Friday, February 26, 2021

As Rutgers’ senior class looks back, it also looks ahead with renewed vigor

Rutgers’ senior class (L-R: Geo Baker, Nick Brooks, Mamadou Doucoure, Myles Johnson, Luke Nathan and Jacob Young) was recognized on senior night Wednesday in RAC season finale. (Photo by Ben Solomon/Rutgers Athletics)

The first noticeable harbinger came nearly three years ago.

Under the backdrop of a sold-out Madison Square Garden, Rutgers began its public image rehabilitation. The butt of national jokes and recipient of more blows than a Mike Tyson sparring partner, the Scarlet Knights shocked the college basketball world with a run to the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Conference tournament, and came seven points shy of a semifinal appearance.

Mike Williams and Corey Sanders led that Rutgers team, with three freshmen who would later play significant roles in the rebirth on the banks contributing as well: Myles Johnson, Mamadou Doucoure, and a rail-thin guard out of New Hampshire named Geo Baker, whose 25 points in that quarterfinal loss to Purdue was perhaps the brightest light being shone on a future with an abundant and effervescent glow. 

“I think you’re getting a dose of what we can be,” head coach Steve Pikiell proudly declared in his postgame press conference on March 2, 2018. “And we’re going to get better and better.”

Three years later, Pikiell has been vindicated handsomely, multiple times over. Baker and Johnson, roommates since their arrival in Piscataway, have led the way along with Jacob Young after he transferred in from the University of Texas. Doucoure has remained an unsung role player. Juniors Ron Harper, Jr., Montez Mathis and Caleb McConnell are as much a part of the core as anyone, and sophomore Paul Mulcahy has earned cult hero status as a do-it-all warrior. When all that gets added up, its sum validates that what the pandemic stole from this blue-collar outfit last year is being forcefully taken back as the Scarlet Knights meander the final curves of a road that will, barring an unexpected collapse, lead to a destination not seen by the State University of New Jersey since 1991.

The NCAA Tournament.

“I mean, it’s a dream come true,” walk-on Nick Brooks conceded after Wednesday’s emotionally charged victory over Indiana, a win prefaced by the sextet of soon-to-be graduates being honored on senior night at the RAC. “I told Coach Pikiell the first day I got here that that was the goal and I was willing to do anything to accomplish it, regardless of what it was.”

“We’ve seen the lows of the lows, and I feel like we’ve seen the highs of the highs,” Baker said, reflecting on just how far he and his teammates had come. “I feel like we’ve just progressed as the years have gone on, we’ve stayed together, we’ve stuck to our goals. We came here to change the culture. That’s what we all set out to do when we first got here, and I feel like we’ve done it. I feel like we’ve achieved that, but there’s still more that we can do as well.”

Those who have seen Pikiell’s preferred style of architecture are not surprised by the level at which it has come to be recognized, nor at the amount of effort put into even the slightest nuances of each facet of the game since he was brought to Rutgers by athletic director Pat Hobbs to resurrect a dormant basketball program on the heels of seemingly building one from scratch over 11 years at Stony Brook, where he ushered a transitioning Division I operation into a model of consistent success that culminated in bringing an America East Conference championship to Long Island in 2016. Five years later, the transformation extends beyond the hardwood, as Johnson shared in a humorous anecdote.

“There was a picture floating around before the game on Twitter of me and Geo when we first got here: I was a circle and he was a stick,” the gentle giant quipped. “Just building off that, looking at us now, we’ve made so many steps in the right direction. As a program, we were kind of at the bottom at the beginning and now, we may not be at the top, but we’re on our way, just moving the ball forward and putting the ball in motion for the future generations.”

“I think it just shows how hard this program works,” said four-year walk-on stalwart Luke Nathan, arguably Rutgers’ most energetic player. “This group of guys, these coaches, we set out from day one to change the culture and I think we did that. We put ourselves in a spot to contend for championships, and we’re going to keep this thing moving.”

