Mountain West Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 8, 2026 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE for All of our Preseason Coverage, Including Interviews, Podcasts, and Conference Previews

MOUNTAIN WEST MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. New Mexico
  2. Grand Canyon
  3. Nevada
  4. UNLV
  5. Wyoming
  6. Hawaii
  7. San Jose State
  8. UC Davis
  9. UTEP
  10. Air Force

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST TEAM:

-Dylan Darling – SR, G – Grand Canyon
-Efe Demirel – SO, C – Grand Canyon
-Jaden Henley – SR, C – Grand Canyon
-Makaih Williams – SR, G – Grand Canyon
-Elijah Price – JR, F – Nevada
-Vaughn Weems – SR, G – Nevada
-Jake Hall – SO, G – New Mexico (Preseason Player of the Year)
-Uriah Tenette- SO, G – New Mexico
-Tyrin Jones – SO, G – UNLV
-AJ Storr – SR, G – UNLV
Naz Meyer – SO, G – Wyoming

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-I liked the Mountain West Network a whole lot better when it was free.

-The Mountain West looks a lot different. San Diego State has moved on to the Pac 12, which brings an end ton one of the best and most underrated rivalries in college basketball. San Diego State and New Mexico had two of the best fanbases and best student sections. They were two of the better teams in the league and it was alway destination programming when they went against one another. They may continue to play, but it won’t be the same with them not being in the same conference.

-New Mexico has won 26 games or more each of the last three years and are the preseason favorites to win the league this year. Jake Hall is the only returning starter, but he is also one of the best players in the league and one of the better outside shooters in the nation. Uriah Tenette is also back after a very good freshman year last year, and Hayden Mayes transfers in after having a big year for UC San Diego. The Lobos have talent and I think they’ll be back in the NCAA Tournament this year.

-Grand Canyon had a modest 20-12 season a year ago and finished 3rd in the MWC. They had been the flagship team of the WAC, but moving to the MWC was a clear step up in competition and they didn’t do bad at all their first time out. Jaden Henley is back after being one of the leading scorers in the league last year. Three other probable starters for the Lopes received all-conference preseason honors. Grand Canyon has been successful at retaining it’s talent from year to year. They’ve also added Jaden Zimmerman, who was a big time scorer for Quinnipiac last year. I think this team is loaded with good players, I think they have balance, and I think they have depth. I think they can win the league and end the season safely inside the bubble.

-Nevada won 24 games a year ago but was only a modest 12-8 in conference play. Elija Price returns and he was a solid frontcourt player last year. Styles Phipps has transferred in from Pepperdine, but other than those two they don’t appear to have guys with a whole lot of proven D1 experience. Still, it’s a chance for some of the other players to step into bigger roles and contribute. Head Coach Steve Alford has managed 20+ wins in three of the last four seasons.

-I keep waiting for UNLV’s program to take off. It seems like it should. But, it’s been awhile since they’ve been anywhere near the bubble, and while they’ll likely finish near the middle of the pack again, which isn’t bad, they won’t be nationally relevant like it feels like they should be. Josh Pastner enters his second year as head coach after going a so-so 18-17 last year. Just one starter is back, but he should be able to get contributions from Dontez Williams who put up big numbers at Lindenwood and Sebastian Mack who was a key player for UCLA.

-Wyoming. Nobody gets higher!! Well, unless you’re talking about the standings. In fact Wyoming was 9th last year, but did show signs of life down the stretch winning five of their last six regular season games. With a couple of key players back in Naz Meyer and Khaden Bennett, both of whom were double-digit scorers, and with some fairly solid looking transfers the Cowboys should take a big step forward this year. I don’t think they’ll end up making the NCAA Tournament, but they should be noticeably better than they were a year ago.

