Conference USA 2022-23 Preview: Picking the Conference Champions

 In its only season in its current iteration, the ever-changing Conference USA will be led by an original member that will join the AAC after this season, UAB, and Western Kentucky, one of the conference’s best recent additions and most steadily successful mens’ basketball programs that will try to help keep the C-USA relevant after its great exodus, departing eight schools between the current offseason and next year’s.

The Frontrunner: UAB

With UAB alumnus and former Cincinnati and Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy recently joining the Blazers after a two-year coaching hiatus working for ESPN, UAB fans have been overwhelmingly ecstatic for how the team has performed thanks to an overall 49-15 record and a dominant 27-9 conference record over the last two seasons. 

Not only are the Blazers winning, but they are starting to look like the style of play Kennedy’s teams are known for: a fast-tempoed offense, good guard play, strong offensive rebounding and good rim protection. 

This fun and successful style of play has helped Kennedy and his staff to add immediate impact talent on the transfer portal and this season is no exception. A major reason for excitement in Birmingham, in addition to their transfer haul, is that the four returning players utilizing their fifth-year of eligibility started a total of 119 games for UAB last season, averaging a combined 45.5 points per game.

The clear cut alpha-dog is Jordan “Jelly” Walker, a dynamite 5’11 170 point guard who has steadily improved in each of his four seasons. Averaging 20.3 points per game last year, Walker is a three-level bucket-getter who is especially efficient from deep (39.6 3p%) and on the charity stripe (88.0 ft%). Walker has the skill and moxie that just looks like a guard that will lead the Blazers through a long tournament run, a Morris Finley, if you will. 

Between Walker, physical guard Tavin Lovan, low-post rim protector Trey Jemison and versatile forward KJ Buffen, the Blazers return four former starters utilizing their extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic, providing UAB with arguably the most accomplished collection of returning fifth-year seniors (San Diego State can make the case too), but the preseason hype of the program would not be complete without breaking down their five-man transfer haul.

UAB’s defense last year was notorious for their smothering ability to generate turnovers and the archetype of this style of play was elite perimeter defender Quan Jackson. With Jackson exhausting his eligibility, a major priority this offseason was to replace his two-way ability. Andy Kennedy hit a home run solving this priority by adding LSU’s Eric Gaines. While the former four-star recruit does not have the same height and strength as Jackson, his elite athleticism and length (a 6’9 wingspan!) from the point guard position is remarkable. 

The biggest threat to Lovan’s starting spot is ETSU grad transfer Ledarrius Brewer. With 1667 career points across two seasons apiece at Southeast Missouri State and ETSU, Brewer has been the number one scoring option throughout his time in college. Joining Ledarrius is his younger brother Ty Brewer, a 6’7 200 grad transfer who was also at ETSU for the last two seasons. Starting every game last season at the 5, Brewer will likely back up Buffen at the 4, bringing more size and a stretch ability to the backup spot compared to last year’s options.

Last season, LSU transfer Josh LeBlanc was a key component to UAB’s frontcourt defense, but after injuring his knee on February 5th, it was clear that providing another big to tag team with Jemison would be an offseason priority. In April, UAB filled that need by adding Mississippi State transfer Javian Davis.

Helping to replace the lights out perimeter shooting of Ertel is Binghamton transfer Tyler Bertram. The 6’3 185 shooting guard was a part-time starter for the Bears, doing most of his offensive work on the perimeter. Last season, about two-thirds of his shot attempts were from three, making two threes per game and averaging nine points.

In their last year in the Conference USA, the Blazers are poised to be one of the best, if not the king of the conference and one of the most feared underdogs in March Madness, should they earn a bid. 

The Top Challenger: Western Kentucky

Finishing the last five seasons within the top-120 of Ken Pomery’s final rankings, Western Kentucky is looking for its first C-USA in the Rick Stansbury era.

While WKU does not have the high-end rotation depth that UAB is spoiled with, and honestly, not many teams do, its top seven or eight players are one of the strongest in the mid-major landscape with the upside to be even deeper.

WKU returns four of its six best players from last year, led by C-USA All-First Team selection Dayvion McKnight. The 6’1 junior stuffed the stat sheet last season averaging 16.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game. Still a reluctant shooter from the perimeter (63 career three point attempts), if McKnight can continue to develop his outside shot to pair with his aggressive attacking at the rim (he improved 18.2 3p% to 34.1 3p%), he has a chance to challenge Jelly Walker as the C-USA Player of the Year.

Returning for their extra year of eligibility, 6’8 230 Jairus Hamilton is a versatile offensive forward with solid stretch ability (averaged 12.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.2 threes made a 31.6 3p%) and 6’5 205 guard Luke Frampton (8.8 points, 2.1 threes made at 38.6 3p%) finished the season as the most efficient offensive player in the C-USA, according to Ken Pomeroy.

Probably the most nationally recognized returnee is 7’5 235 senior big Jamarion Sharp. Finishing the season with the second best block rate in the NCAA (17.75%), Sharp spent the early part of the offseason in the transfer portal, but his return anchors of one of the tallest starting frontcourts in the nation.

In late August, Boise State transfer Emmanuel Akot surprised the college basketball landscape by decommitting from Memphis and signing with WKU. The 6’8 210 grad transfer last season averaged 10.6 points, 2.8 assists, 1.8 threes made at 38.7%, giving the Hilltoppers a combo forward that can play the 3 alongside Sharp and Hamilton or the 4 with Sharp or in small ball situations with Hamilton at the 5.

