Mid-Major Madness: All Posts by Steph Crandall"So what are they going to call it? NonPower5Madness.com?"https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50397/midmajor-fav.png2024-02-15T10:47:45-08:00https://www.midmajormadness.com/authors/steph-crandall/rss2024-02-15T10:47:45-08:002024-02-15T10:47:45-08:00Top 10 Sexiest Mid-Major Basketball Coaches of 2024
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<img alt="Niko Medved" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/BR2NR95_-Uc70D0_eYbIRO-Y_Xw=/0x107:3224x2256/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73142200/niko.0.png" />
<figcaption>Graphic by Hannah Butler</figcaption>
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<p id="PpaRhQ">Once again, it’s the time of year when we take a look to our mid major college basketball coaches and think “who do we think is the sexiest of them all?”</p>
<p id="MxmNdY">This year there was no real shot at the coveted title. There was a clear winner that you guys all chose! With almost 200 entries this year, 16.8% of you decided on a clear-cut winner. </p>
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<h2 id="VfkeGs">10. <a href="https://gculopes.com/staff-directory/bryce-drew/521">Bryce Drew </a>- Grand Canyon</h2>
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<cite>Nicole Mullen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK</cite>
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<p id="f03aCv">Coming in at number 10 this year is Bryce Drew, head coach of the Grand Canyon Antelopes. He’s in his fourth season as head coach and is the 14th head coach in program history. </p>
<p id="SaDJjY">With an impressive 22-2 record, they are currently sitting at the top of the WAC. Their two losses come to only South Carolina and Seattle U, and not by that much either. They even managed to knock off No. 25 San Diego back in December. </p>
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<h2 id="Kqmpai">9. <a href="https://utahstateaggies.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/danny-sprinkle/785">Danny Sprinkle </a>- Utah State</h2>
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<cite>Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<p id="vi7YK5">In his first season at Utah State, Sprinkle is wasting no time showing what he and his team can do. He started the season 81-43 (.681) in four years as a head coach, adding 20 wins this season so far. He recently broke a two-game losing streak with a win against Boise State.</p>
<p id="68HF9v">The Aggies are currently sitting at a comfortable 7-seed prediction in the most recent <a href="https://www.bloggingthebracket.com">Bracketology</a> report. With them sitting at the top of the Mountain West standings, they are going to be one hell of a team to beat this March Madness. </p>
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<h2 id="zCV7pR">8. <a href="https://daytonflyers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/anthony-grant/5185">Anthony Grant </a>- Dayton</h2>
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<cite>Matt Lunsford-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<p id="aNUDWW">In his seventh season at his alma mater, Grant and his Flyers are tied for first in the A-10 standings this season at 10-2.</p>
<p id="7YTiJM">With another 20+ win season in the bag for them, the Flyers are currently ranked 16th in the nation and are on track to do some real damage come tournament time. </p>
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<h2 id="Ry6qmG">7. <a href="https://bradleybraves.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/brian-wardle/3315">Brian Wardle</a> - Bradley </h2>
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<cite>MATT DAYHOFF/JOURNAL STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK</cite>
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<p id="za1fD1">Coming in at No. 7 is Brian Wardle, head coach of Bradley. He is currently in his eighth season as head coach and touting a 17-8 record so far this season. While not at the top of the Missouri Valley Conference, they sit third, just below powerhouses Indiana State and Drake. </p>
<p id="n1NRSM">They have the chance to have a 20+ win season this year if all goes according to plan. </p>
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<h2 id="g8DYHv">6. <a href="https://godrakebulldogs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/darian-devries/1103">Darian DeVries</a> - Drake </h2>
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<cite>Lily Smith/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK</cite>
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<p id="a37Uf8">DeVries is in his sixth season as head coach of the Drake Bulldogs. </p>
<p id="PRunMd">Sitting just below Indiana State he’s already reached a coveted 21 wins this season. Winning the 2023 State Farm MVC Tournament title last year, he brought the Bulldogs dancing for two out of the last three years. </p>
<p id="0F8S5F">At the way his team is playing, they surely have a spot in the dance again if they play their cards right. </p>
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<h2 id="nOU5qy">5. <a href="https://goldengrizzlies.com/staff-directory/greg-kampe/18">Greg Kampe</a> - Oakland </h2>
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<cite>Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK</cite>
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<p id="Vvh95d">With 40 seasons under his belt, Kampe is the most seasoned coach on this list. He currently holds the title for the longest tenure at a single school. Oakland is second in the Horizon Conference with a 16-10 (11-4) record. </p>
<p id="UBqVOk">With only five games left in the conference season, they also have a chance at a 20-win season. Will the Grizzlies see the big dance this year? Only time will tell. </p>
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<h2 id="lUOmBI">4. <a href="https://radfordathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/safet-kastrat/989">Safet Kastrat </a>- Radford</h2>
<p id="J1iOFt">While not at Radford anymore, he received 3.6% of your vote!</p>
<p id="GGkcTU">He served as the director of basketball operations for the last two seasons.</p>
<h2 id="Vth7ws">3. <a href="https://charlotte49ers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/aaron-fearne/1756">Aaron Fearne</a> - Charlotte </h2>
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<cite>Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<p id="dy70hz">After being named interim head coach back in June 2023, Fearne was elevated to permanent head coach by Charlotte 49ers. While interim head coach, he led the 49ers to their first-ever eight-game conference winning streak in program history and the first win over a ranked opponent at home since 2010. </p>
