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Good morning! If you’re reading this, you’re clearly starting your day off right with an effort to better yourself by becoming more educated about the goings-on in the mid-major world.
In a landscape so dominated by the biggest schools and conferences, it’s quite hard to winnow down the information you want and need to hear about your favorite mid-major programs.
Thankfully, Mid-Major Madness is here to aggregate the news and links for you, providing you with a brand-new, daily post about the world of mid-major hoops.
#Content to Read
Lots of mid-major schools are the toughest jobs in their respective states (ESPN)
ESPN’s Myron Medcalf went through all 50 states and named the most challenging job in each of them. For some states, like Vermont and Maine (which only have one D-I school), the answer was pretty clear. For others, Medcalf makes some interesting observations, including picking many mid-major schools over their respective in-state Power 5 foes.
In all, I counted 30 states where Medcalf picked a mid-major school as the most challenging job (31 if we’re counting UConn and Connecticut). In many instances, I can’t help but agree. Still, I can’t stop laughing at the fact that Medcalf wrote only one sentence about New Hampshire’s most challenging program, Dartmouth:
In the past 13 seasons, the school has had four coaches and never finished above .500.
Getting the lowdown on Gonzaga recruit Matt Van Komen (Slipper Still Fits)
Regular readers of the Mid-Major Minutes can recall that, a few days ago, I included a link about Gonzaga opening up its recruitment of Matt Van Komen, a 7’3 center in the class of 2019. Well, our colleagues over at Slipper Still Fits reached out to a high school coach of his to find out more about the potential Zag.
In their interview with the coach, the site found out some critical information about the guy and the sheer potential a player of his stature possesses. While the whole thing is worth reading, a few sentences in particular stood out to me:
When Van Komen started working with the high school program, he hardly even jumped. He had been able to dunk since seventh grade, and could consistently dunk over everyone without having to jump.
Former NC A&T guard Sam Hunt is transferring to NC State (College Basketball Talk)
Kevin Keatts is about to begin his first year at the helm of NC State, and he has just added a solid scorer to the Wolfpack. Sam Hunt, a former guard for the NC A&T Aggies, will be coming in as a grad transfer, and Keatts seems pretty excited to have him, as Terrence Payne recounts:
“Sam is a great young man and will bring much needed depth to our backcourt,” N.C. State head coach Kevin Keatts said in a statement. “I want guys who are excited about being a part of our program and Sam really wants to be here.
“Sam is a combo guard that can space the floor with his ability to shoot the basketball. He is a good fit for the system and will bring a wealth of experience to our roster.”
Meeting a UTEP sophomore with excellent potential (Miner Rush)
If you haven’t been reading them, our friends over at Miner Rush, SB Nation’s UTEP site, have been doing a series introducing fans to all of the program’s incoming players. Yesterday’s player was sophomore Isiah Osbourne, a Canadian whose potential appetite for scoring led to him heading way down south to El Paso.
Alex Nicolas wrote about that incredible potential that Osbourne could unleash for Tim Floyd and the Miners.
At the time, Osbourne had just finished his freshman year at the University of Windsor in Windsor, Canada. He had averaged 15 points per game, and was the focal point and the budding face of the program after helping them to 20-plus wins as a true freshman.
...
So coming into what would be his sophomore year after an eligibility battle that forced him to sit out a year after transferring from Windsor, his shooting abilities will be on full display when the Miners travel to Costa Rica in August.
In addition to reading the post, be sure to check out the video interview that Miner Rush conducted. This is a quality series that you need to catch up on.
Zelmo Beaty to be inducted into Small College Basketball Hall of Fame (Prairie View Athletics)
Former Prairie View A&M Panther Zelmo Beaty, a center for the school from 1958-62, is going to be posthumously inducted into the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the institution’s second class of inductees.
Beaty, who passed away in 2013 due to cancer, is already a member of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, and he had a spectacular career in the ABA. This is another accolade in a long list of such honors for a true legend.
