Championship Week — HPP S4-E22 Hoops Prospects Podcast (HPP) podcast

2:39:24

Just before the tipoff of the 2025 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, Rich Harris, Drew Barton, and Josh Tischler put their heads together and pick a collective bracket. Reviewing each matchup in all four regions, the guys eliminate teams one by one until only a champion is standing. Also, they discuss oversights by the NCAA selection committee, the latest coaching changes, and standout players entering the transfer portal in a new College Hoops Notebook. CHAPTERS : 1. College Hoops Notebook (3:47) Big Coaching Changes New Additions to the Portal Selection Committee Shenanigans 2. Picking a Collective Bracket South Region (28:51) West Region (1:10:10) East Region (1:38:35) Midwest Region (2:02:51) Final Four (2:22:52)…

Hoops Prospects Podcast (HPP)

1
Championship Week — HPP S4-E22 2:34:22

10 days ago2:34:22

2:34:22

Rich Harris, Drew Barton, Joey Bardack, and Josh Tischler make predictions for all 16 conference tournaments tipping off this week. Also, in a new College Hoops Notebook, the guys discuss the latest coaching and GM changes, the opening of the transfer portal, and the developments in the 15 conference tourneys already in progress, including the March Madness auto-bids already earned. CHAPTERS : 1. College Hoops Notebook (2:10): Latest Coaching and GM Changes The Portal is Open for Business Updates on the 15 Conference Tourneys in Progress 2. Conference Tourney Previews and Picks (46:40): Atlantic 10 (A-10) American (AAC) ACC Big 12 Big East Big Ten Big West C-USA Ivy League Metro Atlantic (MAAC) Mid-American (MAC) Mid-Eastern (MEAC) Mountain West (MWC) SEC Southwestern Athletic (SWAC) WAC…

Hoops Prospects Podcast (HPP)

1
Fighting to Dance, with Rasheer Fleming, Enoch Cheeks, Isaiah Hawthorne & Langston Reynolds — HPP S4-E21 2:12:55

15 days ago2:12:55

2:12:55

This episode features interviews with four mid-major stars: St. Joe’s forward Rasheer Fleming, a top NBA Draft prospect, Dayton guard Enoch Cheeks, UNC forward Isaiah Hawthorne and UNC guard Langston Reynolds. Also, Drew Barton and Rich Harris discuss the possibility of Cooper Flagg returning to Duke, the flaws in the March Madness selection process, and who’s the best bet to win the WCC Tourney. Fleming, a POY candidate in the Atlantic 10 Conference, is averaging 15.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 57% from the floor, 43% from deep, and 69% from the free-throw line. In terms of metrics, the 6-foot-9 junior currently ranks in the top ten of the conference for EFG% (65.7), REB% (16.0), BLK% (5.0), offensive rating (126.5), defensive rating (93.2), PER (25.5), win shares (4.8), and plus-minus (9.1). Cheeks, who leads the Flyers in MPG this season, is averaging 13.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.9 steals (4th in A-10) per game while shooting 48% from the floor, 36% from deep, and 85% from the FT line. The senior guard ranks fourth in the Atlantic 10 with an offensive rating of 122.3 and fifth with a plus-minus of 7. Teammates at Northern Colorado, Hawthorne and Reynolds are both All-Big Sky candidates, ranking in the top five of the conference for scoring. Hawthorne is a grad transfer from USF who is averaging 17.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-8 forward ranks in the top 10 of the Big Sky for PPG, SPG (1.2), EFG% (57.6), FG% (49.2), FT% (81.6), 3-pointers made (60, 39.2%), offensive rating (119.8), defensive rating (104.2), PER (23.5), win shares (4.0), and plus-minus (2.8). Langston is a junior, who is averaging 16.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. The 6-foot-4 guard ranks in the top ten of the Big Sky for PPG, RPG, APG, EFG% (62.5, 1st), FG% (60.3, 1st), and win shares (3.9). CHAPTERS : 1. College Hoops Notebook (0:53) Let Cooper Flagg Make Up His Own Mind Flaws in the NCAA Tournament Selection Process Where Things Stand in the A-10 2. Enoch Cheeks Interview (58:19) 3. Rasheer Fleming Interview (1:19:20) 4. Picks of the Week — WCC Tourney (1:36:55) 5. Isaiah Hawthorne & Langston Reynolds Interview (1:52:11)…

