The Post’s Zach Braziller makes predictions for some of the prominent college hoops teams in the metro area with the season tipping off Monday.
Rutgers doesn’t return to the NCAA Tournament, but there is plenty of excitement within the program as the season results in a second straight NIT berth. Sophomore Derek Simpson is the Scarlet Knights’ second-best player after stud center Cliff Omoruyi, proving he is ready to lead a blockbuster, top-three-ranked recruiting class the following year, highlighted by five-star prospects Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper, who picks Rutgers in January.
The Pride are being underrated after losing star guard Aaron Estrada to Alabama. But for all of his abilities, Hofstra at times became over-dependent on the two-time conference player of the year. It returns several key contributors from the defending regular-season champions, led by high-scoring guard Tyler Thomas, heady point guard Jaquan Carlos and well-rounded wing Darlinstone Dubar. Speedy Claxton’s team will enter the CAA Tournament under the radar after a third-place finish, and play its best at the right time to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2001. (Hofstra did win the CAA Tournament in 2000, before COVID-19 cut the postseason short).
The Garden State fails to produce an NCAA Tournament team for the first time since 2015. Rutgers and Seton Hall both settle for the NIT, Fairleigh Dickinson finishes second in the NEC but can’t get it done in the conference tournament after its memorable March moment last year, and Princeton, coming off that dream Sweet 16 run, loses to loaded Yale in the Ivy League title game. Monmouth and NJIT aren’t threats, while Rider follows up a regular-season MAAC title with an early exit from the postseason tournament.
Fordham doesn’t win as many games as it did last year (25), but that doesn’t mean Keith Urgo’s program isn’t headed in the right direction. The Atlantic 10 is improved and Fordham’s non-conference schedule is tougher than the previous year’s lineup of cupcakes, with games against St. John’s, Ivy League contender Cornell and North Texas and Tulane of the AAC. A season after finishing in a three-way tie for second in their league, the Rams are sixth, but after being led by seniors last winter, their best players are sophomores — Angel Montas, Joshua Rivera and Will Richardson — creating hope for the future.
Hofstra is joined by St. John’s and Iona. The Johnnies finish fifth in the minefield otherwise known as the Big East, and are a seven-seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Iona, with its grad-transfer-heavy roster, starts slow with an almost brand new team but finishes fast, winning the MAAC Tournament for the seventh time since 2016.
Hofstra and Iona are both 14-seeds and are dispatched in the opening round, while St. John’s and Rick Pitino advance one round, winning the school’s first tournament game in 24 years.
Sr. C Cliff Omoruyi, Rutgers (13.2 PPG, 9.6 RPG)
St. John’s will have the best team locally, but not the best player. Omoruyi was already an elite rim-protector and low-post finisher. Now he has added versatility to his game on the offensive end with a midrange jumper, making him a top-10 center nationally. After a huge senior year, Omoruyi becomes Rutgers’ first NBA draft pick since Hamady N’Diaye was a second-rounder in 2010.
All-Met local first team
Sr. G Daniss Jenkins, St. John’s (15.6 PPG, 4.9 APG)
Sr. F Chris Ledlum, St. John’s (18.8 PPG, 8.5 RPG)
Sr. G Kadary Richmond, Seton Hall (10.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG)
Sr. C Joel Soriano, St. John’s (15.2 PPG, 11.9 RPG)
Sr. G Tyler Thomas, Hofstra (16.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG)
Second team
Sr. G/F Dre Davis, Seton Hall (9.6 PPG, 3.3 RPG)
Sr. G Al-Amir Dawes, Seton Hall (12.6 PPG, 1.7 APG)
Sr. G Jordan Dingle, St. John’s (23.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG)
Sr. F Osborn Shema, Iona (7.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG)
So. G Derek Simpson, Rutgers (7.1 PPG, 1.5 APG)