DeMeo got Northwest Flordia State to the NJCAA national title game where they lost by 3 points. It's no secret I thought ECU should have given him the interim job in mid-January as a trial-run/ audition to be Dooley's replacement. They didn't use that freebie or even consider him it seems in the coaching search. He's a good coach that deserves a chance at the D1 level. I really don't get it either as he's won big at multiple head jobs and been a D1 assistant the highest levels like St. John's, Providence, and UCF. I don't know what the guy has to do to get a look at this point, especially when you see some of these guys getting 2nd or 3rd chances retreads. Hopefully some AD finally gives him a look after this impressive rebuild.
I detailed his rebuilding of Northwest Florida State over the summer. here...
He had one player returning from last year that averaged 3ppg and brought in 6 D1 transfers. Watching the game today Chad Baker Mazra looked the part of an NBA player in the way he handled the ball and shot. He was a rotation player at San Diego State last year. He's a stud and even played some point guard at 6-7. He got hurt in the last 3 minutes with the game tied which probably cost NWFS.
Both teams looked like top 100ish, bottom end NIT level type of teams to me. Clearly lots of D1 talent on the court. Many that had been in D1 already. The other team had a player that averaged 11ppg with a 20 PER at Eastern Kentucky and is signed with Missouri. NWFS wasn't as deep which mattered playing 4 games in 5 days and 3 days in a row. I like tight rotations but you need depth for this particular tournament it seems because that's a different animal.
The announcers said most of these players could have signed with D1 teams but they didn't like the offers they were getting in the portal last year which is why most went JUCO to try to upgrade their stock. The point is these are probably players that could have come to ECU last spring and likely would have been targeted if DeMeo was here. I think it's a fair analog for what an ECU team under DeMeo would have looked liked, and I was impressed seeing them play.
It will be interesting to see where Baker Maza and Pryor end up now. Both are studs. If DeMeo doesn't get offered a D1 job after this rebuild it's probably never going to happen for him, unfortunately. He's now 199-35 at Northwest Florida State. Hey USF don't be stupid and overpay a fired retread, the dude is in your backyard.
