-High Point is an Under the Radar program that has decided they will spend what they have to on NIL in order to be successful, and it has worked. They won 31 games last year and advanced to the Round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament and will once again have a stacked roster. Second year Head Coach Flynn Claymon has the tools that he needs to win the league, get back to The Dance, and be positioned to advance beyond the Round of 64. Two key starters are back, including Cam’Ron Fletcher who is a solid frontcourt player who can also hit from beyond the arc. He’s clearly a power conference level talent. Conrad Martinez returns to run the point and will be part of what looks to be a very solid backcourt. CJ Brown transfers in from South Florida where he averaged double figures on their NCAA Tournament team last year. And in terms of the depth of talent on their roster, it just goes on. Isaac Garrett was a standout player at Oakland, Filip Brankovic put up big numbers at UTRGV, and Jason Rivera Torres was a huge player in the post for Monmouth last year. With all due respect to the rest of the league, I don’t think that anyone in the Big South will be able to compete with High Point. High Point may be good enough to land inside the bubble if their schedule can give them the opportunities they need to get the wins they need to impress the committee. They’re that good.
-It’s been a while since Presbyterian has been picked this high. The program has gotten consistently better under Head Coach Quinton Ferrell and they may be poised to have as good of a year as they’ve ever had. Three key starters are back and they have a rather solid rotation consisting of multiple players who were double digit scorers a year ago.
-Winthrop won a solid 23 games the last two seasons and actually kept pace with High Point in the Big South standings last year. The problem is all five starters from that team are gone and Mark Prosser (who’s done a great job with the Eagles) is having to start over. They do bring in some guys that were solid contributors at Under the Radar schools, but they don’t appear to have the pieces they had a year ago.
-It’s hard to know what to say about Longwood. They have a couple starters back and they appear to have a nice set of guys who have been role players in the past, but no real stars. They were .500 in league play last year and are expected to be in about that range again this year.
-UNC Asheville had a frustrating season last year, but they did actually start to play well down the stretch. They won five of their last eight games before falling in the confernece semis to High Point in a surprisingly close game. Two key starters are back and they’ve gone into the portal to try and fill out the rest of the roster. Jaylon Johnson comes in from Radford after averaging double figures and he should be a nice addition. Speaking of Radford…
-Radford had a respectable 9-7 season in Big South play last year, but all five starters are gone and Head Coach Zach Chu may be in for a long season. They don’t have much in the way of proven experience at the D1 level when it comes to their roster, so it could be a bit of building year.
-Charleston Southern won 15 games last year, which was the best season they had managed in quite some time. Unfortunately much of that team is gone and they don’t seem to have much in the way of proven D1 talent. They do add a couple of guys that were standout players at the D2 level, so if they can step up the Buccaneers may be able to do a little better than expected.
-USC Upstate finsihed 8th last year and is expected to do the same this year. It’s just been a tough ride for Marty Richter since taking over as head coach two years ago. They do have some guys transferring in that put up impressive numbers at lower division schools and they will need them to step up in order to be competitive.
-Gardner Webb was awful last year winning just four games total and one Big South game. Three starters are back, but they don’t really seem to be adding anything that makes you believe they’ll be a whole lot better this year.
We are less than 18 days 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 VCU coach Phil Martelli Jr., who talked about making the NCAA tourney last March and his expectations for this season.
You made 2 NCAA tourneys as a player at St. Joe’s: how good a player were you back in the day? Not very good, but I was fortunate to play for my dad. Someone said that when you coach your son, he needs to be either the best or worst player on the team rather than in-between. Jameer Nelson was clearly our best player back then…which tells you where I was!
In 2025 you were named conference COY at Bryant: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? We had great players, which certainly helped spark us. I think the award should go to the “coaching staff of the year” because they all put in a lot of work that goes into that.
Last year you had a very difficult non-conference schedule and started conference play 2-2: how were you able to flip the switch and win 17 of your next 18 games? Your record is just a product of your schedule: we started 2-2 in the A-10 because we lost a tough game to 1 of the best teams in the conference in St. Louis and lost another 1-2 possession game at GMU (who started 18-1 last season). If those games had been separated, then we might have been 14-2 and nobody would have batted an eye. We just stayed true to who were and kept going and flipped that 1% of possessions in our favor.
