Regis Basketball (Tues, Nov 9)

I know who I’m blaming if we lose.

WESTON, Mass. – Eager to return to competition, the Regis College men's basketball team is approaching a memorable regular season opener and the most conference games on the schedule in program history as the 2021-22 campaign begins next week. Head coach Nate Hager enters his 14th season of competition (15th year overall) at the helm of the Pride, using the first few weeks of practice to acclimate a large group of first- and second-year players to the rigors of a collegiate basketball season. Zach Stevens joins the coaching staff as an assistant coach after both playing and coaching at Plymouth State University.

The team is led by fifth-year seniors Marc Trinidad (Bronx, N.Y.) and Jalil Wilkerson (New Haven, Conn.). Trinidad led the Pride in 2019-20 with 15.2 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game, setting the school single-season rebounding record with 237 boards. Wilkerson contributed 6.0 points and 2.8 rebounds per game two years ago, including three straight double-digit scoring performances where he shot 58.3 percent from the field as Regis defeated Fitchburg State, Johnson & Wales, and Lasell.

Also back for the Pride are juniors Justin Evelyn (Uniondale, N.Y.), Zakaria Latifi (Holliston, Mass.), and Cameron Wilkins (Taunton, Mass.). Wilkins, a three-time GNAC Rookie of the Week in 2019-20, broke the school record for single-season field goal percentage as he shot 59.9 percent from the field, Evelyn hit four three-pointers during a 16-point performance in the Pride's victory over Curry, and Latifi hit all seven of his field goal attempts, including six three-pointers, to finish with 20 points against Rivier.

For the first time in program history, Regis will face a Division I school in the regular season, as the Pride head to Worcester to take on Holy Cross next Tuesday, Nov. 9, for a 7 p.m. tipoff. Tickets to attend the game are available by visiting GoHolyCross.com/tickets or by calling 1-844-GOCROSS (1-844-462-7677), and the contest is scheduled to be shown on the streaming service ESPN+.

In the preseason coaches' poll for the GNAC South division, the USJ Blue Jays, ranked ninth in the D3Hoops.com Preseason Top 25 Poll, received 10 first place votes and 88 total points, followed by the Albertus Magnus Falcons with two first place votes and 79 total points. Johnson & Wales collected the last first place vote as it finished with 62 points for third place, ahead of Lasell (49 points), Regis (38 points), Dean (31 points), and Elms (17 points).

100? Wow, I didn't think anything in life was 100%, certainly not a sporting event. I'm not a betting man but if I was I'd take Regis and the 43 points.

Let's hope the HC defense stops any "beginner's luck" for Regis against their first D1 opponent.

How's this?

Better rebounding - esp. defensive rebounds.
Better shooting % in the paint.
Balanced defensive play overall.
Solid guard play.
Fewer turnovers than our opp.

How does Regis compare to foe UMass Boston?

Our bigs should dominate their Lilliputians in the front court.

9th team in D3 vs one of the worst teams in D1. Could be a loss.

So, if they are so bad and according to one post we are a 43 point favorite (I'd pick Regis in that bet), why exactly are we playing them other than to work up a sweat and to pad the win/loss record? Is this supposed to help our young guys gain confidence? 

Can live with either Regis or Mt. St. Vincent on the schedule, but having them both on it is terrible.

Let’s hope this is a one year thing and Nelson does a better job scheduling going forward.

How quickly we seem to forget the annual games with St Michal's (VT), Assumption and teams such as Amherst and others.

So, as you point out, they are not D1 and were regular home games. Today that would still be most upsetting to some. Back in the day, we thought little about such things.

Proximity has also become much more of an issue today than it was back then.

(PS: The fans from St Michael's used to look forward to our game. They would contact students they knew at the Cross and asked to be brought to Kimbal as our guests. They loved the food in our dining hall. (...well maybe not the "mystery meat" but most everything else.  )