![[Valid Atom 1.0]](images/valid-atom.png "Valid Atom 1.0")
This is a valid Atom 1.0 feed.
This feed is valid, but interoperability with the widest range of feed readers could be improved by implementing the following recommendations.
... r.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2 ...
^
... r.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2 ...
^
... gger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default'/><link rel='alternate' type='text ...
^
line 1, column 0: (2 occurrences) [help]
<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blog ...
line 1, column 0: (79 occurrences) [help]
<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blog ...
line 1, column 0: (79 occurrences) [help]
<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blog ...
<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blog ...
<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blog ...
<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:blogger='http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd="http://schemas.google.com/g/2005" xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503</id><updated>2025-11-05T11:42:18.966-06:00</updated><category term="Game Preview"/><category term="pomeroy"/><category term="Game Recaps"/><category term="Buzz Williams"/><category term="NCAA tournament"/><category term="Dominic James"/><category term="tempo-free stats"/><category term="rosiak"/><category term="MUTV"/><category term="Video"/><category term="Jerel McNeal"/><category term="tom crean"/><category term="Big East"/><category term="Post Game"/><category term="Victory"/><category term="recruiting"/><category term="recruit"/><category term="Media Updates"/><category term="Wesley Matthews"/><category term="big east tournament"/><category term="al mcguire"/><category term="2009 recruits"/><category term="Iman Shumpert"/><category term="Jimmy Butler"/><category term="Marquette"/><category term="Predictions"/><category term="nba draft"/><category term="Junior Cadougan"/><category term="MUScoop"/><category term="jamil wilson"/><category term="vander blue"/><category term="coaching carousel"/><category term="Al's Run"/><category term="dr blackheart"/><category term="John Pudner"/><category term="dwyane wade"/><category term="tyshawn taylor"/><category term="Big East Preview"/><category term="Lazar"/><category term="Jeronne Maymon"/><category term="Lazar Hayward"/><category term="2008 recruits"/><category term="2010 Recruits"/><category term="Erik Williams"/><category term="opponents"/><category term="Chris OTule"/><category term="Villanova"/><category term="Louisville"/><category term="Preview"/><category term="Wiki"/><category term="seton hall"/><category term="Jae Crowder"/><category term="depaul"/><category term="loss"/><category term="notre dame"/><category term="trevor mbakwe"/><category term="Mo Acker"/><category term="Pittsburgh"/><category term="Wisconsin- Madison"/><category term="nick williams"/><category term="Bo Ellis"/><category term="NBA"/><category term="Pitt"/><category term="buzz"/><category term="roundtable"/><category term="st. john's"/><category term="Brad Galli"/><category term="Joseph Fulce"/><category term="alumni"/><category term="georgetown"/><category term="injury"/><category term="know your opponent"/><category term="Darius Johnson-Odom"/><category term="Jamail Jones"/><category term="Soul Crushing Losses"/><category term="Syracuse"/><category term="Top 100"/><category term="USF"/><category term="defense"/><category term="rutgers"/><category term="Crean"/><category term="Marquette Madness"/><category term="Nicole "Nikki" Ellis Foundation"/><category term="Pre-season"/><category term="Providence"/><category term="Dwight Buycks"/><category term="PSA"/><category term="Prospectus"/><category term="Time Warner Sports"/><category term="Travis Diener"/><category term="josh crittle"/><category term="sweet 16"/><category term="1977"/><category term="In Search of Marquette America"/><category term="NCAA"/><category term="Travels With Charley"/><category term="Warrior Day Golf outing"/><category term="Washington"/><category term="West Virginia"/><category term="Xavier"/><category term="cubillan"/><category term="guest column"/><category term="ray floriani"/><category term="2011 Recruits"/><category term="Assistants"/><category term="Big East media day"/><category term="Birthday"/><category term="Cincinnati"/><category term="DJO"/><category term="Dwight Burke"/><category term="Haunted Hoops"/><category term="Jim McIlvaine"/><category term="Mike DeCourcy"/><category term="Reggie Smith"/><category term="Tony Benford"/><category term="UNC"/><category term="analysis"/><category term="jordan theodore"/><category term="kentucky"/><category term="national champions"/><category term="patrick hazel"/><category term="rankings"/><category term="steve novak"/><category term="tickets"/><category term="David Cubillan"/><category term="Exhibitions"/><category term="Frank Ben-Eze"/><category term="Goulbourne"/><category term="Inside Marquette Basketball"/><category term="Liam McMorrow"/><category term="Luke Winn"/><category term="Maui"/><category term="Mookie Jones"/><category term="schedule"/><category term="scott christopherson"/><category term="season preview"/><category term="transfers"/><category term="2009-2010 schedule"/><category term="BET"/><category term="Big East Basketball Report"/><category term="Bradley Center"/><category term="Brett Roseboro"/><category term="Connecticut"/><category term="DJ Newbill"/><category term="Duke"/><category term="IPFW"/><category term="Jason Rabedeaux"/><category term="Maurice Lucas"/><category term="RPI"/><category term="Scheduling"/><category term="Seniors"/><category term="Steve Cottingham"/><category term="UWM"/><category term="Utah State"/><category term="Youssoupha Mbao"/><category term="andy katz"/><category term="damian saunders"/><category term="hank raymonds"/><category term="stanford"/><category term="trend blackledge"/><category term="2010-2011 schedule"/><category term="Athletic Department"/><category term="Darius Smith"/><category term="Doc Rivers"/><category term="Joe Fulce"/><category term="Juan Anderson"/><category term="Mark Miller"/><category term="Marquette Basketball Weekly"/><category term="Presbyterian"/><category term="Q/A"/><category term="Road"/><category term="Season Recap"/><category term="bracketology"/><category term="davante gardner"/><category term="espn"/><category term="final four"/><category term="media day"/><category term="non-conference schedule"/><category term="podcasts"/><category term="vbtn"/><category term="2008-2009 schedule"/><category term="2012-2013"/><category term="Aaron Bowen"/><category term="Big East Cast"/><category term="Big East pool"/><category term="Bucknell"/><category term="Bullseye"/><category term="CBE Classic"/><category term="Chicago Invitational"/><category term="Chris Colvin"/><category term="Dale Layer"/><category term="Graduation Rates"/><category term="Hayward"/><category term="Homer"/><category term="JUCO"/><category term="Krause"/><category term="Maurice Acker"/><category term="Michael Snaer"/><category term="Midnight Madness"/><category term="Mike Broeker"/><category term="Mike Shaw"/><category term="Missouri"/><category term="Monterale Clark"/><category term="Senior Night 2009"/><category term="St. Johns"/><category term="Television"/><category term="Uniforms"/><category term="Vancouver"/><category term="all conference"/><category term="blogiversary"/><category term="centenary"/><category term="jonathan baldwin"/><category term="michigan state"/><category term="milwaukee pro am"/><category term="ousmane barro"/><category term="post-season"/><category term="postgame"/><category term="projected NBA"/><category term="quintrell thomas"/><category term="roster"/><category term="tarik black"/><category term="tennessee"/><category term="todd warner"/><category term="warriors"/><category term="2007 recap"/><category term="2012 Recruits"/><category term="Aki Collins"/><category term="All-American"/><category term="Broeker"/><category term="Butch Lee"/><category term="CBS College Basketball BlogPoll"/><category term="Dan Fitzgerald"/><category term="Dayton"/><category term="Dean Meminger"/><category term="Dick Enberg"/><category term="Earl Tatum"/><category term="Friday Digest"/><category term="Game Pictures"/><category term="George Thompson"/><category term="Gonzaga"/><category term="Grambling"/><category term="Huggins"/><category term="Individual Stats"/><category term="Jim Hicks"/><category term="Johnny Lacy"/><category term="Juniour Cadougan"/><category term="Kevin Parrom"/><category term="MSOE"/><category term="Maurice Sutton"/><category term="Media Guide"/><category term="Merry Christmas"/><category term="Mike Kinsella"/><category term="NC State"/><category term="Nick Faust"/><category term="Old Spice Classic"/><category term="Omari Lawrence"/><category term="Open Scrimage"/><category term="RSCI"/><category term="Rodney Hood"/><category term="SJU"/><category term="Sagarin"/><category term="Scrimmage"/><category term="Senior Night Videos 2007"/><category term="Shaka Smart"/><category term="South Dakota"/><category term="Todd Mayo"/><category term="Tom Copa"/><category term="Tony Smith"/><category term="Twitter"/><category term="Value Add (Offense)"/><category term="Varez Ward"/><category term="WVU"/><category term="Walk-on"/><category term="Wallpaper"/><category term="Zags"/><category term="decourcy"/><category term="erik murphy"/><category term="fitzgerald"/><category term="izzo"/><category term="novak"/><category term="projections"/><category term="rivals"/><category term="signing day"/><category term="steve rushin"/><category term="wojo"/><category term="2008 forecast"/><category term="5-star"/><category term="Basketball Prospectus"/><category term="Bob Dukiet"/><category term="Brian Barone"/><category term="Bud Haidet Classic"/><category term="CHOKE"/><category term="Capobianco"/><category term="Central Michigan"/><category term="Chaminade"/><category term="Chicago State"/><category term="Chris Grimm"/><category term="Chris O'Tule"/><category term="Christmas"/><category term="Coach Rab"/><category term="Contest"/><category term="Coobie"/><category term="Cottingham"/><category term="Cracked Sidewalks"/><category term="D'Angelo Harrison"/><category term="Darius Morrow"/><category term="Dashonte Riley"/><category term="Don Kojis"/><category term="Father Wild"/><category term="Four Factors"/><category term="Houston Baptist"/><category term="Hoya Prospectus"/><category term="IUPUI"/><category term="Interactive Tuesday"/><category term="JP Tokoto"/><category term="Jack Harbaugh"/><category term="Jamil Lott"/><category term="Jarion Henry"/><category term="Ken Pom"/><category term="Lady Warriors"/><category term="March Madness"/><category term="Mark Anglavar"/><category term="Michigan"/><category term="Mike Deane"/><category term="Nicole Ellis Foundation"/><category term="Oklahoma State"/><category term="Prairie View"/><category term="Predator"/><category term="Public Relations"/><category term="Quincy Miller"/><category term="Scott Monarch"/><category term="Sherrod Wright"/><category term="Thanks"/><category term="Tobias Harris"/><category term="Todd Townsend"/><category term="Tony Bennett"/><category term="Trey McDonald"/><category term="UConn"/><category term="UWGB"/><category term="Utah Valley State"/><category term="Western Carolina"/><category term="Win Credits"/><category term="attendance"/><category term="barro"/><category term="basketball spending"/><category term="boot camp"/><category term="conference"/><category term="contract"/><category term="deane"/><category term="efficiency"/><category term="erin andrews"/><category term="evan anderson"/><category term="frank beneze"/><category term="full court press"/><category term="glossary"/><category term="heartbreak"/><category term="http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif"/><category term="marquette tribune"/><category term="maryland eastern shore"/><category term="max kenyi"/><category term="mike bargen"/><category term="mike rosario"/><category term="mr. basketball"/><category term="net points"/><category term="offense"/><category term="optimism"/><category term="pico"/><category term="ratings"/><category term="rivalry"/><category term="salary"/><category term="students"/><category term="thanksgiving"/><category term="tim buckley"/><category term="triple threat"/><category term="turnover rate"/><category term="yet another basketball blog"/><category term="$2 million"/><category term="1970s"/><category term="2003"/><category term="2009 schedule"/><category term="2011-2012"/><category term="2013 Recruits"/><category term="3-pointers"/><category term="5 years"/><category term="AD"/><category term="AJ Walton"/><category term="APR"/><category term="AirTran"/><category term="Als Run"/><category term="Anonymous Jag-Offs"/><category term="Anthony Grant"/><category term="Awards"/><category term="BE POY"/><category term="BMA"/><category term="BPI"/><category term="Badgers"/><category term="Bart Lundy"/><category term="Basketball on Paper"/><category term="Beat Down"/><category term="Bilas"/><category term="Bob Huggins"/><category term="Book Drive"/><category term="Brad Autry"/><category term="Brad Brownell"/><category term="Branch"/><category term="Brian Wardle"/><category term="Bucky"/><category term="Bulls"/><category term="CO Detector"/><category term="Chris Lowery"/><category term="Chris Oule"/><category term="Colin Chieverton"/><category term="Contributors"/><category term="Coppin State"/><category term="Corey Floyd"/><category term="Craig Kuphall"/><category term="Dancing"/><category term="Danny Pudi"/><category term="Darryl Morrsell"/><category term="Darryl Morsell"/><category term="David Brown"/><category term="David Singleton"/><category term="Dawson Garcia"/><category term="Dean Oliver"/><category term="Dennis Krause"/><category term="Deonte Burton"/><category term="Derrick Wilson"/><category term="Deuce Bello"/><category term="Devin Langford"/><category term="Dick Strong"/><category term="Dick Vitale"/><category term="Dixon"/><category term="Dominique Rutledge"/><category term="Don Ruiz"/><category term="Donald Williams"/><category term="Donte Hill"/><category term="Douglas College"/><category term="Dwayne Johnson"/><category term="Dwight Miller"/><category term="FIBs"/><category term="FSU"/><category term="Finances"/><category term="Flavian Davis"/><category term="Fr. Pilarz"/><category term="Freedom Hall"/><category term="Fricke"/><category term="Frozena"/><category term="Ganzer"/><category term="Garr"/><category term="Garrett Stutz"/><category term="Gasaway"/><category term="Gerald Posey"/><category term="Glenn Bryant"/><category term="Golden Eagles"/><category term="Gottlieb"/><category term="Gray"/><category term="Greg Elliot"/><category term="Greg Gard"/><category term="Greg Johnson"/><category term="Hurley"/><category term="IWB"/><category term="Indiana"/><category term="Irsay"/><category term="Isaiah Philmore"/><category term="Jae CroLuke Winn"/><category term="Jamal Cain"/><category term="Jamal Ferguson"/><category term="Jamel Jackson"/><category term="Japan"/><category term="Jay Bilas"/><category term="Jerry Palm"/><category term="Jerry Sichting"/><category term="Jerseys"/><category term="Jesuit education"/><category term="Jim Chones"/><category term="Jim Kollar"/><category term="Joani Crean"/><category term="Joe Nethen"/><category term="Jonah Keri"/><category term="Justin Jordan"/><category term="Justin Lewis"/><category term="Kameron Jones"/><category term="Kansas State"/><category term="Kemba Walker"/><category term="Kerry Trotter"/><category term="Kevin O'Neill"/><category term="Koby McEwen"/><category term="Kolek"/><category term="Kool-Aid"/><category term="Kuath"/><category term="Kuphall"/><category term="LOI"/><category term="Last ticket"/><category term="Latavious Williams"/><category term="License Plates"/><category term="Lloyd Moore"/><category term="Luke Mergerson"/><category term="MSU"/><category term="MU all-decade team"/><category term="Mandy Johnson"/><category term="Marketing"/><category term="Markus Howard"/><category term="Marquette CIRCLES"/><category term="Marquette Revealed"/><category term="Marquis Mason"/><category term="Massey Ratings"/><category term="McDonalds game"/><category term="Mid-Majors"/><category term="Moral Victory"/><category term="NCAAW"/><category term="National Marquette Day"/><category term="Nebraska"/><category term="New York"/><category term="North Carolina State"/><category term="Northeastern University"/><category term="Oakland"/><category term="Offensive Impact"/><category term="Officials"/><category term="Ohio State"/><category term="Ooze"/><category term="Outlook Download"/><category term="Oxygen"/><category term="Paradise Jam"/><category term="Patrick Swilling"/><category term="Pitino"/><category term="Points"/><category term="Pythagorean"/><category term="Quabius"/><category term="Real Chili"/><category term="Recruiting mistakes"/><category term="Refs"/><category term="Reggie Murphy"/><category term="Reseating"/><category term="Robb Logterman"/><category term="Robert Frozena"/><category term="Roney Eford"/><category term="Rucker"/><category term="SNY"/><category term="STHOTG"/><category term="SWAC"/><category term="Sabbatical"/><category term="Sabermatrix"/><category term="Sasa Borovnjak"/><category term="Scott Merritt"/><category term="Sean Miller"/><category term="Seth Davis"/><category term="Sheldon Cooley"/><category term="Soccer"/><category term="Sports illustrated"/><category term="Steve Taylor"/><category term="Symir Torrence"/><category term="TJ Kadima"/><category term="TWC"/><category term="Tamar Bates"/><category term="Terri Mitchell"/><category term="Texas"/><category term="Texas Recruiting"/><category term="Texas Southern"/><category term="Thabeet"/><category term="The Warrior"/><category term="Theo John"/><category term="Tom Crean Show"/><category term="Tom Keegan"/><category term="Tony Freeland"/><category term="Tony Reeder"/><category term="Tony Walls"/><category term="Training Methods"/><category term="Tre Leonard"/><category term="Trends"/><category term="Trevor Powell"/><category term="Tyler Kolek"/><category term="Tyrone Baldwin"/><category term="USC"/><category term="Ultimate Hoops Guide"/><category term="Value Subtract (Defense)"/><category term="Vanderbilt"/><category term="Videos"/><category term="WFAN"/><category term="Wade"/><category term="Walt Mangham"/><category term="Walter Downing"/><category term="Warrior Shoppe"/><category term="Wesley Matthews boot camp"/><category term="XM"/><category term="XXX"/><category term="aau"/><category term="abel joseph"/><category term="al's night"/><category term="all-time"/><category term="an"/><category term="andy glockner"/><category term="ap poll"/><category term="avalanche"/><category term="awesome"/><category term="basketball revenue"/><category term="ben sheets"/><category term="big east commissioner"/><category term="bill cords"/><category term="billingsley"/><category term="blogs"/><category term="bo ryan"/><category term="branden dawson"/><category term="budget"/><category term="bye-bye"/><category term="carolina"/><category term="chat session"/><category term="christian morris"/><category term="coach of the year"/><category term="coaches luncheon"/><category term="collapse"/><category term="comeback"/><category term="commencement"/><category term="converse"/><category term="coy"/><category term="crossroads"/><category term="crowder"/><category term="curse"/><category term="davidson"/><category term="dead"/><category term="dexter strickland"/><category term="dion dixon"/><category term="disappointment"/><category term="draft"/><category term="draftexpress"/><category term="espn milwaukee sucks"/><category term="eulogy"/><category term="experience"/><category term="fans"/><category term="five point play"/><category term="florida"/><category term="fox"/><category term="free throw rate"/><category term="free throws"/><category term="gene frenkel"/><category term="givony"/><category term="gomarquette"/><category term="grinch"/><category term="guards"/><category term="head coach"/><category term="henry ellenson"/><category term="hickey"/><category term="home"/><category term="home court advantage"/><category term="htthttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifp://www.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifblogger.com/img/blank.gif"/><category term="ia Updates"/><category term="implosion"/><category term="ineligible"/><category term="james siakam"/><category term="jeffrey jordan"/><category term="jeremy leonard"/><category term="jim boylan"/><category term="jimmy v"/><category term="karaoke"/><category term="keaton miles"/><category term="korie"/><category term="live blogging"/><category term="lose"/><category term="low mid-major"/><category term="lucious"/><category term="madison square garden"/><category term="matt humphrey"/><category term="mcguire"/><category term="michael dunigan"/><category term="michael haynes"/><category term="midstate hoops"/><category term="mike"/><category term="mike tranghese"/><category term="mj"/><category term="murray state"/><category term="nickname"/><category term="ninja"/><category term="nit"/><category term="nyc"/><category term="old media"/><category term="organ donor"/><category term="paint touches"/><category term="paris bennett"/><category term="perry clark"/><category term="player departure"/><category term="point-counterpoint"/><category term="prep school"/><category term="profile"/><category term="program"/><category term="promotions"/><category term="q and a"/><category term="quits"/><category term="racine"/><category term="radio show"/><category term="raymonds"/><category term="remain"/><category term="remember the titans"/><category term="renaldo woolridge"/><category term="revenge"/><category term="rice"/><category term="rodents"/><category term="rotnei clarke"/><category term="rumble in the garden"/><category term="rush the court"/><category term="scoreboard"/><category term="seed"/><category term="shot clock era"/><category term="sit down"/><category term="sports"/><category term="sports business"/><category term="stan simpson"/><category term="team stats"/><category term="tempo"/><category term="three goggles"/><category term="threes"/><category term="tip-off dinner"/><category term="top 25"/><category term="trajectory"/><category term="tranghese"/><category term="trend"/><category term="trey schwab"/><category term="uva"/><category term="vecsey"/><category term="vegas watch"/><category term="verdell jones"/><category term="victory margin"/><category term="vote"/><category term="willie warren"/><category term="winning streak"/><category term="wtmj"/><category term="www.kenpom.com"/><category term="zach auguste"/><title type='text'>Cracked Sidewalks</title><subtitle type='html'>"My rule was I wouldn't recruit a kid if he had grass in front of his house. That's not my world. My world was a cracked sidewalk."<br>
—Al McGuire<BR><BR>
Marquette's Premier Basketball Blog</subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><link rel='next' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default?start-index=26&max-results=25'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>3371</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>25</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-8732267450272432865</id><published>2025-10-30T06:51:00.002-05:00</published><updated>2025-10-30T06:51:34.348-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Buckle Up Buckaroos</title><content type='html'><p>Well, our long national nightmare is almost over. #mubb season is almost back so that means Scrambled Eggs is back! Hope you are really locked in because we have a lot of ground to cover. We start with a general roster overview and the players we are excited or intrigued by including a new crush now that the Jopwagon has exhausted eligibility. We then talk about the team overall and how we project it's offense and defense to perform. As is tradition, we wrap up with a game by game projection that doubles as game previews for the 3! games we have coming next week. It's a lot, but as always enjoy!</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>https://scrambledeggs.podbean.com/e/buckle-up-buckaroos/</p><p>&nbsp;</p><iframe title="Buckle Up Buckaroos" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=4hwu7-19ab4bb-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7" loading="lazy"></iframe></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/8732267450272432865/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/8732267450272432865?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/8732267450272432865'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/8732267450272432865'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/10/buckle-up-buckaroos.html' title='Buckle Up Buckaroos'/><author><name>Phil Bush</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09466744499136353810</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-8727758932226736497</id><published>2025-10-29T06:52:00.001-05:00</published><updated>2025-10-29T06:52:44.270-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Connecticut Preview, 2025-26</title><content type='html'><p><b>Connecticut Huskies</b></p><p>Sunday, January 4th at Gampel Pavilion, Storrs, CT / Saturday, March 7th at Fiserv Forum (Senior Day)<br /></p><p><b>Head Coach:&nbsp;</b>Dan Hurley (316-174 overall, 165-69 at Connecticut)</p><p><b>Three-Year NET Average:</b>&nbsp;13.3</p><p><b>Three-Year kenpom Average:</b>&nbsp;11.3</p><p><b>Projected 2025-26 T-Rank:&nbsp;</b>10<b></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-unjLCgbF9aHZW2H2MDAhHu_ZegkP_4hBIMTNGo3AAixpDCGUTN8c-cO277aUUdrovjRG-rgtZmAlPt76KYzvc23WzdSwjoeN5iQzjUCOIineBv6u_ZMcpU6zR7gsGhz4J9JhOws6A_yD9CdjlokQlUeQRdAYfN68hDOdLO4xPdncLY91_b9o4A/s648/UConn%20Solo.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="648" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-unjLCgbF9aHZW2H2MDAhHu_ZegkP_4hBIMTNGo3AAixpDCGUTN8c-cO277aUUdrovjRG-rgtZmAlPt76KYzvc23WzdSwjoeN5iQzjUCOIineBv6u_ZMcpU6zR7gsGhz4J9JhOws6A_yD9CdjlokQlUeQRdAYfN68hDOdLO4xPdncLY91_b9o4A/s320/UConn%20Solo.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Solo Ball's 25 points spoiled National Marquette Day</span></i></b></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Morry Gash | AP Photo</span></i></b></p><div><p></p><p><b>State of the Program</b></p><p>After two straight National Championships, it seemed like Dan Hurley had built an unstoppable juggernaut in Storrs. Instead the Huskies stumbled out of the gate, losing three games in Maui. Those three losses in November matched their total loss count from the season before. UConn was still competitive, going 24-11 (14-6) and finishing third in the league, but considering the two preceding years, an 8-seed and second round exit (albeit after a narrow loss to eventual National Champs Florida) had to feel like a disappointment. But instead of regressing, UConn has reinforced their roster with a mix of transfer additions and high school talent. They'll be right back in the mix at the top of the Big East again.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3bHFUGuZOMRrxo4hv52Axy24dOZG4ErkyrJYcu-yRLSaBqlJro75l3Wj3xS5YABc8pJTd4wBZvWuUWbfdGFQ11jbUM-v4caRdygMgjsxoUrggyVCB7Zcgfw3qDr8CmrVZGy2TRasgnn7T8DMxrhQXzgSt_157NIR7RlHbdLIjVCaFxjTjoQcr_w/s631/UConn%20Roster.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="631" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3bHFUGuZOMRrxo4hv52Axy24dOZG4ErkyrJYcu-yRLSaBqlJro75l3Wj3xS5YABc8pJTd4wBZvWuUWbfdGFQ11jbUM-v4caRdygMgjsxoUrggyVCB7Zcgfw3qDr8CmrVZGy2TRasgnn7T8DMxrhQXzgSt_157NIR7RlHbdLIjVCaFxjTjoQcr_w/w400-h130/UConn%20Roster.png" width="400" /></a></div><b>Rotation</b><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The biggest name transfer is Georgia guard Silas Demary. He can play on or off the ball and offers more defensive length on the perimeter than last year's team had. Demary is also adept at creating turnovers and turning those into points the other way. The name everyone should be focused on is Solo Ball. He stepped into a regular starting role and while his minutes jumped up (11.5 mpg to 31.7) it was his per 40 numbers that really improved. In terms of counting stats/40, his points went from 11.5 to 18.2, rebounds from 3.5 to 4.5, and assists from 0.9 to 2.1. Ball didn't just play more, he played more efficiently at a higher and more productive usage. Defensively, he's only average, but should be easier to hide alongside Demary. If Ball can take another step forward in terms of usage, he will be one of the best players in the Big East, if not the entire country. Braylon Mullins steps into the elite freshman role previously occupied by Liam McNeeley and Stephon Castle. He's an elite shooter and scorer, but will surprise fans with his quickness and athleticism. An injury is expected to sideline him until early December. Jaylin Stewart is a competent deputy but this may impact their depth early in the season. Up front the senior statesman is Alex Karaban, who was a staple on UConn's most recent title teams. His scoring efficiency took a hit as more was expected from him. Expect Karaban to return to being more of a role-player with guys like Demary and Mullins alongside him as well as a larger role for Tarris Reed. This should suit Karaban well, as he's an elite role-player. Speaking of Reed, he blossomed in Hurley's system. He lived at the rim but the additional space increased his efficiency. He was an elite rebounder on both ends of the court, and being able to stay at the rim on both ends led to career bests in offensive rebounding rate, defensive rebounding rate, and block percent. He truly shone on the defensive end and while he might not be the high flyer Samson Johnson was, UConn was 7.0 points better/100 possessions defensively when he was on the court. If he can maintain his increased effectiveness while picking up more minutes, he could be in the All-American conversation next to Ball. Malachi Smith from Dayton is one to watch. He was an elite distributor for the Flyers and offensively fits well in Hurley's system, but his size may be difficult to hide on the wing, particularly if he's out there with Ball. UConn has a mix of experience (Alec Millender from IU Indy) and athleticism (Jaylin Stewart) on the bench, but the guy who might be most important there is freshman Eric Reibe. UConn has effectively used a two-big rotation the past three years and who shares minutes with Reed will be key. The hope will be that he can play with reckless abandon for 10-15 minutes per night, serving as a complement to Reed similar to how freshman Donovan Clingan was a change of pace for Adama Sanogo on the 2023 team.</div><p></p><p><b>Style of Play</b></p><p>UConn's offense is known for running a ton of sets. It's deep, complex, and firmly structured. They like to play a lot through the middle. Last year they were in the 70th percentile or higher in percentage of post up, inside out, pick and pop, and big man cut/roll plays in the country. The problem UConn's offense ran into was they while they've never been a drive heavy team, their past drives succeeded in finding shooters at the arc. Last year, their shooting tailed off a bit and Hassan Diarra, while a fine reserve, was unable to create shots for himself the way Tristen Newton did. Because he was less of an individual threat and because the shooters weren't as accurate, the offensive efficiency dropped. That said, UConn still ranked #15 in offensive efficiency, which is excellent. It just wasn't elite like the #1 and #3 rankings of the two previous seasons. Offensively, the question will be how long it takes Demary and Smith to catch up to the system. In 2022-23, UConn was a good team that became elite as Tristen Newton turned the corner from game manager to offensive maestro. In 2023-24, Newton's mastery of the playbook led to season-long dominance. The Demary/Smith combo should provide better long range accuracy at the point than Diarra gave, and returning Karaban to more of a catch and shoot role rather than secondary creator should pay offensive dividends. Their offense may be a work in progress in November, but expect big things by the end of the season.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrqHvgdI0_6SK4q76OkjGdI4GNngwrwbEHmssRaWZxUUxTSRjlZyRsBusNz2OmSAte_a8mucOtw7vlnEFJ460kSZLk5LUPHWIk2NPPlW8UfsfSw9cJ1Q48aiR5KO56UE-aT2CW5_HdtQzCBP99HnzKJecR3DaqRDmYihb7NErNcB7ZhjNiVaXfw/s1414/UConn%20D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1414" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrqHvgdI0_6SK4q76OkjGdI4GNngwrwbEHmssRaWZxUUxTSRjlZyRsBusNz2OmSAte_a8mucOtw7vlnEFJ460kSZLk5LUPHWIk2NPPlW8UfsfSw9cJ1Q48aiR5KO56UE-aT2CW5_HdtQzCBP99HnzKJecR3DaqRDmYihb7NErNcB7ZhjNiVaXfw/w640-h286/UConn%20D.png" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Shot charts from CBBAnalytics.com | Defensive Ranks from kenpom.com</span></i></b></div></b><p>Defense is where UConn really fell off. After ranking in the top-7 both of the championship years, the Huskies were just 75th nationally per kenpom. Breaking down the four factors, it's pretty clear that opponent three-point accuracy was the change. They had suffered poor turnovers and free throw rates before, their offensive rebounding and rim protection was on par with the title years, and they didn't allow significantly more shots from beyond the arc relative to the previous seasons. They did allow teams to make 40+% from deep far more often and struggled to win those games. Defensive three-point accuracy is often considered to be a function of luck, so some of UConn's 2025 backslide may have been bad fortune, but Hurley's teams had ranked in the top-100 of 3PFG% defense in 8 of the past 11 seasons going back to his time at Rhode Island. Five of those teams ranked in the top-40. When it came to challenging shots, UConn simply didn't have the length and athleticism on the perimeter that they had in recent years. Looking at the defensive shot charts from the last three years (above) UConn was dominant in the paint but their arc defense is a major shift. In 2023 and 2024, teams struggled to find good looks at the arc, but the heat map improves significantly in 2025.</p><p>Strategically, expect UConn to continue chasing teams off the three-point line and forcing them inside to Reed and Reibe. While opponent accuracy from three can sway things as it did last year, the strategy of limiting threes and denying at the rim has been brutally effective, even last year. Again, the problem wasn't the number of threes or the rim defense, it was almost exclusively how accurate teams were from deep that led to the defensive regression. Reed emerging as a defensive force should help. UConn was 11-2 in games where he played more than 20 minutes and that should be the case more often than not in 2025-26.</p><p><b>2025-26 Outlook</b>&nbsp;</p><p>This roster fits together incredibly well. Demary and Smith provide an excellent 1-2 point guard punch and will have the ability to play together in stretches. Ball will have less defensive pressure on his plate thanks to Demary which will allow him to just be a flamethrower. Last year, it also felt like too much pressure was put on Liam McNeeley to score for UConn. Braylon Mullins is a similarly competent scorer but won't have so much pressure on him to deliver with the talent around him and on the bench behind him. The departure of Samson Johnson is also likely addition by subtraction because it will lead to more minutes for Tarris Reed, who is simply a better player. This team may not reach the heights that Hurley's best teams did, but while we had questions about last year's roster, this year Hurley has answered all of those questions emphatically. Newcomers at the point may lead to a slower start than the Huskies had in their recent championship years, but there are enough options there that it seems likely Hurley will be able to figure that out by February, by which time UConn will be a Big East and National Title threat once again.</p><p><b>One Man's Opinion</b></p><p>This team is reminiscent of Hurley's first title-winning team, and on a tier of their own as our pick to finish #1 in the Big East. Ball and Reed are the returning studs like Jordan Hawkins and Adama Sanogo. Demary and Smith are the newcomers who offer two different point guard looks like Tristen Newton and Hassan Diarra. And Alex Karaban is Alex Karaban, only older. Whether this team reaches those heights remains to be seen. A lot has to come together for any team to make a deep March run. In terms of the Big East, however, I feel they are on a tier of their own and the clear favorites in the league. St. John's may be ranked similarly in the preseason but their roster flaws are too glaring to put them on UConn's level. Marquette and Creighton both are great on one side of the ball but need to prove they are effective on both ends of the court. For the time being, the safe assumption is that the road to the Big East crown runs through Storrs.</p></div></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/8727758932226736497/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/8727758932226736497?