Tag: Ousmane Drame

Weekend MAAC and America East Observations

After taking a road trip to Connecticut and a long first week of basketball, here are some extra thoughts on the two conferences I cover for Big Apple Buckets, the MAAC and the America East. In addition, Ryan Peters shared his thoughts  on UMBC, who stunned Mount St. Mary’s on Sunday afternoon with a come from behind victory. Continue reading “Weekend MAAC and America East Observations” →

Quinnipiac, Tom Moore Leaving NEC Tournament Disappointment Behind

Any time a college basketball program resides in a one-bid conference like the NEC, a significant part of the NCAA tournament battle is about getting your team in a position to win come early March. Really, it’s all most teams can ask for, especially given the crapshoot one-and-done format of the conference postseason tournaments.

If you’re grading a coach’s resume based on these criteria alone, then six-year Quinnipiac head coach Tom Moore passes with flying colors.

Since Moore was hired at Quinnipiac in 2007, only two other programs have accumulated more NEC victories within that time frame. Robert Morris (97 wins) and LIU Brooklyn (83 wins) have bettered Quinnipiac’s (75 wins) recent success in the NEC, but that has been it. Even more impressive, few teams have been as good in the month of February than Moore, with his Bobcats posting a fantastic 36-12 record.

As for the second part of the battle, well that’s a different story. Despite their regular season success, Quinnipiac hasn’t been able to get over the hump during the NEC Tournament.

It’s been an all too familiar trend for Moore. In the previous four seasons, the Bobcats have fallen to the eventual champ – twice to Robert Morris in the 2010 finals and 2011 semifinals and twice to LIU Brooklyn in the last two seasons. In each setback, the outcome could have changed had one or two possessions in the waning moments – a different bounce of the basketball, a referee’s no-call, anything – gone a different way.

For Moore, those excruciating, fingernail biting defeats serve as a constant reminder at how invested he and his staff has been in attempting to push Quinnipiac to the next level. The losses, to the surprise of no one, still sting to this day for the former Jim Calhoun assistant.

“From a coaching point of view, [those losses] will haunt me for the rest of my life, to be honest,“ said a candid Moore. ”In coaching – I don’t know if I’m wired differently – but the bad losses stay with me longer than the great wins.”

Reflecting back on those games evidentially poses a mental toll. Moore is able to recite and relive those final minutes of every loss like it happened yesterday. Moments like the Velton Jones’ runner in the lane that helped push Robert Morris to their second straight NCAA tournament berth come immediately to mind. A Robert Morris’ offensive rebound off a missed free throw, which helped seal a semifinal road victory a year later, also haunts Moore to this day.

When recalling those brutal, defensive minded half-court showdowns with Robert Morris, Moore dryly states, “Those games were like going to the dentist.”

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are many more plays, sequences, and what-ifs that race through Moore’s head throughout the offseason.

In each of the past two postseason tournaments, Quinnipiac has squandered late second half leads to an offensively superior LIU Brooklyn club, even though the Bobcats had been dominating their NEC rivals for the first 30 to 35 minutes of the contest.

“The one thing I regret about those [LIU Brooklyn] games is I do think we, at times, played too quick offensively,” said Moore. “Over the course of the game, they can get you into that because they go from defense to offense really quick. You can score on them, so sometimes your kids get caught up a little bit into the crowd, into continuing to score with them. In those two games, we could have done a better job slowing down our own offense, which is very hard to do when you’re scoring yourself.”

In retrospect, the Quinnipiac coach shouldn’t hang his head too low. If anything, the Bobcats have been devoid of luck in these pivotal games. While Moore will be the first to tell you that his team’s execution was lacking during those critical possessions, every team needs some good fortune in those hard-fought, down to the wire battles.

With Quinnipiac heading to the MAAC next fall, there are no other opportunities to grab that elusive NCAA autobid in the NEC tournament. Regardless, Moore is proud of the progress his program has made under his watch. He inherited a mediocre team that experienced losing seasons for four straight years, and transformed them into an upper echelon club that had a legitimate chance every year to represent the NEC in the NCAA Tournament.

“As I look back on our six years in the NEC, I’m happy with the job that my kids and our staff have done,” said Moore. “I’m proud and happy that we put ourselves in position in the biggest games of the NEC tournaments to win, just disappointed we didn’t get over the hump.”