The competition at the point guard spot will be shared between Indiana transfer Khristian Lander and Georgia State transfer Jordan Rawls. Playing only nine games at Georgia State after transferring from WKU last offseason, Rawls is more of a traditional point guard, averaging 8.1 points, 2.2 assists and 1.2 threes made at 33.5% in his first two seasons at WKU. A former top-30 commit in the 2020 class, Lander has averaged only 9.7 minutes per game across 39 career games at Indiana, but the explosive lefty, like McKnight, is a crafty finisher who needs to work on his outside shot. If either McKnight or Lander can grow as a perimeter threat, there’s dynamic potential when the two guards share the court.

Buried behind his more touted teammates at Kentucky, former four-star recruit Dontaie Allen brings length and shooting to the wing position. The 6’6 205 junior’s playing time potentially took a major hit after the addition of Akot, but he still will be counted on as a valuable rotation piece. 

WKU faces a difficult task of competing against UAB for the C-USA crown, but the Hilltoppers have the talent and the depth to not only earn their first conference title under Stansbury, but also play their way into an at-large bid.

When these two teams match up, it’s must watch TV.

Northeast Conference 2022-23 Preview: Picking the Conference Champions

Conference realignment has affected nearly every Division 1 conference and the Northeast Conference is no exception, having had the dubious honor of each of its three most recent mens’ basketball conference champions defect to new conferences: 

• 2019-20 champs Robert Morris joined the Horizon League the next season

• 2020-21 champs Mount St. Mary’s will join the MAAC this season

• 2021-22 champs Bryant will join the America East this season

While two of last season’s top-four seeds (Bryant and Mount St. Mary's) are in new conferences, the other two, LIU and Wagner, both face coaching changes and widespread rebuilds, making this upcoming season not only as one of the most unpredictable in recent memory.

Without further ado, here are my candidates to represent the Northeast Conference in the 2023 March Madness:

The Frontrunner: Merrimack

It’s rare for a coach as young as Joe Gallo (turning 43 in February) to be as involved with a basketball program for as long as he has, but after playing four seasons at Merrimack, coaching as an assistant for four seasons and then leading the Warriors for the last six seasons, Gallo’s omnipresence should earn him the nickname “Mr. Merrimack”. 

In the 2019-20 season, the Warriors made an impact in their first season in Division 1, leading the NEC with a 14-4 conference record but ineligible for postseason play for each of their first three seasons. Now in their fourth season in Division 1, the Warriors are not only finally eligible for postseason competition, but they also have talent, coaching and roster continuity to finish as the best team in the NEC.

Returning senior forwards Jordan Minor (15.1p, 8.2r, 1.5s, 2.4b) and Ziggy Reid (11.0p, 4.9r, 1.3s) shore up the frontcourt while returning senior guards Jordan McCoy and Mykel Derring (combined 2.9 threes made per game at 36.4%) provide spacing for the Warriors, who were offensively challenged last season (the second least efficient offense in the NEC, according to KenPom).

With starting point guard Mikey Watkins graduating and sixth man combo guard Malik Edmead transferring to Albany, there are major questions backs at the point guard spot, but the incoming sophomore transfer duo from James Madison of Jaylen Stinson (14 D1 offers out of HS) and Devon Savage (7 D1 offers) provide long-term options whose demand out of high school exceeds the level of national interest compared to a typical Merrimack recruit. 

If Stinson and/or Savage hold down the starting point guard role and if Merrimack can shoot efficiently enough to field an at least respectable offense, Merrimack and their “No 3s” zone defense will look to continue to wreak havoc and generate transition offense from turnovers to the tune of a conference championship.

The Top Challenger: St. Francis (PA)

The NEC runner-up in three of the last six seasons, the Red Flash are a rare team with all of its scholarship players either being fifth-year seniors, juniors or freshmen. The returning fifth-year senior stretch forward duo of Myles Thompson (11.2p, 40.9 3p%) and Marlon Hargis (6.6p, 36.1 3p%) provide valuable frontcourt spacing while the team’s potential hangs on the balance of their six-man junior class led by the NEC Most Improved Player recipient Josh Cohen (12.9p, 7.0r, 1.8a, 57.5 fg%). 

At first glance, St. Francis’ 5-13 conference record last year might temper expectations for a team with eight returning rotation pieces, but four of last year’s starters missed at least four games. Most notably, double-digit scorer and returning junior guard Ronell Giles did not play after January 8th while Thompson played just one game after February 3rd. 

An end-of-season injury to starting fifth-year point guard Ramiir Dixon-Conover forced incoming junior point guard Zahree Harrison into a starting role. Harrison averaged just 3.5 points and 2.0 assists last season backing up Dixon-Conover, but his late season injury showed a glimpse of what Harrison can do as the primary point guard: over the last five games of the season, Harrison averaged 10.4 points, 3.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game. 

With four double-digit scorers returning and eight returning veteran pieces, St. Francis (PA) is the top threat to challenge Merrimack at the top of the NEC.

2022-23 America East Preview: Projecting the Conference Champions

 The Frontrunner: Vermont

Over the last six seasons, head coach John Becker has led the Catamounts through quite a run: six consecutive regular season championships, three conference championships and three 13-seeds in the tournament. That level of consistency makes it clear that Becker and his squad never rebuild, they just keep reloading. 

Entering the offseason, Vermont was faced with replacing their top-four scorers, who together represented 64% of last year’s scoring. Amongst those four, South Burlington’s Ben Shungu (16.2p, 41.4 3p%) and skilled big Ryan Davis (17.3p, 44.1 3p%) are the most talented graduates to replace.

