Calipari, Arkansas rise from dead into Sweet 16

John Calipari’s first season at Arkansas reached Sweet 16 Saturday after Razorbacks upset St. John’s. (Photo by On3 Sports)

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — John Calipari reminded those quick to dismiss his Arkansas team that the Razorbacks may have been packed up and placed in a coffin even as they were one of a record 14 Southeastern Conference teams selected for NCAA Tournament berths.

There was only one problem, the Hall of Fame coach cautioned. All those who had written Arkansas off had made the mistake of forgetting the nails to secure the Hogs’ collective carcass into a final resting place.

Now, after losing its first five SEC games and six of seven to start the conference season, placing Arkansas firmly off the March radar, the team no one expected to be here is not just here, it is the life of the party after upsetting St. John’s to reach the Sweet 16.

“I’m proud of these guys,” a jubilant Calipari said Saturday. “All of them here had to overcome stuff, and they did. They did because they’re good guys, they’ve been raised right, and they knew finally—not at the beginning of the year—that we absolutely need each other, or we’re going down together. And they became one heartbeat. They figured out that if I worry more about the team and less about myself, ‘man, I play better!’ It took time.”

“We had guys in a dark place where they would look like that, but now they know I can be in a dark place like that and overcome it. I hope they also understand that you can go fast alone, but if you want to go far, you go with others. I think they now understand that we all gotta do what we’re supposed to do, and we gotta do this together. We can’t be selfish trying to get our own.”

Equally criticized and revered for his pioneering of relying on high-impact freshmen over the years, Calipari has been overlooked at times as his one-and-done players have been replaced by the transfer portal as the hip new toy in the college basketball landscape. But with a first-year core of Billy Richmond, Karter Knox and Boogie Fland to pair with veteran transfers the likes of Jonas Aidoo and Johnell Davis, the embattled former Kentucky boss has had a rejuvenating first season out of Lexington. And he has changed his style in a sense even as he has denied such a notion, by not only allowing his players to have a stronger and more amplified voice, but also by letting each play through adversity to help cultivate natural maturity.

“If you really want to bust out, you have to take some knocks, and then overcome them to know you can,” Calipari said. “Because the whole career they’re gonna have in basketball is going to be that. Can you overcome the bad spells? Can you be so confident and fall back on your training? If you can’t, there’s no one picking you up. You gotta pick yourself up.”

“They’re fun to coach. I told them this is as rewarding a year as I’ve had based on how far we’ve come. I’ve told them a million times: You’re not gonna disappoint me, let’s figure stuff out.”

Winners of seven of nine since a February 19 loss at Auburn that left them squarely on the bubble, and perhaps on the wrong side of it, the Hogs now face a Texas Tech team much like St. John’s in terms of its defense and physicality. But with a reinvigorated coach and a renewed sense of confidence, the Razorbacks might be more dangerous now as the tournament enters its second weekend. And the one heartbeat Calipari spoke of seems to resound louder whenever it is ignored.

“To be where we are, still playing and still fighting, and having fun, I’m enjoying it,” he proclaimed. “I’m not gonna let anything faze me. Here we are, let’s have fun. I’m still holding them accountable, but I’m asking them for a lot of input. What do you see offensively? What do we need to be doing?”

“How about we give ourselves a chance to make some magic? Let’s go fight like heck, play free and loose, whatever happens, happens. Let’s go see if we can create magic.”

St. John’s dream season ends in stunning upset loss to Arkansas

RJ Luis defends Karter Knox of Arkansas. St. John’s junior star sat final five minutes of Red Storm’s NCAA Tournament loss to Arkansas. (Photo by St. John’s Athletics)

By Jason Dimaio (@Jaydimaio)

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The magic carpet ride has been grounded.

What has been a dream season for St. John’s ended well before any of its fans would have liked, as the Red Storm’s NCAA Tournament run came to a close Saturday, suffering a 75-66 loss to the 10th-seeded Arkansas Razorbacks and denying the Johnnies a spot in the West regional semifinals.

“I let my team down,” RJ Luis remarked on his game as the Big East Player of the Year and second team All-American shot an uncharacteristic 3-for-17 from the field and sitting for almost the final five minutes of a game that was a two-possession game when he departed with 4:56 remaining in regulation.

“Of course, everybody wants to play when it comes down to it,” Luis added. “Just for me not to be able to be on the court the last couple minutes (and) just help my team win hurt me.”

