Thursday, March 28, 2024

3 Thoughts: Seton Hall demolishes UNLV, advances to NIT semis

By Jason Guerette (@JPGuerette)

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. — Almost exactly 35 years ago, in 1989, Seton Hall beat UNLV in the quarterfinals of a national tournament to advance to the Final Four of said tournament. The margin was 23 points, and wouldn’t you know it? History repeated itself.

For the first time in 71 years, since they won the whole tournament when it was considered even more prestigious than the NCAA Tournament, the Seton Hall Pirates are in the NIT semifinals after an absolutely dominant thrashing of the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels at Walsh Gymnasium by a final score of 91-68. 

Here are the 3 Thoughts from the final home game Seton Hall will play this season:

1. South Orange Smackdown

This game was never in doubt, and almost the whole way, too. The Pirates came out focused on defense, with UNLV taken out of its rhythm right away. On offense, Seton Hall fed Jaden Bediako for seven early points, and with its cutting and screening, generally got whatever it wanted: Layups, open looks from both two-point range and three-point range, etc. The Pirates didn’t hit many outside shots early, but the effort led them to a 13-4 lead at the first media timeout.

“I watched (UNLV) against Princeton, and to go down there and win at Princeton is impressive,” head coach Shaheen Holloway said in the postgame press conference. “Then I watched them against Boston College and the way they played defense, the way they got after it, I was like, ‘wow, this team is really good.’ They’ve got good size, they’re athletic, they get in the lanes. So we watched a lot of film but we really couldn’t do too much on the court because we had limited guys. We watched a lot of film of what was going to be open. I thought early, Kadary came out and set the tone.”

The skipper was spot-on. Kadary Richmond was in his bag, putting up 13 points, four rebounds, and six assists in the opening 20 minutes. At one point, he either scored or assisted on 21 straight Pirates points, and finished with 16 points, 10 assists and four rebounds, controlling the entire tempo of the game when he was on the floor. It was a virtuoso performance in what might be his last home game for the Hall. 

The Pirates’ defense also didn't quit, and UNLV looked at times like it was uncomfortable even shooting the ball outside of 15 feet. All but four of UNLV’s 26 points in the first half were in the paint, and the Runnin’ Rebels went 0-for-9 from three, and just 4-7 at the free throw line. 

Fittingly, the half ended with defense. After Dylan Addae-Wusu got a steal and a transition slam at the buzzer, Seton Hall was up 18 at the break. Then, in the second half, Al-Amir Dawes came alive for three straight threes, pushing the lead out to 27 points, and that was essentially that. 

All told, the entire starting five not only finished in double figures in scoring, but also had a plus-minus of 20 or better. Dawes ended up with 21 points, six rebounds and three assists along with a 4-for-7 mark from three. Dre Davis had a well-rounded 14-point, seven-rebound, four-assist game. Addae-Wusu had 12 points, four rebounds and three assists to go along with a couple positively Davis-esque fadeaways. And Bediako ended up with 11 points, four boards, and four blocked shots, while critically being able to stay on the floor and avoid foul trouble (more on this in a second).

It was one heck of a way for the group to go out in front of yet another packed, loud house at Walsh Gym.

“I’m super impressed with these guys,” Holloway said. “It’s been a long year — some ups, some downs — but the way these guys came out and handled themselves and didn’t cry, didn’t worry about things, stuck to the game plan…to play like we played tonight for this to be our last game at home was unbelievable. Unbelievable. I’m super proud of these guys and the fans came out big-time, so it was a great night overall.”

2. Deep Bench Diving

Word came down shortly before the game that the Pirates’ best subs, Isaiah Coleman and Elijah Hutchins-Everett, would both be out due to the flu and an upper-body injury, respectively. That put the Pirates in a bit of a bind. They couldn’t get in foul trouble, especially with Bediako or Davis, because there wasn’t really anywhere Holloway could go on paper.

Enter Sadraque Nganga and David Tubek. The little-used subs were both called upon to give the Pirates’ forwards a spell, and both responded by having some good moments. Nganga even ended up with seven points overall, including a three-pointer. 

Jaquan Sanders, who has given the Pirates some pretty solid minutes in spurts lately, also hit a pair of threes in the second half and had six points along with a plus-14 rating off the pine. You have to applaud the reserves for being able to contribute at a moment’s notice tonight, applause that is seconded by the Pirates’ starters. It kept momentum in the Hall’s favor.

3. Party Like It’s 1953

With the win, Seton Hall advances to the national semifinals of the NIT for the fifth time in program history, where it will take on Georgia on Tuesday at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. It will be a homecoming for Dre Davis, and a fitting way for him to (perhaps) cap his college career. And with six days separating the Pirates from their next game, hopefully that gives them enough time to get both Coleman and Hutchins-Everett back in the lineup.