In late April, Becker’s staff found an instant replacement for Shungu, Bellarmine grad transfer Dylan Penn. The 6’3 190 athletic point guard led Bellarmine in points (16.6) and assists (5.0) last season. In addition to Penn, the backcourt will be filled with three returning fifth-year seniors (Finn Sullivan, Robin Duncan and Kameron Gibson) and senior Aaron Deloney.

The 5 spot vacated by Davis will be filled with a combination of 6’7 210 junior Nick Fiorillo, a rugged returnee who can do a little bit of everything and 6’9 225 freshman Perry Smith Jr., Vermont’s highest rated recruit, according to 247, who had six high-major offers out of high school.

While the Bryant Bulldogs, last year’s NEC champions, will definitely help make the America East a more competitive league, Vermont’s talent and depth will continue to persuade voters to pick the Catamounts to dominate the top of preseason polls.

The Challenger: Bryant

In just four seasons, Jared Grasso has helped build up the Bryant program from a perennial loser (a combined 23-81 record in the three seasons previous to Grasso’s hire), to the team with the quirky recruiting strategy of “offering every recruit ever”, to Northeast Conference Champions to the top challenger to compete against Vermont in the America East.

Last season, the face of the Bryant Bulldogs was Peter Kiss, the spirited guard who led the nation in scoring (25.2 ppg). With his graduation, senior guard Charles Pride is ready to take on the lead after finishing last season averaging 17.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.6 steals with solid efficiency averaging just 1.7 turnovers per game, a 53.5 2p% (a career best), 32.6 3p% and a 76.7 ft%

Bryant’s eight-man transfer haul brings volatility but obvious talent with former top-40 recruit from Miami and incoming Memphis transfer Earl Timberlake poised to make the most immediate impact. The 6’6 220 lefty power wing originally out of powerhouse high school program DeMatha Catholic, Timberlake is a versatile defender who will likely play the 4 at Bryant. In 36 career games, Timberlake is already a physical load inside the arc (48.3 2p%) and a willing passer (3.7 assists per 40), but will need to work on his outside shot (18.2 3p%) and limiting turnovers (3.9 per 40) in order to help reach his immense potential. 

Other incoming transfers with the most realistic chance to earn starting roles include fifth-year stretch big Antwan Walker (Rhode Island), dynamic mighty mite scorer Chauncy Hawkins (St. Francis Brooklyn), versatile wing Sherif Kenney (La Salle) and March Madness darling Doug Edert (Saint Peter’s). 

With so many new pieces added over the offseason, there is certainly a buzz around Bryant joining the America East, but while Vermont is still the cream of the crop in the conference, Bryant has early non-conference opportunities to impress early and prepare for conference play: away games at Syracuse, Cincinnati and Tulane, a home game against Towson and a neutral site game against Liberty in Springfield, MA.

2022-23 MAAC Preview: Projecting the MAAC Champions

 The Frontrunner: Iona

Even with All-MAAC First Team selection Tyson Jolly and All-MAAC Second Team selection Elijah Joiner graduating, Rick Pitino and his staff return the deepest and most-talented team in the MAAC, led by junior big man Nelly Junior Joseph.

Named to the All-MAAC First Team his sophomore season, averaging 13.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 54.8% from the field, the 6’9 240 Junior combines high-major size with underrated athleticism that allows him to play with pace in Iona’s offense that was rated by KenPom as the 42nd fastest last season. While he does not have three point range, Joseph’s ability to shoot from the elbow allows enough space for rim attackers and slashers to do what they do best.

The backcourt quintet of William Clayton Jr. (my pick for Iona's breakout performer of 2022-23),  Berrick JeanLouis, Missouri transfer Anton Brookshire, Pacific transfer Dannis Jenkins and Oregon State decommit Cruz Davis offers a variety of rotations for Pitino to mix and match while former Louisville Cardinal Quinn Slazinski returns to reprise his stretch-forward starting role. 

Combining the roster’s talent with Pitino’s battle tested defensive system, Iona is the clear cut the MAAC favorites.

The Challenger: Siena

Leading the Saints to a .600 or better record in each of his three seasons at Siena, head coach Carm Maciariello is ready to challenge Iona for the MAAC crown after seven rotation pieces return, led by Jackson Stormo. The 6’9 260 big averaged 11.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 blocks and a 54.3 fg% and is one of the four players returning for their extra year of eligibility.

Lining up with Stormo is the returning backcourt trio of fifth-year guard Andrew Platek and sophomore duo Javian McCollum and Jared Billips. The 6’4 215 North Carolina transfer Andrew Platek averaged 10.0 points, 3.8 assists and 2.0 assists in four games before tearing his Achilles early against Army, sitting out the remainder of the season. Part of an impressive 2021 recruiting class that also includes former Xavier, Georgia Tech and VCU target Taihland Owens, McCollum is expected to start at point guard this season while Billups looks to return to his physical, glue guy role as the 3 guard. 

After a 1-5 start to last season, Siena was 14-9 in their remaining games, a testament to the performance of Billups and McCollum when earning more playing time. The super sophomores will be flanked with a rotation that includes five fifth-year and one true senior, giving the Saints one of the most experienced squads in the MAAC. 

The Underdog: Fairfield

While it is clear that Iona is the top dog of the MAAC, there is an opportunity for Fairfield to step up and compete in the next tier, especially with Saint Peter’s experiencing wholesale turnover in the roster and coaching staff and Monmouth moving onto the CAA. 

Long before this upcoming season, head coach Jay Young had an early start planning how this year’s roster would be shaped without recently graduated four-year starters Taj Benning and Jesus Cruz, two 200+ pound guard/wing hybrids with the right level of skill and moxy to compete in the MAAC.