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/8727758932226736497'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/8727758932226736497'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/10/connecticut-preview-2025-26.html' title='Connecticut Preview, 2025-26'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-unjLCgbF9aHZW2H2MDAhHu_ZegkP_4hBIMTNGo3AAixpDCGUTN8c-cO277aUUdrovjRG-rgtZmAlPt76KYzvc23WzdSwjoeN5iQzjUCOIineBv6u_ZMcpU6zR7gsGhz4J9JhOws6A_yD9CdjlokQlUeQRdAYfN68hDOdLO4xPdncLY91_b9o4A/s72-c/UConn%20Solo.webp" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-9205481927666427833</id><published>2025-10-28T06:27:00.001-05:00</published><updated>2025-10-28T22:36:15.096-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Marquette Preview, 2025-26</title><content type='html'><p><b>Marquette Golden Eagles</b></p><p>Monday, April 6th, 2026 at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN</p><p><b>Head Coach:&nbsp;</b>Shaka Smart (370-183 overall, 98-41 at Marquette)</p><p><b>Three-Year NET Average:</b>&nbsp;18.3</p><p><b>Three-Year kenpom Average:</b>&nbsp;17.3</p><p><b>Projected 2025-26 T-Rank:&nbsp;</b>53<b></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6EC5rHFbTypr4G7iD2G0sBe1Q7QKv10W-Qbqhc4TQeTTpJ8VS6e4z7gBvylIOISDYfPJfo58NsqYRG0SsnKIlYj6sQqKlgIvWjBkJbrvjVAJZeE-GKX2P73pw3l8zf-H8cy22uxne6RsAzg5V9TqSg5SX3m6ubF9TvTWz7juueqINB7s1se0HTw/s1200/MU%20Chase.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6EC5rHFbTypr4G7iD2G0sBe1Q7QKv10W-Qbqhc4TQeTTpJ8VS6e4z7gBvylIOISDYfPJfo58NsqYRG0SsnKIlYj6sQqKlgIvWjBkJbrvjVAJZeE-GKX2P73pw3l8zf-H8cy22uxne6RsAzg5V9TqSg5SX3m6ubF9TvTWz7juueqINB7s1se0HTw/s320/MU%20Chase.webp" width="320" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Chase Ross is ready to step from starter to star</span></i></b></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Larry Radloff | Getty Images</span></i></b></p><div><p></p><p><b>State of the Program</b></p><p>This is really the question, isn't it? Marquette is the only high-major that is sticking with a full retain and develop model. Shaka Smart has a roster full of guys that came to Marquette from high school and have spent their entire careers in blue and gold. It has provided a steady program floor as Marquette has earned single-digit NCAA seeds in four straight years for the first time since the 2007-2010 Tournaments. It has also provided high ceilings as Smart took Marquette to the two highest seeds in program history, earning 2-seeds in 2023 and 2024. But now, the stars of those teams are gone. Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Tyler Kolek, Oso Ighodaro, and Kam Jones are in the NBA while Stevie Mitchell and David Joplin have also matriculated. The outside consensus is that Marquette has a high enough floor to compete for NCAA bids even in down years and a high enough ceiling to compete on the national stage in up years, but is eschewing the transfer portal completely something that will prevent Marquette from breaking through at that highest level to reach a Final Four and achieve more than just an appearance when they get there?</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMrVHrwVNg4jrcbRv7MUSlL8xBDikcy3k3-IqJwpkN5M5g8az6Y_HWhj9sQ_V3pGR2Cvb5vnmI3ZSttHuNYROGo9_wjH8kCwYRIhjREe6fUBQ4y7TKB3-lwGldcYli6p5WhS4Rr2aGwRioEnxjd2JvxB7F9__hakpVKCBjskNAp1D94VBssPRDQ/s630/MU%20Roster.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="630" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMrVHrwVNg4jrcbRv7MUSlL8xBDikcy3k3-IqJwpkN5M5g8az6Y_HWhj9sQ_V3pGR2Cvb5vnmI3ZSttHuNYROGo9_wjH8kCwYRIhjREe6fUBQ4y7TKB3-lwGldcYli6p5WhS4Rr2aGwRioEnxjd2JvxB7F9__hakpVKCBjskNAp1D94VBssPRDQ/w400-h131/MU%20Roster.png" width="400" /></a></div><b>Rotation</b><p></p><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Sean Jones: </b>Casual fans may have forgotten Jones is part of this team after a torn ACL in January 2024 derailed his career for 22 months by the time he returns to the court. On his radio show last year, Smart made mention that Jones was ready to go as early as January but ultimately the decision was made to sit out the season so he wouldn't lose a year of eligibility. That has given Jones close to a full year to hone his game post-rehab ahead of this upcoming season. In terms of shot selection, he's Marquette's dream, having taken 41.7% of his shots from three, 7.7% in the midrange, and 50.6% at the rim. While he hasn't been an elite shooter, he has a tendency to hit big shots. His three against Illinois pushed the lead to 57-52 and Illinois would never get back to even, his three against UCLA in Maui put Marquette ahead 71-69 and proved to be the winner, and his back-to-back threes against Creighton turned a 48-46 deficit into a 52-48 lead and Creighton would never again tie the game. Jones has been a fine secondary distributor, but needs to take a step up in that regard (20.4% assist rate in 2024). On the defensive end, Jones has quick hands and excels generating turnovers, but his diminutive size puts him at a disadvantage in the half-court against longer players.</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Chase Ross: </b>Ever since his freshman year, Chase Ross has flashed the kind of burst and athleticism that NBA scouts are searching for. While the raw physical ability, the shooting range, the ability to play above the rim, and the defensive instincts have always been there, the consistency has not. While Marquette's struggles last year were largely attributed to the success of Kam Jones, Ross may have been the bellwether for the team. When Ross had a 100+ Adjusted Offensive Rating, Marquette was 20-3. When he was below 100, Marquette was just 3-8. Chase will certainly step into the leadership vacuum, but his history suggests that may be more emotional than in terms of carrying the scoring load. Ross has never taken more than 15.7% of the shots when on the court, while Jones, Parham, and Gold have all had averages of 19.8% or higher. Marquette will hope for a defensive linchpin and steadying presence from Ross, but he likely will be more of an efficient scorer than a high-volume one.</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Zaide Lowery:</b>&nbsp;In mid-January, it was like a light came on for Zaide Lowery. Through 18 games, he was playing 13.6 minutes per game and never got off the bench in three of them. In the last 16 games, Lowery averaged 17.8 minutes and redefined his role off the bench as a hyper-efficient scorer and reliable defensive stopper.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8xuTtNv4hV6J1AJ_FlXTt0PDWBQpUxOFNbdGSI-XGcjGBzwnEuClC_-vY-2d3mQaT7LkEG2r42tgq9jpJmcT-7ypg5g5e-4tjZplMj2PIDp0xGMWH8GHG7OISM0LXTwL8QxMPuOCnYNJCLRl1fjcwSavJqLAW0OFRRWCGjDZGnlmQ5HMJ4Ebcvw/s483/MU%20Zaide.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="83" data-original-width="483" height="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8xuTtNv4hV6J1AJ_FlXTt0PDWBQpUxOFNbdGSI-XGcjGBzwnEuClC_-vY-2d3mQaT7LkEG2r42tgq9jpJmcT-7ypg5g5e-4tjZplMj2PIDp0xGMWH8GHG7OISM0LXTwL8QxMPuOCnYNJCLRl1fjcwSavJqLAW0OFRRWCGjDZGnlmQ5HMJ4Ebcvw/w400-h69/MU%20Zaide.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Because of this improvement Zaide seems likely to claim a starting spot on this year's team. Alongside Jones and Ross, he gives Marquette an active defensive perimeter capable of turning an opponent possession into points going the other way at a moment's notice. Cracked Sidewalks was told that Lowery was one of the two most impressive Marquette players in their scrimmage win over Missouri, giving us one small data point to support an expanded role.</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Royce Parham:</b>&nbsp;In Shaka Smart's first year at Marquette, he took a power forward that was Marquette's highest usage returning player and turned Justin Lewis into an all-league player en route to the NCAA Tournament. This year, with another roster fans aren't as familiar with, the power forward that is Marquette's highest usage returning player is Parham, who was a more efficient scorer than freshman Lewis and shot higher from two, three, and the free throw line. Parham isn't the bully-ball player Lewis was, but he's a better fit for Nevada Smith's offense and is poised for a major freshman-to-sophomore leap. Parham needs to get stronger to battle on the boards, but Smart has a long history of turning rotational wing/forward freshmen into productive sophomores.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk7pHyrKKch_4tekwbMUGhiAx5v5RLPCB-bNzzHAuSnSN_FSGJZ4hl30IAncpMSjjQfNsN3UTJJzBdZxdjI-JQ5ewSoKlLHnkGN8RDCXpio4D020onDnYqDP47qnV5XYreuVd3KrNkrJu7XmY5faOyvqPyXeeWWKW3P_3pbVNyyUexGgmvX2jtVA/s555/MU%20Royce.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="555" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk7pHyrKKch_4tekwbMUGhiAx5v5RLPCB-bNzzHAuSnSN_FSGJZ4hl30IAncpMSjjQfNsN3UTJJzBdZxdjI-JQ5ewSoKlLHnkGN8RDCXpio4D020onDnYqDP47qnV5XYreuVd3KrNkrJu7XmY5faOyvqPyXeeWWKW3P_3pbVNyyUexGgmvX2jtVA/w400-h249/MU%20Royce.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The above looks at wing/forward players that played 30-50% of minutes as freshmen under Smart. By and large, these players improved their efficiency, usage, shooting, and rebounding numbers. In terms of counting stats, on average scoring increased 89.4% and rebounding by 55.8%. The clear outlier is Jericho Sims, though his sophomore year included the unexpected freshman one-and-done star Jaxson Hayes cutting into his opportunity. Expect a big jump from Parham, who had the second highest Offensive Rating (Alie-Cox) and third highest usage (Graham, Lewis), which could augur a jump on par with those two.</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Ben Gold:</b>&nbsp;Perhaps no player will draw more divided opinions on this roster than Gold. He's increased his minutes, offensive efficiency, and three-point percentage (71.9% of his career shots are outside the arc) every year at Marquette. However, he's seen his usage decline each year, hasn't developed much as a rim protector or rebounder. His struggles with bruising centers like Zuby Ejiofor and Tarris Reed have drawn fan ire. On offense, Gold is one of the best pick-and-pop players in the country but those long range shots come at the cost of not being inside to hit the boards and not being as efficient on the interior as his predecessor, Oso Ighodaro, was. Defensively, Marquette was 5.9 adjusted points/100 possessions better with Gold on the floor, but was that a function of his defense or a lack of defensive acumen in the post from Parham and Caedin Hamilton?</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ultimately, Gold is a perfectly adequate fifth starter, with pros and cons to his game. On offense, while Marquette doesn't rebound as well with him on the floor, the improved shooting both at the rim and from three more than offsets those negatives and Marquette is more efficient on the whole with him in the game. On defense, while Marquette gives up more at the rim with him in the game, the overall eFG% and defensive rating is better with Ben because of his ability to guard inside/out. Defensively, Marquette doesn't rebound well regardless, but last year Marquette's offensive and defensive rebounding rates were the best ranks of Shaka's short tenure at Marquette so it's hard to put all that on Ben. The hope will be for more consistency and a bit of a tougher defensive edge, especially against physically imposing bigs like Ejiofor, Reed, and Oswin Erhunmwunse.</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>The Bench:</b>&nbsp;Marquette has exciting depth, but it's largely unproven. Tre Norman is the one known commodity. While he's a solid defender, he's never put together an efficient offensive game and saw his minutes cut down the stretch last year, which opens the door to other contributors. All summer long, we've heard about how Nigel James and Adrien Stevens will be ready to contribute from day one. That said, freshmen stealing minutes from experienced players is a tale as old as time. The hope will be that James can be an able complement to Jones. He has a reputation as a tenacious defender with a developing offensive game that can get downhill or connect from range. Stevens has drawn comparisons to recently graduated Stevie Mitchell because of his defensive acumen and quick hands (cue the Stevens "Mitchell") nickname. However all of that potential will sound familiar after Damarius Owens never really lived up to last year's hype. He provides wing depth and has flashed offensive explosiveness if he can cut down on the turnovers. Up front, Caedin Hamilton and Josh Clark add additional depth in the front court. Unless...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6chORtqyDMEg7IUS-2Ef0DP76q3IMU_VLjk2PQyL0dKlzqigVWfO3zopsmU_oKmhX8WyerGT3PrHSc-57EWgKeFYEWk7u5H_Y7ur9DQw4o4RL8f1niwnteylWMKJ8Pfg3UIjgLEnaL0_9raJ4sXTExhnRXhVt27sgP1NBEa1QTOa-Or49QS_Elw/s1579/MU%20Caedin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1579" data-original-width="1290" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6chORtqyDMEg7IUS-2Ef0DP76q3IMU_VLjk2PQyL0dKlzqigVWfO3zopsmU_oKmhX8WyerGT3PrHSc-57EWgKeFYEWk7u5H_Y7ur9DQw4o4RL8f1niwnteylWMKJ8Pfg3UIjgLEnaL0_9raJ4sXTExhnRXhVt27sgP1NBEa1QTOa-Or49QS_Elw/s320/MU%20Caedin.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Marquette's Fetch Hamilton, because the staff is trying to make him happen</span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo from @marquette.basketball | Instagram</span></i></b></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the movie Mean Girls, teenager Gretchen Wieners continually refers to things as being "Fetch," which is her personal word for something that's cool. Throughout the movie she uses the term despite it not catching on with anyone else. Finally, her classmate Regina George says "<a href="https://youtu.be/Pubd-spHN-0?si=y7CsQVBs-f3-_BuR">stop trying to make Fetch happen, it's not going to happen</a>." Last year, the Marquette staff talked up Caedin Hamilton as someone who would have a major rotation role, but like Fetch, that never happened. So far this year, the public facing information is that Hamilton was Marquette's best player in each of the first three weeks of practice and Smart has talked about him frequently as the most improved player and one of the first names he discussed at Big East Media Day. Cracked Sidewalks was told that Hamilton was one of the two best players in the Missouri scrimmage win. Preseason hype often fails to match up with results, but if Hamilton is a starting-level Big East center, that would allow Ben Gold to play a more natural power forward role that will let him use his length as a perimeter defender, help-side shot blocker, and diminish his need to be in the paint. It would also likely push Royce Parham to the bench, meaning his breakout could come in the form of a Big East Sixth Man of the Year contender who can effectively back up 2-5 similar to what David Joplin did as a sophomore. Hamilton's play last year certainly wouldn't traditionally augur a Big East breakout, but if he's ready to make Fetch happen, it would significantly raise the ceiling for this team.</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Style of Play</b></p><p>Marquette's offense starts on the defensive end where the team is elite at creating turnovers and scoring in transition. Once in the half-court, Marquette shifted a bit away from pick and roll offense last year, especially in terms of the big men. Replacing Oso Ighodaro with a pick-and-pop big like Ben Gold will do that. They will continue to prioritize getting shots beyond the arc or at the rim; Marquette's 15.0% midrange rate was #342 nationally. Expect this team to get downhill more, which starts with Sean Jones. He's taken more than 50% of his shots at the rim both seasons and is better at drawing and playing through contact than either Tyler Kolek or Kam Jones were. Thus far he hasn't been the creator those two were which likely means that's been a priority for DeAndre Haynes in Jones' rehabilitation.</p><p>What will really be different about this offense, however, will be the pace. While Marquette has been in the top-25 of offensive possession length all four years under Smart, that was with some players like Tyler Kolek, Kam Jones, and Stevie Mitchell who were not possessed of blistering footspeed. That's not the case with this team. Sean Jones is one of the fastest end-to-end players in the country. Ross and Lowery are both able to get up court quickly. Nigel James may rival Jones' speed. Now that we finally have a roster full of players Shaka recruited out of high school, I expect we will see what may be the fastest offense in the country, and almost certainly top-10 at worst. While there could be some correlation rather than causation here, look at the adjusted offensive ranks of high major teams that finished top-25 in average possession length on offense, with percent of shots taken in midrange mixed in for fun:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4HZ8QLUiBZwlUdxas2yxIQYRa-OUe2CXTlzM7ZI4220t5PfHw92NDXD5L4oZ-tbXsTRaR6htlaJeIstPY-Upwe8JZNHM8iG0Gl795xmn35xmMMDQLQX_8K8Fg5hLeGkHR9PXKuY8amqCUv41MhG9ISPvcNDHRPtETf9ea9qNIDQsty5Gx5gB6A/s724/MU%20APL.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="189" data-original-width="724" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4HZ8QLUiBZwlUdxas2yxIQYRa-OUe2CXTlzM7ZI4220t5PfHw92NDXD5L4oZ-tbXsTRaR6htlaJeIstPY-Upwe8JZNHM8iG0Gl795xmn35xmMMDQLQX_8K8Fg5hLeGkHR9PXKuY8amqCUv41MhG9ISPvcNDHRPtETf9ea9qNIDQsty5Gx5gB6A/w640-h168/MU%20APL.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>What we see here is that out of the 24 high-major teams to play at an APL ranked in the top-25 over the last 4 years, 9 finished with a top-10 offense (37.5%), 15 finished with a top-25 offense (62.5%), and 20 finished with a top-50 offense (83.3%). Only four finished outside the top-20, and all of them took more than 20% of their shots in the midrange. The hypothesis is simple. If you play at a high offensive tempo, you will get opportunities before the offense is set, and if your teams are well-schooled to take good shots, that will result in a high-level offense. This has been a successful formula through sub-100 eFG% rankings (2022 Alabama, 2025 Marquette), sub-200 turnover rates (2022 &amp; 2023 Alabama, 2023 Arizona), sub-100 offensive rebounding rates (2022 Gonzaga, 2023 &amp; 2024 Marquette), and sub-300 free throw rates (2023-25 Marquette). Knowing that Marquette is almost certainly going to take fewer than 20% of their shots in midrange (15.0% or lower each of the past three years), Marquette's offensive floor is likely still in the top-50, with a top-25 offense more likely than a sub-50 offense.</p><p>Defensively, while there are principles of Shaka's chaos-inducing Havoc defense from his VCU days, his success at Marquette is with an even more insidious defensive philosophy. To illustrate this, we're going to focus on three stats that most people see as superfluous but help explain why it's such an effective defense.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2KNCTuaMocLuhwGS11Qp1-swJ2wQW5OZNB7UQ9DV8OORoOfu5PuIw2wJg8x1BXnGBbQFvxdN0yMSKAZjPtDa2bmO86dua5gmO3G0efaUzx3OgIv6-guUUAIvnID_RVDA6hU9eCcgZyFUxNCbRJRgbrgee8eHZ38FjCCqiJKqe3oaDngPUFcU59g/s310/MU%20D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="114" data-original-width="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2KNCTuaMocLuhwGS11Qp1-swJ2wQW5OZNB7UQ9DV8OORoOfu5PuIw2wJg8x1BXnGBbQFvxdN0yMSKAZjPtDa2bmO86dua5gmO3G0efaUzx3OgIv6-guUUAIvnID_RVDA6hU9eCcgZyFUxNCbRJRgbrgee8eHZ38FjCCqiJKqe3oaDngPUFcU59g/s16000/MU%20D.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>We start with defensive possession length. The focus here starts with Marquette's 3/4 court press. The goal isn't just to force half-court violations but to force 8-10 seconds off the shot clock before the offense can get into their sets. This means that if the offense is able to get into their half-court offense, they already have less time than they are accustomed to. Next we look at the percent of opponent shots assisted. On its own this only tells us that successful offensive possessions against Marquette are most likely to come from ball movement. However the counter to this is that it's hard to score one-on-one against Marquette's defense. If you want to find success, you have to move the ball, probe the defense, and actively create a good look. Third, we go to one of Shaka's hallmarks, turnover rate. Marquette has forged an elite defense in terms of turnover rate which immediately cuts offensive efficiency on that possession to zero and opens up offensive transition opportunities where Marquette has been in the 86th or better percentile each of the past three years. When taken together, Marquette's defense forces long possessions that need to move the ball to succeed. And every second that ticks off the clock, every extra pass that has to be made to create a good look, those are all one more opportunity for Marquette's defense to turn opponents over. This is how Marquette's last three seasons have featured their three best defensive ranks in at kenpom since Jae Crowder was winning BEPOY despite ranking outside the top-100 in eFG% and outside the top-200 in Offensive Rebounding rate all of those years.</p><p>Marquette's biggest weakness is on the interior. The Golden Eagles were #247 in defensive rebound rate (31.0%) and #201 in 2PFG% at the rim (57.9%). The at the rim number is particularly concerning because when Royce Parham and Ben Gold were on the court together, it ballooned to 66.7%. Hopefully a full offseason of growth and playing together will get them better acclimated to covering each other's deficiencies and serving as help-side shot-blockers when the perimeter breaks down. If not, that turnover rate will need to improve if Marquette has any hopes of maintaining a top-30 defense.</p><p><b>2025-26 Outlook</b>&nbsp;</p><p>It feels like the vibe around this season is that Marquette will be down this year. I think that's premature. First and foremost, this defense has real potential to again be excellent. I hesitate to think they can be a top-10 defense without better rim protection, but the perimeter defense and turnover capability will be excellent. This should be a top-20 defense with any semblance of rim protection raising that ceiling.</p><p>The pundit and fan focus is on what Marquette lost. Kam Jones, Stevie Mitchell, and David Joplin were some of the winningest players in program history. But are their losses more significant than Justin Lewis, Darryl Morsell, Kur Kuath, and Greg Elliott in 2022? In terms of raw scoring, the 2022 team lost 56.1% of their scoring and the 2025 team lost 57.9%, a very similar total. In the past 28 years, Marquette and Shaka have had 13 combined seasons when they lost between 40-60% of their volume scoring. In 6 instances the next year's offense was worse, in 7 instances the next year's offense was better. As we said in 2022, <a href="https://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2022/06/who-will-score-part-ii-shaka-smart.html">losing volume scoring is not a major concern</a>.</p><p>What's more important offensively is what we pointed out above. Marquette has consistently developed players with elite offensive efficiency, like Tyler Kolek, O-Max Prosper, Oso Ighodaro, and Kam Jones. Chase Ross, Ben Gold, and Zaide Lowery have already demonstrated similar growth so why should fans not expect Sean Jones, Royce Parham, and Damarius Owens to follow suit given the opportunity? This team is going to attack quickly, get shots before the defense is set, and we know they'll take quality shots because all of these guys have spent their entire college careers in a system that drills that and is designed to create those looks. I firmly believe we saw Marquette's offensive floor in 2022 because that team of Wojo leftovers and transfers were too conditioned to take midrange shots. Nevada Smith will have this offense in the top-50 and most likely significantly higher than that. Last year's team struggled on offense when Kam Jones and David Joplin weren't making shots but everyone still relied on them to be the primary options. I fully believe when forced into the deep end, the players who know this system and are given the confidence to execute will do just that.&nbsp;</p><p><b>One Man's Opinion</b></p><p>Picking Marquette #2 in the Big East might just seem like fan bias, but it's as much about the rest of the Big East as it is about Marquette. There's a clear Tier 1 in the Big East and now that we're this high in the previews we can say UConn stands alone. Tier 2 is St. John's, Creighton, and Marquette. We covered the St. John's roster deficiencies. In 20 of the past 21 seasons, at least one preseason top-10 team has finished the season unranked and if I were betting on any of this year's top-10, St. John's would top that list. That leaves Creighton and Marquette, who are like a reverse Spider-Man meme. Creighton should have a great offense with questions on defense while Marquette has a great defense with questions on offense. If both of the trusted units are top-20 nationally, the question is whether Creighton's defense or Marquette's offense will be better. Given the track records, I have less faith in McDermott having a top-50 defense than I do Smart and Smith piecing together a top-50 offense. It's by a narrow margin, but Marquette gets the edge over both St. John's and Creighton.</p></div></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/9205481927666427833/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/9205481927666427833?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/9205481927666427833'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/9205481927666427833'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/10/marquette-preview-2025-26.html' title='Marquette Preview, 2025-26'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6EC5rHFbTypr4G7iD2G0sBe1Q7QKv10W-Qbqhc4TQeTTpJ8VS6e4z7gBvylIOISDYfPJfo58NsqYRG0SsnKIlYj6sQqKlgIvWjBkJbrvjVAJZeE-GKX2P73pw3l8zf-H8cy22uxne6RsAzg5V9TqSg5SX3m6ubF9TvTWz7juueqINB7s1se0HTw/s72-c/MU%20Chase.webp" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-5568161604955917610</id><published>2025-10-27T07:12:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2025-10-27T07:12:21.496-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Creighton Preview, 2025-26</title><content type='html'><p><b>Creighton Blue Jays</b></p><p>Saturday, December 20th, 2025 at CHI Health Center, Omaha, NE / Tuesday, January 27th, 2026 at Fiserv Forum<br /></p><p><b>Head Coach:&nbsp;</b>Greg McDermott (630-366 overall, 350-171 at Creighton)</p><p><b>Three-Year NET Average:</b>&nbsp;21.7</p><p><b>Three-Year kenpom Average:</b>&nbsp;19.3</p><p><b>Projected 2025-26 T-Rank: </b>23<b></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmy2LLaTVLxLB4EfOdweA-aHgibW3f_Bkx3cPGHq3j8hutbvGFX2bGevSs6kLY9QfGHF3nqGG0K9f1y6V1EzSpXau9U1Fr6DOS6cQfSdpKqaTNURAGZKm-6C8V8pIaJbCzF5qhxX993dM4Y9chn6PobEBlfSXxgFbIlI5_iPXvSTEcxW3UuUG_Q/s1920/Creighton%20McAndrew.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1281" data-original-width="1920" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmy2LLaTVLxLB4EfOdweA-aHgibW3f_Bkx3cPGHq3j8hutbvGFX2bGevSs6kLY9QfGHF3nqGG0K9f1y6V1EzSpXau9U1Fr6DOS6cQfSdpKqaTNURAGZKm-6C8V8pIaJbCzF5qhxX993dM4Y9chn6PobEBlfSXxgFbIlI5_iPXvSTEcxW3UuUG_Q/s320/Creighton%20McAndrew.webp" width="320" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jackson McAndrew leads a new-look Blue Jays squad</span></i></b></div></b><div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by IMAGN</span></i></b></p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>State of the Program</b></div><div><p>Greg McDermott passed Dana Altman as the winningest coach in Creighton history last year. Creighton's fifth straight NCAA Tournament bid matched a program best originally set from 1999-2003. In his 15 seasons, McDermott has as many Sweet 16 and Elite 8 appearances as Creighton did in its entire history before he arrived. It's safe to say the state of Creighton's program has never been stronger, even in a bit of a rebuilding year. The question is if that will sustain beyond McDermott's tenure, as he brought in former Creighton assistant and High Point head coach Alan Huss to be the coach in waiting. But how Creighton fares in the post-McDermott world is a question for another day.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK9ON6hHM0BgwcKv3XbWn2oRrnR6SmRzJdpByKXEXIl9d2h6ovv4o_Z4zcf6g16sTipra7SMV19ABMB7u_VNopWheotRSzo8-dykMFkqa3isbvZT90MT_O7M5YGjEXsd0o8t_Ehu7_GvBzpajEPsfk73sx-xwXABrbkn8uACVkXvaXS8LDrTJi3w/s638/CU%20Roster.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="209" data-original-width="638" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK9ON6hHM0BgwcKv3XbWn2oRrnR6SmRzJdpByKXEXIl9d2h6ovv4o_Z4zcf6g16sTipra7SMV19ABMB7u_VNopWheotRSzo8-dykMFkqa3isbvZT90MT_O7M5YGjEXsd0o8t_Ehu7_GvBzpajEPsfk73sx-xwXABrbkn8uACVkXvaXS8LDrTJi3w/w400-h131/CU%20Roster.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Rotation</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The offensive keys will likely be in the hands of Nik Graves. The Charlotte transfer is a downhill, driving guard that uses his 6'3" frame to get in the lane and draw contact. He protects the ball well and is a capable but not spectacular distributor. Josh Dix from Iowa is a gifted three-level scorer who will love the offensive freedom of McDermott's system. Blake Harper was the MEAC Player of the Year as a freshman. He's a high-volume scorer who is efficient outside the arc and ranked top-40 at both fouls drawn/40 minutes and free throw rate. The Big East is a big step up, but he's shown the ability to post high-level productivity. Jackson McAndrew is the most prominent returning player and could be in for a big step up in production. He is the second-highest rated freshman in Creighton history and showed he belonged last year. His size, shooting, and savvy play makes him an ideal fit for McDermott's system. Owen Freeman is another Iowa transplant and arguably the biggest transfer name in Creighton's haul. He's a monster at the rim, taking 73.8% of his shots there and converting 70.3% of them. Freeman is also a force rebounding on both ends of the court and the best shot-blocker the Jays have. The biggest question is an injury setback that may not have him ready for the start of the season. Creighton may have a number of new pieces, but they are reinforced with experience. Fedor Zugic took time settling in but the European transplant improved as the season went on. Hudson Greer overtook McAndrew as the highest rated recruit in Creighton history and should be an immediate contributor. Jasen Green and Isaac Traudt both have starting experience in the system and add size and depth.</div><p></p><p><b>Style of Play</b></p><p>McDermott runs an offense where players are in constant motion, working for an open shooting look. They spread teams out, creating space with shooters and running off constant screens to create open shots and rim running cuts. When they drive or post up, it's usually the off-ball players you should watch because the ball-handler is likely looking to spray it out to the perimeter for an open three. While there's typically a lead ball handler, Creighton tends to have 2-3 players capable of creating shots for others and will usually have four or five legit three point threats surrounding (or including) a big man. McDermott's bigs usually develop into long-range threats (if at lower frequency) so don't be surprised to see Freeman step out as well. When he does, it will likely be off a pick-and-pop, though the bigs are equally effective rolling to the rim off a pick. And while they don't create offense through turnovers, they do love to run in transition. Creighton will attack off makes or defensive rebounds if the opportunity presents itself.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgul7-0O2WUbo-3DZCk4y5LwbILkxOq9tIJaiaK_NHqSdq5Qda2NtzCQP6RenVto5TCsTbf-jS1vM7NJdagdDJRW2Zg0SZhmYiP5LWkEHsMqDlmbYPf0srbsgqd56NItFmMMDzfwh8sIC54npMEIzFPr704FYwk_qMG3xRVfmWjj5VpVMrXAQggKA/s614/CU%20Offense.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="472" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgul7-0O2WUbo-3DZCk4y5LwbILkxOq9tIJaiaK_NHqSdq5Qda2NtzCQP6RenVto5TCsTbf-jS1vM7NJdagdDJRW2Zg0SZhmYiP5LWkEHsMqDlmbYPf0srbsgqd56NItFmMMDzfwh8sIC54npMEIzFPr704FYwk_qMG3xRVfmWjj5VpVMrXAQggKA/s320/CU%20Offense.png" width="246" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Creighton killed teams inside and should be better from three</span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Shot chart from CBBAnalytics.com | Range Percentages from Hoop-explorer.com</span></i></b></p><p>Creighton has played a lot of drop coverage in recent years. This was because Ryan Kalkbrenner excelled in this, using his length to be a disruptive mismatch on the perimeter then fading back to the rim to block shots and protect the paint. While Kalkbrenner developed into a respectable rebounder, Creighton rebounds as a team and mitigates the risks of drop with collective effort. The Jays are well schooled to defend without fouling (top-4 nationally in free throw rate each of the past four years) and chase teams off the three point line. However, that was all with four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year Kalkbrenner as the defensive backbone. The five best defensive ranks for Creighton under Greg McDermott all came with Kalkbrenner. His average defensive rating before that was 98.2. The four transfers projected to play on this team all come from teams that were sub-160 defenses last year. As good as Creighton will be on offense, there's a good chance they are just as bad on defense.</p><p><b>2025-26 Outlook</b>&nbsp;</p><p>The Jays will be a tale of two ends of the court. Offensively, they will be lethal. Defensively, they will likely be a sieve. Creighton will try to turn every game into a shooting contest, and while they'd likely beat most teams in an empty gym, they will struggle with teams that can chase them off the three-point line and have the physicality and quickness to disrupt their offensive flow. I don't really see them stopping much of anyone. As far as who they brought in, defense is a massive problem. Graves was a mediocre defender in the American. Harper was a bad defender in the MEAC. At Iowa, three of (notoriously poor defensive coach) Fran McCaffrey's worse five defenses were the past three years, which coincide with three years of Josh Dix and two of Owen Freeman. These teams remind me a lot of Creighton's teams when they first entered the Big East. Elite shooting, but unable to stop anyone. That should be good enough for a top-half league finish and at-large bid, but they don't look complete enough for a deep run in March.</p><p><b>One Man's Opinion</b></p><p>Creighton checks in at #3 in the Big East. This team should have a top-20 offense, but in his 14 pre-Kalkbrenner high-major seasons, McDermott's average kenpom defense ranked 89.4 with zero top-45 finishes and four sub-120 finishes. This roster certainly doesn't look like it will be at the high end of those averages. Creighton can get hot enough to beat anyone on a given night, but they don't have the defense to stop anyone that can slow their attack enough to keep up on the scoreboard. Ultimately, their placement here comes down to trust. I trust their offense more than I trust St. John's on either end of the court. But in a league where Creighton's offense and Marquette's defense should both be high level, I trust Marquette more on the offensive end thanks to Nevada Smith's system than I do Creighton on the defensive end thanks to McDermott's history without Kalkbrenner. Expect them to be wearing home whites in the first round of the NCAA Tournament but lacking the two-way quality to challenge for a Big East title or deep tourney run.</p></div></div></div></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/5568161604955917610/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/5568161604955917610?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/5568161604955917610'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/5568161604955917610'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/10/creighton-preview-2025-26.html' title='Creighton Preview, 2025-26'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmy2LLaTVLxLB4EfOdweA-aHgibW3f_Bkx3cPGHq3j8hutbvGFX2bGevSs6kLY9QfGHF3nqGG0K9f1y6V1EzSpXau9U1Fr6DOS6cQfSdpKqaTNURAGZKm-6C8V8pIaJbCzF5qhxX993dM4Y9chn6PobEBlfSXxgFbIlI5_iPXvSTEcxW3UuUG_Q/s72-c/Creighton%20McAndrew.webp" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-6349570676899901380</id><published>2025-10-23T07:04:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2025-10-23T07:04:21.609-05:00</updated><title type='text'>St. John's Preview, 2025-26</title><content type='html'><p><b>St. John's Red Storm</b></p><p>Tuesday, January 13th, 2026 at Madison Square Garden, New York, NY / Wednesday, February 18, 2026 at Fiserv Forum<br /></p><p><b>Head Coach:&nbsp;</b>Rick Pitino (761-308 overall, 51-18 at St. John's)</p><p><b>Three-Year NET Average:</b>&nbsp;47.7</p><p><b>Three-Year kenpom Average:</b>&nbsp;39.0</p><p><b>Projected 2025-26 T-Rank:&nbsp;</b>8<b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw0AtGp2W2_qwhiIEDdZzYNFgC8rYYDyUvMUKc66AbSK3ZMiZhgUF9_KjSrqRwE-Eoq61jLOPmsAxc8KNVGsXiY1kTUCVPPhAxnaT4esYuM1MMTWb-9wIm_QBvF1VZpA7LnM1uuZXfEzyWZJ-Rsto1I2hpz2jivFEjJgYjq0LoTusK-L0Lv8DjQw/s760/SJU%20Zuby.