Head coach Rick Pitino did not give a specific reason as to why Luis never returned to the floor down the stretch, but even with his junior superstar out there, it would have been difficult to match the size and physicality of an Arkansas team that frustrated the Red Storm through various stretches of the afternoon.

Early on, St. John’s (31-5) had a lid on the basket and found itself on the short end of an eight-point deficit to go along with Kadary Richmond yet again finding himself in early foul trouble. The fifth-year senior retreated to the bench at the 13:12 mark of the first half after picking up his second foul, and would not play again the rest of the stanza.

But as they always have, the Johnnies would settle in and find their pace, riding the hot hand of Zuby Ejiofor, who picked up the slack for the struggling Luis and Richmond. Ejiofor would end the half with 15 points, as St. John’s would take a lead as high as  32-28. From this point on, the Razorbacks were fueled by a 7-0 run for the final 2:48 of the period, and the Red Storm would head into the locker room down 35-32 at the midway point.

Out of the half, it was Arkansas who punched the Johnnies in the mouth, extending its lead to as much as 12 points early on. But after a few turnovers and Arkansas backup big man Zvonimir Ivisic fouling out with ten minutes to go, the Johnnies took full advantage. With 6:11 to go, St. John’s was able to cut the lead down to two and the two teams

would trade baskets.

After a nifty move by Ruben Prey, which electrified the crowd in attendance, the score remained a two-point difference of 66-64.

From here, the fun stopped for St. John’s. A Billy Richmond jumper extended the lead for Arkansas, causing Pitino to take a timeout. Out of the break on the ensuing possession, Deivon Smith had a costly turnover leading to an easy transition layup for the Razorbacks, and the deficit was back up to six with under two minutes to go at 70-64. On each trip down the floor, it seemed the Johnnies hoisted up a low-percentage three, but did not see one fall as ensuing free throws would ice the game and send the de facto home crowd home in shock.

The one glaring flaw that fans and national media routinely pointed out all season would end up coming back to hurt on the grand stage, as St. John’s shot just 2-for-19 from beyond the arc.

“If they hit a few shots, they probably beat us,” Arkansas head coach John Calipari quipped on the St. John’s shooting woes.

Much of the story will center around Luis, who was held to his lowest point total since a December 31 loss to Creighton. When asked why Pitino held out the Big East player of the year in crunch time, the coach refused to take shots at one of his players, but hinted his performance was one of the main reasons for the Johnnies’ offensive struggles.

“We haven’t faced a team with that size or athleticism,” he quipped. “But that’s not why we lost. We lost today because we did not pass the ball.”

What’s next for St. John’s as the dust settles is still to be determined. Will Luis come back or opt for the NBA? Will shooting be the focal point of the type of players Pitino brings in the program? That is still to be determined, but the answers might arrive rather

quickly, as the transfer portal opens Monday and the Johnnies have a bit more time to focus on it than anticipated.

Hurley, UConn honored to face Florida for trip to Sweet 16

UConn continues on in NCAA Tournament, now meeting Florida on Sunday for spot in Sweet 16. (Photo by UConn Men’s Basketball)

RALEIGH, N.C. — As UConn furthers its historic journey, head coach Dan Hurley has walked a tightrope between satiating his rabid hunger for success with remaining humble and properly respecting those that came before his program among the great teams in college basketball.

In the modern, 64-team NCAA Tournament era, only two other schools have done what Hurley and UConn have in winning consecutive national championships, a feat not lost on the coach as the Huskies chase immortality.

Next in UConn’s quest for a third straight title is the last program to have turned the trick in back-to-back seasons, as awaiting the Huskies on Sunday will be Florida, the No. 1 seed in the West regional, with a trip to San Francisco and the Sweet 16 at stake. Hurley has frequently spoken of former Gator coach Billy Donovan’s role as a mentor in his career, and has a similar reverence for current Florida boss Todd Golden, who has a national championship contender Hurley said is reminiscent in some ways of his own outfit.

“The bigs,” Hurley said early Saturday morning in the wake of UConn’s first-round win over Oklahoma, citing a particular similarity between the Huskies and this year’s Florida team. “It reminds me kind of what we had with (Adama) Sanogo and (Donovan) Clingan and Samson Johnson these last couple years. They keep trotting out big, skilled, tenacious two-way players that are all over the glass. And (Golden has) done a great job. Their roster construction is really impressive.”

“There’s a lot of honor in us being able to face the last team that went back-to-back. I think there’s honor in fighting and getting to the round of 32, and making somebody put you down in this tournament to end this run we’ve been on. The championship pedigree is still there for us. There’s a belief in the UConn jersey this time of year. Somebody’s gonna have to put us down in this tournament for us to go away.”