Hoops Prospects Podcast (HPP)

1
The Madness Begins, with Drake’s Bennett Stirtz — HPP S4-E20 2:11:35

16 days ago2:11:35

2:11:35

Rich Harris, Drew Barton, Joey Bardack, and Josh Tischler make predictions for the conference tournaments that are tipping off this week, talk about the latest hot topics in a new College Notebook, and sit down with one of the most intriguing stars in college basketball this season, Drake point guard Bennett Stirtz. Transferring to Drake in the offseason, Stirtz and three other teammates followed Coach Ben McCollum from Northwest Missouri State, where McCollum won four DII national championships. The four former Northwest Missouri State players are all starting this season for the Bulldogs, who have defeated teams such as Vanderbilt and Kansas State on the way to a 27-3 record. Heading into Arch Madness (the MVC Tourney), Stirtz is the heavy favorite to win the Missouri Valley Conference POY award this season. He is leading the MVC in plus-minus (9.8), offensive (131.4) and defensive rating (97.1), points per game (18.9), assists per game (5.9), steals per game (2.2), and minutes per game (39.4). The 6-foot-4 junior is also averaging 4.4 rebounds per game while shooting 50% from the field, 38% from deep, and 79% from the foul line. Lastly, he leads the nation in both minutes played (1180) and win shares (7.8). CHAPTERS : 1. College Notebook (1:12) The guys’ observations from recent games attended St. John’s wins first Big East Title in 40 Years Mike Young will be returning next year for Virginia Tech Jaxson Robinson OUT for the year — can Kentucky recover? Hoosiers back in the Dance? Ohio State’s recent struggles Gonzaga back on track? 2. Bennett Stirtz Interview (44:14) 3. Picks of the Week — Conference Tournament Picks (1:01:19) American East Atlantic Sun Big Sky Big South Coastal Athletic Horizon Missouri Valley Northeast Ohio Valley Patriot League Southern Southland Summit League Sun Belt…

Hoops Prospects Podcast (HPP)

1
The Eve of March with Xavier’s Zach Freemantle, Lipscomb’s Jacob Ognacevic, & Air Force’s Ethan Taylor — HPP S4-E19 58:22

21 days ago58:22

58:22

With some conference tournaments on the verge of tipping off, Rich Harris sits down with three star players, all of whom lead their respective teams in scoring: Xavier forward Zach Freemantle, Lipscomb forward Jacob Ognacevic, and Air Force guard Ethan Taylor. Having overcome a series of injuries, Freemantle is a candidate to be All-Big East this season, averaging 16.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. He ranks in the top ten of the Big East for PPG, RPG, FG% (49.8), and PER (21.8). The 12th highest scorer in the country, Ognacevic is the leading candidate to be the POY in the Atlantic Sun Conference. So far this season, Jacob has led the Bisons to a regular-season championship in the A-Sun, averaging 20.3 points, 8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game while shooting 58% from the floor, 41% from deep, and 79% from the FT line. He ranks in the top five of the conference for PPG, RPG, EFG% (64.2), FT%, offensive rating (130.7), PER (26.5), win shares (6.2), and plus-minus (4.4). A second-year co-captain and a three-time MWC All-Academic selection, Taylor has been a stat-stuffing machine for the Falcons this season, averaging 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, all of which rank in the 12 of the conference. He also leads the MWC in 3-pointers made with 84 and ranks second with a 3-point percentage of 38.7. For his career at Air Force, Ethan is the school’s all-time leader in starts with 117 and also ranks second in three’s made, third in assists, and 12th in scoring. CHAPTERS : Zach Freemantle Interview (1:30) Jacob Ognacevic Interview (19:21) Ethan Taylor Interview (39:49)…