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="760" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw0AtGp2W2_qwhiIEDdZzYNFgC8rYYDyUvMUKc66AbSK3ZMiZhgUF9_KjSrqRwE-Eoq61jLOPmsAxc8KNVGsXiY1kTUCVPPhAxnaT4esYuM1MMTWb-9wIm_QBvF1VZpA7LnM1uuZXfEzyWZJ-Rsto1I2hpz2jivFEjJgYjq0LoTusK-L0Lv8DjQw/s320/SJU%20Zuby.webp" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Zuby Ejiofor averaged 21.0 ppg/11.3 rpg against Marquette</span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Patrick McDermott | Getty Images</span></i></b></p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>State of the Program</b></div><div><p>Rick Pitino's second year at St. John's took the Big East by storm. After a solid but unspectacular non-con in which they lost a pair of close games to NCAA teams Baylor and Georgia, the Johnnies went 18-2 in league play and won the Big East Tournament, matching UConn's record 21 total Big East victories from a season before. St. John's also won their first NCAA Tournament game since 2000. The only returning player of significance back is Big East Player of the Year favorite Zuby Ejiofor, but he's surrounded by a loaded transfer class that has some pundits ranking them <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/rankings/top25/">as high as #1</a> in the nation going into 2025-26. It didn't take long for Rick Pitino to reestablish St. John's reputation as a national power.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdNhZ8OkvhDtiZt8J3HSEX44P1PELBMcxZzBqi_6o7WgT4hmlD2QIBof0cYhg7CqG8eYh-xQpqC4Nbq_oNli1x4aefiYHTm9hmNaJUAnmrgNOfuusWl17HGu67Xi76LGx8ZjOMGq59LQNq6Rmu2RSc3hmsm0x7ShbEY9fZE21N27_Elpw_5jO0Og/s577/SJU%20Roster.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="577" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdNhZ8OkvhDtiZt8J3HSEX44P1PELBMcxZzBqi_6o7WgT4hmlD2QIBof0cYhg7CqG8eYh-xQpqC4Nbq_oNli1x4aefiYHTm9hmNaJUAnmrgNOfuusWl17HGu67Xi76LGx8ZjOMGq59LQNq6Rmu2RSc3hmsm0x7ShbEY9fZE21N27_Elpw_5jO0Og/w400-h143/SJU%20Roster.png" width="400" /></a></div><b>Rotation</b><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The transfer haul starts with an remade backcourt. Ian Jackson and Oziyah Sellers are both high efficiency scoring guards that do their best work beyond the arc. Joson Sanon is another shooter who turned up his scoring down the stretch for Arizona State, averaging 18.8 ppg over his last five. The problem is that all three are poor defenders. Up front, the most interesting minutes battle might be between Dillon Mitchell and Bryce Hopkins. Mitchell is a lockdown defender that can block shots, generate turnovers, and clean the glass but is a high-efficiency, low-usage offensive player that needs to be near the rim to be effective. Hopkins has had mixed results on defense with less range and lateral quickness, but is better on the offensive end where he is a monster inside and capable of getting his own shot, especially off the offensive glass. Zuby Ejiofor will likely be leading the All-American and Big East Player of the Year lists. The big man was a two-way menace last year, using his physicality to rough up opponents on defense and playing like a high-efficiency bull in the China shop on offense where he is a great at-the-rim scorer. The key to this team might be Dylan Darling. The Big Sky Player of the Year seemed to be a recruiting afterthought when St. John's missed out on some targets but he's the only true point guard on the roster. On a team loaded with offensive options, someone has to get them the ball so don't be surprised if Darling plays a bigger role. The rest of the bench is promising but unproven. Sophomore Lefteris Liotopoulous and freshman Kelvin Odih provide wing options while Ruben Prey will be counted on to step up from deep reserve to primary backup for Ejiofor.</div><p></p><p><b>Style of Play</b></p><p>Rick Pitino has shifted his offensive philosophy from dribble-drive to getting more action out of cuts. His teams have taken a lot of mid-range the last two years and rely on the bigs to clean up misses and get putbacks. The Red Storm cut against modern basketball tendencies, ranking near the bottom of the nation in three-point rate (341st) and percentage (340th). Expect that to change next year. Pitino brought in perimeter threats with an eye on not being knocked out of the NCAA Tournament while shooting 2/22 from three again like last year. But who is going to create those shots?</p><p>The chart below shows assist rates as well as the percentage of shots each potential St. John's rotation player took by range (three-point, mid-range, at the rim) and how often those made field goals were assisted. The only player on the roster that was able to both create shots for others and get shots for himself was Dylan Darling, who did that against Big Sky competition and isn't expected to start. To read the chart, in assist rate, green is good, red is varying degrees of bad. In the shot rates, blue indicates a player is unlikely to take shots in that area and orange indicates they take shots there frequently. In assisted rates, blue indicates the player cannot get that shot on his own and orange indicates they are able to create their own shot.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJWA7w4nsbfYcYAozWKr0-87Yfh_zeWeQ4EGeIw0qi0ZDNdwJWsAlEij_rZ0z8eOAIiw0HXvphBeiGG4viG_dNXx113UDhMSS_A2VJMbEO5dEhfFMt6Hhcmoxc6pKUghF13lNhI8f1RqG4gKFWegbn4k43s6EBiJFLMb61YdazPvcqo_L64N0ZhQ/s583/SJU%20Shot%20Region.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="279" data-original-width="583" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJWA7w4nsbfYcYAozWKr0-87Yfh_zeWeQ4EGeIw0qi0ZDNdwJWsAlEij_rZ0z8eOAIiw0HXvphBeiGG4viG_dNXx113UDhMSS_A2VJMbEO5dEhfFMt6Hhcmoxc6pKUghF13lNhI8f1RqG4gKFWegbn4k43s6EBiJFLMb61YdazPvcqo_L64N0ZhQ/w400-h191/SJU%20Shot%20Region.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Data from kenpom.com and Hoop-Explorer.com</span></i></b></div></b><p>Assist rate in and of itself is not one of the most important factors in offensive efficiency. That said, this team will likely be forced into one-on-one situations on offense regularly. When players tasked to create for themselves struggle to get clean looks from three and can't get to the rim, they tend to settle for mid-range shots. St. John's will need to hope they have tough shot makers because that's what many of their looks are likely to be. The best chance for efficient offense will be by hitting the offensive glass, where they do have numerous strong options. The roster makeup indicates an offense similar to Buzz Williams' Texas A&amp;M squads with less effective ball movement. I'm skeptical of this offense for two reasons. First, as the chart above indicates, historically these are guys that need others to create shots for them to succeed. Second, over the past two years St. John's has taken a ton of mid-range shots. If these guys can't get their own shots and settle for bad shots, that's how you end up ranked #68 nationally in offense (2025 kenpom rank).</p><p>Defensively, last year's St. John's was back to the kind of team Pitino wants to see. They were an attacking defense, playing tight man-to-man, creating turnovers, challenging everything, and forcing opponents into late-shot clock situations when they didn't turn them over first. St. John's had elite perimeter defenders and when opponents did get inside, Zuby Ejiofor is a competent shot blocker and even better positional defender who uses his size to control the paint. The problem this year is that St. John's doesn't have the defensive personnel they had last year. The multitude of elite perimeter defenders just isn't there, and of the three players that posted the best DBPR in their most recent season (Mitchell, Ejiofor, Hopkins), it's unlikely that all three can play significant minutes together because of positional overlap and the reality that none of the three really stretch the floor. This chart shows the defensive block rate, steal percentage, and Defensive Baynesian Performance Rating from <a href="http://EvanMiya.com">EvanMiya.com</a>, which is generally considered the best single number for individual defensive analysis.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg4iVW4bf-i9dAqfmbGma5qPWZukl3bl6Bg-4S-v0VvUo9Lhh3hRa-PFseDgOw43QvhLWrSOq5CsV9CinbvE-RU07oqn1FhyphenhyphenwUjd5DSqR5KO57qJ0L8mBhgi7IRSl9eATWL6J8cwLTX99CrltzXmo5V52Ya4aTZQQgBs9LPMFjbde6Jjxkr4kziQ/s573/SJU%20D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="243" data-original-width="573" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg4iVW4bf-i9dAqfmbGma5qPWZukl3bl6Bg-4S-v0VvUo9Lhh3hRa-PFseDgOw43QvhLWrSOq5CsV9CinbvE-RU07oqn1FhyphenhyphenwUjd5DSqR5KO57qJ0L8mBhgi7IRSl9eATWL6J8cwLTX99CrltzXmo5V52Ya4aTZQQgBs9LPMFjbde6Jjxkr4kziQ/w400-h170/SJU%20D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Data from kenpom.com and EvanMiya.com</span></i></b></div></b><p>Unless Darling, Sanon, Sellers, and Jackson transform into next-level defenders, the perimeter defense will be a sieve leaving Mitchell and Ejiofor overextended trying to cover for them most of the time. This team will get killed any time they are forced to switch and teams with effective ball movement will pick them apart. Having just 1-2 competent defenders trying to cover up for 3-4 poor defenders is how you end up ranked #57 nationally in defense (2024 kenpom rank).</p><p><b>2025-26 Outlook</b>&nbsp;</p><p>This might be the most talented team in the league, but I just don't see how this roster fits together to find success. The national consensus is that this team will have best offensive traits of 2024 and the best defensive traits of 2025. When I dig into this roster, however, I see the worst defensive traits of 2024 and the worst offensive traits of 2025.</p><p>On talent alone they should be a tournament team, but there are serious questions about the ability to create good shots on offense that no one is asking. The only way I see this offense consistently creating quality shots is if Dylan Darling is a 32-35 mpg guy, but I'm not at all convinced he's a high-major player, especially on the defensive end. There are glaring holes in the defense that can't be papered over by the guys on this roster. Unless Rick can find a way to succeed with two power forwards and two centers, none of whom can stretch the floor, there are going to be places to easily exploit the defense and players like Ejiofor and Mitchell will be forced to constantly cover up for the perimeter gaffes.</p><p>Since the transfer portal opened, Pitino started by saying <a href="https://stormthepaint.com/rick-pitino-anoints-ian-jackson-as-starting-point-guard-for-st-johns-basketball">Ian Jackson is his point guard</a>, Zach Brazilier <a href="https://x.com/nypost_brazille/status/1975900626086494422?s=46">wrote a feature on Dylan Darling</a> being in the mix to start, and after their first scrimmage Pitino <a href="https://www.rumbleinthegarden.com/st-johns-red-storm-mens-basketball/14395/rick-pitino-now-calls-oziyah-sellers-the-new-starting-point-guard-for-st-johns-mens-basketball">named Oziyah Sellers the starting point guard</a>. In the middle of all this over the summer, Rick Pitino said "There are no point guards anymore...Who's the point guard of the Knicks, Lakers, Celtics, Thunder?" While there are real questions about who the St. John's point guard will be, Jalen Brunson (Knicks), Luka Doncic (Lakers), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) all are in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nba.com/news/top-selling-jerseys-2024-25-nba-season">top-10 of NBA jersey sales</a>&nbsp;for this past year. A college coach not recognizing some of the NBA's biggest stars may be mildly amusing, but there are bigger problems with that statement. Some NBA teams like Boston create offense through multiple creative hubs, as illustrated this past season as the Celtics had five players with 17.3%-27.0% assist rates. Rick Pitino isn't in the NBA and only has one guy with an assist rate over 12.0%.</p><p>In the college game, the only reason one could argue you don't need one point guard to win a National Championship is because in this generation, you typically need two. From Villanova with Ryan Arcidiacono and Jalen Brunson through UConn's pairing of Tristen Newton and Hassan Diarra, the trend in college basketball has been multiple creators. But the bigger problem for St. John's is that the teams that do eschew the traditional point guard have other players that can create shots. On this roster, Darling is it. This isn't a team with a wealth of creative options, it's a glut of players that have historically relied on teammates to get them their shots. The only place most of these guys can get their own shot is in the mid-range.</p><p>Last year, St. John's was in the 94th percentile in mid-range shots taken while scoring just 0.77 points/shot, even though they had a roster of players that historically were good at getting to the rim. The year before they were in the 82nd percentile in mid-range shots taken while scoring just 0.84 points/shot. That ranked 11th and 10th (out of 12) respectively in terms of the most efficient play types St. John's ran according to Hoop-Explorer. Essentially, this St. John's team is made up of players that cannot create their own shots on the perimeter, cannot get to the rim, and are playing for a coach that won't discourage mid-range shots, which are among the least efficient shots they can take. This is a recipe for mediocre offensive efficiency.</p><p>The optimistic St. John's fan will have to hope the offense looks like Houston's, with elite three-point shooting, offensive glass dominance, and never turning the ball over as the hallmarks of an offense that overcomes mid-range tendencies. But Pitino's offense has ranked in the top-60 nationally in three-point percentage once this millennium and that was over 20 years ago. As the chart above shows, few of these guys are able to get their own shots from three, unlike Houston with L.J. Cryer and Milos Uzan able to get shots off the bounce. His teams historically are okay at protecting the ball, but have never ranked in the top-20 like Houston did the past two years. Further, Houston was only incorporating one new rotation player into their system. Reforging this offense into Houston's doesn't feel like something that will happen overnight with players who are all just getting to know each other.</p><p>Defensively, the thought process is that if you give Rick Pitino players, he will turn them into a great defense. That argument has been proven false, however. In 2023-24, Pitino famously criticized his team's defensive effort when the St. John's defense was #31 in T-Rank's defensive efficiency. After that rant, the defense truly cratered, ranking #139 the rest of the way. Last year's elite defense was made up of known quality defenders like Richmond, Ejiofor, Scott, Luis, and Smith. There's virtually no lineup St. John's can put on the court that has three quality defenders without crippling the offensive spacing. The interior defense and rebounding could be excellent, but that will come at the cost of open looks from deep and the ability for movement offenses to isolate and pick apart even their plus defenders by forcing switches.</p><p><b>One Man's Opinion</b></p><p>When I first saw the names coming across the transfer wire, I was convinced Pitino was going to work magic again. But the more I looked at this roster, the less I understood the way it would fit together. Modern college offense relies on prioritization of quality shots and multiple players to create those shots for themselves or others. Modern college defense relies on having defenders at multiple levels to switch effectively and hide poor defenders. St. John's doesn't have either of these things. While there are talented, coveted players on this roster, they didn't exactly elevate their previous teams, as Dillon Mitchell, Joson Sanon, Oziyah Sellers, and Dylan Darling all missed the NCAA Tournament last year while Ian Jackson's team barely got in after a preseason top-10 ranking. This is a team built to disappoint in big moments, with breakdowns on the defensive end and one-on-one offense ending in bad shots.</p><p>I know this won't meet consensus, but I'm picking St. John's 4th in the Big East. There's too much talent to think this isn't a tourney team. There's too much experience on the sideline to think Pitino can't figure out a way to make some of this work. But the question of shot creation is real. I don't think Darling can play 32+ mpg at this level and there isn't enough shot creation for this offense to really work by committee. Zuby Ejiofor is seemingly an All-American and consensus Big East Player of the Year, but 57% of his made baskets last year were assisted. Where are those coming from if no one is feeding the post the way Kadary Richmond and Deivon Smith did? He's not scoring 15+ ppg on offensive rebounds alone. And I don't see how a defense with putrid defenders on the perimeter works. The reason St. John's was so good was because Richmond, Smith, Luis, Wilcher, and Ejiofor all had quickness and range that stretched beyond their individual position. They were also all plus defenders before St. John's turned into the #2 efficiency defense in the country. If it was just Darling, you can hide one bad defender. Maybe by mixing in zone and creative switching, you can hide two. But there's no way you can hide three bad defenders, especially when all three will be on the perimeter because any lineup with Ejiofor/Mitchell/Hopkins doesn't work on offense.</p><p>If anyone can prove me wrong, it's Rick Pitino. He's one of the best in the business for a reason. Given a full season, maybe this team will figure it out and be at their best by March, able to compete for a second weekend. But two years ago, we saw that he can't wave a magic wand and turn bad defenders into a good defense. Last year we saw that when he doesn't stop players with bad offensive tendencies from their own poor shot selection, it leads to bad offense. In 20 of the past 21 seasons, a team ranked in the AP preseason top-10 finished the year outside the top-25 and this St. John's team looks like a prime candidate to be that team in 2026. Maybe I'm wrong and Pitino really has one of the best teams in the country, but to me it looks like the Emperor has no clothes and someone should be willing to say it.</p></div></div></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/6349570676899901380/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/6349570676899901380?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/6349570676899901380'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/6349570676899901380'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/10/st-johns-preview-2025-26.html' title='St. John's Preview, 2025-26'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw0AtGp2W2_qwhiIEDdZzYNFgC8rYYDyUvMUKc66AbSK3ZMiZhgUF9_KjSrqRwE-Eoq61jLOPmsAxc8KNVGsXiY1kTUCVPPhAxnaT4esYuM1MMTWb-9wIm_QBvF1VZpA7LnM1uuZXfEzyWZJ-Rsto1I2hpz2jivFEjJgYjq0LoTusK-L0Lv8DjQw/s72-c/SJU%20Zuby.webp" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-1694616885315778151</id><published>2025-10-22T08:09:00.003-05:00</published><updated>2025-10-22T08:39:15.605-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Providence Preview, 2025-26</title><content type='html'><p><b>Providence Friars</b></p><p>Monday, January 19th, 2026 at Fiserv Forum (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day) / Wednesday, March 4th, 2026 at Amica Mutual Pavilion, Providence, RI<br /></p><p><b>Head Coach:&nbsp;</b>Kim English (67-53 overall, 33-34 at Providence)</p><p><b>Three-Year NET Average:</b>&nbsp;71.3</p><p><b>Three-Year kenpom Average:</b>&nbsp;65.0</p><p><b>Projected 2025-26 T-Rank:&nbsp;</b>58<b></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJ4TSrTSNLm7UQa3Vk4DBwEUZNT2mDwJv97oD6iUjvUbSdnsKKYiNSkJaMa4pSTU2fxikfXCwMgOrq9ypd8t9Db6I7ilXbMZCtOhgw2eUnr2xSStHIXzP1RscD-jtPytBWWWQ7AHp8n2PaEJaVkYImZIKUkFhR213iYIDezPXQIIaSXNP7DitFg/s991/Kim.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="991" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJ4TSrTSNLm7UQa3Vk4DBwEUZNT2mDwJv97oD6iUjvUbSdnsKKYiNSkJaMa4pSTU2fxikfXCwMgOrq9ypd8t9Db6I7ilXbMZCtOhgw2eUnr2xSStHIXzP1RscD-jtPytBWWWQ7AHp8n2PaEJaVkYImZIKUkFhR213iYIDezPXQIIaSXNP7DitFg/s320/Kim.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Kim English likely needs to win now to extend his time at Providence</span></i></b></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Jessica Hill | AP Photo</span></i></b></p><div><p></p><p><b>State of the Program</b></p><p>Kim English has had mixed results in his two seasons in Providence. His 2024 team was right on the bubble when bid thieves pushed them away from the field while injuries last year (including to Bryce Hopkins) led to their worst season by win percentage since 1999-2000. The Friars hit the portal hard, bringing in a wealth of proven high-major talent. Maybe more important is the addition of assistant coach Bryan Tibaldi, who helped turn the Cleveland Cavaliers offense from the 19th best offense in the NBA in 2023-24 to #1 this past year. This feels like a do-or-die season for English, who may very well need an NCAA Tournament bid to keep his job.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYXmAlo0fagXgjzizdT0lOVM-Zowy9YX1jyp4wHOnduvM_dIMwv2F84pzfJpq_P3zrMPmgRjjB8FzFsaEF54uMdp3XafsnPdvbN09Hh-L2dRPieGWAIiBDhUoOjXe5qE9A3uNXpjRkrKsK1CFby6rAdDKJ063zC6H5s6dllehWsKC_nC5J79r_HA/s611/PC%20Roster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="611" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYXmAlo0fagXgjzizdT0lOVM-Zowy9YX1jyp4wHOnduvM_dIMwv2F84pzfJpq_P3zrMPmgRjjB8FzFsaEF54uMdp3XafsnPdvbN09Hh-L2dRPieGWAIiBDhUoOjXe5qE9A3uNXpjRkrKsK1CFby6rAdDKJ063zC6H5s6dllehWsKC_nC5J79r_HA/w400-h135/PC%20Roster.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p><b>Rotation</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The keys to the offense will go to Jason Edwards, though it would be a misnomer to call him a point guard. He's more a scoring guard in a point guard's frame. He's a competent outside shooter who does well attacking downhill. Edwards strengths are on offense as he's a mediocre defender. He's flanked by Corey Floyd and Jaylin Sellers in the back court. Floyd has largely been a rotation piece in three years at Providence. Fans will hope he's fully healthy. Sellers is an elite catch-and-shoot weapon at the arc and excels scoring at the rim. Duncan Powell is on his fourth program in as many years. He was productive for Georgia Tech but really turned it up late in the season, averaging 16.6 ppg over Tech's final 16 games. He's a physical forward that can give the Friars some of the presence they lost with Bryce Hopkins. Powell should benefit from having floor-spacing guards like Edwards and Sellers. Up front, Oswin Erhunmwunse was one of two Friars named to the Big East all-Freshman team last year. In limited minutes, he was an elite rim protector on defense and at-the-rim finisher on offense. He has real breakout potential as a sophomore especially given the options around him. Fellow Big East all-freshman team member Ryan Mela and FSU transfer Daquan Davis provide high-upside depth while Drexel transfer Cole Hargrove gives the Friars experienced front court support. Keep an eye on Estonian import Stefan Vaaks, he's already becoming a fan favorite but has some legit experience playing in FIBA competition.</div><p></p><p><b>Style of Play</b></p><p>Last year we were <a href="https://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2024/10/providence-preview-2024-25.html">spot on</a> in expecting Providence's long-range shooting to improve (32.5% to 35.6%) but at the cost of their at-the-rim efficiency (59.4% to 56.2%). Ultimately, this led to some overall offensive improvement, but likely not as much as English hoped for because of a turnover-prone back court. They did address that in the portal, letting some of their worst ATR players leave while retaining the better options and adding players who are better at the rim than those that left. This matters because the Friars initiate their offense with the dribble drive. This generates their best looks either through rim finishes or kicking out for open threes. English likes to run offense through the bigs as well, but Oswin wasn't as well suited as Josh Oduro to post up or high-low actions. Most of the big man scoring and shot creation was either Oswin cutting to the dunker spot or cleaning up offensive rebounds. A second year in the system coupled with a more versatile big in Hargrove should allow for more offense to go through the middle. If there's any real issue, it might be the lack of shot creation. This roster is full of guys happy to take shots but not many options that create for others. That's where Tibaldi comes in. He'll be tasked with finding ways to create those shots, possibly through multiple creative outlets like he had in Cleveland.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQFt4fTyuKxvTUZuLOwJOBHkFdXjeLHpmI5cIxNAogia3s5QwZER5CDXfQm5gVudg8lrEo7ksduGoCuiU15FmMOaxni6keCkERGpw-7AS0lJMFUqEJDpFC4m8_FXasYPRkLJsAqIJpVJqz7yTfOXnPGsCXtr8Pf5QukdB-lh2mic1sY0CccQRbg/s611/PC%20Offense.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="155" data-original-width="611" height="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQFt4fTyuKxvTUZuLOwJOBHkFdXjeLHpmI5cIxNAogia3s5QwZER5CDXfQm5gVudg8lrEo7ksduGoCuiU15FmMOaxni6keCkERGpw-7AS0lJMFUqEJDpFC4m8_FXasYPRkLJsAqIJpVJqz7yTfOXnPGsCXtr8Pf5QukdB-lh2mic1sY0CccQRbg/w400-h101/PC%20Offense.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">At the rim conversion percentages from Hoop-Explorer.com</span></i></b></div></b><p>Tactically, Providence is focused on taking away good shots. Chase teams off the three point line, funnel to the middle where the bigs await to block shots, and use that rim protection threat to force less efficient midrange looks. The problem is that while it's sound tactically, their effectiveness in that regard has tanked once they get to Big East play. There's certainly a step up in competition when it comes to league play, but they've been competitive with tourney teams in non-con, so it isn't like they are only beating up on cupcakes. The other problem is that Providence has ranked outside the top-100 in defensive turnover rate and defensive rebound rate the last two years. So when their ability to challenge shots breaks down, they aren't generating turnovers or limiting teams to a single shot to offset the eFG% dropoff. To contend for a tourney bid, this team needs to keep their defensive intensity and efficiency up for the entire season, not just the first two months.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLuTDcCZK0VIWYIQ0r_w42Zq_iJezoQW_x69g2qUhI_qZ4sp-KGPcFjjjY1atA5nP60I5p_yzI6PeSOZysXqMsud9BP9fhLeDxSQvCpDVWO5kDjSi7t8oA9122yWxNL6zWR16pAFep0NacqSJNaRTqYQ2J5ZRAPd_UHMKtdB5KF22aVIgOmqisg/s425/PC%20Defense.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="186" data-original-width="425" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLuTDcCZK0VIWYIQ0r_w42Zq_iJezoQW_x69g2qUhI_qZ4sp-KGPcFjjjY1atA5nP60I5p_yzI6PeSOZysXqMsud9BP9fhLeDxSQvCpDVWO5kDjSi7t8oA9122yWxNL6zWR16pAFep0NacqSJNaRTqYQ2J5ZRAPd_UHMKtdB5KF22aVIgOmqisg/w400-h175/PC%20Defense.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>2025-26 Outlook</b>&nbsp;</p><p>Edwards was a certified star for Vanderbilt's NCAA team last year. Sellers and Powell were productive high-major players. With blossoming young players Erhunmwunse and Mela back, this team has no excuses when it comes to hearing their name on Selection Sunday. It feels very much like a make or break year for English, and in terms of raw talent, there is more than enough there to be dancing come March. That said, there are some legitimate questions. Who will run the offense? Edwards is a shooting guard in a point guard frame, and these are all guys who generally have benefitted from having creative guards to get them the ball rather than being the creators themselves. Will the defense hold up over a full season? Erhunmwunse was an excellent defensive center while Mela, Hargrove, Sellers, and Davis are all proven plus defenders at the high major level, but as we see, the conference defensive dropoff has been a real problem. Perhaps most important, can English coach this team to a bid? While Ed Cooley was excellent in close games, English is just 8-12 in games decided by four points or fewer or in overtime. When Providence is looking for the results that determine if they are in or out, will English be able to win enough of those games to tilt things in the Friars advantage? This team is good enough paper and certainly should be an NCAA Tournament team. How the pieces come together on the court will determine if they get there or not.</p><p><b>One Man's Opinion</b></p><p>We have Providence 5th in the Big East. While English's teams have been pretty good about balancing their shots between the arc and the rim, how they create those shots has led to mediocre efficiency, even with Big East Player of the Year Devin Carter there. Having someone like Tibaldi to truly modernize the offense should pay major dividends (as Marquette has seen with Nevada Smith). Defensively, the pieces are there to be competent and the wealth of experience should help them maintain some consistency there. Look for Edwards to challenge for the league's scoring title, Oswin to emerge as a star, and English to finally reach the NCAA Tournament.</p></div></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/1694616885315778151/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/1694616885315778151?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/1694616885315778151'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/1694616885315778151'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/10/providence-preview-2025-26.html' title='Providence Preview, 2025-26'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJ4TSrTSNLm7UQa3Vk4DBwEUZNT2mDwJv97oD6iUjvUbSdnsKKYiNSkJaMa4pSTU2fxikfXCwMgOrq9ypd8t9Db6I7ilXbMZCtOhgw2eUnr2xSStHIXzP1RscD-jtPytBWWWQ7AHp8n2PaEJaVkYImZIKUkFhR213iYIDezPXQIIaSXNP7DitFg/s72-c/Kim.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-5551569623956372139</id><published>2025-10-21T07:03:00.001-05:00</published><updated>2025-10-22T08:40:00.912-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Georgetown Preview, 2025-26</title><content type='html'><p><b>Georgetown Hoyas</b></p><p>Wednesday, December 17th, 2025 at Fiserv Forum / Tuesday, February 24th, 2026 at Capital One Arena, Washington D.C.<br /></p><p><b>Head Coach:&nbsp;</b>Ed Cooley (361-261 overall, 27-39 at Georgetown)</p><p><b>Three-Year NET Average:</b>&nbsp;179.0</p><p><b>Three-Year kenpom Average:</b>&nbsp;167.0</p><p><b>Projected 2025-26 T-Rank:&nbsp;</b>72<b></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRjGV8eMO1fiIxMdv2hUcOBz-7ENzQAsmwWs-pRXiqDrYk5Hyquk6q6GjRw0UTO65SmENPm2_6ZLXM5hkH7Fd1aeJAM9DsOEX9uku7BdqV9GReg3RyOMgDFtj4NjBIlN7YsKvKzSJBIBlPDjxyhei4Dk9D5RikYEXmeFdbvi8Tu9_QhcCJq5bNg/s3763/GT%20Mack.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2794" data-original-width="3763" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRjGV8eMO1fiIxMdv2hUcOBz-7ENzQAsmwWs-pRXiqDrYk5Hyquk6q6GjRw0UTO65SmENPm2_6ZLXM5hkH7Fd1aeJAM9DsOEX9uku7BdqV9GReg3RyOMgDFtj4NjBIlN7YsKvKzSJBIBlPDjxyhei4Dk9D5RikYEXmeFdbvi8Tu9_QhcCJq5bNg/s320/GT%20Mack.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Malik Mack drives into the paint at Fiserv Forum</span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Patrick McDermott | Getty Images</span></i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>State of the Program</b></div><div><p>Year two under Ed Cooley was significantly better than his first campaign. The Hoyas posted a winning record, improved their kenpom rank by more than 100 places, and bolstered their roster with high-major transfers. The fans, however, seem unconvinced. After an increase in fan attendance to 6,755 per game in Cooley's first year, attendance dropped back down to Ewing-era levels at 5,659 per game. The results may be improved, but it seems the fans need a true contender before they are ready to buy back in on this program. There are some reasons for optimism, but those remain mostly obfuscated behind a program that hasn't earned an at-large NCAA bid since 2015.&nbsp;</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnK7gZOnrU0B6ZPK_6KvzAk1IMR_G_qaxHOr6UqDeRsxt5Y3GVRtu876dQs-a5v7UyVfl39SmUtpOXzIEmTVIUzCIEs2YCaSNzfuyNUnIv6VC5Ot1R-DGHxiDLAfkrxEQE8hhfezmwBEpbieFUETZel5RC32Gp0XHOcktvLpr4M7xtferioBwlTQ/s606/GT%20Roster.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="606" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnK7gZOnrU0B6ZPK_6KvzAk1IMR_G_qaxHOr6UqDeRsxt5Y3GVRtu876dQs-a5v7UyVfl39SmUtpOXzIEmTVIUzCIEs2YCaSNzfuyNUnIv6VC5Ot1R-DGHxiDLAfkrxEQE8hhfezmwBEpbieFUETZel5RC32Gp0XHOcktvLpr4M7xtferioBwlTQ/w400-h136/GT%20Roster.png" width="400" /></a></div><b>Rotation</b><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">On paper Malik Mack looks like a good point guard fit for Cooley's system, but the first-year step up from Harvard was pretty steep as his usage rate, assist rate, and overall efficiency all took a hit. He's a solid, productive guard but not a star at the Big East level. His back court mate Langston Love has also struggled making a star turn. He was a top-30 recruit out of high school but only managed to be a rotation player for Baylor in four years. The Hoyas will hope he can meet that high school hype, though historically he's been a microwave scoring sixth man whose minutes are limited by being a defensive liability. The guy Hoyas fans should be most excited for is Arizona transfer K.J. Lewis. He has all the hallmarks of breakout star. He was in Caleb Love's shadow the last two years, but his usage jumped up to 23.5% last year, nearly a 7% increase over his freshman year. He's an efficient secondary ball-handler with primary scorer skills. Lewis' three-point shooting was poor last year (18.8%) but as a career 80.2% free throw shooter who shot 34.1% from deep as a freshman, that's likely an outlier number. Lewis is also an elite defender, as he led Arizona in DBPR per EvanMiya.com and is effective blocking shots and creating turnovers on the perimeter. Up front, the Hoyas have a wealth of young options. Caleb Williams hopes to step up from a rotation role as a defensive stopper that didn't show much on offense. Julius Halaifonua redshirted after an early season injury but should have the chance to establish himself as a starter. On the bench, Jeremiah Williams and DeShawn Harris-Smith are both defense first players that have been erratic at best on the offensive end. Isaiah Abraham and Vince Iwuchukwu provide talent and front court depth but have yet to really break out at a high level.</div><p></p><p><b>Style of Play</b></p><p>I feel like the best description for Cooley's Flex Offense is scrappy. The design is to play four out around one big man. They slow the pace, looking to finish plays from the arc, off cuts inside, or by getting second chance points. Earlier in his career, the offense keyed off one high-usage lead guard, like Vincent Council or Kris Dunn, but in recent years they've spread that out to multiple creators. While Cooley has had some decent offenses, it's less about efficiency and more about workload that creates their success. In nineteen years, he has never had a top-100 eFG% team according to kenpom. His teams often take bad shots, but because they protect the ball and pound the offensive glass they score enough to stick in the game.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjlzoJnbIg65R-JJnfmZvOiX53_qjAvKv34HUbkyTz1__EjOe5KQ-IkrzjnLBsSHO3ugcwng4JIkBBDyKj9bPtGveIOyxnxWGIjFDnsIQG6Kvp1DBKJ5-WwX_4FVk1sHKfOMMZ7vN_hx4J_TK2k-kT28XE5h1pmNOrKwhmcX1Ye2zJ2QqWVC1xnA/s891/GT%20Off.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="891" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjlzoJnbIg65R-JJnfmZvOiX53_qjAvKv34HUbkyTz1__EjOe5KQ-IkrzjnLBsSHO3ugcwng4JIkBBDyKj9bPtGveIOyxnxWGIjFDnsIQG6Kvp1DBKJ5-WwX_4FVk1sHKfOMMZ7vN_hx4J_TK2k-kT28XE5h1pmNOrKwhmcX1Ye2zJ2QqWVC1xnA/w400-h178/GT%20Off.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">2024-25 Georgetown was the world's okayest offense</span></i></b></div></b><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Play Analysis from Hoop-Explorer.com</span></i></b></p><p>Defensively, Cooley's players run a tight man-to-man system. They get right up on their mark and challenge every shot. His best defenses feature multiple ballhawks on the wings that can create turnovers and points in transition. When the perimeter breaks down, the goal is to shuttle drivers into their backstop shot-blockers. They are often bend but don't break defenses that don't necessarily excel in any one area but do enough to keep games competitive.</p><p><b>2025-26 Outlook</b>&nbsp;</p><p>While at Providence, the Three Man Weave dubbed the kenpom range from 40-80 to be the "Cooley Zone." Metrically, it's where many bubble to higher NIT seed teams find themselves come Selection Sunday. Cooley's teams end up there because their lack of shooting leads to a tendency to not win by large margins. Cooley is a wizard in close games, however. Since his first NCAA Tournament team at Providence in 2014, Cooley's teams are 78-38 (0.672 WP%) in games decided by 4 points or fewer at the end of regulation. This will be a defense first team, but between Lewis, Mack, and Love, there's enough shot-making to help turn the tide at the end of close games. Expect this team to be right back in the Cooley Zone, and as long as they can keep up their winning ways in close games, they'll be in the mix for a bid come Selection Sunday.