I just got back from a trip to the Northeast, which sparked an idea to switch things up a little bit with the weekly offseason reviews. With the season approaching in just a couple of weeks, we’re running out of time to put out several more reviews, so let’s do some quick reviews for five teams that I was near during my visit to Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
The Northeast is a thriving environment for mid-major college basketball, ranging from the small private schools in the NEC, the Ivy League, and the programs like St. Bonaventure in the Atlantic 10. There’s something special about these programs, so today we’re going to talk about Rhode Island, UMass, Boston University, Brown, and Harvard.
Use the code “BracketBusters” when checking out at Crow’s Nest Coffee Roasters to receive 20% off your order! Want two bags of coffee shipped to your door every month? Sign up for a monthly subscription here and receive 25% off your monthly subscription!
Rhode Island
Returnees
Jahmere Tripp
12 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.3 steals
Jonah Hinton
12.6 points, 3 rebounds, 2.1 assists
Steven Sherman
Redshirt
Jalen Harper
2.6 points, 1.8 rebounds
Barrett Loer
1.4 points, 0.6 rebounds
Javon Perry
Redshirt
Jaymien Aponte
DNP / Walk-on
Miftah Ibiyemi
DNP / Walk-on
Mouhamed Sow
6.4 points, 5.6 rebounds (5 games / 19.8 minutes)
Newcomers
Dylan Williamson (Senior) ~ Towson
14.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists
Jason Fontenet II (Senior) ~ UC Santa Barbara
6.6 points, 5 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Matas Deiusas (Sophomore) ~ UT Martin
12.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists
Nedas Raupelis (Sophomore) ~ International
Jaen Chatman (Freshman)
Tim Martin, Jr. (Freshman)
Dashiell Mabilon (Freshman)
Rhode Island was making some people turn their heads after starting off 13-8 overall and 4-4 in the A-10. Throughout the non-conference slate of their schedule, they took down Yale for their most notable win, but did fall to McNeese, Providence, Towson, and Tulsa, all respectable programs. However, they fell to Loyola Chicago to open up their play in the Atlantic 10, which made the rebound to 4-4 impressive. They went on to struggle to find consistency, finishing 16-16 overall and just 7-11 in conference.
Looking at their metrics, it was clear they needed to upgrade their offense. They finished just 226th overall in Offensive Adjusted Efficiency, compared to 67th on the defensive end. They ranked 329th in turnover percentage, 317th in three-point shooting percentage, and just 352nd in steal percentage.
They were able to retain Jahmere Tripp and Jonah Hinton, who were two of their top scorers from last season. Hinton shot 36.1% overall and 31.9% from three-point, while Tripp shot 45.9% overall and 41% from three-point. Through bringing in Dylan Williamson and Matas Deiusas, the Rams get some much needed juice on the offensive end. Williamson shot 38.6% overall and 34% from beyond the arc with Towson, while Deiusas shot 42.5% overall and 33.6% from three-point with UT Martin.
KenPom has the Rams projected at 17-14 overall and 8-10 in the Atlantic 10, while going 9-3 in the non-conference with losses to Providence, Tulane, and UAB. They took a dip on the defensive end, but with the upgrades on offense, I believe they should be able to find some more consistency this season to finish in the middle of the conference.
UMass
Returnees
Danny Carbuccia
6.8 points, 1.8 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1 steal
Dwayne Wimbley Jr.
2.3 points, 2.2 rebounds
Josh Engel
Redshirt
Jayden Ndigue
6.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.2 steals
Luka Damjanac
2.4 points, 2.5 rebounds
Dimitri Clerc
3.2 points, 2.7 rebounds
Rolli Castineyra
0 points, 0 rebounds (4 games / 4.5 minutes)
Newcomers
Junjie Wang (Senior) ~ San Francisco
8.5 points, 3 rebounds
Jordan Clayton (Senior) ~ Northwestern
3.9 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists
Abdullah Ahmed (Junior) ~ BYU
1.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.4 blocks
Trae Lewis (Sophomore) ~ Independence CC
12.9 points, 1.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.4 steals
Cam Hailey (Freshman)
Noa Zemljic (Freshman)
Heimir Helgason (Freshman)
Cheick Sylla (Freshman)
UMass was a bit of a surprise throughout the first three months of the season as they entered the beginning of February with a 15-9 record overall and a 6-6 record within the MAC. Most of their losses at that point had been close and competitive, including losing by six points to Marshall, four points to Charleston, four points to Green Bay, and even a near upset over Miami Ohio on the road where the Minutemen fell by just two points. Things came crashing down as they finished the regular season just 1-6 over their last seven games, with three overtime losses during that stretch.
