Question answered.
The Jayhawks just became a contender next season.
Andrew Wiggins, Scout’s No. 1 player in 2013, is signing with Kansas.
— Evan Daniels (@EvanDanielsFOX) May 14, 2013
Will it be Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina or Florida State?
Florida State stands to gain the most if he chooses them but any team will be improved (even Kentucky) no matter where he goes.
We’ll have the news up as soon as it is announced.
Despite the plethora of college basketball teams, there are very few pairs of brothers who are current Division One coaches. One of those coaching brother duos are Bill Herrion (New Hampshire) and Tom Herrion (Marshall). The rest of the family also has basketball ties, as Bill’s father Jim was also a coach and Bill’s son Ryan played for him at New Hampshire before becoming a grad assistant for his uncle at Marshall. Jon Teitel sat down with Bill to try to figure out who is the best coach in the family.
Your dad Jim was an assistant coach at Holy Cross and head coach at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. How much of an influence was he on your own decision to become a coach, and what was the most important thing you ever learned from him?
His influence was enormous and was the main reason I eventually got into coaching. He used to run basketball camps on outdoor courts up in the Catskills – I am talking old school! I have been around the game my whole life so after I graduated from college I knew that I really wanted to get into coaching.
From 1985-1990 you were an assistant at Boston University under Mike Jarvis. How did you like being in Boston, and what made Jarvis such a great coach?
I was a local guy and some of my coaching friends introduced me to Coach Jarvis. The thing that I really learned from him is how to run a program: he is a great organizer who taught me all the ins-and-outs of coaching.
Boston made the tournament in 1988 only to be eliminated by Duke in a first-round contest played in Chapel Hill, NC. What are your memories of the 1988 NCAA tourney (Danny Ferry scored 21-points)?
We lost to Northeastern in the conference tourney finals in 1986 and 1987 before finally breaking through in 1988. It was basically a home game for Duke. Ironically, future Duke star Kyrie Irving’s dad Drederick was our star guard at the time. Duke was loaded with Ferry, Tommy Amaker, etc. We competed and played really well.
What are your memories of the 1990 NCAA tourney (Chris Smith, Nadav Henefeld each scored 19 points in a win by UConn in Hartford)? That was when UConn was really starting to get it going. They used a 2-2-1 full-court press against us.
In 1991 you became head coach at Drexel, where you won three straight conference championships from 1994-1996. Why did you take the job, and how were you able to build such a dominant program?
I was a little apprehensive to take the job at first because I was comfortable being an assistant with a lot of responsibility under Jarvis. We got off to a bad start my first year and were kind of going nowhere, but things turned around after we got into conference play with a senior-laden team. We got really lucky with recruiting when Malik Rose fell into our lap as a local kid from Overbrook High School. We had great chemistry with a bunch of guys who bought into what we were doing and we went on a big-time roll.
What are your memories of the 1994 NCAA tourney (you lost to City 6 rival Temple as Aaron McKie outscored your team by himself [21-20] in the 2nd half)?
We were in a big conference room on Selection Sunday: little did we think that they would have us face a team right down the street. Everyone in the building went nuts…but I could not even breathe because Temple had McKie, Eddie Jones, Rick Brunson. The whole week leading up to the game we actually practiced 5-on-8 to prepare for their match-up zone defense. It was a close game at halftime so our guys were celebrating, but we could hear John Chaney screaming at his guys down the hall.
What are your memories of the 1995 NCAA tourney (Malik Rose had 17 points and 18 rebounds in a loss to Oklahoma State, who was led by Bryant Reeves with 21 points and 11 rebounds)?
We were in Baltimore that year after being in Landover, MD the previous year, so it was nice to be only a bus ride away. The Penn-Alabama game before us went into OT (Editor’s note: Jon Teitel sat on press row for this game watching Antonio McDyess score 39 points to beat his beloved Quakers), so our game did not start until very late. We got off to an ugly start, the score was 4-2 after the first 10 minutes.
What are your memories of the 1996 NCAA tourney (Rose had 21 points and 15 rebounds in an upset over Memphis, then John Wallace scored 18 points in a win by Syracuse)? We were very good that year (26-3 entering the tourney) with Malik leading us as a dominant senior. Unlike the previous two years we had to get on a plane because we got sent west to Albuquerque. We were a #12-seed, which was high for a team from our conference, but we had earned it by then. Memphis was a talented team that was very athletic but I do not think they knew a lot about us. We opened up a double-digit lead in the second half and it was never really in doubt. It turned out to be a major upset, but Princeton upset defending champion UCLA the same day and got all the press. Malik sprained his ankle against Memphis but we still gave Syracuse a good game. For a school like Drexel to win a game in the tourney, it was like winning the national championship.
