Atlantic Sun Preview: Has North Florida overthrown #DunkCity?

By Terrence PayneOct 2, 2015, 12:00 PM EDT

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Beginning in October and running up through November 13th, the first day of the regular season, College Basketball Talk will be unveiling the 2015-2016 NBCSports.com college hoops preview package.

Today, we are previewing the Atlantic Sun Conference.

For the first time in three seasons, the Atlantic Sun representative failed to make noise in the NCAA tournament. In 2013, Florida Gulf Coast famously became #DunkCity after knocking off Georgetown and San Diego State en route to becoming the first No. 15 seed to reach the Sweet 16. In 2014, Mercer followed up FGCU’s run by pulling off an opening round upset of No. 3 seed Duke and Jabari Parker.

In the first tournament appearance in program history, the North Florida Ospreys could not add to the upsets, but the good news is Matthew Driscoll should be in line for another shot at One Shining Moment again this March. His Ospreys are the favorites to repeat in the Atlantic Sun, returning four starters from last season’s first-place finish. Among the returnees are junior guard Dallas Moore (15.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.8 apg), a candidate for Conference Player of the Year, two other double-digit scorers in Beau Beech and Chris Davenport, and DeMarcus Daniels, the reigning Atlantic Sun Defensive Player of the Year.

That core was part of the conference’s most efficient offense and the second-most efficient defense last season, according to kenpom. The Ospreys offense was among the nation’s leaders in field goal percentage and 3-point percentage. North Florida was top-15 in 3-pointers per game at 9.1. During a five-game winning streak to close out the regular season and clinch home-court advantage in the A-Sun Tournament, North Florida shot 43 percent from three.

Florida Gulf Coast said goodbye to Brett Comer and Bernard Thompson, the decorated back court from the 2013 Sweet 16, but that doesn’t mean the Eagles are going away.

Jamail Jones and Nate Hicks also graduated. Julian DeBose, who averaged 11.6 points per game, returns to anchor the back court. Rayvon Tucker, a Rivals150 guard, joins the FGCU perimeter. Joe Dooley will have the conference’s top frontline with UNLV transfer Demetris Morant and Marc-Eddy Norelia back. VCU transfer Antravious Simmons becomes eligible in January. Filip Cvjeticanin, the 6-foot-9 fifth-year senior who missed all last season with a back injury, provides a 3-point shooting threat.

Conference realignment has hit the league pretty hard. This offseason, Northern Kentucky became the fifth team to leave the conference sine 2011. The A-Sun added nomad NJIT, the last remaining independent in Division I basketball, as its eighth member. The Highlanders won’t be just a placeholder, they’ll be contenders. Like Driscoll, Jim Engles brings back four starters, including Damon Lynn, a diminutive scoring guard who posted 20 or more points 15 times in 2014-15. Lynn was the star in NJIT’s upset win over Michigan last season. The Highlanders also benefit from the return of Terrence Smith, the 6-foot-6 forward, who missed the season due to injury.

Lipscomb finished below .500 a season ago, but all-A-Sun wing Josh Williams should lead the Bison to their first winning season in five years. To be a contender, the focus needs to shift to the defensive end, where the Bison allowed 70 or more points in the final 14 games of the season. Jacksonville, a 10-win team, brings back 94 percent of its scoring. The Dolphins should be a darkhorse in the A-Sun.

MORE: 2015-16 Season Preview Coverage | Conference Previews | Preview Schedule

COACH’S TAKE

Favorite: “North Florida. Since they won it last year and went to the NCAA tournament. I know they have the majority of their team back, and looking at their stats they shoot the ball really well, they pass the ball really well. They’re a pretty effective, efficient team.”
Sleeper: “Lipscomb is poised to have a pretty good year. I’d expect [Jacksonville] to be pretty good, too.”
Star to watch: “There’s Josh Williams from Lipscomb, the two players from North Florida (Dallas Moore and Beau Beech). Julian DeBose had really good summer with one of the USA teams. Damon Lynn should certainly be the conversation. Until the season actually gets going it’s tough to really tell.”

REALIGNMENT MOVES

In: NJIT
Out: Northern Kentucky

PRESEASON ATLANTIC SUN PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Damon Lynn, NJIT

The 5-foot-11 guard averaged 17.5 points, 3.7 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game as a junior for the Highlanders. Lynn recorded 20 points (15 in the second half) in a win over then-No. 17 Michigan on Dec. 6. NJIT’s marathon man helped lead the Highlanders to the semifinals of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament, averaging 19.5 points in 39.5 minutes per game.