<p id="m4Ybln">The 49ers currently sit in third place in the American standings just below South Florida and Florida Atlantic. They have a 15-8 (9-2) record this season so far. With seven games left in conference play, they do have a chance to break the 20-win mark this season. </p>
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<h2 id="eidlzp">2. <a href="https://portlandpilots.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/shantay-legans/2042">Shantay Legans </a>- Portland </h2>
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<cite>James Snook-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<p id="54tgPA">Legans was hired as head coach back in 2021 after he led Eastern Washington to the 2021 NCAA Tournament. As Pilots’ head coach, he led the team to 19-win season and their first postseason victory. Not bad if I say so, myself. </p>
<p id="uttBMa">Currently though, the Pilots sit near the bottom of the West Coast Conference standings, with a 9-17 (3-8) record so far. Despite this, he received 11.2% of the vote from you guys! </p>
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<h2 id="wZcpx4">1.<a href="https://csurams.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/niko-medved/1994"> Niko Medved </a>- Colorado State</h2>
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<cite>Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<p id="AdD0YK">As the 10th head coach in program history, Medved is currently leading the charge from the middle of the pack in the <a href="https://www.mwcconnection.com">Mountain West</a> Conference standings. With an impressive 19-6 wins this season, they have the chance to do some real damage this conference tournament time. </p>
<p id="cBc4r7">With 16.8% of the vote, there was no doubt that this was our guy this year! Hopefully with a little hard work and some sexy luck, the Colorado State Rams can find themselves in the Big Dance this year. </p>
https://www.midmajormadness.com/2024/2/15/24071679/top-10-sexiest-mid-major-basketball-coaches-for-2024Steph Crandall2023-02-23T06:10:00-08:002023-02-23T06:10:00-08:00A look back at a rollercoaster ride covering Hartford
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<img alt="Hartford Hawks win 2021 America East championship" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fPaGb2-dHN9auJYg1y_FlT7UISs=/267x0:4553x2857/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72004824/IMG_5987.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>The highlight of covering Hartford was the 2021 America East championship. | Steph Crandall/Mid-Major Madness</figcaption>
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<p>With your time as a DI school coming to a close, it’s time to say ‘so long, and thanks for all the fish!’</p> <p id="bfBUWx">My love of college basketball started at the University of Hartford in 2008. I was just a simple drummer in the pep band back then. But I fell in love with the game. It wasn’t until the 2013-14 season when <a href="https://www.midmajormadness.com/2013-ncaa-tournament/2013/3/22/4135786/2013-ncaa-tournament-recap-duke-albany-iati">Albany was the Little Danes that Could</a>, and Mid-Major Madness asked me to come aboard.</p>
<p id="7CYcoT">I stuck to covering America East, especially Hartford as I was local to the school and had a great relationship with the athletics staff. However, I started traveling and hitting up Albany and Stony Brook along the way. Even made a few appearances in Vermont.</p>
<p id="Wcd84f">But Hartford was my home.</p>
<p id="U4sXpa">I’ve been around for all those years of struggle, until it finally paid off. </p>
<p id="fPGDqv">However, the Hawks’ time as a Division I team has come to an end. In their final year at the NCAA’s top level, they put together a 5-23 record and fell to Chicago State 75-53 on Sunday in the season finale.</p>
<p id="xyIEbN">Here are just a few memories I wanted to share as I close this chapter of my Mid-Major Madness career:</p>
<h2 id="UsTRa9">0-13 start (2011-12 season)</h2>
<p id="yCIvFA">The year after I graduated from Hartford was probably the worst season in Hartford basketball history. It was the infamous 0-13 start, losing every single game in the non-conference as well as the conference opener.</p>
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<cite>Steph Crandall/Mid-Major Madness</cite>
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<h2 id="is8wz9">Albany - Hartford - Australian Pipeline</h2>
<p id="aCe4mQ">Back in the day Hartford and Albany took to recruiting in a variety of different countries, and for a few years Australia stuck. With names forever etched into America East history like Peter Hooley, Mike Rowley and Corban Wroe, there was also a bond between the schools and even fan bases.</p>
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<cite>Steph Crandall/Mid-Major Madness</cite>
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<h2 id="Nkezcr">The 26-point comeback to force double-OT (2019 America East semifinal)</h2>
<p id="d3o3Yg">The season before their first appearance in the America East title game since 2007, came the 26-point comeback to force double overtime. Even though it ended in a loss. </p>
<p id="KBOwIg">I remember watching this game so vividly. Discouraged with the 26-point deficit, hopeful with the comeback, and then a soul-crushing final blow straight to my heart with the double-overtime loss.</p>
<p id="IZZOfs">I remember watching as Jason Dunne threw up 3-pointer after 3-pointer to save his chances at an America East title game. Watching J.R. Lynch <em>and</em> John Carroll foul out of the game, leaving the biggest decisions in the hands of some of the lesser experienced players.</p>
<p id="fBTXQa">But, ultimately, Hartford came up short against UMBC.</p>
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<cite>Steph Crandall/Mid-Major Madness</cite>
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<h2 id="fAqScG"><a href="https://www.midmajormadness.com/2018/2/18/17025714/america-east-hartford-hawks-vermont-catamounts-recap-jason-dunne">Breaking Vermont’s win streak (Feb. 14, 2022)</a></h2>
<p id="dMZiIZ">As a Hartford fan, you’re probably a little too aware of the “rivalry” between the schools. If by “rivalry” you mean “we just don’t like each other much”, then you’re spot on.</p>
<p id="iUHPCK">So, it was nice to see Hartford snap Vermont’s 14-game win streak with a one-point overtime victory in 2022.</p>
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<cite>BRIAN JENKINS/For the FREE PRESS via Imagn Content Services, LLC</cite>
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<h2 id="K4u6pr">America East Title/NCAA Tournament (March 2021)</h2>
<p id="OATeQs">The day I, and many loyal Hawks fans, were waiting for: Saturday, March 13, 2021.</p>
<p id="PTHKKy">We finally won! America East champions! Ticket punched to March Madness!</p>
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<cite>Steph Crandall/Mid-Major Madness</cite>
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<p id="6O8xZo">I waited 13 years for this day. </p>
