Season preview: Dayton JR PG Scoochie Smith

Posted on September 7, 2015 by Jon Teitel

There are a lot of great nicknames in college basketball, but “Scoochie” Smith has to be 1 of the best.  He finished his high school career with a double-double in the Jordan Brand Regional All-Star Game, and began his college career at Dayton by helping them reach 2 straight NCAA tourneys.  After leading the team in assists during the regular season last year, he played 117 of a possible 120 minutes in the NCAA tourney.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Scoochie about the Flyers’ SEC-heavy non-conference schedule and the story behind his nifty nickname.

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Your nickname is “Scoochie”: who gave it to you, and how do you like it? My grandfather gave it to me. I did not think it would still be around now that I am grown up, but I like it.

You grew up in the Bronx: what made you choose Dayton? I wanted the opportunity to come in a freshman and get a lot of playing time. The campus is great and it is very family-oriented. It is a good mix of academics and athletics.

You play for Coach Archie Miller: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have ever learned from him? I like his drive and his will to win. We are kind of on the same page at being successful at whatever we do.

You played in all 37 games as a freshman and had the best assist-to-turnover ratio on the team: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I just prepared myself for success and worked hard at practice.

In the 2014 NCAA tourney you had 2 STL and Vee Sanford made a layup with 3.8 seconds left in a 1-PT win over your in-state rival Ohio State: did you think Aaron Craft’s 10-footer at the buzzer was going in, and what was the reaction like in the locker room afterward? I knew that Vee was going to win the game because Coach drew up the play for him: I have seen him make that shot all the time. I was not too nervous about Aaron’s shot but it was close to going in. It was a great win for the Flyer faithful and boosted our confidence for a deep tourney run that year.

Last year you led the team in AST: what is the key to being a good PG? I just try to lead the team and improve at everything I do on a daily basis: I try to be a pro every day.

In the 2015 NCAA tourney you scored 16 PTS in a 6-PT loss to Oklahoma: what did you learn from that loss that you think can help you this year? We cannot have scoring breakdowns like we did last year if we want to win games.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Alabama/Vandy/Arkansas: when did you decide to join the SEC, and which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test?! It is always fun to play against the SEC but it is also tough. It will be good preparation for conference play but you just have to be ready because you can lose on any given night.

Your leading scorer from last year (Jordan Sibert) graduated but your other 4 starters all return: how do you hope to replace Jordan’s offense, and how crucial will all of that experience be to your team’s success? We have a lot of guys who know how to win and a bunch of newcomers who are willing to learn, which makes things a lot easier. Everyone will just step up when their number is called, so I do not think that scoring will be a problem.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? I have very high goals for myself and we want to win as many games as possible and try to win a conference championship. I want to help my teammates improve every day and be a good leader.

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Season preview: Dayton JR SF Kendall Pollard

Posted on September 6, 2015 by Jon Teitel

If you want to know how to go far in the postseason, Kendall Pollard is a good person to ask.  As a high school player at Simeon Career Academy, he teamed with Jabari Parker to win 3 straight Illinois 4A state titles.  As a freshman at Dayton he helped his team reach the Elite 8, then followed that up last March by scoring a team-high 17 PTS in a 1-PT win over Boise State in the 1st 4.  The Flyers return 4 of their starters from last year, so do not bet against them returning to the NCAA tourney for the 3rd year in a row.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Kendall about being the most improved player in the conference and having a 7′ wingspan. 

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You grew up in Chicago where you won a trio of 4A state titles at Simeon Career Academy as a teammate of Jabari Parker: could you tell even back then that Jabari was going to become a star, and what made you choose Dayton? I knew that Jabari was going to be a star from the time I played against him back in the 7th grade: we teamed up at Simeon and won a bunch of championships. I picked Dayton because it gave me the best opportunity to win and it was not that far away from home.

You are 6’6” but have a wingspan of nearly 7’: how much of an advantage is your length on the court? It is an advantage because it allows me to get in passing lanes and block shots.

You play for Coach Archie Miller: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have ever learned from him? He knows what he is talking about and has the blueprint for success, so all we have to do is listen. He taught me to handle my business and control only what I can control.

You played in all 37 games as a freshman and shot almost 55 FG%: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I just found my niche on the team as someone who would just play hard every day. I did whatever the team needed me to do.

In the 2014 NCAA tourney you had 2 STL and Vee Sanford made a layup with 3.8 seconds left in a 1-PT win over your in-state rival Ohio State: did you think Aaron Craft’s 10-footer at the buzzer was going in, and what was the reaction like in the locker room afterward? I really did think Craft’s shot was going in: I was surprised that he was able to get that close to the rim. I was amazed when Vee hit the game-winning shot and I was just begging everyone to get back on defense. It was crazy in the locker room because it was our school’s 1st tourney win in a long time. Everyone thought the Buckeyes were the best team in the state…but we took them down.

