News On The Horizon 11/6/2023

Another Season Is Upon Us!--HoriZone Roundtable
COLLEGE BASKETBALL SEASON OPENER!!! News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Monday, Nov 6th--Hoops HD

HIGHLIGHTED GAMES

-SPALDING (nonD1) AT IUPUI. This game will almost assuredly end up meaning nothing. It is one of the worst teams in the Horizon playing against a nonD1 opponent. But, the single distinction it has is that it is the first official game to involve a D1 team!

-CLEVELAND STATE AT DUQUESNE. This may seem like an odd game to highlight, but I think Duquesne is a dark horse to win the Atlantic 10. They were actually my preseason pick to win the A10. Cleveland State is a team they should beat, but it’s also a team that can do some damage in the Horizon League this year. On a day where most of the games are absolute garbage, this one is actually decent!

-NORTHERN KENTUCKY AT MIDDLE TENNESSEE. This is a winnable road game for what looks to be a very good NKU team this year. I don’t know if they’ll land inside the bubble, but starting off with a road win is certainly a very good first step.

Indiana college basketball preview of NCAA Division I teams--Indianapolis Star

We will have weekly rankings and updates from all the programs, including items you may have missed. Here's what we know heading into this week's openers:

∎ Five Indiana programs had winning records last season (Ball State, Purdue Fort Wayne, Indiana, Indiana State, Purdue. IU and Purdue played in the NCAA tournament, and ISU in the College Basketball Invitational.

∎ Scholarship newcomers make up more than half the roster at eight programs. Purdue, Indiana and IUPUI have the most continuity from last season.

Here's a more detailed breakdown of this season's roster. Averages are from the 2022-23 season.

Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons

Jon Coffman enters his 10th season as coach with a lot of turnover from a 17-15 team.

KenPom ranking: 298th, 8th in 11-team Horizon League

Newcomers (10): Rasheed Bello (6-0 junior from Div. III Wisconsin-Parkside, 17.9 ppg); Jalen Jackson (6-2 sophomore, 7.1 ppg at Illinois-Chicago); Destin Whitaker (6-5 senior, 2.2 ppg at Fresno State); Chris Morgan (6-2 freshman); Corey Hadnot II (6-3 freshman); Maximus Neslon (6-8 sophomore, 4.6 ppg at Valparaiso); Jermaine Coleman (6-7 freshman from Park Tudor School); Deangelo Elisee (6-9 junior via Triton College); Khoi Thurmon (6-1 freshman); Keyon Miller (6-2 freshman from Southport).

Returners (5): Anthony Roberts (6-4 fifth year, 7.3 ppg); Quinton Morton-Robertson (5-8 fifth year, 6.7 ppg, 38.2% 3FG); Eric Mulder (6-8 sophomore, 2.8 ppg); Johnathan DeJurnett (6-8 senior, 2.1 ppg); Keaton Dukes (6-3 sophomore).

Key departures: Jarred Godfrey (graduation); Bobby Planutis (graduation); Damian Chong Qui (graduation); Deonte Billups (graduation).

IUPUI Jaguars

Coach Matt Crenshaw enters his third season with a relatively stable roster as the Jaguars try to improve from 5-27.

KenPom ranking: 320th, 10th in 11-team Horizon League

Newcomers (4): Qwanzi Samuels (6-9 graduate student, 1.6 ppg at George Washington); Abdou Samb (6-8 sophomore, 3.6 ppg, 2.7 rpg at Rhode Island); Braden Allen (6-3 freshman); Yves Nkomba (6-11 senior, appeared in nine games at Kennesaw State).

Returners (10): Vincent Brady (6-4 sophomore from Cathedral High School, 10.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg); Jlynn Counter (6-3 junior, 14.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.3 apg); Cooper Dewitt (6-6 senior, 1.2 ppg); John Egbuta (6-6 senior, 6.2 ppg, 40% 3FG, 3.2 rpg); Daylan Hamilton (6-3 senior, 4.8 ppg); D.J. Jackson (6-4 sophomore, 9.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg); Amhad Jarrard (6-4 sophomore from Mt. Vernon High School, 4.5 ppg); Armon Jarrard (6-3 sophomore from Mt. Vernon High School, 5.3 ppg); Bryce Monroe (5-11 senior, appeared in four games); Derek Peterson (6-2 senior from Greenwood Christian High School, appeared in 15 games).

