The Smart Get Richer: Harvard Lands Two

After already pulling in a good recruiting class for this year and with some great players considering or committed for the year after, Harvard just pulled in a couple more set to arrive in Cambridge next year. First, the Crimson received a commitment on Monday from a GA C, #19 in the class at his position according to ESPN, named Mike Hall. The fact that he was being pursued by Oklahoma State and Florida State ought to speak to his ability and how much of a steal he is for an Ivy League school. Hall has great size to use once he adds strength and will be a force down low both defensively and on the glass.

Only a day later, another team receiving high-major attention, Siyani Chambers, committed to play for Tommy Amaker's squad. a PG from Minnesota, Chambers is solid defensively and will be an excellent play-maker who will make opportunities for both himself and others. Both join MA prep Evan Cummins (who is no slouch himself) as the Crimson's class of 2012.

Ballin' is a Habit has a great article discussing how exactly Tommy Amaker is managing to have such success without being able to give out athletic scholarships at a program of rather historic ineptitude. It's a great read that really illuminates the rise of a program that takes student-athletes and makes them succeed in truly both senses of that hyphenated amalgamation of a word.

Schedules and Freshmen: NEC

Quinnipiac: Schedule

Big Games: 11/11 vs. Fairfield (Conn. 6 Classic), 2/11 @ CCSU, 2/18 @ LIU, 2/25 vs. Robert Morris

The Bobcats' only real shot at making a big impression during non-conference play is against a good Fairfield team in the neutral-site Connecticut 6 Classic. Other than that, they really won't play any games that winning will make a real statement until they reach NEC time. If they can play strongly in those 3 late season games against the other conference contenders, Tom Moore's squad might find themselves in contention for the conference's autobid come March.

Freshmen: Tom Moore should have some fresh contributors to draw from this year. Former Vermont G Garvey Young ought to compete right away and perhaps start for the Bobcats. G Austin Alexcih comes to Hamden after a year at UNC-Asheville and projects as a bench contributor in the long term. Terrance Bobb-Jones, a G from DE should eventually bring explosive scoring and defending to the team. SF/SG Evan Conti was a talented scorer and rebounder who took care of the effort plays in high school. JuCo SF Alex Jackson could be useful in the frontcourt, along with Boston PF Ousmane Drame and his soft touch. MD PF Marquis Barnett also will grab boards and be a physical presence down low. SG Zaid Hearst is a fast perimeter player who can drive to score, as is other SG Nate Gause.

Central Conn. St.: Schedule

Big Games: 12/17 @ Northwestern, 2/4 @ LIU, 2/8 @ Quinnipiac, 2/16 @ Robert Morris

Amidst an easy non-con schedule the only real chance for CCSU to draw attention will be against fringe NCAA contender Northwestern on the road. Once they get to NEC play the team that can beat other contenders on the road will probably win the title, so the stretch mentioned above will be critical to CCSU.

Freshmen: Florida SG Adonis Burbage will be able to drive to the basket and represents a pretty good get for the Blue Devils. PG Kyle Vinales ought to eventually serve as a playmaker and scorer once he becomes more consistent. He may have a head up on other PG Malcolm McMillan who may have a longer way to go in developing into a strong contributor. SG Shelton Mickell also will look to develop into a solid contributor in the backcourt but may be a bit away from doing so. Erik Raleigh from Philadelphia rounds out the class.

Bryant: Schedule

Big Games: 12/1 vs. CCSU, 12/10 @ Providence, 12/18 @ BC, 12/22 @ Arizona, 1

Taking on a more challenging non-conference schedule than many of the rest of their fellow members in the NEC could pay dividends if they can impress against rebuilding regional big-shots Providence and BC, while they get their best shot at national exposure at Arizona, albeit in a game they likely have no chance in. If they can get off to a fast start against top-of-the-pack Central in December, it could bode well for their improvement in the NEC standings.

Freshmen: Israeli big Ben Altit could be the best frosh in the conference this year, coming from his nation's U18 team and club Maccabi Tel Aviv. Redshirt PF Troy Robinson has had opportunity to develop and could now become a contributor in the post as well.

Sacred Heart: Schedule

Big Games: 11/17 @ Rutgers, 1/7 vs. SF-NY, 1/26 vs. Wagner, 2/11 vs. Bryant

Rutgers is a rebuilding team, so Sacred Heart may have a chance more so than they might otherwise against a Power 6 team, while getting a bit more exposure than usual. To move up the standings, the Pios will need to distinguish themselves against other mid-pack NEC teams, and winning those 3 above home games will help to push them upward in the standings.

Freshmen: PG Phil Gaetano is they type of floor leader who will distribute rather than taking shots for himself, and his attention from Ivy League schools speaks to the smarts he will bring on the court. G Steve Glowiak redshirted last year but brings a good 3-point shot to the Pioneers, and F Justin Swidowski is a DII transfer from Holy Family who will contribute in the post both offensively and defensively.