Last year you were named the A-10 Most Improved Player: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It means a lot to me. I was striving to make the All-Conference team, but winning the award I got helped make up for it. I am still trying to improve and want to win it again next year.

In the 2015 NCAA tourney you scored 13 PTS in a 6-PT loss to Oklahoma: what did you learn from that loss that you think can help you this year? We need to come out of the gate playing hard. We fell behind very early in that game and once reality set in that our season was going to end, we all finally played hard at the end of the game.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Alabama/Vandy/Arkansas: when did you decide to join the SEC, and which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test?! I have not really watched any of those teams, but I know they each lost some good players from last year.

Your leading scorer from last year (Jordan Sibert) graduated but you are 1 of 4 returning starters: how do you hope to replace Jordan’s offense, and how crucial will all of that experience be to your team’s success? I think our experience will be very crucial because we know what it takes to get to the tourney. I do not know if any 1 player can replace Jordan, but we will try to come together and do it as a team.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? I just want to win games and win championships. On a team level, we are trying to accomplish some things that have not been done at Dayton at a long time. On an individual level, I would like to be named 1st-team All-Conference.

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Season preview: Davidson SR PG Brian Sullivan

Posted on September 5, 2015 by Jon Teitel

Brian Sullivan is such a good long-range shooter that he has already put up the best 3-PT stats in not 1 but TWO different conferences…and is not even playing in either of those conferences anymore!  As a freshman at Miami (Ohio) his 45 3P% was tops in the MAC, and after transferring to Davidson he led the SoCon with 38 3P%.  If he can get hot this year to lead the A-10 then we might just have to start inventing new conferences for him to dominate.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Brian about trying to make it back to the NCAA tourney and whether he will end up going into the “family business”.

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You began your career at Miami (Ohio): why did you decide to transfer, and what made you choose Davidson? I really enjoyed my time at Miami, but it was not a great fit for me in a lot of respects. Davidson is about a tenth of the size, and after Miami’s coaching change I wanted a chance to play for a program where guys come back and are still involved. I could not be more pleased with my decision to come here.

You play for Coach Bob McKillop: what makes him such a great coach, and what is the most important thing that you have ever learned from him? He is the best coach that I have ever had, and I think he is the best coach in America. He does not let little things get away from him because he knows they can end up becoming big things. He is very detail-oriented and really cares for us. He is like a father-figure who gives us a sense of autonomy by hearing us out and trusting us. Our code here is “TCC”: Trust/Care/Commitment.

In December of 2013 you scored a career-high 33 PTS (7-14 3PM) in 44 minutes in an OT loss at North Carolina: 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 the case to a certain extent and I was in a good rhythm, but I actually feel that I missed a few shots that I should have made. My teammates were getting me good looks and I was fortunate to knock a lot of them down, but I can still recall a couple of missed threes that I should have made.

You led the MAC with 45 3P% in 2012 and led the SoCon with 38 3P% in 2014: what is your secret for making shots from behind the arc? I have 3 keys: repetition, form, and confidence. I try to get as many reps as I can with the best form, and have a full faith and belief that my shot will go in.

Last January you scored 17 PTS including a 3-PT shot at the end of regulation en route to a 7-PT OT win at George Mason: did you think it was going in, and where does that rank among the most clutch shots of your career? The second I left my hand I knew it was right on-line, so I felt pretty good about it. It is probably my most clutch shot during college: it gave us a lot of momentum that we carried with us while Jack Gibbs was hurt.

In the 2015 NCAA tourney you scored 8 PTS in a loss to Iowa: what did you learn from that loss that you think can help you this year? It was a tremendous learning experience for a lot of our players and should help us a lot this year. We got out-played in a lot of different ways so we have used that as fuel to help us get better. We had a little taste of it last year and now we want to return and win a game: we are not satisfied with just getting to the tourney.

Your school made the switch from the SoCon to the A-10 last year: do you feel much more comfortable now that you have 1 year in the conference under your belt? There is a certain level of comfort that we did not have last year because it was all so new. Now we know our opponents and what to expect.  However, this year we will be more of the hunted than the hunter, which will be more of a challenge.

Your leading scorer from last year (Tyler Kalinoski) graduated, but you return each of the other top-12 scorers on the team: how crucial will all of that experience be to your team’s success this year? We have a great thing going for us. We play a pretty detailed system: the more you play in it, the more it becomes 2nd-nature. We get more confident each time we step on the court and are bringing in some talented freshmen as well.