In 1996 you were an assistant coach on the Under-22 national team that won a gold medal in the World Championship qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico. What did it mean to you to win a gold medal, and which of your players impressed you the most (Tim Duncan, Paul Pierce, other)? Mike Montgomery of Stanford was our head coach so we spent 10 days practicing in Palo Alto, which was pretty nice! We scrimmaged against Dream Team Two that summer on national TV, which was a great experience. We had a very talented team: Duncan, Pierce, Brevin Knight, etc. We had to beat Puerto Rico twice in their home country, and for their fans it was like the national championship. Duncan did not play so well in the first game against Puerto Rico but dominated in the second game.
In 1998 you were named one of the four most influential coaches in America East history (along with Jarvis, Rick Pitino, Jim Calhoun): what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding individual recognition, and how does it feel to be mentioned in the same breath as those 3 other coaching greats?
I was a little shocked to have something like that happen. I cut my teeth at the D-1 level in the North Atlantic and America East for almost two decades, so nobody has the level of respect for this league that I do. Most people today have no clue that guys like Pitino and Calhoun coached in our league.
From 1999-2005 you served as head coach at ECU. Why did you decide to leave Drexel, and did you have any regrets?
In retrospect, yes, but you make decisions and try not to look back. I had passed on a couple of opportunities earlier in my career so perhaps I just got cold feet. I knew they would eventually join the CUSA but I did not think it would happen after my first year. Several of our opponents ended up joining the Big East, so it was a tough league. It is hard to win on the road at that level.
In 2005 you became head coach at New Hampshire, where your son Ryan played for you. Why did you make the switch from ECU, and what was it like to coach your own son?
Arkansas coach Stan Heath called me during the Final 4 to offer a job as 1 of his assistants, but the New Hampshire job opened up that summer and I still wanted to be a head coach. It has been a real challenge but a positive challenge. I wanted Ryan to go to a D-3 school but he wanted to come here and be a walk-on.
Your brother Tom was head coach at the College of Charleston and an assistant at Pitt before becoming head coach at Marshall. Who is the best coach in the family, and will we be seeing Marshall on your non-conference schedule anytime soon?
If you go by records then Tommy has the upper hand right now. Not many guys get a second chance in this business but he was fortunate to get the opportunity at Marshall. I am naïve enough to check out a team’s roster to see if they are bringing back a good squad, and Marshall might be good next year!
You are known for teaching the “Four Out, One In Motion Offense”: how does it work, and why has it been so successful for you? The “success” is up for debate! My reputation has been more of a defensive coach: I take pride in getting kids to overachieve. When you have a guy like Malik Rose you just give him the ball inside, but the game has changed so much with everyone spread out on the floor. You have to keep adjusting as a coach.
When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most? I hope that people say I came into the gym every day with a tremendous work ethic and did not cut any corners. My players did not always enjoy how demanding and tough we were, but I hope in the long run that those things paid off. I have done it the right way with dignity and pride.
You might think that the influx of foreign basketball players is a 21st century innovation, but the trend first gained momentum well before that. The NBA has had several players from the Ukraine (Viktor Khryapa, Slava Medvedenko, etc.), but the greatest of all was Vitaly Potapenko. He got his start in America at Wright State, where he averaged over 20 points per game in only two years on campus. He was also one of the best shooters in the country, making over 60% of his field goals for two straight years before becoming a 1st round pick by Cleveland. Jon Teitel got to sit down with Vitaly to discuss what it was like to be one of 12 players ever drafted ahead of Kobe Bryant.
Your nickname was “The Ukraine Train”: how did you get the nickname, and how did you like it? It was due to my style of play: I do not mind the nickname.
You were born in Kiev: how did you first get into basketball, and how did you end up coming to America? I was chosen from my class because of my height, and was later offered a scholarship to Wright State.
During your two seasons at Wright State you led the conference in FG% and were named All-MCC each season. How were you able to come in and contribute from the start, and did you feel like you were 1 of the best players in the conference? I did not care very much about my individual stats: I just enjoyed playing with my teammates.
Your career-high of 33 points came in a game against Illinois-Chicago: was it just one of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? Yes.
In the summer of 1996 you were drafted 12th overall by Cleveland (one spot ahead of Kobe Bryant). Did you see that as a validation of your college career or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA? Both.
