225. Oakland Golden Grizzlies-Last Season Ranking: 171
Conference: Horizon League
Oakland had some tough luck last year shooting the ball. It was one of those years for the Golden Grizzlies when the shots were not falling, even for the guys who are usually good shooters. Head coach Greg Kampe plays the same way every year. He has a team that has a lot of guys who can shoot from deep and many of those same players are also able to affect the game off the bounce. Oakland is a team who, when they are right, is never out of a game because of their ability to shoot the ball from deep.
The Golden Grizzlies must shoot the ball better than they did last year. Its impressive that a team who is built around three point shooting was still able to finish in the middle of the pack of the Horizon League. Oakland has a lot of their team back from last year and coach Kampe went out and got a former five star to run the point and two other players who have high ceilings. Oakland is one of those teams who looks great on paper but if they do not hit their shots are going to be destined for another middle of the pack Horizon League year.
I believe last year was a one off and the Golden Grizzlies finish in the top tier of the Horizon league this year. Jalen Moore returns for his final season, and I predicted last year he could lead the country in scoring. Last season he couldn’t hit any shots from deep and this year if he gets going from deep, he will average over 20 per game. He has a lot around him now to take the pressure off.
224. Oregon State Beavers- Last Season Ranking: 71
Conference: Pac 12
There really isn’t much to say about Oregon State other than they did not handle the pressure of expectations well at all. The Beavers were one of the worst teams in the country a season ago as they only won 3 games and lost the other 28. It was the worst season that the program has ever experienced. Head Coach Wayne Tinkle is still the head coach as he did just take this team to an Elite Eight, but all of that goodwill created from the magical run to the Elite Eight is gone and coach Tinkle now needs to start winning again.
Everyone is going to ask what changed for Oregon State, especially considering that 61% of the production came back from the tournament team. Well, the Beavers could not defend they allowed about 80 points per game and allowed teams to shoot almost 56% from inside the arc and 36% from outside the arc. The Beavers also didn’t rebound well at all and gave up 11 offensive rebounds per game last year. That is a problem that is going to need to be fixed quickly or Oregon State is not going to have a great year again. The Beavers are going to be the one of the youngest teams in the country this season and they should be improved because going 3-28 is hard to do.
They enter the season with an 18 game losing streak. Chol Mariol would have helped Oregon State on the defensive end last season but was forced to sit out a year while the NCAA reviewed his transcripts. Mariol is a transfer from Maryland where he played sparingly but was a highly touted recruit. Mariol averaged 14 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 blocks per game in High School. The big man will hopefully be able to put it all together and show why he was a highly ranked four star recruit.
223. Georgia Southern Eagles- Last Season Ranking: 245
Conference: Sun Belt
Brian Burg was hired as the coach of the Eagles two seasons ago after former coach Mark Byington left to take the open James Madison job. Georgia Southern has yet to find anywhere near the success with their current head coach that they had with their former coach and that is to be expected. The Eagles are hoping for year three to be the best one yet, the team has a good approach on the defensive end and they are getting stops as they force teams to play in the half court and make scoring a chore.
The offensive end is a different story for the Eagles. They already play at one of the slowest paces in the country and are in a conference with a lot of teams who really like to run. Georgia Southern compounds this with a minimal amount of three point shots that they don’t make. Head coach Burg has tried to fill this team with transfers who have a reputation for shooting from deep at their previous schools.
The Eagles still look like a bottom tier team in the Sun Belt but should sneak to the middle of the pack with a good year, which I believe they have. Andrei Savrasov is the returning leading scorer for the Eagles and will likely get a bigger share of the offense this year.
222. South Alabama Jaguars- Last Season Ranking: 231
Conference: Sun Belt
South Alabama is going to have high expectations every year as that is just the type of confidence that head coach Richie Riley brings. The Jaguars have always been active in the transfer portal, and honestly most teams cannot make that many transfers all work together like Riley can. South Alabama is always going to have an older and experienced team and usually will always have a team with some elite scorers. That is the case this year, but unlike previous years the Jaguars had to find those players from outside of Division 1.