Your brother Kevin is an assistant basketball coach at Kenyon and your brother Chris is an assistant basketball coach at Dennison: do you guys ever talk about anything other than basketball, and do you think that you will follow their footsteps and eventually end up on the sideline? We occasionally talk about stuff outside of basketball, but they are a great resource for me. You can imagine that they have a lot of questions for me because I play for Coach McKillop: sometimes it feels as if I am the 1 teaching them instead of vice-versa! I credit them for my love of basketball, and it has strengthened our relationship incredibly. I have a hard time seeing myself away from the game: the plan is to keep playing after I graduate.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? We have pretty high expectations inside the locker room. We do not feel the pressure of outside expectations but we are excited about our roster and the opportunities ahead of us.

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Season preview: Lafayette JR PG Nick Lindner

Posted on September 4, 2015 by Jon Teitel

Although he has only played 2 years at Lafayette, PG Nick Lindner has already accomplished more than most 4-year players.  As a freshman he played in all 31 games, was named to the Patriot League All-Rookie Team, and set a school record for the most assists ever by a freshman.  As a sophomore he started all 31 games, led the conference in FT% and assist/turnover ratio, and was named Patriot League tourney MVP while leading the Leopards to their 1st conference title since 2000.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Nick about how to make FTs and how to overcome the loss of several top scorers from last year. 

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What made you choose Lafayette? I really bonded well with the guys on the team and it just felt like the right fit for me.

You play for Coach Fran O’Hanlon: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have ever learned from him? He was a great player himself and really understands the game, so it is nice to share knowledge with someone who has been there and done that. He teaches us that the team is bigger than any individual.

In 2014 you were named to the Patriot League All-Rookie team after becoming the 1st Lafayette freshman to start at PG in a season opener since 1997: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? My coaches and teammates (especially our senior leaders) showed confidence in me, which gave me confidence in myself.

Last February you scored a career-high 30 PTS (4-7 3PM) in a loss to Colgate: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? Not really: it was just what the team needed that day. We were struggling to score so I tried to be a little more aggressive.

You finished the year by leading the conference with 85 FT%: what is your secret for making FTs? I take a deep breath every time before I shoot a FT.

In the 2015 conference tourney you were named MVP after averaging 23.7 PPG (9-15 3PM) in 3 games: how big a deal was it to win the school’s 1st conference title since 2000, and how were you able to play your best when it mattered the most? It was absolutely huge: that is why we practice and it made the hard work worth it. It meant a lot to all of us. When my shots are falling my teammates are good at giving me the ball in good situations.

In the 2015 NCAA tourney you scored 3 PTS in a loss to #1-seed Villanova: what did you learn from that game that you think can help you this year? We learned that we need to try to control ourselves in big-time games and slow ourselves down during pressure situations.

You are a government and law major: how much importance do you place on academics? Academics are very important, especially at a school like Lafayette. Our whole team is wired that way and we try to be the best at everything we do.

You lost 3 of your top-4 scorers from last season (Dan Trist/Seth Hinrichs/Joey Ptasinski): how much pressure is there on you to be a leader this year despite the fact that you are only a junior? I would not call it “pressure”. Our coach preaches that anyone from a freshman to a senior can be a leader: it is just about how you act on and off the court. I have tried to set a good example the past 2 years and will try again this year.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? The goal is to win another Patriot League championship so we will work as hard as we can and put forth our best effort.

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Season preview: UAB assistant coach Turner Battle

Posted on September 3, 2015 by Jon Teitel

It is all about cause and effect: UAB hired former Buffalo basketball star Turner Battle to be 1 of their assistant coaches last year, and the result was the Blazers’ 1st-ever Conference USA tourney title, a trip to the NCAA tourney, and a stunning 1-PT upset of #3-seed Iowa State. Not only is he a good coach, but his resume as a player is outstanding: 2005 MAC POY, 3-time member of the All-MAC Academic team, a pro career in Europe, and induction into his alma mater’s Hall of Fame in 2010. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Battle about turning down the ACC and coming THIS close to making the NCAA tourney as a senior.

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After you signed with Buffalo college basketball recruiting expert Bob Gibbons said you were the “steal of the millennium” because you could have played for an ACC school: did you get recruited by any ACC schools, and why did you decide to go to Buffalo? I got an offer from Virginia Tech and was also recruited by Clemson. I chose Buffalo because there were a lot of ups and downs for me during the recruiting process but they stuck with me the whole time.

You were a 3-time Academic All-MAC performer: how were you able to balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? Academics are something that my parents instilled in me from a young age. Basketball was a privilege but academics came first. I had high expectations in college and knew that basketball would not always be there for me.