</p><p><b>One Man's Opinion</b></p><p>I have Georgetown at 6th in the Big East and think that'll be good enough to at least have them in the bubble conversation come Selection Sunday. This is heavily predicated on the K.J. Lewis breakout, but even beyond him there's high-major experience all over the roster and enough underdog mentality mixed with actual talent to thrive in Cooley's system that aims at competing enough to be in the game in the final 2 minutes while he makes the tweaks to get them over the hump.</p></div></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/5551569623956372139/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/5551569623956372139?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/5551569623956372139'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/5551569623956372139'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/10/georgetown-preview-2025-26.html' title='Georgetown Preview, 2025-26'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRjGV8eMO1fiIxMdv2hUcOBz-7ENzQAsmwWs-pRXiqDrYk5Hyquk6q6GjRw0UTO65SmENPm2_6ZLXM5hkH7Fd1aeJAM9DsOEX9uku7BdqV9GReg3RyOMgDFtj4NjBIlN7YsKvKzSJBIBlPDjxyhei4Dk9D5RikYEXmeFdbvi8Tu9_QhcCJq5bNg/s72-c/GT%20Mack.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-1435056868875436963</id><published>2025-10-20T07:36:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2025-10-20T07:36:27.613-05:00</updated><title type='text'>DePaul Preview, 2025-26</title><content type='html'><p><b>DePaul Blue Demons</b></p><p>Friday, January 16th at Wintrust Arena, Chicago, IL / Sunday, March 1st at Fiserv Forum<br /></p><p><b>Head Coach:&nbsp;</b>Chris Holtmann (265-191 overall, 14-20 at DePaul)</p><p><b>Three-Year NET Average:</b>&nbsp;202.7</p><p><b>Three-Year kenpom Average:</b>&nbsp;187.0</p><p><b>Projected 2025-26 T-Rank:&nbsp;</b>70<b></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3MpOfkDWTdj9nU5RMGSBBHyr-qOR3c6IvH-4OhlixNQW7g6HzCOaq_pY-8plgP_NgbBxSrF0HLt4L7HfiWt-0-oX2nfnb253jp_-d4AIMQihcAJP_Lj-NQkniLrup4my_1OYUjh7DPEhO-aNgJ__6R-VaJBQ1YuM7W_judZAJsMadEh_jKyJwQ/s1200/DePaul%20Blocker.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3MpOfkDWTdj9nU5RMGSBBHyr-qOR3c6IvH-4OhlixNQW7g6HzCOaq_pY-8plgP_NgbBxSrF0HLt4L7HfiWt-0-oX2nfnb253jp_-d4AIMQihcAJP_Lj-NQkniLrup4my_1OYUjh7DPEhO-aNgJ__6R-VaJBQ1YuM7W_judZAJsMadEh_jKyJwQ/s320/DePaul%20Blocker.webp" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Layden Blocker is hoping to lead DePaul back up the Big East standings</span></i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Giacomo Cain | The DePaulia</span></i></b></div><div><p></p><p><b>State of the Program</b></p><p>It isn't often that a team would consider zero top-100 wins in non-con and a 4-16 Big East record to be a successful season, but after the unmitigated disaster that was Tony Stubblefield's final season at DePaul, Chris Holtmann's first season would have to be considered a success. They return three players that were starting by the end of last year and brought in a solid transfer class without losing too much to the portal. The arrow is definitely pointing up in Chicago for the first time in a long time.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkGF3wHgwhi8UAVAxN8UOAoGwgQJm72hbWfrXiEf_CfDwe-QQ2uWsBt1clRUvfPRUFwJONbgVISWT8qJEx4ttXVvyZebvqjscOfm7WhW5NuJHqoK-8hvpx6aIJ3z89ieNUZIkwzu-fG-S3NedqvdXQ7ZCDw2AZq_3yWcYjgfZcdvaMaRWvaalX_Q/s635/DePaul%20Roster.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="205" data-original-width="635" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkGF3wHgwhi8UAVAxN8UOAoGwgQJm72hbWfrXiEf_CfDwe-QQ2uWsBt1clRUvfPRUFwJONbgVISWT8qJEx4ttXVvyZebvqjscOfm7WhW5NuJHqoK-8hvpx6aIJ3z89ieNUZIkwzu-fG-S3NedqvdXQ7ZCDw2AZq_3yWcYjgfZcdvaMaRWvaalX_Q/w400-h129/DePaul%20Roster.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Rotation</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Layden Blocker will take over the point after an up-and-down season. Blocker is an excellent perimeter defender who nearly doubled his scoring output in the second half of the season (6.9 ppg in his first 17 games, 12.2 ppg in his last 16). His distribution improved as well over that time. R.J. Smith comes by way of Colorado. He struggled with some injuries but when healthy is a competent two-way player and dangerous three-point threat. C.J. Gunn led DePaul in scoring last year. He's at his best getting to the rim and finishing, though his tendency is to settle too often for threes and midrange where he's less efficient. Gunn's real strength is on the defensive end thanks to a 6'11" wingspan that lets him guard almost anyone and quick hands that generate transition opportunities. Kaleb Banks was an efficiency monster and destroyer at the rim for Tulane. He put up numbers at Tulane, but struggled to get on the court in two years at Indiana so how he acclimates to the Big East is yet to be seen. N.J. Benson was DePaul's best defender last year and is a load on the boards. He gives up a bit of size to other Big East centers but his toughness and work ethic helped cement his place as the season went on. The bench has some question marks. Brandon Maclin and Jeremy Lorenz are both well-rounded two-way players that provide length and experience but haven't played at this level before, while Kruz McClure and Khaman Maker are upside plays that will have to work to earn regular minutes.</div><p></p><p><b>Style of Play</b></p><p>The first thing Chris Holtmann did was establish an identity for DePaul on offense. Holtmann used his motion offense as a foundation, ramped up the three point attempts, and spread the ball. They had eight players between 18.7% and 24.7% usage and nine players that made 10+ threes on the year. Holtmann also modernized the offense. They had wings and bigs cutting to the basket off pick and roll actions, the drives were designed to open up perimeter shooters, and they were a great pick-and-pop team. <a href="https://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2024/10/depaul-preview-2024-25.html">As we expected</a>, DePaul slowed the pace and hoped the threes would equalize the talent disparity they had with Big East competition. Expect this to continue with constant off-ball movement designed to open up shooters on the arc and cuts to create rim attempts. Off a miss, three rebounders will crash the offensive glass to try to keep the play alive, with Benson the head of that snake.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjPnoQUGWRR0VvFj7kauN06j_8gj8AeqRtFitXten3sv3-oEK8d7T_L6V85TAPsqjTOjIu4e9ZNqU-I9DyYowbeIzXXRswaET6F7yZ-H70XXWWEVhwguK6BMDUaS8SwwZnMiHE8MKnf056QH1kQfL7blm0KIAh0Zy_yaO1ruOz5ihzbW13e9MNJw/s890/DePaul%20Off.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="890" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjPnoQUGWRR0VvFj7kauN06j_8gj8AeqRtFitXten3sv3-oEK8d7T_L6V85TAPsqjTOjIu4e9ZNqU-I9DyYowbeIzXXRswaET6F7yZ-H70XXWWEVhwguK6BMDUaS8SwwZnMiHE8MKnf056QH1kQfL7blm0KIAh0Zy_yaO1ruOz5ihzbW13e9MNJw/w400-h179/DePaul%20Off.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">DePaul's offense looked surprisingly competent</span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Play chart from Hoop-Explorer.com</span></i></b></p><p>Defensively, DePaul played faster than in years past, though it seems that was likely a function of less competent defense rather than deliberate scheme. Holtmann's base scheme starts with dropping the guards back to cut off transition when the rebounders go to the offensive glass. One guard protects the defensive rim to take away easy baskets while the other guard tries to cut off drivers or the ball, buying time for the crashers to get back on defense if they didn't secure a rebound. Last year they lacked defensive length and athleticism. Holtmann needs quickness in the back court to cut off transition and front court players with the length and range to get back into position. This year they improve in both of those regards. They won't be as good as his late Butler or early Ohio State teams, but they should at least be top-100 respectable.</p><p><b>2025-26 Outlook</b>&nbsp;</p><p>While this team might not shoot as well from long range as last year's team did, I expect they will understand the assignment better. The foundation is laid and Holtmann actually has players back that know what he expects. The offense should be competently run. Blocker really came on as the season progressed and when DePaul took Marquette to overtime, they were clearly a different (and much better) team when he was on the court. The defensive end is where I really expect improvement. DePaul was the second shortest team in the Big East last year. They simply didn't have the length to defend at this level. Their three best defenders (Benson, Gunn, Blocker) are all back and they have excellent length up front. C.J. Gunn has a 6'11" wingspan, N.J. Benson has a 7'0" wingspan, and Kaleb Banks boasts 7'1", so even if the height isn't elite the defensive length is improved. This team will be better at challenging and disrupting shots thanks to an actual high-major roster. There are also some high-upside bench options. Jeremy Lorenz has received rave reviews and Kruz McClure looks like a Big East player, though it might take more than one year to get there.&nbsp;</p><p><b>One Man's Opinion</b></p><p>If DePaul can match our Big East rank prediction of 7th, it would tie their highest ever league finish (tied for 7th in 2007).&nbsp; I don't think they're a tourney team yet, but the Blue Demons should continue to move up the standings. The roster fits together and they have and proven experienced players in Blocker, Gunn, and Benson. This is a team that will definitely surprise some people and if everything breaks right could sneak into the mix for an at-large bid come March.</p></div></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/1435056868875436963/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/1435056868875436963?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/1435056868875436963'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/1435056868875436963'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/10/depaul-preview-2025-26.html' title='DePaul Preview, 2025-26'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3MpOfkDWTdj9nU5RMGSBBHyr-qOR3c6IvH-4OhlixNQW7g6HzCOaq_pY-8plgP_NgbBxSrF0HLt4L7HfiWt-0-oX2nfnb253jp_-d4AIMQihcAJP_Lj-NQkniLrup4my_1OYUjh7DPEhO-aNgJ__6R-VaJBQ1YuM7W_judZAJsMadEh_jKyJwQ/s72-c/DePaul%20Blocker.webp" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-2942080857401471812</id><published>2025-10-16T07:09:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2025-10-16T07:09:28.744-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Villanova Preview, 2025-26</title><content type='html'><p><b>Villanova Wildcats</b></p><p>Saturday, January 10th, 2026 at Fiserv Forum / Tuesday, February 10th, 2026 at Finneran Pavilion, Villanova, PA<br /></p><p><b>Head Coach:&nbsp;</b>Kevin Willard (335-249 overall, 0-0 at Villanova)</p><p><b>Three-Year NET Average:</b>&nbsp;57.3</p><p><b>Three-Year kenpom Average:</b>&nbsp;48.0</p><p><b>Projected 2023-24 T-Rank:&nbsp;</b>50<b></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1SmGDclHh6eqX-G-4vNghPmYFPxlrY4RWpHNvCcY8A6CpeHM9TlPmbajQuN4rwGI3AbtEv7yYxKpszV2iARbII3lrF3xW5bI0amH8L389H2W9W7iMzCt8RuP6fOa8puMO9XsBkuQdoz5kE5fDNr0X9hpCsHrMkOmSJGhQ5cAA8xJT2FfTOQd-A/s3383/Nova%20Willard.jfif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2232" data-original-width="3383" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1SmGDclHh6eqX-G-4vNghPmYFPxlrY4RWpHNvCcY8A6CpeHM9TlPmbajQuN4rwGI3AbtEv7yYxKpszV2iARbII3lrF3xW5bI0amH8L389H2W9W7iMzCt8RuP6fOa8puMO9XsBkuQdoz5kE5fDNr0X9hpCsHrMkOmSJGhQ5cAA8xJT2FfTOQd-A/s320/Nova%20Willard.jfif" width="320" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Villanova hopes Kevin Willard will restore the program to Jay Wright levels</span></i></b></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo from NJ Advance Media</span></i></b></p><div><p></p><p><b>State of the Program</b></p><p>Kyle Neptune's short tenure at Villanova is over. While he wasn't wildly unsuccessful (48.0 kenpom average, never lower than 56, zero losing Big East seasons, 56-48 overall and 31-29 in the Big East) the inability to make the NCAA Tournament and compete at the top of the league led to a change. Rather than risk a continued program decline, Villanova pulled the trigger on Kevin Willard. They went with someone familiar with the Big East from his time at Seton Hall and a proven floor raiser who took Maryland to the Sweet 16 and their best kenpom finish since Gary Williams won the National Championship in 2002. Willard's roster is a mix of returning players, veteran transfers yet to make their mark at the high-major level, and promising freshmen. It was a bit of a roller-coaster getting here, as Willard was answering questions about Villanova as his Maryland team prepared for the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament, but now Villanova fans at least know they have a proven high-major head coach at the helm.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wmnwE3oqJKB5yxCQH1gRmuatF56r_9Inz4fmCsPWB7tosOC3BdZI2Q2ruDty8zqE1A1HiXROnYjMlRXRMQqbwGmXT7_DeuWALcix1VOIeJQM-k596YonDohyphenhyphenCnUbI386vKSWxr2o7C1Fe7a0bpEvpjZRc3tf6e9N9jL1zUda7M-Zmf7FAS2jIg/s578/Nova%20Roster.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="205" data-original-width="578" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wmnwE3oqJKB5yxCQH1gRmuatF56r_9Inz4fmCsPWB7tosOC3BdZI2Q2ruDty8zqE1A1HiXROnYjMlRXRMQqbwGmXT7_DeuWALcix1VOIeJQM-k596YonDohyphenhyphenCnUbI386vKSWxr2o7C1Fe7a0bpEvpjZRc3tf6e9N9jL1zUda7M-Zmf7FAS2jIg/w400-h141/Nova%20Roster.png" width="400" /></a></div><b>Rotation</b><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">In terms of players to watch in the league, Acaden Lewis is one of the most intriguing. There's some discussion he could be a one-and-done player and will almost certainly have the keys to the offense from day one. He's a ball-dominant lead guard with excellent floor vision and a broad wingspan, but needs to improve his shooting, defensive commitment, and add strength to take that next step. Devin Askew and Bryce Lindsay will likely spend most of the time alongside Lewis. Askew is a one-time five-star talent who failed to break through in the high-major ranks but was able to rehab his career at Long Beach State last year. His availability is questionable as he's expected to miss the start of the season and possibly more with an injury. Buyer beware, while the Beach were 9.2 adjusted points/100 possessions better with him on offense, they were 11.1 points/100 worse on defense when he was on the court. Lindsay was an offensive sparkplug for the Dukes and may need to take a larger role depending on Askew's availability. Tyler Perkins was quietly one of 'Nova's best contributors last year. He was their best defender per EvanMiya.com and per Hoop-Explorer.com 'Nova was a mammoth +18.9 adjusted points/100 possessions (+8.0 offense/-10.9 defense) with him on the floor. Matthew Hodge sat out last year with academic eligibility questions but is highly regarded as someone who can contribute immediately. Up front may be the area with the most question marks as Duke Brennan was a serviceable mid-major role-player but pretty clearly the fifth option at GCU while Tafara Gapare struggled to get off the bench at Maryland but at least knows Willard's system. The bench is rounded out by freshman scorer Chris Jeffrey and Temple transfer wing Zion Stanford who does a bit of everything but wasn't really elite in any one area.</div><p></p><p><b>Style of Play</b></p><p>Willard likes to run a four-out offense around a big man that can serve as a lob threat and offensive glass cleaner. While they'll run four-out, those perimeter players are there to drive and score at the rim or make cuts to get open looks inside. In 18 years, he's had one top-50 3PFG% team (last year at Maryland) and two top-50 team in 3PFG attempt rate (2012-13 and 2013-14 Seton Hall). Ball movement happens on the perimeter to create driving lanes or to find ways to feed either post players or other perimeter cutters. The goal of the offense is to get everyone touches, to take the first good shot, and balance the scoring load. This will likely shift a bit this year. Strictly from a roster perspective, guys like Lewis, Askew, Hodge, Lindsay, Jeffrey, and Stanford are good at moving the ball and creating shots for their teammates. Unless Willard is actively trying to coach shot creation out of them, I expect less one-on-one, less driving with rim-only focus, and more flow to the offense simply because the roster is comfortable with it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUZvCVuUgOVnLjArWoLPLLEHenBgEUZ9EEn2_bRqQe89fL8JhYCT4yyKLMtpOKAJ3XOP6qFpAl6o7yzAkN4RFKnGG2g92TvDWNiG4x1bJCSEWw5XvuGib0hGVjcGxf7e6ORkpJxxaSDV16QfnNX_NB0E_VpMuO4Cg9QKDLIsll_UT-i7MULTPPg/s475/Nova%20MD%20D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="475" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUZvCVuUgOVnLjArWoLPLLEHenBgEUZ9EEn2_bRqQe89fL8JhYCT4yyKLMtpOKAJ3XOP6qFpAl6o7yzAkN4RFKnGG2g92TvDWNiG4x1bJCSEWw5XvuGib0hGVjcGxf7e6ORkpJxxaSDV16QfnNX_NB0E_VpMuO4Cg9QKDLIsll_UT-i7MULTPPg/s320/Nova%20MD%20D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Maryland's 2024-25 defense is the goal for Villanova, but likely not yet reality</span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Shot chart from CBBAnalytics.com</span></i></b></p><p>The defensive end is where Willard has made his reputation. They play a pressure defense that chases teams off the three-point arc, aggressively challenges shots, and get shot-blocking not just from the big from from help-side defenders. Inside the arc, they excel at forcing teams into midrange. Last year's Maryland team had exceptional lateral movement and individual defenders that made up the #7 defense per kenpom. This Villanova team is too young and doesn't have the defensive range to replicate that but as Willard develops his system the hope is that level of defensive movement, aggression, help-side defense, and cohesion leads to those levels of success.</p><p><b>2025-26 Outlook</b>&nbsp;</p><p>The hope is that Villanova will bounce right back to the NCAA Tournament with a steady hand in charge. I'm not convinced. They'll be relying a lot on youth, with Lewis and Hodge playing major roles and Jeffrey likely to be counted on for significant minutes. While there's experience, it's either mid-major role players or guys that failed to break through at the high-major level. Getting to the bubble would be a big accomplishment but it feels like the NCAA Tournament field isn't quite big enough (yet) for this team to earn an at-large bid.</p><p><b>One Man's Opinion</b></p><p>Villanova checks in at #8 in the Big East. There isn't anyone on this roster who is a proven plus high-major player. Keep the freshmen together for a few seasons and I can see this working out, but until there's a higher investment either in the portal players (honestly Neptune brought in better on-paper transfer classes) or these youngsters get the chance to develop, the top half of the Big East and NCAA Tournament likely remain outside their reach.</p></div><p>&nbsp;</p></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/2942080857401471812/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/2942080857401471812?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/2942080857401471812'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/2942080857401471812'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/10/villanova-preview-2025-26.html' title='Villanova Preview, 2025-26'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1SmGDclHh6eqX-G-4vNghPmYFPxlrY4RWpHNvCcY8A6CpeHM9TlPmbajQuN4rwGI3AbtEv7yYxKpszV2iARbII3lrF3xW5bI0amH8L389H2W9W7iMzCt8RuP6fOa8puMO9XsBkuQdoz5kE5fDNr0X9hpCsHrMkOmSJGhQ5cAA8xJT2FfTOQd-A/s72-c/Nova%20Willard.jfif" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-2507747957567579435</id><published>2025-10-15T06:52:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2025-10-15T06:52:04.982-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Butler Preview, 2025-26</title><content type='html'><p><b>Butler Bulldogs</b></p><p>Friday, January 23rd, 2026 at Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN / Saturday, February 7th, 2026 at Fiserv Forum (<i>National Marquette Day</i>)<br /></p><p><b>Head Coach: </b>Thad Matta (486-207 overall, 71-61 at Butler)</p><p><b>Three-Year NET Average:</b>&nbsp;93.3</p><p><b>Three-Year kenpom Average:</b>&nbsp;85.0</p><p><b>Projected 2025-26 T-Rank:&nbsp;</b>79<b></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC2glL5lh3w7aR5yaK2b9n-ncTS1nMUj5zoHbvDOuoT4SfQH9pyXtd3pTrPWBqfjbraNuvpI3LbvZGa753xkTXg7KSMnpD0V6gG0ZPRIjrO2wNd80MKFHiEqmEM1Z1HqWho9E4_ZvKtzmhdMaWd6kmAmmZpNjp0-YOJrjbis7mIhuZhhZYRLdesA/s660/Butler%20Bizjack.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="660" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC2glL5lh3w7aR5yaK2b9n-ncTS1nMUj5zoHbvDOuoT4SfQH9pyXtd3pTrPWBqfjbraNuvpI3LbvZGa753xkTXg7KSMnpD0V6gG0ZPRIjrO2wNd80MKFHiEqmEM1Z1HqWho9E4_ZvKtzmhdMaWd6kmAmmZpNjp0-YOJrjbis7mIhuZhhZYRLdesA/s320/Butler%20Bizjack.webp" width="320" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Finley Bizjack needs to go from role-player to leader for Butler</span></i></b></div></b><div><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Joe Timmerman | IndyStar</span></i></b></p><div><p></p><p><b>State of the Program</b></p><p>When Butler entered the Big East, it looked like the Butler Way would carry right along. After the awkward Brandon Miller season, Chris Holtmann led them to three straight tourney berths. He left, but LaVall Jordan had them in the tourney again in 2018 and knocking on the door of a protected seed in 2020 before COVID shut everything down. Since then, the Bulldogs have fallen on hard times. Back to back losing seasons got Jordan fired. Thad Matta returned after more than two decades away, but he had his second losing season in three campaigns last year and aside from DePaul, Butler has the longest NCAA bid drought in the Big East, even if you give them credit for the abandoned 2020 season. Last year, the Bulldogs finished ahead of only Seton Hall and DePaul in the Big East. They lost four senior starters to graduation and four more players that started multiple games left via the transfer portal. Their own transfer portal work primarily brought players from lower leagues. Matta likely needs to win now, but it seems unlikely he has the roster to be able to do that.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRCXbsm-Wylyq83dcHopiVINkCivAS2snG5AfL0CrJRA6iQA9EAcDbQrZH4GW1c_IEPoGHUmVYJDSxboJ1PDJfU_MPErjqLy5CHn7j3f_xlOwPCvJ98BnQtBAH86ln4e3oOa4EkklDCmKWaMFcPlM4le_Ho7OwK67jrbug9AfCLhR0UlmJ2fb6Eg/s605/Butler%20Roster.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="208" data-original-width="605" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRCXbsm-Wylyq83dcHopiVINkCivAS2snG5AfL0CrJRA6iQA9EAcDbQrZH4GW1c_IEPoGHUmVYJDSxboJ1PDJfU_MPErjqLy5CHn7j3f_xlOwPCvJ98BnQtBAH86ln4e3oOa4EkklDCmKWaMFcPlM4le_Ho7OwK67jrbug9AfCLhR0UlmJ2fb6Eg/w400-h138/Butler%20Roster.png" width="400" /></a></div><b>Rotation</b><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Jalen Jackson was an all-league performer for Purdue-Fort Wayne in the Horizon League. He excels at getting to the rim and can finish from anywhere inside the arc. He's not a true point guard and has primarily played off the ball, so will have to show he can maintain efficiency in his new role. Finley Bizjack is the one proven high-major player on the roster. He started last season slowly, but over the last 19 games averaged 13.6 ppg on 129.4 Adj ORtg. He's a lethal shooter who isn't great scoring inside the arc but makes up for it with trips to the line. Jamie Kaiser was an inefficient rotation player for Maryland in his one season before sitting out last year at Butler. He's a physical player better known for his defense. He had woeful shooting numbers at Maryland (36.2 eFG%) but he was a good free throw shooter (77.8%) so there's reason to think he can improve those numbers. Michael Ajayi was a statistical monster at Pepperdine (17.2 ppg/9.9 rpg) before transferring to Gonzaga where he struggled for minutes and consistency. He is good using his physicality on the glass and going to the rim, but too often settles for midrange shots. Up front, Drayton Jones lives at the rim, finishing effectively through contact. He led the country in free throw rate and drew an astounding 8.0 fouls/40 minutes. Jones is efficient on the glass on both ends and a very good shot-blocker, but did so in the MEAC so this will be a big step up in competition for him. Off the bench, Yame Butler is the most likely player to crack the starting lineup. He's a versatile wing that can score inside and out. Freshman Stink Robinson and sophomore Evan Haywood will likely provide depth. Keep an eye on freshman Efeosa Oliogu-Elabor, who is a high-ceiling power guard from Canada that Bulldog fans have big hopes for but may be too raw to make an instant impact. Another name to watch is big man Yohan Traore. He was once a five-star big man expected to do big things at Auburn. It didn't work out there, which led him to UC Santa Barbara, where he averaged 14.5 ppg/5.1 rpg and earned his way back to a high-major league with SMU in the ACC. Results were mixed as he played a rotation role, but if he can carve out minutes while maintaining the efficiency he's posted the last two years, he could finally meet the high school hype.</div><p></p><p><b>Style of Play</b></p><p>The good news for Butler is Matta has overseen consistent offensive improvement at Butler. They ranked #224 offensively his first year back, #67 in 2024, and were up to #38 last year. Last year they did that by stretching possessions and capitalizing with late-shot clock threes, thanks to a plethora of proven shooters. Matta loves to set up offense with drives to both finish at the rim and set up perimeter shots. They efficiently mix in pick and roll, finding cutters all over the floor. Butler cut down on midrange, prioritizing good shots. Last year, their bigs could post up the defense or, when held up, could get it back out to the perimeter, so more of the offense flowed through the post. It may be hard to replicate that. In 2025, virtually everyone on Butler could both score efficiently and create for others. They had players like Jahmyl Telfort and Pierre Brooks that were physical mismatches surrounded by shooters like Patrick McCaffery and Kolby King who were reliable from outside. Expect them to keep driving; Jackson can get to the rim, but whether Kaiser and Ajayi can replace Telfort and Brooks is a big ask, and they don't have the reliable shooting depth they had a year ago. The offense will likely step back.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_0WZV0hRRM5bMxCpWPN5UiwyCbD5C36o_xWUDaYaoVvrbicgm9PCrTcv5sR1QRO6AatpSvsStAtqqEYV1oTotiNRFlBofJRbkFf74l4F1aptFi9Nzx8BS29IX2fPJEJOi7mRF1NonDpM9vnpoog7B0Kx0qgZN_1f_lQ_9OHpzFGDrRbbDkH7WQ/s881/Butler%20Plays.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="881" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_0WZV0hRRM5bMxCpWPN5UiwyCbD5C36o_xWUDaYaoVvrbicgm9PCrTcv5sR1QRO6AatpSvsStAtqqEYV1oTotiNRFlBofJRbkFf74l4F1aptFi9Nzx8BS29IX2fPJEJOi7mRF1NonDpM9vnpoog7B0Kx0qgZN_1f_lQ_9OHpzFGDrRbbDkH7WQ/w400-h179/Butler%20Plays.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Butler's offense was good everywhere &amp; repeated what they did well</span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Play analysis from Hoop-Explorer.com</span></i></b></p></div><div><p>The bad news for Butler is defense has trended down under Matta, going from #55 to #76 to #169 last year. The physicality that played in their favor on offense led to defenders that couldn't keep up, with the second shortest defensive possession length in the league. They were abysmal forcing turnovers and let teams get to the rim far too easily. They are elite at avoiding fouls, but free throw rate is the least important of the four factors and despite ranking in the top-10 nationally each of his three years back at Butler, the defensive ranks continue to slide. Kaiser and Ajayi give them some toughness and length, but they'll need someone to be able to put possessions to an end. The guards developing the ability to at least marginally create turnovers or the bigs being able to prove they can vacuum up rebounds at a high-major level will be critical in defensive improvement, because not fouling and not challenging shots hasn't been a winning recipe.</p><p><b>2025-26 Outlook</b>&nbsp;</p><p>Obviously, Butler lost a lot of production. They return just 15.2% of their minutes from last year. On paper, each individual transfer has a case to be made for them. Maybe Jalen Jackson can translate his Horizon success to the Big East, maybe Jamie Kaiser bounces back from injury and shows the Maryland efficiency was a fluke while developing into an effective two-way player. Maybe Michael Ajayi recaptures his Pepperdine play and shows that he did belong at a higher level. Maybe Drayton Jones shows he's a Big East level rim protector and continues to wreak havoc on both ends at the rim. Maybe Yame Butler plays like a sixth starter and makes lineup decisions difficult for Matta. Maybe Traore finally plays like a five-star in a high-level league. But that's a lot of maybes, and even the one sure thing in Bizjack feels a lot less certain when he goes from the fourth option to the guy every defense will be circling first. The offense doesn't look as good, and even if the defense improves, it's hard to see significant improvement with so many mid-major players filling out the roster. It feels like the highest pressure moments Butler will be playing in this year will be ones that determine if Matta can do enough to keep his job.</p><p><b>One Man's Opinion</b></p><p>Butler checks in at 9th in the Big East. Too much roster turnover, not enough proven high-level talent, and it just seems unlikely all those maybes listed above will end up in the yes column come March. The bigger question might be what Butler does if Matta has another losing season. In terms of resources, it's likely hard to compete at a school like Butler with the top of the league, but that doesn't change that this program joined the Big East on the heels of the highest levels of success in program history and Butler fans are for the most part old enough to remember that. Does Matta get another year if this one ends with another year added to their NCAA drought? I think there's a very real chance we will get an answer to that question in late March.</p></div></div></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/2507747957567579435/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/2507747957567579435?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/2507747957567579435'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/2507747957567579435'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/10/butler-preview-2025-26.html' title='Butler Preview, 2025-26'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC2glL5lh3w7aR5yaK2b9n-ncTS1nMUj5zoHbvDOuoT4SfQH9pyXtd3pTrPWBqfjbraNuvpI3LbvZGa753xkTXg7KSMnpD0V6gG0ZPRIjrO2wNd80MKFHiEqmEM1Z1HqWho9E4_ZvKtzmhdMaWd6kmAmmZpNjp0-YOJrjbis7mIhuZhhZYRLdesA/s72-c/Butler%20Bizjack.webp" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-5366501927757477759</id><published>2025-10-14T07:12:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2025-10-14T07:12:39.854-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Xavier Preview, 2025-26</title><content type='html'><p><b>Xavier Musketeers</b></p><p>Wednesday, January 7th, 2026 at Fiserv Forum / Saturday, February 14th at Cintas Center, Cincinnati, OH<br /></p><p><b>Head Coach:&nbsp;</b>Richard Pitino (247-186 overall, 0-0 at Xavier)</p><p><b>Three-Year NET Average:</b>&nbsp;43.7</p><p><b>Three-Year kenpom Average:</b>&nbsp;38.0</p><p><b>Projected 2025-26 T-Rank:&nbsp;</b>75<b></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj186u_OUSRjLKrkwksKV8AUUOh3h0zriZxh2PMmXkQahRIm0-bv9Euy7DHQH-sQlHH0vMTZrmkCeVT-dqF1e_cT7r2AUm_mUF3HhDkgdBONtXGiKzLE0eKl2DqZPfx0NoeZiKoYLdJtJP9bzSaC_7BCuh8I8ckhXYsT2ABqVGtSQOLJvAXJ7nZjw/s1440/X%20Pitino.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="962" data-original-width="1440" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj186u_OUSRjLKrkwksKV8AUUOh3h0zriZxh2PMmXkQahRIm0-bv9Euy7DHQH-sQlHH0vMTZrmkCeVT-dqF1e_cT7r2AUm_mUF3HhDkgdBONtXGiKzLE0eKl2DqZPfx0NoeZiKoYLdJtJP9bzSaC_7BCuh8I8ckhXYsT2ABqVGtSQOLJvAXJ7nZjw/s320/X%20Pitino.webp" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Richard Pitino takes over at Xavier</span></i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Isaac Fiely | Xavier University via AP Photo</span></i></b></div><div><p></p><p><b>State of the Program</b></p><p>Xavier fans will be hoping to hold on to consistency despite the departure of Sean Miller for Texas just three years after XU gave him the chance to rehabilitate his reputation. Xavier is one of just nine programs to never rank outside the top-100 in kenpom going back to 1997 (Alabama, Arizona, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State, Villanova, and Wisconsin are the others). The difficulty this year will be that they bring back virtually no one from last year's team, have a roster of mostly mid-major transfers, and are already dealing with injury issues. Pitino did a great job rebuilding New Mexico and can likely do the same at Xavier given the improved resources, but they are at the beginning of that process.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkIGi1bTtlvQ4Pi5PxX68V92AkeCfjo8j4fvfDJaLjRxm3Jpvqb7C5KLWYsPZgapKaoPqnwvbn5BsasFSCWicnotr-8PP3FMa1hTqzy-z8UVM9fkNQqdJlACDbohhgcO0zmgpbP-N2OazLFHN_QKYtQqeT1M9vtuXBd00zDejHRSbatg2IO403xQ/s622/X%20Roster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="204" data-original-width="622" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkIGi1bTtlvQ4Pi5PxX68V92AkeCfjo8j4fvfDJaLjRxm3Jpvqb7C5KLWYsPZgapKaoPqnwvbn5BsasFSCWicnotr-8PP3FMa1hTqzy-z8UVM9fkNQqdJlACDbohhgcO0zmgpbP-N2OazLFHN_QKYtQqeT1M9vtuXBd00zDejHRSbatg2IO403xQ/w400-h131/X%20Roster.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p><b>Rotation</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">All Wright and Roddie Anderson will likely have the ball in their hands most often. It wouldn't be surprising if Anderson, who last played at Boise State but redshirted at Xavier last year, is pressed into the early starting lineup due to injuries alongside Wright. Wright is a scoring point guard who is best when spotting up from three but will take it inside with mixed results. Anderson is more natural as a point guard but is a turnover risk and relatively inefficient. With scoring wing Gabriel Pozzato likely sidelined at least to start the season, expect Malik Messina-Moore to get a heavier share of shots. He's a dangerous shooter but it's a big step up from the Big Sky so his efficiency will likely level out. The strength of this team is likely the front court. Tre Carroll is an effective three-level scorer who really excels getting to and finishing at the rim. Anthony Robinson was an efficiency monster in limited minutes who cleans up the glass on both ends and can finish from anywhere inside the arc. Pitino also brings a pair of his New Mexico rotation players in versatile wing Filip Borovicanin and sharpshooting forward Jovan Milicevic to help acclimate the team to the system and terminology. UNLV transfer Pape N'Diaye is a high-upside swing with an eye to the future.</div><p></p><p><b>Style of Play</b></p><p>Pitino wants his teams to play fast. He had some middling success with up-tempo teams at FIU and Minnesota, but at New Mexico he committed to pace. It starts with a high-pressure defense that forces turnovers and runout opportunities. The past three years they were in the 90th percentile in transition opportunities. When they do get into the half-court, they play with flow. Lots of off-ball movement, cuts to the basket, drives to the rim, and based not on scripted plays but on teaching players to read and react in the moment while constantly attacking. They also do an excellent job protecting the ball and don't beat themselves. But above all, expect this offense to hit you quick. Their average offensive possession length was 16.7 seconds in his first year at UNM and got faster every year, down to just 15.3 seconds last year. If this all sounds similar to Marquette, there is one very big difference. Pitino's offenses attack with the intent of getting downhill. Their points will come inside the arc or at the free throw line. UNM has ranked #330 or worse in three-point attempt rate each of the past three years. They might take more threes this year simply because the roster makeup favors it and the talent level will probably have them needing to play some catch up, but the goal will be to hammer the ball inside. At New Mexico, Pitino's team was high-usage, low-efficiency at the rim. This roster should be better suited to finish when they get inside.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivBtusHjtohsNz5ImfzPO176lHD6Ej26KV8tlSJx4hRfTG5OtwFLT62Q-P1fsCU7Q7fv4reETnKQSZqG3cu-Dj6m8ldaAyqJ-6M7su4CEMEwH8LTj13YdNNzyccLUMu1Tmt860tt_w0yPfG_yYuRm_XzjTQBT-LiZXTPRItHRqYDMz2gZFZbJ1Cw/s732/X%20UNM%20O.