When the Pirates were among the first four teams left out of the NCAA Tournament, it was devastating to the team and the fans. When news came out immediately after Selection Sunday that Rick Pitino and St. John’s would be rejecting a bid to the NIT, and that fellow first-four-outers Oklahoma and Pitt would do the same, there was speculation on whether the Pirates would join them, having come even closer and suffered even more of a snub. 

Having watched this team all season, however, I had a hunch they would do nothing of the sort. This was a team, after all, that was made in Shaheen Holloway’s image, and I knew if Sha was a player in this spot, that he’d want to come back and prove the universe wrong.

So to see Seton Hall a) not thumb its nose at the lesser tournament, and b) really come together on the court to be playing this well speaks volumes about the group as a whole. They’ve hit their stride, with the last two games against North Texas and UNLV not even really being close, and have had Walsh Gym loud and proud throughout the postseason.

“Our fans are very passionate, sometimes in a good way, sometimes not in a good way,” Holloway said. “But I think they appreciate the way this team responded all year long, starting the year off a little rough, coming back, playing well. I think they just appreciate this team and the way they play, and the way they’ve carried themselves all year long.”

“It’s always special, man. Playing here, playing at Walsh, it’s always different than playing down in Newark at the Pru,” the head coach added. “The Pru is great, but it’s a different type of atmosphere here, right? They’re on top of you, they’re loud, they’re after it. Our fans were into it from the St. Joe’s game all the way until now, and I think our guys fed off of it. I’ll be honest with you, I’m not sure we’d be playing like this if we played at the Pru, because the Pru’s a little bigger, it’s kind of spaced out. These fans got these guys going all three games. There’s no doubt about that.”

The feeling is mutual. The players have gotten the fans going, which has gotten the players going, and onward and onward. It’s the kind of concurrent fuel that makes college basketball, and particularly postseason college basketball, the incredible thing that it is.

So for a final thought this season, I’ll say this to the Pirate faithful. Even if things go sideways on Seton Hall in Indianapolis, I think this season will be remembered fondly when the final buzzer sounds because of how these players fought all season long, and how when the going got tough, their own toughness shone through. They collectively made the sting of Selection Sunday fade away into ancient history, drowned out by a sea of blue at a historic gym that truly roared once more.

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Sha Sounds Off: UNLV

On Seton Hall’s performance:
“I’m super impressed with these guys. It’s been a long year, right? It’s been a long year — some ups, some downs — but the way these guys came out and handled themselves and didn’t cry, didn’t worry about things, stuck to the game plan…to play like we played tonight for this to be our last game at home was unbelievable. Unbelievable. I’m super proud of these guys and the fans came out big-time, so it was a great night overall.”

On Seton Hall being locked in:
“It was tough the last couple days, right? We had Zay sick and Elijah got his injury, so we couldn’t do some things and some of the other guys were coming off being sick. So it was a tricky week, couple days, for us to try to get ready, but I think for the most part, these guys came in and understood the game plan. I think that’s when you have good senior leadership. I’ve got five guys that are older. These guys understand the mission and the goal. I thought we played well. I thought we shared the basketball, that was the biggest thing I was happy about. Having 22 assists was really big.”

On Seton Hall’s defense:
“I watched (UNLV) against Princeton, and to go down there and win at Princeton is impressive, right? Then I watched them against Boston College and the way they played defense, the way they got after it, I was like, ‘wow, this team is really good.’ They’ve got good size, they’re athletic, they get in the lanes. So we watched a lot of film but we really couldn’t do too much on the court because we had limited guys. We watched a lot of film of what was going to be open. I thought early, Kadary set the tone, came out and set the tone. The second half. I thought Al got open on those three threes, and from there, it was off to the races. But that’s a really good team, it is.”

On Tuesday’s NIT semifinal against Georgia:
“I’ll be honest with you, I’m just in the moment right now. I’m in the moment right now, happy for these guys, happy that we get to go to Indy and play in front of Dre’s hometown, get a chance to play in the final four of the NIT. Like I told these guys, basketball is basketball this time of year. You’ve gotta be real appreciative of being out there. We had a moment of silence yesterday for the stuff that’s going on in Baltimore with the bridge, and I told these guys, you can’t take nothing for granted. Anything can happen at any given time, so when you’re out there, don’t cheat the game. I think these guys came out and played tonight.”

On preparing his team since Selection Sunday:
“I just told these guys, be selfish. You’re playing in front of a different audience, ESPN, it’s a different audience than Fox. You get a chance to keep improving your individual brand, which all these guys care about, but you also get a chance to keep representing the school and keep playing basketball. And also, playing with your brothers that you’ve spent 11 months — from when we first got here to now — with, these friendships and this stuff won’t last forever. These guys understand the mission, but we’ve still got a long way to go.”