In 1996 you scored a then-career-high 22 points in a two-point OT win at Washington, while scoring 18 straight points during a six-minute span in the 2nd half. Was that the best six minutes you have ever played in your life? Yes.
You averaged 6.5 PPG/4.5 RPG during your 11-year NBA career. How satisfied are you with your career? I just feel very lucky to have played 11 years in the NBA.
After your NBA career you played professionally in Spain, What did you learn from this experience, and how did it compare to the NBA? Pro basketball in Europe is a very different game than pro basketball in the US.
You are one of six Ukranians to ever play in the NBA (Kyrylo Fesenko, Stanislav Medvedenko, Oleksiy Pecherov, Alexander Volkov, and Viktor Khryapa): which of them of you do you think will end up being considered the best? Stanislav is a champion, but I like Fesenko.
You previously were an assistant coach with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the D-League, and later took a job as an assistant with the Pacers, how do you like the current gig, and what is the biggest difference between the NBA and the D-League? I like it, but the NBA season is much longer and much more intense.
Now that the NBA’s early-entry deadline has passed, we can finally get a good look at the starting five that each of the top teams in the country will put on the floor when the season gets underway in November.
There is still one big name out there who has yet to make a decision (Andrew Wiggins), but the rest of his fellow McDonald’s High School All-Americans have already stated where they are going.
Rather than wait for Wiggins, we have made a list of the projected lineups for all 30 teams who will have at least one McDonald’s All-American on their roster next year (All-American year in parentheses).
The incoming 2013 All-Americans are listed in bold, the best underclassmen who declared for the draft are underlined, and everyone of note who said they are transferring are listed in UPPERCASE. If you have any suggestions of your own or see any names that we missed, please let us know in the comments section:
KENTUCKY (8)
G: Aaron Harrison (2013)
G: Andrew Harrison (2013)
F: Julius Randle (2013)
F: Alex Poythress (2012)
F: Kyle Wiltjer (2011)
BENCH: Dakari Johnson (2013), Marcus Lee (2013), James Young (2013)
KEY LOSSES: RYAN HARROW, Archie Goodwin (2012), Nerlens Noel
DUKE (6)
G: Quinn Cook (2011)
G: Rasheed Sulaimon (2012)
F: Jabari Parker (2013)
F: Marshall Plumlee (2011)
F: Amile Jefferson (2012)
BENCH: Matt Jones (2013)
KEY LOSSES: Mason Plumlee (2009), Ryan Kelly (2009), Seth Curry
NORTH CAROLINA (5)
G: Marcus Paige (2012)
G: PJ Hairston (2011)
F: Isaiah Hicks (2013)
F: James Michael McAdoo (2011)
C: Kennedy Meeks (2013)
KEY LOSSES: Reggie Bullock (2010), Dexter Strickland (2009)
UCLA (4)
G: Kyle Anderson (2012)
G: Jordan Adams
F: Travis Wear (2009)
F: David Wear (2009)
C: Tony Parker (2012)
KEY LOSSES: Shabazz Muhammad (2012), Larry Drew II (2008), JOSH SMITH (2010)
ARIZONA (3)
G: Nick Johnson
G: Jordin Mayes
F: Brandon Ashley (2012)
F: Aaron Gordon (2013)
C: Kaleb Tarczewski
BENCH: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (2013)
KEY LOSSES: Grant Jerrett (2012), Mark Lyons, Solomon Hill
NC STATE (3)
G: Anthony Barber (2013)
G: Tyler Lewis (2012)
G: Staats Battle
F: TJ Warren (2012)
C: Jordan Vandenberg
KEY LOSSES: RODNEY PURVIS (2012), CJ Leslie (2010), Lorenzo Brown, Richard Howell, Scott Wood
MICHIGAN STATE (3)
G: Gary Harris (2012)
G: Keith Appling (2010)
G: Denzel Valentine
F: Branden Dawson (2011)
F: Adreian Payne
KEY LOSSES: None
FLORIDA (3)
G: Kasey Hill (2013)
G: Scottie Wilbekin
F: Chris Walker (2013)
F: Will Yeguete
C: Patric Young (2010)
KEY LOSSES: Mike Rosario (2008), Kenny Boynton (2009), Erik Murphy
INDIANA (2)
G: Yogi Ferrell (2012)
G: Raphael Smith
F: Noah Vonleh (2013)
F: Will Sheehey
F: Jeremy Hollowell
KEY LOSSES: Cody Zeller (2011), Victor Oladipo, Christian Watford
SYRACUSE (2)
G: Trevor Cooney
G: Nolan Hart
F: DaJuan Coleman (2012)
F: Rakeem Christmas (2011)
F: CJ Fair
KEY LOSSES: Michael Carter-Williams (2011), Brandon Triche, James Southerland
MEMPHIS (2)
G: Joe Jackson (2010)
G: Geron Johnson
G: Chris Crawford
G: Damien Wilson
F: Shaq Goodwin (2012)
KEY LOSSES: Adonis Thomas (2011)
OHIO STATE (2)
G: Shannon Scott (2011)
G: Aaron Craft
G: Lenzelle Smith, Jr.
