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Detroit Mercy Titans 2021-22 Season Preview

Karic Jones
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Detroit Mercy Titans 2021-22 Season Preview

Preseason Player of the Year Davis and a mix of returning players and transfers will be key to the Titans’ chances

Are you ready for year 4 of Antoine Davis? I am. Despite his individual scoring prowess, the soon-to-be leading scorer in Detroit Titans history has yet to make the NCAA tournament, they have not made the Horizon League championship game since we went dancing in 2012. The 2021-22 Titans are looking to pick up where they left off last year, they finished the season 11-3 before falling to NKU at the buzzer. They return three of the top six players from last year’s team. AD, Noah Waterman, and Matt Johnson.

Newcomers

The Titans added DJ Harvey. The 6-6 guard gives the Titans another three-level scorer. He spent his first two years at Notre Dame and last year and Vanderbilt. At top 100 recruit out of high school. Harvey could be poised for a breakout final year as a Titan. He showed at Notre Dame he had the potential to be a very good college basketball player, if he’s consistent I think he can replace the offensive and defensive output Bul Kuol gave Detroit last year. Last year’s slump may not have been Harvey and more Jerry Stackhouse the former Piston has been a bad college basketball coach; when Harvey was given starter minutes, he looked like an above-average college basketball player. He also shows flashes of talent when at ND.  I think it’s not out of the realm of possibility he scores over 10 points per contest and helps the Titans on the defensive side of the floor.

If that name Kevin McAdoo sounds familiar to Titan fans, it is because his father, also Kevin, is the Titan’s all-time assist leader. The younger Kevin played His prep ball at West Bloomfield before playing two years at Eastern and last year at Bradley. He averaged 6 points 1 assist and one rebound a game for the Braves last season. I don’t think he’s going to be a star In Detroit but I think he will give them a veteran ball-handler off the bench that will be able to take the ball up the court, so AD does not have to. I am hopeful he’s a solid rotation player.

Jeramy Shaw is the third guard to join the Titans this season. He was a juco second-team All-American last season at North Central Missouri College where he averaged 16.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists, shooting 55.9-percent from the field, 34.6-percent from three and 72.4-percent from the line. Early reports from summer practice stated he was a little behind and needed to adjust to the D1 game, if and when he gets adjusted he could be another weapon for the Titans rotation.

Jordan Phillips comes to the Titans from UT Arlington. He started his college career at Arkansas and was a top 200 player out of High School. After playing limited minutes as a freshman in Fayetteville, he moved on to UTA. In his time in Arlington, he 6.8 points and 3.1 rebounds in 47 games, shooting 34.0-percent from the floor, 33.0-percent from behind the arc, and 76.0-percent at the free-throw line. His stats are not great but from watching his film he does the little things right and is strong and adds length to the lineup. Another solid rotation guy for the Titans.

Prince Oduro joins Detroit from USF after previous stops at Mississippi State and Siena. He has not really been super relevant statistically since his first year of college basketball at Siena where he was good for 9.1 points and 5.1 rebounds shooting 48.4-percent from the field with 21 blocks. If you have been able to catch any of the film he or Detroit Mercy have put on Twitter. He is built like a brick house. He’s a big strong guy, think a taller Jaleel Hogan(Oduro is 6’8 and long) with the same skill set. Sure his last three years of high major basketball have not gone well, but he’s put up numbers at the mid-major level at minimum he will be hard to boss around in the panted area of the floor.

Madut Akec followed his USF teammate Oduro to the Motor City. Akec did not play a lot for the Bulls but his film looks promising. He is not an inside guy per se but he can rebound and cause matchup problems. He also shoots the three like Bul Kuol and could end up being a steal for Mike Davis and company. Akec is 6-7 and skinny but not super lean expect him in the rotation.

Mohamed Sylla is a 6-11 Center who comes from Florida Southwestern JUCO. He’s a relative unknown but from what my sources have said he could be a contributor next season.

Bryon Ottrix is a freshmen point guard from Ohio. He was an early Titan commit who was not going to end up in Detroit then this summer decided to join the Titans. From what I understand, he is a fast ball-handler who is a developmental guy this year.

Lineup

This might sound crazy but 25ppg and when Antoine Davis‘ shot is not falling using his abilities to get his teammate’s open looks, we saw a lot of this down the titans 11-3 run. I would not be surprised if he averages more and leads the nation in scoring. But how AD and Dad Mike Davis utilize the supporting cast will determine how far the Titans go.

Noah Waterman showed flashes of potential stardom last year. He is an excellent three-point shooter and causes match-up issues on the wings with his size. For Detroit to be successful this year he needs to be more consistent scoring and better defensively without getting into foul trouble if he can be a 15 point a night guy. The Titans have a shot at the big dance.

Matt Johnson is back after flirting with the transfer portal. He won horizon 6th player of the year and shot really well from the floor and the three-point line. If he can shoot as well or better than last year, he can easily average 10 points per contest. If he can shoot the same percentage as last season, I would not be surprised to see him with horizon league honors again.

Buay Koka is back. He was a mid-year transfer from Tulane. The skinny 7 footer can play defense and rebound well. Look for him to play a similar role to what he played  last year with more minuets
 
Kyle Legreair is back for his sophomore campaign. He only appeared at the end of two games last year after suffering an injury early in the season. Expect him to play more this season but I don’t expect him to be in the rotation.
 
Fan Favorite Willy Isiani is back for his fourth year in Detroit. He played in every game for the Titans last year and I expect him to be good for a big three and solid defense every contest.

Outlook

The Titans will be improved on defense this year as Donnie Marsh has rejoined Mike Davis in Detroit. The long time Davis assistant has been with him everywhere he’s won.  Marsh is well known as a good defensive coach and I would expect him to have the Titans playing better this season.

This could be the best supporting cast that Mike Davis has provided AD. (I Know I said that last year) I think this is a boom or bust roster. Detroit either finishes in the top three of the Horizon League and goes to the NCAA Tournament or this team under achieves and they don’t compete with the other teams in the top of the HL and we don’t see AD take the Titans to the dance.