There was a lot of momentum built last season, and they are looking to keep that rolling. However, they have had a lot of turnover. They lost their top four scorers from last season, but they were able to retain some important rotational players. They also added in Trae Lewis who is an offensive threat, although you never know how someone will transition from JUCO.
Overall, the Minutemen are placing some bets with Jordan Clayton and Abdullah Ahmed. Both players are coming from power conference programs where they saw limited playing time, but both have the potential to take some massive leaps in their careers at this level. Last season, the Minutemen were just 219th in defensive adjusted efficiency, so adding in Ahmed is an immediate boost as someone who was a remarkable shot blocker in his limited time on the court. Don’t forget Junjie Wang either as he turned himself into a valuable player at San Francisco last season with the Dons. He should see an uptick in his numbers as he makes the jump to the MAC.
The MAC is going to be a tough conference again this season, with Miami Ohio, Akron, and Kent State all projecting to be in the top three of the conference. UMass though should be able to finish in the middle of the conference once again. I don’t think they have the firepower to make a push for the top of the league, but if they can keep things rolling, they should be able to get some real momentum going with the basketball program.
Boston University
Returnees
Matai Baptiste
DNP / Injury
Kyrone Alexander
1 point, 2 rebounds (1 game / 11 minutes)
Sam Hughes
9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Azmar Abdullah
8.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists
Petter Carr
0.4 points, 0.4 rebounds
Andrew Bhesania
7.7 points, 2.3 rebounds (3 games / 10.3 minutes)
Donte Tisinger Jr.
6.4 points, 2 rebounds, 1.8 assists
Quinn Nielsen
1.3 points, 2.5 rebounds
Newcomers
Alex Zakheim (Junior) ~ Brandeis (D-III)
18.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.3 steals
Michelangelo Oberti (Junior) ~ Penn
1.8 points, 1.7 rebounds
Jaxson Terry (Freshman)
Jelani Easter (Freshman)
Joost Dalgaard (Freshman)
Darnell Lloyd IV (Freshman)
E.J. Vernon (Freshman)
It’s been an average last five years for the Boston University Terriers since they finished 22-13 overall in the 2021-2022 season. Last season, they finished .500 again at 17-17 overall and 10-8 in the Patriot League. They went on a little run in the conference tournament, taking down American and ending Navy’s chances to reach the NCAA Tournament after a fantastic season.
As a team, they ranked 125th overall in offensive adjusted efficiency, but just 348th on the defensive side. They run a methodical offense, ranking 355th in tempo, 11th in effective field goal percentage, 5th in three-point shooting percentage, and 31st in two-point shooting percentage. However, they lost their top three scorers from last season.
The Terriers weren’t able to go out in the portal and secure a ton of talent, so they focused on bringing in five freshman, and placing a bet that Alex Zakheim is going to be able to make the jump from Division III to Division I. He was tremendous last season at Brandeis, and after finding some footage of him, I don’t think there is a doubt that he’ll end up replacing one of those top three scorers from last year.
We’ve talked a lot this offseason about how NIL has opened up the opportunity for smaller programs to compete for freshmen that they never would have been able to a few years ago. Jaxon Terry is listed as a three-star top-300 recruit in his class. He originally was going to play at Loyola Chicago before decommitting and heading to Boston U. While others on the team who are returning are going to step up, I think you should keep an eye on Terry as he will have the opportunity to make an impact in year one.
Joost Dalgaard is another incoming freshman to watch for as he already has experience overseas. The 6’6 guard averaged 16 points with 3.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game with Denmark last year in the U18 European Championships. He’ll have the opportunity to make a huge splash in his first season in the NCAA.
Overall, I think Boston U is set up for another average season. One where they finish around .500, or even a little below. It’s hard to overlook the losses that they suffered at the top of their starting lineup. KenPom has them finishing 13-17 overall and 8-9 in the Patriot League, while ranking 326th overall. While I can see them finishing a bit better than that if some of the freshman step up, I don’t think that’s unrealistic.
Want to support my writing, but don’t want to sign up for a monthly subscription? Consider “buying me a coffee” via the link below!
Sign up for Bracket Busters’ Discord to discuss all things Mid-Major Basketball!
