Pilchard
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The Deacs travel to the West Coast for the Wooden Legacy Tourney at the Anaheim Arena.
Here is a link to the 8 team bracket with game times and TV info: https://espnevents.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Wooden-Bracket.png
The skinny on the # 146 Charleston Cougars (can't resist -- Cougars looking to pounce on the youthful Deacs) is as follows:
The Coach: Earl Grant is in his 6th season as Charleston Coach, and he has rebuilt the Cougar program after a disastrous two-year stint under Doug Wojcik (who played HS basketball at Wheeling (WV) Catholic High School for... Skip Prosser). In Grant's first season as Cougar coach, Charleston went 9-24 #279. Two years later Charleston went 25-10 and made the NIT. The next year, 2018, as CAA Champs, Charleston won 26 games and advanced to the NCAA giving Auburn a major scare in the 1st round. Last year, Charleston won 24 games and finished 3rd in the CAA. Grant, along with just about every semi-successful mid-major coach, has been mentioned as a potential successor to Danny Manning.
2019-20 season: In the preseason poll, the #146 Cougars were predicted to finish 2nd in the CAA to Hofstra, but Charleston had the most first place votes. Stud guard Grant Riller was the CAA pre-season POY. Charleston is off to a 3-2 start with wins over USC Upstate (#344), GA State (#133) and Marshall (#216) and losses to #47 OK State (by 9 at home) and #124 UCF (by 1 on the road). Charleston has the #108 offense, and their strength is scoring inside (55% on 2 pt FG #57) and getting to the line (#80 in FTA per FGA). They struggle from deep 27% 3pt FG% (#302). Charleston plays at a slow tempo (#255 in pace). Defensively (#206 defensive team), opponents have hurt the Cougars on the boards (#269 in preventing offensive rebounds) and by getting the line (#272 in defensive FTA/FGA).
The line-up: Charleston's best player and leading scorer is 6-3 guard Grant Riller. Despite struggling from 3 (25%) Riller is averaging 20+ ppg, 5 apg and 4 rpg (Riller is shooting 61% from 2 and 85% from the line). When he is on, Riller can light it up. Last year against Hofstra, Riller had 43 points on 25 shots. Charleston is small: the other 4 starters are 6-1 Zep Jasper, 6-2 Brevin Galloway, 6-7 Jaylen McManus and 6-8 Osinachi Smart. Splitting time with Smart upfront is 6-9 Sam Miller (Dayton transfer), and 6-4 Jaylen Richard and 6-4 DeAngelo Epps spell the backcourt starters. Everyone except Smart can (or thinks they can) hit the 3, but only Galloway and McManus are shooting over 30% from 3 this season.
Bottom line: KP projects a 74-69 WF win. WF's ability to get to the line and Charleston's propensity to foul slants in the Deacs favor. Also, Charleston struggles on defense inside and to keep opponents off the boards. Guess that means the Deacs need... "paint touches". The dominating win over Davidson without Chaundee surprised me. WF shot 50% from 2 and grabbed 11 offensive boards (Mucius had 6). If the Deacs can play on that level on Thursday, Deacs stand a great chance to win again. However, Grant Riller can go off on anyone, and if Chaundee is out again, not sure who WF's backcourt defensive stopper would be; I would take the Riller "over" 27 points. Think the game will be long and may be a little higher scoring than the 143 point projection given that both teams draw fouls and commit fouls.
Rest of the tourney: Here is a quick summary of possible opponents and time of matchups:
The tourney is played on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. If WF wins on Thursday they play the winner of LB State and Providence on Friday at 2 pm on ESPN. If they lose to the Cougars, WF would play Friday at 4:30 pm on either ESPN2 or ESPNU. IF WF advances to the title game (likely against AZ), the game would be played Sunday night at 9 pm on ESPN 2. Times of and TV options for the other Sunday games are on the linked bracket.
Providence will be a 15 to 17 point favorite over Long Beach State in round 1. So, if WF beats Charleston, the Deacs likely play the Friars. If WF loses in round 1, the Deacs likely face the 49ers in the consolation bracket.
Currently, 4-2 Providence is #32. If WF played the Friars in Round 2, Providence would be about a 4 point favorite. LB State (coached by Dan Monson, who coached Gonzaga before Mark Few) is #288. WF would be about a 12 point favorite over LB State. In addition to AZ on the other half of the bracket, the other teams are UCF (Johnny Dawkins HC), Pennsylvania (former BC HC Steve Donahue) and Pepperdine (former Washington HC Lorenzo Romar) - all guys who were fired from their last coaching stop. WF would be a large dog to AZ, and small favorites over UCF, Penn and Pepperdine. By the KP ratings, WF should finish in the 3rd place in the tournament, beating Charleston, losing to Providence and beating Penn in the 3rd place game, but no matter how strong the analytics, reality typically ends up with different results.
With a brutal upcoming schedule (before the tourney WF has played 1 team in the top #100, after the tourney, WF plays 20 games against top 100 teams; 13 against top 50 teams), Deacs needs to come home with 2 wins.