Miss anything from Preview Week? Check it all out below:

Predictions
Preseason All-League Teams • Preseason Individual Awards 
If we had an All-Newcomer Team…
Women’s Preseason Poll • Women’s Preseason All-League Teams
How’d we do? #HLWBB Preseason Poll

Podcasts
Comparing notes with Justin Kinner

Team Previews
Cleveland State • Wright State • Milwaukee • Detroit Mercy 
Northern Kentucky • Oakland • Purdue Fort Wayne • Youngstown State
UIC • Robert Morris • Green Bay • IUPUI
Green Bay (WBB) • Cleveland State (WBB)

Northern Kentucky Norse 2021-22 Season Preview

Norse Report
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Northern Kentucky Norse 2021-22 Season Preview

A deeper, more experienced Norse squad poised for another run at a league title

Darrin Horn’s tenure as the coach of the Norse has been quite the ride. After winning the conference tournament in 2020 only to have the tournament suspended due to the pandemic, he had to almost completely rebuild the Norse roster. The 2021 Norse had to replace stars Jalen Tate, Dantez Walton and Tyler Sharpe. While it took a while to find their footing, by the end of the season they were rolling as they closed out the regular season with an 8-2 record.

All of the core pieces from last years roster have returned. A trio of seniors will anchor the starting lineup with Trevon Faulkner, Bryson Langdon and Adrian Nelson all returning. Last season, Faulkner took over the mantle as the lead scorer and team leader and is poised for another standout campaign. Langdon developed into a steady and dependable point guard who can hit big shots in key moments. Nelson was one of the most efficient scorers and best rebounders in the nation last year despite being undersized at the five.

That trio was supplemented with a strong class of freshman in Marques Warrick, David Bohm and Trey Robinson. Silky smooth Warrick lit up the scoreboard on his way to a Horizon League Freshman of the Year Award. David Bohm went from a somewhat unknown from Montverde Academy and the Czech Republic, to looking like a future star. The 6-9 forward showed the ability to do it all as a solid stretch four. Trey Robinson showed explosive flashes of upside and will likely have some time to develop on the deeper 2022 Norse squad.

Newcomers

With the Norse returning so much talent as well as the upside from their young trio, they need for high level transfers was low. The coaching staff took the approach of building depth by adding a solid wing player in Seybian Sims and an athletic forward in Detroit Mercy transfer Chris Brandon. Sims should provide an all around improvement off the bench as a competent three point shooter with size and above average defense. Brandon should take some pressure off of Nelson in the post and help improve the interior defense.

The biggest additions could come from another intriguing recruiting class. Sam Vinson is the big get after leading the Highlands Blue Birds to a State Championship and falling just short of being named Kentucky Mr. Basketball. Could he be Darrin Horn’s version of Drew McDonald? The local Highland Heights product can do just about everything on the court and has the upside to be the face of the next great Norse team. Add to that a solid freshman guard in Isaiah Mason, an intriguing sharp shooter from Lithuania in Hubertas Pivorius and a project 7-foot center in Imanuel Zorgvol, and you have the makings of a really interesting recruiting class.

Lineup

G-Bryson Langdon-SR

G-Marques Warrick-SO

G-Trevon Faulkner-SR

F-Adrian Nelson-SR

F-Chris Brandon-JR

Outlook

The Norse have the components to be a strong offensive team but they will need to improve their three point shooting in order to take the next step as last season they shot disappointing 30.7 from behind the arc. They will also need to tune up the defense which allowed 71.2 ppg last season and over 35 percent from behind the arc. Hopefully with natural development from their young players as well as the addition of solid defensive players in Sims and Brandon the Norse defense will improve.

The floor for this Norse team is pretty high. A solid balance of experience, talent and upside should lead to a finish in the top four in the league at minimum. There is certainly the upside of a league title if everything clicks right. This is a deep and talented Norse squad that will likely sneak up on fans in the Horizon League.

Miss anything from Preview Week? Check it all out below:

Predictions
Preseason All-League Teams • Preseason Individual Awards
If we had an All-Newcomer Team…
Women’s Preseason Poll • Women’s Preseason All-League Teams
How’d we do? #HLWBB Preseason Poll

Podcasts
Comparing notes with Justin Kinner

Team Previews
Cleveland State • Wright State • Milwaukee • Detroit Mercy
Northern Kentucky • Oakland • Purdue Fort Wayne • Youngstown State
UIC • Robert Morris • Green Bay • IUPUI
Green Bay (WBB) • Cleveland State (WBB)

Oakland Golden Grizzlies 2021-22 Season Preview

Michael Pearce
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Oakland Golden Grizzlies 2021-22 Season Preview

The Golden Grizzlies are one of the most unpredictable teams in the league. Just how far can their star guard and young up-and-comers take them?

Newcomers

Another year, another wildly different-looking roster for Oakland Head Coach Greg Kampe.

The emergence of the transfer portal, combined with loosening eligibility restrictions due to COVID-19, has created a frenzy among mid-major schools. 

The past few seasons, Kampe and the Golden Grizzlies have lost nearly half the roster each offseason due to graduations and transfers. This problem, while consistent with OU, isn’t unique to OU at all. Multiple teams across the Horizon League have been struck by the frenetic transfer frenzy each summer. 

With Oladapo and Williams transferring, combined with the graduation of Kevin Kangu, the Golden Grizzlies starting lineup’s holes will have to be filled by second-year players like Micah Parrish, Zion Young and Trey Townsend. There are 10 freshmen on the roster, a familiar sight at the beginning of the year for most Golden Grizzlies fans. 

In 2019, Kampe shared his outlook on the transfer portal, an outlook that has evolved over time. 

​​“We’re going to stick our nose in it [the transfer portal], and if there are good players there who want to come to Oakland, we’re going to take them,” Kampe said. “You can fight it or you can adapt, and I think that part of being successful in life is adapting. Oakland is going to have to adapt to be successful.”

Initially resistant to the portal, Kampe decided to play with the cards he was dealt. This season, two grad student transfers, Jamal Cain and Braden Burke, will be the latest portal pickups for Oakland.