South Alabama is ushering in a new era as their assistant coach Adam Howard is off to Nebraska. Howard was and is one of the best defensive minds in the game. The Jaguars should still be good on the defensive end but will understandably fall off given that they lost one of the games best on the defensive end. The Jaguars do not do anything flashy; they like so many others are a solid team who doesn’t hurt themselves.
They are still a middle of the pack Sun Belt team because they have some transfers who are going to have to transfer up to the Division 1 level and there are still question marks. Isaiah Moore scored 27 points per game a season ago at Franklin Pierce College. Can he put up anywhere near those numbers at the Division 1 level?
221. North Florida Osprey- Last Season Ranking: 240
Conference: Atlantic Sun
The Osprey are going to be an interesting team this season because their ceiling is extremely high, but they have not played up to their potential the last two seasons. Something must give this year for North Florida; they have their entire starting five back and their biggest piece off the bench. They take about 30 threes per game, don’t turn the ball over much, and rarely foul. None of these things matter if the team is only going to shoot 41% from the floor. The Osprey also don’t have much quality depth behind their three stars.
The Atlantic Sun is a competitive conference and the teams at the top of the league are loaded, so it is very hard to rise to the top. North Florida has the potential to rise quickly up the rankings especially if they can make their threes. They are extremely dangerous given how they play; they are never out of a game. Jarius Hicklen led the Osprey in minutes last year and was the best shooter on the team. As mentioned, North Florida takes a ton of threes so Hicklen is going to be extremely important to the success of the team.
220. Cornell Big Red- Last Season Ranking: 287
Conference: Ivy League
Get ready for a track meet when Cornell plays. The Big Red play at one of the fastest paces in the country and they love to let the opponents play fast as well. The Big Red also ran brilliant high efficiency offense a season ago and made the Ivy League playoff for the first time in a long time. Cornell shot almost 30 threes a game and shot about 60% from inside the arc. They either get a three or get the ball to the rim, they move the ball and the team had one of the highest assist rates in the country.
The thing about Cornell is that they don’t have a star, the team averaged almost 80 points per game, and they were extremely balanced on the offensive end of the ball. The Big Red lost a lot of production from last years team but with the ball movement and the way this offense gets easy shots they should still be decent. Cornell likely doesn’t make the Ivy League playoff again this year, but they should still finish in the middle of the Ivy League pack. Keller Boothby is a tremendous shooter and is in for a huge breakout season.
219. Detroit Mercy Titans- Last Season Ranking: 189
Conference: Horizon League
Is this finally the year for Detroit Mercy? They have been a team with a ton of attention over the last four seasons because of the dynamic player that they have on their roster. The problem always lies with the other players on the team. There was never a reliable second option for head coach Mike Davis. The Titans are fun to watch as they hoist a ton of threes and they will launch from anywhere on the floor. I was about right as season ago with my prediction for Detroit. I did pick them to finish in the top half of the Horizon League and they ended up in the middle of the pack. This year I am going to play it safe and say that Detroit will finish in the middle of the pack.
However, they have a player who can drastically change their fortunes and get them into the NCAA tournament. Antoine Davis is in his final year of college eligibility and the Horizon League is close to finally breathing a sigh of relief. I say that because Davis is the one player in college basketball who is going to be the sole reason his team wins games. He can drop 50 points at any point in time in the season and he has won games by himself for the Titans and will likely do so again. If Detroit Mercy wants to make the NCAA tournament and win the Horizon, they will need another consistent player to step up every night like Davis does.
218. Kennesaw State Owls- Last Season Ranking: 313
Conference: Atlantic Sun
The Owls took huge strides in year three under Amir Abdur-Rahim. The Owls ended up finishing in the middle of the Atlantic Sun pack and they had a lot of competitive games in the conference. Kennesaw State also showed a ton of fight against power schools. The Owls made a ton of threes and moved the ball in the offense, they were not a team who let the ball get sticky and got a lot of open shots in the offense. Heading into this year Kennesaw State could be looking at their best season in short Division 1 history of the school. They return all five starters and are going to be one of the oldest teams in the country.
