MAC Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 23, 2026 by David Griggs

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

MAC MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Miami OH
  2. Toledo
  3. Akron
  4. Kent State
  5. Ohio U
  6. UMass
  7. Bowling Green
  8. Western Michigan
  9. Eastern Michigan
  10. Buffalo
  11. Ball State
  12. Central Michigan

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-MAC 1ST TEAM:

-Mohammad Habhab – SO, F – Eastern Michigan
-Evan Ipsaro – SR, G – Miami OH
-Javan Simmons – SR, F – Ohio U
-Luke Skaljac – JR, G – Miami OH
-Chansey Willis Jr. – SR, G – Kent State

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-MAC 2ND TEAM:

-Sean Jones – SR, G – Toledo
-Evan Mahaffey – SR, F – Akron
-Austin Parks – SR, C – Toledo
-Jackson Paveletzke – SR, G – Ohio U
-Tahj Staveskie – SR, G – Akron

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Miami OH had a magical season last year where they posted a record of 32-2 overall, finished in 1st place in the MAC standings, and then went on to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament before losing in the Round of 64. Travis Steele has done a remarkable job with this program since taking over as coach and that success should continue into this season. The question is whether or not they can take another big step forward. Despite the 32 wins, the Redhawks were just barely inside the bubble due to a weak schedule. That could be an issue again this year. While they do face some very solid Under the Radar opponents in High Point, James Madison, and UIC, their margin for error will once again be small. The Redhawks have a talented and experienced backcourt with Luke Skaljac and Evan Ipsaro. Almar Atlason provides a strong presence in the post and he can also hit from distance. Stevie Elam was a strong player at Milwuakee last year and he transfers in. This is a very good, very talented, and very deep Redhawks team. I think they can once again finish in 1st place and land back inside the bubble.

-Toledo was subpar for most of the year, but they played well down the stretch, winning six of their final seven before falling in the MAC Championship game in a very close loss to Akron. They do not return a whole lot from that team, but two starters are back and they also add Angel Montas Jr. from UMass Lowell, who averaged just under 16ppg last season, so they do have some experience and some proven talent and will once again be a team to watch.

-While Miami OH was the national story last year, Akron was…at least arguably…the better team. Their only regular season loss was at Miami OH, and they went on to win the conference tournament after winning 29 total games. Dustin Ford takes over as coach this year and while they did lose a lot of key pieces from last season, Evan Mahaffey is back and they picked up two solid transfers in Tahj Staveskie from Incarnate Word and Ty Pence from Illinois State. Akron is consistently one of the best teams in this conference and this year likely will not be any different.

-Kent State won 24 games for the second straight year last year, but they are starting over this year as all five starters have moved on. Coach Rob Senderoff is not someone you want to doubt, though. Quinn Woidke is back after a very good freshman season and he is a solid outside shooter. They also picked up Cameron Williams as a transfer who averaged double-figures for Portland last year. A lot of guys will need to step into bigger roles this year, and Kent State may not be as good as Akron or Miami OH, but they can still have a big year.

-Ohio U coach Jeff Boals is someone who I think is a fantastic coach. Having said that, the last two years have been struggles, winning just 16 and 15 games respectively and going 9-9 in MAC play last year. That is not exactly tearing it up. This year they have just one returning starter but it is Javan Simmons, who is perhaps the best player in the conference. They also have a few impressive transfers in Kyler D’Augustino from IU Indy (who averaged over 18ppg last year, albeit in a very fast-paced offensive style) and Kolton Mitchell (who was a key player on Idaho’s NCAA Tournament team last year). The Bobcats are another team that I routinely overvalue in the preseason, but I cannot help it. I like them again this year and think they are a potential dark horse.

-Frank Martin has been at UMass for four years now and has yet to have the kind of year we were expecting when he started there. I love him as a coach. It is hard to not admire his success at Kansas State/South Carolina. But, I do not see this as being the Minutemen’s year either. Two starters return, but they do not have much in the way of prolific scorers and seem to be lacking in experience overall.