Quinnipiac fans may be rife with disappointment off another agonizing defeat, yet there’s plenty to look forward to. The formidable frontcourt tandem of Ike Azotam and Ousmane Drame, who together averaged 15 rebounds per game and anchored an interior defense that held NEC opponents to 46.6% shooting inside the arc, will be back next season. Over the last 12 games, Drame in particular has emerged as a dominant force down low, averaging nearly 14 points, 11 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game.

“He’s got a really, really bright future,” said Moore when asked about the 6’9″ center’s potential. “[Drame] evolved into a consistent practice player over the course of the season and as a result of that, you saw the increase in production. If he can stay out of foul trouble, he can put up really big numbers.”

Pair Drame and Azotam with a talented backcourt that’s getting more experience, and you have a team that should have an interesting first season in the MAAC. If young guards like Kendrick Ray, James Ford, Zaid Hearst and the surprising Evan Conti can continue to develop, the Bobcats will be a factor right away.

Before then, however, Moore must endure another long offseason to reminisce about what could have been. He’ll, of course, strive to push Quinnipiac to their first ever NCAA bid, but those close losses in the NEC Tournament will weigh on his mind for a while. Being a basketball coach can just be so cruel sometimes.

Ryan Peters covers Northeast Conference men’s basketball for Big Apple Buckets. You can follow Ryan on Twitter @pioneer_pride

NEC Makeup Monday: CCSU Clinches NEC Playoff Berth

The snowstorm that nearly destroyed the state of Connecticut a few weeks ago forced two postponements, therefore fans were treated to a rare doubleheader on Monday night. All four teams were seriously jockeying for playoff position, so let’s recap the action and summarize the NEC Standings.

Bryant 84, Sacred Heart 66
Given the recent play of both clubs, this final should surprise no one. The Pioneers hung around for a half thanks to Shane Gibson and Louis Montes’ combined 34 first half points, but the offensive firepower of Tim O’Shea’s Bulldogs was too much to handle as the game moved along. Sacred Heart cut Bryant’s lead to a paltry one point early in the second half, but then O’Shea pulled out the matchup zone. The different defensive look befuddled the Pioneers, and Bryant took full advantage going on a back-breaking 17-2 run. The big four of Bryant was once again unstoppable, as the Starks/Francis/Maynard/Dobbs group combined to log 70 points on a super efficient 44 shots. Starks led the group with 25 points on 10 of 14 shooting. In all, Bryant scored 1.20 points per possession (PPP). If the season ended today, Bryant’s 1.12 PPP average would be the best mark in the NEC since Javier Mojica’s Blue Devils scored 1.12 PPP in the 2006-07 season. With the loss, the Sacred Heart ship is capsizing fast. The Pioneers have lost seven of their last eight games and have pretty much guaranteed a St. Francis Brooklyn/Sacred Heart playoff play-in game on Saturday, March 2nd. There’s no way Dave Bike and company could have imagined that scenario after their hot 6-2 start. On the bright side, Shane Gibson became the fifth player in NEC history to crack the 2,000 point milestone. The senior scored 30 points on only 19 shots, which was 20 points more than the Pioneers front-court tonight.

Central Connecticut 67, Quinnipiac 65
Kyle Vinales long, contested (some would say ill-advised) three-pointer from the parking lot with five seconds remaining hit nothing but the bottom of the net, and pushed his Blue Devils to a thrilling two point victory over Quinnipiac. The Blue Devils were seemingly in control when Malcolm McMillan’s two free-throws gave Howie Dickenman’s group a six point lead with 5:35 left, but severe foul trouble helped the Bobcats go on a 12-3 run to push them ahead with a 65-62 lead. Despite the lapse, the Blue Devils scored the last five points and broke the Bobcats six game winning streak. The supremely confident Joe Efase scored 14 points in the victory and is averaging 14.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in his last four contests. The win guarentees a playoff game for the Blue Devils, while Quinnipiac’s chances for their first regular season title since 2010 have all but vanished. It didn’t help that Quinnipiac missed nine of their 22 free throw attempts. Ousname Drame continued his dominant play with another double double of 11 points and 13 rebounds. In his last nine games – seven of them Quinnipiac victories – Drame has averaged 11.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game. It looks like Drame is finally beginning to realize his full potential.

