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Youngstown State Penguins 2020-21 Season Preview

Marc Weems
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Youngstown State Penguins 2020-21 Season Preview

The continuing of something good

As much as things change, they mostly stay the same. For the Youngstown State University men’s basketball program, staying the same roster-wise is something that didn’t happen often in the Jerry Slocum era. It’s starting to happen more often in the Jerrod Calhoun era and that’s important.

For Calhoun and his staff, continuity is the name of the game. It’s a concept that this program needed and is finally getting. The Penguins are looking to build on one of the better seasons in quite some time. There were tons of great moments and incredible games. 

Hopefully, this continuous roster has some more tricks and wins up its sleeve. With newcomers Robert Morris University and the University of Purdue-Fort Wayne, the league gets even stronger for a team looking to make a legitimate run at the Horizon League title.

Newcomers

Greyson Kelley – After an incredible Junior season at Division II Shaw University in North Carolina. The 6-foot-2 guard averaged 19.2 points per game on 47 percent shooting and also shot 43 percent from three. He also hit on 91.8 percent of his free throws. That’s something that is especially important for a team that struggled at times to hit free throws.

Alex Vargo – As a nominee to be a McDonald’s All-American, Vargo scored over 1,600 points at Wheeling Park High School in Wheeling, WV. He averaged 27.8 points and 7.8 rebounds as a senior. He also shot 42 percent from 3-point range. The 6-foot-5, 200-pound guard/forward combo is the exact type YSU looks for now.

Myles Hunter – As a high school player for Carmel Christian in North Carolina, Hunter was a four-year letter winner. He led Carmel Christian to the state title game as a senior averaging 14.5 points on 46 percent shooting. At 6-foot-5 and 180 pounds, Hunter, like Ryan, will need to improve his body to really make an impact at this level.

Shemar Rathan-Mayes – As one of two international players in this recruiting class, Rathan-Mayss comes from the storied Orangeville Prep that produces Jamal Murray, Thon Maker and Lugentz Dort. He led the Bears to an 86-4 record in four seasons as well as two state (provincial) titles.

He averaged 14 points, seven assists, four rebounds as well as three steals in his time. He was also selected in the BioSteel All-Canadian game which is Canada’s version of the McDonald’s All-American game. At just 5-foot-11 and 165 pounds, it may take time to adjust to Division I Basketball but his pedigree may overcome that.

Cheick Traore – The second of two international guys, Traore originally from Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast). He played his high school ball at Concord First Assembly High School in Concord, NC. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 8.4 points, 9.5 points and 1.6 blocks.

William Dunn – Another 6-foot-8 forward from Quincy High School in Michigan, Dunn is his high school’s all-time leader in points with 1,727. He averaged 20.6 points per game with 9.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.7 blocks and a steal. He was also a three-time Associated Press First-Team All-State selection.

Daniel Ogoro and Kenny Ganley, Jr. – Both players are redshirt freshmen but are not new players. They both didn’t see any action last year.

Carson Ryan – A local talent from Struthers High School, Ryan is a 6-foot-6 combo guard/forward. As a preferred walk-on, he’s going to fight for his spot on this. He averaged 15 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists in his senior season. He will need bulk up to battle in a tougher Horizon League.

Lineup

Darius Quisenberry – The pistons to the engine of YSU’s success is unequivocally Darius Quisenberry. Quisenberry has been everything and more for the Penguins. The junior guard was electric for a lot of last year.

He averaged 16.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.5 steals. He had 10 games of 20+ points including a career-high 41 points against Wright State University. He shot 42 percent on the year but just 31 percent from 3-point range.

Quisenberry tested the NBA draft process over the offseason showing that he’s YSU’s best and will need to be the best again.

Garrett Covington – Easily the wild card of this group, Covington has had an up-and-down time as a Penguin. Despite some strange play at times, Covington is easily the Penguins pound-for-pound best defender by far. He was named to the Horizon League All-Defensive Team for the second consecutive year.

He averaged 8.5 points and four rebounds on 43 percent shooting. He did shoot career-lows in 3-point shooting percentage (24.6) and free throw percentage (63.9).

If Covington can combine all the best parts of himself in his senior season, he could be the difference between some wins and losses for this program.

Michael Akuchie – Another player like Covington that could really make an incredible impact with some minor improvements in play. Akuchie has improved every season under Calhoun but had his beat season last year.

He averaged 9.0 points per game, 6.1 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 0.7 blocks. Those were all career-high’s which show marked improvement. Taking another step in his development could really help this Penguins team this year.

Jamir Thomas – This spot in the lineup could go a couple different ways. If the Penguins are to play this season as a large team on the floor, it may choose Jamir Thomas in some games. Last season, Thomas averaged 3.2 points and 3.1 rebounds on 56 percent shooting. It was in limited time of just under 10 minutes per game so that could change. In a small ball situation, Geoff Hamperian would be the logical choice. Hamperian, like Thomas, isn’t a guy who plays a ton of minutes each game. He doubled his scoring output from 1.2 to 2.4 each game but the Penguins very well could be asking for much more this year.

Naz Bohannon – Another important piece to this lineup is Bohannon. He may just be as important or more important than Quisenberry. An uptick in his production would be an uptick in the entire team’s production.

Last season, he averaged a career-high in points (11.2), a career-high in rebounds (8.6) and shot a career-high 51.7 percent. With those improvements and more to come, he will be another major factor in this upcoming season.

Outlook

The Penguins have a lot to look forward to while having some areas in which it can definitely improve. The losses of seniors Devin Morgan and Donel Cathcart III will be major shoes to fill in terms of production.

No matter, YSU is coming back after a winning season. This program hasn’t done that many times and it’s been a while since it’s had back-to-back winning seasons. This could be the first time since the 2012-13 season for such a feat. When Calhoun came to YSU, he envisioned a program that was dominant in the Horizon League and dominance starts with multiple winning seasons first.

So the outlook could be good for this team that has 20-win potential but it also has 20-loss potential. The hope is that this program takes that next step forward and doesn’t fall back after marked improvement. An 18-15 record is not the end goal for this program at all.

Prediction: 2nd Place

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

Predictions
HoriZone Roundtable Preseason Poll • Preseason All-League Teams
If we had an All-Newcomer Team… • All-Freshman Team Picks

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

Robert Morris Colonials 2020-21 Season Preview

Chris Cappella
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Robert Morris Colonials 2020-21 Season Preview

Robert Morris has what it takes to compete in its first year in the Horizon League

One year removed from their first conference tournament title since 2015, Robert Morris returns a chunk of its core as it prepares to compete in the Horizon League for the first time.

Robert Morris will have to overcome the loss of Josh Williams, who graduated and took his 101 made 3-pointers out the door with him. Also not returning are guard Sayveon McEwen (graduation), guard Jalen Hawkins (transfer) and forward Yannis Mendy (graduation). All told, those players contributed toward 56 percent of the team’s 3-point totals. Last season, 3-pointers made up 35 percent of RMU’s total scoring, 65th in the country. This was a team that used ball movement (the Colonials ranked second nationally in assists to field goals made) to get the ball to capable 3-point scorers.