On how fans have embraced the team:
“It’s good, right? It’s funny, it’s Seton Hall. Our fans are very passionate, sometimes in a good way, sometimes not in a good way. But I think they appreciate the way this team responded all year long, starting the year off a little rough, coming back, playing well. I think they just appreciate this team and the way they play, and the way they’ve carried themselves all year long. It’s always special, man. Playing here, playing at Walsh, it’s always different than playing down in Newark at the Pru. The Pru is great, but it’s a different type of atmosphere here, right? They’re on top of you, they’re loud, they’re after it. Our fans were into it from the St. Joe’s game all the way until now, and I think our guys fed off of it. I’ll be honest with you, I’m not sure we’d be playing like this if we played at the Pru, because the Pru’s a little bigger, it’s kind of spaced out. These fans got these guys going all three games. There’s no doubt about that.”

On rumors of his interview with Louisville:
“Listen, man: What’s understood don’t need to be said, brother. That’s all I’m gonna say. I’m the coach of Seton Hall. Period.”

On his experience making postseason runs:
“I’ll be honest with you: Tonight, I’m just gonna try to enjoy this, enjoy the moment, enjoy what these young men just accomplished — it’s history for the school — and tomorrow, try to get ready for Georgia. I don’t want to talk about what I did with Saint Peter’s, because it’s not fair to these guys. This is their journey. So my thing to them is, just keep playing. Keep wanting to play. These guys built a bond. You want to go far and you want to try to win every game you play, and the goal is to win a championship. We have an opportunity to try to win a championship.”

On Al-Amir Dawes:
“Al is different, right? Me and Al have a relationship that goes back 12 years, 15 years. I’m proud of him and the way he handled himself coming back home, because it’s not easy. Going to Clemson, had a good career there for three years, started, came back here and last year was kind of rocky. He got a raw deal with a lot of fans, a lot of fans didn’t understand him and his game. I thought he came in this summer super focused, with a chip on his shoulder, with something to prove. I thought he came out and had an unbelievable senior year, so I’m super proud of him, I’m proud of the way he handled himself, I’m proud of the young man he’s becoming, and I’m proud of him because he’s a great father to his son as well.” 

Jeremy Luther looks to lead Runnin’ Bulldog reformation

Seen here on the sideline as Gardner-Webb visited Duke, Jeremy Luther now helms Runnin’ Bulldogs after he was named as Tim Craft’s successor Wednesday. (Photo by Gardner-Webb University)

By Jacob Conley (@gwujake)

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:

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

On doorstep on Sweet 16, UConn’s championship culture has taken center stage in national championship defense. (Photo by UConn’s Men’s Basketball)

NEW YORK — When Dan Hurley took the reins at the University of Connecticut six years ago, he did so with the same objectives and mentality that carried him through the high school ranks at St. Benedict’s Prep and mid-major stepping stones at Wagner and Rhode Island.

As the son of Bob Hurley, Dan's rough-hewn intensity and trademark toughness was hereditary. The method of building a winning culture, where each of his players sacrifices something in his respective skill set to better serve the collective machine, was developed over time.

The progressive outpouring of energy over the past half-dozen years has now evolved into the behemoth that descends upon Boston this weekend, when UConn embarks on the next chapter in its quest to repeat as national champions, starting Thursday in the East Regional semifinals against San Diego State in a rematch of last year’s title game, which the Huskies won convincingly to ascend the sport’s summit a fifth time.

In some ways, the build to this season began a year ago with the transfer portal additions of Nahiem Alleyne and Hassan Diarra to a core anchored by Jordan Hawkins, Andre Jackson and Adama Sanogo. Those three have since moved on to the professional world, with Alleyne opting to use his final year of eligibility at St. John’s, but Diarra stayed to shepherd a new crop of hungry Huskies to the promised land. The Texas A&M transfer was rewarded for his contributions with recognition as the Big East’s Sixth Man of the Year, but for Hurley, his imprint on the team has been indispensable for both his junkyard dog mentality and his role in maintaining UConn’s trademark depth.

“I just think it takes a special guy to play or coach at UConn, because there’s pressure all the time,” Hurley reiterated. “We knew we had a guy with the stomach for it. You could see what the starters looked like, that wasn’t too hard to project. But the unknown would be the depth part. Could we get to eight-deep, nine-deep, with quality to keep us bulletproof?”

“We wouldn’t be where we are now without how (Diarra has) played for us, without Samson Johnson, without the emergence of (Jaylin) Stewart and what Solo Ball has done for us throughout the year. To be able to go eight or nine-deep with quality, you’re able to survive a bad night from some of your better players because of that depth.”

UConn’s most recent outing, Sunday’s win over Northwestern, was indicative of the aforementioned bad night Hurley referenced. The Huskies missed 19 of 22 attempts from the 3-point line as a team, but still managed to win comfortably, in large part due to the efficiency of point guard Tristen Newton. In his two NCAA Tournament games last weekend, Newton was a team-best plus-58, meaning UConn was 58 points better than its opposition when Newton was on the floor, a stat that elicited a combination of pride and surprise from Hurley, the latter most likely attributed to the sheer stature of the figure.