Hoops Prospects Podcast (HPP)

1
Big Ten Update with Ohio State’s Micah Parrish — HPP S4-E18 2:06:33

5 weeks ago2:06:33

2:06:33

Back from an unplanned hiatus, Rich Harris, Joey Bardack, and Josh Tischler discuss everything that has gone down in the Big Ten so far this season, reviewing the top teams, the best pro prospects, the key injuries, the pleasant surprises, and the biggest disappointments. Joining the show is the red-hot Micah Parrish; the Ohio State wing has scored at least 18 points in five of his last eight games, including 30 points vs. Nebraska. For the season, Micah is averaging 12.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 46% from the field, 37% from three, and 79% from the foul line. Also, the guys make their picks of the week (ATS) for this weekend’s games. CHAPTERS : 1. College Notebook (1:49): Observations from recent games attended: Texas/Saint Joe’s/Texas Tech/Syracuse (Legends Classic), Princeton/Rutgers, Yale/Princeton, Rutgers/Illinois, and Ohio State/Washington. A look back at our preseason predictions for the Big Ten Big Ten Teams — who is in/out, who can make the Final Four, the most pleasant surprise, and the biggest disappointment? Thoughts on Big Ten Individual Awards and the players who have exceeded or fallen short of expectations Injury Updates Coaching News and Notes The Top Draft Prospects in the Big Ten 2. Micah Parrish Interview (1:44:43) 3. Picks of the Week (1:57:50)…

Hoops Prospects Podcast (HPP)

1
Making Fearless Predictions & Talking with Javian McCollum — HPP S4-E17 2:29:14

17 weeks ago2:29:14

2:29:14

The guys open up the initial College Hoops Notebook of the regular season and review the first two weeks of action. They also make their predictions for the Final Four, the national champion, and various individual awards. Georgia Tech guard Javian McCollum also joins the show to talk about his basketball journey and the 2024-25 Yellow Jackets. Last season at Oklahoma, Javian ranked in the top 20 of the Big 12 for both points and assists per game, and he led the conference in free-throw percentage. Through four games this season with Georgia Tech, he is averaging 14.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game, with excellent shooting splits (.487/.400/.867). CHAPTERS : 1. College Hoops Notebook (6:23) Updates on Ohio State, Indiana, St. John’s, Gonzaga, Rutgers, Temple, and Princeton Any pretenders in the current Top 25? Which early season surprise teams might be for real: Pittsburgh, Wisconsin, Penn State, Texas Tech, UCF, Arizona State, Utah State, LSU, Georgia, and USF? Most disappointing team this season? The most impressive surprise performers: Egor Demin (BYU), Ty Johnson (UC Davis), Nick Martinelli (Northwestern), Jacob Cofie (UVA), Ian Martinez (Utah State), Jaden Brownell (Samford), Chase Ross (Marquette), Kaleb Banks (Tulane), Tyrone Riley (USF), …. Why does Todd Golden still have a job? 2. Javian McCollum Interview (1:47:38) 3. College Fearless Forecast (2:00:30) All-American Team Individual Awards Final Four Picks One Crazy Prediction…

Hoops Prospects Podcast (HPP)

1
Analyzing the Big 12 & Chatting with UK’s Brandon Garrison — HPP S4-E16 2:19:25

18 weeks ago2:19:25

2:19:25

Rich, Joey and Josh break down the Big 12 Conference from top to bottom, with predictions for NCAA Tournament bids and individual awards. Kentucky sophomore center Brandon Garrison joins the show to talk about his journey to Lexington and the Wildcats’ chances in the SEC this season. Proving to be a valuable sparkplug off the bench for UK this season, Garrison is coming off an impressive freshman year at Oklahoma State. While playing for the Cowboys, the former McDonald’s All-American averaged 22.6 minutes, 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game (5th in Big 12) while shooting 57 percent from the floor. CHAPTERS : 1. Big 12 Preview (3:40) Kansas Iowa State Houston Arizona Cincinnati Kansas State Baylor Brigham Young Texas Tech TCU UCF West Virginia Arizona State Utah Oklahoma State Colorado 2. Brandon Garrison Interview (2:00:03)…