The incoming freshman class is plentiful. Mason Gibson, Osei Price, Brody Parker, Ty Wyman, Peyton Mele and Darius Sherman are the new freshman guards. Aside from redshirt freshman Chris Conway, forward Will Shepherd is the lone freshman big in his first year.

All freshmen will have a chance to carve out their role in this locker room with barely any returning players. Chris Conway, who sat out last year, should see some increased responsibility with a shallow front court.

Lineup

The starting lineup for Oakland seems set, based on the few returning Golden Grizzlies on the roster. Jalen Moore will be the starting point, with Zion Young and Micah Parrish filling out the two and three spots. Braden Burke could see starting center minutes, since he has an undeniable height advantage at seven feet tall, but relying on Townsend and/or Jamal Cain at the four and five spots, wherever they fit best.

Kampe’s best lineup looks to be just that, Moore/Young/Parrish/Cain/Townsend. Despite having no one over 6-foot-7 on the court, the starting five looks athletic and switchable at all five positions, which could wreak havoc on opposing Horizon League lineups bound to a more traditional lineup.

The Golden Grizzlies will rely heavily on Townsend at the center position. Losing Oladapo, one of the league’s best rebounders, puts pressure on Townsend to take a leap in his sophomore season. Townsend is used to exceeding expectations, though. Last season, he averaged 8.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 0.8 blocks per game, which led the team. That season propelled him to the Horizon League All-Freshman Team, including winning freshman of the week twice. 

Outlook

With a revamped roster led by seasoned stalwarts, the Golden Grizzlies are aiming for their first NCAA Tournament bid in 10 years. The road to get there, as always, will be in the Horizon League Tournament in Indianapolis. The Golden Grizzlies have an opportunity to gain early experience and get prepared for the grueling Horizon League schedule with a typically difficult out-of-conference schedule. 

The team will face power five schools West Virginia, Oklahoma State, Alabama and Michigan State University before getting into the thick of Horizon League competition. 

Oakland has seven road games in the first 11 league matchups, then they have four of the next six on the road as well. Opening up with a lot of road matchups, the Golden Grizzlies get to end their season on a five-game homestand, which could provide them momentum entering the tournament. 

If they get a home game in the quarterfinals, as they have the past three seasons, they will play six consecutive home games in a fan-filled O’Rena before traveling to Indianapolis, if they win round one. 

The main threats to Oakland’s NCAA tournament chances will most likely come down to the reigning champion Cleveland State Vikings, the typically tough Northern Kentucky Norse and the Milwaukee Panthers, who are led by top recruit Patrick Baldwin Jr. 

The path to contention is simple for the Golden Grizzlies: if they see progression from young players like Townsend, Parrish and Young, the starting lineup will be made up of four athletic, versatile players capable of pushing any team to a shootout. 

If Moore also takes another step, turning into a potential player of the year, he could push Oakland to a high seed and carry them to the big dance. This seems much more likely if he can get consistent shooting and defense from his teammates on the wing, Parrish and Young. 

Kampe’s teams historically like to run, and they like to score as many points as possible. In previous years with more big men and less consistent guard play, Kampe has strayed from that formula. This season’s roster, however, is much more focused on the guards and wings, so a high-flying offense might be in the cards again for Oakland, despite an overflowing amount of youth.

Prediction: After finishing 12-11 in league play with a loss in the championship game, Oakland has a chance to improve on an impressive 54th season. Team 55 will finish fourth in the conference, reaching the Horizon League championship again on the back of a player of the year caliber season from Jalen Moore. In the end, the Golden Grizzlies will fall again in the title game, with a close-fought grudge match against familiar foe Cleveland State in a rare title game rematch.

Miss anything from Preview Week? Check it all out below:

Predictions
Preseason All-League Teams • Preseason Individual Awards
If we had an All-Newcomer Team…
Women’s Preseason Poll • Women’s Preseason All-League Teams
How’d we do? #HLWBB Preseason Poll

Podcasts
Comparing notes with Justin Kinner

Team Previews
Cleveland State • Wright State • Milwaukee • Detroit Mercy
Northern Kentucky • Oakland • Purdue Fort Wayne • Youngstown State
UIC • Robert Morris • Green Bay • IUPUI
Green Bay (WBB) • Cleveland State (WBB)

Youngstown State Penguins 2021-22 Season Preview

Marc Weems
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Youngstown State Penguins 2021-22 Season Preview

The Youth Movement is in and ready for the Penguins

I know you haven’t heard from me for a while but I’m back and better than ever. Alright that’s a lie but don’t worry about that.

Let us all instead worry about Youngstown State University men’s basketball.

This could be a long one so buckle up my friends.

YSU’s off-season has been interesting to say the least. Between graduation, transfer season and recruiting, the Penguins will look much different this upcoming campaign. Let’s first talk about the new guys on campus and what they may provide.

Newcomers

Tevin Olison – Olison comes to YSU after two seasons with NAIA University of Cumberlands and two years with Cleveland State Community College. He averaged 23 points per game last year as a senior. He scored 20-plus points in 19 games and 30-plus points in three games. He was also a two-time NAIA Second-Team All-American. If he can score the way he did at U of C, he could see himself getting a ton of playing time. He will have one year remaining since he is using this extra year as a senior.

Collen Gurley – Gurley is a guy who is semi-local and has stayed local his entire career. He graduated from Akron Archbishop Hoban before playing through his junior year at the University of Mount Union. 

Dwayne Cohill – Another somewhat local guy, Cohill went to Holy Name in Cleveland and comes to YSU after three years at the University of Dayton. Despite missing last season due to injury, he played in 30 games off the bench for the Flyers in 2019-20 where he averaged just a few points per game in about 13 minutes per game. Could be a nice part of the Penguins bench this year.

Owen Long – After two years at Maryville College in St. Louis, MO, Long comes to YSU after averaging 19.3 points per game. He’s a shooting specialist which is exactly what this team needs to succeed. He shot 47 percent from the field while hitting 42.3 percent from three. He also hit on 88.4 percent of his free throws which is something the Penguins have been very poor with.