Two regular season games — on the road against Nebraska and Minnesota, respectively — remain before Rutgers takes part in the Big Ten tournament and, presumably, plays to bolster its NCAA Tournament seeding. But before any of that becomes canon, the man responsible for overseeing the ascension paused to wax nostalgic about the accomplishments already in tow, an uncharacteristic move for an established grinder who already has one eye on the next day’s game film once the present day’s final buzzer sounds.

“They’ve raised this program to a place — and I said to them, it’s a real compliment — where they expect you to win every game,” Pikiell proclaimed, a beaming grin serving as a testimonial for his satisfaction. “Before they got here, we didn’t win many games, and those guys did the work there.”

“They’ve gone through everything, too. They’ll go out into the world now and do great things, because they’re tough. They’re resilient, they got through a ton of obstacles. Every one of them was on a different journey: Geo at 145 pounds, Myles redshirting his first year and doing the great things, and Douc has just been as good a Rutgers guy as I could coach. Jacob Young has improved so much, all four of those guys have improved so much. Luke Nathan’s just a special kid. Nick Brooks, a special kid. It’s a special group, it really is, and I want to keep them playing for a while.”

Nothing Rutgers has set its mind to over the past three years since that memorable run in New York has gone unfulfilled. And if this group has its way, the long-awaited payoff will only grow richer.

Thursday, February 25, 2021

A-10 Tempo Thursday: February 25, 2021

By Ray Floriani (@rfloriani)


A week to go and a tie at the top. St. Bonaventure and VCU are both 10-3. The Bonnies knocked off Davidson on Sunday at Reilly Center and Wednesday at Belk Arena. Their last two games are home against George Washington and Dayton. VCU held off Saint Louis on Tuesday and has one game remaining, a trip to Davidson on Saturday. Richmond (6-3), UMass (6-3) and Davidson (6-4) follow the top two. 


The conference tournament begins in Richmond in less than a week. Prior to that, the next few days are vital as they should help sort out the final standings.


Efficiency Margins and Records (courtesy of KenPom)

1) St. Bonaventure (+12, 10-3)

2) Richmond (+10, 6-3)

3) Davidson (+9, 6-4)

4) UMass (+7, 6-3)

5) VCU (+6, 10-3)

6) Saint Louis (+5, 4-4)

7) Dayton (+3, 8-7)

8) Rhode Island (+2, 7-9)

9) George Mason (+1, 7-6)

10) George Washington (0, 3-4)

11) Duquesne (-1, 6-7)

12) La Salle (-8, 6-10)

13) Saint Joseph’s (-12, 2-9)

14) Fordham (-24, 2-11)



Offensive Efficiency Leaders

1) Richmond (110)

2) Davidson (109)

3) St. Bonaventure (108)

4) Dayton (104)

5) George Washington (103)


Given their times of pause and inactivity, George Washington is a relatively small sample. The offense in Saturday’s win over Rhode Island was potent, as the Colonials posted a 118 offensive efficiency. 


Defensive Efficiency Leaders

1) UMass and VCU (93)

3) St. Bona (95)

4) Duquesne and Rhode Island (96)


Tempo Leaders

1) Saint Joseph’s and UMass (71 possessions per game)

3) VCU and La Salle (70)

5) George Mason (69)


Slowest Tempo

1) Davidson (64 possessions per game)

2) Fordham and St. Bonaventure (65)

4) Dayton (66)

5) Duquesne (67)


A Closer Look at La Salle

The Explorers own victories over Dayton, Saint Louis and Richmond. In recent weeks life, for the most part,  has been a struggle. The promise provided by those early season victories has long since faded. La Salle’s efficiency margin entering Wednesday night’s game against Duquesne was a  minus-10. The offense was 99 (ninth in the A-10). The defense was at the bottom of the conference at 110, thanks to a too generous 55 percent defensive effective field goal percentage.


On a closer look, there are other factors. We see a young team that has lived and died by the 3-pointer. That preference of launching from downtown is not the sole reason for recent struggles. In Saturday’s loss at Saint Joseph’s, the starters included three sophomores and a freshman. David Beatty was the lone senior seeing action. Tempo is another issue. 