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="473" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivBtusHjtohsNz5ImfzPO176lHD6Ej26KV8tlSJx4hRfTG5OtwFLT62Q-P1fsCU7Q7fv4reETnKQSZqG3cu-Dj6m8ldaAyqJ-6M7su4CEMEwH8LTj13YdNNzyccLUMu1Tmt860tt_w0yPfG_yYuRm_XzjTQBT-LiZXTPRItHRqYDMz2gZFZbJ1Cw/w259-h400/X%20UNM%20O.png" width="259" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pitino's Xavier Roster is better suited to attack the rim</span></i></b></div></b><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Shot Chart from CBB Analytics / Rim Rates from Hoop-Explorer.com</span></i></b></p><p>Defensively, Pitino's teams have adopted his father's pressure to create turnovers focus, though some of that may be a string of gifted ballhawks in recent years at UNM. When teams get into the half-court, his defenses prioritize protecting the paint. He typically has multiple shot-blockers on the floor at the same time, including from the wing and back court. Teams are best served being patient against Pitino defenses. They will force opponents into late shot-clock situations, but if you can move the ball without turning it over they will allow looks from three.&nbsp;</p><p><b>2025-26 Outlook</b>&nbsp;</p><p>The vision from Richard Pitino makes sense. This team has a number of sophomores who have proven they can play D1 basketball and can grow together in the coming years. The problem is the talent level now just isn't high enough to consistently win at this level. This team will likely be scrappy and pick off a few wins because of that, but they'll need regular recruiting wins and in-house development to get Xavier back to competing for NCAA bids and Big East titles. The Pozzato injury lowers the ceiling further if he can't get back soon and if this team is injury-riddled, their top-100 streak could be in jeopardy.</p><p><b>One Man's Opinion</b></p><p>We project Xavier to finish 10th in the Big East. There just isn't enough here roster-wise and it being a completely new system and roster will only make acclimation harder. The Pozzato injury sets them back because he was considered one of the most likely guys to put the ball in the bucket. Putting both Wright and Anderson in the same back court feels risky as there's one guard that is looking for his own shot and one who's turnover prone. I think there's a real chance some of the players on this team end up playing in the NCAA Tournament for Xavier, but most likely it won't be this year.</p></div></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/5366501927757477759/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/5366501927757477759?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/5366501927757477759'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/5366501927757477759'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/10/xavier-preview-2025-26.html' title='Xavier Preview, 2025-26'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj186u_OUSRjLKrkwksKV8AUUOh3h0zriZxh2PMmXkQahRIm0-bv9Euy7DHQH-sQlHH0vMTZrmkCeVT-dqF1e_cT7r2AUm_mUF3HhDkgdBONtXGiKzLE0eKl2DqZPfx0NoeZiKoYLdJtJP9bzSaC_7BCuh8I8ckhXYsT2ABqVGtSQOLJvAXJ7nZjw/s72-c/X%20Pitino.webp" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-9024001293054541352</id><published>2025-10-13T07:33:00.001-05:00</published><updated>2025-10-13T15:16:49.159-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Seton Hall Preview, 2025-26</title><content type='html'><p><b>Seton Hall Pirates</b></p><p>Tuesday, December 30th, 2025 at Fiserv Forum / Saturday, January 31st, 2026 at Prudential Center, Newark, NJ<br /></p><p><b>Head Coach:&nbsp;</b>Shaheen Holloway (113-110 overall, 49-53 at Seton Hall)</p><p><b>Three-Year NET Average:</b>&nbsp;117.7</p><p><b>Three-Year kenpom Average:</b>&nbsp;104.0</p><p><b>Projected 2025-26 T-Rank:&nbsp;</b>125<b></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk5kIRJ4qQE_LgfxPEMZCy-hEPUYbNikm2vwPuTmobiC3gRXxaBIHseBb_ZJWwY-_OKleK-YT0DNpqwYsEkW_hpc07S6k20oUefFUN5NkroN-U3lZV6Jp3uxmVfF1xOTv-YluyLYo35sVLC5IThwve4OYSjFvsBNp-JfDV1arLmey0kMgALRt-4g/s660/SHU%20Godswill.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="660" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk5kIRJ4qQE_LgfxPEMZCy-hEPUYbNikm2vwPuTmobiC3gRXxaBIHseBb_ZJWwY-_OKleK-YT0DNpqwYsEkW_hpc07S6k20oUefFUN5NkroN-U3lZV6Jp3uxmVfF1xOTv-YluyLYo35sVLC5IThwve4OYSjFvsBNp-JfDV1arLmey0kMgALRt-4g/s320/SHU%20Godswill.webp" width="320" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Godswill Erheriene throws down a dunk for Seton Hall</span></i></b></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Jovanny Hernandez | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel</span></i></b></p><div><p></p><p><b>State of the Program</b></p><p>Last year was arguably the worst season in Seton Hall history. The Pirates' 7 wins was their lowest win total since P.J. Carlesimo won just 6 in his first year in South Orange 42 years ago. Their 25 losses set a program record. Their kenpom finish of 204 was 87 spots lower than their previous worst, 117 in 2013. Last year we said <a href="https://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2024/10/seton-hall-preview-2024-25.html">Seton Hall had the worst roster in the Big East</a> and they delivered a last place finish in the league. Hall faithful said that would never happen again, but looking at this year's roster, it's more of the same. The roster if full of low and mid-major up transfers with a smattering of high-major role players for non-tourney teams. It's a tough time to be a fan of the Pirates.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Q1XoQHaNfXdvv2T8PwtrAO28ErThEnVNbHKZiaD592HICdWjJB7cD-ylMyH5-9m1TQZC2NGi8oOhIDJI4DBOho221SKvzQkkJNnKNHXq_xTu9VQ45JAbT8CATn7B28lmSqOG7VjqXiOi8Wz-LRJOMiWpdymRrN7PFCJiIKptI18SSwzn-bKPHg/s590/SHU%20Roster.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="590" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Q1XoQHaNfXdvv2T8PwtrAO28ErThEnVNbHKZiaD592HICdWjJB7cD-ylMyH5-9m1TQZC2NGi8oOhIDJI4DBOho221SKvzQkkJNnKNHXq_xTu9VQ45JAbT8CATn7B28lmSqOG7VjqXiOi8Wz-LRJOMiWpdymRrN7PFCJiIKptI18SSwzn-bKPHg/w400-h140/SHU%20Roster.png" width="400" /></a></div><b>Rotation</b><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Budd Clark was one of the best assist men in the country last year and backed that up with volume scoring for a conference champion. It's a big step up from the MAAC to the Big East, but despite his size Clark is a confident two-way player who isn't afraid to go into the paint. T.J. Simpkins is even more aggressive attacking the paint. More than half his shots come at the rim and he excels getting to the charity stripe. On the wings, A.J. Staton-McCray (Miami) and Elijah Fisher (Texas Tech &amp; DePaul) both have high major experience but middling levels of successs. Staton-McCray is a low efficiency catch-and-shoot option while Fisher is another downhill driver whose gets to the rim and free throw line. Both are likely defensive liabilities at this level. Godswill Erheriene is the most proven big man on the roster but may be in rotation with freshman Najai Hines, a high-upside big who reclassified to join this team. Trey Parker and Josh Rivera provide some offensive options while Stephon Payne gives some defensive bite and front court depth.</div><p></p><p><b>Style of Play</b></p><p>Seton Hall's offense is painful to watch. They love to slow the pace, put their heads down, drive to the rim, and if they don't get there, settle for a mid-range jumper. They took the highest percentage of two-point field goals (69.5%) of any team in the Big East and were the worst team in the league converting (43.9%) inside the arc. Clark, Simpkins, Fisher, and Rivera are all head-down drivers that take the bulk of their shots at the rim while failing to convert. Their best offense comes off offensive rebounds, but even then their 1.01 points/possession on rebound and scramble plays is in the 7th percentile nationally. Whether it's in efficiency, pace, or aesthetics, the only thing offensive about this team is the effect it has on viewers' eyes.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5UoD3ZOACF1XX3s585MUhaoywRh0sNlhuF7fJ1xUZnh-TcIDErVs7yl1O0xuMCgrNhU7zXeENZh33N-OvU4bUDu5dplo9RIo_HiEnsrhArek4guRbwazoINwB2Ji8DFeJ-Gnt7eyYrfDllIPkxO_bYZiDAPkohgWSJR2V6hK5udOKj-pX4dYyA/s475/SHU%20Offense.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="474" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5UoD3ZOACF1XX3s585MUhaoywRh0sNlhuF7fJ1xUZnh-TcIDErVs7yl1O0xuMCgrNhU7zXeENZh33N-OvU4bUDu5dplo9RIo_HiEnsrhArek4guRbwazoINwB2Ji8DFeJ-Gnt7eyYrfDllIPkxO_bYZiDAPkohgWSJR2V6hK5udOKj-pX4dYyA/s320/SHU%20Offense.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">It's hard to believe this is a Big East offense</span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Shot Chart from CBBAnalytics.com</span></i></b></p><p>Defense is where Holloway has made his reputation. Even in last year's terrible campaign the Pirates were top-10 nationally in defensive turnover rate. With Clark, Simpkins, and Staton-McCray on the perimeter, their ability to turn teams over should continue. That may not be a winning formula, however. Last year's turnover rate didn't prevent the Pirates from ranking sub-300 in defensive eFG%, 2PFG%, 3PFG%, and free throw rate. Basically, if you protect the ball against Seton Hall, they aren't likely to stop you from scoring.</p><p><b>2025-26 Outlook</b>&nbsp;</p><p>Last year we thought Holloway's defensive acumen would be enough to keep Seton Hall off the bottom of the league. That was not the case. As the level of talent became apparent, all the cries were that Seton Hall alumni would not let this happen again. Yet here we are a year later and it looks the same, if not worse. The transfers expected to contribute are primarily coming from low and mid-major programs. The guys that did play for high-majors were role-players on non-tournament teams. Holloway's defensive strength will be severely tested as only two players on the roster (Clark, Payne) had a DBPR over 1.00.&nbsp; It's even hard to argue this is a rebuilding year because nearly half the rotation players are seniors and every player that accounted for 17+ minutes per game or more departed in the offseason, so how many of these guys will stick around to create future continuity?&nbsp;</p><p><b>One Man's Opinion</b></p><p>For Seton Hall, a program that Kevin Willard took from tough place to win to NCAA Tournament regular, this whole exercise feels a bit mean. It's hard to look at the roster, the offensive scheme, and last year's results and not see this team finishing at the bottom of the Big East once again, which is why we're picking them 11th. The problem for Seton Hall is largely down to timing. The Pirates committed to building the new Basketball Performance Center in June 2023. The facility looks fantastic but came with a <a href="https://blogs.shu.edu/centerforsportsmedia/2025/04/06/fox-sports-university-a-look-at-seton-halls-new-55-million-mens-basketball-practice-facility/">$55 million price tag</a>. These donor contributions likely limited the same donors' ability to contribute NIL dollars that would allow Holloway to compete in the new transfer market. As player prices have exploded the past two summers, Seton Hall has seen players like Tyrese Samuel, Kadary Richmond, Dre Davis, and Isaiah Coleman all leave for programs with more NIL on hand.</p></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛 🏠🏀<br /><br />Take a spin through <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachSha10?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CoachSha10</a>'s new crib, the Seton Hall Basketball Performance Center. <a href="https://t.co/9h8cCJVp4T">pic.twitter.com/9h8cCJVp4T</a></p>— Seton Hall Men's Basketball (@SetonHallMBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/SetonHallMBB/status/1969142021567778867?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>As nice as the BPC looks, to become competitive again Seton Hall will have to find ways to get players cheaper, to raise enough NIL to retain the players they do develop, and to hit on diamonds in the rough. It doesn't look like that will happen this year, but it's also hard to blame Holloway for a thin roster when the money simply isn't there to compete. I don't know that any other coach would do definitively better under the circumstances, but in the "what have you done for me lately" era of the coaching carousel, a fourth year without an NCAA bid may start warming Holloway's seat.</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/9024001293054541352/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/9024001293054541352?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/9024001293054541352'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/9024001293054541352'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/10/seton-hall-preview-2025-26.html' title='Seton Hall Preview, 2025-26'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk5kIRJ4qQE_LgfxPEMZCy-hEPUYbNikm2vwPuTmobiC3gRXxaBIHseBb_ZJWwY-_OKleK-YT0DNpqwYsEkW_hpc07S6k20oUefFUN5NkroN-U3lZV6Jp3uxmVfF1xOTv-YluyLYo35sVLC5IThwve4OYSjFvsBNp-JfDV1arLmey0kMgALRt-4g/s72-c/SHU%20Godswill.webp" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-3486869782005209383</id><published>2025-10-08T06:52:00.002-05:00</published><updated>2025-10-08T06:52:55.022-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Purdue Preview, 2025-26</title><content type='html'><p><b>Purdue Boilermakers<br /></b></p><p>December 13th, 2025 at Mackey Arena, West Lafayette, IN<br /></p><p><b>Head Coach:&nbsp;</b>Matt Painter (496-220 overall, 471-215 at Purdue)</p><p><b>Three-Year NET Average:</b>&nbsp;8.0</p><p><b>Three-Year kenpom Average:</b>&nbsp;8.3</p><p><b>Projected 2025-26 T-Rank:&nbsp;</b>4</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw43nUi6DWi6BjV0_CRM8AM8O1pgGOkTCguQkFII5j2qACDcElCdRwtTnJWeiAbkEAG8e80KgXXHu8V_WzesLY_MWSE9iS2rRkEZjDz29a-LatPiqE6KBSpdyLKL-kY2lYZsOFU1Ne_dJ2uQd_ytUVmwNbDWv9m3Wce9U9RRkpz6Djp44AoqW0gw/s660/Purdue%20Smith.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="660" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw43nUi6DWi6BjV0_CRM8AM8O1pgGOkTCguQkFII5j2qACDcElCdRwtTnJWeiAbkEAG8e80KgXXHu8V_WzesLY_MWSE9iS2rRkEZjDz29a-LatPiqE6KBSpdyLKL-kY2lYZsOFU1Ne_dJ2uQd_ytUVmwNbDWv9m3Wce9U9RRkpz6Djp44AoqW0gw/s320/Purdue%20Smith.webp" width="320" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Braden Smith fights for a ball at Fiserv last season</span></i></b></div></b><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Mark Hoffman, JSOnline.com</span></i></b></p><p><b>State of the Program</b></p><p>Two years ago, the consensus was that Purdue came up just short of the best chance Matt Painter would ever have to win a title. They lost to UConn in the Championship Game and two-time National Player of the Year Zach Edey graduated to the NBA. While they took a step back without Edey, it wasn't nearly as big a step as one would expect losing a guy with size 20 shoes. Purdue still finished in the top-15 of kenpom, reached the Sweet 16, and are now among the favorites to win the 2026 National Championship. Painter has prioritized continuity, returning 69.7% of their minutes, best of any high-major by far (UConn is next at 56.2%, Marquette is third at 53.8%). In addition to four returning starters, Purdue adds one of the nation's leading rebounders in Oscar Cluff, veteran shooter Liam Murphy, and heralded Israeli guard Omer Mayer. The Boilermakers are talented, experienced, and deep. Some may now call this Painter's best chance to win a title, but even if they come up short, don't be surprised to see Purdue in this position again sooner rather than later. Painter has truly built one of the best programs in the country on an annual basis.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLaGP1YNH_UUphXxQeDutKyLtrTD-lGpC4Sq9Kcout4sPK8qI0nM0WPvV6m9yKLVIHFTEw8BJv0zkQteIavPgGhWU8DDcVJssfpvlUFlLIEcg2dbxMsLNpT-86gh3zwKn6V7YlYx7ucbuOChLf4_xHVcWqnLhx8ATw6ukyVEly3IPAKXFyX6hUmg/s627/Purdue%20Roster.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="627" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLaGP1YNH_UUphXxQeDutKyLtrTD-lGpC4Sq9Kcout4sPK8qI0nM0WPvV6m9yKLVIHFTEw8BJv0zkQteIavPgGhWU8DDcVJssfpvlUFlLIEcg2dbxMsLNpT-86gh3zwKn6V7YlYx7ucbuOChLf4_xHVcWqnLhx8ATw6ukyVEly3IPAKXFyX6hUmg/w400-h131/Purdue%20Roster.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Rotation</b></p><p>The first name on the team sheet is Braden Smith. Smith will be among the favorites for All-American and National Player of the Year honors. Smith is a capable scorer who can hit threes or convert when he does get to the rim, but it's his passing that makes him elite. His 44.2% Assist Rate was second in the country and it isn't unthinkable that he could leave college as the all-time assists leader; he needs 319 to pass Bobby Hurley after dishing out 313 a year ago. Part of that assist efficiency is Fletcher Loyer. He's a lethal catch-and-shoot option who is better in the midrange than he is at the rim and plays accordingly. C.J. Cox is an offensive role-player who is efficient when he fires from deep or gets to the rim, but is more highly regarded as a wing defender. Expect him to take the opponent's best offensive threat every night. Trey Kaufman-Renn exploded as a scoring option last year. After averaging 5.5 points/game over his first two seasons, he put up 20.1 points per game as a junior, and that scoring escalated as the season went on (22.6 ppg in the second half of the season). TKR will be in a different role, moving out of the post and to more of a power forward role, so it will be interesting to see if this creates any spacing problems as he is not a perimeter threat. Oscar Cluff was the big name transfer Painter brought in. He'll likely carry less of an offensive load than he did at South Dakota State, but he's a vacuum cleaner on the boards and capable passer that should amplify the Purdue offense. Off the bench, returning players Gicarri Harris and Daniel Jacobsen provide quality depth. Jacobsen contributed to the USA U-19 World Cup Gold Medal-winning squad this past summer and if the step up to the Big 10 is too big for Cluff, could find himself in a bigger role immediately. Omer Mayer was second in scoring in that U-19 World Cup (20.0 ppg) and is expected to be the next star guard for Purdue with two seasons of professional experience for Maccabi Tel Aviv. If Mayer can break into the lineup, he could be a major factor as he's considered one of Purdue's most talented players long term. Finally, Liam Murphy from North Florida gives size and shooting on the wing.</p><p><b>Style of Play</b></p><p>Painter excels at molding his offensive style to his team's strengths. Last year, they had a balance of bigs and slashers that could finish at the rim as well as three-point shooters, which led to balanced inside/out scoring. How they achieved that was different from most modern teams, however. Whereas most teams initiate offense with the drive, Purdue's ball-handlers are not great getting to the rim, so instead they initiated offense by passing into the post, where the bigs could either finish themselves or dump it out for open threes. Purdue was in the 90+ percentile in big man cut &amp; roll plays (95.1% frequency/95.9% efficiency), post-ups (98.4%/93.7%), and inside out plays (91.5%/94.8%). Cluff is an exceptional passer and should flourish in this type of post role. More often than not, Painter put four shooters around Kaufman-Renn or one of the other bigs. If they play TKR and Cluff together, it could negatively impact spacing, so it will be interesting to see how he maximizes his offensive options. Purdue's offense has ranked in the top-12 on kenpom six of the last eight seasons and should do so again. This will be an elite unit and Painter's flexibility should underscore that.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUw4tFj52K9CHcFEGx0Uyx1AQs92XG14vDU9CVf2VR5LGSWnBocJ4ZkXRXo5TggsQQWZH9eZ45L9elu2_MTHtqxIm7cvMuP8m2_3vBKBb6islRUJ-xZSDdVba4EhmlF1TgS5VMciPvTSduj6LHoLdprV70OHnzckSx1cQMeOYOHgu5ag0anQ1czA/s474/Purdue%20Def.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="473" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUw4tFj52K9CHcFEGx0Uyx1AQs92XG14vDU9CVf2VR5LGSWnBocJ4ZkXRXo5TggsQQWZH9eZ45L9elu2_MTHtqxIm7cvMuP8m2_3vBKBb6islRUJ-xZSDdVba4EhmlF1TgS5VMciPvTSduj6LHoLdprV70OHnzckSx1cQMeOYOHgu5ag0anQ1czA/s320/Purdue%20Def.png" width="319" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Purdue's rim defense fell off post-Edey</span></i></b></div></b><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Shot Chart from CBBAnalytics.com</span></i></b></p><p>The defensive end is where this Purdue team will have question marks. Purdue primarily runs man, though Painter will sometimes flex into a 1-2-2 matchup zone to limit dynamic guards. They are very good at keeping teams out of the paint, which is important because this Purdue roster has been absolutely terrible at defending teams when they get to the rim. Painter's teams are good at defending the arc, holding opponents below 32% from deep in five of the last six seasons. Inside, they only allow 31.3% of opponent shots to come at the rim, which ranks #339 (in a good way) nationally. But when teams do get there they convert at a 70.0% rate, which is #364 (in a bad way) out of 365 teams. The hope has to be that Cluff and Jacobsen will help. While not a great shot-blocker, SDSU opponents shot 13.3% worse at the rim with Cluff in the game. Jacobsen only played 26 minutes last year before being saddled with an injury, but if his 14.3% block rate in incredibly limited minutes would've projected out to the 4th best in the country.</p><p><b>2025-26 Outlook</b></p><p>Offensively, Purdue just might be the best team in the country. They return 77.3% of their scoring, everyone is high-efficiency, and the holes they had in the offense seem to be filled adequately by Cluff, Jacobsen, and Murphy. They may not be as deep as last year's team, but if that gets more minutes out of Loyer, TKR, and Cox, that could be a good thing. Every question about this team comes on the defensive end. They need the bigs to shore up the paint. Elite offenses are simply too good at getting the ball down low and eventually someone is going to take advantage. In 10 of Purdue's 12 losses last year, they allowed 54+% on two-point field goals. Getting from good back to elite is going to require better interior defense. On paper, this is the toughest game Marquette has on the schedule. Fans are probably best off penciling this in as a loss and treating it like found money if the Golden Eagles manage to pull off the road upset.&nbsp;</p><p><b>Marquette Connection</b></p><p>The last time Marquette went to Mackey, they were underdogs with a roster that had many fans questioning how the season would go. That was back in 2022, when unranked Marquette vs unranked Purdue on November 15th seemed like a relatively low stakes game on the NCAA calendar, but come March we learned it was a matchup between Big 10 double-champs and 1-seed Purdue and Big East double-champs and 2-seed Marquette. The first half was a close affair with 9 lead changes as Marquette took a 2-point cushion into the locker room. A 12-1 run midway through the first saw Marquette take a 56-47 road lead as it looked like Marquette might pull off the upset. The moment when the air came out of Marquette's sails was with eight minutes to go. After Tyler Kolek stretched scored to stretch the lead to 60-54, Purdue turned the ball over. Freshman Chase Ross pulled up for a transition three and missed the shot. Kam Jones got the rebound and kicked it back to Ross, who missed again from two. Oso Ighodaro grabbed that offensive board, found Ross again, and he missed a third time. Purdue finally corralled the rebound, scored on a transition three to cut the lead to 60-57 and start a 17-2 run that ultimately secured the 75-70 comeback win for the Boilermakers. Then-freshman guard Braden Smith led the way with 20 points for Purdue. On December 13th, once again at Mackey, Chase Ross will have his chance to atone as Marquette again tries for that road upset over Purdue.</p><p>&nbsp;</p></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/3486869782005209383/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/3486869782005209383?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/3486869782005209383'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/3486869782005209383'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/10/purdue-preview-2025-26.html' title='Purdue Preview, 2025-26'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw43nUi6DWi6BjV0_CRM8AM8O1pgGOkTCguQkFII5j2qACDcElCdRwtTnJWeiAbkEAG8e80KgXXHu8V_WzesLY_MWSE9iS2rRkEZjDz29a-LatPiqE6KBSpdyLKL-kY2lYZsOFU1Ne_dJ2uQd_ytUVmwNbDWv9m3Wce9U9RRkpz6Djp44AoqW0gw/s72-c/Purdue%20Smith.webp" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-7080685977959011205</id><published>2025-10-07T07:25:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2025-10-07T07:25:46.975-05:00</updated><title type='text'>UW-Madison Preview, 2025-26</title><content type='html'><p><b>UW-Madison Badgers<br /></b></p><p>December 6th, 2025 at Kohl Center, Madison, WI<br /></p><p><b>Head Coach:&nbsp;</b>Greg Gard</p><p><b>Three-Year NET Average:</b>&nbsp;38.3</p><p><b>Three-Year kenpom Average:</b>&nbsp;30.0</p><p><b>Projected 2025-26 T-Rank:&nbsp;</b>30</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQX8owmz-TEsKvyxptp4HqzYj-6CJUA5bAuRvRVsaAskYw8MlYf_ZKFusixIp4r9jvoHyfhWJEYYcBW_rrDop05SLHJNLFHWQYYKq4Y98iOnwn7xw3PhOhWsiHjxGM910Tr_7Nr_g3tWa36faEgo3-mA1ui18Yp4mblf6AWGgEl48KDZKw1ADVQ/s925/UWM%20Blackwell.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="925" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQX8owmz-TEsKvyxptp4HqzYj-6CJUA5bAuRvRVsaAskYw8MlYf_ZKFusixIp4r9jvoHyfhWJEYYcBW_rrDop05SLHJNLFHWQYYKq4Y98iOnwn7xw3PhOhWsiHjxGM910Tr_7Nr_g3tWa36faEgo3-mA1ui18Yp4mblf6AWGgEl48KDZKw1ADVQ/s320/UWM%20Blackwell.png" width="320" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">UWM's John Blackwell has All-American potential</span></i></b></div></b><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Ellen Schmidt | AP Photo</span></i></b></p><p><b>State of the Program</b></p><p>Most picked Wisconsin near the back of the Big 10 last year, but Cracked Sidewalks <a href="https://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2024/09/wisconsin-preview-2024-25.html">accurately predicted</a> despite transfer losses the team as a whole could be better than the year before (#12 in kenpom, #17 in 2023-24). While there may have been question marks around Greg Gard's tenure a couple years ago, he has established his program as a fixture in the top half of the Big 10 and is arguably the second best coach in UW-Madison basketball history. He's earned a single-digit NCAA seed in seven of his ten seasons in Madison and would've had an eighth had the 2020 tournament occurred. Gard has started adapting his tempo to his teams, showing a willingness to play at a faster pace than his mentor Bo Ryan ever did and has embraced the transfer portal that Bucky once famously avoided. This may not be the Badger program that Bo Ryan led in his later years, but the state of Madison basketball is certainly healthy.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjPuJ05ws4UlF9jDh_7Dfq_OB9oCM2Hdd531XNxCBDYsb4ytRfKP5ERMfQHn0EjwUE9Fen0wdyKCUlLuv_rsQGFQcbWUkd76ZE110dzWIwpOUCHLhheVCDuv7LnVpDzGnUcK57miJ3nd78hUE9NYzRPHwlaoEVHcvhNijHjvbDUc2wTK6JdcvezA/s604/UWM%20Roster.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="604" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjPuJ05ws4UlF9jDh_7Dfq_OB9oCM2Hdd531XNxCBDYsb4ytRfKP5ERMfQHn0EjwUE9Fen0wdyKCUlLuv_rsQGFQcbWUkd76ZE110dzWIwpOUCHLhheVCDuv7LnVpDzGnUcK57miJ3nd78hUE9NYzRPHwlaoEVHcvhNijHjvbDUc2wTK6JdcvezA/w400-h136/UWM%20Roster.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Rotation</b></p><p>Nick Boyd had the ball in his hands more, created more shots, and drove into traffic to draw fouls more at San Diego State than he ever did in three years at Florida Atlantic, but that added usage and minutes led to a decrease in efficiency. He should benefit from a reduced workload. John Blackwell will likely slide over to the John Tonje role of carrying the offensive load. He's basically Tonje-light, not quite as good a shooter, inside scorer, or contact creator, but effective at all three. If Blackwell can take another step forward, however, he'll be in the Big 10 first-team and All-American conversations. Andrew Rohde joins from Virginia after a mixed couple years as a Cavalier. He's a great secondary shot creator who was a knockdown shooter from range last year at 41.3%, but for his career is just 33.2% so it remains to be seen if he can keep that up. Portland transfer Austin Rapp gives the Badgers needed size but I'm skeptical how well he'll translate to the Big 10. He had mediocre efficiency in a much weaker West Coast Conference and really struggled in the Pilots' tougher games. The Badgers might have to play small at times as he acclimates to the step up in competition. Nolan Winter shouldn't have any such issues. His 7-foot frame will allow him to slide from the 4 to the 5 and he should replace Steven Crowl competently. Winter is an ultra-high efficiency player who can score inside and out and rebounds on both ends at a high level. He's a great breakout candidate and could be the next Badger big to garner national acclaim. The bench is where Bucky has some question marks. Braeden Carrington and Jack Janicki have D1 experience but haven't been overly effective early in their careers. Zach Kinziger and Will Garlock are local products with potential, but it seems unlikely either are ready to make an instant impact. Gard typically runs a short bench and this year doesn't look like it will be an exception to that.</p><p><b>Style of Play</b></p><p>Marquette fans are familiar with the Swing. It focuses on ball movement, feeding the paint, and either scoring or kicking out for an open look deep into the shot clock. Last year the offensive creation shift from AJ Storr/Chucky Hepburn to John Tonje/John Blackwell meant there was less driving, more pull-up jumpers, and more pick-and-pop because of the dual Crowl/Winter big man three-point threat. Nick Boyd is in a similar mold to Tonje and Blackwell, so expect the diminished paint touches to continue. This team will continue to move the ball, but will create at the perimeter and when they do go to the rim it will largely be off back door cuts from perimeter players. Last year was the fastest tempo Gard played at in his career and that will likely decline, but not to the glacial speed they played at in the Bo Ryan days.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFq2CL7Jl9Is_1tu1Of5xabmGl4m8vF2nKbE_m9-z1gK5gHrqAtXrmOe4X6jtb1cYrXcd322dEYCYVYRjW12XBqQIJ8LIB8t-5wrACSQ2j05i2ZlLkLKpJCTofYsIIpaoYUtP6KFuSHOwg7_y1tA56Uhq5Q5SZUb_mOoxWN5QeerSaBEL-163Ig/s473/UWM%20Def.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="473" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFq2CL7Jl9Is_1tu1Of5xabmGl4m8vF2nKbE_m9-z1gK5gHrqAtXrmOe4X6jtb1cYrXcd322dEYCYVYRjW12XBqQIJ8LIB8t-5wrACSQ2j05i2ZlLkLKpJCTofYsIIpaoYUtP6KFuSHOwg7_y1tA56Uhq5Q5SZUb_mOoxWN5QeerSaBEL-163Ig/s320/UWM%20Def.png" width="320" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">UWM's defense struggled containing players going left, as Kam Jones showed</span></i></b></div></b><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Shot Chart from CBBAnalytics.com</span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: left;">The Badgers play a rigid man-to-man defense that allows their bigs to extend to the perimeter to create mismatches, but also requires big men that can play drop coverage to protect the paint. Their ball pressure is designed to slow the offense down rather than forcing turnovers. Drop coverage teams tend to be vulnerable to offensive rebounds, but Gard's teams have remained solid on that end. This is because the Badgers still run two-big lineups so they when they retreat to the rim they do so in numbers, and because their bigs can typically shoot from long range this doesn't put them at an offensive disadvantage. The question this year will be personnel. Boyd and Rapp seem to be roughly average defenders while Rohde historically has been a poor defender. This could put a lot of pressure on Blackwell and Winter as the experienced players to lead the defense.</p><p><b>2025-26 Outlook</b></p><p>Offensively, Wisconsin should be fine. They will put five players on the floor who can score both inside and out, and Gard's sense of adjusting tempo to his roster coupled with solid foundations of ball and player movement should lead to another prolific offense (top-40 four of the last six seasons, top-20 each of the last two). I do think the defense will take a step back, however. The lack of roster continuity coupled with less athletic options (Tonje to Rohde, Crowl to Rapp) that aren't schooled in the system makes a decline feel likely. The Badgers will still be good. Expect a team that earns a single-digit NCAA seed and on their best nights can compete with anyone, but less consistent than Gard's best teams and unlikely to be competing for a protected seed.</p><p><b>Marquette Connection</b></p><p>Andrew Rohde's ties to Marquette aren't limited to this game. Rohde played alongside Marquette grad&nbsp;<br />David Joplin for the Brookfield Central team that won the 2019 Wisconsin Division 1 State Championship. The Lancers defeated Sun Prairie 69-52, led by Joplin's 23 points and 13 rebounds. Rohde also started as a freshman, chipping in 3 points and 3 rebounds.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfj5k5It2x6OtAOdx2NQh5XdM38i0rVAOouV1iX0L3ISbfSfwLPYAZgpDku26yMSYA6acijEc5BJysYROICqgrC-3jZWqZ0Rj4qxIhbIAONNZFmGHx-CshS-QywExngZcVcDgxVgkUwmv764j4qm0jIDdGfoLg1kbF-r7zuPqX5_Epf8FX6pTsEQ/s306/UWM%20Rohde%20Jop.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="226" data-original-width="306" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfj5k5It2x6OtAOdx2NQh5XdM38i0rVAOouV1iX0L3ISbfSfwLPYAZgpDku26yMSYA6acijEc5BJysYROICqgrC-3jZWqZ0Rj4qxIhbIAONNZFmGHx-CshS-QywExngZcVcDgxVgkUwmv764j4qm0jIDdGfoLg1kbF-r7zuPqX5_Epf8FX6pTsEQ/s1600/UWM%20Rohde%20Jop.png" width="306" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">David Joplin with his arm around Andrew Rohde, celebrating their State Championship</span></i></b></div></b><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo from elmbrookschools.org</span></i></b></p></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/7080685977959011205/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/7080685977959011205?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/7080685977959011205'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/7080685977959011205'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/10/uw-madison-preview-2025-26.html' title='UW-Madison Preview, 2025-26'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQX8owmz-TEsKvyxptp4HqzYj-6CJUA5bAuRvRVsaAskYw8MlYf_ZKFusixIp4r9jvoHyfhWJEYYcBW_rrDop05SLHJNLFHWQYYKq4Y98iOnwn7xw3PhOhWsiHjxGM910Tr_7Nr_g3tWa36faEgo3-mA1ui18Yp4mblf6AWGgEl48KDZKw1ADVQ/s72-c/UWM%20Blackwell.png" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-556127658794964342</id><published>2025-10-06T07:10:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2025-10-06T07:10:00.448-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Valparaiso Preview, 2025-26</title><content type='html'><p><b>Valparaiso Beacons<br /></b></p><p>December 2nd, 2025 at Fiserv Forum<br /></p><p><b>Head Coach:&nbsp;</b>Roger Powell, Jr (22-44 at Valparaiso)</p><p><b>Three-Year NET Average:</b>&nbsp;264.7</p><p><b>Three-Year kenpom Average:</b>&nbsp;265.7</p><p><b>Projected 2025-26 T-Rank:&nbsp;</b>279</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4h_YKX_jlE8Le3vswQT0niev1-B30HsHT8plekZOjhx0EusBvcwSpso3PpAOYdLIUFONtx0XaJD3Ost-ql6LPJ4Et9qILUYHVw3KU95dDFi8J1cx1JW5SfxM76R5RBfySgTVxYYbSd-jd9mm5V1eVuQwvzBLVdB1SudVihhP5GfQ9Ro8UVNigTA/s1200/Valpo%20McNair.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4h_YKX_jlE8Le3vswQT0niev1-B30HsHT8plekZOjhx0EusBvcwSpso3PpAOYdLIUFONtx0XaJD3Ost-ql6LPJ4Et9qILUYHVw3KU95dDFi8J1cx1JW5SfxM76R5RBfySgTVxYYbSd-jd9mm5V1eVuQwvzBLVdB1SudVihhP5GfQ9Ro8UVNigTA/s320/Valpo%20McNair.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Justus McNair celebrates a half-court buzzer-beater at Western Michigan</span></i></b></div></b><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo from The Victory Bell</span></i></b></p><p><b>State of the Program</b></p><p>Valparaiso has clearly fallen from their heyday, when the Drew family guided them to nine NCAA Tournament bids in a twenty-year span, highlighted by a Sweet 16 appearance in 1998. This will be Roger Powell's third year in charge and he's exceeded preseason expectations each of the first two, though the Beacons are still seeking their first winning conference record since 2017 when they left the Horizon. It will be a tough task as the only returning minutes come in the form of Justus McNair, a reserve that managed just 11.2 mpg last year.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFzDa37K3e4WiulWBMIO1e7CbDLMGWB7qE-AZKgM13Jzz8jpvXlnH243wlrnz4jPMe7n8J_kHiBIvRvHvZX06eygAxL6lQmpLooaICtEmHp8ALuYafvEj8zmqJRl-n72PzuY60WMbYvabG0ZhxMADkRMgYgLqQe3PxdebXTuce7F3l5AOKbJTyEA/s639/Valpo%20Roster.