A major strength of this upcoming season’s roster is its veteran depth with Young easily able to go ten deep if needed. The bedrock of his returnees is the efficient low-post duo of junior Supreme Cook and senior Chris Maidoh. Starting every game at center last season, the 6’9 215 Cook is a classic back-to-the-basket low post forward, averaging 10.1 points per game and converting field goals at a 50.8% rate. A monster on both ends of the glass, Cook averaged 2.9 offensive and 5.4 defensive rebounds per game. An athletic rim-running forward, the 6’10 220 Maidoh vastly improved his efficiency last season thanks to his improved strength (he’s gained at least thirty pounds since his freshman season) and simplifying his offensive game by eliminating three pointers from his offensive repertoire (3-19 career from beyond the arc). His 68.9% field goal percentage last season was a huge upgrade over his previous career average of 45.3%. 

Continuing the theme of efficiency, fifth-year senior Jake Wojcik and sophomore TJ Long are the best returning shooters while Bowling Green transfer Caleb Fields is nearly a sure bet to start. The 6’2 185 combo guard is poised to earn the starting role after former Holy Cross transfer Caleb Green graduated. Sitting out last season for undisclosed reasons, Fields maintained an impressive 2-to-1 assist/turnover ratio while playing for one of the fastest offensive systems in the country (according to KenPom, Bowling Green’s offensive tempo ranked 45th the 20-21 season, Fields’ last healthy season).

Brycen Goodine is the other incoming transfer for Fairfield. The 6’4 190 incoming senior out of New Bedford, MA was a four-star recruit for Syracuse but has yet to secure more than just an occasional rotational role between his time at Syracuse and Providence. Arguably the biggest wild-card this season is four-star ‘22 commit James Johns Jr., the son of second year assistant coach James Johns Sr. The 6’6 180 shooting guard picked Fairfield over UConn, Miami, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, Penn State and three A-10 teams, a recruiting boon easily ranking Johns as the program’s top-rated recruit of all-time. My pick to be the Stags' breakout performer, Johns is projected early on as a catch-and-shoot piece but his game will expand as he gets stronger with improved strength, handle and ability to finish consistently in traffic. His length and athleticism will also be a major asset as a perimeter defender.

The Stags were one of the worst shooting teams in the MAAC last season (48.5% conference-only effective fg% ranked 7th in the MAAC), so a revamped backcourt and the retention of the team’s most efficient offensive players are two factors to expect a major jump this season.

2022-23 MVC Preview: Projecting the Missouri Valley Champions

 The Frontrunner: Drake

With an amazing .704 winning record over four seasons at Drake, a major testament to head coach Darian DeVries’ impact is his players’ willingness to stay in Des Moines for their extra-year of eligibility. Last season, four seniors opted in while this upcoming season another quartet return: double-digit scoring guards Roman Penn, DJ Wilkins (an MVC All-Defense Team selection) and Garrett Sturz, as well as low-post bully Darnell Brodie. 

The most impressive returnee is MVC Freshman of the Year and Darian’s son, Tucker. The 6’7 210 former four-star forward helps the Bulldogs in nearly every aspect of the game and has enough size, shooting and rim-protecting ability to play the 4 along with a true big or as the small ball 5 in five-out situations.

While the players listed above are the main reason to project the Bulldogs as the 2022-23 MVC champs, incoming Florida State and Texas Tech transfer Sardaar Calhoun is the team’s most exciting addition. The 6’6 220 senior wing has played a total of 33 games between his two D1 stops and has a career 38.2 3p% and 85.7 ft% making him a needed shooter to help improve last season’s 272nd ranked 33.9 team 3p%. 

The Bulldogs will certainly miss the toughness and secondary scoring from graduating forwards ShanQuan Hemphill and Tremell Murphy, but Drake’s skill, depth and coaching make them the team to beat in the MVC. 

The Challenger: Southern Illinois

Bryan Mullins, one of the most talented young head coaches in the nation, is ready to take the next step to lead his alum to the MVC crown as he enters his fourth season at the helm.

In his playing days, Mullins was a two-time Missouri Valley Defensive Player of the Year, so it is fitting that his squads have all had higher defensive efficiency ratings compared to the offense, but the retention of last season’s two leading scorers: Marcus Domask (15.1 ppg) and Lance Jones (14.7 ppg and an MVC All-Defense Team selection) plus additions on the transfer portal look to make this season’s offense its best during Mullins’ tenure. 

Intraconference grad transfer Jawuan Newton was a 12.7 ppg scorer at Evansville while incoming George Mason senior point guard Xavier Johnson averaged 7.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 34.1 3p% providing the Salukis a steady pass-first point guard to allow the turnover prone Lance Jones to play off-ball. 

With 6’6 215 Domask and 6’7 210 Troy D’Amico combining to play approximately half of the team’s minutes at the 5, the Salukis needed more muscle in the low post. Saint Peter’s transfer Clarence Rupert brings his 6’8 245 frame and his experience from a winning culture to pair on the low post along with fifth-year returnee JD Mulia. A touted recruit out of Norfolk, VA, Rupert is an exciting long-term piece with three years eligibility who fielded offers out of high school from eleven D1 schools including Georgia, Saint Louis, Temple, UMass, Murray State, Wichita State and Temple.

Enriching their defensive culture with more offensive reinforcements deepens the skill of the Salukis, making them my favorite challenger to Drake for the MVC crown.

The Underdog: Missouri State

Tying last season with the best record in the MVC led by a top-25 ranked defense, Dana Ford and the Bears enter the season with just one returning rotation player: senior starting forward and MVC All-Defense Team selection Donovan Clay, forcing Ford to rake in one of the most plentiful transfer hauls in the nation.

