Season preview: Charlotte coach Mark Price

Posted on November 5, 2015 by Jon Teitel

For the rest of our extensive Preseason Coverage – CLICK HERE

Most coaches who take a new job have to literally uproot their entire lives, but the only thing Mark Price will need to change is the destination on the GPS in his car!  Last March he was hired as head coach of the Charlotte 49ers after spending the past 2 years as an assistant coach with the Charlotte Hornets.  He is 1 of the best players in Georgia Tech history, a 2-time All-American who was named 1985 ACC tourney MVP.  During his 12-year NBA career he became 1 of the best shooters in the history of the sport, and now we get to see how he does on the sideline.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Price about splitting the double-team and being on the court for 1 of Michael Jordan’s most famous shots.

price

At Georgia Tech you were named 1983 ACC ROY after leading the conference in scoring as a freshman: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? The opportunity was there. 1 of the reasons that I chose Georgia Tech was that it was a rebuilding program at the time so I would get a lot of playing time right away, which helped my development as a player.

In the 1985 ACC tourney title game you scored 16 PTS and were named tourney MVP after a 5-PT win over North Carolina: how much of a home-court advantage did you have while playing in Atlanta, and how hard is it to beat a team 3 times in 2 months? I think anytime you play in your city it gives you an advantage. The biggest challenge was to beat them 3 times in 1 season, which is very difficult to do. It is pretty rare, so it was quite an accomplishment.

In the 1986 NBA Draft you were selected by Dallas and then traded later that day to Cleveland: how did it feel to get drafted, and how did it feel to get traded so quickly? It happened very quickly, but my agent at the time told me that it was a deal that had been worked out in advance. I was not with Dallas long enough to consider myself a Maverick, and knew that I was going to Cleveland the whole time.

You swept Chicago 6-0 during the 1989 regular season, but in Game 5 of the 1989 Eastern Conference 1st round Michael Jordan scored 44 PTS including his famous series-winning shot over Craig Ehlo at the buzzer: did you think that the shot was going in, and where does that rank among the most devastating losses of your career? It was definitely my most devastating loss. We felt that we were the better team but I did not even play in Game 1 due to a pulled groin muscle. Game 5 was unbelievable: most people do not remember Craig scoring a layup right before Jordan made his shot.

Your 90.4 career FT% is 1 of the best in NBA history, you were a 2-time winner of the NBA 3-PT Shootout, and you have been a shooting consultant for several NBA teams: what is your secret for making shots, and how do you teach other players to make their own shots? Good technique is a starting point: I was fortunate that my dad was a coach who helped me create my shot. I have been able to pass it along to other guys: everyone is a little different but they all need some of the basics. I just try to take all of the information and apply it to the person I am working with to help them improve.

You are known as the pioneer of attacking the pick and roll by splitting the double-team: how did you come up with the idea, and how has it become so popular? It was not being done at the time and I just came upon it by happenstance. I remember it vividly: I was being guarded by Mo Cheeks and we were playing Philly in the 2nd of back-to-back games. I came off of a pick and roll and their big guy came out really high. It looked like the Red Sea parting so I just drove past him, pulled up, and made a shot. Cheeks complimented me on it afterward and I ended up making it a regular part of my game.

Last March you signed a 5-year deal to become head coach at Charlotte: why did you take the job, and how is it going so far? I took the job because it was the perfect opportunity for me in a lot of different ways. I was already in the city as an assistant for the Hornets so my family did not have to move. I was just waiting for the right situation and have worked at the NBA level for the last 7-8 years, but after being contacted by the school and checking out the campus I think that it is a great chance to build something.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Syracuse/Miami/Georgetown: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? They will all be big tests for us because we have 8 new players on the roster. We are just trying to build and develop what we do. The Bahamas tourney during Thanksgiving will include 3 big-time opponents over 3 straight days, which will be a real challenge.

You only return 1 of your top-7 scorers from last year (Braxton Ogbueze): how will you try to replace all of that missing offense? We are trying to figure all of that out right now and see what kind of system we will play. I like the guys we brought in and we will just take it day by day.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? I am in a unique situation. There is so much unknown with a new team/coaching staff so I just expect to compete every night and have a chance to win games. I do not have a specific number of wins in mind.