<p id="gUUyrz">My freshman year the Hawks made it all the way to the America East final, where they played UMBC <em>at</em> UMBC and ended up losing the game 82-65. </p>
<p id="NuGyxC">It wasn’t until 2021 where they would be able to take that shot again, and this time they won it. Winning the conference championship and getting to the NCAA Tournament meant a lot to everyone involved. </p>
<p id="y44qZC">No matter what happens, we can always say we did it.</p>
<p id="yBJNBd">Playing and losing to the eventual national champions, though? That’s an experience you can never take away.</p>
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<cite>Steph Crandall/Mid-Major Madness</cite>
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<p id="L5RQw4">To all the Hartford Hawks players who’ve come and gone, to the fans, and to the team, it’s been a good run. I hope to cover you again one day, but for now, it’s <em>so long, and thanks for all the fish.</em></p>
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https://www.midmajormadness.com/2023/2/23/23611064/saying-farewell-to-hartford-hawks-ncaa-mens-basketballSteph Crandall2023-02-15T14:07:00-08:002023-02-15T14:07:00-08:00Top 10 Sexiest Mid Major Coaches of 2023
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<figcaption>Drew Valentine is the youngest head coach in NCAA Division I men’s basketball. | Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>It’s the time of year again, folks! (The day after) Valentine’s Day marks the ninth annual sexiest coaches poll! Who will top the charts this year? </p> <p id="svGVfB">We’re back with year nine of the Sexiest Mid Major Coaches poll! This year was a real challenge. Not only was there a tie, but we came ever so close to a second tie for first place!</p>
<p id="tvdnaX">However, there was one clear winner in the end, and that’s all thanks to you guys who voted! </p>
<p id="r6qfTS">So let’s cut to the chase! Who has been crowned this year’s Sexiest Mid-Major Coach?</p>
<h2 id="muHneP">10. <a href="https://goviks.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/jase-coburn/610">Jase Coburn</a> (Portland State Vikings)</h2>
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<cite>Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<p id="UG4SRj">Coburn is in his first season as Portland head coach after being part of the coaching staff since 2013. Congrats on the promotion, Coach! </p>
<p id="4v7u4d">The Vikings are currently battling in the middle of the Big Sky standings, sitting at 5-8 (11-15 overall). With five games remaining in the regular season, where will Coburn’s team end up? Can they make their way up the standings? </p>
<h2 id="mj9vGA">9. <a href="https://www.bryantbulldogs.com/sports/mbkb/Coaches/Jared_Grasso">Jared Grasso</a> (Bryant Bulldogs)</h2>
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<cite>Bob Breidenbach / USA TODAY NETWORK</cite>
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<p id="shvzt2">Grasso and his Bulldogs took the place of my beloved Hartford Hawks in the America East conference this year. Not only are they thriving in their new conference home, they’re giving some of the top teams trouble this season.</p>
<p id="xe9YKR">With four regular seasons games remaining, can the Bulldogs battle it out to stay in the top three of the America East? </p>
<h2 id="8qhbVr">8. <a href="https://godrakebulldogs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/darian-devries/1103">Darian DeVries</a> (Drake Bulldogs)</h2>
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<cite>Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<p id="4gK4Fd">You want wins? This guy has wins! In his first four seasons with the Bulldogs, they’ve won 95 games, the most of any four-year period in school history! Not to mention the first time in school history that they had four straight 20-win seasons.</p>
<p id="U46UeF">Not bad if you ask me.</p>
<p id="6nvXOR">Drake currently sits at the top of the Missouri Valley Conference standings, barely ahead of Bradley. Their 21-6 overall record gives them just enough advantage to come out on top.</p>
<h2 id="88uFBe">7. <a href="https://athletics.bellarmine.edu/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/scott-davenport/1143">Scott Davenport</a> (Bellarmine Knights) </h2>
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<cite>Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<p id="JIwnGK">Can you say winningest coach in school history?!</p>
<p id="Dynbzi">As of the 2021-22 season, he sits very comfortably at 398-130 overall making him the all-time winningest coach both in terms of total wins and winning percentage. </p>
<p id="tAgm0Z">The Knights are currently in the middle of the pack in the ASUN standings with a 7-7 conference record. </p>
<h2 id="RgwYj1">6. <a href="https://furmanpaladins.com/staff-directory/bob-richey/16">Bob Richey</a> (Furman Paladins)</h2>
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<cite>David Yeazell-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<p id="kjOBrZ">Richey is currently in his sixth season over at Furman, and he’s doing one hell of a job!</p>
<p id="WtE0uk">The Paladins are comfortably at the top of the Southern standings at 12-2 (21-6 overall). They currently have an eight game win streak that they could easily continue the toughest challenge before the conference season ends being Samford in their last game of the season. </p>
<p id="YTbdoM">Will Furman win their way to a conference championship? Only time will tell.</p>
<h2 id="gfPSjm">5. <a href="https://bubearcats.com/staff-directory/levell-sanders/200">Levell Sanders</a> (Binghamton Bearcats)</h2>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="NCAA Basketball: Binghamton at Connecticut" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/iNDGpeoOXhbnGQt2eWdahGOGNU0=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24431536/usa_today_17197999.jpg">
<cite>David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
</figure>
<p id="n0Nz2G">Sanders and the BU Bearcats are the America East surprise team of the season! As someone who has been keeping up with America East basketball since about 2008, this is the first time Binghamton has made waves in the conference since I was still in school.</p>
<p id="M6jkDU">In only his second season as head coach, the Bearcats are in second in the standings (7-4, 11-13 overall). However, they’re not that comfortable as UMass Lowell and Bryant are both battling to keep home court advantage come conference tournament time.</p>
<h2 id="1Zuwsi">4. <a href="https://lehighsports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/dr-brett-reed/2866">Dr. Brett Reed</a> (Lehigh Mountain Hawks)</h2>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="NCAA Basketball: Lehigh at Wisconsin" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/CdFlLBN8LmgDTYv1p7wiKb7_mNw=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24431541/usa_today_19630012.jpg">