F: Sam Thompson
C: Amir Williams (2011)
KEY LOSSES: Deshaun Thomas (2010)
UNLV (2)
G: Jelan Kendrick (2010)
G: Katin Reinhardt
G: Bryce Dejean-Jones
F: Khem Birch (2011)
F: Savon Goodman
KEY LOSSES: Anthony Bennett (2012), Anthony Marshall
LOUISVILLE (2)
G: Wayne Blackshear (2011)
G: Russ Smith
G: Luke Hancock
F: Chane Behanan (2011)
F: Montrezl Harrell
KEY LOSSES: Peyton Siva (2009), Gorgui Dieng
LSU (2)
G: Andre Stringer
G: Anthony Hickey
F: Jarrell Martin (2013)
F: Johnny O’Bryant III (2011)
F: Shavon Coleman
KEY LOSSES: Charles Carmouche
OKLAHOMA STATE (2)
G: Marcus Smart (2012)
G: Markel Brown
G: Phil Forte
F: Le’Bryan Nash (2011)
F: Michael Cobbins
KEY LOSSES: None
KANSAS (2)
G: Wayne Selden (2013)
G: Naadir Tharpe
G: Andrew White III
F: Perry Ellis (2012)
F: Jamari Traylor
KEY LOSSES: Jeff Withey, Travis Releford, Ben McLemore
TEXAS (1)
G: Julien Lewis
G: Javan Felix
F: Jonathan Holmes
F: Ioannis Papapetrou
C: Cameron Ridley (2012)
KEY LOSSES: Myck Kabongo (2011), SHELDON MCCLELLAN
VILLANOVA (1)
G: Ryan Arcidiacono
G: James Bell
G: Darrun Hilliard
F: JayVaughn Pinkston (2010)
F: Daniel Ochefu
KEY LOSSES: None
BAYLOR (1)
G: Brady Heslip
G: Gary Franklin
F: Cory Jefferson
F: Rico Gathers
C: Isaiah Austin (2012)
KEY LOSSES: Pierre Jackson
PROVIDENCE (1)
G: Kris Dunn (2012)
G: Bryce Cotton
G: Josh Fortune
F: LaDontae Henton
F: Kadeem Batts
KEY LOSSES: Vincent Council
ALABAMA (1)
G: Trevor Releford
G: Levi Randolph
G: Rodney Cooper
F: Devonta Pollard (2012)
F: Nick Jacobs
KEY LOSSES: TREVOR LACEY
GEORGETOWN (1)
G: Markel Starks
G: Jabril Trawick
F: Josh Smith (2010)
F: Nate Lubick
C: Mikael Hopkins
KEY LOSSES: Otto Porter, Jr.
WASHINGTON (1)
G: Nigel Williams-Goss (2013)
G: CJ Wilcox
G: Andrew Andrews
F: Shawn Kemp, Jr.
F: Desmond Simmons
KEY LOSSES: Abdul Gaddy (2009), Scott Suggs
NOTRE DAME (1)
G: Demetrius Jackson (2013)
G: Jerian Grant
G: Eric Atkins
F: Pat Connaughton
C: Garrick Sherman
KEY LOSSES: Jack Cooley
CALIFORNIA (1)
G: Jabari Bird (2013)
G: Justin Cobbs
G: Tyrone Wallace
F: Richard Solomon
F: David Kravish
KEY LOSSES: Allen Crabbe
UTEP (1)
G: Isaac Hamilton (2013)
G: McKenzie Moore
F: Julian Washburn
F: Cedrick Lang
C: John Bohannon
KEY LOSSES: Konner Tucker
ARKANSAS (1)
G: Mardracus Wade
G: Rickey Scott
G: Rashad Madden
F: Bobby Portis (2013)
F: Coty Clarke
KEY LOSSES: BJ Young, Marshawn Powell
SMU (1)
G: Nick Russell
G: Jalen Jones
G: Ryan Manuel
F: Shawn Williams
C: Cannen Cunningham
BENCH: Keith Frazier (2013)
KEY LOSSES: None
CONNECTICUT (1)
G: Shabazz Napier
G: Ryan Boatright
G: Omar Calhoun
F: DeAndre Daniels
F: Tyler Olander
BENCH: Rodney Purvis (2012)
KEY LOSSES: None
Bizarre. Andrew Wiggins, widely considered the best player in the nation, canceled visits to Kansas, North Carolina and Florida State. He is supposed to chat with those coaches over the phone.