Jacori Owens – The first non-transfer on this list, the 6-foot-9 forward comes from Combine Academy near Charlotte, NC. He averaged a double-double as a senior with 10 points and 12 rebounds. The most important part is the three blocks per game he averaged. Hopefully he will eventually add some much needed defensive presence that has been missing for a while.

Michael Lucarotti – He comes to YSU after three years at Erie Cathedral Prep before transferring to International Sports Academy in Ohio. He scored over 1,300 points in his high school. At 6-foot-4, he could become the type of size this program needs at the guard position to compete in this league.

Josh Irwin – Irwin, like Lucarotti, played his senior season at International Sports Academy in Ohio. He played his first three seasons at West Geauga High School. In his junior season, Irwin averaged 22.7 points per game with 12.3 rebounds while hitting 62 3-pointers. The 6-foot-7, 235-pound forward is exactly the size of small forward that could take this team to the next level. We will see if his size helps him at this level.

Chris Shelton – Shelton comes from Hampton University in Virginia. He may be the most complete player of all the new transfer athletes. He averaged 9.8 points per game while hitting 49.2 percent of his shots. He led the nation by hitting 48.6 percent of his 3-point attempts with 67 made threes. Hopefully he can immediately make an impact from that area which the Penguins struggled with as well.

Lineup

Garrett Covington – Covington has had one of the more frustrating careers but still an illustrious career nonetheless. He may have never flourished as an offensive weapon but his defense makes up for a lot of those things. Unlike Naz Bohannon, Covington will finish his five-year career with the Penguins. That’s a big deal considering Bohannon and himself were head coach Jerrod Calhoun’s first two legitimately recruited players. Hopefully he can step up a bit on offense this season. He averaged 12.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.3 steals. Those were all career-highs. Hopefully, this season is more of the same.

Michael Akuchie – Akuchie had by far his best season in a Penguin uniform in his fourth season in Youngstown. He averaged 9.9 points per game with 8.6 rebounds. He scored double figures 15 times while snatching 10+ rebounds eight times. He also broke a Horizon League and YSU record with 24 rebounds against Robert Morris University. Another improved season could really help the Penguins this year.

Shemar Rathan-Mayes – He may be the most exciting guy in this potential starting lineup. He started 22 of the 24 games he played in. As a true freshman, he was sprung into the starting point guard job because of injuries and he flourished. He averaged 10.4 points per game while hitting only 36.2 percent of his shots. He averaged 3.5 assists to 1.7 turnovers. If he can continue to develop into a true point guard, he can easily be this team’s starter for the next three years.

Myles Hunter – Hunter is another young, exciting player that played quite a lot last season. He’s a guy who could best be described as a tweener at 6-foot-5, 210 pounds. He’s most likely a starting shooting guard on this team. He started 12 of the 23 games played. He scored 6.2 points, and 2.0 rebounds. He shot under 40 percent from the field and from three. He did whoever hit over 80 percent of his free throws. If his shooting percentages go up, this team will be easily better.

Jamir Thomas/William Dunn – It’s hard to say exactly who the fifth starter will be because it’s hard to tell what the Penguins will want to do more of. I can see both Dunn and Thomas starting in the middle. When this team wants to be a little more brutal and rough down low, I think that’s where Thomas is the better fit. When YSU wants to spread the floor, they can turn to Dunn who can shoot the ball enough to be respectable. Other than those two options, I’m not totally sure who will be a starter this year.

Outlook

The Penguins will have a lot of things to work on before the season begins. I’d like to say that the Penguins will be a top-5 team in this league but it could very well go the other way in quite a hurry. This team is young and fresh. It will take time to get where it needs to go so patience will need to be aplenty.

The outlook for this team is almost hard to nail down. This will be a very young team without a ton of experience. Well, I should say it has experience but not experience that was already on this roster. Hopefully, the experience that has transferred in will mix correctly with the youth that is on this roster. Luckily for YSU, the young guys actually got a lot of playing time. This team will be quite young one through 15 and the Penguins need to lean into that. Whether that ends up being good or bad, it will turn out to be just what this program needs.

Either way, this team will look to get out and run while hitting a lot of outside shots. Does this team have those proper pieces? Hopefully. Will they all be used correctly? Hopefully. Either way, it’s going to be another fun year of Youngstown State basketball.

Miss anything from Preview Week? Check it all out below:

Predictions
Preseason All-League Teams • Preseason Individual Awards
If we had an All-Newcomer Team…
Women’s Preseason Poll • Women’s Preseason All-League Teams
How’d we do? #HLWBB Preseason Poll

Podcasts
Comparing notes with Justin Kinner

Team Previews
Cleveland State • Wright State • Milwaukee • Detroit Mercy
Northern Kentucky • Oakland • Purdue Fort Wayne • Youngstown State
UIC • Robert Morris • Green Bay • IUPUI
Green Bay (WBB) • Cleveland State (WBB)

Bonus: Comparing Preview Week Notes with Justin Kinner

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With both the Horizon League and the HoriZone Roundtable releasing their preseason polls and all-league picks, Bob and John talked with Reach the Horizon Podcast host Justin Kinner (@1410Kinner) about how the two polls compare and contrast, as well as potential for some surprises as the season wears on. — Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/horizonert/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/horizonert/support
Miss anything from Preview Week? Check it all out below:

Predictions Preseason All-League Teams • Preseason Individual Awards If we had an All-Newcomer Team… Women’s Preseason Poll • Women’s Preseason All-League Teams How’d we do? #HLWBB Preseason Poll

Podcasts Comparing notes with Justin Kinner

Team Previews Cleveland State • Wright State • Milwaukee • Detroit Mercy Northern Kentucky • Oakland • Purdue Fort Wayne • Youngstown State UIC • Robert Morris • Green Bay • IUPUI Green Bay (WBB) • Cleveland State (WBB)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons 2021-22 Season Preview

Cameron Benford
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Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons 2021-22 Season Preview

Mastodons have an edge about themselves as they prepare for their second season in Horizon League competition

Editor’s Note: Cameron Benford is a member of the Purdue Fort Wayne men’s basketball team and will be writing a player’s diary for the HoriZone Roundtable throughout the season.

