4. Elijah Brown, McKyle McIntosh and Paul White, Oregon (via New Mexico, Illinois State and Georgetown): Plenty of familiar faces are gone from last season’s Final Four team at Oregon but head coach Dana Altman reloads at multiple spots. Elijah Brown, the son of former NBA head coach Mike Brown, is an experienced player at 6-foot-4 as he should be counted on as one of the team’s leading scorers. The 6-foot-7 McIntosh was a versatile wing forward who was one of Illinois State’s best players last season while former four-star recruit Paul White finally gets to play after sitting out to due injury and transfer rules.
...
7. Mark Alstork, Illinois (via Wright State): Illinois desperately needed experienced help on the wing to replace Malcolm Hill and Alstork should help after a strong all-around junior season. Putting up 19.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, Alstork was an all-Horizon League performer who also made 70 three-pointers and shot 84 percent from the free-throw line.
...
Jordan Johnson, UNLV (via Milwaukee): One of the nation’s leaders in assists at 8.1 per game during the 2015-16 season, Johnson has some intriguing weapons to play with at UNLV like McDonald’s All-American Brandon McCoy.
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Kendrick Nunn, Oakland (via Illinois): The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 15.5 points and 5.0 rebounds as a junior before transferring after running into legal problems. He joins an Oakland team with NCAA aspirations.
Vikings Hold First Official Practice for 2017-18 Season--csuvikings.com
Men’s Basketball Back On The Hardwood--detroittitans.com
Titans Officially Open 2017-18 With First Practice--detroittitans.com
The head coachesLocal DI hoops coaches sound off on scandal, FBI probe--Detroit News
The guys below are already legends at their respective schools. The may even already have a court named after them or name in the lights (we should’ve done more homework, we know), and if they don’t, they certainly — to one degree or another — could one day:
...
Greg Kampe, Oakland
OAKLAND MEN'S BASKETBALL REPORTS BACK FOR FIRST PRACTICE--goldengrizzlies.com
Integrated dance and cheer team: where are they now?--Oakland Post
Of the ten programs in the state, none has made an NCAA Tournament appearance since 2007. Things looked relatively rosy in the early 2000s, with UIC, Eastern Illinois, Bradley and Southern Illinois making at least one appearance each from 2001-2007. But in the last few decades, the only team with a prolonged run of success was the MVC domination by Bruce Weber, Matt Painter and Chris Lowery at SIU from 2001-2007.Dee Brown: 'Everything is about winning'--Champaign News-Gazette
Will the NCAA Tournament drought be broken this upcoming season? Chances aren’t bad that it will. Here’s a ranking of the ten programs by how likely it is they’ll cut down the nets at their respective league tournament this season.
(And don’t worry, we’ll balance things out tomorrow with a post dedicated to the 43rd president)
UIC (Horizon)
Illinois State (MVC)
Loyola Chicago (MVC)
Southern Illinois (MVC)
Eastern Illinois (OVC)
Bradley (MVC)
Northern Illinois (MAC)
Western Illinois (Summit)
Chicago State (WAC)
SIU Edwardsville (OVC)
UIC, Illinois State, Loyola Chicago and Southern Illinois fall into the same category: legitimate conference contender.
The Flames are not the Horizon favorite, as that probably goes to Oakland. Northern Kentucky has a case as well. But Twitter-maestro Dikembe Dixson is arguably the league’s best player, and along with Tai Odiase (11.4 PPG, 6.9 RPG), creates the Horizon’s best frontcourt. That should put UIC right in the mix.
Men's Basketball Exhibition vs. ONU Rescheduled--uicflames.com
Women's Basketball Season Tickets On Sale--uicflames.com
John Brannen (Northern Kentucky)Three NCAA Tournament teams highlight the inaugural Islands of the Bahamas Showcase--nkunorse.com
Brannen is young, local, and would be a good pick-up if the Tom Creans of the world say no. After 16 years as an assistant coach, from Charleston to Alabama, Brannen took over a Northern Kentucky program that reached the NCAA Tournament in its first year of eligibility as a Division I school. The Norse won just nine games in his first year in 2015-16, but turned it around to go 24-11, capped by an improbable Horizon League championship. The Alexandria, Kentucky native knows the state well and, if he’s not picked, could become a hot name on the coaching carousel in the near future.
Northern Kentucky University Men’s Basketball To Air On CW Cincinnati--nkunorse.com
It doesn't look like the next NKU president will be Trey Grayson--Cincinnati Enquirer
Norse Force hopes to gain strength as athletics succeed--The Northerner
Northern Kentucky announces additional info on its A Night with the Norse gala--nkunorse.com
College basketball: Proven scorers, newcomers give Wright State hope--Dayton Daily News
Wright State’s Nagy hopes scandal leads to change in college hoops--Springfield News-Sun
Player Spotlight: Cole Gentry--Guardian Online
Preparing for practice--Mahoning Valley Tribune Chronicle
Men’s Basketball to Hold First Official Practice Saturday--ysusports.com
Men's Basketball Holds High-Intensity First Practice
--ysusports.com
YSU women's basketball team celebrates return to health--Youngstown Vindicator
Defensive play stressed on women’s team--Mahoning Valley Tribune Chronicle
Women's Basketball Holds Energetic First Practice of 2017-18 on Monday--ysusports.com
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