He is apparently exhausted from his trip to Portland to play in the Nike Hoop Summit. He had multiple delays in his flight home to Huntington, West Virginia which isn’t one of the major airports in the USA.
There is rampant speculation that this means he is going to Kentucky and while we can speculate on why this is a great or a terrible decision to join the other dozen or so five star recruits at UK we can completely understand that he is worn out.
Some are saying he is just dragging things out trying to get as much attention as possible.
Somewhere in the Wiggins recruiting drama I read speculation that there might be a darkhorse winner of the sweepstakes or it might even be Wichita State where his brother plays.
While we all hope this comes to an end soon, we need to give this kid all the time he needs to make the biggest decision of his life.
Jon Teitel attended the 2012 National Sports Collectors Convention in Baltimore last August. This is the seventh installment in his photo essay about the dealers he interviewed and the stories of the college basketball memorabilia that they were offering for sale and/ or auction. We will be presenting this in installments over the next several months.
Sports card and memorabilia collecting has made a huge evolution over time, for better or worse. Many adults have fond childhood memories of buying packs of cards that had bubble gum inside and then placing the cards into the spokes of their bicycles. However, in the 21st century collectors have locked up their valuable treasures in a “look but don’t touch” philosophy as the friendly pastime has evolved into a multi-billion dollar industry.
I got to speak to Darren and Tom and Sports Charity Auction (www.SportsCharityAuction.com), who had two great items from Hall of Famer Jerry Lucas:
The first item was an autographed jersey from Lucas’ alma mater of Ohio State. They got it autographed during an event with Lucas in Ohio last summer. The jersey was on sale for $225:
The second item was an autographed cover of a Sports Illustrated issue featuring Lucas dated January 11, 1960. The cover was on sale for $55:
It is never too early for a Top 25 Poll for the 2013-14 college basketball season. We aren’t to the draft deadline but at this point we have a pretty good idea of who is in and who is out. The Andrew Wiggins decision will play into this poll. If he goes to Kentucky it stays the same. If he chooses another perennial power they will rise in the poll. If he chooses Florida State or a dark horse school he is good enough to change their 2013-14 season.
1 – Kentucky - John Calapari has 44 of the nation’s top 50 reruits committed to come to Lexington next year. While that number is an impossible exaggeration there is no doubt that Calapari has reloaded with a plethora of highly rated talent, conjuring up memories of the 2012 championship team.
2 – Louisville - Whether Russ Smith comes back or not Louisville still has Chane Behanan and Luke Hancock. Add in a fantastic class of incoming freshman guards and the Cardinals don’t skip a beat as they seek to keep the title in the Bluegrass State for a third consecutive year.
3 – Michigan State – Adreian Payne is the key to this ranking. Payne had a fantastic 2012-13 and was one of the most exciting and versatile big man in the nation. Izzo has only one recruit signed for next season, a three star prospect. If Payne bolts for the draft look for Michigan State to be a Middle-of-the-Top-25 team.
4 – Duke - The great teams reload and that is what Coach K will do with Jabari Parker. Rasheed Sulaimon is returning and with Duke’s proven ability at forcing young players into maturity, the Devils will look to stay in the top ten next season.
5 – Arizona – The Wildcats had an up-and-down season but look to solidify those woes with five-start recruit, Blake-Griffin-impersonating, Aaron Gordon. Gordon has made a move to challenge Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker as the best player of the 2013 class. No matter his ranking, Gordon is good enough to make Arizona the favorite to win the Pac 12.
6 – Marquette – Buzz Williams’ rerouting class is ranked sixth overall and returns a great core from a deep tournament run. Marquee will enter the season as the favorite in the Big East and for good reason.
7 – Ohio State – Replacing Deshaun Thomas won’t be easy but returning the nation’s most notorious pit bull in Aaron Craft helps. LaQuinton Ross will have to continue to build on his great NCAA tournament performance to keep the Buckeyes at the top of the Big Ten.