<cite>Kayla Wolf-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
</figure>
<p id="TcH0XE">Reed has an impressive resume, including being the second longest-tenured coach in the Patriot League, as well as being the fastest coach to 100 wins. He is one of the two coaches in the entire country with a doctorate.</p>
<p id="a4tHpe">The Mountain Hawks are currently second in the Patriot League standings, just below Colgate with a 9-5 (14-11) season so far. Their biggest challenge before conference tourney time is going to be tomorrow’s game against Navy. </p>
<h2 id="uVGIwG">3. <a href="https://smcgaels.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/randy-bennett/1422">Randy Bennett</a> (Saint Mary’s Gaels)</h2>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="NCAA Basketball: San Francisco at St. Mary’s" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/j7SEcipD4psETzBk2Id3lW5-6uE=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24431542/usa_today_19911877.jpg">
<cite>Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
</figure>
<p id="2zRh0c">Bennett just notched 500 wins as a head coach! That’s quite the feat!</p>
<p id="kD58pW">The Saint Mary’s Gaels are comfortably at the top of the West Coast Conference leader boards at 11-1 (22-5 overall) and sit 17th nationally in the AP and USA Today/Coaches polls. They have one final test before conference tournament time, playing Gonzaga as their final game of the season. </p>
<h2 id="70agBH">2. <a href="https://nuhuskies.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/bill-coen/2404">Bill Coen</a> (Northeastern Huskies)</h2>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament-Salt Lake City Practice" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/OXRRXdVdO6S6-BON3uIEAOTiXow=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24431549/usa_today_12384236.jpg">
<cite>Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
</figure>
<p id="b0hcjQ">Want to see what a sexy coach looks like? How about:</p>
<ul>
<li id="ALaMoL">All-Time Northeastern record 260 wins</li>
<li id="3mkEU2">2018 CAA Coach of the Year</li>
<li id="Vr44Jv">2010 and 2013 USBWA District I Coach of the Year</li>
<li id="ePR6Kv">2013 Hugh Durham National Coach of the Year Finalist</li>
<li id="IKFRe9">2013 and 2018 NABC District 10 Coach of the Year</li>
<li id="ZKlg3r">No. 2 all-time in the CAA (regular season + postseason) with 175 wins</li>
</ul>
<p id="hEP1xi">While the Huskies aren’t exactly topping the standings this year, they currently sit at 4-7 (8-17 overall). There was a clear winner amongst the fans. Coen received 48.5% of the vote only coming shy to...</p>
<h2 id="gnADg6">1. <a href="https://loyolaramblers.com/staff-directory/drew-valentine/205">Drew Valentine</a> (Loyola Chicago)</h2>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="NCAA Basketball: Missouri Valley Conference Championship- Loyola Ramblers vs Drake Bulldogs" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/IxrJohxjcKJBRSn7C09aVgpHa_I=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24431551/usa_today_17844604.jpg">
<cite>Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
</figure>
<div id="iySrAu">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">No context poll for <a href="https://twitter.com/mid_madness?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mid_madness</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbb?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cbb</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DrewValentine?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DrewValentine</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BillCoen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BillCoen</a></p>— Steph Crandall (@Drummerette) <a href="https://twitter.com/Drummerette/status/1625103865178628097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2023</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="LdGoXW">As the current youngest head coach in NCAA Division I, Valentine is this year’s Sexiest Mid Major Coach of 2023!</p>
<p id="0FRXiT">You guys voted and there was a very clear winner! After a tie between Coen and Valentine, I took to Twitter for the final showdown. A slim margin of 51.5% of you were very clear, that this man is in fact, a sexy coach!</p>
<p id="kPIxmX">The Ramblers aren’t exactly topping the standings like some of the others. In fact, they actually sit at the bottom of the Atlantic 10. They have five games remaining, including Friday against Dayton. Check out ESPN2 to watch this year’s sexiest coach in action!</p>
https://www.midmajormadness.com/2023/2/15/23599026/sexiest-mid-major-coaches-2023-drew-valentine-bill-coenSteph Crandall2022-02-14T16:35:46-08:002022-02-14T16:35:46-08:00Top 10 Sexiest Mid-Major Basketball Coaches of 2021-2022
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Basketball: Oakland at West Virginia" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/SW5XXlW9Yw8EjBdbfUUs7QENaAo=/0x0:5065x3377/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70509570/usa_today_17125739.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Greg Kampe has Oakland sitting in second place in the Horizon League. | Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>See who you picked as this year’s sexiest coach?</p> <p id="kasM4C">It’s that time of year again, folks! Sexy coaches time!</p>
<p id="QZt1L9"></p>
<p id="Gt736R">This year we had a very clear winner as the 2021-22 Sexiest Mid-Major Basketball Coach! You guys voted, our staff voted, and we came away with a run away lead. The rest of the list, however, is up for debate. we’ve never had results like this before.</p>
<h3 id="y9uhZS"></h3>
<h3 id="V1AxCB"><strong>10. John Gallagher (Hartford Hawks)</strong></h3>
<p id="k9xY2x">This guy deserves a lot more credit than the university is giving him. He built a program to the point of winning its first America East Conference Championship last year, making their first NCAA tournament appearance, and honestly, having the best season they’ve ever had.</p>
<p id="T6Z5pY">But the school decided to announce a downgrade Division III. So much for that being the start of something good.t</p>
<p id="O4cVwF">I commend the team for sticking together for one final season before they’re ousted from the conference. However, this year hasn’t gone as well as they’d like. Plagued with injury, they’re 6-16 and 4-6 in the conference.</p>
<p id="GLvF61"></p>
<h2 id="XRUXu8"><strong>9. Will Ryan (Green Bay Phoenix)</strong></h2>
<p id="LVHXhw">In his second year as head coach, Ryan is trying his hardest to get the Green Bay Phoenix to .500 in the Horizon league. This is his first head coach position in Division I, and it’s not going to be without some bumps along the way.</p>
<p id="j13z31">With his Phoenix 3-13 in conference play and 4-21 overall, there’s room for growth within the program and hopefully more wins in their future.</p>