NEC Standings
1) Robert Morris, 12-4
2) Bryant, 11-5
3) Quinnipaic, 10-6
4) Wagner, 10-6
5) LIU Brooklyn, 10-6
6) Mount St. Mary’s, 9-7
7) Central Connecticut, 8-8
8) Sacred Heart, 7-9
9) St. Francis Brooklyn, 7-9
10) St. Francis (PA), 5-11
11) Monmouth, 5-11
12) Fairleigh Dickinson, 2-14
*Quinnipiac earns tiebreaker over Wagner/LIU based on head-to-head-to-head record (2-0)
*Wagner earns tiebreaker over LIU based on head-to-head record (2-0)
*Sacred Heart earns tiebreaker over St. Francis Brooklyn based on head-to-head record (1-0)
*Top seven teams in standings have clinched a NEC playoff berth

NEC Thursday: Bryant All Alone in First Place With Four Teams Right Behind

In what amounted to another wild night of NEC hoops, Bryant pulled back ahead into first place all by themselves, after their road win and Sacred Heart and Robert Morris’ losses. Let’s dive into all the action from the fifth Thursday of the NEC schedule.

LIU Brooklyn 82, St. Francis (PA) 62
In easily the most predictable game of the night, LIU Brooklyn took care of business and cruised to an easy 20 point victory at the WRAC. The Blackbirds jumped out to a 13-0 lead and never trailed during the contest. To the Red Flash’s credit, two Earl Brown free throws cut LIU’s advantage to six early in the second half, but then a subsequent 24-8 run by LIU sealed the deal. The loss was St. Francis’ 15th straight road loss. LIU was uncharacteristically sloppy with 20 turnovers, but their 22 assists on 29 made baskets was enough to pull away. Booker Hucks made a career high five three-pointers to tie a career high of 20 points. In the last two games, the senior is absolutely scorching from downtown, draining 9 of 13 three-pointers. Jamal Olasewere, C.J. Garner, and Brandon Thompson also scored in double figures for LIU Brooklyn’s sixth straight NEC victory. Umar Shannon and Stephon Mosley returned from injury for St. Francis, yet both struggled in the defeat. Earl Brown led the Red Flash with 22 points.

Bryant 78, Fairleigh Dickinson 63
After an 8-0 run by FDU to begin the second half gave the Knights a brief 37-36 lead, Bryant outscored FDU 42-26 the rest of way. FDU was unable to take advantage of recently porous Bulldog defense, as they only shot 45.3% from the floor versus a team that was in the bottom 15% of the nation in effective field goal percentage defense. 17 Knight turnovers also didn’t help, but Bryant got terrific, efficient production out of Alex Francis (27 points on 13 shots, 9 rebounds). Usually the forgotten man outside of Bryant’s big three, Corey Maynard chipped in with an excellent line of 16 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Bryant won the rebounding battle (36-24), turnover margin (15-17), and made 12 more FTs than FDU. Just an overall solid effort to move back into first place all by their lonesome once again.

Central Connecticut 78, Monmouth 58
Kyle Vinales, Matthew Hunter, and Adonis Burbage combined for 59 points on 50 shots, while never once taking a break during the game. The relatively fasted pace game (142 total possessions) got out of hand late in the first half for Monmouth, as the Blue Devils raced out to a 16 point lead. From that point forward, Monmouth never got any closer than 12 points, despite Marcus Ware scoring a season high 16 points. The Blue Devils shot 52% from the floor in this one, but it was their assist-to-turnover ratio of 6.5 in the first half that was most impressive, especially against a team that’s fourth in the nation in turning opponents over. Christian White missed the game with an injured ankle and it showed as the Hawks made 27.0% of their three-point attempts.

Wagner 84, Sacred Heart 78
Although Wagner controlled the game for much of the second half, two fade away threes by Shane Gibson and two Phil Gaetano free throws improbably sent the game into overtime. In the extra frame, however, Wagner regained their composure and held on for their third straight conference victory. Kenny Ortiz had perhaps the game of the night registering 17 points, six rebounds, eight assists, and three steals. Phil Gaetano, after receiving heavy praise from John and I this week, had the worst half of his career committing six turnovers. To his credit though, the 5’10” floor general recovered to finish with 12 points and 11 assists. The bounce back effort wasn’t enough, as Shane Gibson struggled all night thanks to Wagner’s stingy defense that gave up 0.96 points per possession. The Pioneers shot 36% from the floor and gave the ball up 22 times, but it was their 29 free throws that kept them in the game in the second half. But late, Jonathan Williams was clutch, scoring ten points in the final eight plus minutes of the game. Wagner now find themselves in a four-way tie for second place with SHU, Robert Morris, and LIU Brooklyn.

