A Quick Summary of the Ivy League Men's Basketball Coaches Round Table

10 Days. That is all that separates Harvard Men’s Basketball from the beginning of its 2018-2019 campaign, which will commence with a home tilt against Cambridge rivals MIT. The Crimson has had nearly seven and a half months to reflect upon the disappointment of a three-point loss to Penn, the hosts of last year’s Ivy League Championship. Adding a strong recruiting class, and retaining over 99 percent of last year’s scoring, Harvard will have its sights firmly placed on the Ancient Eight Title, and a return to the NCAA Tournament.

With the new season approaching, coach Tommy Amaker sat down with the other seven coaches in the conference for a preseason primer. Moderated by ESPN’s Dalen Cuff, the coaches discussed a host of other topics specific to the Ivy League and the state of college basketball as a whole.

Here are some of the highlights from the roundtable discussion, highlighted by three major themes: Recruiting, Media Exposure, and Rising Talent.

RECRUITING

In the wake of numerous FBI investigations into the recruiting practices of various Division I programs, the coaches discussed the current climate around Ancient Eight recruiting.

“The one great thing about being in this conference is that that’s not a pool that we swim in,” said Yale coach James Jones, who has led the Bulldogs’ program since 1999. “It makes what we do really special, because you’re dealing with people who want to go to school and do things the right way.”

Coach Amaker echoed Jones’ thoughts, while shedding light on identifying the families and players that are a good fit for the league’s goals.

“All of us sitting here recognize who we represent, and try to identify those particular kids and families that value what we can offer,” Amaker said. “Even kids who are ranked higher, we’re finding that players are looking for a particular type of opportunity, and we represent many brands that have been pretty magical for a bunch of kids out there.”

Columbia’s Jim Engles touched upon the nature of recruiting in a league that does not offer athletic scholarships.

“I think it’s a true sense of the educational component of being a student-athlete because kids and their parents are investing in their education,” said Engles, who is entering his third season in Morningside Heights. “With all the mentoring, and the internship opportunities, it almost becomes as a priceless, lifelong scholarship for them.”

“I think we double down, in the Ivy League, on who we are,” added Princeton coach Mitch Henderson, on the character of the conference. “A world-class student-athlete experience, it separates us from competitors, but it’s also the right thing to be doing, in terms of pursuing a four-year degree.”

NATIONAL EXPOSURE

The upcoming season will mark the first year of a 10-year partnership between the Ivy League and ESPN, that will air every conference game on ESPN+, with a host of matchups finding national airtime across the ESPN linear television spectrum.

Coach Jones shed light on the boost that the Ivy League’s partnership with ESPN will continue to give the teams, focusing on the transition from the perception of the Ancient Eight as an underperforming conference.

“I think that with the advent of more television, being on ESPN, and having people watch us play and have success at the same time, that perception is beginning to change,” Jones explained. “When people see that, and notice that not only are we amongst the best schools in the country academically, but we can compete with some of the best basketball teams… it makes it a little easier for people to see who we are.”

“When people turn on their TVs, they’re going to see really high level basketball,” said Brown coach Mike Martin of the league’s quality. “The exposure that we’ll get on ESPN will be outstanding for us.”

“The visibility is so crucial,” Cornell coach Brian Earl said. “When you think about athletics on TV, you think ESPN, and when you think about the highest level of education in the world, you think about the Ivy League. So when you start putting those things together, you don’t need to do too much recruiting-wise.”

RISING TALENT

While the influx of national attention that the ESPN deal will bring Ancient Eight Basketball is important, all of the coaches emphasized the rise of talent across all eight teams that has occurred over the past decade.

“People will start seeing that every team in this league has guys that can play anywhere in the country, and that’s not an exaggeration,” coach Martin said.

Several of the coaches referenced the difficulty they face in scheduling out of conference matchups, and point to it as a testament to the league’s widespread quality.

“When I was in the league prior, in the 2000s, you could schedule almost any game you wanted,” Penn’s coach Steve Donohue said. “But now, the level of play in this league has stopped teams that would typically schedule you, into thinking twice about it.”

Along with an influx of skill into the Ancient Eight, there has been an astonishing level of parity across the last two seasons, exacerbated by the advent of Ivy Madness.

“We’ve already touched on it, but this league from top to bottom has been ultra competitive,” said Coach Earl. “As Ivy League student-athletes, these kids want to compete in every way, in the classroom and on the court.”

Once a league that straggled behind its Division I peers, the Ivy League has clearly become a home for exceptionally talented players.

“I’ve been on the phone with more NBA scouts this offseason than ever,” coach Martin said. “It’s not just about the players we have, but it’s about everyone in the league. I think the league is headed for a very exciting future.”

As a fresh season draws near, Amaker and the rest of the Ancient Eight’s coaches will hope that the league’s status and quality continues to rise, helping create a new era for Ivy League basketball.

The Crimson will host the Engineers at 7pm on November 6th, as the tip-off to a season that holds much promise for a hungry Harvard team.

—Staff writer Amir Mamdani can be reached at amir.mamdani@thecrimson.com. Follow him on Twitter @AMamdaniTHC.