Ashley Howard, in his third season, has the Explorers playing at a low to mid-70 possession pace. His first two seasons saw the tempo in the high sixties. Mathematically, about a five to seven-possession difference may not seem significant. When you are in the 70-possession range, it is decidedly uptempo, and can be tenuous with such a young team. The turnover rate, a product of that pace, is 19 percent. In A-10 play, it puts the Explorers near the bottom at tenth in conference.


The Explorers attempt 39 percent of their field goal attempts from beyond the arc. That actually puts them near the middle (sixth) of the A10 pack. A greater concern is they are one of the poorer teams at getting to the foul line, which suggests a steady diet of outside shots. La Salle is also near the A-10 bottom (12th) in assisted field goals (50 percent). That last point is crucial. The low assist rate illustrates La Salle is a team that will try to beat you off the dribble. They surprised a few teams early, but once the opponents adjusted, by stopping transition and staying in front of their man defensively, as the season progressed, the Explorers have faced a tougher time on the  offensive end.


Twice in a recent three-game stretch, Howard was ejected. Frustration over the struggles of a young team? Possibly and understandable. Among this young group, sophomores  Sherif Kenney, Christian Ray and Jack Clark have shown promise, as has freshman Jhamir Brickus. Still, there is a learning curve and there are those mistakes of youth. A more fair assessment for the coach is chalking it up to Howard’s competitive nature, his background as a winner having assisted Jay Wright at Villanova, and his vision, one of how he wants his team to play and the vision of getting the program’s fortunes reversed. 


The Week in Review

February 19: Dayton 76, Saint Louis 53

Visiting Saint Louis held a 21-4 offensive rebounding edge. That was it. Dayton led tip to buzzer in a dominant victory. The Flyers posted an outstanding 109 efficiency, holding the Billikens to a far below norm of 76. Flyer standout Jalen Crutcher led all scorers with 19 points while handing out six assists.


Davidson 101, Southern Virginia 51

Kellan Grady hit seven threes en route to a game-high 26 points as Davidson rolled in its first game since January 24.


February 20: Saint Joseph’s 91, La Salle 82 (OT)

In its fourth game requiring an extra session this season, Saint Joseph’s broke through for their It’s overtime victory. It was also the first A-10 win for Billy Lange’s Hawks. Ryan Daly celebrated his return to the Saint Joseph’s lineup, dropping a game-high 30 points. Teammate Jordan Hall added a triple-double with 22 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. La Salle dropped its fourth straight.


George Mason 79, VCU 76 (OT)

The visiting Patriots snapped VCU’s six-game win streak. Josh Oduro, George Mason’s 6-foot-9 sophomore, led the way with a game-high 27 points. VCU was also limited to just three offensive rebounds, losing the battle of the boards by a 42-26 count.


Richmond 79, Duquesne 72

Host Richmond placed four in double figures. Jacob Gilyard and Blake Francis scored 17 points each to lead a balanced attack. Michael Hughes of Duquesne was a force inside, leading all scorers with 20 points while contributing nine rebounds.


February 21: George Washington 78, Rhode Island 70

The Rams ventured into the nation’s capital and came away with their fifth loss in the last six games. James Bishop (28 points) and Jamison Battle (26) led the way for the Colonials. The duo also combined to shoot 7-of-11 from beyond the arc.


St. Bonaventure 69, Davidson 58

The Bonnies snapped a four-game losing streak against the Wildcats with their win at Reilly Center. Jaren Holmes led the way with a 19-point, 11-rebound performance. Kellan Grady and Hyunjung Lee scored 18 each, but no other Davidson player hit double figures. The Bonnies also shot a torrid 11-of-21 from long distance.


February 23: VCU 67, Saint Louis 65

It was a second straight road loss for the Billikens. Hasahn French, the 6-foot-7 senior, had an excellent 21-point, 8-rebound effort for Travis Ford’s team. With Bones Hyland out of the lineup, freshman guard Ace Baldwin (15 points, 7 assists) came up big for VCU. 


