With basketball season fast approaching, Earl Grant and the Eagles hope to match their success from last season. Despite losing many critical veterans in the transfer portal, the Eagles picked up some talented players with outstanding upside.
In the 2023-2024 season, the Eagles basketball team finished with a satisfying 20-16 (8-12 ACC) record, making it to the NIT’s Sweet Sixteen. Although that record doesn’t pop off the page, it is a substantial increase from their 4-16 record in 2020. The team’s record has consistently improved since the school hired Earl Grant in 2021.
However, a shadow of doubt has plagued this upcoming basketball season. In March, star center Quinten Post declared for the NBA draft, creating a vast, seven-foot hole in the Eagles front court. Also, the Eagles lost many key pieces to the transfer portal. Players such as Prince Aligbe, Claudell Harris Jr., and Devin McGlockton left the team last season, leaving a young, inexperienced lineup in their wake.
To counter this mass exodus, the Eagles picked up multiple stars from the portal who hope to shine this upcoming season. Graduate student Chad Venning should offer a solid presence in the front court. At St. Bonaventure, the 6-9 center averaged 14.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game, earning All-Atlantic 10 offers in the process. Although he has big shoes to fill in Post’s position, Venning gives the Eagles a physical advantage below the hoop.
Alongside Venning, junior Dion Brown is expected to have a stellar season. Before joining the Eagles this summer, Brown was UMBC’s leading scorer his sophomore season, averaging 19 points per game. As a quick, shifty, and explosive guard, Brown can score from anywhere on the floor. With such versatility, he should be able to mesh easily with the Eagles’ on both sides of the floor.
The Eagles also possess potential with a few returners from last year. Despite only playing 19 games last season, sophomore Elijah Strong showed some serious skill in the NIT tournament. In two games against Providence and UNLV, Strong scored 17 points in 22 minutes of play, ending the season on a strong note. The team hopes he will ride this wave of momentum into the upcoming season and help Venning in the paint.
Chas Kelley III also saw off-and-on success during the year. The junior guard played 27 games last season and scored a season-high 13 points against St. John’s. Playing over twenty minutes a game six times, Kelley should offer the Eagles a consistent presence on the floor.
Despite losing the majority of their starting lineup to the transfer portal, the Eagles should still find some success this upcoming season. With some skilled transfers and hopeful underclassmen, the Eagles can still make their presence known in the infamously competitive ACC. The team hopes to begin the season on a strong note on November 4th against The Citadel. The game will be played in Conte Forum at 8 PM, and the players expect a huge turnout from the Eagles’ fanbase.