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Video Conference Preview: Big Twelve

Posted on November 5, 2015 by David Griggs

Links

-For Chad Sherwood’s Atlantic Ten Preview – CLICK HERE

-For Jon Teitel’s interview with Eastern Michigan JR PG Raven Lee – CLICK HERE

-For all of our extensive preseason coverage, including interviews, conference previews, and video podcasts – CLICK HERE

 

BIG TWELVE

Chad is once again joined by the regular panel as they look at the Big Twelve Conference.  They discuss how the league has managed to get seven out of ten teams to the NCAA Tournament two years in a row, which is the highest percentage of any conference ever, but at the same time have not had a team past the Sweet Sixteen since 2012.  Nevertheless, they once again feel the conference will be strong with Kansas, Oklahoma, and Iowa State competing for protected seeds, and Baylor, Texas, and West Virginia likely also competing for spots in the NCAA Tournament.

 

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

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Conference Preview: Atlantic Ten

Posted on November 5, 2015 by Chad

For the rest of our Preseason coverage, CLICK HERE.

ATLANTIC TEN

Once again last season, Archie Miller’s Dayton Flyers recorded multiple NCAA tournament wins, knocking off Boise State in the First Four and upsetting Providence in the Round of 64 before falling to Oklahoma.  This came on the heels of Dayton’s run to the Elite Eight (also as an 11 seed) in the 2014 tournament.  Despite the postseason success, Archie chose to remain at Dayton (and he probably could have had his pick of open jobs this offseason).  While Miller stayed in the A-10, Shaka Smart is gone from VCU, having moved on to Texas.  Shaka’s VCU Rams joined Dayton and A-10 newcomer Davidson in the NCAA tournament last season, though VCU and Davidson both lost in their only games.  Rhode Island, George Washington and Richmond rounded out the conference’s postseason invites, all playing in the NIT.

Although there has certainly been some offseason changes in the Atlantic Ten, the conference itself appears to be setting up for more of the same, as last year’s six postseason participants appear to be the upper division this year as well.  Rhode Island is the current pick to step up and take the regular season title, though Dayton, George Washington and VCU could all be in the hunt too.  The Rhode Island Rams are looking to make their first NCAA tournament since 1999, and coach Danny Hurley’s squad has enough weapons to break that streak, regardless of whether or not they win the automatic bid.

Predicted Order of Finish

1. Rhode Island – Guard E.C. Matthews is among the best players in the conference.  Jared Terrell, Jarvis Garrett and Towson transfer Four McGlynn fill out a deep backcourt while Hassan Martin and Earl Watson should both be strong in the front.  The Rams appear to be stacked and ready to break out this season.

2.  Dayton – Despite Jordan Sibert having moved on, the Flyers are still talented with the likes of Kendall Pollard, Scoochie Smith and Dyshawn Pierre (assuming he will be eligible after the first semester).  James Madison transfer Charles Cooke should get a lot of playing time, and Archie Miller had added some size with his new recruits.

3.  George Washington – Kethan Savage’s surprise transfer to Butler hurt, but the Colonials bring back three seniors in Patricio Garino, Kevin Larsen and Joe McDonald.  The addition of Wake Forest transfer Tyler Cavanaugh could be the missing piece needed to put Mike Lonergan’s team back in the Big Dance.

4.  VCU – Former Shaka Smart assistant Will Wade, who spent the last two seasons implementing his “CHAOS” version of Havoc in Chattanooga, returns to take over a team that has made seven straight NCAA tournaments.  Wade should have enough talent left to challenge for an eighth consecutive bid, and welcomes in a dangerous scorer in Oral Roberts transfer Korey Billbury.

5.  Davidson – The Wildcats were the surprise of the conference last year, but teams should be more ready for them this time around.  That being said, Brian Sullivan, Jordan Barham, Jack Gibbs, Peyton Aldridge and more return from last year’s squad.  Bob McKillop has added potential stand-out freshman Dusan Kovacevic from Serbia as well, giving this team a chance to repeat last year’s success.