Tweets of Interest
Kermit’s Camp seems like it’s a lot of fun for these kids
Here's our first winner from Buzzer Beater Tuesday, Miles Alexander! pic.twitter.com/Y97FZOBPLz
— MT Basketball (@MT_MBB) June 27, 2017
Zach’s back at his old stomping ground
@zcollins_33 back to see the fellas today at Bishop Gorman.#1stRound #LotteryPick #PortlandTrailBlazers pic.twitter.com/h0NLCCYV5c
— Bishop Gorman Bball (@BG_Basketball) June 27, 2017
You can’t teach this. This is the kind of cool you have to be born with.
.@FAU_Owlsley rocking his hater blockers...er sunglasses for #NationalSunglassesDay pic.twitter.com/D627Tgwj75
— FAU Athletics (@FAUAthletics) June 27, 2017
“Video of a floor refinishing” is actually much more interesting than it sounds
Here's a look at the entire process of the floor refinishing project of Newman Arena at Bartels Hall that just finished up last week. #LGR pic.twitter.com/wsT6qsMCxD
— Cornell_ILDN (@Cornell_ILDN) June 27, 2017
We’ve got a moiety of scheduling news!
There will be a homecoming for @Jkiiiiii__ in 2017-18!
— MasonMBB #KierWeek (@MasonMBB) June 27, 2017
Mason will play a roadie at JMU on Nov. 29 #KierWeek
Story: https://t.co/6PtmkIssj2 pic.twitter.com/zKAGFY7JR3
It would be difficult to overstate how easily FGCU will run through the A-Sun in 2017
UNLV transfer, 4-star recruit Troy Baxter Jr (@WitnessTroy) has joined #DunkCity! He won the 2016 HS Dunk Contest ➡️ https://t.co/Yus0hkYZLP pic.twitter.com/hg3PJcvHe9
— FGCU Men's Hoops (@FGCU_MBB) June 27, 2017
I’ll remember this next time, Matt.
That’s about 130 too few pictures of Rick Byrd. https://t.co/WWBEnP9Wai
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) June 27, 2017
New Mexico fans: Get excited.
Welcome to New Mexico, @VanceJackson1! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/wmv1ceW7cg
— Lobo Basketball (@UNMHoops) June 27, 2017
KEEP RETWEETING THIS, FRIENDS
.@SBNation, let's build. pic.twitter.com/J3WjTeXZlP
— Ben Goren (@BenG412) June 27, 2017
Recruiting News
Congrats to 2018 Northern Kings PG Eze Dike on his commitment to Yale University!! #IvyLeague pic.twitter.com/RNyXwTjkep
— Northern Kings (@NorthernKingsCA) June 26, 2017
2017 RheinStars Köln (DEU) F Antonio Pilipovic has committed to Drake. (HT @JUCOadvocate) @antoniopili7 https://t.co/18RyYhpfGI
— Verbal Commits (@VerbalCommits) June 27, 2017
Spirit Lake 2019 Owen Coburn (6'10 C) has committed to @GoJacksMBB, per his @Martin_Bros_AAU coach - story (FREE) https://t.co/R32W14AjGS
— TJ Rushing (@TjRushing) June 27, 2017
Bowman has opted not to transfer and will remain at Florida A&M. https://t.co/0U71pGoLJd
— Verbal Commits (@VerbalCommits) June 27, 2017
2017 Santa Monica College (CA) F Nick Smiley has committed to Texas Southern. (HT @Trey_Handsome) https://t.co/l5dLosFJNe
— Verbal Commits (@VerbalCommits) June 27, 2017
2017 Miles CC (MT) G Montenia Nelson has signed with Presbyterian. (HT @WHScouting) @DeuceRoc1 https://t.co/CLJwC2nQEJ
— Verbal Commits (@VerbalCommits) June 27, 2017