Now, the question is, how much can they replicate last season’s team identity and how much will need reworked?

Andy Toole teams have had a propensity to start slow. Some of that definitely relates to punching up their weight, continually playing a tough non-conference schedule. But it also goes deeper than that. It sometimes takes Toole a month-plus to find the guys he needs in a rotation and for players to understand (and be satisfied with) their roles. With the extraordinary circumstances surrounding this season, that could wind up very detrimental to the Colonials.

The frontcourt depth might be the most interesting storyline heading into the new season. Yannis Mendy settled into one of the NEC’s best rebounders and most efficient low-block scorers last season. It’s worth noting he was also the team’s biggest player. Sophomore Olisa Ngonadi can replicate his length (and then some, with a 6-foot-8 frame and incredible wingspan) but has to learn to play in control. He was extremely raw last season.

Newcomers

Kam Farris – Perhaps the most exciting recruit in Andy Toole’s most recent class, Ferris has the ability to contribute right away as a combo-guard who can handle the ball and knock down shots from deep. Ferris also has the advantage of joining the team in January of 2020, giving him a leg-up on other incoming freshmen. Ferris averaged nearly 23 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists at Rice Memorial, perhaps the most dominant basketball program in Vermont.

Tyson Brown – Standing at 6-foot-9, Brown is certainly going to have the opportunity to contribute right away following the departure of starting forward Yannis Mendy. Hailing from Massanutten Military Academy, Brown averaged nearly 14 points and 9 rebounds per game as a senior. Brown isn’t going to stretch the floor. If given the opportunity, he will be asked to clean up the boards and provide occasional scoring on the block to keep defenses honest.

Enoch Cheeks – Cheeks isn’t going to blow anyone away with his offensive game. Instead, the 6-foot-3, 180 pound guard is a defense-first player that is exactly the type of player that Andy Toole will look to get on the floor early in the season.

Trayden Williams – Williams is a true point guard who, according to the team website, can “knock down the open shot and convert from anywhere on the floor.” Williams is relatively undersized (6-foot-2, 170 pounds) and may be pressed for playing time with a plethora of talented, experienced guards ahead of him.

Pat Suemnick – A late add to Andy Toole’s recruiting class, Suemnick may be more of a developmental piece this season. Scouts rave about his motor. Again, in a front court with limited experience, the big body of Suemnick (6-foot-8, 220 pounds) could see some minutes because of his motor.

Lineup

Jon Williams – Williams is a true point guard with a great ability to knock down the 3-point shot, but he won’t force it. Williams shot 39.6% from the 3-point line last year, with all but 14 of his shots coming from long range.

Dante Treacy – Treacy went from a fine rotational piece as a freshman to the conference tournament MVP as a sophomore. His transformation was one of the most impressive in the Andy Toole era. The key to Treacy’s game doesn’t lie in volume, it lies in shot selection. He has a diverse game and is a high-percentage finisher at the rim. There were times last year where Robert Morris was too content to settle for the 3. Treacy attacking the rim even more frequently could open up shots for Williams and incoming freshman Kam Farris.

Cameron Wilbon – Wilbon missed the 2019-20 campaign with a wrist injury. Wilbon showed solid development in his shooting as a freshman but his real strength lies as a defender. Wilbon is a very solid defender who has the ability to switch fairly freely.

AJ Bramah – Bramah was one of the NEC’s top players one season ago because of his uber-athleticism and high motor. Bramah’s length is a problem on the offensive and defensive glass, he has nice touch around the rim, can run the floor and is a solid defensive player on the low block with the ability to handle guards on a switch.

Charles Bain – Bain will look to bounce back from a bad shooting year as a junior. The 6-foot-8 Bain shoot 35 percent from 3-point range as a sophomore and was one of the most efficient scorers in the NEC in 2018-19, but knocked down just 25 percent of his 3-point shots last season. Someone will have to replace some of Josh Williams’ 3-point shooting. Of the returning players, Bain fits the bill. Due to his size and quickness, Bain was also one the best defender of wing players in the NEC last season.

Outlook

What an interesting 2020-21 season Robert Morris fans have in store. Despite winning a conference title one season ago, there’s no title to defend. There’s no regularly anticipated matchups with St. Francis PA, LIU or Mount St. Mary’s. This will all be new. What won’t be new for Colonial fans, however, is the team in the uniform. Yes, RMU lost some core pieces to last year’s team, but they return more than most.

For Andy Toole-led teams, it begins in the backcourt. Both Jon Williams and Dante Treacy are more than capable 3-point shooters, knocking down 39.7 and 40.4 percent of their shoots from beyond the arc, respectively.

The Colonials are more than capable of being contenders year one in the Horizon League. With that being said, they lost to UIC, Cleveland State and Youngstown State and there may not be a non-conference season to work out the kinks.

Defense will always come first. Based on past experience and the pure she and athleticism at the forward position, this year’s club truly has the makeup to be the best defensive team Toole has coached.

Robert Morris has what it takes to finish in the top half of the league. If a few things break their way, they could compete with the likes of Wright State.

Prediction: 3rd Place

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

Predictions
HoriZone Roundtable Preseason Poll • Preseason All-League Teams
If we had an All-Newcomer Team… • All-Freshman Team Picks

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

Cleveland State Vikings 2020-21 Season Preview

Alec Kwait
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Cleveland State Vikings 2020-21 Season Preview

Vikings primed for improved season under second-year head coach Dennis Gates.

The Cleveland State Vikings men’s basketball team comes into the 2020-2021 season with a lot of promise. Now second year head coach Dennis Gates has seemingly laid the foundation for an eventual turnaround of the program. Last year, the Vikings were universally picked to finish at the bottom of the Horizon League. CSU was counting on many unknown players at the time for heavy contributions. Through the leadership of Gates, the Vikings won seven conference games, which landed them seventh, out of ten teams in the Horizon League. With an additional two teams added to the league this year, the Vikings are well equipped to improve on their seventh place finish from a year ago.

Newcomers

D’Moi Hodge – Hodge was an extremely decorated scorer at the State College of Florida, as he averaged 22.3 points per game on over 45% shooting from the floor over two seasons. According to the Junior College Recruiting Rankings, Hodge was the eleventh best junior college player last season.

Alec Oglesby – A three star recruit out of The Rock School in Gainesville Florida, Oglesby should be contributor from day one. His three point shooting prowess will be a welcomed addition for the Vikings, who struggled mightily from behind the arc last season.

Chris Greene – The 6-foot-8 wing will provide the Vikings with length and athleticism on the perimeter. With the Vikings carrying a large number of pure guards, Greene should figure into the wing rotation in some capacity. Greene averaged 13.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per night while hitting over 40 percent of his 3-pointers.

