Thursday, March 28, 2024
3 Thoughts: Seton Hall demolishes UNLV, advances to NIT semis
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Sha Sounds Off: UNLV
Jeremy Luther looks to lead Runnin’ Bulldog reformation
Gardner-Webb conducted a national search for its next head coach, but in the end, did not have to look that far to find one.
Jeremy Luther, who had been Tim Craft’s assistant for the past 11 seasons in Boiling Springs, was named as his replacement at a press conference on campus Wednesday.
“We did not give Jeremy Luther this job because it was the comfortable choice or the easy choice,” Gardner-Webb president Dr. William Downs said. “Jeremy Luther earned this job because he is the right man to lead Gardner-Webb basketball into a new era.”
“In my flesh, I got angry that I could not just slide in and have the job,” Luther admitted. “I started questioning God why it was taking so long. But now looking back on it, I’m thankful for the process. It really strengthened my faith.”
According to athletic director Dr. Andrew Goodrich, there was a deep pool of qualified candidates who were interviewed for the position, but Luther stood out from the group.
“We had candidates from all over the country that wanted to be the next head basketball coach at Gardner-Webb University, from the SEC to the ACC,” Goodrich said. “Coach Luther has the full complement of skill, ability, experience and passion. He was able to articulate a plan to build on the tremendous foundation left by Tim Craft and he is going to have success immediately.”
For his part, Craft also feels as if Luther is ready to take the reigns of the GWU program.
“Jeremy Luther is the perfect fit to lead GW to future success,” Craft, now at Western Carolina, said. “He is a man of faith and family. He was vital to every decision we made at G-W over the last 11 seasons. He is an outstanding recruiter, relationship builder, teacher and has a long history of helping our players maximize their potential. He will be the total package as Gardner-Webb's new head basketball coach.”
Former GWU standout Jose Perez also shared his congratulations to Luther in a tweet Wednesday afternoon:
LETS GOOOOOO!!! FIRST PERSON TO REALLY BELIEVE IN ME WOW WE SPOKE ABOUT THIS FIRST DAY I WALKED ON CAMPUS PROUD FOR YOU AND THE FAM ❤️💯 https://t.co/Np9lwfwxdO
— Jose Perez (@showout_zayy0) March 27, 2024
Before looking forward to the future of GWU basketball, Luther took time to thank Craft for the time they have spent together.
“I would not be where I am at today without Tim Craft,” an emotional Luther said. “We have been friends since high school. My goal was to work as hard as I could to have a great team so Tim would have wonderful opportunities when the time came. Now, after 11 years, it’s my turn. I’ve had opportunities to be a head coach at other places, but I didn’t want that. I wanted to be the head coach at Gardner-Webb University. It’s like a dream come true.”
While Luther and Craft are close friends, their coaching styles are different. While Craft was laid-back and relaxed, Luther admits he has a little bit of Bob Knight in him.
“I wasn’t hired to do things exactly the same way,” he said with a smile. “Tim was stoic. He never let anything bother him. I’ve got a fire in my belly. I get emotional. I told the team that we were going to have fun and that I’m not afraid to flip a chair every once in a while. I’ve seen some things over the years that if we tweak we can finish first or second in the league instead of third or fourth. If we don’t win the league by the time my contract runs out, I will shake Dr. Downs’ hand and resign because I did not hold up my end of the deal.”
So what are Luther’s top priorities on day one as Gardner-Webb’s new head coach?
“Priority number one is to get the staff put together and then start recruiting or re-recruiting,” he said. “We had some great talent coming in. Now we have to get out there and assure them that those offers still stand. Finally, when we hit the court in November, we are going to play fast and we are going to play hard. It’s the most physical team that sets the tone for everyone else. We are going to have a team everyone in this community can be proud of.”
JAKE’S TAKE: Hiring Jeremy Luther was a smart move from the powers that be at my alma mater. Sure, there were plenty of other well-qualified candidates for the job, but Luther is well-loved by his players and the GWU community as a whole. My guess is Luther’s coaching staff will be filled with GWU connections as well. Having someone that is so closely associated with the previous coach is not always a good thing, but in this case, it is. Luther is a strong recruiter and can build on the solid foundation of Coach Craft. If memory serves (I could be wrong), the Runnin’ Bulldogs and Catamounts still have at least one game to play in their home-and-home series. Seeing the two friends square off from opposite sidelines will be worth the price of admission.
