Being a Delaware fan last season was like a roller coaster ride.
The Bluehens’ 2021-22 regular season was good, but not great. There was a reasonable question to ask whether UD has made any progress since his 22-win season (2019 he 2020). His 2020-2021 season affected by COVID-19.
But Delaware turned its back on the wall as it represented the Colonial Athletic Association on the national stage, gave the program some new pedigree, and qualified for its second NCAA Tournament in 23 years. All these concerns were quickly resolved in a highlighted manner. .
Biggest question right now? How Blue Hens Track Successful Runs.
What to Look Out for in Delaware Men’s Basketball This Season?
What The Blue Hens Bring To The Table As FloHoops Previews All The Teams
alliance.
A look back at the 2021 season
There’s a clichรฉ that every team starts the postseason 0-0, but Delaware took that to heart and turned it into a season to remember.
The Blue Hens hovered in the top half of the CAA standings, but UD fell to the 5th seed in the CAA Tournament before suffering a three-game losing streak to close out the regular season.
However, Martin Ingelsby’s team thrived in Washington, D.C., avenging two losses to Towson and UNC Wilmington in the semifinals and title game of the tournament, respectively, and making Delaware’s first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2014. was decided.
The Dream Run ended with a 20-point loss to Villanova in the first round of March Madness as the 15th seed, but the Blue Hens were able to keep their heads up grateful for what they had accomplished when the pressure was mounting. I made it.
Selected as 2022 CAA Champion! Alright, let’s go, @Delaware_FB!๐ pic.twitter.com/kg5AjHcb7L
โ Delaware Men’s Basketball (@DelawareMBB) September 10, 2022
Guard Jameel Nelson Jr. was proud to be the son of a former St. Joseph stud and NBA All-Star who transferred from George Washington the previous offseason. He earned All-CAA Second Team honors in the process (13.6 points, 4.9 rebounds per game).
Add CAA Rookie of the Year and CAA Tournament MVP forward Jare Davis and his new game to the mix.Rather than compete for another trip to the big dance, this time it will be an even better team. There is a possibility.
on the court
Prior to being hired by Delaware, Ingelsby spent many years as an assistant and administrator to Notre Dame (and former UD) head coach Mike Brey. Like his mentor, he tends to have a free-flowing attack that is difficult to guard at even at his best, giving the Blue Hens many high-scoring chances each night.
Ingelsby is now in his seventh year at Newark and it has taken him some time to instill his philosophy into the program. UD because in his first few seasons he had some of the worst attacks in CAA. 1 effective field in league play last season.
Rebounding is an issue that needs to be fixed, but Delaware not only averaged 32.4 games per game, topping the Northeasterns on the league’s averages per game chart, but Ingelsby’s team is also trying to stop their opponents from shooting lower. I’ve never defended, so I’m defending the 3-point line. 1 he earned 34% of his from the Deep in the season while he was in charge.
But Delaware has a new goal this year as CAA’s representative at March Madness, so it’s especially important for Ingelsby to work out this year’s kinks.
key returner
Jyare Davis, R-Soph., F, Newark, Delaware
Nelson’s popularity and talent draw attention, but Davis may be Delaware’s most important player this year.
The sudden explosion of the Providence transfer seems to have happened out of the blue in the middle of the season. Davis had never played more than 23 minutes in his first 14 games, but showed a sudden increase starting in his 32nd minute in a loss to Towson on January 27.
Ingelsby clearly liked what he saw as Davis played less than 23 minutes in the remainder of the match. When he became a starter, beginning with the CAA Tournament quarterfinals against Drexel, Davis began to show his true form. Potential.
Davis averaged 16.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and a 56.4% clip from the field in three conference tournament games for Delaware, and had a game-high 18 points in the championship game against UNC Wilmington. Taking the lead with 1:01 left to help Blue Hens become the first No. 5 seed to win his CAA Tournament.
It’s safe to assume that Davis will be a starter from the start of this season, and if the 6-foot-7 intern can build a lot more from his late-season charge from a year ago, mind you. Please attach. .
Add key
LJ Owens, Gr., G, Annapolis, MD
Despite Delaware certainly not being a bad 3-point shooting team in 2021 (a combined 34.6% mark that ranked deeply in the top half of the CAA last season), the Blue Hens have the potential to break the game. There were practically no snipers. Any time he has the ball outside the arc is dangerous.
Enter Owens, a UMBC transfer who has proven to be a lethal threat to Retrievers over the past two seasons. He had a 41.7% 3-point percentage over two seasons and a career-high 42.9% in his final season at UMBC. 67 completed the triple, making him the second most players in the American East.
Craft completed ๐ pic.twitter.com/fwtA3nQ9sf
โ Delaware Men’s Basketball (@DelawareMBB) September 15, 2022
A veteran player who started 82 of 84 games in his three years with the Retrievers, CAA avid fans may recognize Owens’ name from his freshman year with William & Mary. Tribe was one of his top-scoring freshmen in the conference.
Now back in the league where his college career began, Owens has taken more than half of his total shots shot from outside the three-point arc a year ago, according to college basketball analytics site Hoop Math. However, he forms a strong backcourt with Nelson and could be one of them. of a key part behind another deep Delaware postseason run.
Notable Game: Delaware Vs.Davidson, Dec 3
It’s a showdown between two teams who each won the NCAA Tournament last season, and the two programs have recent histories.
The Davidsons started each other’s seasons a year ago by roughing Delaware with a 93-71 win, but judging by a clear leap in the second half of the year, the Blue Hens will return to the same team in November. It was later proved that it was not. Meanwhile, the Wildcats, in their 33rd year under legendary coach Bob McKillop, are the nation’s best majors, as evidenced by their final 10th pick by March Madness. It looked like one of the programs in the middle. seed.
But it’s a new era for Davidson following the offseason retirement of McKillop, who is best known for leading the Wildcats to the 2008 Elite Eight on the back of future NBA superstar Stephen Curry. His son, Matt McKillop, took over the program.
Thank you coach. For ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด. pic.twitter.com/ruPefrZBtp
โ Davidson Basketball (@DavidsonMBB) June 17, 2022
It will obviously be worth watching how the Wildcats react to having a new coach for the first time since 1989, but last year’s guard Hyunjung Lee (15.8 points per game) and forward Luka Brajkovic (14.4 points), Davidson is going to go. He is looking elsewhere for production.
The Wildcats will get senior guard and current leading scorer Foster Royer (16.1 points), but junior guard Connor Cochera (a former CAA Rookie of the Year for William & Mary) will be another familiar Delaware face. can be an interesting element of look.
Expect the Blue Hens to bring things a little closer this time around with all the Davidson program turnovers.