8 – Michigan – Trey Burke is gone and Tim Hardaway Jr. is likely on his way to the draft as well. Brilliant flashes from Big Dog III, hot shooting by Nik Stauskas and a beast-like performance by Mitch McGary in the tournament has hopes high once again in Ann Arbor. Combine the returning cast with three four-star recruits and there is reason for John Beilein to be optimistic.
9 – Florida – Billy Donavan has the Gators firing on all cylinders once again. Florida was one of the hottest teams in the country at times this season and the addition of five-star recruits Kasey Hill and Chris Walker will do nothing but help the Gators stay atop the perennially weak SEC.
10 – North Carolina – The Tar Heels ended the season winning a game in the tournament after winning eight of their last 10 games before the dance. Roy Williams reloads with a solid recruiting class that could become spectacular if Andrew Wiggins choses to wear Carolina blue for his one year of college basketball.
11 – Wisconsin – The Badgers were on the cusp on being great this year but fell short in the tournament to Marshall Henderson and Ole Miss. Bo Ryan had a young team that had struggles this year. Next year Sam Dekker and company will use their year of grinding in the tough to fight for the top spot in what is likely to be the toughest conference in the nation once again.
12 – Syracuse – Jim Boeheim loses Michael Carter-Williams to the NBA but brings back several stalwarts from this years Elite 8 team. He brings in the sixth ranked recruiting class, looking for someone to step up and fill the shoes of Carter-Williams.
13 – Colorado - The Buffaloes return all of their scoring from a team that surprised everyone last season. Their only loss is Sabatino Chen. We can expect the Buffaloes to compete for the Pac-12 title in 2013-14.
14 – Virginia Commonwealth- It’s probably better to just not count Shaka Smart out in the preseason since he is always in the conversation at the end of the season. Smart returns Treveon Graham and Juvonte Reddic who were the offensive leaders for the Rams this season.
15 – UCLA – Steve Alford inherits a pretty good situation at UCLA. It’s not often a team wins their conference and has their head coach fired. Alford got great news with Kyle Anderson saying he was staying. Combine that with a solid recruiting class already committed to the Bruins and Alford is set up for success following Ben Howland’s departure.
16 – Memphis – Josh Pastner shunned all comers this year and stayed in Memphis, and for good reason. He returns his leading scorer in Joe Jackson and brings in the second ranked recruiting class in the country. That should make them competitive as they join the conference formerly known as the Big East.
17 – Tennessee – Cuonzo Martin’s Vols fell one or two wins short of breaking the bubble this season but finished fairly strong. They return their scoring power plus add the nation’s number two ranked two-guard in Robert Hubbs.
18 – Gonzaga – If Kelly Olynyk returns the Zags will likely be ranked higher but with Elias Harris and Mike Hart definitely gone, the Zags will have work to do. They still return Kevin Pangos and Gary Bell Jr. which guarantees they will have one of the nation’s best backcourts once again.
19 – Notre Dame – Mike Brey has to replace workhorse Jack Cooley but returns the core of a pretty good Irish team. Three four star recruits look to add depth and enjoy the lime green uniforms that the Irish are now famous for.
20 – Indiana – Don’t count Tom Crean out. After laboring in sanction-land for so long he has built a great program and is still capable of winning. Losing Victor Oladipo and Cody Zeller to the draft and Christian Watford to graduation is a big hit but the Hoosiers still have Yogi Ferrell and bring in the nations third-best recruiting class.
21 – Virigina – They will try to build on their first encouraging season in a few years. The young Cavaliers made a trip to the NIT but look to be in the picture in the ACC and the Top 25 next season. All of Tony Bennett’s scoring returns including Joe Harris who was good for more than 16 points per contest this year.
22 – Boise State – The Bronocos are one of those mid-major teams that made some noise this season and look to continue building to make more noise next season. Anthony Drmic and Derrick Marks both return, they combined for 34 points-per-game this year.
23 – LSU – Johnny O’Bryant III and Anthony Hickey return and LSU has the 9th-ranked recruiting class heading into next season. It’s hard to not be optimistic about what’s going on in Baton Rouge.
24 – Florida State – The Seminoles deserve this ranking, with or without Andrew Wiggins. While Wiggins keeps everyone guessing, the Seminoles lose only Michael Snaer and bring in two four-star prospects.
25 – Iowa - After going 25-13 and finishing second in the NIT the Hawkeyes are looking to become a regular in the Top-25 and become the program they were building toward a decade ago. With their last tournament appearance coming back in 2006 the Hawkeyes, and their fans, are hungry to return to the dance.