Your team scored 80.8 PPG last year (the program’s highest in 50 years): what makes your aggressive/up-tempo style of play so effective? You need good players: we always want 5 weapons on the floor, but they do not all need to be shooters. We want interchangeable guys who can do different things. We are hunting great shots and always stay on the attack. If we start the possession with good pace and get the ball moving side-to-side, then we can be very hard to guard. We put a lot into player/skill development, which is what wins the day.
Take me through the 2026 postseason as coach at VCU: You had an 8-PT win over Dayton in the conference tourney title game: what did it mean to you to win a title in a conference you are so familiar with? It is always great to win a championship. I spent the last 3 of my 4 years in St. Joe’s where we were the best team in the regular season but did not get to cut down the nets. To allow our players to do that was extra-special because I never got to climb that ladder in my uniform.
In the NCAA tourney you trailed North Carolina by 19 PTS before pulling off the 4-PT OT upset to give the Rams their 1st NCAA tourney win in a decade: how did that game change your life (if at all)? Not really: it is very much business as usual. I think that I am a funny dad at home and hope I am still the same husband/coach I have always been. It is a nice memory…but we still show up every day and try to get another 1.
Your father Phil was named 2004 national COY at St. Joe’s after going undefeated during the regular season, your mother Judy was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame after winning 3 straight national championships at Immaculata, and your brother Jimmy is your associate head coach: are most of your family conversations about basketball because that is the common denominator for everyone? It is the common denominator, but not the end-all/be-all. My wife played in a championship game and coached some undefeated high school championship teams. People might be surprised to hear that we have very normal conversations at the dinner table or on the patio: they are not different than any other family and there are a lot of laughs/love.
You spent last Thanksgiving in the Bahamas and will spend this Thanksgiving in Maui: what does your family think about your non-conference schedule? It is just what we do. Thanksgiving in this line of work becomes a bit of a throw-away holiday: it is kind of part of the deal. We will get a couple days at Christmas to spend some time together, which will be great.
You brought in several notable transfers this year including Torey Alston/Blake Harper/Nyle Ralph-Beyer: which of them have impressed you the most so far? All those guys look good. Blake is a gifted offensive player and has a great feel for the game. Torey is super-productive and has a high motor. Nyle is a terrific shooter, so they all bring something to the table.
What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? We are always chasing “great”. At the end of the year if people say we had a “good” year then it is like nails on the chalkboard for me. We do not put any numbers on that, but if we live up to that standard every day then people will eventually say we had a “great” year.
-After one of the most dominant overall seasons we have ever seen from a conference two years ago, the SEC was merely an outstanding conference last year instead of historically being historically dominant like it was in 2024-2025. This year they once again appear to have multiple teams that could make the Final Four, and one in particular that is my pick to win it all.
-Florida: they are my pick to win it all. They are quite simply outstanding in seemingly every position. Four starters return from last year’s team that won 27 total games and finished in 1st place in the SEC. Coach Todd Golden is just one year removed from a national championship and this year’s team is good enough to do it again. Boogie Fland is an experienced point guard, Denzel Aberdeen is a solid shooting guard, Thomas Haugh averaged over 17ppg last year, Alex Condon is a huge force in the post and averaged 15ppg and 7 rebounds per game last year, and, Rueben Chinyelu at center averaged a double-double. They have guys who can come off the bench as well: they have it all.
-Coach Sean Miller has hit the portal and built another very strong team at Texas. Just one starter is back, but the talent is being reloaded. Isaiah Johnson comes in at point guard after having a huge year at Colorado last year, Mikey Lewis was a double-digit scorer for Saint Mary’s and he will help complete a very strong backcourt, and David Punch comes over from TCU after averaging over 14ppg last year, so Texas has a lot of strong pieces and has the talent to be a protected seed if those pieces can play together.
-Arkansas has made it to back-to-back Sweet Sixteens in the two years that Coach John Calipari has been there and will look to go further this year. It looks like they may be starting a freshman at point guard and there could be a learning curve with that, but Jeremiah Wilkinson comes over from Georgia to join some guys who saw key minutes last year. Calipari’s teams always seems to improve as the year goes on, so by the time we get into conference play Arkansas will likely be dangerous.
-Tennessee is having to replace all five starters, but Coach Rick Barnes has never had issues when he had to reload. Terrence Hill Jr. was a standout PG at VCU and is capable of playing at the SEC level, Tyler Lundblade is a grad transfer from Belmont, and the two of them will make up a talented backcourt. Juke Harris averaged over 20ppg at Wake Forest last year and Jalen Washington comes in from rival Vanderbilt to play center. You are never quite sure how good a team will be when they have so many players who have not played together before, but given the talent of the players and the strength of the coaches one could easily suspect that Tennessee will once again be a monster.