<p id="SCg4mW"></p>
<h2 id="PTSKNn"><strong>8. Dusty May (Florida Atlantic University Owls)</strong></h2>
<p id="RYIt6O">With two conference quarterfinal appearances and one CIT tournament appearance, May is relatively new to FAU and is coaching his Owls near the top of the standings. With an 8-5 conference record, and 15-10 overall, they’re half a game out of first in the Conference USA East standings.</p>
<p id="YivQUH">His Owls had a four-game win streak before falling to Western Kentucky on Feb. 10. Their next game has them slated against North Texas, which will be a game to watch, as North Texas is at the top of the West standings. You can catch that one Thursday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+.</p>
<p id="HTodOd"></p>
<h2 id="3NylgL"><strong>7. Cliff Ellis (Coastal Carolina Chanticleers)</strong></h2>
<p id="uRoXmX">Are wins more your style when it comes to sexy coaches? Well, this guy has you covered. His 798 NCAA Division I wins is 10th among all NCAA Division I coaches.</p>
<p id="aX4X2A">Talk about one long and successful career!</p>
<p id="Fhkedd">However, his Chanticleers currently sit in the middle of the Sun Belt standings, but they’re in good company. The standings are pretty competitive, so it’s possible with a few wins for them to jump up.</p>
<p id="B3Uzpk"></p>
<h2 id="ecBus3"><strong>6. Levell Sanders (Binghamton Bearcats)</strong></h2>
<p id="rcdpuL">In his first appearance on the sexiest coaches list, Sanders is doing wonders with the Bearcat program.</p>
<p id="aJXGh7">If you’re not familiar with Binghamton, that’s probably because they’ve had some somber years at the bottom of the America East standings. However, this year they’ve exploded, hitting fourth in the standings. With their student fan base on point, they’re going to be troublesome to beat on their home court this season.</p>
<h2 id="b71E9r"></h2>
<h2 id="7eOB0N"><strong>5. Bill Coen (Northeastern Huskies)</strong></h2>
<p id="jcyQ4u">Can you say, “all-time winningest coach in Northeastern history”? Coen is an outstanding coach, if you want accolades, this guy has them.</p>
<ul>
<li id="NCpt6t">He broke the all-time conference record with 18 tournament wins</li>
<li id="hOMXUZ">Has 172 regular season and postseason wins are second most in conference history</li>
<li id="fu4UCk">Reached the Colonial Athletic Association quarterfinals in each of his 15 seasons</li>
</ul>
<p id="UFlL04">However, you win some, you lose some. And Northeastern is losing more than just “some” this season. It currently sits last in the CAA with only one conference win. </p>
<p id="WmIp9y"></p>
<h2 id="mV98ei"><strong>4. Bob McKillop (Davidson Wildcats)</strong></h2>
<p id="cwgOku">In contrast of some of the newer coaches on this list, McKillop has been with Davidson for 32 years!</p>
<p id="44v7eg">His philosophy of “the next step should be up” has really taken off this year as they currently sit atop the Atlantic 10 standings at 10-2 and 20-4 overall. </p>
<p id="ioOZL2">The next step for these Wildcats is the NCAA tournament, and with only a few more games until conference tournament time, they just might make it there again. If they somehow falter in the conference tournament, it’s possible they grab another at-large bid to the Big Dance.</p>
<p id="TFARmt"></p>
<h2 id="Tn7d9n"><strong>3. John Becker (Vermont Catamounts)</strong></h2>
<p id="wxDsRD">Becker has once again coached his Catamounts to the top of the America East standings. Not only that, but their 14-game winning streak is tied for the longest active streak in the nation. They can make it 15 tonight against Hartford.</p>
<p id="jZam0I">The Catamounts haven’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2019. Will this be the year they make it back to the Big Dance?</p>
<p id="pmJGwG"></p>
<h2 id="oobc7a"><strong>2. Billy Lange (St. Joseph’s Hawks)</strong></h2>
<p id="wze652">Lange and his squad sit near the bottom of the Atlantic 10 at 4-8, but that’s not stopping them. </p>
<p id="w8mx78">He is only in his third season with the Hawks and brings an impressive resume with 23 years of experience, including having served as an assistant coach with the Philadelphia 76ers.</p>
<p id="fxjWEh">St. Joe’s is looking to break a two-game losing streak against George Mason Wednesday night.</p>
<p id="TW9XBT"></p>
<h1 id="iEJ6ng"><strong>1. Greg Kampe (Oakland Grizzlies)</strong></h1>
<p id="aN41jZ">And this year’s Sexiest Mid-Major Basketball Coach is Oakland Grizzlies head coach Greg Kampe. He received almost 35% of the vote.</p>
<p id="9DaATa">And with good reason.</p>
<p id="95vzbb">The Grizzlies are sitting in second place of the Horizon League standings, and depending on who you talk to, they may or may not receive an at-large bid this year. </p>
<p id="YLCGgQ">Just a 1.5 games out of first, their final game this season will be against Cleveland State, who is atop the standings.</p>
https://www.midmajormadness.com/2022/2/14/22932941/top-10-sexiest-mid-major-basketball-coaches-of-2021-2022Steph Crandall2021-12-19T16:57:51-08:002021-12-19T16:57:51-08:00Hartford Hawks bring Traci Carter back
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament-Hartford at Baylor" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/yWAytyaOZV3uRLTCnOfdKqol_AI=/0x0:3677x2451/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70295378/usa_today_15756527.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Traci Carter returned to Hartford for a seventh season. He was the floor general for the Hawks’ NCAA Tournament run last year. | Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The seventh-year player is back on the roster. Will this help Hartford break out of its early-season struggles?</p> <p id="Hpt7XF">After one of the best seasons the Hartford Hawks have had in their history, finally winning the America East Championship and heading to the NCAA tournament for the first time, their 1-9 record to start this season is absolutely shocking to fans.</p>
<p id="ffrJsK">As a Hartford alum, watching this drastic turn from a high to a low has been heartbreaking. They have the players. They have the coach. But they can’t seem to put everything together to make it work.</p>
<p id="Kpv3qb">Coach John Gallagher has been quoted as saying they can play “a good 30 minutes,” which leaves 10 extra minutes where they run out of gas and start tripping themselves up. Their lack of depth has contributed to their inability to play more than a solid 30 minutes. This also includes not having a true point guard, which you kind of need.</p>
<p id="4WxiHI">Hartford fans were in for a shock when they announced that Traci Carter was back in the game against Central Connecticut on Saturday. The seventh-year grad student was back on the court!</p>
<p id="h10X1b"></p>