Last year, PFW was eliminated in a thrilling, triple over time game to conference champions Cleveland State. After improving later in the season, some coaches would be content on the almost-win, but Coach Coffman doesn’t take any moral victories. He doesn’t just want to be in the Horizon League, he wants to compete for a Horizon League championship. From last year’s team, they return 4 of their top 5 leading scorers and a bevy of newcomers, and they all have an edge about themselves.

What sticks out about the Mastodons has always been their offense and their ability to score the basketball, especially from the three-point variety. This team has elite guard play. They return pre-season second team Jarred Godfrey, who looks to take on an even bigger role this year for the Mastodons. The PFW team return experienced guards Jalon Pipkins and Deonte Billups, and they add point guard Damian Chong Qui. With the addition of Chong Qui, the Mastodons can at times move Godfrey off the ball which adds more versatility to this team. Look for them to play quick and efficient.

Newcomers

JoJo Peterson – JoJo is an athletic defensive minded point guard from Atlanta GA. What makes him unique is his size at the guard position at 6-5. He is a state champion who averaged 14 points, seven rebounds, and four assists his senior year of high school.

Redford Dunton – Coach Coffman decided to go to the hoop state (North Carolina) to secure a commitment from another state championship player, Redford Dunton. In high school, he averaged 17 points, seven rebounds, and scored 1,000 career points.

RJ Ogom – The Chicago native joins PFW after spending a year at College of Charleston, where he redshirted due to injury. Coming out of high school, RJ was one of PFW’s top targets. PFW is thrilled to have received Ogom through the transfer portal. He is a very athletic forward who can really stroke the ball. He averaged 18 points, eight rebounds, and three assists per game as a senior in high school.

Damian Chong Qui – May be the most impactful transfer in the Horizon League and a dark horse candidate for first team all-Horizon League at the end of the year. Chong Qui transferred from Mount Saint Mary’s where he led his team to an NCAA tournament and led his conference in assists. He also averaged 15 points a game and 4.2 rebounds. Look for him to play fast and fit into the Mastodon style of play.

Quinton Morton-Robertson – Morton-Robertson is another state championship winner in high school. You sense a theme in this newcomer class. Coach Coffman went out and got winners. Morton-Robertson transferred from Radford, where he averaged 7.5 points a game and shot 38% from the three-point line. He is another quick, small guard who is a great shooter and capable of getting hot fast from the three-point line.

Lineup

Jarred Godfrey– If you know PFW, you know Jarred Godfrey. He averaged 16 points and 5.4 rebounds. Last year, Godfrey had a blazing hot start in the Horizon League. He even had a 40-point game against UIC. Godfrey may be the best scorer in the whole league. Look for him to focus in on his defense and playing multiple positions. It wouldn’t surprise me if at the end of the year he is in the conversation of HL player of the year.

Jalon Pipkins– Pipkins averaged 14.3 points a game last year and was fourth in the Horizon League in field goal percentage at 52%. Many people remember Pipkins for his game-tying shot at Green Bay on ESPN Top 10. Look for him to have a breakout year; he is a freak athlete who also guards the other team’s best player on a consistent basis.

Deonte Billups– Billups averaged 8.5 points and 4.2 rebounds last season. He is a sharpshooter who can light it up in bunches. Billups also may be the team’s best rebounder. Look for him to have an improved season and be another asset to this potent offense.

Bobby Planutis– Planutis is another sharpshooter (Are you sensing a theme?). The 6-8 forward has a pure jump shot and every time he shoots it you expect the ball to go in. Last season Planutis averaged 10.3 points a game and shot a compelling 45% from the three-point line, and 88% from the free-throw line. Planutis is one of those guys who is sneaky athletic, look for him to have another productive season for the Mastodons.

Outlook

Purdue Fort Wayne’s greatest assets this year is going to be depth, experience and elite guard play. In 2021, Fort Wayne finished strong after a shaky regular season. Look for them to have a drastic improvement in their second year of Horizon League and play with a chip on their shoulder.

Miss anything from Preview Week? Check it all out below:

Predictions
Preseason All-League Teams • Preseason Individual Awards
If we had an All-Newcomer Team…
Women’s Preseason Poll • Women’s Preseason All-League Teams
How’d we do? #HLWBB Preseason Poll

Podcasts
Comparing notes with Justin Kinner

Team Previews
Cleveland State • Wright State • Milwaukee • Detroit Mercy
Northern Kentucky • Oakland • Purdue Fort Wayne • Youngstown State
UIC • Robert Morris • Green Bay • IUPUI
Green Bay (WBB) • Cleveland State (WBB)

Robert Morris Colonials 2021-22 Season Preview

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Robert Morris Colonials 2021-22 Season Preview

Colonials look to move past an underwhelming Horizon League debut

Robert Morris’s entry into the Horizon League was met with promise that the Colonials would compete in the best of the conference, given their status as the top team in the Northeast Conference the previous year and armed with talented players like AJ Bramah and Dante Treacy. But a string of fits and starts cause by COVID protocols, the late start for transfer Khaliel Spear, and the early departure of Bramah spelled doom for Robert Morris. Now, with Treacy joining Bramah at the exits, the Colonials look to their new transfers to pick up the load and return to there they were in the NEC.

Fortunately for RMU, those transfers may very well be up to the task. Rasheem Dunn, Michael Green and Ferron Flowers have all averaged double-digits over the course of a season and seemingly have a chance to make the Colonial backcourt signifcantly stronger than it was last season. Finding a way to replace consistent 20 point, 10 rebound production from Bramah in the frontcourt will be much more difficult; but multiple promising post players mean the unit could end up about as strong over the course of 40 minutes.

Newcomers

Rasheem Dunn – Dunn’s journey as a collegiate athlete has not been boring. After two years with St. Francis (NY), he was originally set to play at another Horizon League school, Cleveland State. However, he opted out after the firing of Dennis Felton and landed back in New York with St. John’s. Last season, he averaged 9.4 points and 4.0 assists per game.