Ford’s eight-man transfer haul includes: 

• Four high-major transfers

• Sophomore guard Chance Moore, a former four-star recruit from Arkansas

• Junior forward James Graham III, a former four-star recruit from Maryland

• Sophomore guard Alston Mason, a former three-star recruit from Oklahoma

• Senior forward Dalen Ridgnal, a former JuCo transfer from Georgia

• Three veteran mid-major transfers

• Grad transfer guard Bryan Trimble from Akron (10.4 p, 37 3p%)

• Grad transfer guard Kendle Moore from Colorado State (6.5p, 1.9a, 1.1s, 31.9 3p%)

• Senior guard Matthew Lee from Saint Peter’s (6.8p, 2.9a, 33.7 3p%)

• One JuCo transfer

• Junior forward Jonathan Mogbo from NE Oklahoma A&M (14.3p, 10.3r, 3.3a, 1.8a, 1.4b, 49.7 fg%, 9-26 from three). 16 D1 offers.

The Bears are a total wildcard this season, but the depth and quality of their incoming talent makes them a dangerous team as the season progresses. Don’t be surprised if Missouri State makes a run in February and March. 

2022-23 SoCon Preview: Projecting the SoCon Champs

 The Frontrunner: Furman

Entering his sixth year at Furman, Bob Richey has coached the Paladins to top-100 KenPom finishes in each season. Leading scorers Mike Bothwell (15.7 ppg) and Jalen Slawson (14.5 ppg) returning for their fifth-year of eligibility, along with fellow starter Marcus Foster (8.5p, 5.0r), make up one of the best returning cores in the conference.

Helping to replace the loss of five-year Paladin Alex Hunter is former four-star Wake Forest commit Carter Whitt. Lauded out of high school as one of the best passers in the ‘20 class, Whitt’s career shooting and efficiency numbers don’t look like a typical Furman commit at first glance: 34.0 2p%, 27.7 3p%, 97 assists and 93 turnovers. However, his good length at the point guard position and pedigree is exciting to see how he fits in Furman’s principled three-point heavy offense.

A team that always seems to reload rather than rebuild, each year a player or two seem to unexpectedly step up. Whether it’s forwards Garrett Hien and Tyrese Hughley or guards Joe Anderson and JP Pegues, it will be exciting to see which Paladin steps up.

According to KenPom, last season was Furman’s least efficient defensively during the Richey era, partially due to the fact that Furman fielded the fifth shortest team in the D1. Adding a 6’4 guard like Whitt to help replace the 5’11 Alex Hunter and 6’1 Conley Garrison is a good start while the continued development of 6’9 Garett Hein and 6’10 sophomore James Repass could create more rotation opportunities for 6’7 Slawson to play the 4 (about ⅔ of Slawson’s minutes last season were at the 5). 

Richey’s teams shoot a ton of threes and share the ball well. With All-Southern Conference First team selections Mike Bothwell and Jalen Slawson returning and a wide array of promising underclassmen ready to step up, the Paladins are my favorite to win the SoCon.

The Underdog: Samford

Recently finishing their fourteenth season in the SoCon, Samford finished with their first .500 or better conference record thanks to the lights out scoring of Florida transfer Ques Glover (19.2 ppg, 4.4 apg), Akron transfer Jermaine Marshall (13.0 ppg, 8.2 rpg) and fifth-year returnee Logan Dye (12.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg). In addition to this upperclassmen trio, Samford added former VMI and Georgia Tech guard Bubba Parham, who averaged 21.4 ppg and 3.6 threes per game his last season at VMI.

Overall, Samford’s backcourt is stacked: the combination of Glover, Parham, Jaden Campbell, Cooper Kaifes, Jaron Rillie and AJ Staton-McCray gives third-year head coach Bucky McMillan six guards and wings who averaged 17+ minutes per game last season.

The frontcourt lost part-time starting big Jacob Tryon and former top-100 commit Wesley Cardet, but Marshall and Dye make up one of the best frontcourt duos in the nation. Adding depth to the frontcourt is 6’7 205 UMBC senior Nathan Johnson, who averaged 6.6 ppg and shot 45.6% from three last season. 

In order to take the next step, Samford needs to limit turnovers (more of Bubba Parham’s 9.0% turnover rate and less of Wesley Cardet’’s 25.8% turnover rate and Jason Rillie’s 32.8% turnover rate could help) and also improve their defense. Their defense ranked 247th in efficiency last season, but considering that the SoCon was much more of an offensive than defensive league last season, Samford’s efficiency ranked fifth in conference play, so just a slight improvement on defense could go a long way. 

2022-23 Big East Preview: Picking a Breakout Performer from Each Team

Butler: Simas Lukosius, 6’6 225 sophomore wing

Ending last season on a high note, exploding for 27 points and 7 rebounds against Xavier in the Big East tournament, it’s almost shocking to learn that Lukosius averaged only 6.8 points per game last season. Entering his sophomore season, Lukosius is looking to bring consistency to his output: while scoring fourteen or more points in six conference games, he also had eleven conference games scoring five points or less. 

With Aaron Thompson, Bryce Golden, Bryce Nze, Ty Groce and Bo Hodges all gone, Lukosius will be counted on to shoulder a more consistent offensive role, especially utilizing his creativity, vision and passing skills to feed rim-attacker Chuck Harris and shooters Ali Ali and Eric Hunter. The Lithuanian’s 55.8 2p% during conference play was good for 13th in the Big East while carrying over his 17.1% defensive rebounding rate will help improve Butler’s transition offense. His 89.1 ft% suggests that Lukosius has the ability to improve his outside shooting (28.6 3p%) and if that is achieved, there’s a good chance Lukosius will be Butler’s second-best offensive weapon behind Harris. 