THE REST OF THE PRESEASON ATLANTIC SUN TEAM:

Kori Babineaux, Jacksonville: The 6-foot-4 guard was top-five in the A-Sun in scoring, assists and steals a season ago.
Julian DeBose, Florida Gulf Coast: The only double-digit scorer returning for Dunk City. He played with Kansas this summer in the World University Games.
Dallas Moore, North Florida: The Ospreys top scorer and assist man earned all-Atlantic Sun first team honors last season after averaging 15.9 points and 3.9 assists per game. Beau Beech is also a strong candidate.
Josh Williams, Lipscomb: With Ty Greene graduating, Williams is the conference’s top scorer at 16.9 points per game.

ONE TWITTER FEED TO FOLLOW: @ASunMBB

PREDICTED FINISH

1. North Florida
2. NJIT
3. Florida Gulf Coast
4. Lipscomb
5. Jacksonville
6. USC Upstate
7. Stetson
8. Kennesaw State

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North Carolina transfer Caleb Love commits to Arizona

Associated PressMay 31, 2023, 10:59 AM EDT

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Caleb Love is now headed to Arizona.

The North Carolina transfer tweeted, less than a month after decommitting from Michigan, that he will play next season with the Wildcats.

“Caleb is a tremendously talented guard who has significant experience playing college basketball at a high level,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said in a statement. “We look forward to helping Caleb grow his game at Arizona. And as we near the completion of the roster for the upcoming season, we feel great about how everything has come together. Now it’s time for the real work to start.”

A 6-foot-4 guard, Love averaged 14.6 points and 3.3 assists in three seasons at North Carolina. He averaged 17.6 points in seven NCAA Tournament games, helping lead the Tar Heels to the 2022 national championship game.

Love entered the transfer portal after leading North Carolina with 73 3-pointers as a junior and initially committed to Michigan. He decommitted from the Wolverines earlier this month, reportedly due to an admissions issue involving academic credits.

Love narrowed his transfer targets to three schools before choosing to play at Arizona over Gonzaga and Texas.

Love will likely start on a team that will have dynamic perimeter players, including Pelle Larsson, Kylan Boswell and Alabama transfer Jaden Bradley.

Biden celebrates LSU women’s and UConn men’s basketball teams at separate White House events

Associated PressMay 26, 2023, 11:56 PM EDT

Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK

WASHINGTON – All of the past drama and sore feelings associated with Louisiana State’s invitation to the White House were seemingly forgotten or set aside Friday as President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden welcomed the championship women’s basketball team to the mansion with smiles, hugs and lavish praise all around.

The visit had once appeared in jeopardy after Jill Biden suggested that the losing Iowa team be invited, too. But none of that was mentioned as both Bidens heralded the players for their performance and the way they have helped advance women’s sports.

“Folks, we witnessed history,” the president said. “In this team, we saw hope, we saw pride and we saw purpose. It matters.”

The ceremony was halted for about 10 minutes after forward Sa’Myah Smith appeared to collapse as she and her teammates stood behind Biden. A wheelchair was brought in and coach Kim Mulkey assured the audience that Smith was fine.

LSU said in a statement that Smith felt overheated, nauseous and thought she might faint. She was evaluated by LSU and White House medical staff and was later able to rejoin the team. “She is feeling well, in good spirits, and will undergo further evaluation once back in Baton Rouge,” the LSU statement said.

Since the passage of Title IX in 1972, Biden said, more than half of all college students are women, and there are now 10 times more female athletes in college and high school. He said most sports stories are still about men, and that that needs to change.

Title IX prohibits discrimination based on sex in federally funded education programs and activities.

“Folks, we need to support women sports, not just during the championship run but during the entire year,” President Biden said.

After the Tigers beat Iowa for the NCAA title in April in a game the first lady attended, she caused an uproar by suggesting that the Hawkeyes also come to the White House.

LSU star Angel Reese called the idea “A JOKE” and said she would prefer to visit with former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, instead. The LSU team largely is Black, while Iowa’s top player, Caitlin Clark, is white, as are most of her teammates.

Nothing came of Jill Biden’s idea and the White House only invited the Tigers. Reese ultimately said she would not skip the White House visit. She and co-captain Emily Ward presented team jerseys bearing the number “46” to Biden and the first lady. Hugs were exchanged.

Jill Biden also lavished praise on the team, saying the players showed “what it means to be a champion.”

“In this room, I see the absolute best of the best,” she said, adding that watching them play was “pure magic.”

“Every basket was pure joy and I kept thinking about how far women’s sports have come,” the first lady added, noting that she grew up before Title IX was passed. “We’ve made so much progress and we still have so much more work to do.”

The president added that “the way in which women’s sports has come along is just incredible. It’s really neat to see, since I’ve got four granddaughters.”