Jayson Woodrich – Despite earning Division III First Team All-Ohio honors in 2019, Woodrich failed to garner any Division I scholarship offers and opted to spend a prep. year at Scotland Campus in Pennsylvania. He posted strong enough numbers there to garner interest from Rick Pitino at Iona, but the 6-foot-7 wing opted to return home to play for Cleveland State. It was a huge commitment for Dennis Gates, as in order to continue their successful turnaround the Vikings will need to be able to land impact players from Cleveland. Gates clearly sought to address the team’s shooting woes from 2020, and Woodrich will provide the Vikings with another 3-point sniper.

Mabor Majak – The 7-foot-2 Majak was the lone big man recruited to play for an undersized Vikings roster. He could also see some minutes this season, and will be tested in practices being matched up with fellow big man Al Eichelberger.

Lineup

Craig Beaudion – The senior proved last season that he should have the inside track on the team’s starting point guard job. Beaudion appeared in 24 games for the Vikings last season, earning ten starts, before suffering a knee injury which sidelined him for the remainder of the season. The guard averaged over 10 points per game in addition to over three assists and nearly two steals per contest last year.

D’Moi Hodge – The Junior College All-American should earn the starting shooting guard spot for a Cleveland State team that lacked an outside punch a season ago. Hodge will become one of the leaders for the Vikings, as his scoring prowess should help CSU improve on their seventh place finish.

Tre Gomillion – Despite the backcourt beginning to take shape, the small forward spot is a bit of a question mark. The Vikings could opt to start three guards, which many other teams around the Horizon League might do, given their roster construction. If this is the case, the Vikings will most certainly include junior Tre Gomillion in their starting lineup. Gomillion started in all of CSU’s games last season, averaging just over eighth points per game and nearly five rebounds. Returning starters are extremely valuable to a team, so do not be surprised to see Gomillion remain in that role this season.

Torrey Patton– Patton is coming off of a breakout season in which he averaged nearly twelve points per game and six rebounds. Patton also led the Vikings in three point field goal percentage, shooting just over 42% on the year. While Patton might be considered undersized to play power forward, he proved last season he could handle the physical nature of inside play.

Algevon Eichelberger – The HoriZone Roundtable Preseason All-League pick led the Vikings in scoring and rebounding last year, averaging 14.5 points per game in addition to over six rebounds. Eichelberger will be relied upon heavily, as many consider him to be the heart and soul of the team.

Outlook

Overall, the Cleveland State Vikings have the necessary tools to be one of the surprises this year in the Horizon League. The Vikings will be able to utilize a plethora of guards, in addition to the veterans down low. It will be especially interesting to see how Gates plans to use his bench, as he has many capable shot makers at his disposal; something he did not have last year. The Vikings will be an incredibly deep team this season, and it is still unclear how far Gates will go down his bench for minutes. Foul trouble should not doom the Vikings as much this year as it has in seasons past.

Prediction: 4th Place

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

Predictions
HoriZone Roundtable Preseason Poll • Preseason All-League Teams
If we had an All-Newcomer Team… • All-Freshman Team Picks

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

UIC Flames 2020-21 Season Preview

Eduardo Martinez
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UIC Flames 2020-21 Season Preview

Yaklich reloads in his first season on the job

UIC has new leadership at the helm in Luke Yaklich, which could further improve a strong defensive unit. Just how successful of a season the Flames have will depend on the continued improvement of Michael Diggins and Braelen Bridges and the integration of numerous newcomers that it hopes will help overcome the graduation of Tarkus Ferguson, Marcus Ottey, Godwin Boahen and Jordan Blount.

The former Illinois high school coach relied heavily on the transfer market in his inaugural class for replacements to a roster that was decimated by graduation among its guards. Illinois-natives Maurice Commander, Zion Griffin, and Teyvion Kirk return home to inject much needed athleticism and talent.

Newcomers

Maurice Commander – Commander entered college as a 3-star recruit and was a solid guard for the Chattanooga Mocs before transferring to UIC. Commander averaged

Zion Griffin – Griffin is a former consensus 4-star recruit that dealt with injuries and scarce playing time at Iowa State and is better suited as a combo forward in the Horizon League.

Teyvion Kirk – Kirk is now at his third school in three years after starting his career at Ohio and sitting out last season at Colorado State. Nonetheless, he was a productive player with the Bobcats in his first two seasons and could serve as a versatile player that can play on or off the ball.

RayQuawndis Mitchell – Mitchell could prove to be the jewel of the recruiting class, he thrived as a sophomore at Otero Junior College. Mitchell was a high volume, efficient floor spacer, drilling 83 three’s in 32 games at 41% in 2019-2020. Mitchell will play on and off the ball and stretch defenses with his shooting, opening driving lanes for others.

Demetrius Calip II – The son of the former Los Angeles Laker by the same name, Calip II is a very impressive first scholarship freshman for Luke Yaklich. The 6-foot-4 guard was a composite 3-star recruit out of Taft High School in California, averaging 16.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game as a senior. With 10 juniors and seniors, playing time might be difficult to find out of the gate, but Calip could be a significant impact player for UIC in the long run.

Lineup

Maurice Commander – Commander should take over the point guard position with great experience on his resume from Chattanooga in one of the better low-major conferences in the Southern Conference.

RayQuawndis Mitchell – Mitchell was an outstanding player at the Junior College level last year. He led Otero Junior College DASH which featured another Horizon League recruit in IUPUI forward Jonah Carrasco DASH in scoring with 15.6 points per game. He also passed well to the tune of 3.6 assists per game.

Michael Diggins – Diggins has flashed impressive potential since arriving to UIC averaging 9.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game after becoming a starter last season. He was a solid, albeit a streaky double-digit scorer. His combination of athleticism, length and skill is tantalizing but UIC needs him to be more consistent across the board as a senior.

Zion Griffin – Griffin originally committed to Iowa State as the number 125 recruit in the nation. His freshman year was derailed by injuries DASH he suffered a torn MCL before the season and injured his foot mid-season DASH and he averaged 1.8 points and 1.6 rebounds per game. As a sophomore he played in 30 games. His 3.0 points and 1.9 rebounds per game might not stand out, but if Griffin can stay healthy they indicate the 6-foot-6 forward to translate into a solid performer in the Horizon League

Braelen Bridges – Bridges is an accomplished low-post threat offensively who could benefit from more opportunities with a new coaching staff and more shots available. The 6-foot-10 forward averaged 8.4 points per game and 4.9 rebounds as a sophomore.

Outlook

UIC begins a new era under the guidance of rookie head coach Luke Yaklich, lauded for his defensive acumen as an assistant coach at Illinois State, Michigan and Texas. Yaklich takes over a team that already performed well defensively. The Flames had the best defense among Horizon League teams per kenpom.com, with an adjusted defensive efficiency of 99.5. That figure improved to 95.9 during conference play, which should excite Yaklich.

The addition of a number of athletic players with good size and high acclaim prior to their UIC careers should give Yaklich a number of options to further the team’s defensive success. While the loss of several standout players won’t be easy to overcome, it seems like Yaklich put together a roster capable of accomplishing just that in his first year as a Division I Head Coach.

