Bottom Half Previews
Seton Hall (2-2)
Last season, Seton Hall barely missed out on the NCAA Tournament but didn’t throw the towel in, instead putting together a few more weeks of hard work to win the NIT. That being said, things are certainly different this season. Former Old Dominion star Chaunce Jenkins is the only player averaging double figures through four games, though the Pirates are counting on the play of Dylan Addae-Wusu and Yacine Toumi to only improve from here.
They’re hoping for improvement as a whole because things have gone pretty poorly in the first two weeks. After barely surviving against Saint Peter’s on opening night, Seton Hall lost by a single point against both Fordham and Hofstra. They’ve averaged just under 54 points per game, one of the lowest numbers in the entire country, and were outplayed on offense by mid-majors several times already this season. The defense has been smothering, but can it actually hold up outside of New Jersey and against real opposition?
VCU (4-0)
One of the best mid-major programs in the country across the last decade, VCU is looking for even more success this season. They’re getting fantastic early run from Joe Bamisile, while Jack Clark, Phillip Russell, and Max Shulga all averaged at least 12 points a game as well. The Rams haven’t faced a murderer’s row quite yet, though they’ve certainly shown potential on both sides of the ball.
All of their wins have been by at least 19 points, including a 25-point win in a strong defensive effort over Boston College. This team is still finding its footing as a unit and hasn’t put together a really consistent offensive performance, but they’ve done more than enough to open the season. This might just be an elite defense and a great effort in Charleston can cement that in the early going of this season.
Vanderbilt (4-0)
Another team starting a new era of hoops history, Vanderbilt brought Mark Byington in as the new head coach and has to be pleased with the early returns. There were a lot of moving pieces in the offseason, though the Commodores are getting great production from transfers like Jason Edwards and Devin McGlockton, both of whom are putting up at least 16 points a game. There’s raw talent and veteran experience on this roster and a thirst to prove that they belong.
Owning four home wins, the Commodores greatest effort was a 16-point win over California, though that 4-0 record isn’t the whole story. They struggled defensively against a few of those opponents, giving up 81 points to Jackson State this past weekend. McGlockton has been a revelation in the frontcourt and there’s plenty of talent on this roster, but playing like that against some of the strong defenses in this tournament is going to prove fatal.
Nevada (4-0)
The Mountain West was very strong last season but Nevada proved time and time again that they belonged with the best mid-majors in the country. It’s a new season in Reno, though familiar names like Nick Davison and Tre Coleman are still causing havoc in this Wolf Pack offense. Just as impressive has been Kobe Sanders, the Cal Poly transfer who’s done a little of everything in his first four games with Nevada, but how reliable is that 4-0 mark?
Unlike a few of the teams in this field, the Wolf Pack have actually looked pretty good in all four of their games, including double-digit wins over Washington and Santa Clara. The offense buckled a bit against those Huskies just over a week ago but has looked strong in their other performances. Nevada should be one of the teams to watch in this field if they can keep hitting their outside shots.