5 games to watch on Day 1--Mid-Major Madness
Cleveland State vs BYU
A cross-country showdown on the opening day of the
season, as a pair of tournament teams tangle in Provo. The Cougars had a
strong 2020-21, but still couldn’t take down West Coast Conference
goliath Gonzaga. Cleveland State will be coming into Provo off one of
their best seasons in school history. In Dennis Gates’ second year, he
led the Vikings to a 19-8 record and both the Horizon League regular
season and tournament championships. The Vikings return all five
starters from last season, making them unsurprisingly the preseason
favorite in the Horizon. BYU comes into the season voted second in the
WCC preseason poll behind some team named Gonzaga. BYU opens the season
just outside the top 25 and they’ll be headlined by All-American
honorable mention Alex Barcello. This game will be a big early season
test for each team, helping put the winner even more on the map right
off the bat.
UNCG vs NKU
It’s an era of change in Greensboro. After 10 years with
Wes Miller on the sidelines, the Mike Jones era begins for the Spartans.
The first week won’t be a breeze. Following an opening game at home
against NC A&T, Greensboro heads north for a big nonconference
matchup against Northern Kentucky. The Spartans are coming off a first
round exit in the NCAA Tournament, but look very different from that Big
Dance team. They return only three of their top seven scorers, and are
without a selection on the preseason SoCon All-Conference team. Hosting
them in Highland Heights will be the Northern Kentucky Norse. The Norse
are coming off an average campaign and did not make the NCAA Tournament
last season. They return 91% of their scoring from last season, and 85%
of their total minutes from last year. The experience will be key for
the Norse in a heavily contested Horizon League. They’ll be led by
all-league second teamer Trevon Faulkner and 2021 Horizon League
Freshman of the year Marques Warrick who combined for one of the the top
frontcourts in mid-major hoops.
--
Associated Press
News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Tuesday, Nov 9th: SEASON OPENER!!--
Hoops HDHIGHLIGHTED GAMES:
-CLEVELAND STATE AT BYU. Cleveland State is another really strong
Under the Radar team that we think can win the Horizon League. If they
can somehow manage an opening night win at BYU, then you’re suddenly
talking about them being good enough to land inside the bubble.
Cleveland State falls to BYU in 69-59 season-opening loss--Cleveland Plain Dealer
Cleveland State men’s basketball now a target in 2021-22--News-Herald
Cleveland State Men’s Basketball Hangs Tough With BYU In Season Opener--csuvikings.prestosports.com
Leo, Cleveland State Use Superb Second Half to Rout ETSU in Season Opener--HoriZone Roundtable
Cleveland State Women’s Basketball Earns 81-54 Victory In Season Opener--csuvikings.prestosports.com
11/10/21 MATCHUP NEWS AND NOTES--
Staring At The FloorboardsDETROIT @ WYOMING
Fitting to go from Northern Colorado to Wyoming, as they’re
essentially one and the same schematically, with the Linder analytics
based system informing UNC’s entire identity. Wyoming was arguably the
best PNR offense in the country last year, grading out in the 99th
percentile in both ball screen offense and all plays involving pick and
roll. Despite losing Williams, Linder’s offense should be just as
deadly, if not more so, with flamethrower Dut sliding into the lead
guard role and the further development of swiss army knife Maldonado and
a circling orbit of deadly perimeter snipers. Mike Davis deployed a
vanilla zone on nearly 60% of Detroit’s defensive possessions, one of
the highest zone rates in the country, mostly because his Titans
couldn’t defend in PNR effectively (23rd percentile per Synergy). Zoning
the Pokes might slow down the bevy of ball screens and conserve energy
in the Laramie altitude, but you’re then relying on one of the best
shooting teams in the country to be cold from outside in their own gym.
Wyoming scored in the 86th percentile in their zone offense last year.
Detroit of course has their own flamethrower in Antoine Davis, arguably
the best pure scorer in the country, and Wyoming’s massive struggles
defensively (particularly in ball screen defense, 9th percentile) can be
exposed, especially with defensive ace Marble no longer on the team and
Foster unavailable. Davis also has one of the best floor stretchers in
all of midmajordom in Waterman creating space for Davis, and the Pokes
predictably struggled in pick and pop D. I have some reservations about
Detroit’s offense around Davis, as he was best off the ball last year,
and I’m not sure who steps into the Fraser/Kuol roles with Phillips
ineligible to date and Harvey’s consistency and production a question
mark (rumor mill says his offseason wasn’t great).