UConn: Jordan Hawkins, 6’5 195 sophomore guard

Named to the Big East All-Freshman team, Jordan Hawkins is anticipated to take the biggest jump in a UConn roster that features a variety of young talent ready to take the next step. Penciled into a starting position, Hawkins’ above the rim athleticism, soft shot and three-point range has fans drooling over what he can be this upcoming season, especially after gaining 20 pounds since his freshman season.

Considering that Hawkins played just 12 games last season at over 15 minutes per game, it’s safe to presume that he lacked rhythm: shooting a 37.9 2p% and a 33.3 3p% should improve with more time to get into a flow and added strength to finish strongly at the rim. It’s a safe bet to expect Hawkins to finish the season as a double-digit scorer and one of the team’s most clutch offensive producers.

Creighton: Arthur Kaluma, 6’7 220 sophomore forward

For those who have read my other 2022-2023 breakout articles for the A-10 and the MAAC, I usually don’t include a full-time starting double-digit scorer as a “breakout” candidate, but Kaluma has the talent, athleticism and drive to take a Justin Lewis-esque jump from his freshman season straight to the All-Big East First Team.

Over the last sixteen games of the season, Kaluma’s productivity improved even as their schedule got tougher:

First fifteen games: 8.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 0.5 threes made per game, 20.0 3p%

Last sixteen games: 12.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.3 threes made per game, 29.9 3p%

Considering that Creighton has little proven depth behind center Ryan Kalkbrenner, Kaluma has a chance of playing some minutes as a small-ball 5, further increasing his value as a key piece who can play in all situations and provide more variety to the types of rotations McDermott can piece together.

DePaul: Jalen Terry, 6’0 165 junior point guard

Sharing the court last season with do-everything combo guard Javon Freeman-Liberty (45th nationally and 1st in the Big East with 30.3% usage rate) and two-way forward David Jones (26.4% usage rate ranked 219th nationally and 4th in the Big East), Jalen Terry was one of the least utilized point guards in the Big East. In fact, compared to the other top-nine leaders for minutes played on DePaul’s roster, Jalen Terry’s 16.2% usage rate ranked the third lowest. 

Looking at Terry’s career efficiency numbers makes him a viable candidate for more responsibility on offense: 44.2 2p%, 34.0 3p%, 83.3 ft%, and a 2.3:1.5 assist to turnover ratio. Playing alongside a lights-out shooter like Umoja Gibson (13.3 points, 39.0 3p% at Oklahoma) and a quick slasher like Caleb Murphy (11.4 points, 92% of FGAs from inside the arc at South Florida) provide Terry with more assist opportunities in addition to a brighter green light to shoot.

Georgetown: Brandon Murray, 6’5 210 sophomore guard

Last season at LSU, Brandon Murray’s offensive ceiling was limited due to him sharing the court with first-rounder Tari Eason, senior stud Darius Days and aggressive rim attacking senior Xavier Pinson, but his physicality and defensive versatility fit in perfectly with Will Wade’s elite defensive squad.

Blessed with similar strength and frame as former one-and-done Hoya freshman Animu Mohammed, Brandon Murray is arguably the most promising incoming Georgetown transfer, with much better defensive potential than Mohammed and a versatile offensive game that profiles as a matchup nightmare with his strength, scoring, and distributing. 

Few seats in high-major basketball are hotter than Patrick Ewing’s after last year’s 6-25 record and historically poor retention of talent, so finding a spark in new players like Murray could help catapult him from being “one of the guys” at LSU to “the man” at Georgetown.

Marquette: Stevie Mitchell, 6’2 195 sophomore guard

With veteran guards Darryl Morsell and Greg Elliott elsewhere, there is a golden opportunity for the guards from the ‘21 and ‘22 classes to step up into a major role in the backcourt. Combo guard Stevie Mitchell is my pick to earn a starting role thanks to his ability to break down defenses, create his own offense and score from all three levels with enough vision and awareness to dish with the space he creates, all important traits needed for a guard in Shaka Smart’s fast-paced offense.

Playing just under 11 minutes per game last season, Mitchell’s field goal shooting efficiency was good (51.9 2p%, 35.0 3p%) and he showed glimpses of his two-way ability, especially when looking at his per-40 minute stats: 10.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.6 steals. His comfort at the free-throw line (56.0 ft%) needs to sharply improve in order to be counted on in late-game situations, but his good shooting form and a full season under his belt all point to much better efficiency on the line this upcoming season.

Providence: Bryce Hopkins, 6’7 220 sophomore forward

The Friars have four starting spots up for grabs and the former top-40 Kentucky commit is one of the safest bets to start for the Friars. Playing  just 181 total minutes in his first season at Kentucky, his per-40 numbers (13.3p, 8.6r, 1.1 threes made at a 31.3 3p% clip) hints towards his potential as a strong and athletic combo forward whose physicality and IQ profiles as a perfect Cooley recruit as the coach loves versatility. 

Seton Hall: Kadary Richmond, 6’6 210 junior guard

Similar to Arthur Kaluma, Kadary Richmond has the talent to jump into the All-Big East First Team conversation entering his junior year. Already ranking within the top-70 nationally in assist rate (31.5%) and steal rate (3.7%), Richmond’s top-20 Big East ranking in free throw rate (31.4%, 19th in the Big East) and FT% (78.2% is 11th in the Big East) preview what Richmond’s ceiling could be if he earns some of the shots available with all-time great Jared Rhoden and sharpshooter Bryce Aiken graduated.