Jerry Tarkanian won more than 700 games during his career, which is one of many reasons why he was finally elected to the Hall of Fame last week. He began his Division 1 career at Long Beach State, where he never lost more than five games in a season during each of his five years on campus. After becoming head coach at UNLV in 1973, he proceeded to win over 500 games and make it to the Final 4 on four different occasions over the next two decades. He finished up his coaching career with 7\seven straight postseason appearances at Fresno State before retiring in 2002. Jon Teitel got to speak to Coach Tarkanian about his remarkable career, and we congratulate him on this fantastic honor!
In 1968 you became head coach at Long Beach State, where you were one of the first coaches to use three black starters and pioneered the use of junior college players. How big a deal was it to violate the unwritten racial rules at the time, and how important were JC players to your own success? I never looked at what color my players were, that was never a factor. I was a JC guy myself, having spent seven years as a JC coach and winning four straight California state titles.
What are your memories of the 1972 NCAA tourney (Bill Walton had 19 points, 11 rebounds in a win by eventual champion UCLA)? The UCLA game I remember the best was actually the year before, we led them for the whole game before a heartbreaking loss, maybe the worst of my career. Every call went against us and we were never really into the game.
What are your memories of the 1976 NCAA tourney as head coach at UNLV (Herman Harris had 31 points, 9 rebounds and nine assists in a five-points OT win by Arizona)? That was the first year the school had ever been to the tourney. We led most of the game and played great.
What are your memories of the 1977 NCAA tourney (Mike O’Koren scored 31 points [14-19 FG] in a one-point win by eventual national runner-up North Carolina)? That was another heartbreaking loss, as we were up by double-digits in the second half. Grant Gondrezick broke Larry Moffett’s nose after pulling down a rebound, and by the time Moffett came back a few minutes later we had lost our lead.
What are your memories of the 1983 NCAA tourney (Thurl Bailey scored 25 points and put back his own missed shot with three seconds left to clinch a one-point win by eventual champion NC State)? We were #1 in the country for the first time in school history after not being picked in the top-20 of any polls. Jimmy Valvano was one of my closest friends, so that was a little consolation. My son was our point guard and it was his final game, which hurt too.
Kevin Gamble missed a three-point shot in the final seconds of a three-point win over Iowa in the 1987 NCAA tourney. Did you think the shot was going in, and how did your team come back from an 18-point deficit in the second half? We took the lead with about nine minutes left and then it was nip and tuck the rest of the way. It was one of the few times in my career that I got tricky with our game plan, as we usually just tried to play harder than everybody else. The Hawkeyes were the best rebounding team in the country and we did not have a lot of size besides Armon Gilliam. I came in at halftime and apologized to the team because my strategy had backfired on us, and we went out and did not switch on any screens in the 2nd half and played aggressively.
Freddie Banks scored 38 points (including a Final Four-record 10 three-pointers) and Mark Wade set a Final Four record with 18 assists in a four-point loss to eventual champion Indiana. How did you lose that game despite such record-setting performances? The Hoosiers played well. We were down by two points in the final minute and Gerald Paddio’s three point shot went in-and-out.
What are your memories of the 1989 NCAA tourney (Anderson Hunt bumped Kenny Lofton to the floor before making a three point shot with four seconds left in a one-point win over Arizona)? Hunt had the ball about 20 feet out and made a spin move. It was a close call, but I thought that the no-call was a good call. It was a great win because the Wildcats were ranked ahead of us that year.
Bo Kimble had 42 points, 11 rebound in a 30-point loss by Loyola Marymount in the 1990 NCAA tourney. What was it like to play against the Lions during their inspirational run in the tourney after Hank Gathers’ death? We beat them earlier in the year in the preseason NIT. I told my wife the night before the game that we were going to kill them, which I rarely did. She told me not to say that because it might jinx us, but I knew that we were going to drive right through their press. Larry Johnson would inbound the ball to David Butler, get it to Greg Anthony going down the middle, and we got layup after layup. Alabama played the Lions before we did and their coach Wimp Sanderson did not want to run with them, so he would break the press and then hold the ball up.
Tourney MOP Hunt scored 29 points (12-16 FG) in a 30-point win over Duke to clinch the title and set a record for most points scored the largest margin of victory in a championship game. What did it mean to you to win the title, and what was the reaction like when you got back to campus? The town went absolutely nuts. We had 16,000 people watching the game on the video screen in our gym. The Tropicana Hotel actually stopped the gambling to let everyone watch the game on their TV screens!