Prediction: 5th Place

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

Predictions
HoriZone Roundtable Preseason Poll • Preseason All-League Teams
If we had an All-Newcomer Team… • All-Freshman Team Picks

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

Oakland Golden Grizzlies 2020-21 Season Preview

Matt Dudek
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Oakland Golden Grizzlies 2020-21 Season Preview

Greg Kampe has his point guard, can Oakland get back on track?

For many years, previewing Oakland University men’s basketball was pretty straightforward. You knew what you could expect out of coach Greg Kampe and his teams. However, the last few years have led to more questions than ever in Rochester and more unknowns about what the 2020-21 team could look like on the court.

The first issue starts with roster turnover. Over the past two off-seasons, Oakland has lost 12 players transferring out of the school. Dating back to the 2018-2019 Oakland team that was beat on a last second three by Drew McDonald and Northern Kentucky in the semi-finals of the Horizon League Tournament, only one player is still on the roster for this season. What should have been a youth movement just hitting their stride in 2020-21 as upperclassmen led by Braden Norris, Tray Maddox and James Beck will not see any of them or a host of other young players suit up as Golden Grizzlies.

After seeing 10 new players join OU for the 2019-2020 season, Oakland saw another mass exodus in this offseason, although only two of those transfers have stayed in Division 1 basketball. While it looks like Oakland may have largely filled their roster late last year with non Division I talent, the number of transfers and roster turnover have continued to be alarming for Oakland fans.

Newcomers

Jalen Moore – Will see the floor for Oakland. A lot. He has the keys to the car and will be driving both figuratively and literally all season.

Chris Conway – Provides some much needed height in the frontcourt. Also not afraid to play the stretch role and shoot the ball from deep. Will see minutes as a freshamn.

Micah Parrish – An expected glue guy, will likely see some depth minutes in stretches while getting more comfortable with the program.

Trey Townsend – The surprise of the summer for Kampe. The best rebounder on the team. That will earn him more minutes than anyone, including Kampe, ever would have expected when recruiting him.

Yusuf Jihad – Has a very good offensive game already. Spent his redshirt year filling out as he’s still very young, even for a RS freshman. Has missed a little practice time due to a COVID exposure, but will see the floor this season. If he can rebound and play defense, his role will greatly increase.

Phillips Joseph- A freshman out of SPIRE in Ohio, he has great size. He will likely spend the season learning how and where to use it. The type of player Oakland has tried to sit for a year without burning a year of eligibility.

Zion Young – The addition of the transfer from Western Illinois would be a big boost offensively for Oakland if he is granted immediate eligibility for this season. He is a very good scorer and will get a lot of shots while wearing the black and gold. While there has been nothing official, it seems as though OU expects to see him this season.

Lineup

Jalen Moore – Juco All-American transfer Jalen Moore is expected to be the point guard that OU was missing last year. He can not only run the offense effectively but has shown the ability to finish at the rim despite being only 5-11. He picked OU because they have shown they can help undersized PG’s succeed. Oakland fans will hope to be reminded of Kay Felder, but without much of the muscle.

Rashad Williams – One of the biggest bright spots for Oakland last year, Williams averaged 19.5 ppg after becoming eligible for the last 15 games of the season. While he is a lethal shooter and will likely have his number called often for a play, don’t be surprised to see him handle some point guard responsibilities at times. Rashad is dealing with a shoulder injury that is slowing him in practice, but they expect to see him ready for the start of the season.

Blake Lampman- The All-Freshman team honoree is looking to prove his first year wasn’t a fluke. While he seemed to struggle in his first year down the stretch, he has also shown why team’s need to plan for him. He is a lethal shooter with an incredibly high basketball IQ. He seems very aware of the intangibles on a court that will ensure he gets minutes. He is a hard working, grind it out player that you simply cannot leave open. Expect to see higher production out of him this year as OU runs a faster offense and teams have to choose to guard Young, Williams and Lampman all behind the line. While this starting spot could easily be flipped with Zion Young, this seems like the safest bet right now.

Daniel Oladapo – The 6-foot-7 junior seemed to struggle finding his place with Xavier Hill-Mais and Brad Brechting often on the court at the same time, but should find himself with much more room to work down low this season with the 2 longtime OU bigs having graduated. With many question marks about how minutes will be spread out between the bigs this season, Oladapo is the one name you can expect to see on the floor for Oakland in the post.

Trey Townsend – If a year ago you had asked anyone at Oakland if Townsend would even be in the discussion for a starting spot this upcoming year, they would have thought you were crazy. But this legacy player for Oakland (Both of his parents played for Oakland including his dad Skip who played for Kampe) has learned how to put in the work and is doing one thing nobody else on the team is right now. Trey Townsend can rebound. The very athletic Townsend is not afraid to get in with the trees and come down with the rebound and Kampe is looking to reward that and motivate his other bigs. While he will likely have a short leash, after reading this you shouldn’t be shocked when Townsend starts or is one of the first Grizzlies to check into a game. Wearing the black and gold is a point of pride for this lifelong Golden Grizzly.

Outlook

Kampe expects to look more like Oakland teams of old. Getting into last season there was lots of discussion about how well that team could defend and slowing down the offense, both concepts foreign to Oakland fans. If Zion Young is granted eligibility it is very likely you will see stretches of four guards with Oladapo in the middle. While this lineup will be overpowered by teams with great post play like Wright State, they will also be capable of outscoring their opponents and keeping them moving faster then they want to be.

On a night where OU is hitting shots and keeping the dribble-drive offense clicking, they will have the ability to beat a lot of teams. Will they be able to find consistency in a year where they were the last Horizon team able to start unofficial practices and relying on a slew of new players? The Grizz Gang and loyal fans sure hope so. If not, one has to wonder if the coaching clock on Kampe is nearing the end.

Prediction: 6th Place

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

Predictions
HoriZone Roundtable Preseason Poll • Preseason All-League Teams
If we had an All-Newcomer Team… • All-Freshman Team Picks

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

Northern Kentucky Norse 2020-21 Season Preview

John Parker
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Northern Kentucky Norse 2020-21 Season Preview

Departing stars create uncertainty for the Norse

Tyler Sharpe, Dantez Walton and Jalen Tate helped Northern Kentucky finish in second place in the Horizon League last year before rolling to a Horizon League Tournament win and an automatic berth in the cancelled NCAA Tournament. Sharpe earned Second Team All-Horizon League honors while Walton and Tate were Third Team All-League picks. At the conclusion of the season, Sharpe and Walton concluded their college careers while Tate opted to transfer to Arkansas for his senior season.

Without three of the league’s top players from last year, Northern Kentucky will be relying heavily on its lone double-digit scorer from 2020 Trevon Faulkner to carry a much bigger portion of the workload and for a large crop of newcomers to figure out how to jell with the returning players quickly.