UConn won its 13th straight March Madness contest Friday in a manner not usually seen from a program that has exemplified a juggernaut this time of year. The Huskies nearly handed a victory to Oklahoma before righting the ship late in the second half, something Alex Karaban found value in as a teaching tool for a young roster not accustomed to how to handle postseason affairs.

“It gets us one step closer to reaching our goals,” the junior forward said. “It doesn’t matter how much you win by in March Madness. You gotta learn from your mistakes and just advance, and we did that. It’s a good way to gain momentum heading into Sunday.”

Hurley had projected an opening-round win could alleviate some of the pressure surrounding his group, citing that simply getting out of the round of 64 could ease some of the tension and make his team—already a tough out given its past history—more formidable. He did not back down from that stance 36 hours away from battling Florida, instead reasserting his claim as a means of motivation.

“I think we’re a dangerous team because most people picked us to lose the first game,” he restated. “I don’t think many people will give us a shot in the second one. We come into this tournament as back-to-back national champions. UConn getting out of the first round of the tournament, once we get out of the first round, we’ve been pretty good.”

Karaban turns into Captain Clutch again as UConn escapes Oklahoma in March Madness opener

From L-R: Alex Karaban, Liam McNeeley and Solo Ball look on as UConn holds off Oklahoma in NCAA Tournament opener. Karaban’s dagger three late in second half delivered final blow for Huskies. (Photo by UConn Men’s Basketball)

RALEIGH, N.C. — Hardly anything about UConn has been anything close to a cliche in the past two-plus seasons. Maybe, then, it’s fitting that in the year that has been so atypical of recent Connecticut basketball, the Huskies epitomized a tried and true cliche of the third month of the year.

Survive and advance.

UConn did just that on Friday, holding off Oklahoma for most of the night until an avalanche of fouls and missed opportunities propelled the Sooners into the lead late in the second half. Then, with the game on the line, Alex Karaban donned Superman’s cape one more time.

Leading by one with less than four minutes to play in regulation, the redshirt junior had eschewed a 3-point attempt moments before that his coach and teammates had openly encouraged him to take. He did not pass the second time around, burying a triple from the right wing to put the Huskies up four. Oklahoma would get no closer, becoming UConn’s 13th straight NCAA Tournament victim in a gritty, 67-59 street fight.

“It felt good,” Karaban said of the shot that turned out to be the dagger. “It felt really good. I passed one up in the corner and everyone told me to shoot that one. I don’t know why I didn’t shoot that, and I knew the next one, I just had to let it fly.”

Dan Hurley agreed with that sentiment.

“Alex is such a perfectionist and a smart player,” he explained. “He knows the quality of shots. Just with this team and this roster that he has around him, he’s gotta take more contested shots. He’s gotta let it fly more.”

Just over a week ago, Karaban spoke at length following UConn’s Big East tournament quarterfinal win over Villanova about the desperation of March and how the stakes were raised around the program. On Friday, the crafty veteran proved it again, but not without offering yet another honest appraisal of his resume.

“I can’t wait until the last five minutes to get myself going and show up,” he admitted. “That’s something I gotta do better. I’m always confident in my work, I always trust my work and everyone in this locker room does as well.”

“Liam (McNeeley) and Alex were both struggling,” Hurley echoed. “We were on life support. We needed one of them to step up and make shots, and it was Alex.”

For a majority of the night, it looked as though the two-time defending champions might not even need a savior, as the Huskies’ defense stymied Oklahoma until the whistles—most notably against Samson Johnson and Tarris Reed, Jr.— ramped up. As that occurred, so too did the Sooners finding somewhat of a rhythm offensively, parading to the free throw line to fuel a 15-5 run that swung the pendulum their way with 9:03 to play.

“That’s been a microcosm of the season,” Hurley conceded. “Whenever we’ve been able to start playing good basketball and getting separation, we’ve tended to shoot ourselves in the foot. But the thing about this team is we’re really battle-tested, and we’ve had to fight so hard all year that we showed a lot of toughness down the stretch to execute some things, make some critical shots and make some critical stops.”

UConn has been no stranger to pressure this season, but the close nature of this game may have seemed surprising considering the relative ease with which the Huskies have blown through the NCAA Tournament field the past two years. With that said, the tight nature of Friday’s opener could be a blessing in disguise, says Karaban.