The Atlantic Sun is way better than it was two seasons ago and Kennesaw State has gotten better with them. Terrell Burden returns to run this offense, last season he was a steady leader and averaged 5 assists per game while also being able to score enough to take over a game when he needed to.
217. Illinois State Redbirds-Last Season Ranking: 205
Conference: Missouri Valley
Illinois State was in drastic need of a new face to run the program. Dan Muller didn’t make it through last season, and this year Ryan Pedon was hired as the new coach for the Redbirds. Pedon comes from Ohio State and with him comes player development and a great recruiter. Illinois State was also in drastic need for an overhaul, which is what they got this year. The roster is going to look completely different.
This year the offense is far more athletic and has some guys who are going to have positional flexibility. The new head coach for the Redbirds is going to want to shoot three, move the ball on offense, and play a pack line defense in the half court. Coach Pedon went out to the transfer portal and found the players he is going to need to accomplish that goal. The Redbirds have a lot of question marks with their new roster. A lot of these players have never played a game with each other, and those types of things do matter. Illinois State is going to finish in the middle of the pack this year, they do have good enough talent to do that. The Valley is going to be tough this year, but I do believe in the new head coach for Illinois State.
Darius Burford is the shortest player on the floor most nights. The transfer from Elon stands at 6’0” but he has a lot of game. He is an efficient guard who shot 46% from the floor and is a good rebounder for his size. The best asset that Burford brings to Illinois State is a point guard who is experienced, a great passer, and can score. He is also good enough to lead a defense and is a good enough defender that he can guard the opponents point guard comfortably. Burford is the best player on the team and is going to have a lot of responsibilities on the floor for the Redbirds.
216. Morehead State Eagles- Last Season Ranking: 155
Conference: Ohio Valley
If the Eagles do not win the Ohio Valley this year running away it would be a national story. Belmont and Murray State are no longer part of that conference, and the league is not going to have any teams that should come close to challenging Morehead State for the league crown. Head coach Preston Spradlin has done a great job with Morehead State building the program up to give the Ohio Valley three viable options for the NCAA tournament. That was until the other two powerhouse programs left the conference, making Morehead State a team who is looking at a dynasty in the league.
The Eagles had a lot of talent leave the team to head for greener pastures at the end of the last season, but coach Spradlin does what he does and was able to go get some players from JUCO and the NAIA route to fill the shoes of the players he left. Morehead State makes the NCAA tournament and wins the Ohio Valley going away. Alex Gross heads to Morehead State as a graduate transfer with one year of eligibility remaining and he has already had a career that most guys dream of. Gross has scored over 2,000 points, hauled in over 1,000 rebounds, 363 blocks, and 426 assists. He is the owner of three triple-doubles.
I know you will all say yeah well, he did it against NAIA competition. Don’t, stop yourself and go look at the numbers and realize how impressive they are. Gross may struggle in Division 1 but the ceiling is very high for a guy who is going to patrol the paint for Morehead State.
215. Lipscomb Bisons- Last Season Ranking: 219
Conference: Atlantic Sun
Head coach Lennie Acuff has been trying hard to keep Lipscomb relevant in the Atlantic Sun. He has not had nearly as much success as former coach Casey Alexander. The Atlantic Sun is better now than it was when Alexander is the coach, but the Bison have not recruited nearly as well.
Coach Acuff has also struggled to find a reliable duo to pair with his star, especially in the back court. Lipscomb did improve a little bit, but offense was never the problem. The Bison shoot at a high percentage and are great on offense, they cannot stop anyone. That has been the downfall of the Lipscomb program is that they cannot stop anyone. Coach Acuff needs to get the defense figured out if he has any hope of bringing Lipscomb back from the doldrums of the Atlantic Sun.