-Hawaii is playing their inagural year after being in the Big West. They actually won the Big West Tournament last year, and went a very solid 6-5 on the road. If you follow Hawaii, you know they’re very tough at home, but struggle on the road. I kind of see that being the case this year, and kind of think that finishing around .500 in league play makes a lot of sense. Their entire starting lineup is gone from a year ago, so Eran Ganot is tasked with rebuilding the roster. Bol Dengdit and Chance Trujillo were solid pickups out of the portal, but some of the other players will have to step up if they’re going to be successful.

-Tim Miles won at North Dakota State when they were transitioning to D1, won at Colorado State who had never really won before, and took Nebraska to an NCAA Tournament, but he can’t seem to get anything going at San Jose State. They were just 9-24 overall and 3-17 in league play with two of the three wins coming against Air Force, which barely counts. All five starters from last year are gone and there just isn’t much in the way of experience on their roster.

-UC Davis is making their Mountain West debut! And I think they’re being slightly undervalued here. I don’t think they’ll contend for the league title, but I don’t think they’ll be quite this close to the bottom either. Conner Sevilla returns to the lineup, who is a very good outside shooter. They don’t have a whole lot of experience and that is reason to believe they may struggle, but I still think they’ll do a little better than 8th.

-UTEP is a program that should be better than what they are. They won just 11 games a year ago and it has been a long time since they were anywhere near the bubble. All five starters are gone and they’ve gone into the portal to try and rebuild. Ryan Jackson is an interesting player to watch. Last year at William & Mary he shot 52.4% from three-point land, which is just a crazy percentage. They have some other guys coming in that played limited roles at D1 programs and are looking for a chance to play bigger roles at UTEP.

-I don’t want to beat up on Air Force. The player pool they have to recruit from is very shallow given how difficult it is to be admitted there and they’re just always fighting an up hill battle. All five starters are back, and perhaps that experience can help them out some. They won just three games last year and only four the year before that. Joe Crispin takes over as head coach and…well…I wish him luck.

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Big Ten Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 8, 2026 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE for All of our Preseason Coverage, Including Interviews, Podcasts, and Conference Previews

BIG TEN MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Illinois
  2. Michigan State
  3. Michigan
  4. UCLA
  5. Nebraska
  6. Purdue
  7. USC
  8. Ohio State
  9. Indiana
  10. Iowa
  11. Wisconsin
  12. Maryland
  13. Minnesota
  14. Oregon
  15. Washington
  16. Northwestern
  17. Rutgers
  18. Penn State

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN 1ST TEAM:

-Jeremy Fears Jr. – Michigan State
-Pryce Sandfort – Nebraska
-David Mirkovic – Illinois
-Elliot Cadeau – Michigan
-Trey McKenney – Michigan

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN 2ND TEAM:

-Nolan Winter – Wisconsin
-John Mobley Jr. – Ohio State
-Rodney Rice – USC
-Andrej Stojakovic – Illinois
-Aiden Sherrell – Indiana

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Illinois is good. They made the Final Four last year after a 28-win season and are good enough to get back there again this year. Losing Keaton Wagler is no small thing, but with Stefan Vaaks coming in from Providence and joining Quentin Coleman (who looks to be a super-frosh), the Illini will have a monster backcourt. David Mirkovic also returns, and he and Tomislav Ivisic make up a monster frontcourt. Illinois is not my pick to win it all, but I definitely think they are in that discussion. I think they can make it back to the Final Four this year: they are that good.

-Michigan State is another team that is once again stacked with talent and who could contend for the Big Ten title and go deep into March. Jeremy Fears Jr. returns at PG, who was a scoring and assist machine last year. Anton Bonke is another player to watch as he is 7’2″ and has great range for a big man. I do not like them quite as much as Illinois, but we should see them ranked in the top-ten for much (if not all) of the season.

-Michigan was last year’s national champion after going an amazing 37-3 and kind of blowing through the Final Four. The problem is that Coach Dusty May is gone, as are four of their starters. Still, a program like Michigan is never going to be short on talent, and Elliot Cadeau is back at PG. He and Trey McKenney will make up a very solid backcourt. JP Estrella and Moustapha Thiam will make up a very strong and experienced frontcourt, so the cupboard is by no means empty for the defending national champs.