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="205" data-original-width="639" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFzDa37K3e4WiulWBMIO1e7CbDLMGWB7qE-AZKgM13Jzz8jpvXlnH243wlrnz4jPMe7n8J_kHiBIvRvHvZX06eygAxL6lQmpLooaICtEmHp8ALuYafvEj8zmqJRl-n72PzuY60WMbYvabG0ZhxMADkRMgYgLqQe3PxdebXTuce7F3l5AOKbJTyEA/w400-h129/Valpo%20Roster.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><br /><p><b>Rotation</b></p><p>Powell has options at the point, but Brody Whitaker is the most proven, even if he's more natural off the ball. Whitaker is a volume scorer who's especially active on the glass at both ends for a guard. Justus McNair is the lone returning player and was Powell's first recruit at Valparaiso. While his playing time was erratic last year, he did have some notable highs, including a half-court buzzer-beating three that capped off a 22-point comeback win at Western Michigan. Isaiah Barnes joins from Tulsa where he was a two-year starter after failing to break through at Michigan. He's an effective rim scorer who should bolster Valpo as a driver and cutter. Owen Dease is the most productive D1 player on the roster. He was a dangerous three-point threat and solid defender for Corpus Christi. Don't be surprised to see him take an alpha scorer role on this team. Shon Tupuola was a double-double machine at the NAIA level, where he put up video game numbers. The bench is also populated by players moving up a level. JUCO Mark Brown, Canadian import Sader Servilus, D2 up-transfer Tucker Tornatta, and freshman Kobe Walker are all unproven at the D1 level but were contributors for lower level programs.</p><p><b>Style of Play</b></p><p>Powell is slowly molding this team to what he wants it to be. The like to attack the rim and work through the big men, running a lot of post up, inside-out, and pick &amp; pop actions. They settle for too much midrange and pull-ups, though. It's very clear they prioritized shooting this year after two seasons with sub-300 eFG% rankings in Powell's first two years. As you can see below, the only areas they were really above average were midrange two-point field goals, which is a problem because they are inherently inefficient shots. They tried to make up for that largely by not turning the ball over. Expect a disciplined offense that attacks the paint, finds their bigs, and kicks the ball out to shooters.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGtC10AHkiPYsBYMi8GEdVRYZY8UDqa8gjJGeTFNsr6FfXrnB63kI0Te6C3i25uKn952ZpPlqIiHrdMy5B02FFMY-mQXwnZjo0VgM67Yeqbe-h_nzYukYYhjGGMpFzXim3Mw32sXOLwLOA6rP1_ypxJmEcqC2qPPnjPB-oLm9-s8l5gwTHrBKebw/s477/Valpo%20Offense.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="475" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGtC10AHkiPYsBYMi8GEdVRYZY8UDqa8gjJGeTFNsr6FfXrnB63kI0Te6C3i25uKn952ZpPlqIiHrdMy5B02FFMY-mQXwnZjo0VgM67Yeqbe-h_nzYukYYhjGGMpFzXim3Mw32sXOLwLOA6rP1_ypxJmEcqC2qPPnjPB-oLm9-s8l5gwTHrBKebw/s320/Valpo%20Offense.png" width="319" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Shot chart from CBBAnalytics.com</span></i></b></div></b><p>On defense, Valpo plays a high-energy style designed to make teams work deep into the shot clock. The guards lead the point of attack, forcing steals and funneling shooters inside. They are good at chasing teams off the three-point line, but are vulnerable at the rim where teams shot 62.3% against them (#331 nationally). They were strong on the defensive glass last year, typically limiting opponents to one shot thanks to Cooper Schwieger and Kaspar Sepp, but both transferred out. The biggest question may be if they have the raw talent to keep up with other Division 1 rosters.</p><p><b>2025-26 Outlook</b></p><p>Powell has trended up in his first two seasons, but the transfer portal wreaked havoc on his roster this past summer. There were nine different players that started at least one game for Valpo last season. One of them graduated, eight of them transferred, including two that went to high-majors. As a result, T-Rank projects the Beacons last of the twelve programs in the Missouri Valley. Powell's analytic improvement has been solid each of his first two years, but with a roster mostly made up of players from lower divisions, it's hard to believe this team has the talent to be much more than a last-place team. On paper, this is one of the weakest teams Marquette will face and should be a comfortable win.</p><p><b>Marquette Connection</b></p><p>While Marquette hasn't played Valparaiso in nearly two decades, the then-Crusaders used to be a regular opponent on the Golden Eagles' schedule. The last time the two teams met was November 27, 2006 when #8 Marquette went on the road to take on Homer Drew's Crusaders. Marquette raced out to a 21-6 lead, but Valpo rallied back to cut the deficit to 31-24 at the half. It was a back-and-forth second half, with the lead changing four times in the final minutes. Jarryd Loyd hit a three with 0:23 to play to tie the game at 62, then Dominic James drilled this three with 3.4 seconds to play to secure the 65-62 win for Marquette.</p><div><br /></div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UOSHyRvkuCU?si=aLIRV9bKa8Ch0hAC" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/556127658794964342/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/556127658794964342?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/556127658794964342'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/556127658794964342'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/10/valparaiso-preview-2025-26.html' title='Valparaiso Preview, 2025-26'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4h_YKX_jlE8Le3vswQT0niev1-B30HsHT8plekZOjhx0EusBvcwSpso3PpAOYdLIUFONtx0XaJD3Ost-ql6LPJ4Et9qILUYHVw3KU95dDFi8J1cx1JW5SfxM76R5RBfySgTVxYYbSd-jd9mm5V1eVuQwvzBLVdB1SudVihhP5GfQ9Ro8UVNigTA/s72-c/Valpo%20McNair.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-7148519253845769846</id><published>2025-10-02T07:22:00.001-05:00</published><updated>2025-10-02T08:57:07.093-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Oklahoma Preview, 2025-26</title><content type='html'><p><b>Oklahoma Sooners<br /></b></p><p>November 28th, 2025 at Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago, IL<br /></p><p><b>Head Coach:&nbsp;</b>Porter Moser (367-301 overall, 74-59 at Oklahoma)</p><p><b>Three-Year NET Average:</b>&nbsp;53.3</p><p><b>Three-Year kenpom Average:</b>&nbsp;46.7</p><p><b>Projected 2025-26 T-Rank:&nbsp;</b>31</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSilIzzaetai0QGO-AgMY_asWnD4pazcqVZj2BgWf1cGsFGQxmNt_49po6skHDKvBnqkcHhFPevSA3aUVW94RRHUk6OL6bhcLf0Zr0vWtsqhCtuz-R1pnb16oyWf5vTzw3tKUwoIMlODOum-2NNgOJD-UXgon0EuuilIRY4cT4O8uV4WnLJATaQ/s1650/OU%20Wague.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="1650" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSilIzzaetai0QGO-AgMY_asWnD4pazcqVZj2BgWf1cGsFGQxmNt_49po6skHDKvBnqkcHhFPevSA3aUVW94RRHUk6OL6bhcLf0Zr0vWtsqhCtuz-R1pnb16oyWf5vTzw3tKUwoIMlODOum-2NNgOJD-UXgon0EuuilIRY4cT4O8uV4WnLJATaQ/s320/OU%20Wague.webp" width="320" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mohamed Wague hopes to jump from reserve to senior leader</span></i></b></div></b><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Brendall Vargas | University of Oklahoma&nbsp;</span></i></b></p><p><b>State of the Program</b></p><p>For the fourth year in a row under Porter Moser, when Oklahoma looked up at the <a href="https://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2022/01/revisiting-luck.html">end of January</a>, they were in a <a href="https://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2023/01/big-east-on-bubble.html">familiar position</a>: on the <a href="https://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2024/01/bracketology-big-east-check-in.html">right side</a> of the <a href="https://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/01/cracketology-big-east-check-in.html">NCAA Tournament bubble</a>. For the fourth year in a row, they suffered a losing record from the start of February until Selection Sunday. The first three times that happened under Moser, they missed the Tournament. Last year, aided by the monster that was the SEC, they still managed to sneak in as a 9-seed, losing to UConn in the first round. As is becoming more normal in the transfer era, their top seven rotation players all left through graduation, transfer, or NBA Draft early entry. Moser returns just two rotation players that averaged double-digit minutes last year and built the rest of his rotation through the portal. The question in Norman is whether that NCAA bid and a general focus on football was enough to quell hot seat talk, or if another disappointing end to the season could have Moser moving on.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB622rIeJdGJCf-Ot8yiNWHhZtuVijGyQuCMSPJZ0WEb01vUasA6u1N346YH298nRii1eHZtdKkf0ahPBiIl_TbW5bFpwaKUS8iabrgeocdLIgHVpZ4I8jpOFXeJkfT3J5D_8zdidjItmQrC0JD_OJcQHwGovr6_xCRbx21oS_q861R5ULVnNWZg/s625/OU%20Roster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="205" data-original-width="625" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB622rIeJdGJCf-Ot8yiNWHhZtuVijGyQuCMSPJZ0WEb01vUasA6u1N346YH298nRii1eHZtdKkf0ahPBiIl_TbW5bFpwaKUS8iabrgeocdLIgHVpZ4I8jpOFXeJkfT3J5D_8zdidjItmQrC0JD_OJcQHwGovr6_xCRbx21oS_q861R5ULVnNWZg/w400-h131/OU%20Roster.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><b>Rotation</b></p><p>Expect ball-handling duties to be shared pretty equally between St. Joe's transfer Xzayvier Brown and Miami transfer Nijel Pack. Both are competent creators and efficient scorers. Based on how Moser likes to play, Brown will likely be the one attacking the rim and either finishing through contact or kicking out to shooters. Pack is best as a motion catch-and-shoot option. Both are competent but unspectacular defenders. Derrion Reid was a five-star recruit for Alabama who saw his numbers dwindle as the season went on. He was likely just not a great fit for Alabama's rim/three heavy offense as he took 22.7% of his shots in the midrange while making just 36.8% of those. He has the athleticism and length to be a high-level talent on both ends, but he's at his best on the interior and to truly develop as a wing needs to get more comfortable outside the arc. Oklahoma fans are hoping that a system friendlier to his game and a potential freshman-to-sophomore leap could lead to breakout star status for Reid. Tae Davis has labored his way up the high-major ranks, arriving at Oklahoma after stints at Seton Hall and Notre Dame. Davis showed off his highest usage and efficiency last year. He's not afraid to mix it up inside and while he's not the best shooter, his aggressiveness pays off in offensive rebounds and trips to the free throw line. Mohamed Wague will be this team's defensive anchor. He has been a career rotation player, but when he plays, his teams shine defensively. His West Virginia freshman year team was 7.6 points/100 possessions better with him on the floor, his Alabama sophomore year team was 7.7/100 better with him on the floor, and last year's Oklahoma team was 8.5/100 better with him on the floor. While he's a capable shot blocker, it's as much his quick hands and ability to create turnovers inside that makes him a dangerous defender. He's also a very high efficiency offensive piece and dominant interior finisher; he converts 69.6% at the rim with 87.5% of his shots taken there. The bench generally has experience in Oklahoma's system, though not on the court. While Dayton Forsythe played efficient reserve minutes last year, both Jadon Jones and Jeff Nwankwo redshirted in 2024-25 for the Sooners. All three are dangerous three-point shooters, bolstering what is typically a strength of Moser's best teams. Freshman Kai Rogers hails from Milwaukee and was productive at Overtime Elite but will likely get reserve minutes this year.</p><p><b>Style of Play</b></p><p>Moser runs a heavy dribble-drive offense, with the ball-handler getting to the rim or creating shots with drive-and-kick or pick-and-roll options. Those cuts could come from anywhere, with both perimeter players like Reid and Nwankwo or bigs like Davis and Wague able to finish at the rim. His best offenses have come with multiple creators (Custer/Richardson at Loyola, McCollum/Uzan in 2023-24, Elvis/Fears in 2024-25) and this roster is no different with Brown and Pack following that mold. The Sooners also like to get out in transition. They've ranked in the 77th or better percentile each of the past two years in transition usage despite sub-100 turnover rates each season. Expect them to attack quickly off both turnovers and made baskets. One note, Oklahoma's offense tends to get worse as the season goes on, which isn't particularly helpful for a Marquette team that will play them in November. Their overall efficiency, particularly on the offensive end, has declined with the start of conference play once teams have more tape on them to review. Bear in mind the numbers below are adjusted for tempo and strength of opponent, so this isn't just a "beating up on cupcakes" phenomenon. That's also underscored by their overall record.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61cKu2ALP50JQ1KkO3OWQ1wFZEqksAyLsYZ-jJKq75DTUZeMWs2JK7txCN2n67u5fp-ZcbHIO0w7OwnggnOeWxmBAhwtD29kKviNZRpsi7Svqi3UwTE3lmAEI58th7y2TNKY-uT3MeVnd0ahACtnJO7g6yiqKwXnpwBu_vwfB42aFtunpPg7BlA/s727/OU%20Off%20Change.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="208" data-original-width="727" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61cKu2ALP50JQ1KkO3OWQ1wFZEqksAyLsYZ-jJKq75DTUZeMWs2JK7txCN2n67u5fp-ZcbHIO0w7OwnggnOeWxmBAhwtD29kKviNZRpsi7Svqi3UwTE3lmAEI58th7y2TNKY-uT3MeVnd0ahACtnJO7g6yiqKwXnpwBu_vwfB42aFtunpPg7BlA/w400-h115/OU%20Off%20Change.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Moser's defense is complex, prioritizing positioning and movement over raw athleticism. Wague is a good example as someone who excels at keeping teams out of the paint without being a dominant shot-blocker. Expect his teams to switch frequently while sticking to man-to-man. His teams challenge every shot and their movement cuts down passing lanes. While athleticism hasn't been a necessity (see his 2021 Loyola-Chicago team ranked #2 nationally) this team does have more athleticism than he's had in the past. Reid, Jones, and Nwankwo all have high defensive-upside while Rogers 7'3" wingspan provides a true rim-protecting presence when Wague goes to the bench.&nbsp;</p><p><b>2025-26 Outlook</b></p><p>On paper, there's a lot to like with this Oklahoma roster. The two-guard tandem, the talent and athleticism on the wings, and the strong defensive backbone all point to a team that should be NCAA caliber. However Pack, Reid, Jones, and Nwankwo all missed significant time last year with injuries, particularly the latter two who redshirted because of those injuries. This team's depth could be tested this year. If Oklahoma is healthy, the pieces are in place to finally sustain season-long success, but don't be surprised if the defense takes longer to come together. The Sooners rank #311 in returning minutes (11.1%) according to T-Rank and while they do have more athleticism to execute the defense, most of the best offensive players (Brown, Pack, Davis) and best defensive players (Forsythe, Jones, Nwankwo) aren't the same people. Moser will have to figure out his rotation and this feels like a team that may not be clicking until January or February, which would be quite the shift from Moser's history at OU. In addition to Marquette, they also have Gonzaga, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Arizona State, and Wake Forest on their non-conference schedule, all of whom will be hoping to get into the NCAA at-large mix. If they don't get off to their typical strong start, another February fade could have Moser looking for work come March.</p><p><b>Marquette Connection</b></p><p>This will be the first time Marquette has played Oklahoma, but what's worth looking at is the contrast at the top. In 2021 after Marquette hired Steve Wojciechowski, Marquette found itself one of the most prominent jobs available in a coaching carousel where Arizona, Cincinnati, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, Penn State, and Oklahoma all also turned over. At the time, this very blog had contributors advocate for both <a href="https://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2021/03/keegan-considers-mu-coaching.html">Porter Moser</a> and <a href="https://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2021/03/the-case-for-shaka-smart.html">Shaka Smart</a>. Moser had a number of ties to Marquette. He was an assistant to Tony Barone at Creighton and Texas A&amp;M, whose son Brian would later play at Marquette. After a pair of head coaching stints, Moser became an assistant to former Marquette coach Rick Majerus at Saint Louis. While Smart was hired by Marquette a day before (March 26th) Moser's Loyola-Chicago team was eliminated from the 2021 NCAA Tournament (March 27th), it was Moser who was the closest candidate to getting the Marquette post before the Smart decision was made and Marquette's decision (coupled with Indiana hiring Mike Woodson on March 28th) led Moser to move on to Oklahoma.</p></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/7148519253845769846/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/7148519253845769846?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/7148519253845769846'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/7148519253845769846'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/10/oklahoma-preview-2025-26.html' title='Oklahoma Preview, 2025-26'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSilIzzaetai0QGO-AgMY_asWnD4pazcqVZj2BgWf1cGsFGQxmNt_49po6skHDKvBnqkcHhFPevSA3aUVW94RRHUk6OL6bhcLf0Zr0vWtsqhCtuz-R1pnb16oyWf5vTzw3tKUwoIMlODOum-2NNgOJD-UXgon0EuuilIRY4cT4O8uV4WnLJATaQ/s72-c/OU%20Wague.webp" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-6523617895591811381</id><published>2025-10-01T08:28:00.001-05:00</published><updated>2025-10-02T09:15:12.298-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Central Michigan Preview, 2025-26</title><content type='html'><p><b>Central Michigan Chippewas<br /></b></p><p>November 22nd, 2025 at Fiserv Forum<br /></p><p><b>Head Coach:&nbsp;</b>Andy Bronkema (278-105 in Division II, 0-0 at Central Michigan)</p><p><b>Three-Year NET Average:</b>&nbsp;269.3</p><p><b>Three-Year kenpom Average:</b>&nbsp;269.7</p><p><b>Projected 2025-26 T-Rank:&nbsp;</b>275</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_AJWiV6nAA3fXx2I94TbPx89qIU1q6baTOXyQz7Hu7ON6nZ8I30Aut4QxM04VGp2q_gjwCRpqxNR60vD9AVHFgOUR2T0UDeAjspS8UA6d88ZA0jS-S1H_PvEgBqu-g3dZyW-KTQAtcz3a1fEtWPzzV80emwsVGBgcGYuN7O_U39f9NlFiFUXeg/s1023/Bronkema.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="1023" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_AJWiV6nAA3fXx2I94TbPx89qIU1q6baTOXyQz7Hu7ON6nZ8I30Aut4QxM04VGp2q_gjwCRpqxNR60vD9AVHFgOUR2T0UDeAjspS8UA6d88ZA0jS-S1H_PvEgBqu-g3dZyW-KTQAtcz3a1fEtWPzzV80emwsVGBgcGYuN7O_U39f9NlFiFUXeg/s320/Bronkema.webp" width="320" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Andy Bronkema won a Division II National Title at Ferris State</span></i></b></div></b><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo from Central Michigan Athletics</span></i></b></p><p><b>State of the Program</b></p><p>Metrically, Tony Barbee had his best year at Central Michigan (#198 kenpom), but games aren't won on paper, and a 2-8 record in one-possession games (14-17 overall) cost him his job. The Chippewas turn to Andy Bronkema, who was regarded as one of the best coaches in Division II. He won National Coach of the Year and a National Championship at Ferris State in 2018, and won 20+ games 10 times in his 12 years in charge of the Bulldogs with 7 NCAA Tournament bids. The roster is a complete overhaul, with none of the players that played at Fiserv last year returning to CMU. This will be a completely new era for the Chips.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHceqxuNuLNWc-hoXPeuI6QE8VCjGlEZ7E7UyjKyHSxM_bK07dHtDtjGRejvhu0Lj3DaHWfGE1AOtnNiRL9nKGM0BP1_bzgyfFf5Fpskxl86uOCHku89jlk8l7YtNEELRxB4Oa9Q4-xlC3LNd-eZCgZqrh64HCpHGJllIEKFBEL4Z6PXXlCMM-mQ/s631/CMU%20Roster.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="631" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHceqxuNuLNWc-hoXPeuI6QE8VCjGlEZ7E7UyjKyHSxM_bK07dHtDtjGRejvhu0Lj3DaHWfGE1AOtnNiRL9nKGM0BP1_bzgyfFf5Fpskxl86uOCHku89jlk8l7YtNEELRxB4Oa9Q4-xlC3LNd-eZCgZqrh64HCpHGJllIEKFBEL4Z6PXXlCMM-mQ/w400-h130/CMU%20Roster.png" width="400" /></a></div><p><b>Rotation</b></p><p>D2 transfer Tamario Adley will likely run the point. He's a downhill attacking guard that does most of his work inside the arc, scoring at the rim and getting to the line. He's a reliable shot creator for others who has developed as a ballhawk. Phat Phat Brooks didn't crack the Michigan roster as a freshman and will get a chance to reboot his career. He was a three-time Michigan Division II all-state player and Mr. Basketball as a senior. Keenan Garner can play on the wing or the interior, demonstrating quick hands both in creating turnovers and latching on to rebounds. Rodney Johnson is the most proven D1 player Bronkema has at his disposal. He's a three-level scorer who was one of the best rebounders in the Ohio Valley. Up front, Bronkema brought 7-footer Nathan Claerbaut from Ferris State with him. He's a powerful offensive weapon at the rim who is equally adept at protecting it on the defensive end. The bench is a mix of D2 and JUCO players. One thing that stands out is all of them can shoot.</p><p><b>Style of Play</b></p><p>It's hard to get a good read on a coach coming up from Division II. CBB Analytics shot charts are helpful, but I will caveat that comparing the shooting stats from CBB Analytics to the Ferris State website, these shot charts are not complete and likely represent about half of the Ferris State season. We don't know if Bronkema will keep his style, but we were able to also use the Ferris State stats to extrapolate what Bronkema's 2024-25 team would've looked like if their raw stats were translated to tempo free kenpom numbers in Division I. Here's a look at that extrapolation:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsuaeVpsXfsOQ9SLy03iotJ-N_san8Vv4lgdKuQL4igImg3oorc1IqG3GtvTIyf0Lc-h5ZtuzyUiS1eqx88v0WEuUD_UBJW2tDMW9TFnCVLOCu_RnokavqIw879u4fWar1KfDfO8GNJextjpBsMWoB8UCitjUCV6yp83lVavt3_nfzM2dqBgsJCA/s383/CMU%20FSU%2025.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="272" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsuaeVpsXfsOQ9SLy03iotJ-N_san8Vv4lgdKuQL4igImg3oorc1IqG3GtvTIyf0Lc-h5ZtuzyUiS1eqx88v0WEuUD_UBJW2tDMW9TFnCVLOCu_RnokavqIw879u4fWar1KfDfO8GNJextjpBsMWoB8UCitjUCV6yp83lVavt3_nfzM2dqBgsJCA/s320/CMU%20FSU%2025.png" width="227" /></a></div><br /><p>Offensively, Bronkema likes to push the pace. His teams prize ball movement for good shots. They balance twos and threes, but do prioritize getting into the paint or taking threes. His teams shoot well from deep and looking at his roster this year should be no exception. They sell out on offensive rebounds, instead counting on their shooting to get them points rather than risking being out of position defensively after a miss. Their offensive shot chart shows a team that understands the modern game and where they can get good shots.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wkQdp8iGBUNPFqxTClpFrTYkW1iFfg_Sc5Zka3SZFGQtmgtrY8KOwQtvJPA2OccPye51WyCUEDi0FM0uuRV-QVct8sYiHb7rJ2ot6N9E69ONTWsF7qjzxm_P8oYmodmpWw62ajlZMUlSKG3edsc3nD-piNa-o0raXNmpTk24qUqCpdYQb5pSAw/s474/CMU%20Off.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="474" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wkQdp8iGBUNPFqxTClpFrTYkW1iFfg_Sc5Zka3SZFGQtmgtrY8KOwQtvJPA2OccPye51WyCUEDi0FM0uuRV-QVct8sYiHb7rJ2ot6N9E69ONTWsF7qjzxm_P8oYmodmpWw62ajlZMUlSKG3edsc3nD-piNa-o0raXNmpTk24qUqCpdYQb5pSAw/s320/CMU%20Off.png" width="320" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">If CMU can match Ferris State's paint/three efficiency they'll be very good</span></i></b></div></b><div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Shot chart from CBBAnalytics.com</span></i></b></p><p>Defensively, it all starts in the middle. They have exceptional 2PFG% defense, especially at the rim, which is the driver behind their stellar eFG% defense. Claerbaut is the anchor there and led the team in blocks with 2.3 per game. Getting back on defense seems to help as they do well limiting second chance points and don't send teams to the line a ton. While forcing turnovers wasn't the driving force for the Bulldogs, don't be surprised to see Central Michigan have a larger focus there. Adley, Brooks, and Garner are all adept at creating turnovers and that could help Bronkema's team push the pace and get easy baskets on the other end. Expect them to develop a solid defensive foundation.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJlw4m22so1vArpAquiigRLqwxrHC1SUA_zqiOVDfnkLpIbKYDTrPV5OLhLejZSKaim-ijaZ6TtqdOjzi9_j2lJF1BN_cai-uWJO1JhnbP0hSgDsy3VEK9nhZVpRYwDhvbM2x6vwPHUbed4mPZiiGRncLpcUaxHRedQrabcytqjR7Pn95XjhlxQ/s475/CMU%20Def.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="475" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJlw4m22so1vArpAquiigRLqwxrHC1SUA_zqiOVDfnkLpIbKYDTrPV5OLhLejZSKaim-ijaZ6TtqdOjzi9_j2lJF1BN_cai-uWJO1JhnbP0hSgDsy3VEK9nhZVpRYwDhvbM2x6vwPHUbed4mPZiiGRncLpcUaxHRedQrabcytqjR7Pn95XjhlxQ/s320/CMU%20Def.png" width="320" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Interior defense was a strength for Ferris State</span></i></b></div></b><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Shot chart from CBBAnalytics.com</span></i></b></p><p><b>2025-26 Outlook</b></p><p>While Andy Bronkema's resume isn't quite as impressive as Ben McCollum's, the two were contemporaries for more than a decade and McCollum's rise from Northwest Missouri State to Drake to Iowa has shown there are good coaches outside Division 1. Further, two of Bronkema's assistants won Division 3 national titles (Brooks Miller at Trine and Jim Lake at UW-Stout) as head coaches so there's a lot of winning experience on the bench. Bronkema runs a modern system and while he may not have the same athletic edge he had at Ferris State, I trust this team will be up and running at a high level sooner rather than later. He prioritizes eFG% and it doesn't seem like coincidence that the team to finish first in the MAC in eFG% offense has won the league for eight consecutive years. How quickly the lower-level transfers acclimate will be the question, but once he has D1 capable players, they'll be competitive. This will almost certainly be a Quadrant 4 game and comfortable win for Marquette, but won't be a bad game to have on the resume.</p><p><b>Marquette Connection</b></p><p>If there's any question whether the types of players Bronkema has recruited can compete in D1, one need look no further than Zach Hankins. After winning a national title with Bronkema in 2018, Hankins transferred to Xavier. The big man played in all 35 games for Xavier, starting 22 while posting a stellar 128.7 adjusted offensive rating and averaging 10.6 ppg and 5.3 rpg. His most prominent role against Marquette came at Cintas, when Xavier was looking to upset the #12 Golden Eagles. Hankins' basket with 7:00 to play put Xavier ahead 69-63, but Marquette answered with a 16-2 run to clinch a lead they would not give up. Marquette came out with an 87-82 road win.</p></div></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/6523617895591811381/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/6523617895591811381?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/6523617895591811381'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/6523617895591811381'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/10/central-michigan-preview-2025-26.html' title='Central Michigan Preview, 2025-26'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_AJWiV6nAA3fXx2I94TbPx89qIU1q6baTOXyQz7Hu7ON6nZ8I30Aut4QxM04VGp2q_gjwCRpqxNR60vD9AVHFgOUR2T0UDeAjspS8UA6d88ZA0jS-S1H_PvEgBqu-g3dZyW-KTQAtcz3a1fEtWPzzV80emwsVGBgcGYuN7O_U39f9NlFiFUXeg/s72-c/Bronkema.webp" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-45488245934260236</id><published>2025-09-30T06:50:00.001-05:00</published><updated>2025-10-02T09:14:59.953-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Dayton Preview, 2025-26</title><content type='html'><p><b>Dayton Flyers</b></p><p>November 19th, 2025 at Fiserv Forum</p><p><b>Head Coach:&nbsp;</b>Anthony Grant (365-193 overall, 172-82 at Dayton)</p><p><b>Three-Year NET Average:</b>&nbsp;57.3</p><p><b>Three-Year kenpom Average:</b>&nbsp;62.7</p><p><b>Projected 2025-26 T-Rank: </b>77</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlWY9alDWQry67JAOrGlzd19ec-mNBAGGVwVrNM5rSFJk4847adKmT8B60-FSY7LeGzVMuH4aFmaUu0aMidwr2Sv6xkqf-DGIUVBPGNam7zVaIYRQ-qtUE7JS6oGSCUvNJFgFArbagrGyXFuMFwyRR7wNebi1_nBLRSwyqGDKqKS6zrXMiuH30Q/s1920/Bennett.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1154" data-original-width="1920" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlWY9alDWQry67JAOrGlzd19ec-mNBAGGVwVrNM5rSFJk4847adKmT8B60-FSY7LeGzVMuH4aFmaUu0aMidwr2Sv6xkqf-DGIUVBPGNam7zVaIYRQ-qtUE7JS6oGSCUvNJFgFArbagrGyXFuMFwyRR7wNebi1_nBLRSwyqGDKqKS6zrXMiuH30Q/s320/Bennett.webp" width="320" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Javon Bennett will look to lead Dayton to another win over Marquette</span></i></b></div></b><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo from daytonflyers.com</span></i></b></p><p><b>State of the Program</b></p><p>Anthony Grant has established his program as one that is generally top-3 in the Atlantic 10, but typically finds themselves outside the NCAA Tournament come Selection Sunday. Over the past seven years, they've been top-3 six times, but also only earned one NCAA bid (though they would've been a 1-seed had the 2020 tournament taken place). Last year was no exception. They got high-profile wins over tournament teams UConn and Marquette only to offset them with league losses to George Washington, UMass, and St. Bonaventure. This led to the NIT for the fifth time in Grant's tenure. The question this year is if continuing to be good enough to come up just short of the NCAA Tournament is good enough for Flyer fans. If not, Grant may find himself on the hot seat come March despite a relatively successful tenure.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVS4tHCEMc2Pp5u8N2HLuhb5u0E2eeACkWNOl0pwhFf9zWdC_0HehwRT7oUMuh5wL9MUyNiD9nCXiNwySTWQRW0XNQ34OeJtAHTybIXqLdXTxQH4moffoitLUB94eBmHSY-Vi3JS4iBxwIZpm9bXsP1HIIoEUCbeSITDyQJygi4VbPxfDNL_t3mQ/s657/Dayton%20Roster.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="204" data-original-width="657" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVS4tHCEMc2Pp5u8N2HLuhb5u0E2eeACkWNOl0pwhFf9zWdC_0HehwRT7oUMuh5wL9MUyNiD9nCXiNwySTWQRW0XNQ34OeJtAHTybIXqLdXTxQH4moffoitLUB94eBmHSY-Vi3JS4iBxwIZpm9bXsP1HIIoEUCbeSITDyQJygi4VbPxfDNL_t3mQ/w400-h124/Dayton%20Roster.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Rotation</b></p><p>Javon Bennett slides from the 2 to the 1 after Malachi Smith transferred to UConn. This won't be his first shot at the point; he played major minutes there in 2023-24 when Smith was injured. Bennett benefited significantly last year being off the ball, especially from long range where he shot 39.0% from deep after a combined 29.8% his first two seasons in D1. Don't be surprised at three-point regression as he'll be expected to create more for others once again. His partner in the back court is De'Shayne Montgomery, a Georgia transfer who struggled to get on the court last year amidst academic issues. He was a solid rim/three scorer at Mount St. Mary's with good defensive length and the Flyers will hope he returns to that form. Jordan Derkack comes over from Rutgers. He's a smart shot-taker who struggled with the step up from the NEC to the Big 10 last year. Keonte Jones is an undersized forward who was a monster rebounder. He isn't the most efficient scorer but is great at hitting the offensive glass and kicking out to shooters. The key to a tourney bid will likely be sophomore big man Amaël L'Etang, who is already popping up on early <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25240335-2026-nba-mock-draft-college-basketball-returns">2026 draft boards</a>. He showed the ability to put up high efficiency on high usage as a part-time starter. His efficiency and minutes increased in conference play. That along with his prowess as a shot-blocker, passer, rebounder and inside-our scorer projects him as a major 2025-26 breakout candidate. If Grant gets back to the NCAA Tournament, L'Etang will be a major reason why. Off the bench, Bryce Heard is most likely to challenge for starting minutes, having been moderately effective in limited minutes for NC State. Adam Nije and Malcolm Thomas (above stats are from high school) should both factor in as well.</p><p><b>Style of Play</b></p><p>Under Grant, Dayton moves the ball fluidly and tries to put five players on the floor that can step outside to hit a shot. Even his bigs like Obi Toppin and Daron Holmes, who initially were hesitant to take threes, became confident shooters by the time they left. They use ball screens to create perimeter looks, running a lot of pick-and-pop or drive-and-kick actions. Grant also likes to run a lot through his big men so don't be surprised to see more high/low or inside/out actions, especially with a pair of solid passing forwards in L'Etang and Jones.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhowIkAlh1LTuwjBZ-4EidYzuQF5xuOmcpi47Ou0d2dVA5CnGgjz9qVQ-qRBl711IiJu0yUz6BMY1ewZ-xZAhMJSOyLX9FuNa-2boQb-yRM86Ps7fiwPTlzcSjP-KXVvxxVsI2OYK5aA6wVzCgtV1WBjOSrjxD-NU4VT6tLrte5lKiCVurKacA0lA/s1920/UD%20D2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="974" data-original-width="1920" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhowIkAlh1LTuwjBZ-4EidYzuQF5xuOmcpi47Ou0d2dVA5CnGgjz9qVQ-qRBl711IiJu0yUz6BMY1ewZ-xZAhMJSOyLX9FuNa-2boQb-yRM86Ps7fiwPTlzcSjP-KXVvxxVsI2OYK5aA6wVzCgtV1WBjOSrjxD-NU4VT6tLrte5lKiCVurKacA0lA/w400-h203/UD%20D2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">In 2025, Dayton failed to force midrange, allowed more ATR, &amp; struggled contesting perimeter shots</span></i></b></div></b><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Shot charts from CBBAnalytics.com</span></i></b></p><p>Defensively, Dayton really struggled last year, posting the worst efficiency rating (#148) since Grant's first year. The two main issues seemed to be allowing high-percentage looks at the rim and a lack of perimeter size. Grant's best defenses play in man, make teams work deep into the shot clock, deny looks at the rim, and defend without fouling. Last year, they didn't have any quality secondary shot-blocker and a lack of perimeter size (5'10" Bennett, 6'0" Malachi Smith, 6'0" Posh Alexander, and 6'3" Enoch Cheeks) meant that while they forced turnovers at a higher rate, they struggled to challenge shots on the perimeter, deny passes to the interior, and stop drivers. Keonte Jones is a much better defensive piece alongside L'Etang while Montgomery, Derkack, and Heard give the Flyers more perimeter length. This should be a much better defensive team.</p><p><b>2025-26 Outlook</b></p><p>The consensus seems to be down on Dayton. Posh Alexander, Nate Santos, Zed Key, and Enoch Cheeks all exhausted their eligibility while Malachi Smith transferred to UConn. While that's a lot of experience and production gone, I think it's a good thing. The guards were too small to coexist. You can maybe have one or two of those guys, but only Smith could be counted on to get to the rim and he was poor (50.0% ATR FG%) when he got there. Key and Santos were both fine offensive players, but were ball stoppers on the offensive end and poor defenders who didn't compliment each other. This team just fits together so much better. Bennett isn't the creator Smith was, but he knows his best shots are taken beyond the arc and despite his size he's a better defender. Derkack and Montgomery can open up the court with their driving ability and are better finishing when they do get to the rim. Jones and L'Etang are a dynamic front court duo that can both score inside and out, create for others, protect the rim, and eat glass on both ends. This squad fits well together and definitely fits Grant's style better than last year's roster.</p><p>I also cannot enough stress how much I'm buying into the Amaël L'Etang breakout. Grant has turned big men like Obi Toppin and DaRon Holmes into stars and L'Etang looks like he's next. His efficiency (114.9), usage rate (21.8%), rebounding (9.6 OR%/20.3 DR%), block rate (6.9%), and inside-out scoring ability (33.9 3PFG%/68.3 ATR 2PFG%) is the exact skillset Grant can use to create a star. His 7'1" length makes him an intriguing NBA prospect. This team has the overall roster balance and upside to earn an NCAA at-large bid and I fully expect L'Etang to be at the heart of that push.</p><p><b>Marquette Connection</b></p><p>Once upon a time, Marquette dominated Dayton. That hasn't been the case since 1998, with Dayton winning six of the last seven, including last year's comeback win at UD Arena. The lone win in that stretch was led by Marquette legend Dwyane Wade on December 5, 2001. Wade scored 17 points and added 7 rebounds to pace the Golden Eagles. It was Marquette's eighth win of Wade's first season en route to a 10-0 start and eventual NCAA Tournament bid in 2002.</p></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/45488245934260236/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/45488245934260236?