-Alabama won 25 games last year, finished 2nd in the SEC, and made the Sweet Sixteen…and still people felt like they could have been better. That is how strong this program has become under Coach Nate Oats. Two key starters are back, and Aden Holloway will likely be a huge contributor at the PG position after he returns from suspension. He had some off-court issues last year, but it looks as though that water has gone under the bridge. Amari Allen is another outstanding guard, Drew Fielder was a great player in the post for Boise State last year, and they have some guys who can come off the bench. It is never a good idea to underestimate Nate Oats: Alabama will likely be near the top of the standings yet again.
-Vanderbilt has gotten good in a hurry under Coach Mark Byington, and last year they won an amazing 27 games before losing in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. Tyler Tanner is one of the best point guards in the country and will be joined in the backcourt by Ace Glass, who put up solid numbers at Washington State a year ago. Bangot Dak also transfers in and at 7′ tall he should be a force in the paint for the Dores.
-Kentucky has been solid under Coach Mark Pope for the last two years, but that is all they have been and the Wildcat fans want them to be so much more than that. Back-to-back 20+ win seasons where they are in the top-25 and getting to the Round of 32 is solid. It is not bad. And…I think that is about what they are poised to do again this year. Just one starter returns, but they have a really strong PG in Zoom Diallo from Washington, and he will be joined by Alex Wilkins who put up crazy numbers for Furman last year, so they’ve got a good backcourt. Milan Momcilovic was a standout player for Iowa State and is another big addition to the roster from the portal. This is a good team! A top-25 team! A team that can win a game in the NCAA Tournament and maybe make the Sweet Sixteen! But…Kentucky fans will not be happy if that is all they do. Unfortunately for their fans I do not see them doing much more than that.
-Coach Dennis Gates has turned Missouri into a consistent top-25-caliber program and is showing all signs of having them in that range again this year. Just one starter returns from last year’s team that lost in the Round of 64, but they once again have a talented group coming in. They may be starting a freshman at PG, but Jason Crowe is no ordinary freshman. In fact he averaged over 43ppg in high school last year, so…he is good! Jamier Jones transfers in from Providence and will join him in the backcourt. Trent Pierce averaged double-figures last year, and at 6’10” can hit from the outside. So, Mizzou has some talent!
-Coach Bucky McMillan had a great first year at Texas A&M last year and showed that he can win in the SEC with his exciting brand of basketball. He will have his work cut out for him this year with just one starter back, but getting Mackenzie Mgbako back from injury should help. PJ Haggerty also comes in after putting up huge numbers at Kansas State and will be a force right away. Jordan Pope averaged double-figures for rival Texas, so TAMU has talented guards. Again. They are not quite as strong in the interior, but this is a pressure-oriented/guard-heavy system. I like TAMU this year and think they may exceed their preseason expectations.
-Auburn was within reach of the NCAA Tournament, but just could not quite get enough wins. One or two more may have done it, and with this year’s expanded field the Tigers will likely be back in The Dance this year after a short hiatus. Steven Pearl begins his second year as coach and coaches are always more prepared for their second year than their first. Tahaad Pettiford is back and he will be a big contributor this year. Kevin Overton also returns, which will give Auburn a good and experienced backcourt. Thomas Dowd comes in after having a really good year at Troy and Adam Olsen also comes in after having a big year at South Alabama. I think Auburn will be better this year than they were a year ago. I like their roster and think they will play well together.
-Georgia is being picked kind of low, but look out. They return four starters from a talented team that made the NCAA Tournament a year ago and Coach Mike White can flat out coach. They have balanced scoring with Blue Cain, Marcus Millender, and Kanon Catchings all averaging double-figures a year ago and are good outside shooters. They may have some issues with depth, but they should be fine. They have added some guys from the portal who can serve as solid role players.
-Porter Moser has won 20+ games for the last three seasons as coach at Oklahoma, but many still felt like they should have been better. They were just 7-11 in league play and fell short of the NCAA Tournament. Two key starters are back, including Xzayvier Brown who is a very solid PG. They also added some talent from the portal, so Oklahoma will definitely not be a team that anyone should overlook.
-Coach Chris Beard and the Ole Miss Rebels really struggled last year, going just 15-20 overall and winning just 4 SEC games. They did have a somewhat young team and appear to have a few more weapons this year. Beard has also proven that he can win, so do not be surprised if we see Ole Miss play a lot better this year.