“When you look at most efficient players in the country, I think Tristen ends up somewhere (in the) top five in a lot of things in terms of his impact,” the coach said of Newton. “A lot of teams value him a lot more than these mock drafts do. He’s a first team all-American, he’s a guy that obviously was up for Big East Player of the Year and didn’t get it, but he’s 6’5, he rebounds, he facilitates and shoots NBA threes with pretty good efficiency. And he’s a champion. I think he’s going to play in the NBA for 12-15 years.”

“Everybody knows their role and everybody knows what each other is capable of,” said Newton, highlighting the Huskies’ unselfish tendencies. “Nobody’s going to go out there and try to score 30. They’re going to stick to the script and play defense, get rebounds and move the ball. Nobody’s selfish. Everybody just does what they can do to win the game.”

UConn’s obsession with winning was one of the most appealing factors to Stephon Castle when the freshman from Georgia opted to attend college in Storrs, the self-proclaimed basketball capital of the world according to the UConn program and its rabid fan base. Hurley has been effusive in his praise of Castle and how he has adapted from high school to one of the elite Division I programs in the sport in a short amount of time, calling him the “anti-entitled” five-star prospect. The feeling is mutual for Castle toward his coach, to whom he credits an endless trust in him to produce in helping expedite his emergence.

“It’s had a big impact on my confidence,” Castle said. “Just knowing that (Hurley) believes in me to make an impact for our team. I feel like, as a freshman, that’s big-time, and it gives you a lot of confidence going into games like this.”

“He’s just such a unique player in the way that he guards,” Donovan Clingan echoed with regard to Castle. “And on the offensive end, he’s setting ball screens, coming off ball screens, getting to the rim, finishing strong. He’s just an all-around team player. He’s just willing to make multiple efforts and he’s a really big part to this team.”

Hurley has mentioned the basketball campaign among what he refers to as “we season” for the need to stress team goals ahead of individual accolades and personal matters. The mantra has played itself out on the court just as meticulously, with its intrinsic and external effects noticeable to almost anyone at first blush.

“You can kind of sense the culture,” Castle admitted. “It’s not really a selfish culture, so it really wasn’t for me to come in and really think about my own stats, or think about how well I played. It was just doing whatever I can to come in and help the team win, and I feel like everybody else had the same kind of approach.”

“If you stand out and try to be selfish, you’ll stand out for the wrong reason.”

Sunday, March 24, 2024

UConn shipping up to Boston after win over Northwestern brings Huskies back to Sweet 16

Tristen Newton puts finishing touches on UConn’s rout of Northwestern, sending Huskies back to Sweet 16. (Photo by UConn Men’s Basketball)

NEW YORK — As the theme song to the legendary NBC sitcom Cheers famously posited for over a decade, sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name.

The University of Connecticut will be doing just that this coming week in the home of the fictitious, yet iconic, Boston bar after yet another NCAA Tournament victory that seemed almost academic from the start.

Needing only to overcome Northwestern to reach the East Regional semifinals and earn a second straight Sweet 16 appearance a mere 90-minute drive from Gampel Pavilion, the top-seeded Huskies made short work of their opposition Sunday, opening their matchup with the Wildcats on a 17-4 run and overpowering their way to a 75-58 victory at Barclays Center, improving to 9-0 this season under a New York City backdrop that has long been one of UConn’s adopted home outposts.

“I think it’s going to double in Boston for us,” head coach Dan Hurley said of the groundswell of fan support. “I guess you could add Brooklyn to Storrs South. I didn’t know it was part of Storrs South, but I guess it extends from Manhattan to Brooklyn.”

What will also traverse the New England Thruway this weekend on its way to Beantown is a fully-engaged unit that now appears to be playing at its unquestioned best, with its opposition offering little, if any, resistance.

Northwestern had few answers for UConn (33-3) and its combination of size and suffocating defense, a one-two punch that was evident from the opening tip. While Donovan Clingan was a one-man wrecking crew in the paint, Stephon Castle took on the challenge of guarding Boo Buie, the Wildcats’ leading scorer, and shut the all-Big Ten point guard down. The freshman phenom rendered Buie into a non-factor, limiting him to just nine points on 2-for-15 shooting.

“Steph caused problems,” Hurley said of Castle’s impact defensively. “Just the size, the foot speed, the strength. (Castle) is the anti-entitled five-star freshman, he does nothing but help his team win.”

The same can be said of Clingan, who racked up a double-double in the first half alone and finished with 14 points, 14 rebounds and a career-best eight blocked shots in the latest tour de force from the 7-foot-2 sophomore.

“I feel healthier and lighter than I’ve ever felt,” the big man declared. “I really got my confidence back, and I’m just trying to fly around the court and do whatever my team needs me to do to win.”

“It’s amazing,” Alex Karaban said of Clingan’s latest effort. “He continues to prove why he’s the best center in the country. I firmly believe that (with) what he does defensively for us, and just creating everything so much easier on the offensive end for us, he’s a special player.”