-I think I say this every year, but I really like this UCLA team. They won 24 games a year ago and are always tough defensively, and with three key starters back I think they are set up to be a huge headache for a lot of teams in the Big Ten. Trent Perry and Eric Dailey Jr. make up a strong backcourt and both were double-digit scorers a year ago. Xavier Booker is a big guy with great range, and with the addition of Jaylen Petty from Texas Tech, the Bruins have some great pieces that fit the style of play that Coach Mick Cronin wants to run.

-Nebraska was one of the great storylines in all of college basketball last year. Their 28-win season where they advanced to the Sweet Sixteen (and nearly went further) was the best in school history. Coach Fred Hoiberg has to replace four starters, but Pryce Sandfort is back and will once again be a huge part of this year’s team. They also have some key reserves coming back in Braden Frager who averaged double-figures last year, and Sam Orme, who was a key player for a very good Belmont team a year ago. The Huskers will likely be dancing again this year, and will likely once again be set up to get beyond the Round of 64.

-Purdue won 30 games last year and made it to the Elite Eight. This year they are not expected to be quite as good, but they will still be quite good. CJ Cox is the only returning starter, but Caden Pierce joins the team, who was Ivy League Player of the Year at Princeton in 2024 and some other guys who contributed off the bench. Purdue will almost assuredly still be a solid NCAA Tournament-caliber team, but they may not be a Final Four contender like they have been in recent years.

-USC has not cracked the 20-win mark for the last three years and missed the NCAA Tournament again last year. While they did lose some key players, both Rodney Rice and Alijah Arenas are back, so they will have a very solid backcourt. Jacob Cofie also transfers in from Virginia, and is one of seven players the Trojans got from the portal, so they have reloaded their roster and appear to have a fair amount of depth. We could see the Trojans take a big step forward this year.

-Ohio State finished in 8th place last year, which was good enough to get them into the NCAA Tournament. They are picked to finish in the middle of the league yet again, and that should be good enough to get them back to the (now expanded) NCAA Tournament. Bruce Thornton is gone along with two other starters, so the Buckeyes will have to reload, but with John Mobley Jr. back at PG and Justin Pippen at the #2, the Buckeyes should once again have a very strong and talented backcourt. They should have a formidable frontcourt as well along with a fair amount of depth.

-Indiana missed the NCAA Tournament a year ago, but would have probably made it had there been a 76-team field. Only one starter returns, but like a lot of teams they have added some key transfers. Aiden Sherrell, who has both size and range, comes in from Alabama and should provide a big spark for the Hoosiers this year. Samet Yigitoglu put up impressive numbers for SMU a year ago. The Hoosiers are definitely not empty-handed.

-Iowa had a rather unspectacular regular season that had a rather spectacular ending in March. Late in the season they went through a stretch where they lost five out of seven games and appeared to be going in the wrong direction, but in the NCAA Tournament they advanced to the Elite Eight before Illinois finally knocked them off. Three starters return for the Hawkeyes, so I am a little surprised they are not getting a little more preseason love. They do not have any superstar players, but they should be really balanced.

-Wisconsin is coming off another solid year where they were 14-6 in conference and made it to the NCAA Tournament, but they appear to be in rebuild mode this year. I always end up liking Wisconsin more than the consensus does, but even I can see how they may be in a bit of a reset mode this year. Just one starter is back in Nolan Winter, and while he can score and rebound he is going to need some help. Eian Elmer was a standout player for Miami OH last year, and Trey Autry put up solid numbers at George Washington, so they are able to somewhat reload, and they are always a hard team to play against, but they may not be quite as tough as what we have seen in the past.