Ferron Flavors – As long and winding a road as Dunn’s trip through college hoops has been, Flavors’ has taken a few more turns. Starting in junior college, the 6-3 guard from Federal Way, Washington found himself in a starting role with Fairfield before hitting the West Coast to spend two seasons starting at Cal Baptist. His last stop, Oklahoma State, was less notable, only starting seven games. Now at RMU, he will look to get back to where he was before his stint in Stillwater.

Michael Green – Colonial fans may recognize Green from the NEC days, where he was lighting it up with Bryant. The former NEC Rookie of the Year and second-team all-conference player is now bringing his talents to the UPMC Events Center. And having averaged 16 points and 3.7 assists per game last season, he’s well-positioned to make an impact.

Justin Winston – Winston began his career at St. Bonaventure, but in early 2021, decided that the Bonnies were not a good fit for him. That’s when he arrived at Robert Morris and enrolled for the spring semester. Now that he’s with the Colonials, he will likely be looking for an opportunity to get some notice in the frontcourt.

Matt Mayers – Mayers took the juco route and became one of the best players in those ranks, becoming a first-team NJCAA All-American while at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas. Having tallied 17.8 points and 9.4 boards per game, his new mission will be to complement Khaliel Spear and fill the hole that Bramah left when he transferred.

Lineup

Michael Green – With the accolades that were bestowed upon him by the NEC while he was at Bryant, coupled with Treacy’s departure, Green’s appearance in the starting lineup is the logical move. The most likely scenario is that he’ll pick up where he left off.

Rasheem Dunn – As good as Green’s upside is in the backcourt, Dunn’s bonafides look just and impressive. And as a super senior with mid-major and high-major experience, he should certainly play a starring role as a starter. Dunn averaged double-figure scoring and over three assists per game over two seasons in the Big East. Don’t be surprised if he’s an All-Horizon League performer in his first year at Robert Morris.

Kam Farris – Farris has the distinction of being one of only two starters left from last season, having cracked the lineup as a freshmen and staying there for 16 games during RMU’s campaign. With his freshman year under his belt and a core of transfers at his side, he may have to compete for minutes, but his starting job is secure.

Khaliel Spear – The Bucknell transfer had to wait until December to get his chance to play for the Colonials. When that happened, he made his presence known on the glass, getting better as he became more familiar with the RMU system. He also took advantage of being in the unenviable position of being looked to for productivity after Bramah transferred, and he cashed in, even notching a double-double against Oakland. As a senior, he is now in a position to become one of the better forwards in the conference.

Justin Wilson – While there are plenty of transfers to choose from in the frontcourt, the smart money is on Wilson to take the starting spot. There, he and Spear should equate to what Colonial fans had hoped Spear and Bramah would produce last season.

Outlook

Robert Morris coach Andy Toole has been in this position before, where he’s had to replace what he’s lost in transfers and make do. With the rest of the Horizon League, specifically the top half of the conference, beefing up, the Colonials face a pretty steep climb. Ultimately, their success will depend upon how quickly the new transfers can get up to speed. That likely means the beginning of the season could be pretty rough, but underestimating them as the year wears on could be very costly to a league contender.

Prediction: 10th Place

Miss anything from Preview Week? Check it all out below:

Predictions
Preseason All-League Teams • Preseason Individual Awards
If we had an All-Newcomer Team…
Women’s Preseason Poll • Women’s Preseason All-League Teams
How’d we do? #HLWBB Preseason Poll

Podcasts
Comparing notes with Justin Kinner

Team Previews
Cleveland State • Wright State • Milwaukee • Detroit Mercy
Northern Kentucky • Oakland • Purdue Fort Wayne • Youngstown State
UIC • Robert Morris • Green Bay • IUPUI
Green Bay (WBB) • Cleveland State (WBB)

UIC Flames 2021-22 Season Preview

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UIC Flames 2021-22 Season Preview

Flames will look to a combination of veteran returnees and experienced transfers to find success in Yaklich’s second season

Luke Yaklich’s debut as UIC’s head coach last season showed promise, but a combination of injuries and COVID protocol issues derailed any momentum the Flames could have had. While much of the starting lineup remains intact, including super seniors Michael Diggins and Jamie Ahale, Teyvion Kirk is no longer with the team, and a swath of new players have arrived to bolster Yaklich’s depth in both the frontcourt and the backcourt.

Newcomers

Demaria Franklin – The hometown kid has returned to Chicago after spending last season with Tennessee Tech. During that campaign, he started 18 games and averaged 13.3 points per contest. With Kirk gone, Franklin will likely be the go-to guy in terms of filling the scoring gap.

Brandon Battle – The Alabama State transfer is poised to take the spot of the departed Braelen Bridges in the frontcourt. His 7.7 boards per contest led the Hornets last season, plus he also notched 15 blocks. Given that he also started in two seasons at Alabama State, there may be some opportunities in the lineup as the season goes on.

Kevin Johnson – Adding to the UIC backcourt depth is Johnson, a 6-0 transfer from Nicholls State. His specialty is defense, a trait that clearly appealed to Yaklich, having notched 65 steals last season, including seven takeaways in a game against Houston Baptist.

Marcus Larsson – The Incarnate Word transfer and native Norwegian will add some additional rebounding power to the UIC rotation. Despite an injury-riddle sophomore campaign with the Cardinals, he still led the team in rebounds, grabbing 7.1 boards per game.

Jalen Warren – Warren’s college career began at Florida Gulf Coast, where he was the main distributor for Dunk City his junior year, recording 3.8 assists per game. The COVID-truncated season affected his productivity, and opted, after starting 39 games with the Eagles, to head up north to Credit Union 1 Arena.

Lineup

Maurice Commander – Commander got a slow start last season, but the Chattanooga transfer eventually got going and made his way into a starting spot. This season, he will likely be the one running the point, now that Kirk is no longer with the Flames, and

RayQuawndis Mitchell – From the outset, Mitchell appeared to be the scorer that Yaklich would rely on throughout the season. But after being sidelined for a month and with the emergence of Kirk and Commander, his productivity dropped off. With Kirk gone, though, Mitchell has another opportunity to emerge as a top scorer for UIC.