Richmond 79, UMass 65

Chris Mooney’s Spiders were a model of efficiency, with a 113 on the offensive end helped a great deal by a 9 percent turnover rate. Blake Francis led the way with a game-high 20 points. Jacob Gilyard handed out 6 assists, and the 5-foot-9 guard added nine rebounds.


February 24: St. Bonaventure 56, Davidson 53

The Bonnies were held to 17 second-half points, but were able to squeeze out a hard-fought game at Davidson. Once again, St. Bonaventure was on the mark from deep, shooting 11-of-21 and held Kellan Grady to two points as Davidson shot 29 percent from beyond the arc.


Saint Joseph’s 97, Dayton 84

Taylor Funk (36) and Ryan Daly (25) combined for 61 of the Saint Joseph’s points. Dayton did post a healthy 115 offensive efficiency, but allowed a less than healthy 133 on the defensive end.


George Mason 63, George Washington 58

The Patriots won their third straight, as freshman guard Tyler Kolek earned KenPom MVP honors with a game-high 16 points, five rebounds and four assists.


La Salle 85, Duquesne 65

The Explorers ended a four-game losing streak with an impressive victory at Tom Gola Arena. La Salle had four double-figure scorers, with David Beatty leading the way with 22 points. A solid defensive effort saw the Dukes forced into a 23 percent turnover rate and limited to an 88 defensive efficiency. 


Upcoming Games

February 26: George Washington at St. Bonaventure

Richmond at Saint Louis


February 27:

VCU at Davidson

La Salle at George Mason

Rhode Island at Duquesne


March 1:

Dayton at St. Bonaventure

Saint Joseph’s at Richmond

UMass at Saint Louis


March 3-6: A-10 Tournament

At Robins Center and Siegel Center in Richmond


March 14: A-10 Championship

At UD Arena, Dayton 


All-KenPom

Bones Hyland, VCU

Jalen Crutcher, Dayton

Jordan Goodwin, Saint Louis

Grant Golden, Richmond

Osun Osunniyi, St. Bonaventure


Conference Trends

Efficiency: 100

Tempo: 68 possessions per game

Home record: 50-32 (.610)

Close games: 18 of 83 (21.7 percent)

Blowouts: 15 of 83 (18.1 percent)


Efficiency has slightly improved in recent weeks. Tempo picked up slightly as well. The conference on an average is not playing at an all-out pace, but is willing to run given the opportunity. No fans, or by now, some allowing a very limited amount, negated the home court edge in the early going. Now, that advantage is back. Even without fans, the home team enjoys familiarity with its home site and does not have to travel. Getting on the road can be tough during normal times. In the height of a pandemic, travel is even tougher. As the weeks progressed, the home court edge played an increasingly important part in the conference race.

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Kevin Willard quote book: Butler

On Seton Hall’s effort:
“They came out and they played better than us. We got off to a deepened start, but we got three-happy over the last couple of games — the last three games — and we’re just settling for too many threes. I hate to say it, we missed two free throws toward the end of the (first) half, we missed two free throws at the beginning of the (second) half, and it just kind of took the wind out of our sail. Give them credit, they played really well.”

On what kept Seton Hall neutralized:
“I think they did a good job. They went small, they switched on all our pick-and-rolls and they really went under Shavar’s pick-and-rolls. They really decided to come after Sandro, but it’s nothing we haven’t seen all year. I didn’t think we came out with the right mindset of playing physical basketball. We gave up some big offensive rebounds in the second half that hurt us, we gave them threes, and they carried that momentum the rest of the game.”

On getting away from Ike Obiagu:
“They went small, and we have struggled when teams have gone small. The one guy I was most worried about was Bryce Nze, he’s a guy that’s a good passer, a good rebounder, he plays physical. They put him at the five spot and they really tried to space us out, but we were still up 26-24 at the half, we came out — again, we missed two free throws, gave up an offensive rebound for a bucket and then we could never really get out of the rut.”

On offensive confidence:
“I don’t really know what it was. If you don’t have confidence at this point, you probably never did. We played in two places with crowds, and both times, we haven’t played well, so I don’t know if the crowd got to us or we’re just not used to it, but we just didn’t play well.”