Hoops Prospects Podcast (HPP)

1
SEC Analysis with Matt Murrell & Claudell Harris Jr. — HPP S4-E15 2:29:53

18 weeks ago2:29:53

2:29:53

Rich and Drew declare the SEC as the top conference in college basketball this season, as they break down the league from top to bottom. Two of the top scoring guards in the SEC join the show, Ole Miss senior Mathew Murrell and Mississippi State senior Claudell Harris Jr. Murrell, an All-SEC selection last season, averaged 16.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 46 percent from the floor, 40 percent from deep, and 74 percent from the free-throw line. He ranked in the top 10 of the SEC for FG% and EFG% (56.5), and he also ranked above the 82nd percentile for points per possession with both jump shots and shots at the rim. Last season with Boston College, Harris Jr. averaged 13.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. He ranked fifth in the ACC with 88 three-pointers made and ranked sixth with a 3-point percentage of 37 percent. In terms of points per possession, he ranked higher than the 77th percentile on four play types: transition, isolation, spot-up, and handling in the pick-and-roll (including the results of passes). CHAPTERS : 1. SEC Preview (5:02) Alabama Arkansas Kentucky Tennessee Auburn Texas Texas A&M Mississippi State Ole Miss Florida South Carolina Missouri Georgia LSU Vanderbilt Oklahoma 2. Mathew Murrell Interview (2:03:17) 3. Claudell Harris Jr. Interview (2:17:24)…

Hoops Prospects Podcast (HPP)

1
Big Ten Preview with Payton Sandfort — HPP S4-E14 2:27:51

18 weeks ago2:27:51

2:27:51

Rich, Joey Bardack, and Josh Tischler break down the entire Big Ten conference with predictions for NCAA Tournament bids and individual awards. Big Ten Player of the Year candidate Payton Sandfort joins the show. The Iowa guard/forward talks about his NBA Combine experiences, his development, and the 2024-25 version of the Hawkeyes men's basketball. An All-Big Ten selection last season, Payton averaged 16.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game while shooting 45 percent from the floor, 38 percent from deep, and 91 percent from the free-throw line. He ranked in the top 10 of the Big Ten for 3P%, FT%, EFG% (56.2), offensive rating (123.9), PER (21.8), and plus-minus (8.0). CHAPTERS: 1. Big Ten Preview (2:39) Michigan State Indiana Oregon UCLA Ohio State Illinois Iowa Purdue Michigan Maryland Nebraska USC Wisconsin Washington Rutgers Penn State Northwestern Minnesota 2. Payton Sandfort Interview (2:07:45)…

Hoops Prospects Podcast (HPP)

1
Big East Preview with Dante Maddox Jr. — HPP S4-E13 1:43:34

19 weeks ago1:43:34

1:43:34

Jake and Rich analyze the Big East and make conference predictions for NCAA Tournament bids and individual awards. Xavier senior guard Dante Maddox Jr joins the show to discuss his game and the Musketeers' journey back to the Big Dance this season. Last season with Toledo, Maddox was an All-MAC selection, averaging 15.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 44 percent from the floor, 40 percent from deep, and 86 percent from the line. He ranked in the top five of the conference for FT%, EFG% (53.5), offensive rating (120.4), win shares (4.0), and plus-minus (3.5). CHAPTERS : 1. Big East Preview (4:02) UConn St. John's Creighton Xavier Marquette Villanova Providence Seton Hall Georgetown Butler DePaul 2. Dante Maddox Jr. Interview (1:15:30)…

Hoops Prospects Podcast (HPP)