-Bowling Green was a modest 9-9 in conference play last year and is expected to be in the middle of the pack again this year. Josiah Shackelford returns and is a player to watch. Jayden Johnson also transfers in from South Carolina State and Juan Cranford Jr. comes in from Eastern Kentucky, both of whom were double digit scorers a year ago. I like this Bowling Green team and think they can do a little better than where they have been picked to finish.

-Western Michigan has had eight straight losing seasons and first-year coach Kahil Fennell has turned to the portal and added senior transfers to try and break that streak. Jaylen Washington comes in after averaging double figures at UTRGV and Julien Gomez was a very solid outside shooter last year. Rob Lee Jr. averaged 16ppg at Lamar and can also hit from the outside, Mason Bendinger was a double-digit scorer at USC Upstate, and Tanner Hayhurst comes in after averaging double-digts at Southern Utah. Could this approach work? Could all this experience and production mesh together to turn Western Michigan around? This is one of the most interesting teams to keep an eye on.

-Eastern Michigan finished last season by losing 12 of their final 13 and (as shocking as this is) they decided to make a coaching change after that! Billy Donlon takes over and he has his work cut out for him. Two starters are back, but Donlon has gone the JUCO route to try and get things jumpstarted. He has added some guys who were highly-productive at that level, so we may see some improvement this year.

-Expectations are not high for Buffalo this year and I must say that I think they are being overlooked. They were a modest 17-15 last year, but with no key players back I can see why nobody would pick them to contend for the league title, but they should do a little better than 10th. Mikkel Tyne transfers in from Richmond, who did not score a lot but was a good outside shooter. Drew Steffe comes in from Southern Illinois, Dylan Ducommun was a dependable score at Northern Illinois, and Antoine Lorick III was a solid player for Tennessee State. They have some pieces! I think they will be closer to the middle than to the very bottom.

-Ball State has a new coach in Chris Capko. They won just 12 games last year and are looking for a fresh start. None of the starters are back. They do have a couple of solid players who transferred in (Sean Blake/K’Jei Parker), but those two alone probably cannot carry the Cardinals.

-Central Michigan won just 10 total games last year and was 6-12 in MAC play. Two starters are back and they will be joined by Jayson Petty who averaged double-figures at Kansas City. They also added some players who were productive outside of D-1 last year, but it could be a long season for the Chippewas.

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Atlantic Sun Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 23, 2026 by David Griggs

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

There was no ASun Media Day Poll or Awards. At least there hasn’t been yet. When searching for the results of the UAC Media Day Poll and Awards, I stumbled across the one that BASKET UNDER REVIEW did and mistook it for the actual conference release, and wrote it up as if it was the actual release. I’ve never seen this site before, but it’s pretty good! So I figured why not do the same for the ASun? They’ve got good information on all the leagues, and it’s probably better than the ramblings I put together here where all I’m really trying to do is learn a little something about each of the teams. So, check BASKET UNDER REVIEW out HERE.

ATLANTIC SUN PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Queens
  2. Lipscomb
  3. FGCU
  4. Jacksonville
  5. Bellarmine
  6. Stetson
  7. North Florida
  8. West Florida

PRESEASON ALL-ASUN 1ST TEAM:

-Jordan Watford – Queens (Preseason Player of the Year)
-Mateo Esmeraldo – Lipscomb
-Hayden Wood – Jacksonville
-Avantae Parker – Queens
-Collin Kuhl – Stetson

PRESEASON ALL-ASUN 2ND TEAM:

-Caleb Williams – Jacksonville (Preseason Newcomer of the Year)
-Elijah Brooks – FGCU
-Kenyon Goodin – Bellarmine
-Jamie Phillips Jr. – Jacksonville
-Bryson Lucas – FGCU (Preseason Defensive Player of the Year)

PRESEASON ALL-ASUN 3RD TEAM:

-Kent Jackson – North Florida
-Tyler Doyle – Bellarmine
-Titas Sargiunas – Lipscomb
-Makhi Myles – Stetson
-Tim Hall Jr. – West Florida

OTHER PRESEASON HONORS:

-Sawyer Dotson – Lipscomb (6th Man of the Year)
-Grant Leonard – Queens (Coach of the Year)

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Many teams struggle when making the transition to D-1, but Queens was competitive throughout that whole period and now are the preseason favorites to win the league and go dancing. They have won 20+ games in each of the last two seasons, have two starters back, and Jordan Watford is perhaps one of the best players in the conference. Avantae Parker is a solid player in the post, so this gives the Royals balance. The rest of the roster is a little bit thin in terms of D-1 experience, but they do seem to have guys who are talented enough to compete in the current ASun. Queens will be a fun team to watch this year and it would be a great story if they could win the conference.

