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1. November 8th at 4:30 PM in San Diego
Grand Canyon 'Lopes, Western Athletic Conference
Last Season: 23-8 (14-4), T-2nd place PacWest Conference (Division II).
Grand Canyon Univiersity is entering its first year as a Division I program. Division I is also entering a first year, the first year with a for-profit school in its ranks. Grand Canyon has seen nothing but controversy since announcing it would join the WAC. The Pac-12 has been very vocal about its displeasure with for-profit schools in D-I. GCU's other controversy stems from the firing of head coach Russ Pennell after the end of last season. Pennell was replaced former Phoenix Suns player Dan Majerle. The move looks like an attempt to lure fans to the games because their coach is a minor Phoenix celebrity. The thing is, Pennell is a good and established coach (he's now the head man for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA). I'll be honest, I'm not a fan of Grand Canyon, I don't think for-profit schools belong in the D-I ranks and I hope they flounder in the D-I cellar forever.
Anyways, there isn't much to be known about the 'Lopes as a team. They ran up the best overall record in the PacWest last year but were blown out by 32 points the only time they faced a D-I opponent (Utah State). Talent wise Killian Larson will be the top returner and he could average a double-double. They add Demetrius Walker, who was dismissed from New Mexico last February, and is eligible immediately because he has already earned his degree. Walker averaged 15.4 minutes and 5 points per game.
2. November 9th at 3:30 PM in San Diego
South Dakota State Jackrabbits, Summit League
Last Season: 25-10 (13-3), T-1st place Summit. 13 seed NCAA Tournament, lost in Round of 64 to Michigan.
The Jackrabbits made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances thanks in large part to the stellar point guard play of Nate Wolters. Wolters was one of the best point guards in all of college hoops the past two years. He was South Dakota State basketball. 30.3% of the Jackrabbits possessions went through Wolters and 34.3% of his teammates buckets came off his assists. His departure hurts South Dakota much in the way Matthew Dellavedova's departure hurts Saint Mary's, except that The Gaels are a far more solid program than the Jackrabbit.
The Jackrabbits ran a very efficient offense last season but you can't expect that to continue. Per Ken Pom, without Wolters SDST has never ranked in the top-100 of offensive efficiency. Senior forward Jordan Dykstra is the team's leading returner with 12.3 points per game. Most of their returning players who logged regular minutes posted offensive ratings over 100.0, and many over 110.0. Once again, don't expect that, as defenses won't have to constantly focus on Wolters.
3. November 14th at 7:00 PM in Long Beach
Long Beach State 49ers, Big West Conference
Last Season: 19-14 (14-4), 1st place Big West. Lost in NIT first round to Baylor.
Last Season vs. WCC: won at LMU, 1-1 vs. Pacific.
Dan Monson knew last year would be a major rebuild after losing his star Casper Ware, but I'm not sure he figured 2013-14 would be year two of the rebuild. Two senior starters have graduated, two juniors (one starter and one key reserve) have been dismissed and three others have transferred. The players responsible for 64.42% of last year's points will not be returning for this season.
Five junior college transfers have been brought in to help patch the holes. An additional transfer, former UCLA starter Tyler Lamb, will not be eligible for the first semester... phew! Mike Caffey, second on the team with 12 points per game, is the leading returner. Actually, he's the only returning player with any sort of resume. Alongside Caffey, junior Nick Shepherd (who averaged less than one point over nine minutes per game) is the only player to have spent two years on the roster. The 49ers should once again be competitive in the Big West. The Lions are lucky they'll get this road game out of the way early, before this inexperienced team has much time to gel. Considering the rough schedule LBSU has, a win here might look pretty darn good come March.
4. November 17th at 4:00 PM at Gersten Pavilion
Northern Arizona Lumberjacks, Big Sky Conference
Last Season: 11-21 (8-12), T-6th place Big Sky.
Last Season vs. WCC: loss at home to LMU and loss at BYU.