“For this group especially, it’s probably better for it to be close, because we’re able to embrace the pressure and really learn from it,” he said. “A lot of these guys, it’s their first time playing in March Madness, so the excitement’s there, probably some nerves, too, knowing the anticipation of this tournament. Getting one win is always key to gain momentum, but at the same time, we can’t ride this high of a win. In a weird way, you gotta remember the moments and the emotions of the game, but also flush the joy.”

Norfolk State exits NCAA tournament, but not without a fight

Norfolk State fell to Florida in Friday night's Round of 64, but fought to the end.  (Photo:  Norfolk State Athletics)

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RALEIGH, N.C. – There’s no mistaking when Norfolk State coach Rob Jones is in a room. He commands that room.

It should come as no surprise, then, that he started his press conference after his team’s Round of 64 loss to Florida with a shot – even if a playful one – at the gathered media.

“I told you we weren’t a 30-point underdog,” Jones said with a smile, before – again, playfully – chiding those in the room for not laughing.

As much of a presence as Jones is, though, so too are his players. Jones’s team takes on his personality – always commanding respect, representing each other and their university, and fighting like hell for every possession.

The first 15 minutes Friday went decidedly against Norfolk. From there, though…

“They had a tremendous first half of the first half,” Jones said. “We didn’t take that punch well, but I think we showed after that punch the team that we really are – the team that we should have been the whole game.”

“The second half was a five-point half. Unfortunately, that was the second half and not the first half. If we had played that way in the first half, this might be a totally different (conversation) right now. We played the name (on the front of the jersey) too much instead of actually playing the player. We didn’t start playing the player until the final four minutes of that first half.”

The Spartans, fresh off their first MEAC tournament championship in three years, were in no mood for charity or disappointment after the game.

“I’m happy for these guys. They walk out of here as champions,” Jones said. “Out of 27 one-bid conferences, we were able to get a bid and be one of the last 68 teams standing for the national championship. Credit to these guys.”

Guard Jaylani Darden, who had to take on a bigger role with star Brian Moore in foul trouble, turned in 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting. He, too, shared the team’s connection.

“We just bought in,” Darden said. “We believe in each other. We just looked at (Florida) as regular people. They are just like us. We just tightened our screws up and played more aggressively.”

The final five minutes of the first half – to Jones’s point – displayed the group Jones knew he had. The Spartans closed the stanza on an 11-0 burst, knifing what was a 32-point advantage down to 21 at the interval.

“We knew what time it was,” guard Christian Ings said. “We only had 20 minutes left in the basketball game, and I was in the locker room trying to tell my guys we only had 20 guaranteed minutes. If we wanted anything more, if we wanted to stay together as a group, we had to pick it up. Coming out of halftime, we knew that we didn’t start the game the way we wanted to, but we were damn sure going to finish the way we wanted.”

The game marked the final contest for Ings, Darden, and many other Spartans. Ings reflected on his feelings as he left the floor for the final time.

“It was a really surreal feeling,” Ings said. “I got overcome with a lot of emotions. It’s been a long journey. I spent four years in Norfolk. They were probably my favorite four years I’ve had playing basketball in a while. It was just a lot. I got overwhelmed a little bit. I’m glad that my coaches and players embraced me at that point so I could stay strong.”

The Spartan players had one last piece of business before leaving the Lenovo Center floor. Every player, coach, and member of the traveling party walked over to the 350 Spartan fans who were allotted tickets through the school and gave hugs, flashed their hands in the shape of hearts, and paid a bit of appreciation to the group so dedicated to their success.

“They’re part of the program, just as much as we are,” Ings said. “The fans go everywhere they can be. They come to the MEAC tournament. They come to the away games they can get to. You know they’re at the home games. They’re just as vital to the program as we are. We want to make sure that they know they’re appreciated for all the things they do for us.”

Moore’s absence played a significant role. The fouls limited the Spartan guard to 18 minutes.

“The pain that we were missing from his being in foul trouble was visible the whole game,” Ings said. “We were just missing one piece the whole time, the whole game. It was like we were missing our right arm on the court. It clearly came at a disadvantage for us.”

Jones laid out the impact of Moore’s absence from his standpoint.

“It changed the play-calling. It changed the overall flow of the game,” Jones said. “I’m used to having Brian Moore on the floor. I’m used to having 19 points over there on the right wing. When you take away 19 points from the right wing against a team like Florida when you’re trying to manufacture points, it’s tough.”