At Buffalo you lost 23 games during your sophomore year but won a school-record 23 games during your senior year: how were you able to turn it around in only 2 years, and what was the reaction like from the fans? We were 1 of the youngest teams in the country during my sophomore year and never really came together as a team. After growing closer as a unit in the years after that we were able to turn the program around. Once we started to win more games the fans started to support us more and more.

What are your memories of the 2005 MAC tourney title game, the 1st such appearance in school history (you lost on a last second tip-in)? It was a game of runs. We came out strong and were up by about 20 PTS, but they came back in the 2nd half. It was kind of like slow motion at the end: I saw the guy tip it in but there was nothing I could do to stop him. We left it all out on the floor but came up just short.

What are your memories of the 2005 NIT (you scored a team-high 12 PTS in a 5-PT loss to St. Joe’s)? We did not play our best basketball as a team and I did not play well in general. It was an ugly game featuring a pair of defensive-minded teams. That game was tough: it was my last game and you never want to go out with a loss.

In 2005 you were named an All-American, and became the 1st Buffalo player to ever be named conference POY: what did it mean to you to win such outstanding individual honors? It meant a lot because it was something that I had always dreamed of. Coach Reggie Witherspoon pretty much built up the program himself. Being named POY was amazing but being named All-American was kind of surreal. I always strived to be a team-1st person, but the awards showed that my hard work paid off.

After graduation you played professionally in Estonia/France/Sweden, as well as in the D-League and ABA: what did you learn from these experiences, and how did they compare to college basketball? I learned a lot about life. When you are in a country where they do not speak English, you are kind of on your own. It was a transition to becoming a man. To be able to play for money was also a dream of mine, even though it did not last that long.

In 2007 you were hired as an assistant coach at Buffalo, replacing the guy who originally recruited you there (Chris Hawkins): was it weird to replace Chris, and what did you learn from him about how to be a good recruiter? I learned a lot from Chris both on and off the court. Both he and Coach Witherspoon did a good job of recruiting me, and even today I can call up Chris if I need his advice. They told me that I needed to be myself and to be honest, which is how I try to act as a coach.

You previously worked as an assistant for Coach Will Wade at Chattanooga: how did you enjoy being an assistant coach, and what do you hope to do in the future? I enjoy it a lot: it is what I want to do. It is a tough profession to get into but even tougher to stick around. I am like a sponge so I try to soak everything in, and hope to become a head coach someday. Coach Witherspoon at Buffalo also made it a very easy transition for me.

When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most? Just as a hard-working guy who was both team-oriented and family-oriented. I hated to lose so I played my hardest every single night.

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Season preview: Iowa coach Fran McCaffery

Posted on September 2, 2015 by Jon Teitel

Fran McCaffery became a D-1 head coach at Lehigh in 1985 and he has not stopped winning for the past 3 decades. He made the NCAA tourney during his final year with the Mountain Hawks, then made it back with UNC-Greensboro in 2001, then 3 straight times with Siena from 2008-2010, followed by back-to-back appearances with Iowa the past 2 years. After destroying Davidson by 31 PTS in their opening tourney game last March, they had a 3rd round loss after running into a Gonzaga team that shot 61.5 FG%.  However, the Hawkeyes return 4 of their starters from that game, which gives them an excellent chance to return to the tourney for the 3rd straight year. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues his season preview series by chatting with Coach McCaffery about playing for Penn and taking so many different schools to the NCAA tourney.

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In your playing days you were nicknamed “White Magic”: who gave you the nickname, and how did you like it? I got it from Julius Thompson, who was a sportswriter at the Philadelphia Bulletin. I was playing in the predominantly-Black Sonny Hill League with Lewis Lloyd, who was known as “Black Magic”, so Julius decided to call me “White Magic”.

After transferring from Wake Forest to Penn you were among the Ivy League leaders in STL/AST in 1982 before a 10-PT loss to St. John’s in the NCAA tourney: why did you decide to transfer, and could you tell at the time that Chris Mullin was going to become a star? Penn was my 2nd college choice. As a member of the high school class of 1977 I was ineligible to play as a freshman at Penn, but I had a great experience at Wake Forest and after transferring to Penn I still had the same amount of eligibility. Mullin was only a freshman but you could tell that he was special. He was really difficult to guard and had a big strong body.