What are your memories of the 1991 NCAA tourney (Hunt missed a three-point shot at the buzzer in a two-point loss to Duke that snapped your 45-game winning streak)? Duke played great. We had a five-point lead with a few minutes left before Anthony got called for a charge and fouled out. After we shifted to a zone defense Hurley made a 25-footer to cut our lead to two points. I can think of so many reasons why we should have won: it might have been the best college basketball team I have ever seen. If we had won back-to-back titles then we might have been considered the best ever.
UNLV president Robert Maxson forced you to resign in 1992 after the Las Vegas Review-Journal published a picture of three of your players in a hot tub with infamous gambler Richard Perry. What was your reaction when you saw the photo, and did you feel that you had done anything wrong? I absolutely do not feel that I did anything wrong. Perry had coached Moses Scurry in AAU ball and said he was in the commodities business, so I had no idea that he was anything else. When I read a story that Perry was involved in the Boston College point-shaving situation in the 1970s, I told my team to stay away from him. It is ludicrous to think that we were throwing games, we won most of our games by double-digits!
In 1992 you became coach of the San Antonio Spurs but were fired after only 20 games, and later received a $1.3 million settlement which you used to fund your lawsuit against the NCAA. What was the biggest difference between coaching in college vs. coaching in the NBA? The difference is practice. In the NBA you are playing every other day so you have to keep the practices light. One of David Robinson’s favorite sayings was, “Coach, do not forget that we play tomorrow!” We had long practices in college but in the NBA the key was to give them some rest in between games. In college our whole team would eat meals together on road trips, but in the NBA I would not see my players much outside of practice and games.
You sued the NCAA in 1992 claiming that it had harassed you for over two decades, and while the NCAA did not admit any harassment they settled with you out of court in 1998 for $2.5 million (the largest settlement in NCAA history). Why did the NCAA target you, and how satisfying was the settlement? It was great to get the settlement, but I think that we could have received a lot more if we had held out a little longer. I just wanted to get it over with. My attorney took about $700,000 and my wife and I split the rest.
After you became coach at your alma mater of Fresno State, Tremaine Fowlkes had 27 points and 10 rebounds and made a three-point shot at the buzzer in a three point win over Memphis in the 1998 NIT: do you think that Fowlkes got the shot off before the buzzer sounded? It was very close so I think that we got very lucky that it went in our favor.
Anthony Carter missed a fade-away at the buzzer in a two point win over Hawaii, how chaotic did it get after Chris Herren danced on the scorers’ table and a fan threw a beer at his head? We were playing in Honolulu and their fans really thought they were going to win. Herren played great that night.
Quincy Lewis scored 19 points including a three-point shot with five seconds left in regulation en route to a two-point OT win by eventual champion Minnesota. Did you feel cheated when the Gophers later had to forfeit their entire season due to an academic fraud scandal? No: I just felt bad that we lost.
You are one of the winningest coaches in college basketball history and you currently run a basketball academy in Las Vegas. What made you such a great coach, and what makes your program different from other basketball camps? My two sons are the ones who run the academy: I am retired now. I do not know what made me a great coach, but I loved it.
Your son Danny was an Academic All-American player for you at UNLV and your granddaughter Dannielle currently plays basketball at Northwestern: who is the best athlete in the family, and how proud are you of all their success? I am proud of all of them.
CBS Sports has a list up of college basketball transfers.
It is updated regularly and lists all division 1 players.
While Butler and Duke might contend that the headline isn’t totally accurate, the game we witnessed on Monday night was more than we anticipate.
We anticipated a lot.
We were on radio shows and our own podcast theorizing that Michigan was the perfect storm for this Louisville team. Length, shooting, athleticism and Trey Burke.
In the end it was Louisville that prevailed. Early foul trouble cooled Trey Burke’s seven-point run to start the game. Louisville was able to overcome the first-half-legendary Spike Albrecht. The were able to take advantage of a possible miscalculation by John Beilein by leaving Trey Burke on the bench while The Ville made a run to end the first. Rick Pitino was able to take advantage of Albrecht’s extended playing time in the second half, keying on mismatch after mismatch.
Louisville’s tough post presence made the difference in the end. Mitch McGeary had foul trouble in the end the Cardinals took advantage.
Rick Pitino showed he had been there before. He showed he understood mismatches and overcame Russ Smith’s flakes final couple of minutes to hang on for the win.
This was a championship that Louisville deserved but this was a game where the fans were the real winners. This was what a championship game should be – a game we would have been happy to see not end.