Jones commanded the room one final time before he left. When prompted about the Spartans’ being a 16-seed and what it would take to get Norfolk State to a higher seed, he minced no words.

“I don’t think we should even be playing Florida, to be honest with you. People are going to say we lost by 26 – yeah, most of the 16s have lost by 26. That could be anybody in the country. We shouldn’t have been on that (seed) line.”

“I’ll say it once again, and maybe it’ll stick home this time. Out of all the 15s and 16s, we were the only one with a top-100 win. We beat (13-seed) High Point at their place. We beat Alabama State. We beat James Madison, who won their league. We played Tennessee close as hell.”

“We should have played somebody else. I’ll stand by that to the death. As far as moving the needle (to a 15 seed), it should have been moved already. Every time (the needle) moves, the goalposts get a little further.”

Mount St. Mary’s authors a year to remember despite adversity, transition

Donny Lind and Mount St. Mary’s end first year together with MAAC championship and foundation for a bright future. (Photo by Travis Tellitocci/MAAC)

RALEIGH, N.C. — When Donny Lind was hired at Mount St. Mary’s nearly a year ago, he highlighted his main objective in succeeding Dan Engelstad in Emmitsburg.

Lind, a branch of the highly fruitful Shaka Smart coaching tree, made it a point to focus on building relationships with the players he inherited, ensuring he got to know them as people first and foremost before any workouts or practices had begun.

The 38-year-old rookie head coach also addressed the ever-changing mid-major landscape and his neophyte status within it in a rather unique manner upon taking over at The Mount last April.

“I’m a big believer in FITFO,” Lind said before explaining the self-created acronym and what it stands for. “Figure it the fuck out.”

Lind and the Mountaineers did exactly that this season. Whether it was a non-conference season capped by an upset win at Miami, battling through stretches where injuries and other attrition threatened to derail a train gathering momentum, or taking out three of the MAAC’s top four teams in succession to get to the NCAA Tournament, it felt as though The Mount had an answer for every obstacle placed in its way.

And with a veteran core that Lind—with the help of Xavier Lipscomb, who played at Radford when the coach was on Mike Jones’ staff—was able to keep together, the transition was made easier even as naysayers abounded with claims that building a culture could not be done through continuity.

“It’s a testament to the fact you can still do it,” Lind said of his team reaching the NCAA Tournament, even as the Mountaineers were ousted by Duke. “There’s so many doubters, so many people that say you can’t care about the kids, you can’t build a culture, you can’t invest in them because they’re just gonna leave anyway. That’s what everybody says.”

“Veteran leadership and veteran players are so important in this day and age. I was really fortunate that X’s and my relationship kept a lot of those guys here. They’re willing to stay because he can vouch for me. Because of that, they blossomed and they grew, and they were able to have the sort of impact that we all knew they were capable of having. It was a great merit for sure.”

Nearly everyone on The Mount’s roster is eligible to return next season, including Lipscomb, who noted Friday that he had an additional year remaining should he choose to exercise it. Regardless of how much of this championship outfit reprises the quest to repeat, this much is clear: A foundation has once again been erected in a place known for consistency.

“The timetable is shorter, but we can still make an impact,” Lind asserted. “You go in that locker room and those guys have been impacted by our staff—by each other—because we were intentional about it. I’m proud of the fact that it gives me some validation in what I believe in, that that truly does work, but the work has just begun. We want to build a program here that ascends to heights greater than these.”

Dola Adebayo, the Mountaineers’ all-MAAC power forward, concurred.

“Looking forward,” he posited, “this is just the beginning for us.”

Mount St. Mary’s was lightly regarded, if at all, in the preseason. Picked third-to-last in the 13-team MAAC, presumably because of the uncertainty after Engelstad departed for a high-major assistant gig at Syracuse, The Mount essentially had a chip on its shoulder from the start. But Lind and his players centered on making year one a year of multiple memories, long before Selection Sunday was even a fleeting possibility.

“I’m just super thankful for my teammates,” Lipscomb reflected. “The perseverance we showed as a group—we were picked 11th in the MAAC preseason poll and we didn’t care about that—every day, we just worked as hard as we could and took it day by day. We proved all the doubters wrong.”

“We talked a lot all year along about A memory as opposed to THE memory of the season,” Lind reiterated. “We didn’t want the win over Miami to be THE highlight of our season, we just wanted it to be A highlight. And as we look back, I’ll get some time to reflect and there’ll be a lot of highlights in that highlight reel, on and off the court, with these guys.”

