Season Preview: 2024-25 Men's Basketball
MILLIGAN, Tenn. – After another season of improvement for the Milligan University men's basketball team in 2023-24, much is expected of the 2024-25 squad, whose start to their season is sitting just ahead.
Milligan begins the year with a pair of games at the Florida College Classic against Florida College this evening, Oct. 25, and Webber International on Oct. 26.
2023-24 Season Review: Gradual, but marked, improvement was shown in 2023-24, as the Buffs built a 14-10 record in league play to finish fourth in the AAC standings.
Milligan started their conference slate off with a bang, ousting eventual conference champion, Union Commonwealth 105-93 in their conference opener at home. They also won seven of their last 11 regular-season matchups, The Buffs ended up falling to Johnson in the Quarterfinal round of the AAC Tournament.
Milligan finished atop the AAC in assists per game (17.0), were third in field goal percentage (49.0 percent) and were the second-best in the conference at limiting opposing threes (30.8 percent) in conference tilts.
2024 Preseason Poll: The Buffs were selected third of 14 teams in the 2024-25 AAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
1. Pikeville (9 First-Place Votes) - 178
2. Johnson (1) - 146
3. Milligan - 145
4. Union Commonwealth (3) - 125
5. Bryan - 120
6. Columbia International - 115
7. Reinhardt - 110
8. Montreat - 96
9. Truett McConnell - 81
10. Tennessee Wesleyan - 74
11. Bluefield - 52
12. Columbia - 51
13. Kentucky Christian - 49
14. St. Andrews – 23
Key Returners: Milligan returns 12 of their 16 players from last year's roster that improved by two conference wins over the previous season.
"We've got a great group of returners ready to make a difference this year," said head coach Bill Robinson.
Graduate point guard Finn McClure has been as steady as they come over his four years with Milligan. He enters his fifth year after a season that saw him shoot 49.4 percent from the field and 45.2 percent from long range. He started 23 of the 25 games that he participated in last campaign.
"Finn McClure has solidified our point guard position for 4 years and we're excited he is back for a grad season," Robinson said.
In his redshirt freshman campaign, Lincoln Thomae stood out, averaging 9.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest. He was also second on the team among qualified players in steals last season with 32, bringing the intensity on both ends of the floor.
"Lincoln Thomae is a great defender and is the heart and soul of our team right now," Robinson remarked.
The wings are as talented as ever, as Sam Gold and McCaskill Rivers come back after standout 2023-24 seasons. Rivers scored 14.0 points per game, which was the second-highest mark on the squad last year. Gold scored 8.3 points and tallied five rebounds per bout, while also leading the team with 1.0 blocks per game.
Posts Flynn Carlson and Piripi Korent are back in the fold in 2024-25, as Carlson enters his senior year after scoring 5.5 points and tallying 5.5 rebounds per game in his junior season. Korent dealt with injuries last season, but played in 15 games for the squad, and is one of three New Zealanders in their final seasons with the Buffaloes.
"Sam Gold and McCaskill Rivers bring athleticism and scoring at the forward positions and Flynn Carlson and Piripi Korent bring us great depth at the post position," said Robinson.
Caden Buckles and Bennett Bowers look to move into more prominent roles this season following their freshman campaigns.
"The backup point guard spot is taken by two sophomores Caden Buckles and Bennett Bowers. Both have shown great improvement during the preseason," continued Robinson.
A quartet of shooting guards, including Luke Lentz, Jay Hickman, Grant Hensley and Jaz Johnson, have returned and are set to play increased minutes this year.
"The depth at the shooting guard position is led by Luke Lentz and Jay Hickman, but Grant Hensley and Jaz Johnson have both played well this fall," he concluded.
Newcomers: The Buffs are adding five talented pieces to their 2024-25 roster.
The Buffs welcome four transfers to the roster with graduate forward Handje Tamba (Weber State), graduate forward Griffin Andricks (Olivet Nazarene), junior guard Elijah Bredwood (Lincoln Memorial) and sophomore forward Jayme Peay (Carson-Newman).
"All four transfers will play, and play a lot, led by seven-foot center Handje Tamba. Tamba is excellent around the basket and can run like a guard. His presence in the middle is going to be incredibly valuable for the Buffs. Griffin Andricks and Jayme Peay Will both demand minutes at the forward positions and Elijah Bredwood will bring explosive scoring to both the point guard and shooting guard positions," Robinson explained.
A one-person prep class is entering the Buffs' ranks in the form of 6'6" freshman guard from Jacksonville, N.C., Bo Koebbe.
"Bo Koebbe has had a great fall. His scoring ability and strength inside have been welcome surprises for the coaching staff," stated Robinson. "Bo is a great kid with huge upside."
Looking at the Schedule: The Buffs begin their campaign with two out-of-state classics and another single road matchup, totaling five non-conference games. They will then play a 20-game conference schedule with home-and-home dates against seven other AAC squads and six solo games against the remaining field.
"I really wanted to challenge our team early in the season with the best competition we could get at the NAIA level, so that's why we are making two long trips the first two weekends of the season to Tampa and northern Indiana," Robinson stated. "Florida College was 28-5 last year, and Webber international was 22-10, so both should bring excellent competition that first weekend. Huntington University is an excellent program and close to the hometown's of Flynn Carlson and Lincoln Thomae, Valparaiso, Indiana. Those two young men have meant so much to our program that I wanted to get a game closer to their families."
The Buffs will have a pair of exhibitions against NCAA Division I opposition in December, as they will battle Western Carolina on the road on Dec. 19 and Tennessee Tech on Dec. 29 in Cookeville.
"Playing Division I schools is a great opportunity for our program to get exposure outside of the NAIA," Robinson pointed out. "Tennessee Tech and Western Carolina both have excellent programs and will be great tests for us over the Christmas break."
Milligan will yet again take part in THE SHOW at the MeadowView Marriott in Kingsport on the Friday and Saturday following Thanksgiving, facing off with St. Thomas on Nov. 29 and Life on Nov. 30. The Buffs return to the MeadowView Marriott Feb. 26-March 1 for the AAC Tournament.
"THE SHOW has become the premiere NAIA Thanksgiving tournament across the nation," said Robinson. "For it to be right here in our backyard, in Kingsport, it's an easy decision to play in that event. AGAIN, we are looking forward to playing the best teams we can."
Last Word: "My staff and I are super excited about this team," Robinson concluded. "We are way deeper than we have been in the past at every position. Practice has been much more competitive with guys fighting for minutes every day. You must be competitive within your program to be competitive outside of your program, and we feel like we've accomplished that. Guys are ready to play against somebody else, so we are excited that the season is getting under way."