-It is impossible to know what to really say about LSU because so much of their roster is in limbo. For the longest time they only had four active players listed, and they only played 7 in their exhibition game a few nights ago. A huge issue for the Tigers will likely be a lack of depth on a scale that we have never seen before. They were waiting on the eligibility status of several players to be decided…and right now it is not looking good for them.
-Chris Jans begins his 5th year as coach at Mississippi State and is coming off what was by far the most frustrating year he has had there. They won just 13 games and went just 5-13 in SEC play before losing their first conference tournament game. Josh Hubbard returns after averaging over 22ppg last year and should be getting some help from some solid portal pickups. RJ Johnson was a solid scorer for Kennesaw State and ND Okafor was a good player for Washington State. I must say that I like this team a lot more than 15th place.
-As for South Carolina…yeah, I agree with the last place pick. Coach Lamont Paris has had some good years, but not recently and probably not this year. All five starters from last year are gone and they will have to make due with guys that do not seem to have a lot of solid D-1 experience, much less SEC-level experience.
-In a day and time when everything in college basketball seems to be transfer-crazy with well over half of every roster being made up of transfer players, the Ivy League is the one league where teams are able to retain most players from year to year, which probably gives them an advantage right out of the gate. Nearly every team in the conference already knows what their rotations are going to be.
-Penn had an incredible finish to the season, winning nine out of ten before losing in the Round of 64 to Illinois. They finished 3rd in the league, but won the conference tournament and were the hottest team in the conference. With four starters back it is understandable why Penn is the preseason favorites to win the Ivy. Forward TJ Power can score, rebound, and hit from the outside. He is one of the most dangerous players in the conference. Michael Zanoni was another double-digit scorer who can hit from range, and AJ Levine returns to run the point.
-Harvard also has four starters returning and also played really well in conference action, going 10-4 overall before losing in OT to Penn in the conference tournament semifinals. Robert Hinton is one of the better guards in the conference. He averaged over 16ppg a year ago. Thomas Batties II averaged over 12ppg and is a phenomenal outside shooter, and Tey Barbour is a strong perimeter player who can hit from the outside, so the Crimson definitely have some talent and are definitely contenders to win the league.
-Yale clearly appeared to be the best team a year ago, and even though they went 11-3 in regular season play it still felt like they underachieved. Then they lost in the conference tournament title game and despite a solid 24-7 year were left out of the Big Dance. Just one starter returns from last year’s team, so the Bulldogs are starting over. Two seniors who averaged double-figures are back in Trevor Mullin and Riley Fox, both of whom are also good outside shooters. Jordan Brathwaite is another guy who can drill it from deep, so Yale does have a few pieces.
-Princeton struggled last year going just 5-9 in Ivy League play and failing to make the conference tournament, but all five starters are back so that experience should help them some. Seniors Jackson Hicke and Dalen Davis help make up what should be a solid backcourt for the Tigers.
-Cornell went 8-6 in league play last year, which was good enough to get them into the conference tournament. They are losing some key pieces from that team and some guys who played limited roles last year will have to step up this year in order for them to be successful.
-Last year, for the second year in a row, Columbia was amazing at the start of the season going 9-1 to start the year. Also, for the second year in a row, that momentum did not carry over into conference play. They were just 5-9 and did not make the conference tournament. Miles Franklin is a player to watch. He had a solid freshman season a year ago and will likely be a player they depend on this year. The only thing I know about the Lions is if they get off to a great start in November, you do not want to get too excited.
-Brown really struggled last year going just 3-11 in league play. Four starters are back, so that experience should help them improve some, but they just don’t appear to be as solid as the teams at the top of the league.
-Dartmouth will have a completely new starting lineup this year, which is rare for a team in the Ivy League. Brett MacConnell takes over as coach and he has his work cut out for him as he will have to make due with guys who do not have a whole lot of D-1 experience.
-Teagan Moore – G – Western Kentucky (Preseason Player of the Year) -Tijan Saine Jr. – G – FIU -Trey Simpson – F – Kennesaw State -Amir Taylor – F – Kennesaw State -Jahvin Carter – G – Middle Tennessee -Trey Williams Jr. – G – Missouri State -DJ Dudley – G – New Mexico State -Justin Begg – G – Sam Houston -Jacobe Coleman – G – Sam Houston -Armelo Boone – G – Western Kentucky
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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:
-UTEP and Louisiana Tech have left the conference, so we now have just a ten-team league, which really is the perfect size for basketball!!