Mount St. Mary's is dealt an ending, but focuses on a beginning

 

Mount St. Mary's forward Dola Adebayo handles the ball in Friday's Round of 64 contest against Duke.  (Photo:  Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference)

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RALEIGH, N.C. – Mount St. Mary’s coach Donny Lind paused after a question to compose himself. His eyes filled with tears. His voice trailed.

It wasn’t the emotion of the game that had just concluded or the season ending, though those things clearly played a role.

The question was about Lind’s ability to share his special first season at the helm of the program with his son, Silas. Silas has been a regular around the program, getting to sit on the bench with the team for home games and just enjoying being a kid with a lot of cool, talented friends.

“It's amazing,” Lind said. “This is a hard business for us as fathers, very difficult. So to be able to bring him with me-- my wife and my daughter are here too -- it's been a blast. He's enjoyed missing school, playing with his friends on the court, but he can speak to that, I'm sure.”

Silas would, indeed, take his turn at the mic – after a little more of the constant encouragement he gets from his dad.

“These have been the best few weeks of my life, and I hope we have many, many more of them.”

The days have been pretty great for Silas’ dad and the Mountaineers, too. Mount St. Mary’s came into the Lenovo Center Friday afternoon winners of five straight, beginning with back-to-back takedowns of third-seeded Marist – first in the season-finale and again in the first round of the MAAC tourney in Atlantic City. Wins over second-seeded Merrimack and fourth-seeded Iona earned Lind’s team a conference title in his first season and a trip to Dayton.

After the Mountaineers knocked off American, 83-72, in Dayton – on what would have been legendary Mount coach Jim Phelan’s 95th birthday, Friday’s date with Duke awaited. The result most expected happened, but Lind reflected on the many positives. His group at The Mount is special, the first mile in a culture-building trek in Emmitsburg. He has been guided by some of the best coaches in the modern game. He has publicly opined that he has the best job in the world.

“To share (the journey) with the people I love the most, with my family and, shoot, those guys in the locker room has been unbelievable,” Lind said.

Lind spent time on Shaka Smart’s powerhouse staff at VCU. He coached alongside Jamion Christian in his first run at The Mount. He then went on to work for Mike Jones at both Radford and UNC Greensboro. Now that Lind has his own program, the impact the program and community has left on him in a short time is clear.

“They’ve given me an opportunity to develop and to test what I do and what I believe in, starting from when I was 25 or 26, when I showed up there the first time and The Mount believed in me, just like I try to do with these guys,” Lind said. “When someone believes in you, it gives you the confidence to do what you do best.”

“The people who have come out from the athletic administration, the university administration, fans, and all the alumni – the support we’ve gotten has been unbelievable. That’s helped me to be a better person, first and foremost, but also a much better basketball coach than when I showed up here 10 months ago.”

One of those mentors sat across from Lind’s bench as his team made its first appearance in the Round of 64 under his tutelage. Mike Jones, for whom Lind coached before taking over, watched on as Lind led his Mountaineers.

“It absolutely shaped who I am as a coach to grow under (Jones and others),” Lind said. “All that (Jones) believes in and espouses is truly who he is, and that’s been the biggest thing. I know I was put on this Earth to help these young men grow as people, to demonstrate to them what a husband, a father, and a man should be. (Jones) gave me the confidence to be myself and do that with these guys. To see it pay off and to see it works gives me such confidence going forward that we’re going to be really successful as we lean into those sorts of things.”

One of Lind’s players may have been the seed who helped plant the growth of the 2024-25 season. Guard Xavier Lipscomb manned the point for the Mountaineers, and while Lind did not recruit Lipscomb to The Mount, Lipscomb may have recruited the majority of the team.

“He’s the heart and soul of our team. Everyone who’s coached him says that,” Lind says of the player with whom he shares a connection to Radford. Mike will say the same thing, (Lind’s predecessor) Dan Engelstad will say the same thing, Mike Jones at DeMatha (High School in Maryland) will say the same thing.”

“He’s a leader. He’s tough. He’s resilient. He doesn’t care about his own personal success. In a day and age where it’s harder and harder to find, that guy is unbelievable. He means the world to me. I love him. I’m so happy that he gets to have some success like this in his career and I get to be a part of it with him and go on this journey together.”

“I met X when he was 15 years old and have built a relationship with him over the course over almost the last 10 years. To see the growth that he’s had as a person and as a player – the stats are irrelevant to him. The impact that he makes goes far beyond any stat sheet.”