Finishing last season with 8.8 points per game, a 41.7 2p% and 34.5 3p%, an increase in shot opportunities should make Richmond a double-digit scorer in his junior season, helping him become one of the most prolific stat-stuffers and one of the most feared two-way guards in the Big East.

St. John’s: AJ Storr, 6’6 200 freshman guard

Last season, St. John’s three-point shooting (33.5 3p%, 181st in the nation) and free-throw shooting (67.7 ft%, 305th in the nation) were two of their offense’s biggest weaknesses. With Posh Alexander (career 26.0 3p%) and Andre Curbelo (career 16.9 3p%) as non-threats from deep, AJ Storr has immediate potential as a much needed catch-and-shoot option in his freshman season. 

Playing a postgraduate season last year at IMG Academy, Storr earned team MVP honors after he averaged 22.8 points per game with a wildly efficient 60 fg%. A floor spacer like AJ Storr will help open up the floor for Alexander, Curbelo and DePaul transfer David Jones, making him a valuable guard in the rotation.

Villanova: Cam Whitmore, 6’6 220 freshman wing

Expected to be Villanova’s first one-and-done freshman since Tim Thomas was taken seventh in the 1997 NBA draft, All-American five-star freshman wing Cam Whitmore will be one of the best defenders in the Big East. 

Blessed with elite athleticism, a physical build, a 6’9 wingspan and a high motor, Whitmore’s offensive game is currently mostly limited to using his explosiveness to attack the rim and scoring on transition, but his shooting stroke and handle show promise and are expected to improve as the season progresses. 

Xavier: Kam Craft, 6’6 188 freshman guard

Even though the Musketeers return 74% of their scoring from last season, new head coaches like to highlight their recruits and I expect Sean Miller to have Kam Craft in his starting lineup by mid-season. Recommitting with Xavier after Travis Steele’s firing in March, Craft has a reputation of being one of the best shooters in the ‘22 class.

With the length to play at either the 2 or 3 spots, Craft’s NBA range will help open up the floor for rim-attackers Boum and Jones. 

2022-23 Grand Canyon Mens' Basketball Season Preview: Led by WAC POY Threat Javon Blacksher, Antelopes are Deepest in Drew's Tenure

Entering his third season at the helm after an acclaimed start to his coaching career at Valparaiso and a short stay at Vanderbilt, Bryce Drew is ready for GCU to become not only the perennial kings of the WAC, but one of the most feared mid-majors in the nation. 

A longer discussion for a later time is exactly how long will GCU remain in the WAC and in mid-major conferences all together: between losing rival New Mexico State to the Conference USA in the 2023-24 season and consistently spending well above median budgets within the WAC, it’s fair to question Grand Canyon’s long-term feasibility staying in the WAC. 

For example, according to Jim Root of Three Man Weave, last season, Grand Canyon spent about $5.3 million on mens’ basketball, about 250% more than the median budget in the WAC, higher than the median budget in the AAC, A-10 and Mountain West and even more than the Oklahoma State mens’ basketball team.

Reshifting the focus on basketball for this year, despite losing second-leading scorer Holland Woods and glue-guy wing Sean Miller-Moore, 55% of last year’s scoring returns, including four of last year’s top-seven scorers. 

In his first two seasons at GCU, Bryce Drew’s teams have been incredibly consistent with offensive rebounding and opponent 2p% and 3p%, ranking within the top-30 nationally in each stat in both of his seasons, so team’s continuity should keep these metrics a staple for the upcoming season.

Key Departures

Holland Woods  - 6’1 190 fifth-year graduate, 14.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.1 blocks, 1.7 turnovers, 44.7 2p%, 38.4 3p%, 79.2 ft%, 32.0 mpg

Sean Miller-Moore - 6’4 210 fifth-year graduate, 7.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.5 turnovers, 0.5 steals, 0.2 blocks, 59.7 2p%, 18.2 3p%, 60.4 ft%, 20.4 mpg

Taeshon Cherry  - 6’8 225 senior transferred to Marian, 5.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.8 turnovers, 0.9 steals, 0.2 blocks, 49.2 2p%, 27.6 3p%, 73.1 ft% in 16.8 mpg

A selection to the Second Team All-WAC, Holland Woods was the team’s best rim-attacker, most prolific three-point shooter and a capable distributor alongside Javon Blackmon. His dynamism and swagger is hard to replace, but more later on how Drew used the transfer portal to help replace Woods. 

Sean Miller-Moore was a team-first glue guy who played at the 3 and Taeshon Cherry was a stretch-four off the bench. Both veterans were major contributors to GCU’s dominance on the offensive boards with each ranking within the top-500 nationally in offensive rebounding rate. 

Projected Starting Lineup

PG - Jovan Blacksher - 5’11 165 senior

15.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.0 turnovers, 1.7 steals, 0.1 blocks, 42.7 2p%, 39.4 3p%, 2.0 threes made per game, 73.7 ft%, 3.2 ftas per game

G - Rayshon Harrison - 6’4 180 junior transferred from Presbyterian 

17.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.3 turnovers, 1.1 steals, 0.2 blocks, 46.0 2p%, 24.3 3p%, 1.7 threes made per game, 85.1 ft%, 4.8 ftas per game

W - Noah Baumann - 6’6 210 grad transfer from Georgia

8.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.7 turnovers, 0.3 steals, 0.2 blocks, 48.8 2p%, 40.7 3p%, 1.9 threes made per game, 82.5 ft%, 1.3 ftas per game

F - Gabe McGlothan - 6’7 230 senior

9.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 1.5 turnovers, 0.6 steals, 0.4 blocks, 54.5 3p%, 32.7 3p%, 1.2 threes made per game, 73.1 ft%, 2.5 ftas per game

Big - Yvan Ouedraogo - 6’9 255 senior

3.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 1.4 turnovers, 0.4 steals, 0.3 blocks, 46.2 2p%, 0 3pas, 39.3 ft%, 2.0 ftas per game

This starting lineup is led by arguably the best player in the WAC, Javon Blacksher, whose two-way alpha guard mentality will earn him national attention should GCU earns a tournament bid. He’s my preseason pick for the WAC Player of the Year.