UConn’s winning culture continues to be secret sauce as Huskies converge on Sweet 16
Sunday, March 24, 2024
UConn shipping up to Boston after win over Northwestern brings Huskies back to Sweet 16
North Carolina staggers early, then powers past Michigan State to Sweet 16
North Carolina's RJ Davis floats a runner over Michigan State's Tyson Walker in Saturday's victory over the Spartans. (Photo: North Carolina Athletics)
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Michigan State made shot after shot. Following a Malik Hall
bucket at the 8:08 mark, the Spartans had hit 11-of-17 tries and built an
11-point lead.
“They were just playing better than us,” head coach
Hubert Davis said. “We came into the huddle and said, ‘Look, we can't talk
about any basketball stuff until we join the fight.’ Once that started, the
level of play in terms of the energy and effort, the attention to detail rose.
Then that's when things started to change.”
Change, they did.
UNC (28-7) charged out of its corner and hit Michigan
State with a flurry. Before the Spartans realized what had hit them, Armando
Bacot had tallied eight of 17 points in a Tar Heel run that went unanswered for
nearly six minutes. The burst marked a 23-3 stretch to close the first half
that, despite a brief second-half rally, knocked out ninth-seeded Michigan
State in an 85-69 decision at Spectrum Center.
“We played so well the first 12 minutes, and then I don't
know, the ball just stuck,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. “We didn't move
it as well. Give them credit. We played a good team.”
Many explanations exist for how the ball stuck. Spartan
guard Tyson Walker had 11 points in the first nine minutes of the game, then
struggled to find open looks. The Spartans assisted just four times on 12
first-half baskets – six on 26 for the entire game. The defense of reserve
guard Seth Trimble also played a key role, despite a small tally of minutes.
“Seth is the best defender in the ACC and one of the best
defenders in the country,” UNC guard RJ Davis said. “Just his impact on
the defensive end has been huge for us all year, especially today's game. I
know there were a couple times where, because we had Tyson Walker out there,
Seth had the challenge to go out there and guard him. I think he did a great of
making it hard for him, being physical on the catch, getting over screens.”
Michigan State (20-14) wasn’t done just yet. Jaden Akins
provided the secondary scorer the Spartans sought, largely slicing an 11-point
Tar Heel advantage to a single bucket. Akins scored seven of the nine points in
the stretch, taking a lot of the air out of the blue-clad side. The Spartans
hung around, seemingly ready to land an answering blow.
Instead, North Carolina knocked the Spartans to the mat.
The Tar Heels used a balanced attack to snap off a 16-4 run
that mostly finished the proceedings. Seven Carolina players tallied over five
minutes of game action, preventing Michigan State from getting back inside
single digits and helping the Tar Heels advance to the Sweet Sixteen.
“I'd have to say probably like around the eight-minute mark
(is where it got away),” Hall said. “I think we were just talking about it in
the second half. We had cut it pretty close, and then we just had some
mistakes, offensive rebounds. They made some tough shots. Then after that, we
couldn't get anything to go on offense, I don't think really. That's just kind
of where I felt like it went.”
For UNC, it started to look a lot more like the 2022
version of the Tar Heels than the 2023 edition.
“We always talk about how do you react and how do you
respond? And these guys, the whole team reacted and responded the right way
after going down 14 in the first half,” Davis said.
Following last year’s 20-13 season, the Tar Heels retooled,
adding Harrison Ingram, James Okonkwo, Cormac Ryan, Jae’lyn Withers, and Paxson
Wojcik out of the portal and Elliot Cadeau as a first-year player. This left
Davis with a much more experienced and skilled group, which showed as it
battled back Saturday.
“I felt good about the pieces when we got the pieces. You
never really know until they step foot on campus, but as soon as they got on
campus from the start — and I told this, and I tell this to everybody. From
the start, this team has wanted — and has enjoyed — being a team. They just genuinely
enjoy being together.”
“I don't know if that, how that translates to wins and
losses, but I think it helps. I think we have really good chemistry. We'll see
how much further we can go.”
For forward Armando Bacot, his being a part of both the
national championship runners-up from two seasons ago and last year’s
disappointment has helped build a bond with both his teammates and coach.
“It's just so special for us when we’ve got a coach that
just has so much belief in us, even sometimes when we may not even believe in
ourselves,” Bacot said. “I think just all year, just how he's pushed us, but
also nurtured us and made sure we were okay and instilled that confidence in
us.”
“When it comes to times like this and we go down 12, just
knowing that our coaches believe in us, but also are hard on us, it just makes
a huge difference.”