-Lipscomb was a very respectable 12-6 last year and there were stretches where they looked to be as good as anyone in the league. They return three starters and will once again be contenders this year. Mateo Esmeraldo/Titas Sargiunas are both solid guards who make up a strong backcourt and if someone can step up and give them a presence in the post then the Bison should be really dangerous this year.

-FGCU lost all their starters from a year ago and Coach Pat Chambers will have to rely on players who came off the bench last year to step up (as well as some transfers) if they are going to make any noise in the league. Elijah Brooks is a player to watch. He averaged double-figures at Houston Christian last year and will likely be one of their more dependable scorers.

-The Jacksonville Dolphins had a frustrating season lsat year where they won just 12 total games and finished 7th in the conference. A couple of starters return and Caleb Williams transfers in after averaging over 15ppg at Lafayette. Jamie Phillips Jr. was also a solid player for Stetson last year, so the Dolphins have some pieces and we should see some improvement.

-Doug Davenport was 13-19 in his first season as Bellarmine coach last year, which is not great, but was a major improvement from the 8-win and 5-win seasons they had prior to that. The program is getting better and they have three key starters back. And this was a team that was not playing awful down the stretch last season. They were 5-5 in their last ten regular season games, and all five losses were close and competitive games. Kenyon Goodin is a good player and a very good outside shooter, Tyler Doyle is healthy again and averaged double figures when he was able to play last year, so they have guys that can score and they have at least a little bit of depth. I think Bellarmine will be a dark horse in this league. I do not think they will win it, but I think they can actually be in the mix.

-Stetson was 7-11 in ASun play last year and won 12 games total, which was the second rough year in a row for the Hatters. Expectations seem to be that this will be yet another rough year. Collin Kuhl is a player to watch. He is a solid scorer/rebounder, but will need some other guys to step up if we are going to see more wins from Stetson this year.

-Bob Marlin had a miserable first season as coach at North Florida where they won just seven total games, and that misery may continue into this year. Three starters are back, and you would hope that retaining that experience would result in some improvement. Kent Jackson is a player to watch…but he is going to need some help.

-West Florida had an amazing 25-win season last year!!!! In D-2. This is their first year of transitioning up to D-1, most of their key players are gone, and it is simply difficult to build a roster when players know you are going to be on probation for the next three years. But…welcome to D-1, West Florida!!

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CAA Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 23, 2026 by David Griggs

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

CAA MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. UNC Wilmington
  2. Charleston
  3. Hofstra
  4. Towson
  5. Monmouth
  6. William & Mary
  7. Stony Brook
  8. Elon
  9. Drexel
  10. Hampton
  11. Northeastern
  12. Campbell
  13. NC A&T

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-CAA 1ST TEAM:

-Eli Ellis – SO, G – Charleston
-Justin Moore – SR, G – Hofstra
-CJ Luster II – SR, G – UNC Wilmington
-Patrick Wessler – SR, C – UNC Wilmington
-Rashad King – SR, G – Northeastern

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-CAA 2ND TEAM:

-Xavier Abreu – SO, G – Charleston
-Bryson Cokley – JR, G – Elon
-Deywilk Tavarez – SR, G – Hofstra
-Jaden Daughtry – SR, F – Stony Brook
-Zion Stanford – SR, G – Towson

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-UNC Wilmington has won 27 games in each of the last two seasons, but was upset in the quarters of the CAA Tournament last year and failed to make the NCAA Tournament. Just one starter is back from that team, but the roster is still pretty solid. Patrick Wessler is perhaps the best big man in the conference and averaged close to a double-double last year. CJ Luster II is also back from an injury and gives them a huge presence in the backcourt. Tahlan Pettway comes in from Western Carolina and William Kermoury comes in from Northeastern. Both were great outside shooters last year, so UNCW is looking like they could once again finish 1st.

