggish start to the year.

-NEW MEXICO STATE AT NEW MEXICO.  This is the second leg of this rivalry, and it’s kind of a game New Mexico needs to win if they want to keep from drowning.

-ARIZONA STATE AT UNLV.  Both teams have looked better than we expected this year, but both also still have work to do, so this game is a big opportunity for both teams.

–

 

BUY GAMES

-Tulane @ North Carolina
-Kennesaw State @ Louisville
-Savannah State @ Utah
-NC Central @ Houston
-Hardin-Simmons (nondiv1) @ Baylor
-Northern Arizona @ Arizona
-Southern Utah @ Saint Mary’s

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Jersey Boy: Monmouth legend Ron Kornegay

Posted on December 16, 2015 by Jon Teitel

After their road win at Georgetown last night and the adorable antics of their bench players, Monmouth basketball is becoming 1 of the trendiest programs in the country.  JR PG Justin Robinson is 1 of the best scorers in the nation with more than 20 PPG, but it will take him a long time to pass Ron Kornegay’s 2526 career PTS and become the all-time leading scorer in school history.  After graduating from South Side Academy in Newark Ron became a 2-time 1st-team All-American in West Long Branch and helped lead the Hawks to 3 NAIA national tourneys.  After finishing his college career he became an assistant to head coach Bill Boylan, and when Boylan stepped down in 1975 Ron was named the 2nd head basketball coach in Monmouth history.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Ron about being a sensational scorer and later becoming a coach/athletic director.

ron

In 1965 you were a 1st-team all-state player at South Side High School in Newark despite being only 5’7”: did you consider your size to be an advantage or a disadvantage on the court? I never really thought about it: most of the other PGs in the city were my size.

What are your memories of the 1966 NAIA tourney as a player at Monmouth (Earl Beechum scored 46 PTS in a 2-PT win by Midwestern State)? We lost at the buzzer. Beechum could really shoot the ball. It was our 1st trip to the national tourney so it was very new for us, but we played very well against a top-10 team.

What are your memories of the 1968 NAIA tourney (1-PT loss to Westminster at the buzzer)? It was another great game. We captivated the audience with our style and saw a lot of friends who we 1st met 2 years earlier. I have never seen more buzzer beaters than at that tourney. You have to win 5 games in a single week: it is unbelievable. The town of Kansas City closes down for the entire week.

What are your memories of the 1969 NAIA tourney (5-PT loss to MVP Jake Ford and eventual runner-up Maryland State)? Ford was a 1st round draft pick who spent many years in the NBA. I fouled out of that game.

1 of your college teammates was Ed Halicki, who later pitched a no-hitter for the Giants: how good of a basketball player was Ed, and which sport was he better at back in the day? Evidently he was a better baseball player: that no-hitter was against my Mets! He was a freshman when I was a senior but he is probably 1 of the better players to ever come out of Monmouth.

You remain the all-time leading scorer in school history: did you realize at the time how prolific a player you were, and do you think that anyone will ever break your record? I never thought about that part of it because I only averaged 11 PPG in high school. My college coach gave me more freedom to score and my teammates helped me out. Records are made to be broken but I am very proud of my record and never thought that I would be in that position.

You were a 2-time NAIA All-American: what did it mean to you to win such outstanding individual honors? We had a great team that represented Monmouth very well. I had a great supporting cast who gave me the opportunity to play the style we played.

After graduation you became an assistant coach under Bill Boylan (the 1st coach in school history) before succeeding him as head coach in 1977: what made Boylan such a great coach, and how hard was it to follow in his large footsteps? He was a people person. I played 4 years and coached 8 years for him and never heard him utter a single curse word. We would run through a wall for him because he would do the same for us.

In 1983 your program made the leap to D-1: what is the biggest difference between NAIA and D-1? The athletes in D-1 are bigger/stronger/faster. We were aggressive with our scheduling and would play teams like Georgetown/St. John’s who had some of the best coaches in the country. It was a tough transition but it was a necessity and a good decision that has benefited the school.

You are currently the AD at Manasquan High School: how do you like the job, and what do you hope to do in the future? I love the job and have been here for well over a decade. It keeps me in the game and allows me to be around the game. I have a couple more years here before I retire and then I have no idea what I will do after that.

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Under the Radar Game of the Day – Wednesday, December 16: Alabama A&M at Western Kentucky

Posted on December 16, 2015 by Chad

Under the Radar Game of the Day: Alabama A&M at Western Kentucky, 9:00 PM Eastern, Hilltopper Sports Network/Fox College Sports-Pacific

In 1980, shortly after becoming a Division I conference, SWAC teams won 15 true road non-conference games against Division I opponents.  In 1986, they won 14.  In 1988, it was 11 and in 1990 it was 10.  In the 25 years since then, the most wins was only 7.  The lower number was partly the conference becoming one of the lower rated leagues in Division I, but also a sign of the changing times.  In the early 80s, SWAC teams would play road games against similar competition — smaller conference schools or independents that were not expected to challenge for NCAA Tournament berths.  Today, SWAC teams need to schedule the majority of their road games at the “big boys” in order to cash the check that comes with playing these “buy games”.  Despite the changed landscape, entering play tonight, the SWAC has already picked up 9 non-conference road wins against D1 opponents, and had a chance to equal or best the 1990 mark (though the all-time mark from 1980 is probably going to be safe this year).

Tonight’s UTR Game of the Day involves a team that has picked up two of those road wins already this year, at Tulane and at Jacksonville State.  The Alabama A&M Bulldogs enter play tonight with a record of 4-2.  The Bulldogs started out 4-0, but have lost at Murray State and at Saint Louis in their last two games.  They will try to stop that losing streak at Western Kentucky tonight and help the SWAC extend its best overall season in 25 years.  The Bulldogs are led by senior Ladarius Tabb.  Tabb has scored 20 or more points in all but one game so far this season.  He is not alone in leading this team though, as junior Rakiya Battle has been in double figures every game and senior Nick West in all but one game.  Having these three veterans leading the way is one of the reasons that AAMU was our preseason pick to win the SWAC.  Although Southern University has looked really good so far this season (including narrowly losing at Memphis last night), there is still no reason to doubt that the Bulldogs will be right in the hunt for the conference’s automatic bid.

Tonight’s opponent for Alabama A&M is the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.  WKU enters tonight’s game with a record of 5-4, having alternated wins and losses every game so far this season (they won at home over Indiana State on Sunday, so if that streak continues, it could be a tough night).  Their best win to date came over a Central Michigan team that we expected to contend for the MAC championship, though that team has been dealing with injuries all season long.  The Hilltoppers will look to Justin Johnson to help lead the way tonight.  Johnson scored 24 points while grabbing 10 rebounds and picking up 3 assists in the Indiana State win.  They may also be looking for Fredrick Edmond to help offensively.  Edmond scored in double figures in 5 of the team’s first 6 games, including a double-double against Belmont, but has been almost a non-factor in the last three outings, with his production and playing time having been cut back.  Perhaps that is in part due to a few other players having stepped up, including Nigel Snipes who is averaging 12.4 points per game.

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