Ivy Madness is coming to Providence next spring. Will Brown basketball be part of it?

The Ivy League isn’t immune to the modern realities of college sports.

The transfer portal and the growth of name, image and likeness rights have eclipsed the promise of a prestigious four-year degree in some cases. There have been some high-profile men’s basketball departures this offseason and Brown was among the programs affected.

Kalu Anya has left the Bears after two years and will enjoy a reunion of sorts at Saint Louis. Brown retained another frontcourt standout and pulled in a transfer from the Division II ranks to help shape its 2024-25 roster, one that will look to reach Ivy Madness on its home floor.

The Bears caught fire at the perfect time last season. They won seven straight games to break into the top four of the league standings and reach the title game at Columbia. A last-second defeat against Yale was all that prevented Brown from a first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1986.

More: For Brown’s Mike Martin, reaching postseason was a longtime dream come true.

Brown’s Kino Lilly Jr. could be a candidate for Ivy League Player of the Year.

Will there be healing next spring? Kino Lilly Jr., Lyndel Erold and AJ Lesburt all started that critical game against the Bulldogs — they’ll continue with the Bears. Lilly has a real chance to claim league Player of the Year honors after establishing himself as one of its top performers.

Nana Owusu-Anane was the question mark after a shocking entry into the portal, but his subsequent pledge to return offers a major boost. He’s a captain, the team’s leading rebounder and a nightly double-double threat who reportedly received interest from the likes of Arizona State, Virginia Tech, Florida, Seton Hall, BYU, Clemson and others. That he could earn meaningful minutes for those power programs makes clear just how important it was for Brown to bring him back.

Brown’s Nana Owusu-Anane and his teammates celebrate their victory over Princeton in the Ivy League semifinals in March.

Erold’s defensive presence and Lesburt’s…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/ivy-madness-coming-providence-next-093836955.html

Author : The Providence Journal

Publish date : 2024-05-16 09:38:36

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