The league is good especially at the top. Something tells me the Bison get back to normal this year and finish in the middle of the Atlantic Sun. Ahsan Asadullah returns for his final season. Asadullah has been one of the best players to ever play in the Atlantic Sun conference and it will be shame that he won’t ever play in the NCAA tournament. The big man will average a double double this year.
214. High Point Panthers- Last Season Ranking: 281
Conference: Big South
High Point had the best season they have had under Tubby Smith a season ago. They had a good offense and a decent defense that was keeping them in most games. Legendary coach Tubby Smith turned the reigns over to his son G.G. Smith for the final six games of the season last year. The elder Smith said that he had done enough in the coaching profession that after he contracted Covid 19 for the second time late last season he decided it was enough.
The Panthers did lose one of the best to ever put on a High Point uniform after last season, but they still have most of their scoring back from a season ago. The Big South is competitive again like always and High Point will be good enough to finish in the middle of the pack in the league. Zach Austin is now the star on this team, and he needs to play like it for the Panthers to have a good season.
213. Youngstown State Penguins- Last Season Ranking: 199
Conference: Horizon League
The Penguins have been trending up for the last few years and last year it all came together as Youngstown State won 19 games, and even though they finished middle of the pack in the Horizon they still made the league notice them. Youngstown State would have been a lot better had their best player and team leader not gotten hurt three games in the season. Despite that it was still a great season. Head coach Jerrod Calhoun was not satisfied, he wants to win and win quickly. He was able to make sure his mainstays and most experienced players were coming back and then went out in the transfer portal and got players who have won a myriad of awards at their previous schools.
A healthy Youngstown State has a chance to be very dangerous this year in the Horizon League. The Horizon League always has room for new teams to climb to the top and Youngstown State is ready to take the next step and finish in the top half of the league. Garrett Covington was the player who was hurt a season ago, and had he been healthy I do believe the fortunes of the Penguins would have been changed. Covington is a fantastic defender and really anchors the defense for coach Calhoun. The senior guard also is an 1,100 point scorer, fantastic rebounder and a guy who has been in the program for a long time. If he can stay healthy, watch out for Youngstown.
212. Texas A & M Corpus Christi Islanders- Last Season Ranking: 346
Conference: Southland
Steve Lutz came from the Matt Painter coaching tree, and his first season in Corpus Christi was a rousing success. In his first season as the head coach of the Islanders he took them to the NCAA tournament and completely changed the way they play basketball in Corpus Christi along the way. The Islanders won 13 games in the non-conference which was more than any other team in the Southland, and they won the tournament winning three games in three days.
They were ranked so low last year, due to a first-year head coach who had 10 transfers. Those transfers worked out and Corpus Christi played one of the fastest and most exciting brands of basketball in the country last season. The Islanders got downhill and got fouled a ton and were one of the best rebounding teams in the country. Which are all signatures of Purdue basketball. The Islanders also move the ball extremely well and with their penchant for steals are very good at getting out in transition. Corpus Christi returns almost their entire lineup from a year ago including star Isaac Mushila. They enter the year as the overwhelming favorite in the Southland.
211. Navy Midshipmen- Last Season Ranking: 188
Conference: Patriot League
If you like offense don’t watch Navy, their offense was bad and often unwatchable. The Midshipmen got after it on defense though as they had one of the best and most efficient defenses in the country a season ago. The one thing that made the Navy offense so much worse was their inability to make free throws. Despite the lack of offense, the Midshipmen still made a run to the Patriot League finals and had a chance to make their first NCAA tournament appearance since 1997-1998.
Head coach Ed DeChellis has done a fantastic job turning the Navy program around and has built the Midshipmen into one of the best teams in the Patriot and the runaway best team of the service academies. Navy, and all the service academies are not like the other schools as their players were awarded the extra covid year like everyone else, but due to their obligations to the country they are only staying for the 4 full years of school. Those extra Covid years would have helped the Midshipmen a lot this year as their three star players were all seniors a season ago.