After Friday’s equally impressive opening-round win over Stetson, Karaban spoke about the need to create and uphold momentum as UConn attempts to become the first team since 2007 to successfully defend its national championship. Despite being outscored by five points after halftime on Sunday, the Huskies managed to conserve the boost and not sustain too much of a lull, something Hassan Diarra attributed to the burgeoning self-confidence he and his teammates possess.

“We have ultra confidence in ourselves,” Diarra said. “We’re playing very well right now (and) we just have to continue to do that. Just some minor things, but ultimately, we’re riding a lot of momentum right now. We feel like we have as good a chance as anybody in this tournament.”

Karaban, however, cited Northwestern cutting into a 30-point deficit in the second half as a sign that UConn still needs to improve if it is to enjoy the same fate it did last April.

“Last year’s team didn’t have any of the slipups where teams would come back and start to gain hope again,” the sophomore forward intimated. “This year’s team, we’re letting teams come back. We gave (Northwestern) some hope, we got their fans back into the game. Last year’s team wouldn’t do that.”

The small degree of difficulty, to this point in the tournament, has already drawn comparisons to how the Huskies demolished any team that stood in their way on this stage a year ago. But with four more games to play before cutting down a net in Arizona, the message remains the same, keeping in line with Hurley’s foot-on-the-gas approach.

“It’s hard to tell,” Diarra said of the similarities and differences to last year’s championship run. “Kind of the same, but maybe a little bit better. But, man, we’re not done. We gotta keep it rolling.”

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)


CHARLOTTE – For much of its history, North Carolina has been one of the heavyweight champions of college basketball.  For the first 12 minutes Saturday night, it was arguably not even an effective sparring partner.

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

Al-Amir Dawes exhorts Walsh Gym crowd as Seton Hall moved into NIT quarterfinals Saturday with win over North Texas. (Photo by Seton Hall Athletics) 

By Jason Guerette (@JPGuerette)

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. — After squeaking by Saint Joseph’s in the first round, Seton Hall welcomed the reigning NIT champion North Texas Mean Green to Walsh Gymnasium.

And just like the weather outside, the Pirates drowned the visitors with several big runs, putting them under a deluge of noise from the home faithful and rolling to a 72-58 victory to move on to the quarterfinals.

Here are the thoughts from South Orange:

1. Bringing The Thunder

Facing an early tip time is never an easy thing, especially on a miserably rainy day like today. But Seton Hall fans clearly had their morning coffee. They filled Walsh, particularly the upper levels, and they were into the game from the tip, cheering everything the Pirates did well, roaring during a pair of 10-0 runs that staked the Hall to a 33-24 halftime lead, and even hounding the referees for every call. It got so loud in the first half that the North Texas players had trouble communicating on the floor after their solid start.

“I thought it was huge,” Dre Davis said. “I can only speak for myself, but it provided me with a lot of energy. I thought the atmosphere was great, you could feel the energy. It’s a lot different from the (Prudential Center). You can really feel (the fans) on top of us. We really appreciate the fans.”

“To pick up what Dre said, when I see a big crowd, the energy just pours down,” Isaiah Coleman added. “When they’re in it, we're in it.”

In the NIT, players and teams can take one of two tacks: One, be sorry for yourselves that you didn’t make the NCAA Tournament, or two, come out with a chip on your shoulder the size of North Texas.

It's the same for fans. I can recall when the Pirates ended up in the NIT in 2010 (my sophomore year at the Hall). They had their first-round game against Texas Tech at the Prudential Center, and the energy was never there (we’re not going to discuss what also happened in that game that led to Bobby Gonzalez’s ouster shortly thereafter). 

In 2012, my senior year, the games were at Walsh, and the atmosphere was a total 180. The first two rounds of this year’s tournament have been the same, and you hope that it keeps up as long as Seton Hall advances. 

“After the timeout (when) we were down 14-8, and I got the five guys together at halfcourt,” head coach Shaheen Holloway said. “Some things were said — some good things — and I thought after that moment, I thought we came back out and started doing what we do. But I thought it was a big thing that the crowd got these guys up, got them going, and stayed with us the whole game, so I want to thank everybody for that, for coming out, especially on a rainy day like this.”

2. Bench Mob?!

Seton Hall’s bench has been maligned at times for not giving enough production to the veteran starting five. The Pirate reserves rank near the bottom of the nation on KenPom in minutes played as a unit as a result. This afternoon, they brought it. It was the freshman Coleman who led Seton Hall with nine points in the first half, including five in a 10-0 run to close the half and a three-pointer at the buzzer. 

He wasn't alone. Elijah Hutchins-Everett also played well with Jaden Bediako in foul trouble, scoring four points with a pair of boards and solid interior defense before having to leave the game after a second-half rebound battle, and Jaquan Sanders also had one of his better games lately.

“We’ve got a lot of our main guys banged up, so I knew I had to get some guys in there,” Holloway said. “Jaquan Sanders — I’m going to give him a lot of credit. He’s been out the last two days sick. He didn't practice yesterday, we just did individual (work). I wasn’t sure if he would be able to play, but he came in and gave us some big minutes in the first half and made a big shot.”

