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January 15, 2008

Kevin McNamara's college hoops transcript

Kevin McNamara: Hello college hoops fans. Just left the TV where George Mitchell is going on and on about his steroids report. Needless to say, spending an hour with you folks is more enjoyable. Keep the questions coming. We have about a half dozen in the Q right now.

THL: Good afternoon. During the last chat I asked about the field for next year's Annaheim Classic. You told me that you would check on it. Were you successful?

Kevin McNamara: I am sorry but I have not checked. I promise to follow up on that and get the teams in the paper this week. Thanks for reminding me.

Friar Rob: Kevin, thanks for your terrific coverage of college hoops. Keep up the good work. What is the story with Curry redshirting this season? I thought the decision had to be made before the USF game?

Kevin McNamara: Thanks for the kind words. I do not feel Curry will play this year. With 14 regular season games remaining, I don’t see it as a wise choice for Sharaud to make a comeback. Will he get to close to 100 percent by the end of this season, or perhaps by Feb. 1? I believe he will. But I do not feel playing in 10-12 games helps his future or the teams at this point. He has not practiced at all and just getting him up to game speed and integrating him into the lineup doesn’t make sense to me.

As for the redshirting issue, the act of applying for a redshirt doesn’t occur until a player needs one. In this case, Curry would not have to apply for one until after NEXT season. He has one year of eligibility left that he will use next season. Then he can apply for a fifth year, which he undoubtedly would get. Tim Welsh has taken the stance that there is nothing to talk about with Curry until he is healthy enough to at least practice. We are not there yet. However, I can certainly see the writing on the wall

terwilliger: Kevin Re the foul shots at the end of the uri game sunday. Once the official has awarded a foul shot to a player and he shoots it, doesn't it have to stay in the books? Suppose Jimmy Baron had missed that first shot (one and one-8th team foul), would the URI coach have had the privilege of getting the call switched to Kareem after Duquense scored (potentially) a game winning hoop? (Remember Tyus Edney from UCLA?). It seemed bizarre, and it might be important next time. In my mind the call is akin to a baseball appeal.. Once the next pitch is made (in this case once the foul shot is taken) there is no appeal. The Dukes coach cleverly earned himself two options. In other words two players had to make the same shot!

Kevin McNamara: Good question. The rules do not state that you can't wipe off a foul shot. The officials are obliged, however, to make sure the correct shooter goes to the line. That was the error that the refs corrected. The scenario you bring up is an excellent one. If Baron misses and the Dukes go down and score can URI say the wrong shooter was at the line. I guess they could but since Coach Baron thought jimmy was the one who was fouled, that would not have happened. I will ask on official that one and get back to you. Excellent question.

GoRhodyMA: Kevin - which St. Louis will show up on Thursday, the one that took Dayton to overtime or the one that scored 20 pts vs. GW?

Kevin McNamara: I am willing to give SLU the benefit of the doubt and say they will play tough at home against the Rams. Scoring 20 points in a game is just bizarre, to say the least. The Billikens are better than that, but not very good. They must try to slow the tempo against URI and will certainly do that. I don't see Rick Majerus' best attempts as being good enough. Give the Rams another hard-fought win and a needed road victory. BTW, Dayton's injury to Chris Wright is a major one fo the Flyers. They will be in trouble the next two games, hosting Umass and going to Xavier.

hoop fan: Kevin- Sunday night Len Robbins on the Big East show on SNY said PC was one of the 3 hardest jobs along with South Florida and Seton Hall. He also along with the moderator said PC was lucky to have Welsh. Your thoughts?

Kevin McNamara: First of all, I respect Lenn Robbins a lot. He’s a close friend and we’ve talked about these subjects a lot. The question of which is the hardest job in the Big East is a good one. I think everyone would agree that South Florida tops the list. It’s a football school in a football state, although Billy Donovan has showed that all things are possible and the plethora of talent in the state give Stan Heath a fighting chance, for sure. I also agree that Seton Hall is a tougher job than Providence. The move out of the Meadowlands was a huge positive for the Pirates but moving into a similar sized building (18,500) still is not what college teams need. Not playing on campus hurts all of the Catholic schools very badly and is the reason why Villanova is ahead of the game in that regard. Now which is the third hardest job? Providence looks like it to me. St. John’s would be right after PC but I feel the Red Storm is a good recruiting class away from getting back into the top half of the Big East. Whether the current head coach can deliver that is another question.

PC lacks a lot of things other schools in the league take for granted. The biggest is recruiting ability. Look at the long history of PC hoops. They do it with under-the-radar kids, not studs. Best example is the fact that two high-major kids are in Rhode Island right now: Erik Murphy and Mike Marra. I’d be surprised if PC gets either one. Murphy has 7 schools and PC isn’t one of them. That tells me a lot and it isn’t good.