Jamie Ahale – The Flames’ primary sharpshooter returns after opting to stay in Chicago for his extra year. Having started 18 games last season, the Aussie, flanked by a host of experience guards, should have even more chances to score beyond the arc and improved on his 34.1% shooting percentage from a season ago.

Zion Griffin – Griffin’s promising season was cut short by injury, having bowed out of the 2020-21 season in mid-February. Fully healthy, the former Iowa State Cyclone will look to make good on what began as a promising start as a Flame, starting six contests and scoring in double digits multiple times when he was on the floor.

Michael Diggins – The high-flying Diggins opted into his extra year and stands as the leading remaining scorer from last season. Expectations for this season will be high as the lone UIC player that started every game last year. and certainly high enough to be selected on the third team of the HoriZone Roundtable Preseason All-Horizon League selections.

Outlook

UIC is probably the most difficult team in the Horizon League to predict. The Flames were off to a strong start before injuries and COVID-19 protocols hit. Was that strong start an indicator of what the team could be? Or did the team get hot for a small stretch and we should expect more of how they finished? Last season was wildly different than any other in Horizon League history, and the Flames are the team that was most impacted by it.

UIC’s biggest challenge this season will be to how to manage the rotation. If last year is any indication, there may be opportunities for some of the transfers to crack the starting lineup, depending upon how Yaklich will game-plan for opponents. Ultimately, the Flames will need to jell quickly in order to outperform their preseason expectations.

Miss anything from Preview Week? Check it all out below:

Predictions
Preseason All-League Teams • Preseason Individual Awards
If we had an All-Newcomer Team…
Women’s Preseason Poll • Women’s Preseason All-League Teams
How’d we do? #HLWBB Preseason Poll

Podcasts
Comparing notes with Justin Kinner

Team Previews
Cleveland State • Wright State • Milwaukee • Detroit Mercy
Northern Kentucky • Oakland • Purdue Fort Wayne • Youngstown State
UIC • Robert Morris • Green Bay • IUPUI
Green Bay (WBB) • Cleveland State (WBB)

IUPUI Jaguars 2021-22 Season Preview

Nick Lorensen
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IUPUI Jaguars 2021-22 Season Preview

New-look IUPUI looks likely to struggle in Crenshaw’s first season

It’s been a wild past couple of seasons in Indianapolis but out steps two-year interim head coach Byron Rimm, and in comes long time Jaguar associate head coach Matt Crenshaw. Crenshaw did not only play four seasons for IUPUI, but he is the school’s all-time leader in assists, as well as an assistant at the school for 12 seasons.

He comes back to Indianapolis with a completely new roster from the last time he was in town (2018), returning only 35.7% of its scoring, and losing the three-headed monster of Marcus Burk, Jaylen Minnett, and Elyjah Goss. One of Burk, Minnett or Goss led the team in scoring in all but one game last season, and led the team in rebounds in every contest.

But, this is exactly what the transfer portal is here for, and Crenshaw is using it. He brings in 3 of those, a lot of which are expected to run featured roles on the squad. Along with that, Crenshaw has strong Indianapolis connections and brought two local kids in late.

Newcomers

BJ Maxwell – Last season at St.Edwards, the 6-foot-5 Maxwell averaged 18.6 points, and 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting an immaculate 47.5% from the field. He has prior D-1 history, starting 21 games at Abilene Christian, averaging 9.2 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 49.1% his Junior season. Maxwell also had prior history in the Horizon League, starting two games at Detroit Mercy in 2019 before suffering a season-ending injury.

Zach Gunn – The Fishers, Indiana native followed Coach Crenshaw from Ball State as a graduate transfer. The 6-fot-6 wing made three starts last season. Gunn averaged 3.4 points and 2.2 rebounds, picking up significant stats when he played significant time.

KJ Pruitt – Pruitt joins IUPUI as a highly-touted wing who could have the opportunity to contribute right away. The 6-foot-3 guard was considered a 3-star recruit by multiple publications. He chose IUPUI over the likes of Ohio State, Oklahoma State, TCU, and Texas Tech.

Chuks Isitua – The 6-11 center comes to IUPUI as a 3-star recruit from Jack Yates High School in Houston, TX. He was the 18th ranked recruit (and fourth ranked center) in the state of Texas according to 247 Sports. He chose the Jaguars over the likes of Houston, Depaul, and Colorado State.

Boston Stanton – Stanton was one of Colorado’s best high school players out of Denver East High School. He averaged 21 points per game during his junior season while shooting 49% from the field. Stanton always seemed to find an open spot in the offense. Stanton played just five games as a senior due to injuries, and could be an under-the-radar addition for the Jaguars.

Lineup

G – Mike DePersia – As one of two players to start every game for IUPUI last season, DePersia should be a shoo-in for the starting lineup this year. Expect Crenshaw to look for him to be a floor general on a young Jaguars team. The 5-foot-11 point guard averaged 5.0 points, 3.9 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game last year.

G – Nathan McClure – After transferring in from State Fair Community College last year, McClure earned a starting spot as the season went on and started IUPUI’s final 13 games. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 4.4 points and 2.9 rebounds per game last year.

G – KJ Pruitt – Pruitt is a quick-trigger shooter who can score from all around; averaging 14.5 points per game, 6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in his final high school season in Texas while playing with an injured shoulder. Returning guards Bakari LaStrap, Bobby Harvey and Azariah (AZ) Seay could also compete for this spot.

F – B.J. Maxwell – Maxwell was a solid starter for a 27-win NCAA Tournament participant in his time at Abilene Christian. He was on his way to starting at Detroit Mercy before his injury, and clearly bounced back last year at St. Edwards. Given IUPUI’s lack of experience, a player that has already been a quality contributor on a successful Division I team should give him an excellent chance to be a starter.

C – Chuks Isitua – Isitua was a member of the best offensive team in Texas high school history, which scored over 100 points in 17 straight games during his junior season. He’s a raw talent from Lagos, Nigeria who didn’t start playing basketball until he was 13 years old.