“(Isaiah) and I had a good talk this week about a couple things,” the skipper added. “I thought he came out and stepped up to the challenge, and so did Elijah before he got hurt, so it was good to see guys get in there, because we needed it.”

The Pirates’ starting five is tough enough to go against with their experience at this time of year, but when they get effort off the bench as well, it takes a huge weight off the starters’ shoulders, and at a time of year when, as Sha said, everyone’s dinged up at least a little bit.

3. Kooks Makes Lunch

Kadary Richmond had a slow game against St. Joe’s on Wednesday night in the first round, but after an extended rest in the first half today, he looked like he was back to his normal self. The first team all-Big East guard put up a huge double-double of 11 points and a career-high 15 rebounds, adding six assists. He used his size to bully the smaller North Texas backcourt on several occasions, and his efforts on the glass led the Pirates.

“I used him today a little differently,” Holloway said. “I used him more as a post-up (player). They were doubling, so we could get some movement off of it. He made the right plays. He impacted the game differently, which is what good players do. Whether it's rebounding, assists, scoring, he impacted the game differently. And I thought everybody did. We had really good balance. The last couple of days, I didn't know what was going to happen. We were only able to go 3-on-3 or 4-on-4, but I’m proud of them. I thought it was a gutty performance.”

In March, you need your best players to be your best players, and Richmond was certainly one of the Pirates’ best today on a day where everyone ate offensively. Davis finished with a game-high 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting, Al-Amir Dawes came alive in the second half to put up 14 points, five boards and five assists, while Coleman ended up with 14 points in one of his best games as a Pirate.

4. Three-ton Hall

It’s been one of the Thoughts before, but down the stretch of the season, the Pirates were successful the final week in particular because they shot the ball well. They did that again today, knocking down nine threes and shooting 45 percent from there (9-for-20). It opens up the floor for players like Richmond and Davis to drive the basketball, get inside, and do their thing. 

It was especially notable today, however, because North Texas came in as one of the top 15 teams in the nation shooting the basketball from deep, at 38 percent overall with a couple players over the 40 percent mark. The Mean Green was limited to 32 percent in the game (8-for-25) by the Seton Hall defense. 

If you would have told me coming into the game that Seton Hall would outscore North Texas from three given their profiles this season, I probably wouldn’t have believed you, but also would have figured it would end up as an easy victory for the Hall, which it was. The visitors had to finish the game on a 12-2 run to even get to the final margin of 14 points.

“That’s been one of our Achilles’ heels,” Holloway said of the three-point line. “Especially early in the season. I thought in Big East play, we got better with it. But personnel is important when it comes to this time of year, understanding who does what and trying to take it away, but also contain it because you're not going to take it away (all the time), especially when they have a guy like (Jason) Edwards. He’s really good, he takes a lot of shots. So you have to make sure you contain his shots, and make him take tough ones, and I thought we did that.”

5. Next Up

Seton Hall has advanced to the NIT quarterfinals for the first time since 1956, and the first time playing a third-round game in the tournament since winning it all in 1953 (there were fewer rounds back then, so the third game in ’53 was actually the final, while the quarterfinal in ’56 was the second game of that postseason). It's the Pirates’ first time playing in the third round of any postseason tournament since the Sweet 16 in 2000, Holloway’s senior season as a player.

The Pirates will now host either Boston College or UNLV on Wednesday night at Walsh Gym. The former matchup would be a juicy one, an old-school Big East battle with lots of history to speak of, while the latter would pit two of the most successful teams from the late ’80s and early ’90s against one another for the first time since both of their heydays, not to mention a rematch at Walsh from a game earlier this year when the Pirates women’s team trounced the Runnin’ Rebels.

Regardless of who they play, if Seton Hall brings it like it did today, the Pirates will be in great shape. Holloway and his team appear to be fully invested now into continuing their season after the sting of Selection Sunday.

“They were all still in their feelings, their emotions, about what happened last Sunday,” Holloway said of the Pirates’ first game against the Hawks in the NIT. “So we kind of got that out of the way. It still stings, but now we understand there's something bigger there. It’s still basketball, it’s still March, this is a major tournament, there are a lot of good teams in this tournament. But what I’ve told these guys is it's a different audience. It’s ESPN, not Fox, so now a different audience gets a chance to see you. It gives a chance to help us as a school and them as individuals, and that’s kind of been my message to them.”

Sha Sounds Off: North Texas

On Seton Hall’s defense:
“I thought — to be honest, I was a little concerned. I watched these guys and I want to give credit where credit is due. I’ve got great respect for what they do and what they’ve done the last couple years, good program. They kind of play like us, they try to outscrap you, outclaw you, out-tough you, so we made a big thing about that the last couple days. I thought the crowd after the timeout — we were down 14-6 or something like that — I got the five guys together at halfcourt and some things were said, some good things. And I thought we came back out, after that moment, I thought we came back out and started doing what we do. But I thought it was a big thing, the crowd got these guys up, got the going, and stayed with us the whole game. I want to thank everybody for that and for coming out, especially on a rainy day like this.”