This year Navy heads into the season as a team projected to finish in the top tier of the Patriot league. The defense will still be elite, and the offense will be what it is. Tyler Nelson is the most experienced player for the Midshipmen this year and he is going to be the leader of the team. Nelson is the best and most efficient offensive player returning for Navy as he shot over 50% from inside the arc. Nelson will be a force on the defensive end like the rest of the Midshipmen starters.
210. Manhattan Jaspers- Last Season Ranking: 270
Conference: MAAC
Manhattan had one of the oldest teams in the country with a ton of fifth year players and some true seniors. Jaspers fans were getting excited about the thought of finally having expectations. Then with two weeks before the season was set to start the administration at Manhattan decided it was time to start the rebuild. Head coach Steve Masiello was fired, and star player Jose Perez, who was the preseason MAAC player of the year has transferred. They had all five of their starters back and added a key piece as a graduate transfer who was going to help the Jaspers immensely.
Manhattan has made a habit of getting high scoring grad transfers from mid major programs and hope that they are able to replicate the success they had at their other school. The Jaspers, under Masiello, played at a slow pace and rarely shot threes. They do get high percentage shots from inside the arc and get to the foul line a ton. Manhattan doesn’t allow many three point attempts on the defensive end, but they need to do a better job inside the paint as teams shot 53% inside the arc on them last season.
If none of the players transfer, which is highly unlikely, then the expectations are still there for Manhattan. RaShawn Stores, a former Jasper great, is the interim head coach and has his work cut out for him. It is hard to pick a player to watch for when no one knows what the roster will look like on opening day. Most of the roster did stay intact.
Ant Nelson now becomes the best most experienced player. Nelson was once a third option on the team is going to have to lead them now. The point guard is a great shooter from deep and can hold his own defensively. The Jaspers still have a ton of question marks but they are experienced but likely won’t do near what was expected of them in the MAAC.
209. Austin Peay State Governors- Last Season Ranking: 322
Conference: Atlantic Sun
The Govs had one of the biggest question marks heading into last season as they were breaking in a new coach, and it was officially the post Terry Taylor years. Austin Peay had a great first season under new head coach Nate James and outplayed their ranking last year and are going to be a sleeper in the Atlantic Sun this year. The Atlantic Sun is a much better conference than the Ohio Valley was.
The Governors have a ton of young talent that is ready to take off. Austin Peay will finish in the top half of the Atlantic Sun and are one of the favorites to win that league. Head Coach James, who comes from the Coach K coaching tree, has built a great roster in the Atlantic Sun. Governors’ sophomore guard Elijah Hutchins-Everett was the conference freshman of the year last year and is one of the favorites for the conference player of the year this year.
208. Quinnipiac Bobcats- Last Season Ranking: 250
Conference: MAAC
The Bobcats have never made the NCAA tournament and they have had very few winning seasons. Current head coach Baker Dunleavey has had some talent, but he has not been able to put all that talent together to get this team to the NCAA tournament. Quinnipiac takes a ton of threes, they led the MAAC in three point attempts, and play at one of the fastest paces in the conference as well.
The issue lies in the fact at the Bobcats are not an overly efficient team and are not making the shots they take. Quinnipiac only shot 43% from the floor last year, would like that to be a little higher for them to truly reach their potential. They move the ball and don’t turn it over very much, so they are close to having a great offense. The MAAC is extremely competitive from top to bottom and the Bobcats are not the most talented team in the league but also not the worst. Quinnipiac is a middle tier team in the MAAC. Matt Balanc returns to lead the Bobcats offense again. He should shoot upwards of 40% from deep this year.
207. Drexel Dragons- Last Season Ranking: 159
Conference: Colonial
The Dragons are a team who looked far better on paper than they have performed on the hardwood. Since the game is played on the hardwood that is all that matters, and that is what makes these rankings hard. I don’t have any hardwood to go off before the season starts and you never know how the new pieces are going to gel. Head coach Zach Spiker has got the Dragons moving in the right direction over the last two seasons, but it has not been enough.