Outlook

In one of the deepest seasons in Horizon League history, it seems like IUPUI will be rebuilding. They could pull off a couple of pesky wins, but they are not one of the few favorites in the league. Matt Crenshaw has a number of new options in his first season, but that also means much of his roster hasn’t played together and generally lacks Division I experience.

Miss anything from Preview Week? Check it all out below:

Predictions
Preseason All-League Teams • Preseason Individual Awards
If we had an All-Newcomer Team…
Women’s Preseason Poll • Women’s Preseason All-League Teams
How’d we do? #HLWBB Preseason Poll

Podcasts
Comparing notes with Justin Kinner

Team Previews
Cleveland State • Wright State • Milwaukee • Detroit Mercy
Northern Kentucky • Oakland • Purdue Fort Wayne • Youngstown State
UIC • Robert Morris • Green Bay • IUPUI
Green Bay (WBB) • Cleveland State (WBB)

HLWBB Preseason Polls: How Did We Do?

Kyle Rossi
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HLWBB Preseason Polls: How Did We Do?

On the heels of our announcements of the HoriZone Roundtable preseason women’s poll and preseason all-conference teams on Tuesday morning, the Horizon League followed suit with its coaches poll results on Tuesday afternoon. The conference vote, naturally, was similar to our list – but not identical. Let’s compare.

PlaceHorizon LeagueHoriZone Roundtable
1.IUPUIIUPUI
2.MilwaukeeMilwaukee
3.Green BayGreen Bay
4.Northern KentuckyCleveland State
5.OaklandOakland (T-5th)
6.Cleveland StateNorthern Kentucky (T-5th)
7.Youngstown State (T-7th)Youngstown State
8.Wright State (T-7th)Wright State
9.Robert MorrisUIC
10.UICRobert Morris
11.Purdue Fort WaynePurdue Fort Wayne
12.Detroit MercyDetroit Mercy

Preseason coaches polls aren’t exactly known for making bold moves, and that’s almost by design, with everyone trying to walk a political tightrope among their peers. However, like us, they observed that Wright State was cored over the offseason and dropped them from the lofty perch usually afforded to defending champions. The champs are the champs until someone beats them, the logic goes. Or until they lose their entire coaching staff and most of their best players. Nevertheless, the conference coaches put the Raiders into a seventh place tie with Youngstown State, while we had the Penguins pretty decisively ahead of the last five teams.

After an identical top three between our vote and theirs, things get interesting in the fourth through eighth positions. Our vote was extremely close in this region, so it’s not exactly stunning that the coaches shook things out in a somewhat different order. Cleveland State suffered the most in dropping two spots from the HoriZone Roundtable poll, as the coaches seem to think that the departure of Mariah White outweighs the Vikings’ large group of newcomers. No other team shifted by more than one position between the two tallies.

On to the all-conference teams.

First Team

Horizon LeagueHoriZone Roundtable
Macee Williams* (IUPUI)Macee Williams* (IUPUI)
Megan Walstad (Milwaukee)Megan Walstad (Milwaukee)
Lindsey Duvall (Northern Kentucky)Lindsey Duvall (Northern Kentucky)
Kahlaijah Dean (Oakland)Kahlaijah Dean (Oakland)
Rachel McLimore (IUPUI)Chelsea Olson (Youngstown State)
* Player of the Year

Second Team

Horizon LeagueHoriZone Roundtable
Destiny Leo (Cleveland State)Destiny Leo (Cleveland State)
Ivy Turner (Northern Kentucky)Ivy Turner (Northern Kentucky)
Chelsea Olson (Youngstown State)Rachel McLimore (IUPUI)
Sol Castro (Robert Morris)Jaida McCloud (UIC)
Meghan Pingel (Green Bay)Madison Wise (IUPUI)

The all-conference teams, like the standings poll, were more similar than they were different. The coaches tabbed IUPUI star Rachel McLimore for the first team, a spot we gave to Youngstown State’s Chelsea Olson. It’s understandable in a sense, McLimore plays for a league favorite and scores a few more points than Olson, both things that tend to play well for the all-conference audience, and there’s also the fact that Olson spent much of last season overshadowed (at least a little bit) by now-departed Penguins stars Mary Dunn and Nneka Obiazor. Still, we feel good about our pick, as Olson remains a stellar defender and distributor, and she’ll have as much to do with her team’s fortunes this year as any other player in the league.

Both votes included Destiny Leo and Ivy Turner on the second team, as well as the opposite player from the McLimore-Olson debate. The last two spots are a bit interesting however, as the coaches picked Sol Castro and Meghan Pingel, while we went with Jaida McCloud and Madison Wise.

Official league polls are never terribly kind to newcomers (other than those on a Patrick Baldwin, Jr. tier), perhaps for the same reasons that they play it safe on the team side, so the Wise call is pretty easily explainable, though we believe she will cement her status as a third head in the Jaguars’ overpowering attack. Jaida McCloud, in our view, was one of last season’s breakout stars in the conference and a case where the coaches missed.

We included Castro on our third team (the Horizon League does not vote on a third team), but not Pingel. It’s hard to go wrong with a redshirt senior point guard from what should be a typically-strong Phoenix squad, but we feel fine with chalking this one up to a classic Green Bay problem: how do you pick the stars from a team that famously tries to avoid having them? We included both Jasmine Kondrakiewicz and Sydney Levy on our third team, and all indications are that each of that trio is on tap to have a very good season (along with others from the stellar freshman class that Kevin Borseth pulled).

Miss anything from Preview Week? Check it all out below:

Predictions
Preseason All-League Teams • Preseason Individual Awards
If we had an All-Newcomer Team…
Women’s Preseason Poll • Women’s Preseason All-League Teams
How’d we do? #HLWBB Preseason Poll

Podcasts
Comparing notes with Justin Kinner

Team Previews
Cleveland State • Wright State • Milwaukee • Detroit Mercy
Northern Kentucky • Oakland • Purdue Fort Wayne • Youngstown State
UIC • Robert Morris • Green Bay • IUPUI
Green Bay (WBB) • Cleveland State (WBB)

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