-Maryland had a rough year last year, winning just 12 total games, and the expectations are not much better for this year. Having said that, Coach Buzz Williams has shown that he knows how to grow a program. Just one starter is back, but that could also mean that the roster is being built more to the way that it will fit Buzz’s style. DJ Wagner comes in from Arkansas, Bishop Boswell come in from Tennessee, and Andre Mills returns to the starting lineup. None of these players put up incredible numbers, but they were recruited to fit a system. I am going to go out on a limb and say that Maryland is much better this year than many are forecasting.

-Minnesota just was not good last year, but they did start to pick it up down the stretch by winning four of their final six regular season games, which accounted for half of their conference wins. Three starters are back and that experience should help them. I do not think Minny will challenge for the league title, but I do not think they will be the doormat either.

-Oregon had a rough season last year that saw them finish 15th in the league, and things are not looking all that much better this year. Just one starter is back, and Coach Dana Altman (who has announced his retirement since this was 1st posted) is tasked with a complete rebuild. Fred Payne transfers in from Boston College, which should give them some strength in the backcourt and Andrew Meadow put up solid numbers at Boise State, so the Ducks do have a few pieces and could take a bit of a step forward.

-Coach Danny Sprinkle’s Washington team stumbled through much of the year and are tasked with a roster rebuild this year. Wesley Yates III is back and LeJuan Watts is coming in from Texas Tech, but other than those two there are not many guys that have played major roles before, so some of them will have to step up if the Huskies are going to be competitors.

-It is so much fun when Northwestern is good. It is just that more often than not, they are not good and the media is not expecting them to be good this year…but can the Wildcats surprise some people? They have some guys who were really good at Under the Radar schools transferring in. LA Pratt put up huge numbers at Northeastern and he comes in as a grad transfer, Jack Karasinski scored more than 21ppg game at Bellarmine last year, and Colin Smith was a solid player for UC Santa Barbara. I am also a fan of Coach Chris Collins and I think Northwestern could be a bit of a dark horse this year.

-Rutgers is another team that is not getting any love, but who I think could turn out to be better than expected. Three starters are back from last year’s team, including Tariq Francis, and Darin Smith is transferring in. Both of those guys put up huge numbers at Under the Radar schools and may be better players than what most of those who follow the Big Ten realize.

-Penn State came in dead-last a season ago and is expected to repeat as dead-last again this season. They do have some players returning who had decent seasons a year ago and maybe that experience could help them improve this year. Maybe?? Probably not, but…maybe??

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Big West Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 7, 2026 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE for All of our Preseason Coverage, Including Interviews, Podcasts, and Conference Previews

BIG WEST MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. UC Irvine
  2. UC San Diego
  3. UC Santa Barbara
  4. Utah Valley
  5. Cal State Northridge
  6. California Baptist
  7. Cal State Fullerton
  8. Cal Poly
  9. Sacramento State
  10. Long Beach State
  11. UC Riverside
  12. Cal State Bakersfield

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-The Big West is perhaps the top Under the Radar conference and is often undervalued by…well…everyone. Including the selection committee.

-UC Irvine is one of the flagship programs in the conference and the preseason favorite to win it this year. They won 23 games a year ago and finished in 1st place, but lost to Hawaii in the championship game. Tama Isaac had a solid freshman season last year running the point and should be even better this year now that he has a year of experience under his belt. Nils Cooper was a double-digit scorer at UC Davis last year who transfers in and they have a solid-looking group of freshmen and transfers. There are quite a few question marks with this year’s team, but Russell Turner has a history of meeting (and exceeding) expectations.

-I am a big believer in this UC San Diego team, and they are my pick to win the league. With four starters back from a team that was really playing well down the stretch (despite an early loss in the Big West Tournament) I think they can not only win the Big West, but perhaps position themselves to get beyond the Round of 64. In addition to the four starters, Rahmir Barno comes in at PG, who was a good player for FGCU a year ago, and Kayde Dotson was another strong guard from Loyola Chicago. They have got depth, talent, guys who can hit from the outside, and are going to be a very tough team to beat.