Newcomers

Carlos Hines – If he returned to Northern Arizona for his junior year Hines would’ve been the team’s returning leader in points, assists and steals per game. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 12.9 points, 4.0 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game after emerging as the team’s starting point guard as a sophomore. Given the former Northern Arizona role player Karl Harris’ solid performance on a loaded Northern Kentucky roster last year, there’s reason to be optimistic about how the former NAU starter Hines’ transition to the Norse will go. He could be one of the top newcomers in the Horizon League this year.

John Harge – Harge was one of Darrin Horn’s first recruits at Northern Kentucky in 2019, but missed last season with a torn ACL. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 19.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.8 blocks per game at Hillcrest Prep in 2019. If he can come anywhere close to the 41 percent 3-point shooting performance he put up at Hillcrest, Harge will give the Norse a versatile threat that could make him an All-Freshman Team candidate.

Darius Harding – The 6-foot-5 wing averaged 19.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game at Motlow State last year. Harding was rated as one of the 100 best Junior College prospects by JUCORecruiting.com. Given Northern Kentucky’s lack of frontcourt options, it’s possible the Norse may sometimes opt for a small lineup with Harding acting as the second post player.

Marques Warrick – Cracking into a backcourt rotation that features five established veteran Division I players and a top JUCO recruit might be a tall task, but a player as talented as Warrick could pull it off. The 6-foot-3 guard was a finalist for Kentucky’s Mr. Basketball award after averaging 23.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game as a senior at Henry Clay High School.

David Böhm – If Harge isn’t back up to speed following last year’s ACL injury, Böhm likely becomes the de facto second starter in the post due to Northern Kentucky’s extreme lack of frontcourt options. Like Harge, Böhm is a 6-foot-8 post player who can knock down shots from the perimeter. He also brings international experience with him to NKU. He averaged 13.6 points and 5.3 rebounds with for the Czech Republic at the 2019 FIBA U18 Division B Tournament.

Trey Robinson – The 6-foot-6 wing from Hamilton, Ohio averaged 19.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game last year. He was an Honorable Mention Division I All-State selection by the Ohio Prep Writers Association in 2020. After Robinson signed, Darrin Horn cited his length and versatility as some of the attributes they liked in him. Like Harding, he could be an option if the Norse decide to use a small ball lineup.

Lineup

Bryson Langdon – Langdon started 22 games for the Norse last year in a season where the team went long stretches with at least one of its three stars sidelined due to injury. While Northern Arizona transfer Carlos Hines is also an experienced starter at point guard, the guy who has proven he can do it at NKU gets the nod as the primary ballhandler for now.

Carlos Hines – With an established floor general at NKU, Hines will be able to focus on creating his own shot while also posing a threat to use the point guard skills he’s demonstrated to create for others. Look for the newcomer to compete with Trevon Faulkner to be the team’s top scorer this year.

Trevon Faulkner – The lone returning fulltime starter for Northern Kentucky is guard Trevon Faulkner. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 11.9 points and 4.1 rebounds as a sophomore last year. Many expect Faulkner to have a breakout year and become an All-League player following the departures of Tyler Sharpe, Jalen Tate and Dantez Walton.

John Harge – One of two freshmen post players who brings size and shooting touch to the Norse roster, Harge gets the nod over David Böhm due to having a year learning NKU’s system under his belt. If Harge isn’t fully recovered from his injury or is otherwise unable to lock down the starting job Böhm seems like the next most likely to win it. Harding and Robinson could also be options if the team decides to play small.

Adrian Nelson – NKU’s second leading rebounder from a year ago, Nelson returns to the Norse as one of three scholarship post players and appears to be a lock to start this year. The 6-foot-7 junior pulled down 6.3 rebounds per contest while sharing a front court with Dantez Walton and Silas Adheke. With a pair of veterans being replaced by a pair of more perimeter-oriented freshmen, don’t be surprised to see Nelson become a double-double machine and one of the league’s breakout stars by pure necessity this season.

Outlook

On paper, the Norse have a strong crop of newcomers ready to step onto the court this year. At the same time, replacing three All-League performers seems like it’ll be an even taller task than trying to replace 2019 Horizon League Player of the Year Drew McDonald was last year.

While the team brought in a number of promising pieces, Northern Kentucky is severely lacking in size and will be relying heavily on unproven players this season. With only one senior this year, it’s possible that NKU could be reloading now for a serious bounceback season in 2022.

Prediction: 7th Place

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

Predictions
HoriZone Roundtable Preseason Poll • Preseason All-League Teams
If we had an All-Newcomer Team… • All-Freshman Team Picks

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

Green Bay Phoenix 2020-21 Season Preview

John Parker
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Green Bay Phoenix 2020-21 Season Preview

Massive overhaul leads to lot of uncertainty for the Phoenix in 2021

In an offseason where schools were hesitant to make change due to all of the unprecedented things going on outside of the sports world, Green Bay’s decision to move on from Linc Darner following a third place Horizon League finish that exceeded preseason expectations was a shocking one.

But with an Athletic Director and a Chancellor who had nothing to do with Darner’s hiring, the school opted to move on from the coach after the team failed to win a regular season or postseason Horizon League Title with a senior-heavy roster. Second Team All-League pick JayQuan McCloud, Kameron Hankerson, Cody Schwartz and Josh McNair exhausted their eligibility while Tank Hemphill, Trevian Bell, Manny Patterson, Will Chevalier and Hunter Crist left the team for various reasons.

Now Will Ryan — son of former Wisconsin and Milwaukee Head Coach Bo — will be asked to perform a near-complete rebuild. The Phoenix have three returning players with significant Division I experience, and only two of them played for Green Bay. Fortunately for the Phoenix, Ryan is experienced in this area. Wheeling had just five players on the roster when he took the job there, and he was able to put together a team that nearly finished .500 in a very short span of time.

Newcomers

Josh Jefferson – Jefferson transferred to Green Bay under Linc Darner and opted to keep his commitment to the Phoenix after the coaching change. The 6-foot-2 senior averaged 8.7 points per game while shooting over 40 percent from beyond the three-point arc for the Redbirds in 2019.

Terrance Thompson – Thompson is a highly touted 6-foot-8 forward from LaCrosse, Wisconsin. He’s a strong post option who has range out to the 3-point line. On paper, a post player like Thompson should fit better in a more traditional offense — or even the Swing — than it would have in Linc Darner’s up-tempo style.

Damontae Taylor – The physically gifted 6-foot-6 wing averaged 20.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game as a senior at Zion-Benton High School. While his offensive stats might be eye-popping, his high school coach Bob Worthington cited his defense and the versatility that his athleticism presents on that front as his best attribute. With a lack of true frontcourt players on the roster, Taylor could be a key player for the Phoenix this season if he proves he can defend post players in addition to guards this year.

Jacob Jones – The 5-foot-10 point guard from Jeffersonville, Indiana averaged 13.1 points and 5.4 assists in his final year of high school last season. He’ll likely be asked to handle a large number of the minutes that PJ Pipes spends on the bench this year.

Blayton Williams – Williams averaged 14.1 points per game last season for Lamar Community College. The 6-foot-3 guard helped the Lopes to a 16-15 record in 2020.