After Smith was helped to a wheelchair, Mulkey told the audience the player was OK.

“As you can see, we leave our mark where we go,” Mulkey joked. “Sa’Myah is fine. She’s kind of, right now, embarrassed.”

A few members of Congress and Biden aides past and present with Louisiana roots dropped what they were doing to attend the East Room event, including White House budget director Shalanda Young. Young is in the thick of negotiations with House Republicans to reach a deal by the middle of next week to stave off what would be a globally calamitous U.S. financial default if the U.S. can no longer borrow the money it needs to pay its bills.

The president, who wore a necktie in the shade of LSU’s purple, said Young, who grew up in Baton Rouge, told him, “I’m leaving the talks to be here.” Rep. Garret Graves, one of the House GOP negotiators, also attended.

Biden closed sports Friday by changing to a blue tie and welcoming the UConn’s men’s championship team for its own celebration. The Huskies won their fifth national title by defeating San Diego State, 76-59, in April.

“Congratulations to the whole UConn nation,” he said.

Marquette’s Prosper says he will stay in draft rather than returning to school

Associated PressMay 26, 2023, 7:08 PM EDT

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

MILWAUKEE — Olivier-Maxence Prosper announced he is keeping his name under NBA draft consideration rather than returning to Marquette.

The 6-foot-8 forward announced his decision.

“Thank you Marquette nation, my coaches, my teammates and support staff for embracing me from day one,” Prosper said in an Instagram post. “My time at Marquette has been incredible. With that being said, I will remain in the 2023 NBA Draft. I’m excited for what comes next. On to the next chapter…”

Prosper had announced last month he was entering the draft. He still could have returned to school and maintained his college eligibility by withdrawing from the draft by May 31. Prosper’s announcement indicates he instead is going ahead with his plans to turn pro.

Prosper averaged 12.5 points and 4.7 rebounds last season while helping Marquette go 29-7 and win the Big East’s regular-season and tournament titles. Marquette’s season ended with a 69-60 loss to Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament’s round of 32.

He played two seasons at Marquette after transferring from Clemson, where he spent one season.

Kansas’ Kevin McCullar Jr. returning for last season of eligibility

Associated PressMay 25, 2023, 9:18 PM EDT

Jeffrey Becker/USA TODAY Sports

Kevin McCullar Jr. said that he will return to Kansas for his final year of eligibility, likely rounding out a roster that could make the Jayhawks the preseason No. 1 next season.

McCullar transferred from Texas Tech to Kansas for last season, when he started 33 of 34 games and averaged 10.7 points and 7.0 rebounds. He was also among the nation’s leaders in steals, and along with being selected to the Big 12’s all-defensive team, the 6-foot-6 forward was a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award.

“To be able to play in front of the best fans in the country; to play for the best coach in the nation, I truly believe we have the pieces to hang another banner in the Phog,” McCullar said in announcing his return.

Along with McCullar, the Jayhawks return starters Dajuan Harris Jr. and K.J. Adams from a team that went 28–8, won the Big 12 regular-season title and was a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where it lost to Arkansas in the second round.

Perhaps more importantly, the Jayhawks landed Michigan transfer Hunter Dickinson, widely considered the best player in the portal, to anchor a lineup that was missing a true big man. They also grabbed former five-star prospect Arterio Morris, who left Texas, and Towson’s Nick Timberlake, who emerged last season as one of the best 3-point shooters in the country.

The Jayhawks also have an elite recruiting class arriving that is headlined by five-star recruit Elmarko Jackson.

McCullar declared for the draft but, after getting feedback from scouts, decided to return. He was a redshirt senior last season, but he has another year of eligibility because part of his career was played during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is a big day for Kansas basketball,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said. “Kevin is not only a terrific player but a terrific teammate. He fit in so well in year one and we’re excited about what he’ll do with our program from a leadership standpoint.”

Clemson leading scorer Hall withdraws from NBA draft, returns to Tigers

Associated PressMay 25, 2023, 9:15 PM EDT

Bob Donnan/USA TODAY Sports

CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson leading scorer PJ Hall is returning to college after withdrawing from the NBA draft on Thursday.

The 6-foot-10 forward took part in the NBA combine and posted his decision to put off the pros on social media.

Hall led the Tigers with 15.3 points per game this past season. He also led the Tigers with 37 blocks, along with 5.7 rebounds. Hall helped Clemson finish third in the Atlantic Coast Conference while posting a program-record 14 league wins.

Clemson coach Brad Brownell said Hall gained experience from going through the NBA’s combine that will help the team next season. “I’m counting on him and others to help lead a very talented group,” he said.

Hall was named to the all-ACC third team last season as the Tigers went 23-10.