The Lumberjacks were incredibly inefficient last season, ranking ninth in the Big Sky in offensive and defensive points per possession (and the Big Sky isn't very efficient overall). Only two players could be counted on to score points and only one, DeWayne Russell, returns. The 5' 11" freshman point guard had a monster season, including a 23 point, six assist, five rebound and four steal performance against LMU.
Three senior starters have been lost this offseason, but two three-star recruits will expedite the rebuilding process. Shooting guard Kris Yanku should step in immediately. Up front there is Ako Kaluna who at 6' 7" lacks in length but makes up for it in bulk. Weighing in at 260lbs, he has the ability to easily move players out of the way when going for rebounds. The Lumberjacks will have to deal with five other newcomers, two of which are junior college transfers.
4. November 22nd at 10:30 AM in U.S. Virgin Islands
Northern Iowa Panthers, Missouri Valley Conference
Last Season: 21-15 (11-7), 3rd place Missouri Valley. Lost in CIT semifinals.
Last Season vs. WCC: won at home vs. Saint Mary's.
Perennially a high-quality mid-major... actually a quality team regardless of level; every year under Ben Jacobson the Panthers have played efficient basketball on both ends of the floor. Jacobson has not led a Panther team to less than 18 wins and for the past five years he's won at least 20 games. This may be the year that streak breaks. Three starters are gone, all were in the top-five on the team in scoring. The reserves who look to step up should be ready. Five returning players averaged over ten points per forty minutes, but only two of them managed to crack the starting line-up.
Junior forward Seth Tuttle, 6'8"/225lbs, is the team's leading rebounder and leading returning scorer. Junior point guard Deon Mitchell, 3.6 assists per game, will join Tuttle in keeping the Panthers in contention in the Creighton-less MVC. This game will be the Lions' toughest challenge of the young season.
5. November 23rd OR 24th in the U.S. Virgin Islands, time TBD
Marist Red Foxes, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Last Season: 10-21 (6-12), 8th place MAAC.
OR
Maryland Terrapins, Atlantic Coast Conference
Last Season: 25-13 (8-10), 7th place ACC. Lost in NIT Semifinals to Iowa.
The Lions will play on the 23rd if they defeat Northern Iowa and will face the winner of Marist vs. Maryland. The Lions will play on the 24th if they lose to Northern Iowa and will face the loser of Marist vs. Maryland.
6. November 25th in the U.S. Virgin Islands, time TBD
Providence Friars, Big East Conference
Last Season: 19-15 (9-9), 9th place Big East. Lost in NIT Quarterfinals to Baylor.
OR
Vanderbilt Commodores, Southeastern Conference
Last Season: 16-17 (8-10), 10th place SEC.
OR
Morgan State Bears, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Last Season: 17-15 (10-6), 5th place MEAC.
Last Season vs. WCC: Lost at LMU and at San Diego.
OR
La Salle Explorers, Atlantic 10 Conference
Last Season: 24-10 (11-5), T-3rd place A-10. 13 seed NCAA Tournament, lost in Sweet Sixteen to Wichita State.
7. December 2nd at 7:00 in Riverside, CA
UC Riverside Highlanders, Big West Conference
Last Season: 6-25 (3-15), 10th place Big West.
Last Season vs. WCC: Loss at Pepperdine, 0-2 vs. Pacific.
For the fourth straight season the lowly Highlanders finished with a sub-.500 record. Their three conference wins gave them sole possession of dead last in the Big West. Jim Wooldridge is no longer the head coach in Riverside, but the history of poor performance has nothing to do with it. Wooldridge was promoted, he's now the interim athletic director, and assistant Dennis Cutts was given the interim head coaching job. The staff shakeup is more pronounced than the roster shakeup, as only three players are leaving. The only significant loss is that of Robert Smith, the team's leading assist and minutes man, as well as a 6.4 ppg scorer.