On Seton Hall having the edge it needed, or not playing well:
“That’s a good question, Gary. I would say it’s a combination of both. We have a lot of guys who haven’t really been in this situation, that never had to be the guy in this situation, and I think that’s a big step. Different guys react in different ways, and I don’t think these guys know the pressure, and now we have guys who were not responsible for making big plays at times last year, and now they have to make big plays and it’s a lot on these guys’ plate. Their effort has been great, their effort has been off the charts and I thought we did a really good job for most of the game defensively, but offensively, I think we just got a little bit hesitant. I thought we stood a little bit, we missed some shots early, and it just took us off our rhythm.”

On senior night and playing in front of fans:
“It’s definitely a big difference, it really is. It’s something that — as much as we got used to playing in packed arenas, it goes the same way — now you’re used to playing in not packed arenas, so I think these seniors deserve a great sendoff, they’ve given a lot over their four years, five years, and I think the fact that they’re going to have fans there is really, really special for them.”

On Seton Hall’s NCAA Tournament prospects:
“We have a lot of work to do, but we have two good opportunities — a great UConn team who had a huge win the other night at Georgetown, and obviously a very good St. John’s team who plays great at Carnesecca — so I gotta figure it out a little bit better. Shavar’s given me everything he’s had, and I’m really proud of the effort he’s given and what he’s done, it’s just I’ve got to figure out a way to not get him 36 minutes, because he’s not built that way.”

As stretch drive beckons, Siena’s growth and upward momentum have come at best possible time

Siena’s resurgence has come at opportune time as Manny Camper and Saints close in on MAAC regular season title. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

Siena’s high expectations this season have come with being held to an even higher standard as the Saints traverse the pandemic-altered landscape that began with a unanimous prediction of a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship.

Even with nine wins in the first 12 games of a campaign that did not get underway until January 3, head coach Carmen Maciariello has stressed the need to execute even the smallest of minutiae to feed into the belief that was fostered through Siena’s 16-game win streak that bridged last year and this past January, the idea that something special could indeed be brewing in the Capital Region.

As the Saints prepare for a four-game homestand to close out the regular season, beginning Friday against Manhattan, they do so on the heels of a galvanizing win last Sunday at Niagara, a team that appeared to pull off a second straight come-from-behind victory before Manny Camper’s pass to Jackson Stormo for a point-blank layup to salvage a split in western New York, that reinforced just what the common goal has been inside the green and gold walls.

“We’ve been talking about opening up leads, getting it from five to seven, seven to 11,” Jalen Pickett declared as Siena has managed to fend off adversity and close situations with a grit forged by veteran leaders and instinctive fundamental basketball plays. “That’s just another learning experience for us right there, it was a sign of a championship team. When things don’t go your way, can you reset and battle back?”

“It just shows how resilient our team is,” Camper echoed. “We knew how hard the Buffalo trip was going to be after game one. I’m just proud of the growth of our team. We didn’t make excuses about how we were off the three weeks, we didn’t make excuses about the Niagara trip. We just watched film and we responded well.”

Camper, in particular, has been the biggest piece of the puzzle as he builds off a first team all-MAAC junior season. Once again the conference’s rebounding leader with an average of over 10 boards per game, the senior has expanded his repertoire to lead the MAAC in assists as well, while currently ranking fifth in scoring, solidifying himself among the favorites for a Player of the Year honor that would be a fitting coda in the development of a program bedrock that was a seldom-used role player under Jimmy Patsos his freshman year before blossoming under Maciariello’s tutelage.

“We all see how hard he works, and I’ve seen him grow since I got here,” Pickett, last season’s Player of the Year, assessed. “Seeing how great his game has elevated, people have to respect him. He’s a great basketball player and he leads us. I think at this point, for the young guys to keep watching him and watch how much time he puts in with the film and the work off the court, it’s a good sign.”

“In the preseason, I thought I had two guys who could be up for Player of the Year,” Maciariello added. “The type of season Manny’s having and the way he’s stepped up, especially in these games, coming off the pause, I’m happy with the rhythm he’s in.”