A-10 Tourney Heading To Brooklyn

As rumors swirl about the ACC perhaps taking over MSG as a potential tournament site from the Big East another conference is making a great move to NYC. The Atlantic-10 Conference tournament, according to reports, will be moving in 2013 from Atlantic City to the soon-to-be home of Jay-Z's Brooklyn Nets, the Barclays Center. This will hopefully give the conference a great presence in the huge media market, as well as improving attendance that had been low at its previous site. Although more western programs like Dayton and Xavier may not be happy to have the tournament staying so far away, it places the tournament right in the middle of many of the A-10's northeastern programs. As far as the conference's New England schools, this makes the tournament an easy trip for URI and UMass fans as those programs fight their way back to the top of the conference that they occupied in the 1990s.

Schedules and Freshmen: MAAC

Fairfield: Schedule

Big Games: 11/14 vs. Providence, 11/17 @ Minnesota, 11/24-27 Old Spice Classic (vs. Arizona State, then Dayton or Wake Forest, possibly Minnesota or Texas Tech after), 2/24 at Iona

These Stags have plenty of chances this year to prove against good teams that they are ready to deliver on their promise of the last 2 years and make it to the NCAA tournament. They could definitely pick up a statement win or two against any of those major conference teams that they will face early on in the season (best shots against PC and maybe WF or Dayton in Orlando). The MAAC may come down to Fairfield and Iona so their meeting on 2/24 in New Rochelle will be critical.

Freshmen: only a couple players coming in for the Stags but they could be good ones. Transfer Rakim Sanders from BC could be a piece that truly elevates this team to contenders, as he knows what playing at the sports highest level in the ACC is like. Desmond Wade, from Houston, also brings good playmaking potential at the point. As far as freshmen go, Adam Jones will be a solid PF who can be great if he finds consistency. Vince Van Nes will be a good addition at C, with huge size at 6'11" and a decent amount of range. Keegan Hyland transferred from Gonzaga after a concussion prior to the start of his first season. He was a star in high school in Maine but felt like he had little likelihood of playing time in Spokane. He could be a surprise asset.

Schedules and Freshmen: Ivy League

Harvard: Schedule

Big Games: 11/24-26 Battle 4 Atlantis (vs. Utah, possibly Florida State and/or UConn), 12/8 at UConn, 2/24 vs. Princeton

As a team expected to be among the top 50 in the country next year, games against FSU and UConn (they will beat Utah) will be a chance to show their mettle. They have a good chance of at least giving the Noles a game and could do the same against UConn to show that they are among the nation's elite. But they must beat Princeton to prove that last year was not a fluke.

Freshmen: Tommy Amaker got a great class this year, one which could help them to their first NCAA tourney. Kenyatta Smith, rated 90 on ESPN, is a 3-star C who is the highlight of the class. Wesley Saunders is the #52 ranked PF in the class according to ESPN and also a 3-star recruit, bringing great athleticism and size to play for the Crimson as one of California's top players. Corbin Miller will be a great stop-and-pop shooter for the Crimson, while Jonah Travis has raw post skills but will need to improve his outside game to become more of an SF in college. Steve Mondou-Missi also could make an impact in the post, although may need time to work his way up the depth chart as he lacks any outside game. SF Max Hooper possesses a great shot. Alex Nesbitt is a G out of Chicago.

Brown: Schedule

Big Games: 12/3 at Iowa, 12/5 at Providence, 1/28 vs. Harvard, 2/3 vs. Princeton

Iowa and Providence aren't exactly at program highs right now, but still a respectable showing would go a long way toward legitimizing the Bears. (Especially if they stand up to their crosstown rival) Legitimacy in the Ivy League will come quickly with a win over either of the conference's current power programs.

Freshmen: Brown brings in some decent players this year, particularly nice-shooting TX SG Christian Gore. MA prep Joe Sharkey should develop into a pretty good PG for the Bears. Brazilian C Rafael Maia comes with a decent inside and outside game. PF Jon Schmidt from MD is a very smart kid who long wanted to play hoops in the Ivy League. G Taylor Wright is the son of Villanova's Jay and brings a good 3-point shot to the team. Longji Yiljep brings track-star speed at G as well.

Dartmouth: Schedule

Big Games: 11/11 at Rutgers,1/7 at Harvard, 1/21 vs. Harvard

Rebuilding Rutgers might give Dartmouth a chance at getting off to a good start in their climb up from the Ivy cellar. Starting conference play well in two games against Harvard would also go a long way toward eking out some success in Hanover.