You became an assistant coach at Lehigh in 1983, and in 1985 you became the youngest head coach in D-1 at age 26: did you feel that your age was an advantage or a disadvantage? It was both. It was an advantage in that I could relate well to the players and I had tremendous enthusiasm. We also got a lot of publicity for having such a young coach! However, at times we did not always get the respect we deserved or would have had if I was a more established coach. Lehigh and Lafayette have 1 of the biggest rivalries in college sports. I became head coach when Lafayette’s head coach was Butch van Breda Kolff (who had coached Wilt Chamberlain and the Lakers to Game 7 of the 1969 NBA Finals), and we had some great battles.

What are your memories of the 1988 NCAA tourney (Tim Perry/Mark Macon combined for 51 PTS/21 REB in a win by #1-seed/in-state rival Temple)? We played really well and had a number of seniors who were bona-fide D-1 players, but we did not have a deep team. We made 10 threes and defended hard, so it was still close with 3 minutes to go.

Take me through the 1992 NIT Final 4 as an assistant coach at Notre Dame under John MacLeod:
Utah coach Rick Majerus picked up a technical foul in the final 10 seconds of a tie game after Paul Afeaki was called for pushing LaPhonso Ellis, and the resulting FT gave you a 3-PT win over the Utes: how did it feel to win the game on a technical foul? It was ironic. We had a 1-PT loss at DePaul in 1 of our final regular-season games earlier that month on a ridiculous technical foul that was called on Coach MacLeod, and if we had won that game we would have been in the NCAA tourney, so it was justice served!

Elmer Bennett scored 39 PTS including a 3-PT shot with 4 seconds left in regulation to send it into OT, but tourney MVP Bryant Stith had 24 PTS in a 5-PT win by Virginia in the title game: where does Bennett’s performance/clutch shot rank among the best you have ever seen, and what was the feeling like in your locker room afterwards? It was a very interesting game. I got to work with the guards and Elmer was 1 of my favorites. He was just on fire that night: to see him have that kind of performance in that venue was really impressive. I felt we were going to end up winning in OT after his shot went in, but we could not close it.

What are your memories of the 2001 SoCon tourney final as head coach at UNC-Greensboro (Jay Joseph threw a 75-foot pass to David Schuck who made a lay-up off the glass at the buzzer for a 1-PT win over Chattanooga that clinched the 1st SoCon title in school history)? We had repeatedly worked on that play in practice, including earlier that morning. There was confusion on our bench regarding whether we had a timeout left, but once we realized that we were out of timeouts we switched the call to run that play. The key to that play is always the guy who throws the pass. We missed some FTs at the end and Chattanooga took the lead with 2.9 seconds left, so there were people standing by the court getting ready to celebrate before David made that shot.

As coach at Siena you maintained a near-100% graduation rate for your players who completed their NCAA eligibility: how much importance do you place on academics? There is 1 guy who was 3 credits short because he listened to his agent and decided to go pro, but he eventually graduated. I have placed great importance on academics everywhere that I have been. A lot of coaches only want to take credit for their team graduation rate when it is very high and blame someone else if it is very low, but it was 1 of the reasons that I got hired.

In 2008 you became the 1st coach to take 3 different programs to the NCAA tourney from a 1-bid league: how have you been able to have so much success at so many different schools? You have to be at institutions where you work for great athletic directors and can sell the experience to kids who want to go to school there. I have also surrounded myself with great assistant coaches who recruit student-athletes of great character. My greatest strength is giving my players enough structure to be successful and then letting them play. When you are in a 1-bid league you know that you are going to have to win 3 games in early-March just to get into the NCAA tourney. When there is that much at stake you need to keep your guys relaxed and feeling good about who they are.

In the 2009 NCAA tourney Ronald Moore made a 3-PT shot with 4 seconds left in the 2nd OT after making a three from the same spot in the 1st OT for a 2-PT 2-OT win over Ohio State (who was led by Evan Turner with 25 PTS/9 REB/8 AST): where does that rank among the greatest wins of your career? That is probably the most enjoyable game for me personally. We lost the 2007 conference title game when Ronald was a freshman. He missed 2 shots late in that game and I got a lot of criticism for letting him take those shots, but he did so in the flow of the offense so I had confidence in him. Fast-forward 2 years later and he makes 2 of the biggest shots in Siena basketball history. We thought that we had a good game plan but just could not simulate the Buckeyes’ length/quickness in practice. Once we got back into the game without panicking you could sense the entire momentum shifting, and I knew it would go down to the wire.

What are your goals for next season knowing that you are returning 5 of your top-7 scorers? We are very optimistic…but at the same time we are realistic because of the conference we are in. There are so many good teams in this league. You hear coaches complain that their league does not get enough respect, but the Big 10 gets plenty of respect as 1 of the best conference in the country. We have to temper our enthusiasm with some realism, but I think we have made progress and I think we have a legitimate chance to get back to the tourney next year.

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