-Charleston has won 20+ games in each of the last four seasons and were the 2nd place team last year. John Groce takes over as coach, who has had a long and impressive career, so one would assume that CofC will be able to keep winning. They have just one returning starter so there is the issue of having to rebuild the roster, but Ben Bradford comes in from Charlotte and Tavari Johnson, who averaged 19ppg at Akron last year, also comes in. Eli Ellis is also a nice player who comes in from South Carolina, so I like CofC’s roster, and their coach, and their chances to win the league. In fact they are my pick to win the league!

-Hofstra was really inconsistent last year, but when they were good they were as good as anyone in the league, and they proved that by winning the conference tournament. Speedy Claxton has done a great job since taking over as coach, but he will once again have to rebuild the roster. Justin Moore was a solid PG for Drexel last year and he has transferred in. They have several other players who saw limited D-1 minutes and will have to play a bigger role this year.

-I have been a fan of Towson coach Pat Skerry for a while. They were a respectable 9-9 in CAA play last year and the expectations are a little higher this year. Just one starter is back, but Ben Roseborough transfers in from San Jose State and he should be an impact player for the Tigers. They also have some guys that contributed off the bench last year who should be able to step into bigger roles this year.

-King Rice is about to enter his 16th year as coach at Monmouth. They had a strong end to the season last year by making it to the CAA Championship game, but they came up short against Hoftsra. Just one starter is back, but they got some really good players out of the portal and I think they will make quite a bit of noise this year. Lureon Walker was a solid player for NC A&T and has shown he can produce in the CAA, Jakai Sanders comes in from Le Moyne, and Ashton Walker was a solid player for La Salle. The Hawks are a team to keep an eye on.

-William & Mary won 20 games last year and were a very solid 10-8 in CAA play, so it was a very solid second season for Brian Earl as coach. The problem is he is having to rebuild the roster after losing all five starters. This is a team that likes to shoot 3’s and they have built up their roster with guys from lower divisions who have shown they can hit from the outside.

-Stony Brook went through stretches last year. At one point they won 8 out of 10 games in the heart of conference play. But they also went through stretches where they could not buy a win. It was still a massive improvement from the year before, but with just one starter back it is questionable as to whether they will be able to continue that. Jaden Daughtry transfers in who was an amazing outside shooter at Richmond last year and he might be their best offensive weapon. Some others will have to step up if they are going to be successful.

-Elon fell apart down the stretch last year losing nine of their last ten games and the expectations are not all that high going into this year. Bryson Cokley is a player to watch. He is a dependable scorer and a solid shooter. Randall Pettus II also provides some stability and experience at the guard position, but outside of those two they do not appear to have much experience.

-Drexel always seems to go through stretches of the season where they look really good, but they also seem to never be able to consistently sustain that. Last year, in the first half of conference, there was a stretch where they went 6-1, but then there were also stretches where they really struggled. Just one starter is back and Coach Zack Spiker will be relying on guys who saw limited minutes a year ago to step up.

-Hampton was among the worst shooting teams in the country last year. They will need to fix that if they are going to be any better this year. Seth Hubbard comes in from Milwaukee and he is a guy who can score. He averaged over 16ppg and was dependable from the outside. Max Frazier was another dependable scorer for Central Connecticut, so we may see Hampton actually be able to put the ball in the basket this year and win a few more games.

-As for Northeastern, I have long thought (and still think) that Bill Coen is a phenomenal coach, but their team was phenomenally bad last year. They won just 7 total games and they seem to be one of those programs that loses their talent just as soon as it is starting to develop. For the second straight year, when looking at their roster, there just does not appear to be a whole lot to see. It may be another tough year for the Huskies. Coen has been at Northeastern for 20 years and it is hard to imagine him leaving…but as much as I hate to raise this question….is his seat starting to get a little warm?

-Jimmie Williams takes over as coach at Campbell and…well…I wish him luck! All five starters from last year are gone, the program is in desperate need of a jumpstart, and they are going to look to some guys who were productive outside of D-1 in order to give it to them.