<div id="00jeTG">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Checking into the game is....<br>#25 TRACI CARTER ‼️<br><br>We didn't stutter! <a href="https://twitter.com/TheEngine21?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheEngine21</a> is back! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHoops?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AEHoops</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FlyHigh?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FlyHigh</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/neighborhood?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#neighborhood</a></p>— Hartford Men’s Basketball (@HartfordMBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/HartfordMBB/status/1472266426350063624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2021</a>
</blockquote>
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<p id="FKPf8J">They finally have their leader again.</p>
<p id="WTT0dh">Carter had a huge impact last year as he served as their point guard, student leader and defensive specialist. Removing that piece from their roster after he graduated clearly left a hole. </p>
<p id="MAL0Lt">The Hawks struggled to make it work without him, but the impact he had was too big to replace with a hodgepodge of other guards. They needed the stability and leadership he brought. Their 1-9 record without him is enough proof of that. Carter was able to return because the NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility to everyone who played last year.</p>
<p id="wz6U2N">However, he didn’t make as big of an impact as the Hawks hoped in their 75-65 loss to Central Connecticut. He tallied just four points on 1-of-11 shooting, four assists, three rebounds and one steal. </p>
<p id="3F4wmO">The hope is that once he’s back at full steam, Carter can once again lead them to a winning season.</p>
https://www.midmajormadness.com/2021/12/19/22843912/hartford-hawks-bring-traci-carter-back-for-seventh-seasonSteph Crandall2021-05-07T12:09:07-07:002021-05-07T12:09:07-07:00Hartford softball joins the protests over upcoming Division III move
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<figcaption>R<a class="ql-link" href="https://twitter.com/carm157" target="_blank">obert Carmody</a></figcaption>
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<p>Players taped over the school name before they took the field on Friday.</p> <p id="JtPRTl">A day after the University of Hartford board of regents <a href="https://www.si.com/college/2021/05/07/hartford-hawks-athletics-drop-division-iii-ncaa">voted to transition the school’s athletics program to Division III</a>, the student athletes have begun to speak out.</p>
<p id="A6TJzI">On Friday, every Hartford softball player took the field for a doubleheader against Binghamton with the school name taped over on their jerseys in protest. The message was simple: We don’t play for you. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">We don’t play for you <a href="https://twitter.com/UofHartford?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UofHartford</a> <a href="https://t.co/t3TFsrjtJr">pic.twitter.com/t3TFsrjtJr</a></p>— Robert Carmody (@carm157) <a href="https://twitter.com/carm157/status/1390705474438316032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2021</a>
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<p id="dRds2X">This announcement has drawn criticism from across the sports world, elevated by its timing. It comes just over a month after the men’s basketball team reached the Division I tournament for the first time ever, ultimately losing to national champion Baylor.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Can only imagine what Hartford men’s basketball coach John Gallagher and his players are thinking after going to the program’s first NCAA Tournament this season. <a href="https://t.co/zff5Kp6FW6">https://t.co/zff5Kp6FW6</a></p>— Mark Singelais (@MarkSingelais) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkSingelais/status/1390474946258874371?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2021</a>
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<p id="xkmYS9">After initially being told this move was to cut costs, the university <a href="https://www.hartford.edu/about/athletics-transition.aspx#accordion-group-1-section-6-label">now claims that the move was <em>not</em> due to financial reasons but to stay within the university mission</a>.</p>
<p id="zS4KyW">Funny how Division I athletics fit the mission for 30 years, yet suddenly it doesn’t. Not to mention that seemingly the only person in the state of Connecticut who didn’t congratulate men’s basketball head coach John Gallagher was the university president. The town of West Hartford even celebrated Men’s Basketball Day for them. Hell, the Governor was even there!</p>
<p id="OBHifc">Am I little bit salty? </p>
<p id="NTgID2">Naturally. I live and breathe Hartford athletics.</p>
<p id="o0SBvv">But the Hartford Hawks’ base will not take this lightly or lying down. There will be protests. There’s already a <a href="https://www.change.org/p/board-of-regents-terminate-woodward-s-presidency-2491b907-01c6-4b00-8863-45a3b6649f61?redirect=false">petition to oust the current president</a> that has over 1,000 signatures.</p>
<p id="LMCvkL">If all this stands, the university will downgrade to Division III by no later than 2025.</p>
https://www.midmajormadness.com/2021/5/7/22425165/hartford-hawks-division-iii-vote-america-east-softball-protestSteph Crandall2020-12-02T08:32:00-08:002020-12-02T08:32:00-08:00Hartford, please don’t let me down this year
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<figcaption>David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Hartford had their first shot at the title game in 12 years last season, and it was quickly swept away before they even got a chance.</p> <p id="78JRrH">Dear Coach Gal & the Hartford Men’s Basketball Team,</p>
<p id="NH3q6u">Hi! You may know me as the occasional blonde girl who takes photos from courtside during home games. Well, at least before this season. I’m an alumna and take pride in the school and have cheered for many a year on the sideline as part of the spirt teams.</p>
<p id="GhZMVl">I was a freshman way back when, the last time the team made it to the championship game. It was a crazy experience. Playing at the women’s semi-final game, getting on a bus at 9 p.m. to drive down to UMBC, only to get there for 2 a.m., to then wake up just a few hours later for the title game.</p>
<p id="ZgjMES">I attend every game I can and watch everyone I can’t online. I keep up with stats, with the others in the conference, and occasionally I also write about the league. You could say I’m a bit of a fan.</p>
<p id="lIgI1A">I’ve never lost hope that you would one day make it back to that tournament championship. Despite the years of bad seasons, the injuries, the despair, and even the comments that others had made to me about the capacity of the club, I stuck by you guys. That pride of being a Hawk kept me going, through all the tears and frustrations throughout the years.</p>