With his three-level scoring and ability to attack the rim and distribute the ball, Rayshon Harrison is a perfect fit to help replace Holland Woods at the two spot. He was woefully inefficient from beyond the arc last season, but shot 35.0% from three over his freshman year, so there’s hope that will remedy this upcoming season. At 6’4 with an impressive wingspan, Harrison will provide length at the 2 guard that the Antelopes haven’t had since Carlos Johnson started in the backcourt in the 2018-19 season.

The 6’6 Phoenix native Noah Baumann is an underrated transfer pickup whose career 42.6% shooting from three will do wonders to help space the floor for Blacksher and Harrison to attack. Starting his career at San Jose State, Baumann’s three-point efficiency remained strong against high-major defenses, shooting threes at 38.9% between stops at USC and Georgia. 

The incumbent starting frontcourt duo of Gabe McGlothan and Yvan Oueraogo are the stalwarts of Grand Canyon’s offensive rebounding dominance, averaging a combined 4.6 offensive boards per game. McGlothan’s shooting ability allows Drew to play four- or five-out offensive sets depending on who he shares the floor with. With elite strength, a surprisingly good motor and limited offensive skills, Oueraogo is a traditional big whose foul shooting woes make him a risky play in late-game situations with the lead.

Key Reserves

G - Chance McMillian - 6’3 185 junior

5.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.1 turnovers, 0.7 steals, 0.1 blocks, 39.5 2p%, 34.9 3p%, 1.0 threes made, 87.1 ft% and 1.0 ftas per game

F - Logan Landers - 6’9 215 sophomore transfer from Kansas State

75 total minutes played. Per 40 minute stats: 6.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4 for 9 from inside the arc, 0 for 1 from three and 4 for 6 from the line. Was the #291 prospect in 247’s composite rankings.

G - Josh Baker - 6’4 175 senior transfer from UNLV

3.9 points, 1.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.6 turnovers, 0.3 steals, 0.1 blocks, 13 for 22 from inside the arc (59.1 2p%), 14 for 53 from three (26.4 3p%) and 29 for 31 from the line (93.5 ft%). Was 75 for 154 from three in his last season at Hutchinson CC (46.2 3p%).

Big - Aidan Igiehon - 6’10 245 senior

2.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 0 assists, 0.8 turnovers, 57.1 2p%, 1 for 1 from three, 13 for 27 from the line. 

W - Walter Ellis - 6’5 190 fifth-year

3.1 points, 1.2 rebounds, 46.7 3p%, 0.9 threes per game, 1 for 5 from inside the arc, 7 for 10 from the line

With addition of Baker, the Antelopes’ backcourt is deeper than last season, allowing Drew to mix and match his guard rotations with four capable scorers and distributors. Reprising his role as one of the first players off the bench, Chance McMillan is a capable shooting combo guard who will get valuable minutes at the 2 and 3 guard spots. 

Able to play anywhere between the 1 and 3 spots, Josh Baker’s offensive game is reminiscent of former Purdue and new Florida Gulf Coast guard Isaiah Thompson: almost all of his shot attempts are from deep and he limits turnovers. 

Logan Landers is arguably the biggest threat to earn playing time over Oueraogo. Originally picking Kansas State over Kansas, USC, Iowa, TCU, Miami, Missouri, Houston and Texas A&M, Landers is a skilled big man who can shoot, pass and he loves to rebound. According to Kansas State's official announcement of their signing of Landers, he was quoted “The thing that I want to develop the most (in college) is that ruthless mindset of grabbing every single rebound that I can and when I get it in the post just being an absolute bully," said Landers. "I want to do all the stuff that most people don't like to do. I want to get the rebounds. I want to do the dirty stuff that a lot of people don't like to do that will make me a better player and a better teammate to help us win games." 

Primed to continue their depth roles this upcoming season, Aidan Igiehon will compete for minutes at the 5 while Walter Ellis is a similar player to Noah Baumann and will be a valuable shooter off the bench.

The Bench

G - Kobe Knox, 6’5 195 redshirt freshman from Tampa, FL

Three-star recruit and ranked #427 in 247’s composite rankings. Picked GCU over Siena and North Florida

W - Isaiah Shaw, 6’7 190 redshirt freshman from Rome, Italy.

GCU was Shaw’s only D1 offer

F - Isaiah Carr, 6’11 210 freshman from Las Cruces, NM

Picked GCU over Lehigh, Little Rock and Western Illinois

F - Derrick Michael Xzavierro, 6’9 215 freshman from Jakarta, Indonesia

GCU was Xzavierro’s only D1 offer. Indonesia’s first Division 1 basketball player.

Summary

Despite losing Holland Woods, it’s fair to argue that GCU is deeper and even better than last season. Baumann improves the team’s shooting, Landers adds much needed competition to the frontcourt and the combo of Harrison and Baker gives Drew four capable ball-handlers and distributors. 

The WAC is deeper than it has ever been, but I expect most to pick GCU as the conference favorites. An opening night tilt against reigning Big Sky champs Montana State will be a solid challenge while non-con matches against Wichita State, North Texas and either Northern Iowa/San Francisco are good litmus tests prior to conference play.