Is PC lucky to have Tim Welsh? I think PC’s ability to win in the New Big East is unclear right now. This isn’t the league Rick Pitino and Rick Barnes faced. It’s much better and more challenging. Is Welsh the coach to keep PC in the top 6-10 every year in that environment? I am not convinced. This year and next, with a veteran team, will answer that question. Many Big East people feel that the results Welsh has delivered at PC are about what the school should expect. Which Big East jobs do you see as tougher than PC?

Analyst: Kevin - can Brown which lives and dies with the 3 beat out a much more athletic Cornell and a comparable Yale for the League title or will there be too many nites when both McAndrew and Huffman are off to win the12 games it will take to win the title? Have you noticed that is is rare when both of them score 20 or more together (is that a psychological/ sibling rivalry thing)?

Kevin McNamara: I am high on Brown. I think Craig Robinson is doing an excellent job with a team that lacks an awful lot of answers. Obviously, the Bears cannot have a game where Mark McAndrew and Damon Huffman both struggle shooting the ball. Can 1 be good and the other shaky? That wouldn't be good either. I think the good news is the league will be wide open enough for you to stub your toe 2-3 times. I see 11-3 as a Ivy title-winning record. Brown is at Yale Saturday. Needless to say, that is a very big game. The good news is the Bears have played so well on the road this season that I'm sure they are looking forward to the trip.

THL: At this stage of the season have you changed your mind on where the Friars will finish in the BE? An extension of that Q is do you think they will make the Big Dance...and if not, does TW get fired?

Kevin McNamara: I do not think that making the NCAA's is an all-or-nothing proposition for Tim Welsh's future at PC. I feel it should not be. Bob Driscoll has publicly stated that he wants to see continued improvement from the team this season. The loss of Sharaud Curry to injury certainly should be considered and will be. I see the Friars as a 2nd tier Big East team that can still make an NIT-NCAA run but also will have trouble making the Big East Tournament, if you can believe that statement. The difference between 7-8th place and 12th place will be very slim in this conference. I see the Friars fitting in that spot. Obviously, the teams that play with the most consistency will be the ones that qualify for New York and be in position to go to the NIT/NCAA.

joey the ram fan: hi kevin great job with all the info... i know rhody has some decent guys locked up for next year with orion outerbridge and the 5-7 point guard from mass... any others of note and pc is losing only burch so what does the freshman class consist of????

Kevin McNamara: The URI recruiting class holds excellent promise. You mentioned Outerbridge, who is talented but a bit of a project, and Stevie Mejia, who will compete with Marquis Jones for PG playing time. The Rams also like Ryan Brooks, a long 6-8 forward who has played very well in S. Jersey; Canadian athlete Randy Dezourve; and Jamal Wilson, a big-time athlete from Philly. Getting them all academically qualifed is now the focus.

Kevin McNamara: PC has one signee ro replace Burch. They could sign another player for 2008 and the staff is looking at PG and a big man.

ramfan: Kev- you do a great job for both pc and uri, especially for a Cuse grad! thanks, any thoughts on the Friars playing Kale, Hanke and Mcdermott together? with 5 guards rotating, and Hall and Peterson backing up the 3 front spots it could give the friars some size and strength while still keeping the offense flowing and some pressure D out front.

Kevin McNamara: You mentioned virtually everyone on the roster in the frontcourt and that's probably who'll you see play. Tim Welsh clearly likes to use his bench this season and thinks the depth can be a factor. I know that McDermott/Hanke do tire and that's hurt the Friars in the past. If they can get something out of Greedy/Kale/Hall every game, they'll be better for it. Playing McDermott/Hanke/Kale together is not the team's best defensive lineup, by a long shot. I don;t think you'll see that often at all.

terwilliger: Thanks Kevin (re uri foul shooter)I still think that coach Everhart got a two for one special. He must have brought his CVS card to the RYAN center.

Kevin McNamara: I know that CVS is big in Pittsburgh, too. Wouldn't be surprised if Coach Ron is a card-carrier.

mjsback04@hotmail.com: In 2002-03 and 2003-04 PC had the following players: Kabba, McGrath, Douthit, Sanders, Gomes, Augustin, Mills, and Hill. In those two years, PC had as much talent as anyone in the country yet they did not win a tournament game. Do you agree with this assessment? Can you do a where are they now segment on former PC players?

Kevin McNamara: I do not agree with that assessment at all. As much talent as anyone in the country? How about as much talent as anyone in the Northeast! I'd say Boston College (Craig Smith, Jared Dudley, Sean Williams) had more. PC fans always overrate their talent and that's the case this year, too. That PC group has one sure-fire pro (Ryan Gomes) and a fringe one (MDouthit). That's fair talent, not a lot. They needed more, clearly, to make a deeper run in the NCAA's. Now should that team in 2003 have beaten Pacific? Yes. Wonder how that win would change people's perception of the program. By the way, that team would face long, long odds in its second round game: versus Kansas in Kansas City.

chris: Can and will URI go 4-0 leading up to the Dayton rematch? URI has given up too many points vs Dayton and Duquesne compared to previous games...what will they need to do to solidify the defense?