Davis says this year's team is his best Titans squad so far--Varsity News
Spanish players make up nearly third of revamped women's team--Varsity News
Neese, Stephens lift Indiana State past Green Bay 81-77--
Associated Press
Green Bay Suffers Season-Opening Loss to Indiana State, 81-77--
greenbayphoenix.comUWGB basketball: Men lose late, women blown out early in season openers--Green Bay Press Gazette
Pingel Scores Career-High, Phoenix Falls 70-49 at South Dakota State--greenbayphoenix.com
Harris scores 16 to carry Butler over IUPUI 56-47--
Associated Press
Without Aaron Thompson, Butler sputters on offense but beats IUPUI with trademark defense--
Indy Star
'You just wonder what could have been.' Injury sidelines former HSE star Zach Gunn — again--
Indy Star
JAGUARS' COMEBACK FALLS SHORT IN SEASON OPENER AT BUTLER--
iupuijags.com
JAGUARS HIT THE FLOOR FOR SECOND TIME IN THREE DAYS ON THURSDAY--
iupuijags.comJAGUARS FALL IN OVERTIME TO NO. 11 MICHIGAN, 67-62--iupuijags.com
Baldwin’s double-double leads Milwaukee past North Dakota--
Associated Press
UWM 75, North Dakota 60: Patrick Baldwin Jr. posts a double-double in his first college game--
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Baldwin Jr. And Baker Jr. Spark Panthers To 75-60 Victory--
mkepanthers.comPanthers Suffer Overtime Loss In Season Opener--mkepanthers.com
Peppler And Williams Ink NLI’s With Milwaukee WBB--mkepanthers.com
Pivorius leads Northern Kentucky past Wheeling Jesuit 82-54--
Associated Press
Northern Kentucky University hits 15 3-pointers in season-opening win against Wheeling--
Cincinnati Enquirer
Men’s basketball wallops Wheeling in home opener--
The Northerner
Aerial assault leads @NKUNorseMBB past Wheeling in opener, 82-54--
nkunorse.comNorse drop opening game against Kent State, 80-73--The Northerner
@NKUNorseWBB announces signing of Allison Basye--nkunorse.com
@NKUNorseWBB falls to Kent State in season opener--nkunorse.com
This one counted. 5 Takeaways for OU at WVU--
HoriZone Roundtable
West Virginia gets past Oakland 60-53 in season opener--
Associated Press
Tuesday's state hoops: West Virginia gets past Oakland, 60-53, in season opener--
Detroit News
Newcomer Cain in ‘Batman’ role for Oakland basketball--
Oakland Press
Men’s basketball fends off Lake Superior State for exhibition win--
Oakland Post
OAKLAND HANGS TOUGH IN 60-53 LOSS AT WEST VIRGINIA--
goldengrizzlies.comCan Kahlaijah Dean and Oakland make noise in Horizon basketball race?--Oakland Press
OAKLAND FALLS TO TOLEDO, 84-72--goldengrizzlies.com
Purdue Fort Wayne steamrolls Earlham 103-54 in season opener--
Associated Press
Mastodons on fire in return to Coliseum--
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Mastodon MBB Opens 2021-22 With 103-54 Win Over Earlham--
gomastodons.comMastodon WBB Records Largest Winning Margin Since 1995 Versus Manchester--gomastodons.com
Perry scores 18 to lift UCF past Robert Morris 69-59--
Associated Press
Ethan Morrison previews RMU men’s basketball season opener at UCF--
Colonial Sports Network
OPINION: Projecting the men’s basketball opening night starting five--
Colonial Sports Network
Colonials Drop Season Opener at Central Florida--
rmucolonials.comColonials Drop Season Opener Against St. Bonaventure--rmucolonials.com
Camara's double-double leads Dayton past Illinois-Chicago--
Associated Press
Flames Fall Late at Dayton, 64-54--
uicflames.comFlames Drop Lid Lifter at Northwestern--uicflames.com
Basile carries Wright St. past Lake Erie 86-53--
Associated Press
Raiders shake off slow start, get season started with easy win--
Dayton Daily News
Men’s Basketball Crushes Opponent in Season Opener--
WSU Guardian
Four in double figures lead Raiders in season opening win--
wsuraiders.com
Men's Basketball Inks Pair on National Signing Day--
wsuraiders.comVery early impressions of Hoffman’s Wright State Raiders squad--HoriZone Roundtable
Women's Basketball sees three in double figures in Tuesday's opener--wsuraiders.com
Penguins open season at Penn State--
Mahoning Valley Tribune Chronicle
’Guins fall to Penn State in season opener--
Mahoning Valley Tribune Chronicle
Penguins Battle but Sputter Offensively in Season-Opening Loss at Penn State--
ysu.prestosports.comBalanced attack paces YSU to win--Mahoning Valley Tribune Chronicle
Balanced Scoring Gives Penguins Gritty Win at Eastern Michigan in Season Opener--ysu.prestosports.com