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/45488245934260236'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/45488245934260236'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/09/dayton-preview-2025-26.html' title='Dayton Preview, 2025-26'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlWY9alDWQry67JAOrGlzd19ec-mNBAGGVwVrNM5rSFJk4847adKmT8B60-FSY7LeGzVMuH4aFmaUu0aMidwr2Sv6xkqf-DGIUVBPGNam7zVaIYRQ-qtUE7JS6oGSCUvNJFgFArbagrGyXFuMFwyRR7wNebi1_nBLRSwyqGDKqKS6zrXMiuH30Q/s72-c/Bennett.webp" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-8361777107613867958</id><published>2025-09-29T07:24:00.002-05:00</published><updated>2025-10-02T09:14:48.504-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Maryland Preview, 2025-26</title><content type='html'><p><b>Maryland Terrapins<br /></b></p><p>November 15th, 2025 at Fiserv Forum<br /></p><p><b>Head Coach:&nbsp;</b>Buzz Williams (373-228 overall, 0-0 at Maryland)</p><p><b>Three-Year NET Average:</b>&nbsp;41.3</p><p><b>Three-Year kenpom Average:</b>&nbsp;31.7</p><p><b>Projected 2025-26 T-Rank:&nbsp;</b>41</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqYiKUodUCvNWXgdnEYu0rPgrFgNCgBC2oaTxiVQ3-Jg25WjFFaJ2uOX-OFRtEEgH_vjc9YqSJrxwm1eg5ejd7DbF96Mr89Fxfo5NF_uOA8u4ZxeHN9-8K1CVlFeyGcA3nnjDlTJHxkz0cgGrG-gLnYBcg5AX1inCu2kN36HoMnH_ykGDWoI2rA/s760/Maryland%20Buzz.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="760" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqYiKUodUCvNWXgdnEYu0rPgrFgNCgBC2oaTxiVQ3-Jg25WjFFaJ2uOX-OFRtEEgH_vjc9YqSJrxwm1eg5ejd7DbF96Mr89Fxfo5NF_uOA8u4ZxeHN9-8K1CVlFeyGcA3nnjDlTJHxkz0cgGrG-gLnYBcg5AX1inCu2kN36HoMnH_ykGDWoI2rA/s320/Maryland%20Buzz.png" width="320" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Familiar face Buzz Williams brings his new-look Maryland to Milwaukee</i></span></b></div></b><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Photo by Matt Hinton | AP Photo</i></span></b></p><p><b>State of the Program</b></p><p>Coming off a top-10 finish in kenpom and both the AP and Coaches polls, as well as the program's first Sweet 16 since 2016, it would seem like Maryland should be in a great place. Instead, the bizarre Kevin Willard saga left the fanbase perplexed. It started with rumors that Villanova was interested in hiring Willard, then a public back and forth about a contract extension and Willard's complaints about the state of Maryland's NIL and "fundamental changes" he felt were necessary stirred the pot. All this occurred as Maryland soundly beat Grand Canyon then got a Derik Queen buzzer-beater to secure a berth in the Sweet 16. Instead of a clear focus on the next game, Willard was non-committedly answering questions about his future. They lost to Florida and within a few days, he took the Villanova job.</p><p>Enter Buzz Williams, who can now check off "Big 10" from his coaching bingo card that includes the Big East, ACC, and SEC. If he can maneuver to a Big 12 job to complete high-major bingo he'll get a free value meal from McDonald's. Williams has been an adaptive high-floor coach who has found success everywhere he worked, but he doesn't stay anywhere long enough to give his programs a high ceiling. He should establish Maryland as a top-half Big 10 team that is routinely competing for NCAA bids, but won't likely stick around long enough to get them back to the heights Gary Williams achieved from 1994-2004 (National Title, Final Four, 5 Sweet 16s).<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioPAqboCkxotbLi01CafSWuMu6KGzISBhCJKguqj4L1hWfG9bzMbU14zCcgisfzZQnnuRYtqzXyaG00n-COLmPUqiUcqj_Z8WhznYSHU8m3wPQWF9vaCeQwBAcZ5dBPhKT08g5u-THiY5IJ8GpJpXNa1ioeXx8q6bUOSUvtGaTyz5uMVtKUgYnpw/s629/Maryland%20roster.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="629" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioPAqboCkxotbLi01CafSWuMu6KGzISBhCJKguqj4L1hWfG9bzMbU14zCcgisfzZQnnuRYtqzXyaG00n-COLmPUqiUcqj_Z8WhznYSHU8m3wPQWF9vaCeQwBAcZ5dBPhKT08g5u-THiY5IJ8GpJpXNa1ioeXx8q6bUOSUvtGaTyz5uMVtKUgYnpw/w400-h131/Maryland%20roster.png" width="400" /></a></div><p><b>Rotation</b></p><p></p><p>Williams hit the transfer portal hard, starting with Indiana guard Myles Rice. Rice was a breakout star for Washington State's 2024 NCAA Tournament team, but his efficiency and shot creation fell off at Indiana as his turnover rate went up. His shooting tendencies are similar to Buzz's last lead scoring guard, Wade Taylor, in that Rice will shoot from anywhere, including midrange, and is more of a volume shooter than an efficient scorer. He'll put up numbers, but not likely in the most efficient way. Darius Adams is a four-star recruit who joins him in the back court. Adams is regarded as a quality shooter with solid size and defensive acumen. He'll likely start, but if he isn't ready both David Coit and Isaiah Watts provide options. Solomon Washington is one of two Texas A&amp;M transfers to come with Buzz. He's an elite offensive rebounder and shot blocker but isn't terribly efficient at the rim or on the perimeter. Elijah Saunders joins from Virginia and after spending time there and at San Diego State, his pack line background should fit nicely with what Williams wants to do. Saunders is a good rebounder and switchable defender, but can struggle to score. The most likely star is another Texas A&amp;M transfer, big man Pharrell Payne. He's a monster on the offensive glass and is an elite rim scorer, taking 69.7% of his shots at the rim and converting 66.7% of them. Off the bench, the man to watch is Kansas transfer Rakease Passmore. He didn't pan out in Lawrence but has a reputation as a tough, physical defender who uses his body well.<br /></p><p><b>Style of Play</b></p><p>Historically, Buzz has adapted his tactics to his roster. At Marquette, he flipped from an up-tempo attack with the Three Amigos to a slow-paced grind and make threes offense with Lazar and the Midgets. Every year the pace and tactics seemed to shift a little bit to take advantage of his roster's strengths. Since leaving, he's had two clear eras. At Virginia Tech, he prioritized shooting, filling his rosters with guys capable of taking and making a ton of shots from the arc. At Texas A&amp;M, his teams couldn't shoot a lick (sub-240 3PFG% all six years) but pounded the offensive glass (top-5 OR% each of the past three years). Offensively, this team seems to be built in the Texas A&amp;M mold.</p><p>It's hard to put in perspective how offensively efficient Williams' teams have been despite being truly awful at shooting the basketball. In the past three years, there have been 342 teams to finish the year ranked #250 or worse in eFG%. Of those 342 teams, just 3 of those terrible shooting teams have finished the season with top-75 of overall offensive efficiency. Those teams were 2023 Texas A&amp;M (#34), 2024 Texas A&amp;M (#26), and 2025 Texas A&amp;M (#42). Buzz is doing something no one else in the country is able to do. Expect Rice and Adams to initiate the offense and they'll likely be allowed to chuck shots. They create space with ball screens, and both Washington and Payne are devastating screen setters. When the shooters miss, Washington, Saunders, and Payne will hit the glass to get second chance looks. The Aggies were in the 100th percentile of rebound &amp; scramble plays each of the past two years according to Hoop-Explorer and this roster sure looks like it plans to continue that trend. They won't score with efficient shooting, but the sheer physicality of their offensive rebounders to earn second chances and get to the free throw line will lead to high offensive efficiency regardless.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYMRM63esQovhQVks_BwIlnUigfo1xkrXrq8AHYNGr4JpKkVYN1_OlpbReMEuEF6PceEGh8XGZQT6NFDjwSE0vPBFPxVfIW_XfVqsUGtqNYODUhgr2TS80lcvlMQBwa6QVqgD8si37_eKw9L4pvqIZfjeeLe8c2GDqET527i4mPBpdmIm0NB3hg/s474/Maryland%20shot%20chart.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="474" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYMRM63esQovhQVks_BwIlnUigfo1xkrXrq8AHYNGr4JpKkVYN1_OlpbReMEuEF6PceEGh8XGZQT6NFDjwSE0vPBFPxVfIW_XfVqsUGtqNYODUhgr2TS80lcvlMQBwa6QVqgD8si37_eKw9L4pvqIZfjeeLe8c2GDqET527i4mPBpdmIm0NB3hg/s320/Maryland%20shot%20chart.png" width="320" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Texas A&amp;M's shot chart was hideous, but offensive rebounds still led to the #42 offense</span></i></b></div></b><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Shot chart from CBBAnalytics.com</span></i></b></p><p>On defense, Maryland will likely adapt Buzz's Seattle 3 defense. When he arrived at Texas A&amp;M, he brought with him a matchup zone that sought to double-team ball-handlers and collapse inside to give backside help to rim protectors. Teams started to exploit that because they left corner threes open. The new system uses fewer double-teams but still collapses the paint to provide help defense on dribble drives. Buzz's defenders are now aggressive attacking closeouts and the interior defenders are schooled to read shots so they know where the ball is most likely to come off to limit offensive rebounds.</p><p><b>2025-26 Outlook</b></p><p>This team is going to be very difficult to prepare for and to play against. Few teams play with as much energy and physical abandon as Buzz's teams do. However with so many players new to the system, it will likely take time before they really gel. I can see Rice and Adams developing into a Wade Taylor/Zhuric Phelps type combo, and the offensive rebounding is already there. However counting on second chance scoring is a dicey proposition because eventually the defense will get a rebound, and a unique defense that blends multiple concepts will take time to institute. I'm expecting this to be a NCAA Tournament team, but don't be surprised if it isn't until late January or February that they really hit their stride. It will be an emotional game at Fiserv and I expect Marquette's fans to propel the team to a win over a less cohesive Terps squad.</p><p><b>Marquette Connection</b></p><p>"<a href="https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/one-one-buzz-williams-133300832--ncaab.html"><i>I'll be here as long as they'll have me</i>.</a>" Buzz Williams said that to Jason King of Yahoo! Sports in 2010. When he left four years later, many fans felt like Buzz was going back on his word. But in retrospect, while the on-court results (Sweet 16 in 2011 and 2012, Big East regular season title and Elite 8 in 2013) earned him the ability to keep coming back, what happened off the court sullied the positives of Buzz's Marquette tenure.</p><p>There were signs of trouble early on, such as when Marquette recruit <a href="https://marquettewire.org/3753073/tribune/tribune-sports/mens-basketball-recruit-charged-with-sexual-assault/">Monterale Clark was charged</a> with sexual assault. Clark never signed a Letter of Intent or arrived on campus, but his character was certainly revealed. There was also the <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger/did-marquette-put-winning-ethics-cutting-d-j.html">recruitment of D.J. Newbill</a>, which for years <a href="https://delgrecowilson.com/2023/03/17/djs-revenge-penn-state-beat-da-shit-down-buzz-williams-legs/">spoiled Marquette's reputation in Philly</a> and to this day has prevented Williams from recruiting a single player from Philadelphia. It continued with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.espn.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/29991/dont-call-vander-blue-uncreative-names">Vander Orange incident</a>, which resulted in battery charges that didn't help ingratiate Williams' players to the Marquette community. The most notorious incident was when Marquette students were allegedly raped by basketball players on Williams' team, as detailed in a <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/2011/06/21/cases-shed-light-on-lapses-in-sexual-assault-reporting-at-marquette-2/">Chicago Tribune cover story</a>. There was the time half the team got in a fight at Club 720 and <a href="http://espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/7784847/six-marquette-golden-eagles-players-were-fight-club-police-report-says">cited for underage drinking</a>. There were a spate of suspensions, including the bizarre time <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/7613229/marquette-golden-eagles-suspend-four-half-game-west-virginia-mountaineers">Marquette suspended three players for the first half and one for the second half</a> against West Virginia so they would still have enough players to field a team. Assistant <a href="https://marquettewire.org/3814231/tribune/tribune-sports/scott-monarch-dismissed-from-mens-basketball-coaching-staff/">Scott Monarch was fired</a> and Williams himself was <a href="https://gomarquette.com/news/2012/8/24/University_Reports_Violations_In_Men_s_Basketball_To_NCAA">suspended for recruiting violations</a> on his watch.</p><p>Amidst all this, Athletic Director <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-sports/news/story?id=6723894">Steve Cottingham resigned</a>&nbsp;over the sexual assault allegations. A rumored power struggle between Williams and administration ended with the <a href="https://marquettewire.org/3843114/republican-national-convention/pilarz-2/">resignation of President Rev. Scott Pilarz</a> at the start of the 2013-14 school year and the <a href="https://www.anonymouseagle.com/2013/12/14/5209696/marquette-athletic-director-vice-president-larry-williams-resigns-departs-quits-steps-down">departure of a second Athletic Director Larry Williams</a> before Christmas of that same year. Maybe both were just ready to be done with the President/Athletic Director portions of their respective lives, but as Pilarz later returned to be <a href="https://news.scranton.edu/articles/2017/07/Trustee-Pilarz2017.shtml">President at University of Scranton</a> and Larry Williams went on to be <a href="https://gozips.com/sports/2017/5/25/athletics-staffdirectory-Williams-Larry">Athletic Director at Akron</a>, that rationale would seem flimsy at best.</p><p>Ultimately, Buzz left Marquette for Virginia Tech in 2014. The belief at the time was that he was the one that wanted to go to Blacksburg, and suddenly "<i>I'll be here as long as they'll have me</i>" felt hollow. But after the recruiting scandals, the coach and player suspensions, the sexual assault allegations, the fights, and the multiple resignations, maybe Marquette had simply had enough. No one would argue Buzz was fired by Marquette. He wasn't. But they sure didn't put up much of a fight to keep him.</p></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/8361777107613867958/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/8361777107613867958?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/8361777107613867958'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/8361777107613867958'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/09/maryland-preview-2025-26.html' title='Maryland Preview, 2025-26'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqYiKUodUCvNWXgdnEYu0rPgrFgNCgBC2oaTxiVQ3-Jg25WjFFaJ2uOX-OFRtEEgH_vjc9YqSJrxwm1eg5ejd7DbF96Mr89Fxfo5NF_uOA8u4ZxeHN9-8K1CVlFeyGcA3nnjDlTJHxkz0cgGrG-gLnYBcg5AX1inCu2kN36HoMnH_ykGDWoI2rA/s72-c/Maryland%20Buzz.png" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-5669382246382099166</id><published>2025-09-25T08:24:00.003-05:00</published><updated>2025-11-04T16:54:55.079-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Southern Preview, 2025-26</title><content type='html'><p><b>Southern Jaguars</b></p><p>November 5th, 2025 at Fiserv Forum<br /></p><p><b>Head Coach:&nbsp;</b>Kevin Johnson (102-124 overall, 37-24 at Southern)</p><p><b>Three-Year NET Average:</b>&nbsp;251.7</p><p><b>Three-Year kenpom Average:</b>&nbsp;257.3</p><p><b>Projected 2025-26 T-Rank: </b>169</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDT6Ml1bjnUl9j2sOq2m9AWfiiTtSRkcuYL9mngJIAL0oIrsEYKiOmh6C8yrwyjAQw-JjIeAND1k8KCYlWyCCH7YEKN-oR4ugSUmOQ9uvBIPrLnvjg_UAspA5eb_DJPzyBArWg_GMCkkbQlwiapQxUXa1g1IiXP1ExaAOTWs5jzS37Bn4UEMO2g/s513/Southern%20Johnson.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="359" data-original-width="513" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDT6Ml1bjnUl9j2sOq2m9AWfiiTtSRkcuYL9mngJIAL0oIrsEYKiOmh6C8yrwyjAQw-JjIeAND1k8KCYlWyCCH7YEKN-oR4ugSUmOQ9uvBIPrLnvjg_UAspA5eb_DJPzyBArWg_GMCkkbQlwiapQxUXa1g1IiXP1ExaAOTWs5jzS37Bn4UEMO2g/s320/Southern%20Johnson.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Michael Johnson &amp; Southern target a second straight SWAC regular season title</span></i></b></div></b><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo from gojagsports.com</span></i></b></p><p><b>State of the Program</b></p><p>Kevin Johnson led Southern to their second straight winning season, the first time they've posted winning records in consecutive years since 2012-16 under Roman Banks. The Jaguars also won the SWAC regular season title. Perhaps most impressive, Johnson returns 6 rotation players and a redshirt freshman. In the transfer era, Southern's combination of success and retention jumps off the page. This will be one of the top programs in the SWAC once again.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKM9eFBOvyBCVcZUADm7DM2AzCzwP-e-Gogi87mleDjof038rjtfDaG8QQGsRBPwTt3NtN5WH53kneBFbU75Tlb-2ttMSjyMsR8ZSqncJVkzGTXWTvhGojzKLomulnblUTIv8ZG_6yXMfWSkDhQy6aKQEGmDym0hPTsCGGmOO1G_rddsmQmp_g4A/s600/Southern%20Roster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="205" data-original-width="600" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKM9eFBOvyBCVcZUADm7DM2AzCzwP-e-Gogi87mleDjof038rjtfDaG8QQGsRBPwTt3NtN5WH53kneBFbU75Tlb-2ttMSjyMsR8ZSqncJVkzGTXWTvhGojzKLomulnblUTIv8ZG_6yXMfWSkDhQy6aKQEGmDym0hPTsCGGmOO1G_rddsmQmp_g4A/w400-h136/Southern%20Roster.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><b>Rotation</b></p><p>Southern has a loaded and experienced back court. Michael Jacobs, Cam Amboree, and Joe Manning all have starting experience and are skilled distributors, allowing them to put 2-3 point guards on the floor at a time. Jacobs is a downhill player who excels at getting to the line while both Amboree and Manning are perimeter threats. Defensively, all three also excel creating turnovers. DeMariee Jones and Delang Muon are both high efficiency offensive rebounders who excel at the putback. Defensively, both are capable shot blockers. How much they play together will likely be determined by whether or not either can develop an outside shot. UMass transfer Malek Abdelgowad will be counted on to anchor the defense. In limited minutes, he was an elite defensive rebounder, though his offensive efficiency leaves much to be desired. The bench has shooting, rebounding, and size. Johnson's squad is deep and talented.</p><p><b>Style of Play</b></p><p>While they ranked 3rd in SWAC play, offense is not the Jaguars' strong suit. They play a physical style predicated on getting to the line, and when that fails, scoring second chance points on offensive rebounds. They like to get out in transition and get to the rim off direct drives and through pick &amp; roll cuts. Expect some offensive improvement this year. Development in the system, the addition of a three-point threat in D2 transfer Rondae Hill, and the team's best interior scorer in Delang Muon back from injury all should help. The biggest question might be turnovers. Southern had four rotation players with 20+% turnover rates and three of them departed. If the Jaguars can protect the ball better and their guard depth creates looks for each other, there's room for offensive improvement.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1KAhWHKEbSdG2LZ33sLzH-yIMO8jOhuYcauG8VhEA5BOnMnWDYxkyjZwq99CIJcifoMBC20pnr8GCbTdSH4eEn7roCj9v9xJ_aDCzTL5vgOs1CO5TeJFOFX_AejvUoGUezeNbQAsPrJip7xJBTznvbSZCw-FnV3O4P3Qm7lQggl-a-hOuPW2LhQ/s473/Southern%20D%20Chart.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="471" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1KAhWHKEbSdG2LZ33sLzH-yIMO8jOhuYcauG8VhEA5BOnMnWDYxkyjZwq99CIJcifoMBC20pnr8GCbTdSH4eEn7roCj9v9xJ_aDCzTL5vgOs1CO5TeJFOFX_AejvUoGUezeNbQAsPrJip7xJBTznvbSZCw-FnV3O4P3Qm7lQggl-a-hOuPW2LhQ/s320/Southern%20D%20Chart.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Southern's physical interior defense is tough to score on</span></i></b></p><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Shot chart from CBBAnalytics.com</span></i></b></div></b><p></p><p>Defense is where the Jaguars are strong and it's predicated on physicality. Johnson runs a rotation that goes 10-12 deep and attacks relentlessly. That attacking style led to a top-20 turnover rate and top-110 ranks in defensive eFG%, defensive rebound rate, and block rate. Opponents have also been top-20 in points scored from the free throw line each of the past two years and five Jaguars averaged more than 5 fouls/40 minutes last year. They will throw bodies out and punish opponents with little regard for the consequences.&nbsp;</p><p><b>2025-26 Outlook</b></p><p>In the past eleven years, just two SWAC teams have finished in the T-Rank top-200 (#197 Texas Southern in 2022, #178 Grambling in 2023). Starting this year, Jackson State, Bethune-Cookman, and Southern are all projected in the top-200. This will be one of the strongest SWACs in years and Southern will be one of the top contenders. While they're likely to be a Quadrant 4 opponent on the resume, it's possible they could be the first SWAC team to crack the NET top-160 and land in Quadrant 3. Even with their success last year, Southern went just 5-8 in non-conference play against the 11th toughest schedule in the country. Expect a win for Marquette but a solid buy game on the resume come March.</p><p><b><i>What We've Learned</i></b></p><p><i>Southern played one game against Arkansas, losing a 109-77 contest. Four of the five starters were accurately projected, but Delang Muon did not play. Guard Fazl Oshodi picked up most of the extra minutes, but Southern ran a deep lineup with nine players getting 10+ minutes. Defensively, the Jaguars were primarily in man, though did mix in a 2-3 zone at times. The Jaguars had 12 turnovers, 10 of which were live-ball steals by the Razorbacks. Southern was also poor in their transition defense when Arkansas got out and running. Per Synergy, the Jaguars gave up 27 transition possessions with just 10 live-ball turnovers and Arkansas scored 1.407 ppp on those possessions (that would've been 100th percentile last year). Offensively, hot three point shooting (44.4%) made the final score line more respectable but Arkansas was in control end to end.&nbsp;</i></p><p><b>Marquette Connection</b></p><p>Kevin Johnson has only been in charge of Southern for two years, but this won't be his first time coaching against Marquette. His first head coaching job was at Centenary. On December 1, 2000, he brought the Gentlemen to Milwaukee to take on Tom Crean and Marquette. The Golden Eagles scored the first 18 points of the game and Cordell Henry led the way with 17 points in a 66-47 victory. Despite the early run, it was a closer contest than the final score indicated. Centenary made an early push in the second half to close the score to 30-28, and trailed 56-47 before a 10-0 Marquette run to end the game.</p></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/5669382246382099166/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/5669382246382099166?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/5669382246382099166'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/5669382246382099166'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/09/southern-preview-2025-26.html' title='Southern Preview, 2025-26'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDT6Ml1bjnUl9j2sOq2m9AWfiiTtSRkcuYL9mngJIAL0oIrsEYKiOmh6C8yrwyjAQw-JjIeAND1k8KCYlWyCCH7YEKN-oR4ugSUmOQ9uvBIPrLnvjg_UAspA5eb_DJPzyBArWg_GMCkkbQlwiapQxUXa1g1IiXP1ExaAOTWs5jzS37Bn4UEMO2g/s72-c/Southern%20Johnson.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-5804500713443405658</id><published>2025-09-24T07:23:00.003-05:00</published><updated>2025-10-02T09:14:24.967-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Indiana Preview, 2025-26</title><content type='html'><p><b>Indiana Hoosiers<br /></b></p><p>November 9th, 2025 at United Center in Chicago, IL<br /></p><p><b>Head Coach:&nbsp;</b>Darian DeVries (169-68 overall, 0-0 at Indiana)</p><p><b>Three-Year NET Average:</b>&nbsp;60.0</p><p><b>Three-Year kenpom Average:</b>&nbsp;55.3</p><p><b>Projected 2025-26 T-Rank:&nbsp;</b>42</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbmGclOtSX-LKKlHgRZdYk-k0Tf7Np5FhW-Df17wMTPgX3NFeL6yj8_ID9wstQrl1A6VQUjJlZOm_xMLcr2Qyw9G4KtEJjP4CeFRfVMsVARde0DygqeHSfzYIZT1ivgWjLCjJ6LF5GCnlF0_tYC20Py1_aAJnOQ8wakoJ_9zggivPxHc7gfvME6A/s761/Indiana%20DeVries.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="761" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbmGclOtSX-LKKlHgRZdYk-k0Tf7Np5FhW-Df17wMTPgX3NFeL6yj8_ID9wstQrl1A6VQUjJlZOm_xMLcr2Qyw9G4KtEJjP4CeFRfVMsVARde0DygqeHSfzYIZT1ivgWjLCjJ6LF5GCnlF0_tYC20Py1_aAJnOQ8wakoJ_9zggivPxHc7gfvME6A/s320/Indiana%20DeVries.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Darian DeVries introduced as Indiana's new head coach</span></i></b></div></b><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo from the Herald-Times</span></i></b></p><p><b>State of the Program</b></p><p>If the state of Indiana's program was healthy, Darian DeVries wouldn't be here. Mike Woodson underperformed kenpom projections all four years during his IU tenure and missed the NCAA Tournament each of the past two years. For a program that still views itself as a blue blood, that just wasn't good enough. DeVries is well regarded after winning 20+ games in each of his six years at Drake, amassing a stellar 150-55 record before going to West Virginia for one season. His Mountaineers went 19-13, narrowly missing the NCAA Tournament in what was arguably&nbsp;<a href="https://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/03/cracketology-bracket-brokedown.html">the biggest Selection Committee snub in NCAA history</a>. While IU also had a strong case for being in, Woodson's fate had already been decided and DeVries being available early due to WVU being unjustly left out made for a quick early marriage. Thanks to that move and a busy transfer window, there is once again optimism in Bloomington.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTQmHnOefY6sM2pNKee29Z3w1vsjb_uMh5nv8so8eukvUIoS_r4nmKhOG7nSGK_8DgILVx7Dzd_GCZUcy1rGzsVV5XJd5K-XiX1yNsythe12HCd3FWBwSB9Fg3PZw-XOKesetqSjS-oPzOCQwaw_GMafXNcvQnodDnf_J1iwGkJ67ri9oBYRRZew/s590/Indiana%20Roster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="590" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTQmHnOefY6sM2pNKee29Z3w1vsjb_uMh5nv8so8eukvUIoS_r4nmKhOG7nSGK_8DgILVx7Dzd_GCZUcy1rGzsVV5XJd5K-XiX1yNsythe12HCd3FWBwSB9Fg3PZw-XOKesetqSjS-oPzOCQwaw_GMafXNcvQnodDnf_J1iwGkJ67ri9oBYRRZew/w400-h140/Indiana%20Roster.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><b>Rotation</b></p><p>If you look up "mid-major all-star team" in a basketball dictionary, there would be a picture of this Indiana squad next to it. PG Tayton Conerway was the Sun Belt Player of the Year. He's an excellent distributor who is great at getting to the rim. According to EvanMiya.com, he's actually better defensively than offensively, ranking in the 99th percentile of all defenders last year and boasting the 3rd best steal rate in the nation. He's joined by Conference USA first-teamer Lamar Wilkerson in the back court. He's a weapon beyond the arc and solid secondary ball-handler, though historically his efficiency falls off against better competition. Jasai Miles was an ASUN third-team performer for North Florida who will likely have the most competition for his spot. He was a productive scorer and rebounder but will probably be a fifth option in this system. Tucker DeVries joins his father from West Virginia, but made his name at Drake where he was Freshman of the Year, two-time MVC Player of the Year, and two-time MVC Tournament MVP. Along with Conerway, he'll be expected to star for this team. He is a threat to score from anywhere on the floor, can create for himself and others, mixes it up on the glass, and can hold his own on the defensive end. He still has to show he can perform reliably at the high-major level but if his Drake levels of success translate he's an All-American candidate. Reed Bailey was a first-team Atlantic-10 player for Davidson where he was a volume scorer, but not hyper-efficient. His passing is probably his best attribute, as he's only average on the glass and is a poor interior scorer despite his height. While he shot well from three last year, his 41.5% conversion rate was on 1.3 attempts/game and he was a career 24.1% from deep coming into last year so I'm not convinced he can replicate that. Off the bench, Conor Enright (Drake with DeVries), Nick Dorn (Elon), Sam Alexis (Chattanooga), and Josh Harris (North Florida) all made their names at the mid-major level, even if they had high-major stops before arriving at IU. Expect Alexis' defensive intensity to push Bailey for the starting job in the middle, while Harris feels most likely to break through to the starting lineup given a potential freshman to sophomore year jump.</p><p><b>Style of Play</b></p><p>This will be DeVries' third job in as many years, so it's hard to gauge exactly what this team will look like. Based on his history, we can make some educated guesses. These aren't teams that drive to the rim looking to score. When they drive, it is either to kick the ball out to a shooter or to find a cutter. They take a lot of midrange, partially highlighted by Tucker DeVries' success at that level, but it persisted last year at WVU even though they were objectively bad at those shots. From the drive and kick, cut frequency, inside out, and pick and pop action frequency, expect a lot of ball movement. They are patient working for shots, only once in the last six years ranking in the top-200 in offensive possession length. I think what could snakebite this offense is taking bad shots. DeVries, Wilkerson, Bailey, and Harris all take midrange shots at a much higher rate than the norm, and Coach DeVries seems to encourage those shots. When you simply have more talent, like Drake often did in the MVC, it can still result in efficient offense (average 63.5 offensive rank from 2021-24), but when you are playing teams with comparable talent, like last year's West Virginia (#134 offensive rank in 2025), the scheme doesn't look as impressive.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3w5oENbG6hHPG8OOrwIFpHwKxru7NhQxxeaTRy1IQ5jT4_Qz-IqBJlE_ue6_f8DZDIkVHDrIJIlhyD4ndZlANAFDFv-9xwekCcMjJf_k0eojiJGrUPXU1S2ejOLRAZmD5QLz0sPVytS7nKkdvkbEuNQP8vG_mL4xhKuDyFEp2WZpssRYS6vHwKg/s1918/Indiana%20DV.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1714" data-original-width="1918" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3w5oENbG6hHPG8OOrwIFpHwKxru7NhQxxeaTRy1IQ5jT4_Qz-IqBJlE_ue6_f8DZDIkVHDrIJIlhyD4ndZlANAFDFv-9xwekCcMjJf_k0eojiJGrUPXU1S2ejOLRAZmD5QLz0sPVytS7nKkdvkbEuNQP8vG_mL4xhKuDyFEp2WZpssRYS6vHwKg/s320/Indiana%20DV.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Team Analyses from Hoop-Explorer.com</span></i></b><br /><br /></div><p>Defensively, Coach DeVries is a floor raiser. In the kenpom era, Drake has finished in the top-115 of defensive efficiency five times, with four of those being under DeVries. At WVU, he took them from #178 in 2024 to #15 in 2025. They play rigid man-to-man defense, limit second shots, and use their length to limit easy looks off the catch so offenses have to go one-on-one against them. Coach DeVries should also benefit from having both an elite defensive spearhead in Conerway and competent defenders like DeVries, Dorn, and Alexis. The problem is that aside from Conerway and DeVries, the best offensive players and best defensive players are not the same people, which will lead to a need to mix and match lineups. In addition, while West Virginia had a tremendous overall improvement, some of that can be chalked up to luck. Historically, three-point percentage defense is rarely something that aligns with particular programs (outside of Houston). The Mountaineers ranked #8 in 3PFG% defense last year at just 29.7%. That's the best mark of Coach DeVries' career, ranging from ranking #16 to #330 with an average rank of #116. His 3PFG% defense is a complete scatter plot. That coupled with uncharacteristically good rim protection leads me to believe Indiana's defense won't be as good as West Virginia's was a year ago.&nbsp;</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUtJq7fPZflmbjnwJiVYG-5a6_VLlRacY6IKPCqz1hfrh2IgBZxVfbs5tl-DLjj_Az1sp0p0AXOgnuPwK5L24wbOvN4vGslwVvMG8eG8mCxPzKcfbMgui4-sMgPjbIjxv5YXU_c37yG6zD34LGs8zCHGXb9WGXnAxYQOk6siStq_egEzZ1ofQEw/s458/3DeVries.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="271" data-original-width="458" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUtJq7fPZflmbjnwJiVYG-5a6_VLlRacY6IKPCqz1hfrh2IgBZxVfbs5tl-DLjj_Az1sp0p0AXOgnuPwK5L24wbOvN4vGslwVvMG8eG8mCxPzKcfbMgui4-sMgPjbIjxv5YXU_c37yG6zD34LGs8zCHGXb9WGXnAxYQOk6siStq_egEzZ1ofQEw/s320/3DeVries.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><b>2025-26 Outlook</b></p><p>This team feels very hard to evaluate for 2025-26. There's no one returning and while there are some monster performers from lower levels, expecting all these guys to translate up successfully seems like a big ask. Last year's West Virginia team that was snubbed was still deservedly on the bubble with most of their rotation players starting their careers at other high majors. This roster isn't that. I suspect this team will take longer to gel. The early successes WVU had last year came because Javon Small and Tucker DeVries had All-American level performances early on coupled with their high-major talent playing their roles. This feels like a longer build. Indiana will likely end up around the bubble like West Virginia a year ago, and while they have the ability to get on the right side of that bubble, Marquette's experience should give them an advantage in the first week of the season.</p><p><b>Marquette Connection</b></p><p>#7 Marquette came into Chicago as -13.5 point favorites over DePaul on January 14, 2025. Marquette built an early 21-10 lead before DePaul surged back to take a 40-39 halftime lead. At the center of that was Conor Enright. The now-Indiana guard dished out 11 assists on the night. 7 of his 11 points came in the final 1:42 of regulation, including a game-tying layup that forced overtime with 3 seconds to play as Ben Gold goaltended the shot. In overtime, Enright did his best to keep DePaul in it, including assisting on two Isaiah Rivera threes in the final 13 seconds (part of a 12 points in 43 second explosion from Rivera) but it wasn't quite enough as Marquette escaped with the 85-83 victory.</p></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/5804500713443405658/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/5804500713443405658?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/5804500713443405658'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/5804500713443405658'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/09/indiana-preview-2025-26.html' title='Indiana Preview, 2025-26'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbmGclOtSX-LKKlHgRZdYk-k0Tf7Np5FhW-Df17wMTPgX3NFeL6yj8_ID9wstQrl1A6VQUjJlZOm_xMLcr2Qyw9G4KtEJjP4CeFRfVMsVARde0DygqeHSfzYIZT1ivgWjLCjJ6LF5GCnlF0_tYC20Py1_aAJnOQ8wakoJ_9zggivPxHc7gfvME6A/s72-c/Indiana%20DeVries.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-7089722710028520879</id><published>2025-09-23T07:19:00.001-05:00</published><updated>2025-10-02T09:14:11.972-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Little Rock Preview, 2025-26</title><content type='html'><p><b>Little Rock Trojans<br /></b></p><p>November 12th, 2025 at Fiserv Forum<br /></p><p><b>Head Coach:&nbsp;</b>Darrell Walker (101-113 at Little Rock)</p><p><b>Three-Year NET Average:</b>&nbsp;245.0</p><p><b>Three-Year kenpom Average:</b>&nbsp;246.7</p><p><b>Projected 2025-26 T-Rank:&nbsp;</b>142</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbeZIvWKrVnY9FgAmwqBpwJxodvm6BfEFxOKZYrDO8hAoAEdcsazQ7KQ3o2z7kvX7LDaFCdC41GXQ2bQq50fFCSQWDPLpy62vtamysK8uprXufp-DzP7O7zs6qbbrgtZByfjZFxlONCiPIwSstpbBOs2oN2oC7bxUGGbvaktjKdGqRRWwvhV35w/s540/LR%20Lawson.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="540" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbeZIvWKrVnY9FgAmwqBpwJxodvm6BfEFxOKZYrDO8hAoAEdcsazQ7KQ3o2z7kvX7LDaFCdC41GXQ2bQq50fFCSQWDPLpy62vtamysK8uprXufp-DzP7O7zs6qbbrgtZByfjZFxlONCiPIwSstpbBOs2oN2oC7bxUGGbvaktjKdGqRRWwvhV35w/s320/LR%20Lawson.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Johnathan Lawson returns after leading Little Rock in scoring and assists</span></b></div></b><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo from lrtrojans.com</span></b></p><p><b>State of the Program</b></p><p>Little Rock is poised to have their best season since Chris Beard caught lightning in a bottle in 2016. They return two starters, including likely OVC preseason Player of the Year Johnathan Lawson. The Trojans were in the driver's seat for the regular season title. Tied at 10-4 in the league, they hosted SEMO in the first of a four-game home stand. They lost that pivotal game and four of their last six to finish tied for third in the league. Little Rock's lowest points lined up with starting point guard Isaiah Lewis' struggles, as the Trojans went 2-8 in games he was sub-70 in offensive rating. Now they welcome back K.K. Robinson, who sat out the 2024-25 season but was a first-team all-OVC player in 2023-24. They have a loaded roster with legitimate star talent at multiple positions.