In 2020-2021 Drexel made a surprise run to the NCAA tournament, returned most of that team and I had picked them to win the Colonial a season ago. The Dragons finished in fourth place in the league so still top half but not the winners. This season it could be more of a struggle for Drexel as they lost their star and do not have a single player returning who averaged double-digits. Remember, that the Colonial is revamped and a much more competitive league. There may be some chance for a multi bid league in the Colonial now that the league is better.
Amari Williams is ready for a breakout season for Drexel. Williams is a force in the paint, he shot over 50% from the field, averaged 8 rebounds per game, and 2 blocks per game. He is a great offensive rebounder and reliable shot blocker in that he doesn’t foul. Drexel needs to work that ball down to Williams and let him go to work. If he has his breakout, he will find himself on all conference teams.
206. Ohio Bobcats- Last Season Ranking: 113
Conference: MAC
Heading into to last season the Ohio Bobcats were a team that a lot of media experts thought were a tournament team in the MAC. Ohio had a big three that was better than what most teams in the conference had. The Bobcats returned most of the roster from an NCAA tournament team from the year before and head coach Jeff Boals had one of best point guards in the country on the roster. Ohio started the season 19-3 and they looked like the best team in the MAC. The Bobcats struggled down the stretch and ended up limping to the finish, losing in the conference tournament and missing out on the NCAA tournament.
This season the big 3 are gone, and coach Boals has headed to the transfer portal to try and supplement the amount of Freshman the Bobcats have this year. The window has closed for Ohio for a few seasons and look like a middle of the pack MAC team. Dwight Wilson III was injured last year and did not play for Ohio. His presence was missed and this year he is healthy and ready to go. He can hopefully put the knee injury behind him and get back to his 2020-2021 form.
The last time Wilson III was on the floor he averaged 8 rebounds and 14 points on 65% shooting from the floor. The big man set the single season field goal percentage mark for the Bobcats. A healthy Wilson III is a welcome sight for coach Boals who is going to be in desperate need of his star this year.
205. Saint Peter’s Peacocks- Last Season Ranking: 173
Conference: MAAC
The college basketball world needed the run to the elite eight by Saint Peter’s. It needed the reminder that on any given day a small school in New Jersey, who can barely afford to pay their coaches can make a run in the NCAA tournament and take down some Goliaths on the way. The Peacocks are going to look and play completely different from what they did a season ago. Head coach Shaheen Holloway is off to Seton Hall, and most of the contributors for the Peacocks a season ago have transferred to different programs.
Enter Bashir Mason the former coach for Wagner and he was able to fill some holes with some quality transfers from winning programs. The Peacocks under Holloway were always known for their defense first mentality and then let the offense come naturally. Mason is the opposite; he likes offense, and he is a good defensive mind, but he also puts his players in a position to succeed on offense. The Peacocks are going to be okay eventually but the first year under a new coach, coming off the most successful year in your program history may be a tough one.
Saint Peter’s will still be a middle of the pack MAAC team. Jayden Saddler makes his way to New Jersey after four successful seasons at Southern. Saddler is good enough to carry the load on offense, defend the point and pass accurately which is what coach Mason needs more than anything. He can trust Saddler to do the right thing and that is what will keep Saint Peter’s afloat this year.
204. UC Riverside Highlanders- Last Season Ranking: 165
Conference: Big West
A player that wants to play for Riverside better get ready to get after on defense. Players obviously dont choose to be a Highlander because they are annually one of the best defensive teams in the country but even if you can score and play defense at all Riverside will likely find you.
The Highlanders were a middle of the pack team in the Big West last year and it was due in large part to their defense and their point guard who is a catalyst on both ends for what Riverside is trying to accomplish. The Highlanders will filter everything inside on the defensive end and make it hard to get up a three. If the three goes up it likely is not going to come down in the basket or in one of your players hands.