Here is a link to the 8 team bracket with game times and TV info: https://espnevents.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Wooden-Bracket.png
The skinny on the # 146 Charleston Cougars (can't resist -- Cougars looking to pounce on the youthful Deacs) is as follows:
The Coach: Earl Grant is in his 6th season as Charleston Coach, and he has rebuilt the Cougar program after a disastrous two-year stint under Doug Wojcik (who played HS basketball at Wheeling (WV) Catholic High School for... Skip Prosser). In Grant's first season as Cougar coach, Charleston went 9-24 #279. Two years later Charleston went 25-10 and made the NIT. The next year, 2018, as CAA Champs, Charleston won 26 games and advanced to the NCAA giving Auburn a major scare in the 1st round. Last year, Charleston won 24 games and finished 3rd in the CAA. Grant, along with just about every semi-successful mid-major coach, has been mentioned as a potential successor to Danny Manning.
2019-20 season: In the preseason poll, the #146 Cougars were predicted to finish 2nd in the CAA to Hofstra, but Charleston had the most first place votes. Stud guard Grant Riller was the CAA pre-season POY. Charleston is off to a 3-2 start with wins over USC Upstate (#344), GA State (#133) and Marshall (#216) and losses to #47 OK State (by 9 at home) and #124 UCF (by 1 on the road). Charleston has the #108 offense, and their strength is scoring inside (55% on 2 pt FG #57) and getting to the line (#80 in FTA per FGA). They struggle from deep 27% 3pt FG% (#302). Charleston plays at a slow tempo (#255 in pace). Defensively (#206 defensive team), opponents have hurt the Cougars on the boards (#269 in preventing offensive rebounds) and by getting the line (#272 in defensive FTA/FGA).
The line-up: Charleston's best player and leading scorer is 6-3 guard Grant Riller. Despite struggling from 3 (25%) Riller is averaging 20+ ppg, 5 apg and 4 rpg (Riller is shooting 61% from 2 and 85% from the line). When he is on, Riller can light it up. Last year against Hofstra, Riller had 43 points on 25 shots. Charleston is small: the other 4 starters are 6-1 Zep Jasper, 6-2 Brevin Galloway, 6-7 Jaylen McManus and 6-8 Osinachi Smart. Splitting time with Smart upfront is 6-9 Sam Miller (Dayton transfer), and 6-4 Jaylen Richard and 6-4 DeAngelo Epps spell the backcourt starters. Everyone except Smart can (or thinks they can) hit the 3, but only Galloway and McManus are shooting over 30% from 3 this season.
Bottom line: KP projects a 74-69 WF win. WF's ability to get to the line and Charleston's propensity to foul slants in the Deacs favor. Also, Charleston struggles on defense inside and to keep opponents off the boards. Guess that means the Deacs need... "paint touches". The dominating win over Davidson without Chaundee surprised me. WF shot 50% from 2 and grabbed 11 offensive boards (Mucius had 6). If the Deacs can play on that level on Thursday, Deacs stand a great chance to win again. However, Grant Riller can go off on anyone, and if Chaundee is out again, not sure who WF's backcourt defensive stopper would be; I would take the Riller "over" 27 points. Think the game will be long and may be a little higher scoring than the 143 point projection given that both teams draw fouls and commit fouls.
Rest of the tourney: Here is a quick summary of possible opponents and time of matchups:
The tourney is played on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. If WF wins on Thursday they play the winner of LB State and Providence on Friday at 2 pm on ESPN. If they lose to the Cougars, WF would play Friday at 4:30 pm on either ESPN2 or ESPNU. IF WF advances to the title game (likely against AZ), the game would be played Sunday night at 9 pm on ESPN 2. Times of and TV options for the other Sunday games are on the linked bracket.
Providence will be a 15 to 17 point favorite over Long Beach State in round 1. So, if WF beats Charleston, the Deacs likely play the Friars. If WF loses in round 1, the Deacs likely face the 49ers in the consolation bracket.
Currently, 4-2 Providence is #32. If WF played the Friars in Round 2, Providence would be about a 4 point favorite. LB State (coached by Dan Monson, who coached Gonzaga before Mark Few) is #288. WF would be about a 12 point favorite over LB State. In addition to AZ on the other half of the bracket, the other teams are UCF (Johnny Dawkins HC), Pennsylvania (former BC HC Steve Donahue) and Pepperdine (former Washington HC Lorenzo Romar) - all guys who were fired from their last coaching stop. WF would be a large dog to AZ, and small favorites over UCF, Penn and Pepperdine. By the KP ratings, WF should finish in the 3rd place in the tournament, beating Charleston, losing to Providence and beating Penn in the 3rd place game, but no matter how strong the analytics, reality typically ends up with different results.
With a brutal upcoming schedule (before the tourney WF has played 1 team in the top #100, after the tourney, WF plays 20 games against top 100 teams; 13 against top 50 teams), Deacs needs to come home with 2 wins.
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