-NC A&T’s last winning season was 2019-2020 and all indications are that the streak will continue. Shane Lancaster is a player to watch who was solid at Alcorn State last year and Ponce James was a solid all around player at Delaware State so they do have a couple of pieces and I do not think they will finish last…but I think they will still be pretty close to last.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Howard SR PG Cam Gillus

Posted on October 23, 2026 by Jon Teitel

We are less than 9 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 Howard SR PG Cam Gillus, who talked about his magical March and his expectations for this season.

You were born/raised in the DMV: what made you choose Lehigh to begin your college career? They recruited me early-on in the process and gave me a good opportunity to play right away, which is something that I wanted to do. That on-court experience has really helped me.

As a freshman you played in 31 games and led your team with 36 STL: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I am very coachable and did whatever it took to get onto the floor. It is hard for young guys to get playing time, but my work on the defensive end got me on the floor/kept me on the floor. I tried to hang my hat on defense.

In the 2024 conference tourney semifinals you scored a career-high 30 PTS/6-8 3PM in a 21-point comeback win over Boston University and were eventually named to the All-Tournament Team: how were you able to play your best when it mattered the most? I have a unique way of doing that: when the moment gets bigger, I am that much more dialed in. When my team counted on me to make plays I just made them. I got hot that night and was ready to step up in that moment.

Why did you decide to transfer last year, and what made you choose Howard? Coming home played a role in it, but I also wanted a change of scenery. Coach Kenny Blakeney and his staff made an interesting pitch based on their culture, which really stood out to me.

Last year you were top-2 in the conference in both AST/STL: what is the secret to being a good PG? Doing whatever the team needs. You must be solid/steady while everyone is counting on you. 1 game I might have to shoot a lot and another game I might need to be a distributor: getting the win is the most important thing.

You were also selected for the Commissioner’s All-Academic Team: how do you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? That is something I have been good at throughout college. I know I must take care of everything off the court and I use my time wisely so that I do not have problems on the court.

Take me through your magical March earlier this year:
You opened that month with the 2nd triple-double in school history (12 PTS/11 REB/11 AST) in a win over Coppin State: where does that rank among the best all-around games of your career? I never expected to get a triple-double and never saw it coming, but it is a testament to the role I play by doing a little bit of everything. It is 1 of the top-2 moments of my college career.

In the conference tourney title game, you scored 14 PTS in a 7-PT win over NCCU: what did it mean to win a title, and what was the reaction like when you got back to campus? That game came down to the wire while they fought back but we were able to hold them off. Hearing the final buzzer go off was a surreal experience. It is a dream of every young player to be in March Madness. When we came back to campus, we had a watch party and saw our name called out on Selection Sunday: it was an incredible couple of days!

In the NCAA tourney you had a 3-PT win over UMBC before losing to eventual champion Michigan: what did you learn from that remarkable run that you think will help you this season? The whole experience will help us this year. For most of us it was our 1st time in March Madness, so the lights were kind of bright. While we were able to win our game in the 1st 4, the level of competition goes up in the 1st round, so we must be ready for that moment and attack it with a full head of steam.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? As a team we have talked about our goals. We have high expectations for ourselves and would like to get 30 wins to set us up for a successful postseason. We got our 1st 4 win last year, but we want to win a 1st/2nd round game this year and make it to the 2nd weekend to push this program even further.

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Sun Belt Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 22, 2026 by David Griggs

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

SUN BELT MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Arkansas State
  2. James Madison
  3. Troy
  4. South Alabama
  5. Marshall
  6. Louisiana
  7. Southern Miss
  8. Appalachian State
  9. Georgia Southern
  10. Georgia State
  11. Old Dominion
  12. Louisiana Tech
  13. Coastal Carolina
  14. UL Monroe

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SBC 1ST TEAM:

-Adante’ Holiman – SR, G – Old Dominion
-Peyton Law – SR, F – South Alabama
-Jacob Meyer – SR, G – Georgia State
-Noah Otshudi – SR, G – Marshall
-Isaac Taveras – SR, G – Southern Miss

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SBC 2ND TEAM:

-Tameron Ferguson – JR, G – Arkansas State
-Preston Fowler – SO, F – James Madison
-Dallas Gardner – SR, G – Georgia Southern
-Gage Lattimore – JR, G – James Madison
-Layne Taylor – JR, G – Arkansas State

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SBC 3RD TEAM:

-Jacoi Hutchinson – SR, G – Troy
-Jamyron Keller – SR, G – Louisiana
-Jalen Langsy – JR, G – South Alabama
-Kyran Tilley – JR, G – Louisiana Tech
-KJ Windham – JR, G – James Madison

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-They call this league the “Fun Belt”, and the nickname is well deserved. For starters, a conference tournament with seven(!) rounds to it means that the regular season is hugely important.

Second, the conference race for the last two years has been bananas!! There was a six-way tie for 2nd place last year!! And the 1st-place team (Troy) was just one game ahead of them! The year before we had a four-way tie for 1st place! The SBC is routinely the most log-jammed conference in all of college hoops! Which means the games down the stretch have been terrific!

Third, it is a guard-heavy league. Of the 15 players who received preseason all-conference honors, all but two are guards. I love frontcourt play, but there is something kind of fun about watching this league with so many good perimeter players and athletic guards night after night after night. It’s…FUN! It’s the Fun Belt! It has not been the best conference in all of college basketball the last two years, but it has been the most fun!

-Arkansas State is this year’s preseason favorite, but truth be told the whole league is a crapshoot. They were one of the six teams that tied for 2nd place last year. No starters are back from that team, but they do have some productive players who are transferring in. Having said that, Jordan Pyke, who was a good player for Incarnate Word last year, seems to be one of the few guys they have with proven D-1 experience, so the lack of solid D-1 experience could be a factor.

-James Madison was 9-9 in the conference last year and finished 8th in the standings, which sounds rather unimpressive, but they were just 2 games back from finishing 2nd, so they really were right in the mix. Like a lot of teams, most of their key players have moved on and they are having to rebuild their roster. Gage Lattimore is a player to watch who had a big season for NC Central last year and Marley Curtis averaged double-figures at North Dakota.

-Troy was last year’s 1st-place team and I think they lead the nation in number of overtime games played. They really were good, but all the starters from last year moved on and it is basically a brand new program with a new roster/coaches. New coach Adam Howard did get some good pickups in the portal in Jacoi Hamilton from Longwood, Robert Davis from Old Dominion, and Caden Diggs from UMBC. They also have some guys coming in who played limited roles at bigger power programs.

-South Alabama won 22 games last year, was one of the six teams that finished in a tie for 2nd place, and like everyone else they had all their starters move on. The good news is that Peyton Law is back after missing the second half of last season due to an injury. They add some prolific scorers from non-D-1 programs and if those guys can step up and produce at this level then the Jaguars could once again be in the mix.

-Marshall is yet another team that tied for 2nd place only to have all their starters from last year move on. They do not appear to have much on this year’s roster in terms of proven D-1 experience. Cornelius Jackson has done a solid job in his two years as coach, but he has his work cut out for him this year. The roster has several players who “transferred down” from higher-level programs, probably due to wanting more playing time.

-The Rajun Cajuns!! It was a rough season for Louisiana last year where they won just 11 total games, and other than a stretch midway through conference play where they went 5-1 in a six game span, they showed little signs of life. Jamyron Keller is back from an injury, and De’vion Lavergne also returns, so they do have some experience this year. Dani Pounds also comes in after a solid year with Tennessee Tech, so I actually do like their roster and think they will have a much better season this year.

-After having a rough year for most of the year, Southern Miss was actually showing signs of life down the stretch. They won six of their final seven and made it all the way to the semis of the “Stairway to Seven” tournament before losing to the eventual champions in Troy. Not much is back from last year’s team, but they did get a huge pickup in the portal in Brandon Weston, who had a great year at Tennessee State last season. They also have several players who put up impressive numbers at non-D-1 schools, so they may have some pieces to work with this year.