Davis paced UNC on the night, booking 20 on 7-for-15
from the deck and hitting a trio of triples. Three Tar Heels joined him in
double figures, with Bacot adding 18 and Ingram 17 on a combined 11-for-21 while
hauling in a combined 14 boards. Ryan contributed 14, finishing perfect on six
tries from the stripe.
Carolina shot 46.7 percent (28-for-60) from the deck,
despite just 38.5 percent (10-for-26) of its threes finding the net. The Tar
Heels put home 19-of-23 from the line to help seal the victory.
Three Spartans finished in double figures. Walker went for 24 on a
9-for-16 shooting effort. Hall added 17 and finished a board shy of a
double-double, while Akins tallied 11. Michigan State shot 44.1 percent
(26-for-59) but hit just 37.5 percent (6-for-16) from distance. The Spartans
hit 11-of-15 (73.3 percent) from the line.
Carolina advances to its 14th Sweet 16 in the last 20 seasons and for the 16th time overall as a top regional seed. The Tar Heels will now do battle against either Grand Canyon or Alabama in Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles Thursday evening. Game times and television coverage will be announced after Sunday night’s Round of 32 contests.
Saturday, March 23, 2024
5 Thoughts: Seton Hall rips Mean Green to move on in NIT
Sha Sounds Off: North Texas
Friday, March 22, 2024
Clingan’s impact has been felt all year, especially now as UConn navigates March Madness
UConn keeps pressure up, rolls in NCAA Tournament opener
Saint Peter's try at repeating magic run ends in NCAA Round of 64
Saint Peter's Latrell Reid (0) tries a shot against Tennessee in Thursday's Round of 64 loss. (Photo: Saint Peter's Athletics)
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CHARLOTTE – Two years ago, Saint Peter’s made a run
no MAAC team had matched. The Peacocks traversed a three-game stretch that
featured victories over second-seeded Kentucky, seventh-seeded Murray State,
and third-seeded Purdue to reach the Elite Eight.
2024 would not hold the same magic.
Following a series of nail-biting victories in Boardwalk
Hall over three of the top four seeds in the MAAC – first Rider, then
Quinnipiac, then Fairfield – the Peacocks strutted into Charlotte to square off
with second-seeded Tennessee. Peacocks guard Armoni Zeigler got the chance to
close a productive freshman campaign by battling his half-brother, Zakai, a
star Tennessee guard.
Shots didn’t fall. Fouls didn’t go their way. Tennessee had
stretches where it couldn’t be stopped, despite the Peacocks’ top-15 scoring
defense.
Tennessee ran past Saint Peter’s, 83-49, in Thursday’s
contest, but Saint Peter’s coach Bashir Mason kept perspective.
“One game for us, one loss, here on this stage,” Mason said
after the game. “It sucks. But I'm confident in my guys and the season that we
had. I feel great about us being back here soon.”
“I thought we experienced some adversity early in the game,
our emotions came out, and that didn't allow us to focus and play at the level
that we're capable of.”
Latrell Reid, the last link from that Saint Peter’s squad,
had another stellar scoring effort. Reid finished in double figures for the 22nd time this season, scoring 17 points in the contest on 6-of-13 shooting. Reid’s
last moment on the floor came in an ejection, though, as he was assessed a
technical and ejected.
“I'm sorry for getting ejected today,” Reid said. “I'm a
competitor, and I didn't mean for it to get the best of me today. That's just
not who I am. I don't think I got a tech all year. We were jawing, and that's
just what competitors do out there.”
Reid was also somewhat matter-of-fact in assessing his team’s
performance.
“We knew we couldn't make many mistakes, and we did that
tonight, and we paid,” Reid said. “We just didn't find our fight early enough.
Like I said, it happens, and it's just sad that it had to happen at this
moment.”
No matter what happened on the floor Thursday, it’s easy to
see that the Peacocks are trending the right way under Mason. Mason essentially
rebuilt the team following the Peacocks’ run two years ago, following the
departure of then-coach Shaheen Holloway and most of the returners from the
roster. Mason took the Peacocks to a 14-18 season last season, followed by the
19-14 tally and league title in the ’23-’24 campaign.
A look at the roster shows only Reid and guard Roy Clarke as
seniors on the Peacock roster, with nine underclassmen slated to return. The
transfer portal, naturally, looms large, but Mason ostensibly has a solid core
coming back to Jersey City.