Harvard
Returnees
Kenan Parrish
2.2 points, 1.2 rebounds
Xavier Nesbitt
0.6 points, 0.6 rebounds
Robert Hinton
16.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.4 steals
Ben Eisendrath
5.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.6 steals
Austin Hunt
6.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1 assist
Tey Barbour
13.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists
Frankie Mannino
1.8 points, 1.3 rebounds
Alex Touomou
DNP / Injury
Dutch Dowdell
0.9 points, 0.4 rebounds
Thomas Batties II
12.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.5 blocks
Joseph Quartey
0 points, 0.1 rebounds
Payton Pitts
0 points, 0.3 rebounds
Ryan Sullivan
1.3 points, 2 rebounds
Luca Ace-Nasteski
1.2 points, 1 rebound
Avner Dror
0 points, 0.5 rebounds
Newcomers
Jason Singleton (Freshman)
Brandon Burrell (Freshman)
Preston Merrick (Freshman)
Kabir Narasimhan (Freshman)
Julian Adigun (Freshman)
Harvard put together a strong season last year as the Crimson finished 17-12 overall and 10-4 in the Ivy League. In conference play, they were narrowly taken down by Yale in overtime, Penn, Cornell, and Dartmouth. The best part is that they were able to retain a lot of their key talent as the Ivy League has been able to avoid getting killed in the portal since at the end of the day, it is the Ivy League.
When you look at the production that Coach Amaker received from the top of the lineup offensively last year, it’s hard to believe that they ranked just 221st in offensive adjusted efficiency. Meanwhile on the defensive side, they ranked 102nd. Among those top offensive performers, they retained three of their top four scorers, along with some of their important bench pieces. However, it’s important to note that they ran a six-man lineup. Six players averaged 22 minutes or more, with the next closest player averaging just 7.5 minutes per game.
Like I noted with Boston U, mid-major programs are competing for top-tier freshmen. Jason Singleton is a four-star, top-150 recruit in the country. He was a McDonald’s All-American nominee three times, and he was one of the best high school players in the state of Ohio. While I wasn’t able to confirm whether he is the best freshman to commit to Harvard, he has to be toward the top of the all-time list. There is no doubt that he’ll receive plenty of playing time in year one for the Crimson.
I’m a believer that Harvard could win the Ivy League this season. They were fantastic last season and they’ve returned the majority of their production, while bringing in some talented freshmen. KenPom has they projected at 18-10 overall, 9-5 in the Ivy League, and ranked 133rd in the preseason. In conference, they are slated at the top, tied with both Yale and Penn.
Brown
Returnees
Isaiah Langham
8.4 points, 2.4 rebounds
Jeremiah Jenkins
8.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.9 steals
Jonah Drezner
2.2 points, 0.4 rebounds (5 games / 5.6 minutes)
Adrian Uchidiuno
9.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1 steal
Wyatt DeGraaf
2.2 points, 1.5 rebounds
Jerrell Barron Jr.
DNP / Injury
Malcolm Wrisby-Jefferson
4.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists
Luke Paragon
7.1 points, 1.5 rebounds
David Rochester
6.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Brady Loughlin
6.5 points, 2 rebounds
Charlie O’Sullivan
4.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1 assist
N’famara Dabo
7.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1.4 blocks
Newcomers
Ray Cuevas (Junior) ~ Bowdoin (D-III)
22.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists
Rykan Woo (Freshman)
KJ Francis (Freshman)
Logan Jones (Freshman)
Timmy Bollin (Freshman)
Emmanuel Jamgbadi (Freshman)
The Brown Bears were quite the opposite of Harvard last season. The Bears finished 9-18 overall, 3-11 in conference, and 342nd in defensive adjusted efficiency. Two of their nine wins came against non-Division I programs. They had ten players that played consistently in the rotation, but just one player averaged double-digit points and he is no longer on the roster. However, they were able to retain other key rotational players, including their next five top scorers on the team.
They struggled mightily on offense last year, ranking 299th in effective field goal percentage, 338th in three-point shooting percentage, 243rd in two-point shooting percentage, and 295th in non-steal turnover percentage. They are going to hope that Ray Cuevas can replicate 75% of what he did in Division III at Bowdoin. Cuevas put together about as good a season as you are going to see, averaging 22.2 points per game. With the loss of Landon Lewis and his 16.6 points per game, Cuevas is going to be the guy they hope can help replace those minutes.
While none of the freshmen have the pedigree that Singleton does for Harvard, they are all still impactful long-term players for the Bears. Overall, it should be a better season for Brown. KenPom has them projected at 16-13 overall, 6-8 in the Ivy League, and 217th overall in the country. I think that’s reasonable, considering they were able to return the majority of their roster. Using the assumption that those players that averaged 7-9 points per game are able to step up and do even just a little bit more, coupled with Ray Cuevas, and I think the offense has to be better. While I don’t think any of the freshmen are going to be immediate stars, they do have the ability to make an immediate impact.
Trae Lewis is a 2027 recruit for UMass. He'll be there next year.
Wang has a chance to be very good. 31 yesterday against Brown. He's 6'9 and can shoot the 3. 12/13 from the line.