-Western Kentucky won a respectable 19 games last year in Hank Plona’s second year as coach and the expectations are high this year. Teagan Moore is definitely a player to watch for as he is able to score and is a major presence in the frontcourt. He gives them a strong presence out on the perimeter in addition to being very solid underneath. Armelo Boone is another solid frontcourt player who averaged double figures in his freshman year.
-Kennesaw State was a so-so 10-10 in league play last year, but they won the conference tournament, which put them in the NCAA Tournament. There is a lot of preseason love for this team, but I also think there are a lot of question marks. Just one starter is back and while they do return some solid bench players and add a couple of solid newcomers, I am a little surprised they are picked to finish this high.
-Liberty has been the dominant team the last two years, and it is odd to say this about a 1st-place team that won 26 games overall, but the Flames may have actually underachieved last year given how good their roster was. And, they flamed out (no pun intended) in the conference tournament. This year they have an entirely new roster, but it has some talent on it. The Campbell brothers (Cooper and Cobi) transfer in from what was a good (although inconsistent) Troy team last year, and they have added some guys who were standout players at non-D-1 schools. Coach Ritchie McKay has always been able to find talent.
-Sam Houston had a solid 22-win season last year, but like a lot of other teams they are tasked with replacing some key players who have moved on. Coach Chris Mudge has looked to guys who put up big numbers at non-D-1 schools a year ago to step in and contribute for the Bearkats.
-Middle Tennessee is also having to replace quite a few key players. Kevin de Kovachich comes in from North Alabama, and Ofri Naveh comes in from Oral Roberts, both of whom were double-digit scorers a year ago. They also add some guys who put up big numbers in JUCO, so I actually like their roster this year and think they can be a bit of a dark horse. I would certainly have them picked higher than 5th.
-New Mexico State still has not gotten back to being anywhere close to the level they were a few years ago, but Coach Jason Hooten is making progress. They were a respectable 16-16 overall last year, which was their best season since things sort of fell apart for…reasons we will not rehash. Two starters are back, and in addition to that DJ Dudley transfers in from Louisiana Tech, who was a CUSA member last year. Gabe Warren also comes in after a solid year at Holy Cross (at least as an individual player), and Mark Lavrenov comes in as a solid frontcourt player from Sacramento State. I actually like this roster and I liked how they were playing at the end of last season. I think they will do much better than 6th place. In fact…they may win the league!
-Jacksonville State is having to start completely over after going .500 in conference play a year ago. They did pick up a smattering of players who put up reasonable numbers at other Under the Radar schools, so it is not as if they do not have any experience, but they will need players to step up if they are going to be competitive in the league this year.
-Missouri State has Trey Williams coming back after a very solid freshman season, but they do not have much else back. They’ve looked heavily to D-2 and JUCO to fill out their roster and they did get some guys who put up impressive numbers, but they are also new to D-1.
-Joey Cantens takes over at Florida International, which is a program that has struggled for several years running. Actually, they have struggled for about as long as I can remember. They do not have much in the way of D-1 experience so it could be another long year for the Panthers.
-Delaware struggled in CUSA last year (to put it mildly) and won just ten total games. Just one starter is back from that team, and while they did pick up a nice player in the portal in Devin Dinkins from Manhattan, all indications seem to be that they will struggle again this year.
-Kanaan Carlyle – SR, G – Florida Atlantic -Jayden Reid – SR, G – Memphis -Je’Shawn Stevenson – JR, G – North Texas (Preseason Player of the Year) -Sonny Wilson – SR, G – South Florida -Will Berg – SR, C – Wichita State
MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-AMERICN 2ND TEAM:
-Justyn Fernandez – SR, G – UAB -Deuce Jones – JR, G – UAB -Tylik Weeks – SR, F – Memphis -Derrian Ford – SR, G – Temple -Gavin Griffiths – SR, G – Temple -Dillon Battie – JR, F – Wichita State -Jordan Frison – SR, G – Wichita State
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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:
-Wichita State’s days of being a team that was regularly in the rankings seems like a while ago, but they may be getting closer and closer to becoming an NCAA Tournament-caliber team. They won 24 games a year ago, which was their best season in a while. Paul Mills enters his fourth year as coach and they are the preseason favorite to win the league this year. Two key starters are back including 7’2″ Will Berg, who is a really strong center. They also have some key bench players returning who can step into bigger roles, and two really solid transfers in Jahari Long and Jordan Frison (who is a really good shooting guard). I like the Shockers this year and think they can both win the league and finish inside the bubble.