Before the Peacocks could look forward, though, they had to
look back. That run from 2022 still lingered heavily in the air, and it clearly
stuck with Mason and Reid.
“As I was walking down here, I was just quickly reflecting
on the game and just also thinking about the history of Saint Peter's, the run
here, reflecting on who they beat to
make it to the Elite Eight,” Mason said. “Then you think about what our game
was like tonight, that run we did two, three years ago, that was impressive.
That was really impressive for that to happen for a small school in Jersey
City.”
“It goes to show how amazing that run was,” Reid added. “I
know everybody was expecting something like that again, but it just goes to
show how crazy this tournament is.”
The fans who followed Saint Peter’s on its run still
believe. A vast group of navy-and-white-clad fans made its way to Charlotte
from Jersey City, making itself heard throughout the night. The fans never let
up, even when the result appeared far less in doubt.
“Jersey City is a small city, but you see who came out, all
who came out,” wing Marcus Randolph said. “This is a great support system. We
love to see it.”
“That's just Peacock Nation right there”, Reid added. “They
show up. They show out. We're very happy that they did that, and we're very
appreciative. They've been doing that all year. We forever have love for those
guys.”
The Peacocks made a clear impression on Tennessee and its
coaching staff, as well.
“I have to really congratulate Saint Peter's for being here,
because I've said forever you don't take this tournament for granted,”
Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said. “For them to do what they did to finish the
season strong and get here is a real compliment to their coaches, coaching
staff, and players.”
Barnes is also a believer in Mason and what he’s building in
Jersey City.
“Getting to go to this tournament is hard,” Barnes said. “They
hit us at a time where we played well. I watched them when we were getting
ready. I met (Mason) years ago when he was at St. Benedict's. We talked about
that for a second (after the game). He's got a great future ahead of him. His
team is extremely well coached.”
In the end, what Mason said about Tennessee will likely
again soon be said about his side.
“Man, those guys are good.”
Thursday, March 21, 2024
Strong defense leads Texas past Colorado State
Both teams struggled to start the game, but a putback by Joel Scott gave the Rams an 8-2 lead at the first media stoppage. Chendall Weaver snapped the skid for the Longhorns as Texas clawed back to 8-7 at the 11:30 mark, before taking the lead on a layup by Brock Cunningham. Tyrese Hunter followed with a three-point play. Dillon Mitchell added a putback as Texas was in the midst of a 12-0 run, going up by a 14-8 margin with 8:01 left in the first half. Mitchell also threw down a dunk before Joe Palmer hit a three for the Rams to stop the bleeding for Colorado State, but by that time, the Rams trailed, 20-11.
A fast break dunk by Hunter brought the Texas crowd to its feet. Max Abmas added a jumper and a three-pointer at the halftime buzzer to establish a 27-11 halftime lead.
Isaiah Stevens hit a 3 to open the second half for Colorado State, and also canned a mid-range jumper, but the Rams still trailed, 31-17. Abmas extended the lead with a layup, but Jalen Lake hit a three later in the half to pull Colorado State within 11, at 35-24.
Nique Clifford hit another three for the Rams, whose deficit dipped below double digits, at 35-27. Texas answered quickly to extend its advantage to a dozen points with 10:14 left in the contest.
After a long scoreless drought by both teams, Colorado State’s Josiah Strong hit a three. The teams traded a trio of buckets before Scott scored on a layup. Dylan Disu answered with a bucket for Texas to make the tally 47-38 heading to the final media timeout. Weaver followed with a big three-point play for the Longhorns, and Texas was able to salt the game away from the foul line.
MERRY ABMAS: There were not many big offensive numbers, but Max Abmas and Dylan Disu scored 12 points each. Every time Colorado State made a run, one of those players would hit a clutch bucket.
“It’s really just a carryover from the Big XII Tournament,” Abmas said. “This was a tough, physical game, but we were prepared for it. Now we have to just keep it going.”
TOO MANY TURNOVERS: Colorado State coach Niko Medved was proud of his team’s effort to get back in the game, but added that the Rams had just too big a hill to climb in the second half.
“When you have 19 turnovers, it’s hard to come back against any team,” he said. “Much less a team like Texas. Defensively, we played more than well enough to win the game. It just wasn’t our night because we gave them too many extra chances with the turnovers. It’s hard to look big picture right now because we are so disappointed, but we had a great season.”
UP NEXT: Texas will advance to play the winner of Saint Peter’s and Tennessee on Saturday’s nightcap.