Friday, April 8, 2016

News On The Horizon 4/7/2016

The Morning Dish – Tuesday, April 5, 2016--Hoopville
Side Dishes:
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News from multiple sources Monday is that Valparaiso coach Bryce Drew will be named the new head coach at Vanderbilt, most likely on Tuesday. When he leaves, it will end a string of 28 consecutive years that a member of the Drew family has coached at the school. And while it was always likely that Drew would eventually leave the school-he has been a hot name for several years and could’ve had his pick of jobs over time-the plight of schools like Valpo-avoided at almost all costs in scheduling by bigger-name schools, being all but blackballed from NCAA tourney at-large bids right now-does not help, and was summed up quite well by Paul Oren of the Northwest Indiana Times the day after Selection Sunday. When the selection committee is so obviously going to turn its nose up at schools like Valparaiso, Monmouth, St. Bonaventure and the like, it only makes it even more attractive for them to leave for a school where they can lose 12-13 games a season and still get the benefit of the doubt. One can only wonder if things might have been different if Valpo had gotten Vanderbilt’s NCAA bid this year.
More coaching news from the Horizon League, where there has been a lot of it in the last month: Scott Nagy has officially been named the coach at Wright State. For a school that fired previous coach Billy Donlon in controversial fashion-and received a fair amount of criticism for it-this is an incredibly strong hire. Nagy won over 400 games in 21 years at South Dakota State, leading the school from NCAA Division II to Division I and taking the Jackrabbits to three NCAA Tournaments. Given his long tenure, many were assuming he was going to be at SDSU for a long time, but Nagy had interviewed for other jobs in recent years and is reportedly receiving a very nice compensation package to come to Dayton.
2016 NCAA Tournament Final Review: Final finish what this year’s event needed--Hoopville
Finally, we can’t let the postseason go by without saying some words about the other postseason tournaments-the NIT, CBI, CIT and Vegas 16.
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George Washington played superb basketball in winning the NIT, while Valparaiso’s run to the final also was a remarkable accomplishment. Columbia’s CIT championship was another statement that the Ivy League this year was really pretty darn good, as Yale affirmed in the NCAA Tournament, and UC Irvine’s run on the road to get to the final (four straight wins while criss-crossing the country) was memorable.

Even the Vegas 16, while providing comedy (16-team field reduced to eight due to lack of teams interested; miniscule crowds) also debuted with a worthy concept with every team playing at the same site, plus eight solid teams. A tournament could do a lot worse than Old Dominion and Oakland in its final, and ODU’s 68-67 win was a good game that was worthwhile viewing.

To be clear: these events are not a fitting substitute for the NCAA Tournament for the participants that deserved to be there, the same way a trip to the Bahamas Bowl is not the same as a trip to the Fiesta Bowl or even the Peach Bowl or Holiday Bowl, if that’s what a team deserved. While Valparaiso should’ve enjoyed its opportunity (the NIT in particular is still an event that carries prestige, with a trip to New York City and Madison Square Garden a big deal for many players), it still doesn’t change the fact that the Crusaders from this view should’ve been in the NCAA tourney, if the selection committee is really trying to do what it always claims about finding the “best” at-large teams.

This year proved, though, that just because a team isn’t in the NCAA tourney that it doesn’t mean it can’t play hard and put on quality games in the postseason. College basketball doesn’t necessarily need any more of these tournaments (postseason should still be a reward for some kind of excellence), but much like so-called minor bowl games, the presence of these events isn’t a bad one, either.

3 Cleveland State basketball players get releases, plan to transfer--Cleveland State Hoops

Wilson Top 10 In The Nation In Free Throw Percentage--detroittitans.com

Oakland's Kay Felder declares for NBA draft, but can return--The Detroit Free Press
Kay Felder says he's likely done at Oakland--The Detroit News
Kampe backs Felder's NBA move: '100 percent'--The Detroit News
Oakland’s Felder declares for draft, doesn’t hire agent--The Oakland Press
Oakland junior point guard Kay Felder declares for NBA Draft--Press Row Sports
Felder announces decision to leave for NBA draft, could still return for senior year--Oakland Post
Men’s basketball – Kay Felder--ougrizzlies.com
OAKLAND'S FELDER DECLARES FOR NBA DRAFT--ougrizzlies.com
OAKLAND ALUM SEBASTIEN BELLIN UPDATE--ougrizzlies.com

Filling the Nash/Popkey gap: Women’s basketball coach reflects--Oakland Post
1990 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FINAL FOUR TEAM WILL ENTER HALL OF HONOR--ougrizzlies.com

Holy Cross basketball tourney brings out talent--Green Bay Press Gazette
Linc Darner's Elite Basketball Camp Dates and Details (July 30)--GreenBayPhoenix.com

UWGB's Monke to forgo senior season--Green Bay Press Gazette
Monke to Graduate this Spring, Will Forgo Senior Season--GreenBayPhoenix.com