The Highlanders were an awful offensive team last season and without Smith dishing out 3.4 assists per game, they look to be equally anemic this year. Like the Lions of last season, the Highlanders play at a slow pace (hovering around 65 possessions per game the past five seasons). However, they're significantly worse at turning those possessions into points. The Lions averaged 0.94 points per possession last year, compared to the Highlanders 0.862. The two players to watch will be the two seniors named Chris, Patton and Harriel. The 6' 10", 246 lbs Patton was the focal point of last year's offense and figures to hold that role once again.
8. December 6th at 4:00 PM in Pittsburgh on ESPN3
Pittsburgh Panthers, Atlantic Coast Conference
Last Season: 24-9 (12-6), 4th place Big East. 8 seed NCAA Tournament, lost in Round of 64 to Wichita State.
Jamie Dixon's Panthers enter their inaugural ACC campaign with some serious questions. Despite posting some of the most impressive advanced statistics, across nearly all categories, in college hoops last season, Pitt's record didn't reflect their efficiency. Dixon has a masters of science in finance so, it's no wonder he's good with statistics.
The Panthers lose two seniors, of which starting point guard Tray Woodall is the most important. Woodall led the team in points, minutes, assists and steals. His five assists per game played a major role in the execution of the offense. Along with the seniors, three other players of note are departing early. 7' center Steven Adams left after his freshman year, he was selected with the 12th pick of the NBA Draft by Oklahoma City. Joining Adams on other teams (except, college teams in their case) are sixth man J.J. Moore and Trey Zeigler. Moore led the team in offensive rating at 119.8 (77th nationally). Pitt brings in a crop of quality recruits, as one would expect from a major program, but power forward Mike Young, #57 in the ESPN100, should make the most impact immediately.
9. December 14th at 11:05 AM in Valparaiso, IN
Valparaiso Crusaders, Horizon League
Last Season: 26-8 (13-3), 1st place Horizon. 14 seed NCAA Tournament, lost in Round of 64 to Michigan State.
Much like Pittsburgh, Valparaiso was a statistically solid team last season Also like Pittsburgh, they enter this season with some questions, except Valpo's won't be answered as easily as Pitt's. The Crusaders lose over three-fourths of their points, rebounds, assists and minutes. All five starters from last season are gone including their three top scorers and six of their top eight. The only key returners are seniors Bobby Capobianco and Horizon League Sixth Man of the Year, LaVonte Dority. They'll be tasked with keeping this historically strong team from falling back into the rut they were stuck in for most of the last decade. While LMU will be the more talented team, this will be their second straight road game most of the way across the country, and this one starts in the morning.
10. December 17th at 7:00 PM at Gersten Pavilion
Cal Poly Mustangs, Big West Conference
Last Season: 18-14 (12-6), 3rd place Big West. Lost in CIT opening round.
Last Season vs. WCC: Lost at Saint Mary's and Santa Clara, won at home against LMU and went 1-2 vs. Pacific.
The Mustangs had one of their most successful campaigns ever last season. Joe Callero's four seasons in San Luis Obispo have all seen improvement. Two starters depart, both seniors, but only Dylan Royer (and his 10.1 ppg) will need to be replaced. Coach Callero's recruiting classes are hitting their upperclassman years as well as their stride. This team is dominant on the offensive side of the ball. They rarely commit turnovers and they almost never have it stolen. Their offensive steal rate of 6.6 was the best in the nation last season.
LMU's defense was just slightly above average last season. Against Cal Poly that won't cut it. If the Lions want to win this game they'll need to get into a shootout. The Mustangs, despite the running horse in the logo, don't like to get up and down the court fast -- only two teams played at a slower adjusted tempo last season.
11. December 21st at 6:00 PM at Gersten Pavilion
La Sierra Golden Eagles, California Pacific Conference (NAIA)
Last Season: 5-24; no games against D-I opponents.
LMU's final non-conference game will be a tune-up game before WCC play begins against BYU on the 28th.
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