Freshmen: Mediocre class here. Jvonte Brooks will be a very blue-collar PF. Lithuanian PF Gabas Maldunas is on his way to being an inside-out post. Athletic John Golden had been receiving increased attention from better programs before choosing Dartmouth. Will McConnell comes from one of CA's top programs. G Mack McKearney was late to get attention, but Dartmouth was one of the few D1 schools to pay attention to him. F Kirill Savolainen, from Finland, rounds out the class.

Yale: Schedule

Big Games: 11/22 at Seton Hall, 12/3 vs. Vermont, 1/27 vs. Harvard, 2/18 at Harvard

Seton Hall and Vermont dates give the Bulldogs chances to play established teams that they might stand a chance of keeping up with to build early-season confidence. And when are Harvard and Yale games in any sport not a big deal? Like everyone else in the Ivy league, you can believe they're circling those dates on their calendar.

Freshmen: Yale brings in a big, decent class this year. Brandon Sherrod is a PF with good inside skills and the ability to shoot jumpers. Chappaqua, NY PF Matt Townsend is another inside bruiser who's willing to fight to make things happen for his team. SG Javier Duren brings size on the perimeter as well as handling to play the point at times. NYC SF Armani Cotton will bring the ability to defend at multiple positions and C Will Childs-Klein has great size but at times has struggled to shoot the ball.

Boston U.: Jake O'Brien To Miss 2011-12 Season

Call it pulling a Peyton. After needing another surgery to repair a broken foot, Boston University big man Jake O'Brien, absent for the Terriers' run to the NCAA Tournament after an injury @UMass on last New Year's Eve, will miss the entirety of the next season (according to his facebook quoth One-Bid Wonders). This is a huge blow for a Terriers team that was expecting to only be minus John Holland from last year's squad but must now replace their two best players from last year. Hopefully Dom Morris, Patrick Hazel and Jeff Pelage will be able to step up, or the Terriers might face significant problems in the post. O'Brien does plan to seek a medical redshirt and play his senior year in 2012-13.

Schedules and Freshmen: CAA

Northeastern: Schedule

Big Games: 11/26 @ St. John's., 12/3 vs. Old Dominion, 12/22 @ NC State, 2/4 @ VCU

Obviously any game against a BCS conference team is a chance for a mid-major like NU to prove itself, and against rebuilding St. John's and NC State, Northeastern may be able to compete. If the team wants to climb back near the top of the CAA and a postseason tournament like two years ago, a good start would be wins against powers like Old Dominion and VCU.

Freshmen: Although replacing Chaisson Allen will not be easy, Northeastern got a couple of great commits from #58 PF in the nation Quincy Ford and #72 SF Reggie Spencer. Ford, of Florida, possesses great size and scoring ability while Alabama's Spencer will be solid on the low block for NU. Marco Banegas and Demitrius Pollard represent more of long-term investments at guard for coach Bill Coen.

Schedules and Freshmen: America East

Quick breakdown of schedules and incoming recruiting classes for New England teams in the AE:

Boston U.: Schedule

Big Games: 11/13 @ Texas, 11/26 @ URI, 12/3 @ BC, 12/10 vs. Harvard, 12/13 @ Villanova, 1/14 @ Stony Brook

Of course BU probably will not have much of a shot in games against Villanova and Texas, it certainly helps one's RPI come tournament time to be boosting up that strength of schedule, and any sort of respectable showing will turn some heads. Tommy Amaker's built a nice program at Harvard, so that would be a significant victory if the Terriers can manage, similarly (although to a lesser extent) as their game at URI. Bringing the Comm. Ave. Rivalry back to the hardwood will obviously be meaningful, especially if the Terriers can pick up a W (they may have a great opportunity to do so). Stony Brook looks like the other best team in the AE coming into this year, so picking up a win on their home court would be a big advantage in the conference race.

Freshmen: BU signed 2 players for this coming year, 2-Star PF (ESPN) James Kennedy out of Dorchester and SG Zach Chionuma out of New York state. Although neither is perhaps an impact recruit on the caliber of last year's standouts D.J. Irving and Dom Morris, both should be able to contribute in new Coach Joe Jones' system. If Kennedy can step up in the wake of Jake O'Brien missing the season, it could help the Terriers overcome what seems to be a serious blow to their chances in the coming season.

Hartford: Schedule

Big Games: 112/12 @ Penn State, 12/3 @ Central Florida, 1/8 vs. Vermont, 1/22 vs. BU, 2/21 vs. Stony Brook

Maine certainly turned heads by beating PSU last year and it would certainly be no different for Hartford as the Nittany Lions attempt to rebuild under recent BU coach Pat Chambers. UCF provides the other best opportunity for national exposure in a very low-level non-conference slate, exposure key to a nationwide recruiting process that Coach Gallagher seems to be instituting at UH. As the school attempts to move up the AE hierarchy, beating the conference's heavyweights will be essential, and thus home games against Vermont, BU and SBU will be their best opportunities to assert the Hawks as a program on the rise.