-Memphis appeared to have a ton of talent last year, but ended up going just 13-19 in one of their most disappointing seasons in recent memory. Coach Penny Hardaway has some really impressive-looking players transferring in. Jayden Reid, Luke Almodovar, and Brandon Cummings were all double-digit scorers at D-1 programs a season ago. The question is can they play together? We have seen talented Memphis teams before fall short of the sum of their parts.
-South Florida was a great story last year. They were the 1st-place team, won the conference tournament, and nearly upset Louisville in the Round of 64. The problem is all those players are gone. Chris Mack takes over as coach and he has to completely start over. They do have some solid players coming in from the portal, so they are not starting off with a completely empty tool box, but I do think they will struggle this year compared to what they were a year ago.
-Tulsa made it to the NIT finals and actually won 30 total games last year, but like a lot of teams they sort of became a victim of their own success and are now having to rebuild their roster. Eric Konkol is a good coach and has some really solid players coming in, including Kobi Williams from Missouri State and Jeremiah Johnson from Campbell. Mike Williams was also a key player for Seton Hall, so they do have some pieces.
-Wes Miller takes over at Charlotte after leaving Cincinnati. I know he never did as well as people were expecting in his previous job, but I still think he is a good coach. He does have his work cut out for him. Just one starter is back from a team that was .500 a season ago. Jizzle James did follow him from Cincinnati (although it has not gone well so far: www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/49871367/ex-nfl-star-edgerrin-james-son-jizzle-substance-abuse-issue), but they seem to be lacking in proven D-1 experience.
-UAB has won 20+ games every year since 2020-2021, so this is perhaps a bit of an underappreciated program. Having said that, they have only made two NCAA Tournaments in that stretch, and after last year’s 20+ win season all five starters moved on. Deuce Jones is a solid backcourt player who comes in from Saint Joseph’s, and Justyn Fernandez from Delaware is a solid shooter who can hit from the outside. Elijah Duval averaged over 15ppg for Southern Utah last year, and TJ Caldwell was a solid player for Arkansas State, so UAB once again has good pieces. Coach Andy Kennedy has shown he can get his guys to play together. I think UAB, despite all the turnover, will once again be good and exceed their preseason expectations.
-North Texas is another team that is not getting a lot of preseason love that I think could really be good this year. They were a meh 19-14 a season ago, but they did play well in the final few weeks of the season. With three starters back including Je’Shawn Stevenson, who may be one of the better players in the conference, I think North Texas could end up having a really big year.
-John Jakus enters his 3rd season as the coach of Florida Atlantic and they have not exactly matched the success the program had under a coach you may have heard of named Dusty May. They did have to contend with injuries last year and with the return of a couple of key players, including Kanaan Carlyle and Devin Vanterpool, FAU could take a big step forward this year. They also had some really solid portal pickups, including Jelani Hamilton from Georgia State and Braeden Speed from Loyola MD. It is hard to not like their roster, and it is also hard to understand why they are picked to finish as low as they are.
-Can Temple get things turned around? They have won 16 games in three of the last four seasons, with the one exception being two years ago when they won 17, so I guess they have been consistent. Just one starter is back and while they did get some guys with decent D-1 experience in the portal, I do not see them doing much better than what we have seen during the last several years.
-I say it every year because it is true: I love Tulane’s coach. Having said that, Ron Hunter has struggled to get it going there, largely because of the constant roster turnover. Teams lose players once they are able to develop them and cannot afford to pay players that are already developed. So, here we go again. Tulane has just one starter back and while they did get some decent pickups in the portal, particularly Krystian Lewis from UL Monroe and TJ Nadeau from Detroit Mercy (who is a very good outside shooter), they may do a little better than expected, but I cannot see them competing for the top of the league.
-East Carolina won just 11 games last year and lost all five of their starters. Coach Michael Schwartz’s club is expected to have another rough year this year. Brycen Blaine put up fantastic numbers at Charleston Southern last year and was a solid pickup for ECU, and they did get a couple of others who put up solid numbers at D-1 programs last year, so maybe we will see some improvement.
-Rice is just seemingly never good. And that will likely not change this year. Two starters are back and their roster appears to have some solid role players on it, but the Owls will likely struggle again.
-UTSA was an absolute trainwreck last year while winning just one conference game. Austin Claunch enters his third year as coach, and while they may not be quite as bad as they were a year ago, I do not see them finishing much higher than…well…last.