-UC Santa Barbara really fell apart in the second half of conference play last year, winning just one of their final seven games. Still, the expectations are high again this year with Miro Little returning. He averaged 12ppg a season ago despite batting injuries. CJ Shaw is also back, who averaged 12ppg last year and was a fantastic outside shooter. They add some key transfers as well in Viljami Vartiainen from Weber State and RJ Smith from DePaul, so the Gauchos definitely have some pieces to work with.

-Utah Valley joins the league after being one of the better programs in the WAC. They have won 25 games in each of the last two seasons, which is remarkable, but they came up short in the conference tournament both years, including in a classic championship game last year. They will have a much harder path to it now that they are in the Big West. Still, as a program they should be able to hold their own over time, but they may be in for a tough ride this year. Isaac Davis gives them a presence inside, but they will need some of the returners and newcomers to step up if they want to finish near the top of the standings this year.

-Cal State Northridge has won 20+ games each of the last two years, which is a huge accomplishment for a program that was very recently seemingly always at or near the bottom. Just one starter is back so Coach Andy Newman is in a bit of a reset mode, but Brooklyn Hicks and Caleb Smith are both key transfers who were solid D-1 players, so the cupboad is not completely empty. They also have some guys who can hit from the outside, so the Matadors will once again be fun to watch.

-California Baptist is another Big West newcomer. They won 25 games last year as member of the WAC and won the conference tournament after going 13-5 in league play. The bad news is that all five starters are gone and they are having to start completely over in a league that is much stronger than last year’s WAC. Ethan Duncan was a solid player for Lipscomb, but other than him they just do not have much in the way of players who are proven at the D-1 level, so there are probably more questions than answers when it comes to this team.

-Cal State Fullerton saw a huge improvement last year, winning 18 total games after winning just 6 the year before. Only two starters are back this year, one of whom is Christian Williams who was a really solid player a year ago. Malcolm Bell comes over from Cal Poly after averaging just under 15ppg, so he is a huge get for the Titans. They also add some talented freshmen and lower division transfers, and should be a fairly decent 3-PT shooting team.

-Cal Poly may be a bit of a dark horse this year. I do not think they will contend to finish at the top of the standings, but I could see them doing better than 8th. Four starters are back, and I am always a fan of experience, but it is also a team that won five of their last seven regular season games: one of those wins was at Hawaii who won the Big West Tournament last year. Cayden Ward is a solid frontcourt player who can score and rebound, Guzman Vasilic is a solid outside shooter, and they have some talented players. I think they will finish higher than where they are being picked.

-Sacramento State is the third newcomer to the Big West. They struggled in the Big Sky last year, winning just 10 total games and finishing 8th in the league, and with just one starter back they will likely struggle again this year. Mikey Williams is a phenomenal player who averaged over 17ppg a year ago, but he will need some help if they are going to finish higher than 9th.

-Long Beach State had a tough year last year, finishing 9th in the conference and is starting completely over this year with no returning starters. They have a couple of guys who were very strong JUCO players, but they do not appear to have much in the way of proven and experienced D-1-caliber players.

-UC Riverside was last year’s 10th-place team and with just one starter back it is looking like another long year for the Highlanders. Coach Gus Argenal has his work cut out for him and will be relying on guys who were standout players in lower divisions and others who played limited roles at other D-1 programs and transferred in looking for the chance to play a bigger role this year.

-Cal State Bakersfield was just 2-18 in Big West play a year ago and are starting completely over. Todd Lee takes over as coach and is tasked with replacing all five starters. Kjay Bradley Jr. was a solid player for San Diego a season ago and he is a solid pick up for the Roadrunners. Bryce Cofield was a double digit scorer for Cal State Fullerton and is another good get. They do have some proven D-1 talent, but are a JUCO-transfer-heavy team outside of that.