<p id="wIoSfW">Last year was <em>your year</em>. </p>
<p id="RyFiEI">You made it back to the title game despite all the odds. I sat baseline with the Stony Brook journalists, watching them slowly lose confidence in the game as you caught fire and showed who you can truly be. You beat Stony Brook the only time it really mattered and were on your way to that coveted title game.</p>
<p id="gFQK2U">Until you weren’t.</p>
<p id="h8pt4T">It took months to get my refund from the hotel up in Vermont because you bet your ass I was going to be driving up for that game. I wouldn’t have missed it for anything. But we’ll never know which team would have won that game. </p>
<p id="wuiJ6C">I’m writing all of this because I have hope for this year. More hope than I’ve had in a while for some reason. I think you have a lot of the pieces to accomplish great things this season, regardless of how short it may be. You just need to put them together in the right place, at the right time, and I’m crossing my fingers for you for this season.</p>
<p id="eamQ5x">Hunter Marks is an incredible player. He has the talent and skills to do great things. And it’s not just Coach Gal who can see that now.</p>
<p id="aH45Tp">Traci Carter is back, and I hope he is the veteran that he needs to be. There needs to be someone who can take control of a game when needed. When things aren’t going well, there has to be someone who can take charge and fight through the bad days. I saw some of that in the <a href="https://www.vuhoops.com">Villanova</a> game. Hopefully, you won’t have many bad days, but having that leader is key to winning games.</p>
<p id="CrATIn">You need a guard who can score, and with the 24 points in the opener against <a href="https://www.theuconnblog.com">UConn</a>, Moses Flowers has shown what he’s capable of. He’s young and still learning and I can’t wait to see how much better he gets as the season goes by. That game seemed quintessential Flowers and I hope to see more of that in your future.</p>
<p id="JykFmJ">I’m going to go out on a limb and say that DJ Mitchell is my dark horse for the team. The grit he’s shown and his refusal to give up, even when you were down 30 to Villanova, is something incredibly special and integral to a great season. </p>
<p id="gC2WHY">Gal, you’ve got a great group of kids, and they have an interesting season ahead of them. It’s strange times we’re living in and you never know when a team that’s placed sixth in the preseason polls can catch everyone off guard by the time March rolls around.</p>
<p id="kqZZeo">So, what I’m trying to say in this long, convoluted way, is, Hartford, please don’t let me down.</p>
https://www.midmajormadness.com/2020/12/2/21900118/hartford-hawks-dont-let-me-downSteph Crandall2019-03-10T11:11:57-07:002019-03-10T11:11:57-07:00America East playoffs: Hartford wins on the backs of its seniors
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<figcaption>Steph Crandall</figcaption>
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<p>6 Seniors, Four 1,000 point scorers, 1 goal</p> <p id="HT7KY1">HARTFORD — When you’re literally the most experienced team in the country, there’s got to be a lot of pressure on you to win. I mean, what senior <em>doesn’t</em> want to help his team make it to the conference championship? When you have six seniors that are all working towards the same goal, good things happen.</p>
<p id="rigJJQ">Before their game against UMass Lowell this afternoon, there were only three seniors who had joined the coveted 1,000-point club for the Hawks. Well, not wanting to be left out, and conveniently entering the game with 999 points, George Blagojevich’s first layup got his name in the history books as well. He joined teammates <span>Jason Dunne</span>, <span>J.R. Lynch</span>, and <span>John Carroll</span> with this recent honor. He and <span>Carroll</span> are the only two players to have both over 1,000 points and over 500 rebounds.</p>
<p id="fRxPLL">The match up between the Hawks and River Hawks was arguably the most intense game of the America East quarterfinals. There were eight lead changes and six ties throughout the game, and the average point difference was a possession or two away throughout most of the game until Hartford pulled away in the end.</p>
<p id="DO3i8A">There were plenty of times where the game could have gone either way. The toughness of the game came down to playing style. Hartford and Lowell have similar styles, and ever since UMBC’s historic win against Virginia in the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/a/march-madness-2018-ncaa-tournament">NCAA Tournament</a> last year, it shows how that can really hurt or help a team.</p>
<p id="N3RKEz">“They play the same way. They’re coached the same way. Offensively they spread you, they slip screens, they shoot threes, they gap and kick, they’re not set oriented.” Hartford head coach John Gallagher said about Pat Duquette and his River Hawks.</p>
<p id="VaYMnt">One of the biggest advantages Hartford has over other teams is how much the core of them have grown from the beginning. They had the same amount of wins their first two years together than they did last year. They helped bring Hartford from a team no one thought twice about to being ranked second in the America East preseason poll. </p>
<p id="XKCMQn">And they’re not done yet. </p>
<p id="fyTUkZ">“I would say we’ve been fighting from day one, since the day we got here,” Lynch said of his team’s growth. “You look at our record and it doesn’t really show how good we are, every time you watch us play you know you’re going to see Hartford basketball.”</p>
<p id="u7I9r8">While the ultimate goal would be a conference championship, the Hawks like to focus on the immediate problems, and with Binghamton’s incredible upset over Stony Brook, Hartford will be taking the long drive down to UMBC to face off against the reigning conference champions. And Hartford’s seniors aren’t looking to go away any time soon.</p>
<p id="HqKk0L">“We’ve got six seniors in there. You’ve got a group of guys who want to be in there,” Lynch said. “The one thing is that when you have a group of guys who want to be here it’s easy to play for the next guy. We know what’s on the line. We know that any day can be our last game.”</p>
<p id="cmEvHz">Both semifinal games will be on Tuesday, March 12. Binghamton will face off against Vermont, while Hartford will play UMBC. Both games are at 7 p.m. and will be aired on ESPN+.</p>
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https://www.midmajormadness.com/2019/3/10/18258102/america-east-playoffs-hartford-hawks-umass-lowell-river-hawks-recap-2019Steph Crandall2018-03-10T11:37:42-08:002018-03-10T11:37:42-08:00Jairus Lyles late-game heroics send UMBC to first NCAA Tournament since 2008