Cleveland State Men's Basketball Opens Regular Season With Monday Night Matchup at Duquesne--csuvikings.com

Cleveland State Women's Basketball Set To Open 2023-24 Campaign At Bowling Green--csuvikings.com

Handing out the Hardware: Exhibition players of 2023--Hoops HD

Mid-major:
G: Jayden Stone, Detroit Mercy: 34 PTS/11 REB in 10-PT loss to Wayne State

Game 1: Detroit Mercy Opens 2023-24 Campaign at Instate Rival Eastern Michigan--detroittitans.com

'You don't overreact, you don't underreact, you just prepare': New coach Sundance Wicks ready as UWGB men tip off--Green Bay Press-Gazette
Phoenix Tip Off 2023-24 Season on the Road at Iowa State--greenbayphoenix.com

Phoenix Readies to Battle Northern Iowa in Regular Season Opener--greenbayphoenix.com

JAGUARS KNOCK OFF SPALDING ON ANNUAL 'READERS BECOME LEADERS' GAME--iupuijags.com

ENTERING YEAR TWO--iupuijags.com

Men’s Basketball Team Lean on Athleticism and Synchronicity to Carry Them to New Heights--UWM Post

Milwaukee Opens 2023-24 Season with In-State Battle at Wisconsin--mkepanthers.com

'He's just too ... good': Oakland's Greg Kampe, dean of college hoops, enters 40th season--The Detroit News
Men's Basketball Officially Kicks Off Their Season at Ohio State--goldengrizzlies.com

Women's Basketball Takes on Akron in First Action of the Season--goldengrizzlies.com

Men's Hoops Opens 2023-24 Season at DePaul on FS2--gomastodons.com

RMU Basketball: 3 keys to season-opening matchup with Xavier--Busting Brackets
Robert Morris aims to continue ascending in Horizon League--Trib Live

2023-24 college basketball preview: Outlooks for Penn State, West Virginia and more--Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Robert Morris men

Intro: The Colonials finished the regular season winning four of their last five games. Their one loss during that stretch was against IUPUI. The Colonials had to face IUPUI again in the first round of the Horizon League tournament and won. The Colonials had their season ended when they lost in the next round to No. 3 Cleveland State 75-70 in overtime. Robert Morris showed they were better at home last season with a 11-4 record compared to their 5-10 record on the road.

Coach: Andy Toole (14th year)

2022-23 record: 16-17, lost in second round of Horizon League tournament

Key players: Josh Corbin is the only returning player on the team that averaged over 10-plus points from a season ago. Corbin also led the team last season in 3-pointers made (93). The rising senior should expect to get more touches while also having a more leadership role. ... Junior guard Jackson Last should also have more minutes, as he was one of only two players last season to start all 33 games. Sophomore forward Stephaun Walker started 30 of 31 games that he played from a year ago and should be expected to have a bigger role, as well. ... The Colonials welcome graduate student Markeese Hastings from the transfer portal out of Western Michigan, where he started 29 of 31 games while also leading the team in rebounds per game, which was second in the Mid-American Conference.

Outlook: Last season, Kahliel Spear and Enoch Cheeks were the star players on the team. Spear graduated while Cheeks transferred to Dayton. Spear led the team in points per game (15.5), rebounds (273), blocks (46) and total minutes played. Cheeks averaged 15.4 points per game and led the team in steals (56). For the Colonials to be as efficient as they were last season, they need to have a 1-2 punch like they did with Spear and Cheeks. Michael Green III, the team leader in assists last season, also transferred to James Madison. While Corbin was the most efficient point scorer to return, having Hastings helping out should be a huge contribution Another transfer, junior forward Justice Williams, started seven games at LSU. He played 23 games and made a contribution in the team’s SEC first round matchup against Georgia, which he scored five points and dished out five assists. His ability to cut to the basket and shoot from long range when need be are some of his strengths. The team will travel to Xavier on Monday night in the season opener before hosting Point Park in the home opener on Thursday night.

— Brentaro Yamane

Robert Morris women

Last season, the Colonials were young — and they remain that way, as they do not have a senior on the team. The Colonials finished with a 9-7 record at home while only winning two games on the road last season with 12 losses. Despite struggling all year, the Colonials were competitive in their Horizon League tournament game, only losing by six points to No. 7 Milwaukee.