As much of an impact as players like Lipscomb have on Lind, he clearly has an impact on his players, as well.

“He’s going to play the guys who are hungry,” forward Dola Adebayo said after the game. “(Lind’s) the head of the snake. Everybody here works their butts off. That’s how you know the sky’s the limit for this group.”

Indeed, the message late Friday evening among the entire Mount St. Mary’s travel party was one of hope and a bright future, guided by their young, transformational leader.

“I love the relationships I have with these guys,” Lind said. “One of the cool things about The Mount is this is part of what we do. We’re not some flash in the pan that gets in the NCAA tournament every blue moon. The Mount is a winning program. It’s been a winning program since long before I was alive.”

“I’m fortunate to be in charge of that right now and beyond blessed for that. I know that the culture we’ve established can help us ascend to even greater heights. Hopefully, that’s with a lot of these same guys. If it’s not, it’s up to us as coaches to find the right people to help continue to push that culture forward.”

Among the many cliches in college basketball, “culture wins” is at the forefront. Lind sees it as a lifestyle, not a slogan.

“It’s not easy to have coaches want to invest in your life. Most 18-to-22-year-olds want to be as far away from me as possible. These guys want to be coached by someone who truly cares about them, and those are the guys we’ve got to find.”

“We're going to be really intentional about the guys we bring into this program, that they're guys who want to be coached this way, that they're guys who want to be not just yelled and screamed at for two hours a day and then left alone for the other 22, but they want to be invested in, they want to grow.”

Seton Hall makes statement in WBIT opener, locks down Quinnipiac

By Ray Floriani (@rfloriani)

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. — Initially, there was disappointment.

Seton Hall hoped to hear its name announced on Selection Sunday. Coach Tony Bozzella felt everything was in order, with 22 wins, a third-place finish in a very competitive Big East Conference, a sweep of conference rival St. John’s, and a non-league slate featuring meetings with USC and LSU. In the end, however, the Pirates were not among the field of 68.

There are teams who let the letdown get to them, both mentally and physically. As a result, they are ill-prepared for a tournament bid that might come their way. Not so with Bozzella’s group.

The evidence went beyond Seton Hall’s 57-40 win over Quinnipiac in the WBIT opening round Thursday at Walsh Gymnasium. The proof was how the Pirates played energized and focused, especially on the defensive end.

Quinnipiac trailed 17-7 following the first period. The

Bobcats hit just two field goals and were forced to play from behind all night. For the game, they shot just 30 percent from the field.

“We didn’t play offense the way we can,” said Quinnipiac’s Jackie Grisdale, who paced the Bobcats with 15 points. “But I credit Seton Hall also. Their pressure on the ball was outstanding and face it, you do not win games scoring 40 points.”

Bozzella seconded the assessment, crediting his staff and citing the play of Amari Wright.

“Our coaching staff and scouts did an amazing job,” Bozzella said. “She’s the best defensive guard in the Big East, maybe the country. She did an excellent job on (Gal) Raviv, who is an outstanding point

guard.”

On the night, Raviv finished with a relatively quiet six points, two assists and three turnovers. Given its offensive struggles, Quinnipiac still competed. A 7-0 run late in the second period cut the Seton Hall lead to six points at intermission. Quinnipiac scored to open the third period, cutting the deficit to four points. The Hall then went on a 13-4 run to gain separation and never look back.

“We had looks,” Quinnipiac coach Tricia Fabbri said. “Credit Seton Hall, their effort made it extremely difficult for us to put the ball in the basket.”

There was a hint leading up to this game that the Pirates were ready.

“We had a week of good practices where we shared the ball very well,” Bozzella shared. “(Thursday), we were able to do that.”

Points of Emphasis

Assist from Holloway: “I give Shaheen a lot of credit,” Bozzella praised. “He spoke to me at length and told me some keys because last year, they were disappointed and this year, we were disappointed. We want to move forward and relish the WBIT and the opportunity to play. It is a great tournament and it is just so well-run.”

Quinnipiac came in following a loss to Fairfield in the MAAC tournament championship game. Prior to that, the Bobcats won 12 straight dating back to February 1. Included was an early March win over Fairfield, snapping the Stags 42-game win streak in MAAC play.

“From the summer to what we were able to build, you can see talent and ability to have the year we had,” Fabbri said. “ mEvery day was a ton of fun to be around them. At the moment, this doesn’t feel great, but we will reflect on the season we had. The cohesion of this team was second to none.”