6.  Richmond – T.J. Cline and Terry Allen anchor a strong frontcourt.  ShawnDre’ Jones was the conference Sixth Man of the Year last season but will need help in the backcourt if the Spiders are going to find a way to get a tourney bid.

7.  St. Bonaventure – Marcus Posley and Jaylen Adams form a solid backcourt, while Dion Wright has a chance to excel down low.  However, there does not appear to be enough here beyond these three.

8.  Duquesne – Derrick Colter and Micah Mason will light things up from three-point range, but the inside game is not strong enough to make the Dukes  a serious contender.

9.  St. Joseph’s – DeAndre’ Bembry is a legitimate star and will get help from Isaiah Miles and Aaron Brown, but finishing with a winning record is probably this team’s ceiling.

10.  Fordham – Mandell Thomas and Christian Sengfelder will lead the way for the Rams.  If new head coach Jeff Neubauer get production from Jon Severe that was not present last season, as well as get production from his recruits, there is a chance that this team could surprise.

11.  Saint Louis – The young Billikens got experience last year and there should be across the board improvements shown this season.  However, there is not enough here yet to rise much further than this in the standings.

12.  La Salle – Jordan Price will score a ton of points this season, but the pieces needed to help him out are all waiting in the wings for next season.

13.  George Mason – Shevon Thompson leads a deep frontcourt, but it may take a few years for new head coach Dave Paulsen to sort out the mess left by his predecessor.

14.  Massachusetts – Coach Derek Kellogg simply does have enough pieces here to do much at all this season.  It could be a very long one.

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Season preview: Eastern Michigan JR PG Raven Lee

Posted on November 4, 2015 by Jon Teitel

For all of the rest of our extensive Preseason Coverage – CLICK HERE

Nobody doesn’t like Raven Lee!  He only played 8 games in 2012 due to a foot injury, then bounced back the following year to play 36 games and set a school freshman scoring record.  Last year he played 35 games and set a school sophomore scoring record, including 33 PTS in 21 minutes during a 3-PT loss at Ohio last February.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Raven about overcoming injuries and making the most clutch shot of his career.

raven

Your dad went to Eastern Michigan: how much pressure was there on you to follow in his footsteps? My dad went to Eastern but never had the opportunity to play D-1 basketball. There was no pressure to follow in his footsteps: it was more like pressure to do the things that he taught me and put myself in the position to play basketball at the highest level.

You play for Coach Rob Murphy: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have ever learned from him? I like playing for Coach Murphy because he is a great guy to get along with both on and off the court. In high school I was getting recruited by several colleges, but I never lost contact with Coach Murphy and his staff.  I felt very comfortable that they would have my back and work hands-on with me to become a better player/person. The most important thing that I learned from Coach Murphy regarding basketball is that defense can win championships. It is something we stress every day in practice.

In your 1st season you only played 8 games before hurting your foot and having to get a medical redshirt: how bad was it, and how were you able to overcome the injury? The injury was tough: I knew that I possibly broke my foot right when it happened. The worst part was having to use crutches. Things became a lot better after I began using a walking boot because I could walk around and start to shoot a basketball. The way I overcame the injury was by staying positive, keeping an upbeat mood, and becoming closer to some of my teammates because I was only as freshman at the time.

In November of 2013 you scored a career-high 38 PTS (12-15 FG/5-5 3PM) in a 5-PT win over Texas-Arlington: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? That was a fun game because I was very comfortable on the floor and felt that I could do anything. That is what opened me up to begin taking some great shots and sinking them. I hope to have more games like that this season because I have continually worked on my jump shot and think I am shooting great right now.

Last year your 16.7 PPG was #2 in the MAC: what is your secret for being a great scorer? My secret is just putting in extra work on my game. I like to come in late at night when there are not many people around. I am not afraid to try new things like practicing post-up moves, and now I am very comfortable getting my shot off from posting up. We do not work on that type of stuff in practice, so you have to get into the gym on your own time to be able to get comfortable with the extra stuff.