Freshmen: This UHart team will have quite a number of freshmen who will attempt to replace last year's star seniors Joe Zeglinski and Morgan Sabia. SG Wes Cole and PG Yolonzo Moore, both out of Texas, are among the top 150 in the country at each of their positions, as is Washington PF Nate Sikma. NC SG Dustin Clarke is UHart's closest to home recruit in this class, #170 at his position according to ESPN. Less is known about Australian SG Corbin Wroe and Wisconsin PF James Schneck, but in a youthful roster, both might get a chance to show why Coach Gallagher traveled so far in search of them.

Maine: Schedule

Big Games: 11/17 @ UConn, 12/8 @ Notre Dame, 2/6 vs. Vermont, 2/9 @ BU

UConn and Notre Dame are obviously settings in which a team can make a name for itself by presenting a challenge to a national power. Although the Black Bears may/will not win these games, they can certainly get practice in difficult settings that can be applied to conference play. This team faded late last year, so picking up wins against BU and Vermont toward the end of the year would help keep momentum strong down the stretch if they are still in contention.

Freshmen: Ted Woodward has assembled a 6-man recruiting class for 2011, including MA prep PF Zarko Valjarevic, the #108 SG in the class who has the potential to make big shots for the Black Bears. Their only other ESPN-reviewed player is 1-star SG Xavier Pollard. The rest of the class has some international flavor with Israeli PG Noam Laish, Canadian SG Justin Edwards and Finnish SF Kilian Cato. NY C Ethan Mackey rounds out the class.

Vermont: Schedule

Big Games: 11/23 @ Old Dominion, 11/26 vs. Siena, 12/1 vs. Harvard, 1/2 @ Stony Brook, 1/5 vs. BU

Old Dominion, Siena and Harvard have all been among the toughest mid-major teams in the country the last few years, so new UVM coach John Becker has a true opportunity to make a statement by beating these teams and showing that Vermont remains a strong mid-major itself, especially since two of the games come at home. Similarly, his first two league games come against recently strong Stony Brook and BU, so he could again show that his is the top program in the AE.

Freshmen: Vermont brings in a couple of moderately talented freshmen, although time will tell whether or not they can successfully replace the graduated Evan Fjeld and Joey Accaoui. Four McGlynn is a two-star SG, #128 at the position in the class and in possession of a great shot., while Chris Santo is the #123 SF in the class who may be an effective inside scorer. John Angstadt will walk on as a guard.

New Hampshire: Schedule

Big Games: 11/14 @ BC, 12/11 vs. Fairfield, 12/20 @ Providence, 1/5 @ Hartford, 1/11 @ Albany

BC and Providence are rebuilding, so if UNH can give the same sort of effort they did in nearly toppling UConn last year, they may find themselves with a power-6 conference win or two. Fairfield is also a solid mid-major program which would be a big win if the Cats can pull it off (perhaps more than BC or PC right now). In order to show they're ready to join the upper tier of the AE (if they are) the Wildcats will need road wins against other midpack conference teams, and they could prove their mettle early against the Hawks and the Great Danes.

Freshmen: Bill Herrion's class this year isn't bad highlighted by SG Garrett Jones of Chicago, Tommy McDonnell (son of UNH's football coach and Durham-area native) and Centenary transfer PF Jeron Trotman. All will have opportunities to break in on a building UNH team, but likely will not be short-term impact players.

Welcome!

Hey, welcome those of you who are reading this to a new blog that I'm beginning to cover a pretty wide swath of New England College Basketball. I am a UConn fan by birth (grew up in Storrs, CT) and I just finished my undergrad degree at Boston U. last spring, but I would very much like this blog to at least cover the basics of New England's many Division I basketball squads including:

Big East:

UConn

Providence

ACC:

Boston College

America East:

BU

Vermont

New Hampshire

Maine

Hartford

Atlantic-10:

UMass

Rhode Island

NEC:

CCSU

Sacred Heart

Quinnipiac

Bryant

Ivy:

Dartmouth

Brown

Yale

Harvard

MAAC:

Fairfield

CAA:

Northeastern

Patriot:

Holy Cross

As my particular personal schools to follow are UConn and BU, my coverage my be more exhaustive in those schools as the season goes on, but I will be making an effort to cover all the stories I can for these many schools. I would accept any tips or stories to cover on any of these schools, as well as offers to be "correspondents" on one or more schools. If you wanna just talk about your favorite team or make some write-ups for the blog, just let me know, I would very much love to have the help. Anyway, my first bit of coverage will be attempts to get schedules posted up over the next few days, as I try to get my bearings in running a project like this. Glad to have you reading this, and I hope you enjoy the blog!