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Summit League Media Recap and Response

Posted on October 6, 2026 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE for All of our Preseason Coverage, Including Interviews, Podcasts, and Conference Previews

SUMMIT LEAGUE MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. North Dakota State
  2. Saint Thomas
  3. South Dakota State
  4. Omaha
  5. South Dakota
  6. North Dakota
  7. Oral Roberts
  8. Kansas City

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SUMMIT LEAGUE 1ST TEAM:

-Kendall Blue – SR, G – Saint Thomas
-Carter Bjerke – SR, F – Saint Thomas
-Connor Dow – SR, G – Oral Roberts
-Austin Herro – SR, G – Saint Thomas
-Joe Sayler – JR, G – South Dakota State (Preseason Player of the Year)
-Andy Stefonowicz – JR, G – North Dakota State

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SUMMIT LEAGUE 2ND TEAM:

-Vince Buzelis – SO, G – South Dakota
-Kalen Garry – SR, G – South Dakota State
-Jaylen Smith – SR, G – Kansas City
-Grant Stubblefield – SR, G – Omaha
-Jesse Van Kalsbeek – JR, F – South Dakota State

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-North Dakota State was last year’s 1st place team and conference tournament winner, so it is not a huge surprise that they are once again considered the favorites. They are faced with the same problem a lot of good under the radar teams face from year to year: rebuilding the roster. Just one starter is back, and that is PG Andy Stefonowicz, who is a solid player to have returning. They do have some D-1 experience transferring in as Rob Diaz comes in from Long Beach State and Melvin Bell Jr. comes in from San Jose State. Both were solid players a year ago who may embrace the opportunity to step into a bigger role. Some standout players from lower divisions also join the mix.

-Saint Thomas has been a tremendous success as a transitional program winning 24 games in each of the last two seasons. The problem is only one starter returns, but the good news is that they have been able to reload their talent and I think they can win the Summit this year. Brogan Madson was a standout D-2 player who is transferring in and Julius Wade put up big numbers in the JUCO ranks. Carter Bjerke is another player to watch, and he is joined by Austin Herro and Kendall Blue in receiving preseason all-conference honors.

-South Dakota State had an uncharacteristically tough year last year where they won 14 total games and went just 7-9 in league play. It was the first year for head coach Bryan Petersen and he looks to get them back to 20+ wins this year like we are used to seeing. They were starting to show a few signs of life down the stretch and with Joe Sayler/Kalen Garry both returning the Jackrabbits have a very solid backcourt. Trey Buchanan is also back after missing the entire second half of the season due to an injury. The challenge for them will be the frontcourt. Can some of the new guys step up?

-Two years ago Omaha became famous for terrorizing trashcans after wins. Last year, they did not win quite as much and this year they are looking to rebuild their roster. Grant Stubblefield returns at PG, but he is the only returning starter. They do not have much in the way of proven D-1 experience, so the rest of the roster will need to step up if Omaha is going to finish in the top half of the conference.

-I have always had a soft spot for the Yotes, but am not even sure why. This year…well…there are a lot of new guys. Melo Sanchez was a solid player for Central Connecticut last year, and Vince Buzelis had a solid freshman year for the Yotes a year ago, but they do not have a lot of experience and right now there are just more questions than answers.

-North Dakota had a rather unremarkable season overall last year, but in the second half of conference play they started to heat up. They finished the season winning 7 of their last 11 and then advanced to the conference championship game where they played a solid game against North Dakota State. Zach Kraft is back, who is a very good outside shooter, and they have added some guys who put up big numbers in D-2, so I am a little surprised North Dakota was picked this low. I do not think they will win the league, but I think they can do a lot better than 6th.

-Oral Roberts won 30 games in 2022-2023 and has been absolutely terrible since. They were just 4-12 in league play last year and do not seem to be showing many signs of being a whole lot better this year. Connor Dow is a solid player, but he will need some help if ORU is going to compete in this league.