Mount St. Mary’s 77, Quinnipiac 73
Quinnipiac may have evened their record to 4-4 last Saturday, but it never truly felt like the team was completely back. Tonight’s result was indicative of that. After trailing 6-5 early, the Mount took the lead and never was behind again, although the Bobcats cut the deficit to one point late before Julian Norfleet’s three extended the lead for good. Quinnipiac’s negative turnover differential and awful foul shooting ultimately did the Bobcats in, with the Bobcats committing 13 more turnovers and missing half of their 32 attempts at the charity stripe. Yikes… It was a balanced scoring effort with nine Mountaineers scoring, led by Shivaughn Wiggins 17 points. The freshman has taken advantage of Josh Castellanos’ injury, as he’s now averaging 14.6 points in his past five games. For Quinnipiac, the defense continues to struggle, as the Mount scored 1.04 points per possession. It was the sixth time in nine conference games that Tom Moore’s squad has given up more than 1 point per possession this conference season. Last year that happened only seven times in 18 NEC contests. Sophomore center Ousmane Drame did have a career game with 19 points and 20 rebounds in the loss.

St. Francis Brooklyn 71, Robert Morris 61
The Colonial’s six-game winning streak was snapped after falling to the streaky Terriers at the Pope Education Center. Velton Jones injured his shoulder early and only played two minutes. It has been a tough season injury wise for Jones, who missed zero games in his first three seasons at RMU. Brent Jones was sensational for St. Francis, who scored 1.15 points per possession against a solid defense. Jones had 16 points, three rebounds, and six assists against only three turnovers. John has the complete recap of the game here.

NEC Standings
1) Bryant, 7-2
2) Wagner, 6-3
3) Robert Morris, 6-3
4) Sacred Heart, 6-3
5) LIU Brooklyn, 6-3
6) Central Connecticut, 5-4
7) St. Francis Brooklyn, 5-4
8) Quinnipiac, 4-5
9) Mount St. Mary’s, 3-6
10) Monmouth, 3-6
11) Fairleigh Dickinson, 2-7
12) St. Francis (PA), 1-8

NEC Team Capsules: Quinnipiac Bobcats

Head Coach: Tom Moore, 6th year (93-65)
Last Seaon: 18-14 (10-8 NEC), lost semfinals of NEC Tournament to LIU, 78-75
NEC Preseason Coach’s Poll: 4th out of 12 teams
State of Program: Win-now mode
Key Players Lost: James Johnson (16.5 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.3 SPG), Nate Gause, Alex Jackson, Kevin Tarca, Terrance Bobb-Jones
Imcoming Players: Kendrick Ray (G), James Ford (G), Tariq Carey (G), Shaq Shannon (G)
Previous Posts: Quinnipiac Recruiting Recap, Quinnipiac Heavily Invests in Basketball, Notes/Quotes From Quinnipiac’s Practice

Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Dave Johnson (8.7 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.5 A/TO)
G: Zaid Hearst (7.3 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 1.3 APG, 37.0% 3PT)
G: Garvey Young (5.9 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.3 APG)
PF: Ike Azotam (15.7 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 1.0 BPG, 56.2% FG)
C: Ousmane Drame (6.5 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 0.9 BPG)

Key Reserves: Jamee Jackson (F), Kendrick Ray (G), James Ford (G), Shaq Shannon (G), Evan Conti (G), Tariq Carey (G), Justin Harris (PF)

Major Storylines:

  • Replacing The Man – It’s one of the biggest questions in the NEC this past offseason: How will the Bobcats replace the production and leadership of two time All-NEC team selection James Johnson? The short answer: Tom Moore will carve up Johnson’s minutes several different ways, with the bulk going to promising sophomore Zaid Hearst. Replacing the leadership void caused by Johnson’s graduation, however, will fall in the laps of several different Bobcats, whether it’s Ike Azotam, Jamee Jackson, Dave Johnson, or Garvey Young.
  • Shooting the Basketball In the Basket – One major criticism of Quinnipiac has been their inability to shoot the basketball with any type of consistency. Their free throw percentage has been in the bottom 10% of the nation the past two seasons (63.8% FT last year), while their long-range accuracy has suffered as well. Currently, Hearst is the only player on the roster with a three point percentage over 36.0%, although freshmen James Ford, Kendrick Ray, and Shaq Shannon certainly have the ability to improve the Bobcats’ range from downtown.
  • Improving Their Offensive Efficiency – When asked what Quinnipiac needs to improve to finally win a NEC title, Moore doesn’t hesitate in bringing up the offense. If Quinnipiac continues to defend (1st in the NEC last season in FG% defense) and rebound (1st in the NEC in rebounding margin), then Moore plans to push the tempo and figure out a way to improve his team’s efficiency in the half-court set. The key will be the guard play – if Hearst and a freshman or two can give the Bobcats a reliable scorer on the perimeter, then the half-court execution will be that much easier, especially with the way the Bobcats crash the glass.

Lineup Analysis: Another season, another close call. Moore has done an excellent job getting Quinnipiac into a position to win, but they simply haven’t executed when it has mattered most. Looking ahead, the Bobcats boast the second best frontcourt in the league with All-NEC preseason first team selection Ike Azotam, who led the NEC in rebounds per game. Sophomore Ousmane Drame, an All-NEC rookie team selection, posted terrific rebounding rates as a freshman, and will look to improve his offensive prowess. Jamee Jackson is a versatile, athletic “4” big man who Moore calls the best frontcourt defender in the league. That trio, along with steady senior Dave Johnson at the point, gives the Bobcats an excellent foundation to possibly crack the top three of the conference. Zaid Hearst is poised to play 30 productive minutes at the “2” or “3” for Quinnipiac, while there are a plethura of options to consider for the final starting spot. Fifth year senior Garvey Young is a defensive specialist. Kendrick Ray has excellent athleticism and play-making ability. Freshmen James Ford can light it up from behind the arch. And the group of Tariq Carey, Shaq Shannon, and Evan Conti make up a solid bench that allows Moore to comfortably play 8-10 per night. It’s one of the better rosters in the NEC, and they should find themselves once again in the upper third of the league.

Coach’s Quotes:

“I think we have to do a better job – we have to execute our offense better in the half-court to create better shots, and I put that on me, more than I put that on our team. And secondly, I think we have to run a little bit more then we have, get more in transition then we have. If we can guard in the half-court at the level we’ve guarded in the half-court the last few years … and rebound at the same level we’ve been rebounding and we improve our shot selection and shot creation and run a little bit more, that’s what I think we need to do.”
– Moore, when asked to identify what his team needs to do this season to finally get over the hump and win the NEC championship

Prediction:

Ryan – If there’s one team that could crack the top three of LIU, RMU, and Wagner, it’s Quinnipiac, who has the second best frontcourt in the league. Like John says, though, I think the Bobcats will be in better shape come 2013-14, when their young backcourt has another year to develop. For now, mark me down for a fourth place finish.

John – The front court is excellent, but even it didn’t shoot consistently last season. Can the offense improve enough to carry the Bobcats into the upper echelon? It’s probably still a year away.

Previous NEC Team Capsules:
October 24: St. Francis (PA) Red Flash
October 25: Fairleigh Dickinson Knights
October 26: Bryant Bulldogs
October 29: Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers
October 30: Central Connecticut Blue Devils
October 31: Monmouth Hawks
November 1: Sacred Heart Pioneers
November 2: St. Francis Terriers

Observations and quotes from Quinnipiac’s practice

Recently, I traveled to Hamden to watch the Quinnipiac Bobcats practice. It was my first time meeting Tom Moore, who in Connecticut and the NEC, has a bit of a target on his back from fans of other nearby schools. Maybe people are envious of his recent success, contract, or perhaps the beautiful TD Banknorth Arena has them jealous. No matter how much you dislike Moore and his program though, critics simply can’t ignore Quinnipiac’s recent success. In the past three seasons, Moore has a NEC regular season championship and an average of 21 wins per season.

Below you’ll find my random thoughts and several quotes from my hour plus conversation with Moore.

– Zaid Hearst was impressive in practice. His practice intensity and confidence shooting the mid-range jumper stood out the most to me. About a month ago, I identified Hearst as one of my breakout candidates, and really, this practice reiterated my belief in him. Moore has been impressed with Hearst’s work ethic, since his strong finish last season.