In the 2015 MAC tourney you scored 19 PTS including a 3-PT shot in the final 15 seconds of regulation in a 1-PT OT win over Miami Ohio: did you think the shot was going in, and where does that rank among the most clutch shots of your career? I made an important runner on the play before so I was in rhythm. I just wanted the ball on the next play because I knew that I had a very good chance of making the shot. That is probably the most clutch shot that I have made during my career: if I did not make that shot then our season was probably over.

In the 2015 CBI you scored 17 PTS in a 4-PT loss to Louisiana-Monroe: what did you learn from that game that you think can help you this year? The CBI was not the place that we would have loved to be playing: we would rather have been in the NCAA tourney, which is our goal every season. We just need to take each game 1 possession at a time and realize that every play matters.

Your non-conference schedule includes road trips to Michigan State/Penn State/Louisville: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? I think that the Spartans will be our biggest test. They made the Final 4 last spring so they will use that to try and get off to a great start this season. They play a very tough style of basketball so the game should be very physical.

You are the only returning player who started at least half of your team’s games last year: how much pressure is there on you to be a leader this year? There is not much pressure on me to be a leader on this team. I have been on the team for 4 years now and I just like to lead by example. My experience allows my teammates to focus in when I am giving them instructions or advice.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? My biggest goal for the season is to play in the NCAA tournament. Some other goals would be to finish the conference with the best record and go undefeated at home.

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Video Conference Preview: Pac Twelve

Posted on November 4, 2015 by David Griggs

Very Important Links!!

For Chad Sherwood’s ACC Preview – CLICK HERE

For Jon Teitel’s latest interview with UMass Director of Operations Lou Roe – CLICK HERE

For the rest of our extensive Preseason Coverage, including interviews, conference previews, and video podcasts – CLICK HERE

 

PAC TWELVE

Chad is joined again by Jon, John, Joby, and David as they preview this year’s Pac Twelve.  Arizona is pretty much the unanimous favorite to win the league and could once again be poised for a deep NCAA Tournament run.  Cal is another team that we like, but we also feel that their lack of depth could be an issue.  Utah and Oregon are also looking like solid NCAA Tournament teams.  They also discuss Oregon State, who hasn’t had much success of any kind in recent years, but who now appears to be improving and should be fun to watch this year.  The group discusses all of that, and more…

 

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

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Conference Preview: ACC

Posted on November 4, 2015 by Chad

To watch our video podcast of the ACC Conference Preview – CLICK HERE

For the rest of our Preseason Coverage, CLICK HERE.

ACC

Eight teams in the postseason. Six teams in the NCAA tournament. Three teams in the Elite Eight. And one team cutting down the nets celebrating the national championship. In other words, it was business as usual last season in the ACC. Duke won it all. Louisville and Notre Dame advanced to the Elite Eight. North Carolina and North Carolina State made the Sweet 16, and Virginia was a #2 seed (though was upset in the Round of 32). The conference also put two teams (Pitt and Miami) in the NIT, with the Hurricanes losing in the championship game to Stanford.  Syracuse also had a solid campaign that probably would have put the Orange in the NIT if not for a self-imposed postseason ban.

The defending champions are loaded again this year as Coach K has clearly changed his philosophy and embraced the one-and-done players. It paid off last season and he will be looking to coach another group of strong freshmen in defense of the title this year. North Carolina may in fact have the most talented team in the conference, but the school has been plagued by off-court issues for what seems like years and will need to avoid any distractions. Tony Bennett’s Virginia Cavaliers will be looking to see how the new 30-second shot clock affects their stifling defense, which should be good enough again to have them at or near the top of the league.

Beyond the top three, as many as six other teams have legitimate NCAA tournament aspirations this year, including Louisville, Notre Dame, Miami and Syracuse. Florida State should take a huge leap up this season as well and be among the teams dancing. Finally, keep an eye on Wake Forest, as Danny Manning’s squad has the tools in place to be a surprise tournament contender.