1
ACC Preview with Jamir Watkins & Tobi Lawal — HPP S4-E12 2:53:31

19 weeks ago2:53:31

2:53:31

Rich and Drew break down the Atlantic Coast Conference, including an interesting discussion on Tony Bennett’s unexpected retirement at UVA and predictions for NCAA Tournament bids and individual awards. Two rising stars in the conference join the show, Florida State guard/forward Jamir Watkins and Virginia Tech forward Tobi Lawal. Last season, the 6-foot-7 Watkins averaged 15.6 points, 6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.9 steals per game while shooting 46 percent from the floor. An all-around producer, he ranked in the top 10 of the ACC for both PER (24.2) and plus-minus (9.1). The ultra-athletic Lawal is a Defensive Player of the Year candidate in the ACC. Last season with VCU, he played 19 minutes per game, averaging 8 points, 6 rebounds and 1.6 combined steals and blocks while shooting 67 percent from the floor. CHAPTERS : 1. ACC Preview (3:43) Duke North Carolina Wake Forest Miami (FL) NC State Louisville Clemson Pittsburgh Syracuse Virginia SMU Georgia Tech Florida State California Stanford Notre Dame Virginia Tech Boston College 2. Jamir Watkins Interview (2:16:35) 3. Tobi Lawal Interview (2:32:20)…

Hoops Prospects Podcast (HPP)

1
AAC Preview with Yaxel Lendeborg & RJ Felton — HPP S4-E11 1:54:49

19 weeks ago1:54:49

1:54:49

Rich and Jake preview the American Athletic Conference with two special guests, UAB forward Yaxel Lendeborg and ECU guard RJ Felton. Lendeborg, the reigning AAC Defensive Player of the Year, averaged 13.8 points, 10.6 rebounds (10th in the nation), 2.1 assists, and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting 51 percent from the floor. He was a first-team All-AAC selection and ranked in the top 5 of the conference for REB% (19.6), BLK% (7.2), PER (26.1), win shares (5.1), and plus-minus (6.6). An All-AAC selection last season, Felton averaged 17.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game. He finished in the top 10 of the conference for FG% (43.1), EFG% (50.6), STL% (3.2), PER (21.9), win shares (4.4), and plus-minus (5.6). CHAPTERS : 1. AAC Preview (3:31) Memphis Temple Florida Atlantic UAB Wichita State South Florida Tulsa East Carolina Tulane North Texas Charlotte Rice Texas-San Antonio 2. RJ Felton Interview (1:13:04) 3. Yaxel Lendeborg Interview (1:34:03)…

Hoops Prospects Podcast (HPP)

1
Atlantic 10 Preview with Max Shulga and Darren Buchanan — HPP S4-E10 2:05:50

21 weeks ago2:05:50

2:05:50

Jake and Rich preview the Atlantic 10, joined by two of the conference’s stars — VCU guard Max Shulga and GW forward Darren Buchanan Jr. Shulga, a first-team All-A10 selection last season, averaged 14.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game with outstanding shooting splits of .446/.415/.876. He finished in the top five of the Atlantic 10 for true shooting percentage (64.3), FT%, 3-pointers made (86), offensive rating (123.4), win shares (5.5), and plus-minus (6.8). Buchanan, a member of the All-A10 Freshman Team last season, averaged 15.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 55% from the floor. He topped the conference in FG%, ranked third in EFG% (56.3), and ranked 4th with PER of 22.6. CHAPTERS : 1. Atlantic 10 Preview (2:22) Dayton VCU Loyola-Chicago Saint Joseph's Saint Louis George Mason Duquesne George Washington Rhode Island Davidson Massachusetts La Salle Richmond Fordham St. Bonaventure 2. Max Shulga Interview (1:22:05) 3. Darren Buchanan Interview (1:44:46)…

Hoops Prospects Podcast (HPP)

1
2024-25 NBA Fearless Forecast — HPP S4-E09 2:18:40

22 weeks ago2:18:40