Emmanuel Ansong – Will Ryan convinced one of his former Wheeling players to join him in Green Bay. The 6-foot-4 forward averaged 14.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game as a sophomore. There has been talk of him pursuing a waiver for immediate eligibility, but as of right now he is not eligible for the Phoenix this year.

Lineup

PJ Pipes – Pipes was the HoriZone Roundtable Sixth Man of the Year in 2020 after averaging 9.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game last year. While he arguably performed better off the bench than in the starting lineup, the hope is definitely that the senior can step up to fill in some of what is lost by the graduation of All-League guard JayQuan McCloud.

Amari Davis – The defending Horizon League Freshman of the Year is a HoriZone Roundtable Preseason First Team All-League selection. With 2020 All-League pick JayQuan McCloud’s graduation, Davis is expected to take on a bigger part of the offensive workload this year. If Davis can maintain similar offensive productivity along with the workload increase, he could be in line for a special season.

Josh Jefferson – The 6-foot-2 sharpshooter should be a consistent threat to eclipse double-figures for Green Bay this year. Jefferson hit 41 of his 102 3-point shots in 2019, compared to just 17 of his 44 2-point attempts. Adding Jefferson to the lineup should keep driving lanes open for Amari Davis that might’ve otherwise closed with a less adept 3-point shooter.

Damontae Taylor – With all of the post players who had eligibility remaining opting to leave the Phoenix roster over the offseason, this spot is one of the hardest to predict in the entire league. The Phoenix only have two currently eligible post players on the roster, and if they decide to go with a traditional lineup Turkish big man Cem Kirciman could get the nod. If not, the team will play small and the highly touted 6-foot-6 wing from Illinois looks like a strong candidate for a lineup with four perimeter players. Junior College transfer Paris Taylor mentioned not anticipating playing in the post this year in an interview after the coaching change, though it’s unclear if that rules him out for this spot. 6-foot-8 redshirt freshman Jappanah Kellog is another candidate here. Finally, Wheeling transfer Emmanuel Ansong could be in the mix if he gets a waiver to play immediately.

Terrance Thompson – On paper, the second frontcourt spot for the Phoenix appears to be much more clear cut. Thompson’s talent was likely to earn him playing time even if Green Bay’s three upperclassman forwards returned this year. The lack of front court players on the Phoenix roster makes Thompson a strong candidate for All-Freshman Team honors before he’s even shown what he can do at the Divison I level.

Outlook

Green Bay was one of the tougher teams in the league to figure out, so a wide variance in predictions was easy to see coming. Ryan isn’t experienced as a head coach and his team suffered a massive roster overhaul, but his one season on the job saw him overcome exactly that issue.

It seems HoriZone Roundtable voters settled on Ryan having a similar season in his first season in the Horizon League as he did last year at Wheeling. The team has some high quality pieces returning, but arguably more question marks than any team in the league. Finishing ninth with a roster that’s severely lacking in Division I experience and frontcourt depth would be an encouraging sign of things to come for the Phoenix.

Prediction: 9th Place

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

Predictions
HoriZone Roundtable Preseason Poll • Preseason All-League Teams
If we had an All-Newcomer Team… • All-Freshman Team Picks

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

Detroit Mercy Titans 2020-21 Season Preview

Karic Jones
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Detroit Mercy Titans 2020-21 Season Preview

Large crop of newcomers could change Titans’ fortunes this year

The 2020-2021 Detroit Titans have a totally different team than when the team last played in 2020. After five players transferred out and seven new players joined the team, it seems like Detroit Mercy might finally have the pieces around Antoine Davis to make things interesting in the Horizon League.

Justin Miller — the team’s lone graduated senior — is also the only double-digit scorer that the Titans will need to replace this year. A highly-touted incoming power conference graduate transfer seems more than up to the task. Three other Division I transfers — plus a fourth pending a waiver for immediate eligibility — give the team a veteran core that could be a big step up from what we’ve seen under Mike Davis so far if this strange season gives them time to jell.

Newcomers

Kyle LeGreair – LeGreair was an all-state first-team selection in 2020. The Cass Tech product comes in undersized, but he reportedly put in work over the quarantine to bulk up. He likely takes a backseat until at least 2021, but he’s a high-upside player. The only question is whether he can fill out to be a Division I point guard.

Marquell Fraser – The 6-foot-3 guard from Hamilton, Ontario spent his first year of college basketball ball at VCU before transferring to Midland College, where he was an all-conference selection. He played the last two years at Idaho. His first season was cut short by injury. Last year he had 7.1 points per contest, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per contest. Fraser made 13 starts for a subpar Idaho team last season. He will be an option to play PG and allow Antoine Davis to move to more of a shooting guard role.  
 
Taurean Thompson – At one time Thompson was playing games vs. Duke on ESPN. His freshmen year at Syracuse, he averaged 9.2 points per contest with 3.9 rebounds. He had a career-high 22 points vs. Boston College. He played the last two years at Seton Hall but never really got into the rotation. He only appeared in one contest last year. He has a super high ceiling and has played at the highest level; it will be interesting to see how he does vs. the Horizon League.
 
Bul Kuol – A 6’7 lanky forward that transferred from Cal Baptist. He shoots the three at a high percentage, injures have plagued his college career. After watching his media day interview, it’s quick to see why the Coaches targeted him: he’s a leader. With so many new players, it’s vital this team has a leader outside of Davis.  

Matt Johnson – Johnson is a 6-foot-4 transfer from Saint Bonaventure. He appeared in 23 games with the Bonies, making one start. He averaged 1.6 points in 8.8 minutes per game. Johnson could be another option to allow Davis to play off-ball.
  
Noah Waterman is the final transfer. He is 6-foot-11 with the ability to handle like a guard, and he shoots the three well. He’s most likely the hidden gem of this recruiting class, though he’s waiting on a waiver. If the waiver is granted, his playing style might remind Horizon League fans of Alec Peters.

Lineup

Antoine Davis Davis is the Titans’ unquestioned star and one of the best players in the Horizon League. He was fourth in the country and led the Horizon League in scoring with 24.3 points per contest. He was at times less effective than in his freshman year. Head Coach Mike Davis has hinted he was injured, though some will say he was figured out by teams in the league. Davis is on track to break every Titan scoring record if he plays four years.

Brad Calipari – The 3point specialist was good for two made 3-point shots and a rebound per contest. Calipari can shoot the lights out from three and has a super high basketball IQ. Outside of the game vs. Toledo, we really didn’t get to see him do much. He was made the focal point in the offense and a lot of screens were set from him that game. He tallied 20 points and three boards in that contest.  Dwayne Rose Jr. could also be in the mix for this spot, though he seems like a great sixth man option to spell Davis off the bench.

Willy Isiani – The 6’8 forward from Georgia has become a fan favorite over his first two years. He has done a majority of his shooting from behind the arc. Hopefully, the new-look roster will allow him to play more of a small forward role; with playing back to back games in conference play, expect to see a decent dose of Isiani.  