On Seton Hall’s bench:
“We’ve got a lot of our main guys banged up. I knew I had to try to get some guys in there, and Jaquan Sanders, I want to give a lot of credit because he’s been out the last two days sick. He didn’t practice yesterday, he did individuals, so I wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to play. He came in and gave us some big minutes in the first half, he made a big shot. And then Isaiah, him and I had a good talk this week about a couple things. I thought he came out and stepped up to the challenge, and so did Elijah before he got hurt, so it was good to see other guys going in there, especially when we needed it.”

On Elijah Hutchins-Everett’s health:
“I haven’t seen him yet.”

On Seton Hall being validated by Virginia and Colorado State’s NCAA Tournament losses:
“What do you mean? You really going there, man? We’re just worried about playing basketball. Whatever happened, happened. We can’t cry over spilled milk, it is what it is. We were just focused on North Texas and trying to win this game. What happened, it’s over with. What are you gonna do about it? You can’t do anything about it.”

On Kadary Richmond:
“I used him today a little different. I used him more as a post-up. They were doubling, so we could get some movement off it, and he made the right plays. He impacted the game different and that’s what good players do, right? Whether it was rebounding, whether it was assists, scoring, he impacted the game different and I thought not just him, I thought everybody did. I thought we had really good balance. When you get four guys in double figures, especially when — the last couple days, I didn’t know what was going on — we were only able to go 3-on-3 and 4-on-4. But I’m proud of all of them, man. It was a gutty performance.”

On emphasizing North Texas’ 3-point shooting:
“Oh, absolutely. That’s kind of been one of our Achilles’ heels this year, especially early on. In Big East play, I thought we got better with it, and (John Buggs III) hit a tough one. It was right in my face, too, it was a good shot. But we just wanted to make sure we understood that personnel is important when it comes to this time of year. Personnel is important to understand who does what and take it away. That kid (Jason) Edwards, he’s really good, he takes a lot of shots, so you’ve gotta contain the shots and make sure he takes tough ones, and I thought we did that.”

On transition from Wednesday’s game against Saint Joseph’s:
“I wouldn’t say easier, but once you get the first one going — because they were still up in arms and emotional about what happened last Sunday — we kind of got that out of the way. Now obviously, it still stings, but now we understand there’s something bigger there. We want to be playing basketball, it’s still March, this is a major tournament, let them continue in this tournament. And you want to go out for these guys — one thing I keep telling them is it’s a different audience. It’s ESPN, it’s not Fox. A different audience gets to see you, so you get a chance to help us as a school and then as individuals, so that’s kind of been my message to them.”

On Seton Hall’s fan response:
“It’s great, right? We’ve got passionate fans. They care a lot about this team, and I think they appreciate the work that this team put in this year, the hard work, the three Ds that I call our team: the dedication, desire and the discipline. They appreciate what we do. We go out there and we give it our all, put it out there every single night, and I think when you see that, you can kind of relate to that. I think our fans are relating to that, and that’s why they’ve been showing up. And the last two games, we needed them to show up. There’s been a tremendous homecourt advantage.”

Friday, March 22, 2024

Clingan’s impact has been felt all year, especially now as UConn navigates March Madness

Donovan Clingan dominated Stetson on Friday, reaffirming the impact he has made all year for UConn. (Photo by UConn Men’s Basketball)

NEW YORK — Standing 7-foot-2, Donovan Clingan is certainly impossible to miss when one encounters his gargantuan presence.

The sophomore center’s unique ability to alter a game and the proceedings within it have been heralded throughout the season by UConn head coach Dan Hurley, and when he missed a month of action earlier this year due to a foot injury suffered in a December loss at Seton Hall, Clingan’s absence was instantly felt. However, the four-week hiatus actually became a blessing in disguise for the Huskies.

“In a weird way, I think his injuries in the preseason and then in the start of Big East play really helped the team develop,” Hurley recounted. “It also allowed him to get fully healthy, get his weight down, and then he’s gotten himself into great shape. Now, I think he’s peaking at the right time.”

“He just impacts so many things. The shots that we get just from the pressure he puts on the defense, the rim twos that we don’t give up and force people into that tough mid-range, it allows us to really blanket the three-point line and allows him to just deal with the handler and the roller with the other guard, and play kind of 2-on-2 in a similar way to the way Creighton plays with (Ryan) Kalkbrenner. He just impacts everything at both ends and I know he was honorable mention all-Big East, but I know that’s not what the NBA thinks about him and what the analytics say.”

Clingan’s emergence as an X-factor began during his freshman season, when he was in a reserve role behind Adama Sanogo on UConn’s national championship squad. Sanogo’s departure for the professional ranks allowed Clingan to continue the storied lineage of big men to pass through Storrs, but not without imparting some wisdom and knowledge acquired through the heat of battle.