Coach: Charlie Buscaglia (8th year)

2022-23 record: 11-19, lost in first round of Horizon League tournament

Key players: Simone Morris is the only returning starter that started all 30 games from last year. Last season, she led the team in blocks with 16 and was ranked in the top 20 in the Horizon League. ... Rebecca Dwomoh returns after tying for first on the team in 3-points made with 34. Mackenzie Amalia also had 34 3-pointersa season ago and was a huge part of the team from the last three seasons, but she transferred to Canisus. With that in mind, Dwomoh should have more opportunities to shoot the long ball.

Outlook: Last season, Phoenix Gedeon was the only Colonial to average in double-figures in points per game (13.5), but she transferred to St. John’s. The biggest thing the Colonials need to improve is winning conference games. They finished last season with a 5-15 record in-conference, and 13 of those losses were by double-digits. The team will travel to Saint Francis on Monday night in the season opener, while they will start conference play at Cleveland State on Nov. 29.

2023-24 women's basketball preview: Pitt, Duquesne, Robert Morris aim to contend--Trib Live

Robert Morris

Coach: Charlie Buscaglia, eighth season (96-50)

2022-23 record: 11-19 (5-15 in Horizon League)

Returning starters: Simone Morris, jr. G (7.7 ppg); Rebecca Dwomoh, jr., G (7.1 ppg); Alejandra Mastral, jr., G (7.0 ppg)

Top newcomers: Naomi Barnwell, jr., G; Camila Bozan, fr., C; Tuana Coskun, fr., SF; Hattie McGraw, fr., G; Eden Monka, fr., G/F; Madison O’Dell, fr., G; Micah O’Dell, fr., G; Stephanie Theodossakos, jr., G

Notable: Robert Morris was picked to finish last in the Horizon League in a preseason poll after finishing 5-15 in conference play last season and falling in the first round of the Horizon League tournament. They were 10th in the 11-team league a year ago. … Morris started all 30 games last season, averaging 7.7 points and 5.0 rebounds. … Dwomoh was a 3-point threat for the Colonials who averaged 7.1 points and hit 34 3-pointers. … Mastral was seventh in the Horizon League in steals last season at 1.5 per game. … Junior center Danielle Vuletich (7.8 ppg) also returns, along with sophomores Louella Allana, Natalie Johnson and Paris Kirk. … Barnwell, a France native, joins RMU after averaging 10.5 points over two seasons at Monroe College. … Theodossakos spent the past two seasons at Tampa, which reached the NCAA Elite Eight last season. … Six freshmen joined the RMU roster in the offseason. Coskun, from Rabun Gap in Georgia, was a two-time all-state player who averaged 12.4 points in winning a second straight state title last year. Bozan is another international recruit, hailing from Santiago, Chile. Monka hails from Montreal, Quebec. … Sisters Madison and Micah O’Dell led their team to the Mississippi 6A quarterfinals. … McGraw hit 164 3-pointers during a decorated career at Knoch. … Graduate Mackenzie Amalia, a Blackhawk grad, will be missed after she capped her RMU career with 370 points, 125 assists, 61 steals and 85 three-pointers.

Quotable: “It’s always a big focus to set a schedule full of challenges. One of which is to compete against great competition, and if you look at the level of conferences we are matching up against, you will see we accomplished that. We match up against a Power 5 and a number of top mid-major conferences.” —Coach Charlie Buscaglia on the team’s nonconference schedule. Tip-off: Robert Morris starts the season at 7 p.m. Monday at St. Francis (Pa.).

Colonials Open 2023-24 Campaign at Saint Francis--rmucolonials.com

Wright State basketball: Raiders poised for another year of prolific offense--Dayton Daily News

Archdeacon: At Wright State, Jada Tate seeks to keep adding to family’s legacy--Dayton Daily News

11/6/23 OPENING NIGHT--Staring at the Floorboards

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YOUNGSTOWN STATE @ LOUISIANA

Bob Marlin’s squad went undefeated at the Cajundome last year, but are retooling back to open post, uptempo offense without Jordan Brown commanding the ball in the middle. This is likely music to Calhoun’s ears for this opening night tilt, as this iteration of the Penguins is very much built for Calhoun’s preferred pace...

Fresh off first league title, YSU looks to confound expectations with new roster--Warren Tribune Chronicle

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