-Kansas City…what has happened to the Roos?? They won just one conference game last year, and that was their only D-1 win. They have completely overhauled their roster, which is probably a good thing. Jaylen Smith comes in from East Tennessee State, who was a solid player. Sebastian Hartmann, who put up decent numbers at Chattanooga, also joins the squad. Other than that, it is a young team. I think they will win more than one D-1 game this year, but it still may be a long year.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Iowa JR G Chit-Chat Wright

Posted on October 6, 2026 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for All of our Preseason Coverage, Including Interviews, Podcasts, and Conference Previews

We are less than 4 weeks away from the tip-off of the new college basketball season, which means that we have plenty of time to start preparing for the action ahead. We will do so via a series of season previews featuring the best players/coaches in the country. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage with Iowa JR G Chit-Chat Wright, who talked about being a great 3-PT shooter and her expectations for this season.

You allegedly got your nickname around age 10 from your AAU teammates due to your quiet personality, but in high school you were a 3-time team captain: how have your vocal leadership skills developed over the past decade? I started off as a shy kid who did not really talk on the court and just led by example. I have grown into a leader who talks to my teammates/coaches as my growth/maturity have helped me share my point of view with others.

You won a high school state track title: how much of an advantage is your athleticism on the basketball court? It really helps with my endurance. I was not the best athlete on the track team, but I got to be with my friends and stay in shape. I can go for a long period of time in a basketball game without getting tired.

You were born/raised in Georgia: what made you choose Georgia Tech to start your college career? I wanted to stay close to home because I am very family oriented, and I knew some of the other incoming freshmen quite well.

You played all 33 games as a freshman: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? On that team, I just played my role. I was not the star player, but when I got into the game I did all the little things to keep myself on the court: make the right read, have a good box-out, etc.

Why did you transfer last year, and what made you choose Iowa? There were a lot of different things that happened. 1 of my assistant coaches came to Iowa and thought it would be a good idea for me to look at the school. I did not take another visit after coming here because I knew that it was the place I wanted to be.

Last January you scored 11 PTS including a buzzer-beater from beyond half-court to finish the 1st in a 7-PT win over Michigan State (www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fgIsDM7okM): did you think that it was going in, and where does that rank among the highlights of your career so far? That is a top highlight for me so far. When I released it, I thought that it might go in, which is why I started leaning away. Seeing my teammates/coaches screaming after it went in was also fun!

Speaking of long-range shooting, you increased your shooting percentage from 32.3 3P% as a freshman to 44 3P% (#8 in the nation) as a sophomore: what is the secret to making shots from behind the arc? Most of it is being able to stay consistent throughout the entire season. I work on my endurance and game-ready shots: the fundamentals are important.

Last March you made it to the Big 10 tourney title game before losing to eventual national champ UCLA, then beat FDU in the NCAA tourney before a 2-OT loss to Virginia: what did you learn from your postseason run that you think will help you this year? It was a great run…but this year we want to go deeper in the NCAA tourney. Coming in as the new kid and stepping into a leadership role as a PG was good, but now I know everyone better and as a captain I have become better at speaking up.

Your 15,000-seat gym has been sold out for 3 straight years: how much of a home-court advantage do you have at Carver-Hawkeye Arena? That means a lot: you do not see that in a lot of places. Seeing the fans show up day in and day out no matter who we are playing is amazing. It is also a selling point and motivates you. Knowing that everyone came out and bought a ticket just to watch your team play: I love it!

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? A lot of people say they want to win conference tourney and NCAA tourney titles, but I am more process-driven and focused on development. I want to push our team to be the greatest we can be by working hard in the gym, which will give us a great result in March.