Chris Brandon – Brandon was a defensive stopper last year with 8.1 rebounds a game and 44 blocks. He was good for a handful of highlight reel plays a game. However, he has had to play out of position due to roster issues. Chris is 6-foot-7 and 215 pounds. He clearly lacks size to play center. The way this year’s roster is made up he probably won’t have to take cheap fouls and the coaching staff can put him in place to better use his athleticism. He was super effective when he did shoot last season, good for 63.4% from the field. Brandon could be an all-conference player if deployed correctly.  

Taurean Thompson – Thompson is the space-eating player the coaching staff felt they needed. He’s 6-foot-11 and 235 pounds, and can cause substantial matchup problems with most teams in the league.  

Outlook

With so many new additions, Antoine Davis finally has a team around him that could be competitive in the Horizon League. Thompson should provide a consistent second option and the rest of the newcomers should allow for a lot more versatility than in previous seasons. If everything breaks right for the Titans, the team could contend this season. A Top 4 finish isn’t out of the question.

Prediction: 8th Place

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

Predictions
HoriZone Roundtable Preseason Poll • Preseason All-League Teams
If we had an All-Newcomer Team… • All-Freshman Team Picks

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

Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons 2020-21 Season Preview

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Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons 2020-21 Season Preview

With a sub-par final season in the Summit League, the Mastodons look to surprise their new rivals in the Horizon League.

When it was announced that Purdue Fort Wayne was joining the Horizon League in August 2019, the sentiment with fans around the league was mixed. However the reaction, the Mastodons had established themselves as a competitive force under head coach Jon Coffman, a reputation bolstered by back-to-back wins against Indiana.

Purdue Fort Wayne’s final season in the Summit League, however, left many Mastodon fans wanting. By all accounts, it was a down year for PFW, notching a 14-19 record and bowing out in the semifinals of the Summit League Tournament.

With the sub-.500 year behind them and a new home to settle into, the Mastodons are looking to make an impression on their new Horizon League foes. However, there are several unknowns for Coffman and his Purdue Fort Wayne squad coming into the 2020-21 season.

The most glaring issue will be how Coffman will look to replace the departure of three of his key players from the 2019-20 campaign. PFW’s second-leading scorer from last year, Brian Patrick, is now a graduate transfer at DePaul. Third-leading scorer and starter Matt Holba graduated, as did Marcus DeBerry, who started 16 games for the Mastodons.

For the upcoming season, Coffman will have to rely on a combination of the three starters he returns, as well as some notable transfers will have the opportunity to fill the gaps left by the off-season roster changes.

Newcomers

Bobby Planutis – The 6-foot-8 grad transfer from St. Bonaventure looks like a strong candidate to start this year. He brings an outside shooting element to PFW’s game, knocking down almost half. of his 67 three-pointers as a freshman at Mount Saint Mary’s in 2018.

Ra Kpedi – Purdue Fort Wayne has never lacked size in the frontcourt, and that will only be bolstered by the Vermont transfer. The 6-foot-9, 225-pound forward sat out last year and will likely contend for a starting spot in 2021. Kpedi shot 57.5 percent from the field while starting six games for Vermont in 2019, averaging 2.5 points and 1.5 rebounds per game.

Bryce Waterman – Three-point shooting has been Coffman’s signature with the Mastodons, but the accuracy beyond the arc was lacking in 2019-20. Looking to address that issue for 2020-21, Waterman is one of a pair of junior college sharpshooters Coffman brought on for 2021. The 6-6 wing shot 43.5 percent from three-point range at Pensacola JC.

Demetric Horton – The second JUCO shooter joining Purdue Fort Wayne, Horton is a 6-foot-5 wing who fired treys at a 42.6 percent clip during his time with Independence CC in Kansas. He led the team with 15.3 points per game last year.

With the swatch of transfers at Coffman’s disposal, it’s easy to forget the incoming freshmen. However, Justice Prentice, a 6-1 combo guard from Orangeville Prep in Toronto, has the potential both at the point and as a scoring option beyond the arc. Jarvis Walker, a 6-2 guard from Muskegon (MI) High School, could also see some minutes at the point guard position as well. And while the frontcourt may be well-covered, Jonathan DeJurnett, a 6-8 forward out of Tennesee’s Lausanne Collegiate HS, will vie for playing time.

Jalon Pipkins – The former Loyola Chicago guard could get a waiver and be in the mix in the backcourt rotation if the NCAA gives Purdue Fort Wayne a favorable ruling.

Lineup

Jarred Godfrey – There is no dispute that the leader on this Mastodons squad is Godfrey, the leading scorer from last season. The 6-5 junior out of Atlanta average 15.6 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, as well as led the team in assists, dishing out 3.4 per contest. Godfrey’s likely goal for 2020-21 will be to improve upon his three-point shooting, which hovered around 31 percent last season, and his assist-to-turnover ratio, which was even throughout the year.

Deonte Billups – After splitting the starting role with DeBerry last season, the 6-foot-4 Billups will join Godfrey full-time in the backcourt this year. The sophomore from Moline, Illinois will likely boost his freshman-year scoring average of 8.8 points per game. He did, however, share the team lead in rebounds at 4.9 per game, and will likely expound upon that in the upcoming campaign.

Bryce Waterman – With Patrick gone, Waterman is the likely candidate for a spot at the 3. Waterman was a high-volume shooter from beyond the arc, connecting on 104 3-pointers for the year. His 44 percent conversion on those 3-pointers has to have Coach Coffman very encouraged that he’ll play a big role in solving the Mastadons’ shooting woes this year.

Bobby Planutis – Planutis started 25 games for Mount Saint Mary’s in the Northeast Conference before transferring to Saint Bonaventure. He posted solid production both in the NEC and the Atlantic 10, and he’ll likely be in a position to post even better numbers for Purdue Fort Wayne this year.

Dylan Carl – The sole returnee up front, will be the 6-11 senior. The redshirt senior from Alma College in Michigan started all 33 games for the Mastodons, and grabbed 4.9 boards per game, tying him with Billups. Coffman will be looking for Carl to chip in more this season, improving on his 22 minutes per game and 6.9 points per contest.

Outlook

Depth will be a major factor as to whether or not Purdue Fort Wayne will be able to compete in the ever-volatile Horizon League. Coffman will rely on two key reserves, 6-0 senior DeMierre Black and 6-8 senior Cameron Benford to spot his starters, much as they did for the bulk of the 2019-20 season. Beyond that, where the Mastodons are situated in the conference standings will depend heavily on whether or not they can better their 31.6 percent shooting from three-point range from last season. Size, on the other hand, may be an advantage for PFW, with a swath of players over 6-8, a luxury as far as the Horizon League is concerned.

Ultimately, Purdue Fort Wayne’s success will boil down to how quickly the team that’s mixed between veterans, transfers and freshmen will jell together. Given the late start to the season and the delayed opening of practices, getting the entire team on the same page will be Coffman’s No. 1 priority.

