Gulf Coast Showcase, Naples Invitational brings men’s mid-major basketball to Southwest Florida

If you’re a male college basketball fan, Sweet 16 got to Southwest Florida early on.

A total of 16 men’s teams will play this week in two regional tournaments organized by BDG Sports in the Hertz Arena and the Community School of Naples from Monday to Wednesday.

The Gulf Coast Showcase returns to the Hertz Arena for its ninth season, featuring NCAA regulars Vermont; Appalachian State, who won the tournament last season; and Akron, which almost angered Ohio State this season’s opening week, among its eight entrants.

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The first Naples Invitational at CSN features NCAA favorites from years gone by – Kent State (2002 Elite Eight), George Washington (1993 Sweet 16), East Tennessee State (upset # 10 Arizona in 1992). Murray State (1988, 2010, 2012, 2019 NCAA wins) and Missouri State (1987 NCAA win, 1999 Sweet 16).

After trying to put an event together during the global pandemic last season, tournament founder Brooks Downing said it was great to have a semblance of normalcy.

He also found out how much the teams missed events like this and how much the fans missed traveling.

“More teams came back to us asking for more men’s tournaments, so we added eight more teams,” Downing said. “The only college floor with a hotel available was the Community School of Naples and Naples Grande.

“We’ve seen quite an upward trend in travel as well. Instead of the teams saying, “I need 20 additional tickets”, they now say, “I need 75 tickets, 100”. There is some catching up to do. Teams can fly to RSW, Punta Gorda, Fort Lauderdale, Miami or Tampa. “

Bart Weiss, director of sports operations at the Community School of Naples, said he was looking forward to the event.

“It is meant to showcase our school and the community in general,” he said. “It’s our very first type of venture at this competitive level, and the teams that bring it down really come from all over the world.”

Based on CBS Sportsline’s preseason rankings, the Naples Invitational field is better and deeper than the Gulf Coast Showcase.

Wright State reached the highest rank – 91 – followed by No. 114 Missouri State, then crowded No. 123 Kent State, No. 125 James Madison and No. 126 Murray State.

The top teams in the Gulf Coast Showcase group are No. 104 Vermont, No. 132 Akron and No. 142 Appalachian State.

Wright State returns 10 players from last season’s roster who finished 18-6 overall and hit a 16-4 Conference mark for the third straight season in which they won at least part of the Horizon League title the regular season. Three returning Raiders were honored in the postseason in the Horizon League, with Tanner Holden on the first team, Grant Basile on the second team, and Tim Finke receiving All-Defensive Awards.

Missouri State has two players on its Lou Henson National Player of the Year Award watch list – Isiaih Mosley and Gaige Prim. The Bears return 89.4 percent of their points, 91.0 percent of their rebounds, 93.8 percent of their assists, and 71 , 7 percent of their 3-pointers and all 5 starters from a 17-7 squad.

Kent State, aged 15-8 last year, is returning four players with 14 or more starts, led by Giovanni Santiago. The Redshirt sophomore point guard started in all 23 games a year ago while leading the team in minutes and assists. Malique Jacobs, a member of the All-MAC Defensive Team 2020-21, is also returning.

Mark Byington, James Madison’s sophomore coach with the Colonial Athletic Association, has Junior Guard Vado Morse who averaged 14.4 points, 2.4 assists and 2.0 rebounds.

For the first time since 2011, Murray State isn’t selected first or second at the Ohio Valley Conference. The returning 1,000-point scorers, Tevin Brown and KJ Williams, were each called up to the All-OVC Preseason Team.

Ryan Davis, Sr. Ryan Davis of Vermont, was added to the Lou Henson Award watchlist for 2021-22. The Lou Henson Award is presented annually to the best mid-major player in the country. Vermont was ranked # 16 in the Mid-Major Top 25 by CollegeInsider.com. The Catamounts were the highest-ranking school in the American East.

Akron is returning eight players from a roster that set a 15-8 record and won the Mid-American Conference regular season title.

Appalachian State finished 17-12 last season and won the Sun Belt Tournament title for the program’s first ticket to the NCAA tournament since 2000. Coach Dustin Kerns is returning 12 players from last season, including all three All-Sun Belt honors. One of them is Justin Forrest, who averaged 13.2 points per game last season.

Gulf Coast storefront

When: Monday Wednesday

Where: Hertz Arena

First round matches

11 a.m .: Rice vs. Evansville

1:30 p.m .: Vermont vs. Oakland

5 p.m .: Akron vs. Fordham

7:30 p.m .: Appalachian State vs. Delaware

Playing times of the second round on Tuesday: 11:00 am, 1:30 pm, 5:00 pm, 7:30 pm

Championship game: 7.30 p.m. Wednesday

Naples invitation

When: Monday Wednesday

Where: Community School of Naples

First round matches

12 noon: Kent State vs. James Madison

2:30 p.m .: Wright State vs. George Washington

5:30 p.m .: East Tennessee State vs. Murray State

8 p.m. Missouri State vs. Long Beach State

Playing times of the second round on Tuesday: 12:00, 14:30, 17:30, 20:00

Championship game: 8 p.m. Wednesday

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