MBB: University Athletic Association

[WUPHF]

[Titan Q]

6-7 C Brian Hines, a recent graduate at F&M, will be a grad transfer at CWRU.

9.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg, .601 FG in 2019-20.  Should be an impact player for the Spartans.

https://www.godiplomats.com/sports/m-baskbl/2020-21/bios/hines_brian_luzp

[WUPHF]

Rochester may be the first UAA team to post a full schedule: https://uofrathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule

I find it interesting to see when the anticipated front runners will play and here is what we know so far.

Rochester gets an early advantage in playing host to Emory, then Chicago and Washington University on the following Friday and Sunday.  They will then host Brandeis on the Sunday before the turn in the schedule.

[Gregory Sager]

Former North Park basketball player and assistant coach Mark Pytel and former North Park soccer player Chris Sitowski have a podcast called The Sit and Py Show that's available on YouTube, in which the two of them talk about Chicago sports and typically have guests on their show that reflect some aspect of Chicago sports. Some of their guests have been very interesting -- last month Sit and Py interviewed former Chicago high school football standout Keena Turner, who followed up a great career at Purdue with eleven seasons spent at linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers, where he won four Super Bowl rings and currently serves as one of the organization's vice-presidents. And back in April they interviewed three of the legends of 1970s Chicago high school basketball: Levi Cobb, Cleo Franklin, and Steve Krafcisin.

I don't know why I didn't post this earlier, but back at the end of January they interviewed Chicago head coach Mike McGrath. It's a very entertaining and informative 35 minutes in which you can really get a feel for what it's like to coach basketball at a UAA school, how recruiting works in that league, how his team coped with an entire season lost to COVID-19, and the rewards and drawbacks of a coaching career spent at the University of Chicago. It's well worth your time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tylMwWP1_0g

[WUPHF]

Thanks for sharing.

Coach McGrath has a completely different energy than Coach Zimmerman who was also featured in a podcast recently: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvmwzDE3070

Incidentally, Chicago is going to be one of the most unknown quantities heading in to next season.

Hopkins, Munson and Martin played 20, 12 and 15 minutes per game off the bench.

It is going to be hard to predict where Chicago, NYU and Carnegie Mellon will finish.

I guess I would say the same about Emory, Washington University and Brandeis.

[WUPHF]

I was thinking about my previous post.

NYU has announced their freshmen class, but they return only one player who scored in double figures from from the team that went 1-13 in league play in 2019-2020.  NYU needed to bring an big time transfer or two to avoid being picked last in the preseason poll.

Carnegie Mellon played an abbreviated season in 2021 and graduated Miller, Krempa, Watson and Weiss.  They did get some quality play from freshman RJ Holmes who had two big games to start the season.  Sophomores Nick Nikasian and Sean Oberman also looked good.

My predictions for the bottom of the league...

Case Western Reserve
Carnegie Mellon
Chicago
NYU

[WUPHF]

I'll go ahead and try the entire league...

As with two seasons ago, Emory and Washington University are evenly matched with Brandeis in the mix. 

Emory
Washington University (tied)
Brandeis
Rochester
Case Western Reserve
Carnegie Mellon
Chicago
NYU

[PauldingLightUP]

Anyone any reason why Carnegie Mellon is playing Sunday conference home games at Chatham University this season?

https://athletics.cmu.edu/sports/mbkb/2021-22/schedule

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Anyone any reason why Carnegie Mellon is playing Sunday conference home games at Chatham University this season?

https://athletics.cmu.edu/sports/mbkb/2021-22/schedule

There's a few December games at Duquesne, too.  Since its not every home game, it must be a scheduling issue.

[WUPHF]

Skibo is under renovation which may well be a factor.

[Titan Q]

UAA MBB preseason poll (as voted on by the coaches):

1. Emory (5), 52
2. WashU (2), 45
3. Brandeis (1), 40
4. Rochester 28
5. CWRU 25
6. Chicago 22
7. Carnegie Mellon 11
8. NYU 9

[WUPHF]

That is how I would have voted except that I had Carnegie Mellon above Chicago.

I was impressed by 2-3 of the underclassman who played well for the Tartans in their abbreviated Spring season so I am sure I am biased there.

Both programs lost so much since 2019-2020.

[ADL70]

UAA MBB preseason poll (as voted on by the coaches):

1. Emory (5), 52
2. WashU (2), 45
3. Brandeis (1), 40
4. Rochester 28
5. CWRU 25
6. Chicago 22
7. Carnegie Mellon 11
8. NYU 9

It will be interesting to see the impact of the transfers for CWRU

[WUPHF]

How many transfers are we talking about?  Case Western is another program that lost so much over the past two years, but obviously the returning core of Frilling, Newton and Faller et al look good.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

How many transfers are we talking about?  Case Western is another program that lost so much over the past two years, but obviously the returning core of Frilling, Newton and Faller et al look good.

I know Griffin Kornaker is there as a grad transfer from Middlebury. I think they may have a couple others.