Siena as a whole has taken on a similar rhythm, and in a timely fashion as it embarks upon the culmination of what it has worked for. Regardless. Maciariello continues to instill the need to be meticulous in every facet on the way to Atlantic City, a reminder of the steps needed to secure the Saints’ first league championship since 2010.

“These guys need to realize this is a new year,” he stated. “No one’s giving us anything. We have to take every game as an opportunity to get better, and we have to take every game as a chance to realize that everyone wants to beat us. We’re the preseason favorite, and I hate talking about that — it means nothing — but we have to continue to get better. That’s the end of the day, especially now with whatever the seedings are for Atlantic City. You can’t not show up that first game, or you’re going home.”

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

5 Takeaways: St. John’s blown out at Villanova

By Anthony E. Parelli (@reportedbytheAP)

 

Traveling to face the No. 8 team in the country coming off the worst loss of the year with your season on life support is not the ideal recipe for success.

 

But maybe St. John’s would play loose, the way it did during its six weeks of success spanning most of 2021. Maybe it could frustrate Villanova the way it did three weeks ago.

 

Nope.

 

The Wildcats ran the Red Storm out of Finneran Pavilion81-58, in a game that was never remotely competitive Tuesday night.

 

The Wildcats jumped out to a 20-9 start. They shot 50 percent from the floor, hit six 3-pointers and eventually took a 42-25 lead into the break. St. John’s, (14-10, 8-9 Big East) on the other hand, shot just 26.7 percent from the field and 2-of-13 from three in the first period. 

 

The final numbers weren’t much prettier for the Johnnies, ending the game shooting just 36.2 percent from the field and 3-of-23 from deep, and for most of the night, the product on the floor didn’t even look that efficient. Even at the line, where St. John’s entered with the second-best percentage in the conference, the Red Storm went just 13-of-21.

 

St. John’s 58 points were the fewest it has mustered this season.

 

My takeaways from the loss:

 

Champagnie’s slow starts

Julian Champagnie has been one of the best players in the conference, and maybe the country, this season, but he’s been plagued by slow starts at times. Tuesday was representative of those struggles, as the sophomore missed his first six shots and didn’t hit his first field goal until the final minute of the opening frame.

 

Champagnie finished with a team-high 16 points and seven rebounds, but shot just 5-of-18 from the field, including 0-of-6 from deep. 

 

Bench woes continue

Entering Saturday’s contest with DePaul, St. John’s had the highest scoring bench in the conference. On Tuesday, the Red Storm reserves managed just 25 points, with 10 coming from Isaih Moore. 

 

Marcellus Earlington, who was instrumental in the Johnnies’ success, has just four total points in his last two games.

 

Backcourt issues

Guards Rasheem Dunn and Posh Alexander are what make St. John’s go, both offensively and defensively. Their struggles the last two games – each finished with just four points Tuesday – directly influenced the team’s as a whole. 

 

Health concerns

Greg Williams, Jr. scored just five points, but looked as healthy as he has since injuring his back in January. He said prior to the game however that he’s never quite sure how the injury will hold up. 

 

Meanwhile, Alexander exited Tuesday’s contest with about three minutes remaining with a finger injury. The freshman looked to be in immense pain as he left the court and is one of two players – along with Champagnie – that the Red Storm flat out cannot afford to lose.

 

What now?

In just four days, NCAA Tournament hopes have dwindled to danger of failing to even qualify for the NIT. At this point, any postseason experience would be beneficial for a team that should return all but one of its contributors from this season in Dunn. 

 

The Red Storm desperately needs to come out of its eight-day layoff with a sense of urgency against Providence and Seton Hall before the Big East Tournament. As it stands, 2020-21 is in dire risk of becoming a lost year.

 

Next up

It was once thought St. John’s might try to fill this eight-day layoff with a non-conference game in hopes of boosting its tournament resume. With those hopes dashed, it’s now up to coach Mike Anderson to use this time to refocus his team and hope that Williams and Alexander can heal up. 

 

The Red Storm return to Carnesecca Arena to host Providence on March 3 at 7 p.m. in desperate need of a win.