WBIT: Legendary Marist coach Brian Giorgis, a member of the WBIT committee, was on hand. During the season, Giorgis stays in close contact with several conferences, familiarizing himself with their teams’ progress, in order to make recommendations for the field. Giorgis feels the WBIT gives more teams, postseason opportunities. He commented on the WBIT, saying, “I think it’s fabulous. You look at the first round of games and there’s some great games.”

Love for the MAAC: Bozzella coached 11 years at Iona. These days, he faces Big East competition, but still maintains an admiration and respect for the MAAC.

“I am still friends with a lot of the coaches and I feel 

 the MAAC is one of the best conferences in the country,” he said. “I mean, Quinnipiac is an outstanding team. Look at some of their wins this year. You look at leagues, you have to look at players. The MAAC has tremendous post players and guards. Fairfield can play anyone in the country, Siena has a new coach and is doing well, Iona with my former point guard (Ang Szumilo) is going to do well. It’s a tough conference. Try to play at both Niagara and Canisius on a weekend. No one understands the MAAC until you go on a road trip.”

Seton Hall will host Portland in the second round of the WBIT on Sunday. On Thursday, Portland eliminated Stanford, in overtime, 69-68.

St. John’s gets first NCAA Tournament win since 2000, routs Omaha

RJ Luis puts finishing touches on St. John’s first NCAA Tournament win since 2000 with second-half dunk as Red Storm defeated Omaha. (Photo by St. John’s Athletics)

By Jason Dimaio (@Jaydimaio)

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — In a season where achieving milestones has been common for St. John’s, perhaps it was fitting that Thursday—the start of a new season, so to speak—became the latest to add to a rapidly-growing mantle.

The Red Storm won its first NCAA Tournament game since 2000 Thursday, waxing 15th-seed Omaha by a final score of 83-53 in the first-round West regional matchup between the two schools.

The game script was all too familiar in the early stages, though, with the Johnnies (31-4) finding themselves in an early hole they would have to figure their way out of. Omaha jumped out to a 7-0 lead, packing the paint and daring St. John’s to shoot from deep. The Red Storm took the bait in the opening minutes, missing its first five shots on the night but firing 18 of their 26 first-half attempts from distance.

“We came out very tight,” junior forward RJ Luis admitted of the sluggish start. “A little bit of nerves, but we cleaned it up in the second half and got back to our identity, which is defense.”

After a quick timeout by Rick Pitino just over three minutes into the contest, the nerves Luis spoke of among he and his teammates settled. In doing so, the Johnnies answered with a 7-0 run of their own to match the Summit League champion Mavericks. Although shots started falling for St. John’s as the half went on, a key part of this team's identity was lacking, and that was rebounding. Omaha crushed the Red Storm on the glass in the opening stanza to a jaw-dropping 26-16 advantage.

“It’s just a matter of getting in the flow of the game,” Zuby Ejiofor assessed. “We’ve been starting out pretty slow. Once we all talked to each other and got more engaged, we just came together and did whatever it takes to win, and we just locked in.”

The locking in came after Omaha had forged a 20-14 lead, as St. John’s used its defense to launch a 14-2 run, getting stops before connecting on back-to-back threes from Deivon Smith and Ruben Prey, the latter of which broke a 22-all tie and put the Red Storm ahead for good. Vince Iwuchukwu gave the Johnnies a last-second jolt going into the break, sending the No. 2 seed into halftime up 33-28. From this point on, the floodgates opened.

Out of the gate to start the second half, it was the same story most have seen all year. St. John’s scored 10 of the first 12 points out of the intermission, punctuated by back-to-back threes from Aaron Scott and Luis. From there, rebounds were starting to be cleaned up, and shortly thereafter, the 10-2 run eventually reached a 30-8 spurt to put the game away.

Luis continued his All-American season, scoring 22 points and hitting a career-high five shots from beyond the arc. St. John’s as a whole buried 14 threes on the night, setting a new school record for most treys in a single NCAA Tournament game.

On tap next for St. John’s is a Saturday matchup with 10th-seeded Arkansas, with tipoff slated for 2:40 p.m. While most of the attention will be fixated on the coaching rivalry between Pitino and Arkansas’ John Calipari, the Red Storm’s leader is more concerned with what his team will face against the Razorbacks than the first battle with his former rival in over eight years.

“We know what we’re up against,” Pitino remarked. “We’re going to have to play the best game of the season to beat a team like this. We know that. They’re very, very big, athletic, their bench is athletic. This is a whole different ballgame for us, but they know we’re a good team as well.”