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7rJzhq1775zcTRrbjbQvqoeYCCRSMZVgdkYlFJW5XKarxgIVYr4rEgYYW2tyHKdbUelTxBj7UAe71WVOIMCrUsvMmKe7HdesMUGR9JZO8O3pewkvHPw76HFTKPobdBghpOa7FPA6kMgAemFF3dWxjnIlPl3uVTvyldngHgSray81doBd0G4q18g/s637/LR%20Roster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="204" data-original-width="637" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7rJzhq1775zcTRrbjbQvqoeYCCRSMZVgdkYlFJW5XKarxgIVYr4rEgYYW2tyHKdbUelTxBj7UAe71WVOIMCrUsvMmKe7HdesMUGR9JZO8O3pewkvHPw76HFTKPobdBghpOa7FPA6kMgAemFF3dWxjnIlPl3uVTvyldngHgSray81doBd0G4q18g/w400-h127/LR%20Roster.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Rotation</b></p><p>The aforementioned Robinson is a three-level scorer who can create for himself and others while not shying away from contact. He's joined in the back court by Braxton Bayless, who has spent much of his time on the ball at Western Kentucky and Niagara but seems better suited to be a finisher than a creator. Lawson started his career as a role-player at Memphis, transferred and failed to break through at Creighton, and finally made his mark at Little Rock. Lawson was first-team all-OVC and effectively served as point forward for the Trojans. Also returning is OVC Defensive Player of the Year Tuongthach Gatkek, who was top-10 in the OVC in steal and block rates. Manning the middle is Penn State transfer Kachi Nzeh, who was a high-efficiency reserve at the high-major level but the staff likely hopes pans out as well as Lawson did translating down. A pair of JUCO sharpshooters, Khasen Robinson (K.K.'s brother) and Cameron Wallace, will provide bench scoring, while Caleb Pennyfeather gives an experienced big man reserve. The wildcard may be freshman forward Terrion Burgess. He was a five-star recruit according to 247 in June 2023 and earned offers from Auburn, Alabama, and Arkansas, among other high-major programs. He was a first-team all-state player in Arkansas, but his stock dropped and he finished his high school career as a three-star recruit, which likely led him to Little Rock rather than the SEC. He won't need to make an impact this year, but if he does pop, he has the talent and athleticism to be a difference maker in the OVC.</p><p><b>Style of Play</b></p><p>Despite adding Lawson, Little Rock fell from #165 to #305 in offensive efficiency from 2024 to 2025. This was the result of two things. First, the turnover rate dropped from #206 to #340 and the 2PFG% plummeted from #71 to #312. In both seasons, Little Rock did their best work at the rim, but they did so in different ways. The 2024 team was able to score anywhere inside the arc, to the point that even though they didn't shoot as well from three they were a better eFG% team as they were both higher volume and more efficient on drives to the rim, drive and kick, midrange shots, perimeter cuts, second chance points, and in transition. While Robinson may not deserve credit for all of that, it led to a simplified offense that ran through the bigs in 2025. It was the bigs cutting to the rim instead of the wings, it was post up plays that only worked when they got very deep position, and inside out plays where the bigs initiated the perimeter attack. Expect a turn back for the Trojans. Lawson and Bayless are better supporting ball-handlers and creators than anyone Robinson ran with before, and Robinson's own creativity will set his teammates up better as well. Expect fluid ball movement, three level scoring (admittedly with more midrange than is probably healthy), and a return to the pick &amp; roll success they had with Robinson.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-29CE4qiQC5g6qGT_MgjzEeEmN6WimzBrQVRLWBEI2q5lKlpkSVwbinZgSup0WngUFuQKLa_P9CuV2M4_qBFEp60EElvvd9pw83IhxIwpDsBwGLRdQAl7VWv4sb-eRUHQk7w8r0YEl0LfvwB98tTnMxw-aIWRP8_03GwUoXvdo7a0u0Z-EbJIQ/s1917/LR%20Charts.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="973" data-original-width="1917" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-29CE4qiQC5g6qGT_MgjzEeEmN6WimzBrQVRLWBEI2q5lKlpkSVwbinZgSup0WngUFuQKLa_P9CuV2M4_qBFEp60EElvvd9pw83IhxIwpDsBwGLRdQAl7VWv4sb-eRUHQk7w8r0YEl0LfvwB98tTnMxw-aIWRP8_03GwUoXvdo7a0u0Z-EbJIQ/w400-h203/LR%20Charts.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Walker pushes an aggressive defense. Last year they ranked #39 in defensive possession length, #20 in eFG% defense, #17 in forced turnover rate, and #3 in block percentage. They speed teams up and at their best use those shortened possessions to generate transition offense. Gatkek was insanely effective. He blocks shots, forces turnovers, is strong on the defensive glass, and per EvanMiya.com his 2.49 DBPR was by far best in the OVC. But he's not alone in terms of quality defense. Lawson and Nzeh provide up front length and rim protection while Robinson and Bayless are both solid defenders that force turnovers. This should once again be one of the top defenses in the OVC.</p><p><b>2025-26 Outlook</b></p><p>While memories of the Wojciechowski era at Marquette aren't always the fondest for Marquette fans, as someone to loves quality scheduling, bringing in Belmont in 2015, Fresno State in 2016, Vermont in 2017, Buffalo in 2018, and North Dakota State in 2019 was awesome. For five straight years, Marquette brought in teams fresh off NCAA Tournament bids and expected to compete for their league titles again. And while only Buffalo was a tourney team the year Marquette hosted them, three of the other four made the NIT, showing they were quality guarantee game opponents.</p><p>While they aren't coming off a NCAA bid I view this Little Rock team in a similar light. In Lawson, Robinson, and Gatkek, they have three of the best players in their league. Those three along with Nzeh began their careers at high-major programs, and along with Burgess give this team a ton of talent that is higher than the general level in their league. Even if this team comes up a little bit short, they could still be a Quadrant 3 game, which is fantastic for any guarantee game, and if they meet or overachieve expectations this could be a top-100 team flirting with Quadrant 2. This is a talented, deep, dangerous team that can actually test high-major competition and could be a team not just making the NCAA Tournament in March, but having a shot of putting a scare into a high seed in the Round of 64.</p><p><b>Marquette Connection</b></p><p>The last time Marquette played Little Rock it was a tight affair. In Tom Crean's second season, it was a late Cordell Henry layup that broke a tie to give Marquette a 48-46 lead with 18 seconds to play. Little Rock got two looks at a tie, with Milwaukee King grad Damion Ninkovic missing two shots in the closing seconds to allow Marquette to escape with the win. And tying this to another November foe, the coach of Little Rock that night was Porter Moser, who will lead Oklahoma against Marquette. "We had a good look," Moser said of Ninkovic's final attempt, "I'll live with Damion taking that shot any time, it was in and out."</p></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/7089722710028520879/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/7089722710028520879?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/7089722710028520879'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/7089722710028520879'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/09/little-rock-preview-2025-26.html' title='Little Rock Preview, 2025-26'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbeZIvWKrVnY9FgAmwqBpwJxodvm6BfEFxOKZYrDO8hAoAEdcsazQ7KQ3o2z7kvX7LDaFCdC41GXQ2bQq50fFCSQWDPLpy62vtamysK8uprXufp-DzP7O7zs6qbbrgtZByfjZFxlONCiPIwSstpbBOs2oN2oC7bxUGGbvaktjKdGqRRWwvhV35w/s72-c/LR%20Lawson.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-2413676736115087561</id><published>2025-09-22T07:52:00.002-05:00</published><updated>2025-10-02T09:13:57.635-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Albany Preview, 2025-26</title><content type='html'><p><b>Albany Great Danes<br /></b></p><p>November 3rd, 2025 at Fiserv Forum<br /></p><p><b>Head Coach:&nbsp;</b>Dwayne Killings (51-76)</p><p><b>Three-Year NET Average:</b>&nbsp;285.0</p><p><b>Three-Year kenpom Average:</b>&nbsp;288.3</p><p><b>Projected 2025-26 T-Rank:&nbsp;</b>318</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMvcKx-DAd0cn0yHlI5-h53wMo6sBaQAPk1NqYX5tkwVT-VpvaxWFbI0lLxHaeX_tPcjKWKszNb7g5mI2fFo3_dDo2dX2kYAjrfueayYhB2Bb2cSBR6dgo1CH26cCyZIiQ6aSZWY2m1to8cItzxHyVG2L3Gd1KGPyxt-7rLuU9mG6aR8WpdGvfag/s902/Albany%20Lindsey.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="902" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMvcKx-DAd0cn0yHlI5-h53wMo6sBaQAPk1NqYX5tkwVT-VpvaxWFbI0lLxHaeX_tPcjKWKszNb7g5mI2fFo3_dDo2dX2kYAjrfueayYhB2Bb2cSBR6dgo1CH26cCyZIiQ6aSZWY2m1to8cItzxHyVG2L3Gd1KGPyxt-7rLuU9mG6aR8WpdGvfag/s320/Albany%20Lindsey.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Amir Lindsey will need to step up from promising freshman to star sophomore</span></i></b></div></b><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo from UAlbanySports.com</span></i></b></p><p><b>State of the Program</b></p><p>2024-25 seemed like a breakthrough year for Dwayne Killings at Albany. His squad finished in the top half of the America East for the first time in four years, had an overall winning record, and reached the semifinals of the America East Tournament before losing to eventual champions Bryant. They also established an identity of winning the turnover battle and attacking the offensive glass. Much of that team was built on experience, and the loss of three senior starters and three junior transfers that started 10+ games each means that six of their top seven rotation players left over the summer.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLDifarPUhn8igAitVL0L1uFmqoLbcPXSSwWnDraqOIjc6UDcpFi_QGF2XjBIW1Ci2hqM6lAVLCMf-2ehl6WNY7ksLZF4fG5C6SxksoPX28rSWMNNDvLsXT9rTbvh7oEUwHG6RZ8eSxmLukEOW-EIpJyNYRR5N_4JhZcglHdmGAO5Re-gGkVbbg/s583/Albany%20Roster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="205" data-original-width="583" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLDifarPUhn8igAitVL0L1uFmqoLbcPXSSwWnDraqOIjc6UDcpFi_QGF2XjBIW1Ci2hqM6lAVLCMf-2ehl6WNY7ksLZF4fG5C6SxksoPX28rSWMNNDvLsXT9rTbvh7oEUwHG6RZ8eSxmLukEOW-EIpJyNYRR5N_4JhZcglHdmGAO5Re-gGkVbbg/w400-h141/Albany%20Roster.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><b>Rotation</b></p><p>Who's back begins and ends with sophomore point guard Amir Lindsey. He is a high-efficiency scorer at all three levels, but will need to improve his distribution as he likely spends more time on the ball. He'll be joined by Fordham transfer Will Richardson, who started the first seven games for the Rams before going down with an injury. He provides Killings with a secondary ball handler that has shown he can deliver in big moments. Richardson led the Rams to a road win at Seton Hall last year. JUCO transfer Jaden Kempson is a downhill guard who excels scoring inside and getting to the free throw line. Up front, Cleveland State transfer Isaac Abidde was a spot starter who does a bit of everything, scoring inside and out, rebounding, blocking shots, and generating turnovers. He's joined by Oklahoma transfer Yaya Keita, who never produced much at the high-major level but they hope will thrive in the America East. On the bench, Albany has experienced players in NIU transfer guard Nasir Muhammad, Rider transfer wing Ife West-Ingram, UMass transfer wing Tarique Foster, and FIU big man transfer Okechukwu Okeke.</p><p><b>Style of Play</b></p><p>Killings has adapted his style yearly to the roster he has. In his first year with a number of holdovers from the old staff, they slowed the pace more and more as the season went on. They've played faster the past three years, with 2024 really standing out as they played at the 6th fastest pace in the country, largely because they had the athleticism and a lead guard in Sebastian Thomas that could go that quick. Offensively, expect a lot of one-on-one play from Albany. This is a team that loves to put their heads down and drive to the rim in isolation. Per Hoop-Explorer, Albany was in the 92nd percentile of rim attack plays but ranked just 350th in the percentage of shots at the rim that were assisted. Richardson and Kempson might help with offensive flow, but the Great Danes have only had two individual players in the top-500 of national Assist Rate in Killings' four years and as a team have been sub-220 all four years and sub-300 in three of four. Expect a moderate pace geared at protecting the ball and trying to take the defense on one-on-one.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGDcUMl6g_0WnpXMHDjuFixoS8iUSpiPJHn9rIHGHlUtjlVOoGxwmH5-G8526Kx3-zIQW19YfjwQ_mbs0546DXIuGDUzzHI_tLluQumgRfXYzPhbr4uaZ2dSHkvG628W-PxMqiuoW_t85viMA71Qoe06i09Ihc0fO_opaxqNCvzY8XHkLMuyqKhQ/s472/Albany%20D%20Chart.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="472" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGDcUMl6g_0WnpXMHDjuFixoS8iUSpiPJHn9rIHGHlUtjlVOoGxwmH5-G8526Kx3-zIQW19YfjwQ_mbs0546DXIuGDUzzHI_tLluQumgRfXYzPhbr4uaZ2dSHkvG628W-PxMqiuoW_t85viMA71Qoe06i09Ihc0fO_opaxqNCvzY8XHkLMuyqKhQ/s320/Albany%20D%20Chart.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Albany has been eviscerated at the rim for three straight years</span></i></b></div></b><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Shot chart from CBBAnalytics.com</span></i></b></p><p>Defensively, the good news is the Great Danes have found an identity on that side of the court. Killings' defense loves to attack ballhandlers. They have ranked #1 or #2 in America East turnover rate in three of four seasons. They're also aggressive at the arc, where they effectively chase teams off the three-point line. They also work on cleaning the glass, where they've been in the 65th or better percentile on the defensive end three of the last four years. The bad news is they've been ranked #280 or worse in overall defense nationally each of the past three years, largely because their two-point defense has been miserable (#357/340/335 2PFG% defense rankings). Expect them to play an attacking defensive style that leads to turnovers, takes away the perimeter, and limits opponents to one shot, but at the expense of protecting the interior.</p><p><b>2025-26 Outlook</b></p><p>This feels like a very important season for Killings with a lot of question marks.&nbsp;Will Brown had 5 NCAA appearances and was the winningest D1 coach in Albany history, but three straight losing seasons got him fired and Killings hired. If Killings has a losing record for the fourth time in five years, Albany could be looking for a new coach come March. Last year Lindsey showed promise, but he will have a lot more responsibility as the likely lead guard. Most of the transfers are coming from more prestigious leagues but need to up their production at this level. If everything breaks right, this team might have enough to challenge for the top half of the league and be a contender in the America East Tournament. I think the combination of Lindsey growing from freshman to sophomore and a wealth of D1 experience at higher levels will be enough to keep Killings in Albany. This team will likely be a mid-Quadrant 4 opponent come Selection Sunday, but don't be surprised to see them playing in the semifinals or even finals of the America East Tournament.&nbsp;</p><p><b>Marquette Connection</b></p><p>If the name Dwayne Killings rings a bell, it's because he was an assistant at Marquette before taking the Albany job. Killings was on Steve Wojciechowski's staff from 2018-2021, moving on to Albany before Wojo was dismissed. Though Killings left, he left his mark on Marquette for years after his departure. His recruiting connections helped land Justin Lewis, Stevie Mitchell, and Kam Jones, among others. While it was Shaka Smart and his staff that kept those players around, it was Killings that got them in the door. And he's not the only former Marquette staff member at Albany; assistant coach Dan Madhavapallil was a student assistant who worked his way up the ladder under Buzz Williams and Wojciechowski before going with Killings to Albany.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVR2mzp__zQaSue_1RczVyx7AEvoCIvD96mEj31fhNEBPNN-7E-XnA3q9W9uzNJkI-SwMDZKdskMWEm1fxj15p6rr39rEWJtYTqD6K4exgNZB1VZVLr96awVMTbLUbICVLSpDxC_FwSI2PZmwOujNavUdkW6-OydB3ulTq_3oqR-qpX5deH2qIRQ/s532/Albany%20Killings.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="532" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVR2mzp__zQaSue_1RczVyx7AEvoCIvD96mEj31fhNEBPNN-7E-XnA3q9W9uzNJkI-SwMDZKdskMWEm1fxj15p6rr39rEWJtYTqD6K4exgNZB1VZVLr96awVMTbLUbICVLSpDxC_FwSI2PZmwOujNavUdkW6-OydB3ulTq_3oqR-qpX5deH2qIRQ/s320/Albany%20Killings.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Killings in his time at Marquette (and Madhavapallil in the lower right corner)</span></i></b></div></b><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo from gomarquette.com</span></i></b></p></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/2413676736115087561/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/2413676736115087561?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/2413676736115087561'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/2413676736115087561'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/09/albany-preview-2025-26.html' title='Albany Preview, 2025-26'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMvcKx-DAd0cn0yHlI5-h53wMo6sBaQAPk1NqYX5tkwVT-VpvaxWFbI0lLxHaeX_tPcjKWKszNb7g5mI2fFo3_dDo2dX2kYAjrfueayYhB2Bb2cSBR6dgo1CH26cCyZIiQ6aSZWY2m1to8cItzxHyVG2L3Gd1KGPyxt-7rLuU9mG6aR8WpdGvfag/s72-c/Albany%20Lindsey.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-4016612229568017984</id><published>2025-09-15T07:02:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2025-09-15T07:02:01.551-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Previewing Marquette's Schedule</title><content type='html'><p>Marquette's full schedule has been announced. That means that basketball season is getting close. Beginning next Monday, Cracked Sidewalks will release our opponent previews. These will start with non-conference opponents release over three weeks, followed by conference opponents released over three weeks. Today we're going to preview the preview with some quick thoughts on opponents, the schedule structure, and what you can expect from Cracked Sidewalks in the coming weeks. Bear in mind the order for Big East previews hasn't been determined, so we will instead just provide dates and general Big East schedule thoughts.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVyC2O-brhxW1pgrXp-GyCNO_Cch2-cdkkqLl3Ql7WWyJrNb7GfE3HSMdgMxtZ87YTdo2x_vUr6xAUlMPxgn4Q-u1HZ_SWERY4fF6XPQ6vHgZy6pcP2tmlM-nn18SX1CApkTo6Q_sZNBuB-EQitlvIA0Qicw44FzuMeOQR7Fx3ffZ6B3NATpN2Ow/s1350/Schedule%20NC.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVyC2O-brhxW1pgrXp-GyCNO_Cch2-cdkkqLl3Ql7WWyJrNb7GfE3HSMdgMxtZ87YTdo2x_vUr6xAUlMPxgn4Q-u1HZ_SWERY4fF6XPQ6vHgZy6pcP2tmlM-nn18SX1CApkTo6Q_sZNBuB-EQitlvIA0Qicw44FzuMeOQR7Fx3ffZ6B3NATpN2Ow/s320/Schedule%20NC.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Non-Conference Previews</span></b></div></b><p><b>September 22: Albany Preview</b> - Marquette opens the season with a visit from the Great Danes and a couple familiar faces on the sidelines.</p><p><b>September 23: Southern Preview</b> - This team is the favorite in the SWAC according to T-Rank and could be the best metric team from the SWAC of the analytics era. The Jaguars are a very good buy game opponent.</p><p><b>September 24: Indiana Preview</b> - Marquette's first high-major contest takes place in Chicago against the new look Hoosiers. Indiana has some highly productive players but need that talent to translate up to the high-major level.</p><p><b>September 25: Little Rock Preview</b> - This is an excellent buy game opponent. The Trojans are loaded with all-league talent and have Quadrant 3 or higher upside.</p><p><b>September 29: Maryland Preview</b> - Marquette welcomes Buzz Williams back to Milwaukee. The Terps look like another tough defensive unit that plays bully-ball offense, but may need time to gel.</p><p><b>September 30: Dayton Preview</b> - Most outlets are down on the Flyers, but some of their offseason departures may be addition by subtraction and they have a big man anchor with NBA upside.</p><p><b>October 1: Central Michigan Preview</b> - The Chippewas are trying to replicate Drake's success by hiring a star Division 2 coach. Few coaching staffs have as many coaches that won national titles, but none of them have done it at this level.</p><p><b>October 2: Oklahoma Preview</b> - It's another trip to Chicago, this time against Porter Moser and the Sooners. This is a team with NCAA Tournament talent but will need a number of guys to bounce back from injury to realize it.</p><p><b>October 6: Valparaiso Preview</b> - It could be a tough year for the Beacons, who lost a lot in the transfer portal and had to plumb mostly outside Division 1 to replace those losses.</p><p><b>October 7: UW-Madison Preview</b> - Bucky brings in a mix of returning stars and solid transfer performers. Making the Tourney will be the goal but can they compete once again for a protected seed?</p><p><b>October 8: Purdue Preview</b> - Marquette closes out non-conference play at Mackey against a Purdue team with National Championship aspirations. The offense will be elite, but will the defense be good enough to play into April?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJTfkGOeTR9qgeQbskx23wo3-Dk5hFIR4etKvs8BGr66WYjfQ6iBn_fzXk8_T4vKP_2DoLSfng5eCrpe7efVUaPyQ26kZymI2UWMqunaNDi1BsEPgrVTVskqbVu4XgOvaeMqhJ73qa-8tqqzWQQbmPJwSkrk9BsgV11nruTFWIQXscGRi69F36HQ/s1350/Schedule%20BE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJTfkGOeTR9qgeQbskx23wo3-Dk5hFIR4etKvs8BGr66WYjfQ6iBn_fzXk8_T4vKP_2DoLSfng5eCrpe7efVUaPyQ26kZymI2UWMqunaNDi1BsEPgrVTVskqbVu4XgOvaeMqhJ73qa-8tqqzWQQbmPJwSkrk9BsgV11nruTFWIQXscGRi69F36HQ/s320/Schedule%20BE.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Conference Previews</span></b></div></b><p><b>October 13, October 14, October 15, October 16</b> - Big East Week 1</p><p><b>October 20, October 21, October 22, October 23</b> - Big East Week 2</p><p><b>October 27, October 28, October 29</b> - Big East Week 3</p><p>I feel like the Big East season really breaks down into three mini-seasons. Let's look at them in order:</p><p><b>Season 1: The Imbalance (Games 1-7)</b></p><p>Georgetown, at Creighton, Seton Hall, at UConn, Xavier, Villanova, at St. John's</p><p>Marquette opens their season with what should be four very winnable home games mixed with the three most difficult road games. Of Georgetown, Seton Hall, Xavier, and Villanova, maybe at most one of those teams on paper looks like they will be in the hunt for an at-large bid. Obviously Marquette lost to Xavier last year at home, so upsets happen, but this is a stretch where Marquette should be able to get off to a winning start at home. But in between these games are trips to Creighton, UConn, and St. John's. Those are the three teams most frequently picked at the top of the Big East and getting even one win out of those three would be considered an achievement.</p><p>Personally, I love this start. Even if Marquette only wins the home games, they will still have a winning record through the first third of the schedule and will have their hardest games all out of the way. It really sets the team up well for success in the rest of the season as long as they don't stumble at home.</p><p><b>Season 2: Playing the Favorite (Games 8-13)</b></p><p>at DePaul, Providence, at Butler, Creighton, at Seton Hall, Butler</p><p>Anything less than 4-2 in this stretch would probably be considered a disappointment. Granted, there are three road games, but Marquette should be favored to win all of those. Creighton is tough on any court, but getting them at home in a first chance at a marquee conference win comes right in the middle of the schedule. The spacing of these games is a plus. Four days off instead of three when we go on the road to Butler and Seton Hall. A full week of rest before we take on Butler again for National Marquette Day, so the team will be fully focused on that game.</p><p>After those tough opening road games, this is a chance to get a long winning streak going. Marquette should be able to improve their position both in the league and moving up NCAA Tournament seed lines.</p><p><b>Season 3: The Gauntlet (Games 14-20)</b></p><p>at Villanova, at Xavier, St. John's, at Georgetown, DePaul, at Providence, UConn</p><p>The final stretch is a mix of road games and tough home tests. Villanova and Xavier don't look like they'll be tourney level this year on paper. Georgetown and Providence both have at-large upside, and those could be resume moving games in the final weeks (for good or bad). This is also a great chance to get some marquee wins at home with both St. John's and UConn coming to town right before the Big East Tournament. Don't count out DePaul as having more value that usual either, I don't think home DePaul is the easiest game in this stretch (testament to Chris Holtmann).</p><p>This is the toughest part of the schedule. The winnable games are mostly on the road, which is never easy, and the home games are not gimmes. This is where we'll determine if Marquette has enough to shock the Big East like they did in 2023 or if they are just fighting to stay on the right side of the bubble.</p><p><b>Closing Big East Schedule Thoughts</b></p><p>I would really like to have more home games on the weekends. The Bucks don't play a single Saturday home game in December, January, or February, but Marquette only ended up two Saturdays in that three-month stretch. But there's no shortage of Tuesday/Wednesday games in that same stretch. In terms of drawing big crowds and getting both students and families into the building, that's a disappointment.</p><p>But in terms of schedule structure, this is fantastic. Marquette only plays consecutive road games twice, and never has to play three straight on the road or four out of five. Having a week off ahead of National Marquette Day is excellent and really lets fans get excited for that game. The schedule structure, with the three toughest road games early sets up so that if this team could break through and compete at the top of the league, the schedule will only aid that. The closing stretch will be difficult, but it will be a good measure of where this team is at come March. If this team is ready to continue at the level of the past three years, those final games will be a chance to earn a top seed in the Big East Tournament. If not, it'll still be a chance to earn an NCAA bid. I also like that Marquette plays all 10 Big East teams once before playing any of them twice.</p><p>Stay tuned, previews will starting soon and carry us right up until the week before the 2025-26 season tips off. Don't worry, we'll have you primed and ready to Ring Out Ahoya, starting next week.</p></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/4016612229568017984/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/4016612229568017984?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/4016612229568017984'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/4016612229568017984'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/09/previewing-marquettes-schedule.html' title='Previewing Marquette's Schedule'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVyC2O-brhxW1pgrXp-GyCNO_Cch2-cdkkqLl3Ql7WWyJrNb7GfE3HSMdgMxtZ87YTdo2x_vUr6xAUlMPxgn4Q-u1HZ_SWERY4fF6XPQ6vHgZy6pcP2tmlM-nn18SX1CApkTo6Q_sZNBuB-EQitlvIA0Qicw44FzuMeOQR7Fx3ffZ6B3NATpN2Ow/s72-c/Schedule%20NC.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-4350287636186517998</id><published>2025-09-12T11:03:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2025-09-12T11:03:04.779-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Too much young talent in the program to call this a rebuilding year for Marquette basketball</title><content type='html'>By Tom Keegan&nbsp;<div><br /></div><div>The departure of All-American Kam Jones and all-world defender/energizer Stevie Mitchell and leading rebounder David Joplin leaves many believing that this will be a rebuilding season for Marquette.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Not buying it.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>If just 5 of 8 of the following developments, listed in order of most to least difficult to imagine, come to fruition, this could prove to be Shaka Smart’s best March team yet.</div><div><br /></div><div>1. <b>Chase Ross</b> improves from a 36% 3-point shooter to 40%, becomes Marquette’s go-to scorer, earns second-team All-American honors and is projected to be drafted in the first round. From the moment Ross took the floor against Radford in his Marquette debut, it was obvious he had natural basketball instincts, especially defensively, where he always seemed to be right there to lend help. His rim-rocking leaping ability was obvious from the go as well.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>One of the nation’s best defenders, he can guard anyone from a point guard to a power forward and repeatedly has shut down the opposition’s top scorer, all while playing the passing lanes like few others in the college game.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Football-tough, relentlessly aggressive and super smart (Academic All-Big East), he didn’t need to be a go-to scorer his first three seasons. Now Maquette needs one. He might be the guy. Going from 36% to 40% from outside the arc isn’t easy, but since when does Ross limit himself to easy challenges?&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>2. Almost left this out so as not to create false hope. I have no sources at Marquette, so nothing I write here is based on any inside knowledge, but I do spend a lot of my idle time thinking about Marquette basketball, close to 365 days a year. Again, this one is a wild hope, not anything based on reality.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Here goes: Freshman <b>Sheek Pearson</b>, earmarked for a redshirt season, makes so many strides the first couple of weeks of practice that the coaches determine he already is good enough to make Marquette significantly better this season and they decide to trade the redshirt for a blue-and-gold one and he’s all for launching his college career a year early.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>3. <b>Damarius Owens</b>, impaired by injuries last season, stays healthy and makes the biggest improvement of anyone on the roster. Long and quick and blessed with a soft touch and a guard’s handle, Owens might have the highest ceiling on the team. If this is the first year that he shows that in games, look out. He’s the first Marquette player I can remember from Rochester, NY, my hometown.</div><div><br /></div><div>4. <b>Royce Parham</b> the sophomore has production similar to or slightly better than what Gold had as a junior, only with better rebounding numbers. In 25.3 minutes a game, Gold averaged 7.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and shot .371 from 3. If Parham earns that much playing time, would anybody be shocked if he gave Marquette 9 points and 5.5 boards a game and matched Gold’s 3-point percentage?&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>5. <b>Ben Gold</b> has a healthier season, one without shin splints for example, and continues the climbing trajectory of his 3-point shooting percentage: 30.0 as a freshman, 35.9 as a sophomore, 37.1 as a junior, and improves as a rebounder, not an easy goal for someone who doesn’t appear to have rebounding instincts, but also not impossible to attain.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>6. <b>Nigel James</b> is ready to lead the team from the point guard position as a freshman.He has the confidence, the quickness and the skill to do it. He didn’t let the great competition he faced in practice and games send him into retreat mode at either end.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>I’ll never forget watching him on TV playing against La Lumiere, blocking Jack Smiley’s shot at the rim in a way that reminded me of a taller, less built version of another James, first name Dominic.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>7. <b>Sean Jones</b> is fully recovered from the ACL surgery that shortened his season two years ago and kept him out of games last season, and he embraces whatever role Shaka has for him, be it sixth-man energizer playing starters’ minutes or whatever. His great attitude makes him willing to embrace any role pretty much a given. As for the knee recovery, it takes most athletes about a year-and-a-half to regain the strength in the knee, which made a redshirt last season for one of college basketball’s fastest players a smart decision.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>8. <b>Adrien Stevens</b>’ game is developed enough for him to play major minutes. No reason to believe he won’t.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Even without Mitchell, this team has more potential to force turnovers than any of Shaka’s Marquette teams. Always having two of the following, sometimes three and even four on the floor at the same time, will turn opponents sloppy: James, Jones, Stevens, Ross, and if he improves his shot enough to earn any minutes, Tre Norman. At this point, that might be a big if. But picture the first four on the floor with Gold, who moves his feet well enough that he’s not an automatic release for the opponent when pressing and that’s a lot of havoc for most teams to handle.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Increased depth means Shaka can apply even more defensive pressure without worrying about exhausting his players or getting them into foul trouble.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Bruce Kelley, Stevens’ high school coach at powerhouse Bullis, calls Stevens a “relentlessly hard worker.”&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Stevens’ family tree is as impressive as any Marquette player’s since Wesley Matthews, who earned $116.9 million in NBA salary. Stevens’ grandfather, Curtis Greer, was a first-team All-American defensive end at Michigan and played nine seasons in the NFL. Adrien’s father, Larry Stevens Jr., played linebacker at Michigan and spent two seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, and his mother played soccer at Michigan.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Even if it doesn’t end up being Shaka’s best March team, Marquette fans will be entertained more than followers of the vast majority of fan bases. Smart’s program-building strategy of developing instead keeping the transfer portal turnstile spinning makes&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Marquette a way more interesting program to follow than most. It deepens the connection spectators at Fiserv Forum feel with the players because they have seen them get better every year in a program that puts more emphasis than most on individual instruction.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>The difference between watching a player recruited out of high school by Marquette and a transfer feels a little like watching your own child play youth sports compared to watching one of your friend’s children. It’s just not the same.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Plus, little by little, it figures to improve recruiting. A player can trust that he will be going to a school at which he need not look over his shoulder for an older player coming in from the outside to take his spot. The more that happens elsewhere, the more it helps Marquette’s future.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Tom Keegan, Marquette ’81, is a baseball Hall of Fame voter who has written a column for the New York Post, Lawrence Journal World and Boston Herald, and now writes for Onwardtrojans.com in Chesterton, Indiana. Tom can be reached at&nbsp;</i></b><a href="mailto:TomKeeganmu@gmail.com" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" target="_blank">TomKeeganmu@gmail.com</a>&nbsp;</div></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/4350287636186517998/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/4350287636186517998?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/4350287636186517998'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/4350287636186517998'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/09/too-much-young-talent-in-program-to_12.html' title='Too much young talent in the program to call this a rebuilding year for Marquette basketball'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>If you would like to create a banner that links to this page (i.e. this validation result), do the following:
Download the "valid Atom 1.0" banner.
Upload the image to your own server. (This step is important. Please do not link directly to the image on this server.)
Add this HTML to your page (change the image src attribute if necessary):
If you would like to create a text link instead, here is the URL you can use:
http://www.feedvalidator.org/check.cgi?url=http%3A//www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/posts/default