Predicted Order of Finish

1. North Carolina – Brice Johnson and Kennedy Meeks lead one of the best, deepest frontcourts in the nation. Marcus Paige is one of the best point guards, and maybe one of the best overall players, in the country. If there are any on-court questions in Chapel Hill, they have to do with backcourt depth.

2. Virginia – Justin Anderson may be gone, but with Malcolm Brogdon and London Perrantes in the backcourt still, the Hoos won’t miss him too much. Anthony Gill needs to step up down low and get help from younger players. However, the nation’s best defense may actually get better with the shorter shot clock as they will only have to defend for 30 seconds instead of 35.

3. Duke – Coach K will be relying on another great batch of freshmen, highlighted by Chase Jeter, Derryck Thornton and most notably Brandon Ingram. Rice transfer Sean Obi should help down low, and Grayson Allen has a great chance to become a legitimate star.

4. Florida State – The Seminoles return all five starters from last year’s team including the always dangerous Xavier Rathan-Mayes. Leonard Hamilton also welcomes in a solid group of recruits led by Dwayne Bacon, who has a shot to be a star. Oh, and by the way, the ‘noles now have three players over 7 feet tall. The rest of the ACC better watch out.

5. Miami – The ‘canes will be tough to beat this season thanks to their pair of senior guards, Angel Rodriguez and Sheldon McClellan. Oklahoma State transfer Kamari Murphy will help with the frontcourt depth for a team that has a great shot to dance this season.

6. Louisville – Rick Pitino’s squad has a ton of newcomers that will need to find a way to gel together before they can succeed, especially given the Cardinals’ focus on defense. Drexel transfer Damion Lee and Cleveland State transfer Trey Lewis are both stepping up against tougher competition but should be able to score a ton of points. As long as the defense remains solid, and the team can avoid the off-court distractions, the Cardinals will be tough to beat.

7. Notre Dame – Losing Jerian Grant and Pat Connaughton from last season’s Elite Eight squad will hurt, but the Irish still have Demetrius Jackson, Steve Vasturia and Zach Auguste. Those three players alone should be enough to have them in the tournament discussion this year, though repeating last season’s successes would be a stretch.

8. Syracuse – The Orange have a solid combination of returning veterans, such as Michael Gbinije, and young talent, such as freshman Malachi Richardson. Assuming they do not suffer too badly during Coach Boeheim’s nine game ACC suspension, there is no reason the Orange will not be in contention for an NCAA tournament bid.

9. Wake Forest – A dark horse candidate in the ACC for certain, but the Demon Deacons return Codi Miller-McIntyre’s 14.5 points per game and Devin Thomas’ nightly double-double threat down low. The addition of freshman Doral Moore, a 7-1 presence inside, as part of a solid recruiting class, has the future looking bright in Winston-Salem.

10. Pittsburgh – The Panthers played in the NIT last season and seem destined for a return there again this year. Pitt will need Coppin State transfer Sterling Smith and Brown transfer Rafael Maia to prove they can play at this level if they want any chance to step up to the Big Dance.

11. North Carolina State – With Trevor Lacey and Ralston Turner gone from last year’s Sweet 16 squad, the Wolfpack do not appear to have enough pieces to return to the NCAAs. Anthony Barber will be asked to lead the way, but he will need help that might not be there.

12. Virginia Tech – Buzz Williams will get some scoring from his backcourt this year with the combination of Justin Bibbs and Maryland transfer Seth Allen. However, there are still too many questions in the frontcourt.

13. Clemson – Jaron Blossomgame is a legitimate star with a chance to hit a double-double any night. If he had a few pieces around him to help out, the Tigers could be dangerous. Unfortunately, those pieces do not appear to be there.

14. Georgia Tech – Marcus Georges-Hunt and Virginia Tech transfer Adam Smith will lead the way for the Yellow Jackets, but the postseason is probably beyond their grasp and coach Brian Gregory may need to start polishing up his resume.

15. Boston College – Jim Christian may eventually be able to build a postseason contender here, but the cupboard still remains mostly bare. The only player of note is former Rutgers and Florida transfer Eli Carter.

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