The best-case scenario for the Mastodons in their debut season in the Horizon League, considering how the conference is situated, will be a finish in the middle of the pack. However, if they can’t improve their shooting and turnovers, they could stare down the barrel of a bottom-tier finish.

Prediction: 10th Place

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

Predictions
HoriZone Roundtable Preseason Poll • Preseason All-League Teams
If we had an All-Newcomer Team… • All-Freshman Team Picks

Team Previews
Wright State • Youngstown State • Robert Morris • Cleveland State
UIC • Oakland • Northern Kentucky • Detroit Mercy
Green Bay • Milwaukee • IUPUI

Milwaukee Panthers 2020-21 Season Preview

John Parker
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Milwaukee Panthers 2020-21 Season Preview

Panthers predicted to struggle in 2021

Milwaukee’s season seemed like a drawn-out version of many of its late-season games. The Panthers got out to a solid start and looked to be well on the way to a successful result down the homestretch before things came crashing down in disappointing fashion. With five games to play in the Horizon League season, it looked like Milwaukee might earn a bye in the first round of the Horizon League Tournament thanks to Detroit Mercy being ruled ineligible for the postseason. Five straight losses later, the Panthers wound up the 8-seed and lost on the road to Youngstown State in a round it previously looked like the team might not have to play in.

The Panthers bring back four starters from the end of the season, but clearly the end of the season didn’t instill much confidence about that lineup in voters’ minds. The biggest question about Milwaukee’s potential this season seems to be finding another go-to scorer to replace Darius Roy. All-League guard Te’Jon Lucas can be relied on to produce on offense most nights, but Josh Thomas is the only other returning player who consistently hit double-figures last year and he never broke 20 points in a game.

While a pending waiver for UTEP transfer Jordan Lathon could go a long way toward solving the offensive problem for the Panthers, he’s not eligible at the time of this article.

Newcomers

Tafari Simms – Simms was Western Texas College’s third leading scorer with 11.9 points per game and its leading rebounder with 6.8 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-7 junior has been an efficient scorer at both of his Junior College stops and seems like a player that could have a lot of room to grow after not playing organized basketball until his sophomore year of high school.

DeAndre Gholston – Gholston was a hot commodity within the Horizon League last year, securing offers from four of the team’s 10 schools before choosing the Panthers. He was a Second Team All-Panhandle Conference selection after averaging 11.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.

Vin Baker Jr. – The son of former NBA All-Star and current Milwaukee Bucks Assistant Coach Vin Baker, Baker Jr. transferred to the Panthers after two seasons at Boston College. Baker Jr. played in 41 games over his two seasons in the ACC. While he hasn’t shown the three-point shooting prowess that his father was known for, the 6-foot-9 wing brings an intriguing combination of size and skills to the Panthers.

Grant Coleman – The 6-foot-7 freshman was a First Team Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Boys Basketball All-State Class 3A selection as a senior at Mahomet-Seymour High School. Like many of the Panthers’ new players, Coleman brings an intriguing combination of size and three-point shooting ability. Coleman averaged 21.6 points per game as a senior.

Donovan Newby – A 6-foot-1 point guard recruit from Chicago Bloom High School, Newby was one of five players on Bloom to earn the opportunity to play college basketball. The team’s starting point guard was considered an underrated recruit and noted for his abilities as a floor general and a defender by the Chicago Sun Times.

Jordan Lathon – The UTEP transfer isn’t technically available for the Panthers yet as he’s pending a waiver for immediate eligibility, but if his waiver is granted he’ll be in a position to be an immediate impact player for Milwaukee. Lathon averaged 11.9 points and a team-leading 2.7 assists as a freshman with the Miners. While decreased minutes and lower shooting percentages caused his scoring to drop as a sophomore; he improved his rebounding totals, assist totals and his assist-to-turnover ratio in 2020.

Lineup

Te’Jon Lucas – Milwaukee’s best overall player last year, Lucas returns for his senior season after earning Second Team All-Horizon League honors as a junior. Lucas led the team with 5.1 assists per game while finishing second in scoring and third in rebounding. Following the graduation of the Panthers’ leading scorer Darius Roy and leading rebounder DeAndre Abram, it’s not out of the question that Lucas could do what Tarkus Ferguson and Sandy Cohen III have done in recent years and lead a Horizon League school in all of the major counting statistics.

Josh Thomas – For the first half of last year, Thomas looked like a shoe-in for sixth man of the year as an offensive spark plug off of the bench. As the year went on, Thomas frequently found himself in the starting lineup. The 6-foot-4 guard lost his chance at the league’s Sixth Man of the Year award by starting 19 games, but provided a consistent option in the starting lineup. He ranked third on the team with 10.2 points per game last year and second with 4.3 rebounds per game. An interesting potential development here is UTEP transfer Jordan Lathon’s pending waiver for immediate eligibility. Lathon averaged 10.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game as a freshman on a bad UTEP team before settling into a smaller role on a Miners team that got a significant influx of talent last year. He’d likely replace either Thomas or Courtney Brown in the starting lineup if eligible.

Courtney Brown – Brown was one of the HoriZone Roundtable’s picks on the 2020 All-Freshman Team, and could be in for a nice jump as a sophomore. The 6-foot-7 wing played with great energy that often created loose ball opportunities, but also got himself into frequent foul trouble. Maintaining the same intensity while learning how to foul less isn’t an automatic, but if he can stay on the court Brown could be an excellent glue guy for the Panthers this year. If Lathon isn’t granted a waiver, DeAndre Gholston and Vin Baker Jr. could also be in the mix for this spot.

Tafari Simms – Simms joins the Panthers after averaging 11.9 points and 6.8 rebounds at Western Texas College last year. He shot 42.1 percent from beyond the 3-point line, giving him a key element that Pat Baldwin has been looking to integrate into the frontcourt throughout his tenure as head coach. The most likely contender for this spot would be returning post player Amir Allen, but Allen’s minutes dwindled toward the end of the year so it seems like a position where a newcomer could easily figure into the equation.

C.J. Wilbourn – While the HoriZone Roundtable picked Courtney Brown as a member of the All-Freshman Team, the league’s voters selected Panther post player C.J. Wilbourn. Wilbourn’s first season at Milwaukee ended in promising fashion. He averaged 6.5 points on over 65% shooting through Milwaukee’s last 10 games. Even more encouraging for the Panthers, his improved efficiency came as his shot volume increased. Wilbourn could be a player to watch for to make a big jump during his sophomore season.

Outlook

Milwaukee is in an interesting spot. The team brings back four players who became starters by the end of the year, but those starters were in for every game of the team’s season-ending six-game slide except Senior Day. The hope is likely that at least a couple players will either improve dramatically or get passed over in the lineup. If some of the seven new players shake up the rotation or last year’s promising freshmen break through, don’t be surprised to see Milwaukee climb this list. If not, expect the team Milwaukee was to end the season to show up earlier and more often this year.

Prediction: 11th Place

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

Predictions
HoriZone Roundtable Preseason Poll • Preseason All-League Teams
If we had an All-Newcomer Team… • All-Freshman Team Picks

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

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