“To be honest with you, I wouldn’t have said [Hearst is ready] in January, but he got better as the year went on,” said Moore. “The thing I love about [Hearst] is he took that ending and from April to now, no one in our program has worked harder. He’s just one of those kids – like James Johnson was – you don’t have to force to the gym and you don’t have to beg him to the gym. He just works, so his body is great right now, his toughness is great right now, and his game is improving all of time.”

– While Hearst is the leading candidate to replace most of Johnson’s production on the court, Moore expects multiple guys on the team to replace Johnson’s leadership. Seniors Dave Johnson and Jamee Jackson, Ike Azotam, and Hearst were quickly identified as those guys. The thing that worries Moore the most, however, is who will step up late in the game and become that go-to-guy when the Bobcats need a bucket. It’s a big time concern for Moore.

“The ability at the end of games and at big times in the shot clock where [James Johnson] wanted the ball and guys were used to deferring a bit, and he was always willing to take those shots. So I don’t know [who will fill that role]. I hope that’s something that evolves, because we brought in some real talent on the perimeter, but it’s inexperienced talent.”

– Speaking of perimeter talent, Kendrick Ray’s athleticism and James Ford’s perimeter stroke grabbed my attention. The 6-foot-3 Ray is a terrific leaper, and he should make an impact on the floor as a combo guard. Moore would like to ease Ray’s role early on, mainly by playing him off-the-ball, rather than backing up starting PG Dave Johnson. James Ford has a real opportunity to fill a long range shooting niche as a freshman. Quinnipiac struggled last year shooting behind the arc, so Ford’s energy and shooting prowess could find him time right away. At practice, even Ford’s contested misses found the inside of the rim more often than not. This kid can flat out shoot.

“He is our most natural three-point shooter right now,” said Moore in regards to Ford. “I have to make sure he keeps thinking like a three-point shooter and we’ve been really impressed by him.”

– There’s always one player on the team that challenges a coaching staff, and that player for Quinnipiac is 6-foot-9 center Ousmane Drame. Drame is a physical speciman in the NEC, so now the struggle for Moore is to reve up his competitive fire. The beast in the paint lacks intensity at times, and at one point during practice, Drame was told by Moore to leave the scrimmage and sit on the sidelines (6-foot-3 guard Evan Conti came in for Drame and had to guard Azotam, which as you could imagine was wildly entertaining to watch). When talking about Drame, Moore proclaimed how much he loves to coach talented and intelligent players such as Drame. Yet Moore is still trying to tweak and push the right buttons when it comes to handling his big forward.

“[Drame] was a guy – watching him in July [during the recruiting period] – that I loved,” said Moore. “But because of his body language – it can be a little casual and he can stand a lot off the ball – he was one of those guys that the more I saw him, the more convinced I was of his talent, but the more concerned I was with [Drame’s competitive] fire. But I just felt that he was so talented, that when we got him in the program it could really work.”

Moore also reiterated that he expects Drame to have a “monster season.”

– Moore also expects big things out of the versatile Jamme Jackson, who sat out of practice with a minor groin injury. Last season, Jackson suffered a freak injury in the warmup line before Niagara when he awkwardly landed on a ball he had just dunked. Before then, Jackson had an impressive three game stretch where he averaged 16.3 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. If healthy, Moore plans to give his senior forward big time minutes in the frontcourt along with Drame and Azotam.

“Jamee’s been a monster so far,” said Moore. “In my opinion, he’s the most athletic and hardest playing inside player in this league. I feel like I’m sitting on a secret right now, because he was just getting to that point last season before he broke the bone in his foot on December. He can play low post guys, move them off the block, alter their shot, he can do anything you need out of a low post guy. He can also guard fours that pick and pop.”

– Jackson will be part of a deep frontcourt that also includes Justin Harris (who displayed a solid 15 foot jumper) and Marquis Barnett. In the backcourt, there appears to be a three-way competition for playing time between Evan Conti, freshman Tariq Carey, and Shaq Shannon. Expect Moore to ride the hot hand among those three in-season.

And there you have it. 1000 words and I’ve barely mentioned All-NEC preseason first team selection Ike Azotam. The junior will continue to command the ball in the post, and has developed a quick-release jump hook. A season of 17 ppg/10 rpb/1.2 bpg from Azotam is not out of the question.

Add it all up, and you have a legit contender in the NEC. Perhaps this season, Quinnipiac will find some of the luck needed to represent the NEC in the NCAA tournament.