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<figcaption>Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>UVM tried their hardest to defend its gym, but Lyles had other plans.</p> <p id="UwBsx2">Vermont was looking to make it back-to-back <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/march-madness">NCAA Tournament</a> appearances. UMBC was looking for its first NCAA appearance in 10 years. Only one of them had the ability to walk out of Patrick Gymnasium on Saturday as the America East champion. </p>
<p id="sKckZy">With the two-time AE Player of the Year, <span>Trae Bell-Haynes</span>, and the Sixth Man of the Year, <span>Cam Ward</span>, on one side, and UMBC’s fifth all-time leading scorer <span>Jairus Lyles</span>, and the Defensive Player of the Year KJ Maura on the other, it was going to be a battle of some of the most talented players in the league. And that doesn’t include the other players awarded to all-conference teams.</p>
<p id="fYXCCn">But the biggest question of the game was whether UMBC’s standouts could keep up with the powerhouse that has become Vermont.</p>
<p id="QsbQQz">Turns out the Retreivers could.</p>
<p id="x74Qgo">UVM had a bit of a three-point frenzy in the first half and UMBC tried to answer. Even though they have made quite a few threes on the day (10-22 3FG), UMBC isn’t the team to throw them up in desperation, but that’s what was happening. But then the Marua/<span>Lyles</span> combo got going, they managed to force UVM into a shot clock violation with less than a minute in the first half. Lyles then hit a three to give the Retriever’s a two-point lead at the half.</p>
<p id="VkMTrD">“They [Vermont] have really good shooters. You go down there and double them every single time, they have smart players inside and they know when to kick it out. We were just trying to create doubt in their mind.” said UMBC coach Ryan Odom after the game.</p>
<p id="WhrqlL">Out of the locker room, Vermont was quickly able to pick up the lead, but with UMBC not far behind. There were a few things hindering UMBC’s ability to keep the lead, including Maura picking up his fourth foul pretty early on, leaving him on the bench, and Lyles needing to carry the team single handedly. </p>
<p id="bejOWA">“We knew we had to outplay their guards and hold our own inside, to have a chance at being able to win.” Odom said</p>
<p id="qB48O5">But with Maura back in the game, it lit a spark for UMBC. The Retrievers managed to completely erase the deficit to tie the game at 58. They battled back and forth until it was tied at 62. Vermont had the ball, and were going to give themselves the lead, but <span>Trae Bell-Haynes</span> missed a jumper, <span>Joe Sherburne</span> had a nice block, and <span>Max Curran</span> came away with the defensive rebound. </p>
<p id="1xrgZk">In the hands of the best player UMBC has had in a while, Lyles held out until the final seconds, having been told by Odom that they weren’t taking a timeout. He let the ball fly from beyond the arc, and it went through the net and silencing the arena. The shot also snapped a 23-game losing streak to the Catamounts.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">UMBC 65, Vermont 62 final. Here is the winning shot from my seat. Going to miss this stuff. <a href="https://t.co/CMa2y4DlCR">pic.twitter.com/CMa2y4DlCR</a></p>— Ray Curren (@currenrr) <a href="https://twitter.com/currenrr/status/972533965730078725?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2018</a>
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<p id="OmGfZF">Lyles ended the game with a game-high 27 points. UMBC will be heading to the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/march-madness">NCAA tournament</a> for the first time since 2008 and will find out the particulars on Selection Sunday.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Your 2018 Men’s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEPlayoffs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AEPlayoffs</a> Champions! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHoops?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AEHoops</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/UMBC_MBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UMBC_MBB</a> <a href="https://t.co/EOqIiT0isx">https://t.co/EOqIiT0isx</a></p>— America East (@AmericaEast) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmericaEast/status/972534018255278080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2018</a>
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https://www.midmajormadness.com/2018/3/10/17104132/lyles-america-east-championship-for-umbc-ncaa-tournament-bracket-umbc-vermont-retrievers-mauraSteph Crandall2018-03-07T11:33:46-08:002018-03-07T11:33:46-08:00America East Semifinals: Vermont and UMBC are heading to the title game
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<p>If anyone thought that Vermont wouldn’t make it to the tournament championship, they were mistaken. </p> <h2 id="7Dj2dn">Vermont 70, Stony Brook 51</h2>
<p id="gNv4aA">Stony Brook never stood a chance. While the Seawolves may have started out fine, scoring the first points and keeping a good pace with their Catamount foes, Vermont did what it does best: take control and not let up. It took the Catamounts a while to get going, especially with <span>Anthony Lamb</span> back on the court, but they just kept adding points that Stony Brook couldn’t answer. </p>
<p id="PbuYKg"><span>Drew Urquhart</span> led all scorers with 19 points, while Lamb, still working his way back to game shape, played eight minutes and scored four points. <span>Akwasi Yeboah</span> had 15 to lead the Seawolves.</p>
<p id="KAKCmT">Things looked reasonable for Stony Brook until the second half. Once Vermont had a double-digit lead, it was all over as the lead eventually ballooned to 19. The win puts Vermont back in the conference championship game for the third year in a row.</p>
<h2 id="13QTK8">UMBC 75, Hartford 60</h2>
<p id="9yRUfq">This game was probably far more interesting to watch for fans, at least in the first half. After all, it was between two teams who haven’t made the championship game in 10 years, when they faced off against each other. Both had a lot to prove.</p>
<p id="0GDiDC">The never-ending thorn in Hartford’s side was <span>K.J. Maura</span>. He was, simply, impossible to stop. He can do it all, shooting from all over the court, driving the ball, assisting, picking up steals, and more. After a quiet first half, he exploded in the second, scoring 10 points in about 90 seconds. That was the breaking point for Hartford as he finished with 18 points and five assists. </p>
<p id="PsAw8a">The Hawks, plagued by foul trouble all night, were led by 15 each from <span>Jason Dunne</span> and John Carroll. And with UMBC raining threes like no tomorrow, it was able to cruise to the championship game</p>
<p id="hza2T0"><strong>America East Championship Game</strong></p>
<p id="vLdJL2">UMBC at Vermont, Saturday, 11 a.m., ESPN2</p>
https://www.midmajormadness.com/2018/3/7/17088830/america-east-semifinals-vermont-umbc-anthony-lamb-drew-urquhart-kj-mauraSteph Crandall