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Patriot League Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 6, 2026 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE for All of our Preseason Coverage, Including Interviews, Podcasts, and Conference Previews

PATRIOT LEAGUE MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. American
  2. Lehigh
  3. Colgate
  4. Boston U
  5. Navy
  6. Bucknell
  7. Lafayette
  8. Holy Cross
  9. Loyola MD
  10. Army

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-PATRIOT LEAGUE TEAM:

-Madden Collins – SO, G – American
-Greg Jones – SR, F – American (Defensive Player of the Year)
-Kyrone Alexander – SR, G – Boston U
-Andrew Alekseyenko – SO, F – Colgate
-Hank Alvey – JR, F/C – Lehigh (Player of the Year)

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-American had a very average season last year going 9-9 in league play, but with four starters returning, that experience has made them the preseason favorites to win the league this year. Madden Collins averaged over 13ppg last year and will be a solid backcourt player for them again this year. Kade Sebastian is a really good outside shooter and another player to keep an eye on, and Greg Jones gives them a strong presence in the paint. This team is balanced, experienced, and capable of making a lot of noise this year.

-Lehigh tied for 2nd place last year, then won the conference tournament to advance to the NCAA First Four. With four starters back, including Hank Alvey, who is one of the best frontcourt players in the PL (and really best overall players), I cannot imagine how they were not picked to win the league. I mean…they were picked 2nd, which is hardly bad, but this is a solid Lehigh squad! Edouard Benoit is another solid frontcourt player who can both score/rebound. Chris Tshibola also transfers in from Canada where he averaged over 20ppg a season ago. They are a little unproven in the backcourt, but they still have a solid overall team and I think they can get back to the NCAA Tournament this year.

-Colgate was injury-riddled last year, but they still had a good season and return some key pieces for this year. Andrew Alekseyenko averaged over 14.8ppg last year and was both a solid rebounder and a good outside shooter. He is a guy with both size and range. Sam Wright was another double-digit scorer so the Raiders have a strong frontcourt. They will be in the mix for the conference title this year.

-Boston U had a modest 10-8 record last season in league play, but upset Navy in the conference semis, which was a huge shock considering how dominant Navy had been all season. A couple of starters are back this season as is Kyrone Alexander, who missed nearly all of last season due to injury. Sam Hughes had a solid season as a freshman last year and is a good outside shooter, so he is someone to keep an eye on. They have also added some standout D-2 and D-3 players. And…they play on The Roof!!!

-There are good upsets and bad upsets in college basketball. A good upset is when a good team from a lower-level conference that has been largely overlooked takes down a heavyweight. A bad upset is when a team from an Under the Radar league dominates, but is then denied that chance at the big stage due to one bad day in the conference tournament. Navy lost just two Patriot League games last year. Unfortunately one of them was in the semifinals of the conference tournament, and despite finishing 6 games ahead of the 2nd place team they did not make the NCAA Tournament. A couple of starters return this year, but they do not appear to be nearly as strong. Jinwoo Kim and Cam Cole are fantastic outside shooters, but they will need to have some guys step into new roles if they are going to compete for the top of the league this year.

-Bucknell won just ten games a year ago and could be in for another long year this year. Two starters are back and they have added some standout guys from the D-2 level, but I expect the Bison to struggle this year. 6th place is where they are picked and I think that appears to be their ceiling.

-Just one starter is back for Lafayette this year after a frustrating 11-21 season. Cooper Kesler transfers in from Southerm Idaho, where he shout an incredible 43% from beyond the arc, so he is a player to watch. Aaron Sievert is another transfer who shot over 40% from deep in JUCO last year. So, if Lafayette can do anything this year, it is hit from the outside!

-It has been a very long time since Holy Cross has been even decent in PL play, let alone good. They were tied for 9th place last year and won just 11 games overall. They do add a couple of standout players who had dominant stat lines at D-2 schools last year in Kole Hanson and Arius Alijosius, but they appear to be lacking when it comes to players who currently have solid D-1 experience.

-Loyola MD struggled down the stretch last year and then lost most of their key players, so they are starting over with a rather inexperienced roster. But, it is a chance for players who have played limited roles and minutes to now emerge.

-Army has four starters returning, so because of that experience, I am a little shocked they were picked to finish dead-last. But, they did tie for dead-last last season and finished the year losing eight of their last nine.

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