Reports: Lavall Jordan to take over at Milwaukee--CollegeBasketballTalk
Report: Milwaukee expected to hire Michigan assistant LaVall Jordan--Sports Illustrated
Milwaukee hires Michigan assistant LaVall Jordan as coach--USA Today
Milwaukee hires U-M assistant LaVall Jordan as coach--The Detroit Free Press
UWM hires Michigan assistant LaVall Jordan as men's basketball coach--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Men’s Basketball Hires LaVall Jordan as New Coach--UWM Post
Amanda Braun is not a racist--PantherU
Letter to the Chancellor--PantherU
Milwaukee Names LaVall Jordan Men’s Basketball Coach--uwmpanthers.com

Fogler: Bryce Drew courted Vanderbilt first--The Tennessean
Could Vanderbilt Have Done Better Than Bryce Drew?--Anchor Of Gold
Vanderbilt's next coach? Getting to know Bryce Drew--The Tennessean
Bryce Drew isn't the biggest hire for Vanderbilt, but he's the right hire--Anchor Of Gold
A final look: The NIT was a Colonial uprising--Hoopville
Vanderbilt expected to hire Bryce Drew--CollegeBasketballTalk
Valparaiso promotes assistant Matt Lottich to head coach--CollegeBasketballTalk
Vanderbilt expected to hire Bryce Drew as new basketball coach--Sports Illustrated
Valparaiso hires assistant Matt Lottich as head coach--Sports Illustrated
Matt Lottich succeeds Drew as basketball coach at Valparaiso--USA Today
Coaching Carousel: Who replaces Bryce Drew at Valparaiso?--Mid-Major Madness
Valparaiso Crusaders promote Matt Lottich to head coach replacing Bryce Drew--Mid-Major Madness
Lottich Leads Valparaiso into Uncharted Territory--Mid-Major Madness
Bryce Drew expected to leave Valparaiso to become Vanderbilt coach--The Post-Tribune
Bryce Drew reportedly agrees to six-year contract at Vanderbilt--The Post-Tribune
Bryce Drew leaves Valparaiso, officially hired as Vanderbilt coach--The Post-Tribune
New Trier alum Matt Lottich named basketball coach at Valparaiso--The Chicago Tribune
Valparaiso promotes Matt Lottich to be its men's basketball coach--The Chicago Tribune
Bryce Drew wants to be 1st to take Vanderbilt to Final 4--The NWI Times
Sources: Valpo men's coach Bryce Drew to leave for Vanderbilt--The NWI Times
UPDATED: Bryce Drew officially announced as Vanderbilt’s new coach--The NWI Times
Questions remain about Valparaiso basketball--The NWI Times
Who replaces Bryce Drew?--The NWI Times
VU fans contemplate life after the Drews--The NWI Times
Lottich hired to lead VU men's basketball--The NWI Times
Peters declares for NBA Draft--The NWI Times
Valparaiso’s players endorse Lottich--The NWI Times
Valpo MBB's Fernandez Named National Defensive Player of the Year--ValpoLife
Valparaiso MBB Assistant Coach, Matt Lottich, Named New Head Coach of Crusaders--ValpoLife
Breaking News: Valpo’s Drew to Become Next Head Coach at Vanderbilt--HLeagueHoops.com
Fernandez Named National Defensive Player of the Year By College Insider; Leads Nation in Blocked Shots--valpoathletics.com
Valpo Men’s Basketball Coach Bryce Drew Accepts Position at Vanderbilt University--valpoathletics.com
Valpo’s Peters Declares For NBA Draft--valpoathletics.com
Matt Lottich Hired as Valparaiso University Men's Basketball Head Coach--valpoathletics.com
Valpo All-Access: Men's Basketball Head Coach Matt Lottich--valpoathletics.com

Wright State hires South Dakota State basketball coach--CollegeBasketballTalk
Moeller grad Grant Benzinger leaving Wright State basketball program--WCPO
Players helped interview new Wright State coach--Dayton Daily News
Wright State announces hiring of new men’s basketball coach--Dayton Daily News
Nagy says it took a special place like WSU to leave SDSU--Dayton Daily News
Tom Archdeacon: Ignoring Dad’s advice paid off for new WSU coach--Dayton Daily News
5 things to know about new Wright State coach Scott Nagy--Dayton Daily News
Scott Nagy announced as men’s basketball coach--The Guardian
Granted his release--The Guardian
Nagy Named Raider Head Basketball Coach--wsuraiders.com

Women’s program on solid footing--Mahoning Valley Tribune Chronicle
Postseason WBI Run Highlights 2015-16 YSU Women’s Basketball Season--ysusports.com

Wright State Names Scott Nagy Men's Basketball Head Coach--Horizon League Network
Valpo's Fernandez Wins Lefty Driesell Award--Horizon League Network
Oakland's Felder Declares for NBA Draft--Horizon League Network
Valpo's Peters to Test NBA Draft Waters--Horizon League Network
Matt Lottich Named Valparaiso Men's Basketball Head Coch--Horizon League Network
Milwaukee Hires LaVall Jordan as Men's Basketball Head Coach--Horizon League Network

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