Kevin McNamara: URI's next 4 are at St. Louis, home to GWashington, at the Bonnies and home vs. Richmond. You could say this is the `easiest' stretch of the A-10 season but going on the road twice is never easy. I do agree that Rhody will win all four and host Dayton at 5-1 in the league. The best defense for this team is either better offense or defensive rebounding. They aren't built to be a lock-down defensive team. It's just the way it is. Doing a better job off the defensive boards is key.

GoRhodeIslandURI: Kevin, ESPN Bracket logy has URI a 6 Seed. If/when Rhody makes the Tourney what do you think their seed will be? Also ESPN has PC out do you think PC can make the dance?

Kevin McNamara: As a 6 seed, that means the Rams are one the 20-24 line in the field. Sounds about right. The Rams have a strong RPI and need additional road wins over good teams to solidify their place both in the NCAA field and as a top 5-6 seed. Remember this: URI will face an absolute killer 1st round game in the NCAA unless it someone finds its way into a top four seed, which looks like a stretch. Even then, a 4 plays a 13 seed and those teams are dangerous. So 5 seed, 6 seed, 7 seed. Doesn't matter much. What you want to avoid is a 2nd round matchup against a 1-2 seed.

ramfan: Kev- last question for this week. Coach Baron seems far more creative this year. Can the rams win the A-10 and make a run in the tourney?

Kevin McNamara: Certainly can. Their offensive ability makes them a very dangerous team. Looks around the country at plenty of teams that struggle to score (Michigan State, for one). That will not be a problem for the Rams, almost no matter who they play. Defense and rebounding are the keys for URI to make any kind of a post-season run.

THL: Recruiting----Kevin, with TW's status up in the air, how do you look at current recruiting for the very important 2009 class?

Kevin McNamara: I think it is hard for any recruit to commit to PC without the school commiting to its coach. It's that simple. And, yes, the class of 2009 is a very, very important one if the Friars don't want to take a big-time dip after the McDermott/Hanke/Efejuku/Xavier/Curry/Kale class leaves after next season.

terwilliger: thanks Kevin Coach Baron is the definition of integrity but in theory he could have created that scenario. How loudly would coach Everhart have yelled if Jimmy missed the shot? Ans. not at all! And, how distracted could he have possibly been at that moment (and his assts). not to see that it was Jimmy shooting. I think that he got two for one. It was a great game!

Kevin McNamara: It was a great game. One of the best I've seen this year. You can go `round and `round with the end of the game scenario in that one. Enjoy the spinning!

Kevin McNamara: Almost set to wrap things up guys. Fire away any late 3-pointers.

I HATE PC: will Will Daniels win A-10 player of the year? Or is that Roberts award to lose?

Kevin McNamara: Will Daniels can certainly win the PofY award in the A-10. Roberts has played very well but if the Rams beat Dayton in two weeks and go on to finish 1 or 2 in the conference, I can't see where Will can't be the choice. He's having an outstanding senior season.

ernieDwannabe: Kevin. there are a number of good RI players outside of Marra and Murphy- Can URI or PC help Jerrell Gomes through Juco to the big time, and what about Bruce Sobers in WestWarwick (a GeoffMcdermott clone!)

Kevin McNamara: I hear good things about Gomes and Sobers, although they may not be D-1 prospects. I haven't seen either myself so I don't want to say that for sure. I know that both PC and URI monitor the locals and have AAU ties in Rhode Island. Marra and Murphy, however, are a cut above.

rhody22: Kevin, Baron uses Cothran at the point sometimes. Do you think he can handle those duties?

Kevin McNamara: Keith is an interesting player. I'd say he's a developing offensive player without a true position. A combo, for sure. Defensively, he's as good as you're going to find. I'll take him on my team and over time he has a chance to be very, very good.

rf321: How good is Jeff Xavier ?

Kevin McNamara: Jeff X is very good. A better deep shooter than I realized and PC's fiercest defender. He needs to keep being a stronger leader and shake up a few teammates who don't play as hard as he does. He is another guard I'll happily take on my team.

I HATE PC: How many teams have a better 1-2 scoring punch then URI's dynamic duo of Jimmy Baron and Will Daniels?

Kevin McNamara: Not many. I think that's pretty clear. Don't see another one in the entire A-10.

THL: Bilal Dixon is having a great HS season...can he be an impact player on this Friar team as a freshman....and Thanks for your time today.

Kevin McNamara: Hearing good things on Bilal. Next year he'll have to beat out Hanke, Hall and Kale for playing time. Tough to do.

Kevin McNamara: That's all folks. I'll be back in this forum in a week or two. You can always forward questions to us and either myself or Paul Kenyon will answer them for you. Take care.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 1:34 PM | Permalink

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