Head coach Mike Magpayo was able to retain two of his stars and fill some key role players positions with transfers. The HIghlanders are young and talented enough to stay in the middle tier of the Big West. Zyon Pullin is back for his junior year after what was a breakout sophomore year. The point guard ended up with 4 assists per game last season and was the leader of the defense as he extended way out past the top of the key last season. Pullin is important to the success of the Highlanders.
203. North Dakota State Bison- Last Season Ranking: 145
Conference: Summit League
Another team from the Summit League who averaged 75 points or more per game. The Summit has gotten a bad rap because the league is a one bid league and the good teams in that league have not shown well in the NCAA tournament but rest assured that league is good and competitive at the top. North Dakota State is one of those teams who usually find themselves at the top and this season is going to be no different.
The Bison will have to replace four starters who all did great things for North Dakota State, but they are well coached by David Richman, and they will likely make a run in the Summit League tournament again, just like every year. The Bison will be a lot younger this year and will have some question marks, but coach Richman will get the best out of his guys and they will play above their head for a while. The absolute floor for this team is the middle of the Summit pack.
Grant Nelson is 6’11 and is a tremendous shooter from the outside. He only shot 32% from deep but not many 6’11” guys can shoot anywhere close to that so that is something he has that is going to keep the defense honest. He is going to have to try and replace former Bison star Rocky Krueser, but luckily for North Dakota State, Nelson started every game last year. Throughout the year last year, he showed how good he can be. The big man is an efficient scorer and rim protector and fills in as the offensive weapon quite nicely.
202. Delaware Blue Hens- Last Season Ranking: 193
Conference: Colonial
Delaware got hot at the right time and won the Colonial tournament and then made the NCAA tournament. It was the first time the Blue Hens have made the big dance since the 2013-2014 team and the first time head coach Martin Inglesby has ever made it. The Blue Hens were a perfect case study of it doesn’t matter how many shots you take, as Delaware is one of the slower paced teams in the country, but the quality of shots and where you take them from matters the most.
Even though Delaware doesn’t take many shots and plays at a slower pace they still had one of the highest scoring offenses in the Colonial. The Blue Hens believe in shot quality, Delaware was one of the most efficient teams in the country shooting 47% from the floor and 55% from inside the arc overall. Shot clocks do not bother Delaware they look for the highest efficiency shot, and they take it.
The Blue Hens likely won’t be as good, and it would be tough to make the NCAA tournament again, but they are still going to be a tough out in a good Colonial. Delaware finishes in the middle of the pack again. Jameer Nelson Jr, son of NBA player Jameer Nelson, returns to take over the lead point guard duties. The guard is extremely efficient from the floor and is going to continue to take the smart shot. The shots he takes he usually makes as he doesn’t take much volume for the number of points he scores.
201. Harvard Crimson- Last Season Ranking: 185
Conference: Ivy League
Harvard missed the Ivy League tournament for the first time ever at the end of last season. That means for the first time in Tommy Amaker’s reign as the head coach of the Crimson they finished lower than 4th place in the Ivy League. That feat is impressive and hard to do. Harvard finished the year at exactly .500.
That is not what the Crimson are used to and the record and the streak of making the Ivy League tournament would have still been in place had the Crimson not suffered three back-breaking injuries. The injuries are what derailed a once promising season for Harvard. When the injuries occurred, the Crimson were 8-5 and had just taken a loss to Brown in conference. Coach Amaker hopes his star comes back with a clean bill of health this year. Given what Harvard has coming back and the overall consistency of the Crimson there is no reason to believe they will not finish in the top 4 of the Ivy League and have a chance to play in the Big Dance for the first time since 2015.
Chris Ledlum is hoping that his injury is behind him and he can return to his pre injury form. Ledlum was scoring about 17 points per game to go along with 10 rebounds before he was hurt. He was putting up Ivy League player of the year type numbers. The Ivy League is not nearly as deep with individual talent this year and if Ledlum continues to play like he did last year, the Crimson will make the NCAA tournament.