“He prepared me for everything,” Clingan reflected. “The way that we battled against each other every day in practice and how hard he plays, just watching him on the floor and seeing the role that I had to step into when he came off the floor. Just playing behind him and seeing how dominant he was, and everything that works for him, definitely helped me coming into this tournament.”

“He definitely learned from (Sanogo),” Alex Karaban echoed. “Just from the way Adama talked to him, I think he learned a lot of what he’s capable of doing, but more importantly, I just think he learned from experience. Going against an All-American every day in practice definitely made him so much better. That helped him make the impact he did last year, and going into this season, he’s doing the same thing with Samson (Johnson) and Youssouf (Singare), too.”

Cam Spencer did not have the blessing of watching Clingan’s development last season, having transferred into the program this past offseason. But the senior is still a veteran, and did not deny how important his stature is and can loom.

“It’s huge,” Spencer said of Clingan’s uniqueness. “It draws so much attention and it just opens up more space for us out on the perimeter. We have great spacing with some of our shooters and I think that makes us pretty hard to guard. Donovan was great today, and he’s been great all year.”

In Friday’s NCAA Tournament win over Stetson, Clingan was the most dominant player on the floor, recording 19 points and eight rebounds in only 20 minutes. The big man will likely see more action Sunday against Northwestern, but the consensus verdict was that he passed his first test on the dance floor with flying colors. 

“Donovan has grown in so many aspects of the game,” said Tristen Newton. “He’s a great leader for us, he dominates the paint, and he plays great defense. The role that Adama had last year definitely helped him out. He stepped up big this year, and that’s what we need throughout the whole tournament.”

Hurley, who was able to conserve Clingan on Friday due to the nature of UConn’s victory, concurred.

“He was awesome today,” the coach assessed. “You see he’s a game changer with what he creates for us on offense, how he spooks people at the rim, the rebounding presence, the fire and the life that he shows up with every day. Obviously the strength of this team is just the versatility of the five starters, but Donovan, he’s the centerpiece.”

UConn keeps pressure up, rolls in NCAA Tournament opener

UConn’s win over Stetson Friday was expected, but Alex Karaban cited need to sustain momentum moving forward. (Photo by UConn Men’s Basketball)

NEW YORK — Foot on the gas.

That mantra has been Dan Hurley's approach, not just through what has been a dominant 32-3 season at the helm of the Connecticut Huskies to this point, but through the majority of his 51 years of life as well.

With his childhood and early adulthood spent in the shadows as the second scion of one of New Jersey basketball’s royal families, Hurley has known no other way than to be merciless in his life’s work. The passion and hustle is just channeled differently in his current occupation overseeing UConn.

Friday’s example of the Hurley way may have been among its better practices, as the defending national champions cruised to a 91-52 victory over 16th-seed Stetson in the Huskies’ NCAA Tournament opener.

“I obviously loved the start,” the coach proclaimed as UConn scored the first eight points of the afternoon and did not look back after five Huskies tallied 12 or more points. “It’s exactly how you want to start a game like this where you’re in March Madness and you know the history of these No. 1s or high seeds. We just took away all hope in that game from them early on with the defense, the offense, the relentlessness.”

The million-dollar question, though: Did the finished product live up to Hurley’s notoriously and exorbitantly high standards? 

“I thought it was a pretty good first performance,” he assessed.

Tristen Newton, his potential All-American point guard, delved into specifics, but also offered the brutally honest critique normally reserved for his coach.

I feel like it was a pretty good game, but we have areas to improve on,” he admitted. “We played great three-point line defense. That’s what the emphasis was, stopping them from the three-point line because they’re a good three-point shooting team.”

That said, Friday’s lid-lifter was merely one that eased the pressure that Hurley addressed during last week’s Big East tournament, a feeling he said did not faze his team due to UConn’s status among college basketball’s elite causing every contest to be pressure-packed to some degree. But with one game in the books and a clash with Northwestern awaiting the Huskies on Sunday, the focus now shifts to upholding as much of today’s commanding win as possible.

“We want to create momentum heading into Sunday,” Alex Karaban said postgame. “We want to continue to establish who we are, no matter what the score is, and continue to play our style of basketball. Momentum’s everything in this tournament for us, so we want to get good momentum going into Northwestern.”

The prospect of upsets, coupled with UConn’s title defense, will always generate questions of whether or not the Huskies feel they can successfully repeat. Donovan Clingan tackled the proverbial elephant in the room Friday, but also downplayed its specter, preferring instead to channel his and his team’s collective energy into what can be done this time around.

“We know what’s on the line,” the sophomore center deadpanned. “It’s win or go home, but we really don’t think about what happened last year. We’re really just trying to achieve a new goal this year with this team, just trying to attack it one game at a time.”

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)


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

By Jacob Conley (@gwujake)

CHARLOTTE — It was not pretty, but that doesn’t matter in March.

Texas only shot 40 percent from the field, but the Longhorns turned in an elite defensive performance, holding Colorado State to just 11 first-half points in a 56-44 win.

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.