-Applachian State was one of hte six teams that finished in a tie for 2nd place and during a stretch in the middle of the season they really got HOT! HOT! HOT! and won seven games in a row. Like seemingly everyone else in the league, they lost all five of their starters. With so many new players who are limited in D-1 experience, it is hard to say for sure who their standout guys will end up being, so Coach Dustin Kerns has his work cut out for him.

-Georgia Southern had a fairly solid season last year winning 21 total games, but none of the starters are back this year. They have a smattering of guys who were role players for D-1 programs a year ago, but other than that they do not have much in the way of proven experience.

-Georgia State had a miserable 10 win season last year. Jon Cremins now takes over as coach and has a rebuilding job ahead of him. Jaden Jackson is a player to watch. He had a good year for South Dakota State last year, and Terrance Dixon Jr. (who last played at Southern) looks to be a formidable grad transfer. Hopefully the Panthers will show some signs of improvement this year.

-Mike Jones has had a rough two years as coach at Old Dominion, and after just a 12-win season a year ago and with no key players returning, he may be in for yet another rough year. Zamoku Weluche-Ume was a solid scorer/rebounder for NC A&T a year ago and is a player to watch, but other than him they seem to be lacking in experience.

-Louisiana Tech is new to the league after being a long time member of Conference USA. I don’t think they will contend for the league title, and I would be kind of surprised if they finished above .500 in league play, but I do not think they will be quite this close to the bottom either. It is a non-D-1-transfer-heavy roster full of guys who put up big numbers. They probably will not produce like that at the D-1 level, but they should do a little better than 12th place.

-Coastal Carolina finished in the six-way tie for 2nd place, but they also lost their entire starting lineup. Coach Justin Gray really did have a good year after winning just ten games the year before, but he may be in for a rough ride this year. Their just is not anyone on their roster who really pops out.

-Last, and least, is UL Monroe. They won just 5 total games a year ago and were 355th in the NET. No key players are back (if they even had any last year) and Ryan Cross takes over as coach. They do have a few guys who were able to produce at the JUCO level and they will be relying on them to try and jumpstart this program.

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Big 12 Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 22, 2026 by David Griggs

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BIG 12 MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Arizona
  2. Houston
  3. Kansas
  4. Iowa State
  5. Texas Tech
  6. BYU
  7. TCU
  8. Cincinnati (tied 8th)
  9. West Virginia (tied 8th)
  10. Baylor
  11. Oklahoma State
  12. Arizona State
  13. UCF
  14. Colorado (tied 14th)
  15. Kansas State (tied 14th)
  16. Utah

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-BIG 12 TEAM:

-Ivan Kharchenkov – Arizona
-Motiejus Krivas – Arizona
-Paulius Murauskas – Arizona State
-Robert Wright III – BYU
-Dedan Thomas Jr. – Houston
-Joseph Tugler – Houston
-Tamin Lipsey – Iowa State
-Tyran Stokes – Kansas
-Xavier Edmonds – TCU
-JT Toppin – Texas Tech

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Arizona was a Final Four team a year ago and is among the preseason favorites to get back there this year. They lost a ton of talent, but being who they are, they were able to reload the roster. Derek Dixon transfers in from North Carolina to run the point and he is joined in the backcourt by Caleb Holt who is a highly touted freshman. RJ Godfrey transfers in from Clemson to both score/rebound, and Motiejus Krivas is a dominant center. I do not know if I like this team quite as much as last year’s team, but they belong high in the rankings.

-Houston has won 30+ games in each of the last five seasons…which is just an incredible accomplishment! Especially given the teams they have been playing. They are having to reload this year after losing four starters, but they once again appear to have an insanely good team. Dedan Thomas Jr. will be running the point: he averaged over 15ppg last year despite missing part of the season due to an injury. Mercy Miller is a solid outside shooter and Corey Hadnot II transfers in after putting up insane numbers at PFW to make up a solid backcourt. As for the paint, Delrecco Gillespie averaged a double-double at Kent State last year and Joseph Tugler should also be strong underneath. Rebounding and defense is where Houston is typically really tough, though, and I would not expect this year to be any different.

-During our Big 12 Preview Podcast we talked about how young Kansas was. That was before Trey Kaufman-Renn, who was a standout player for Purdue, was officially added to the roster. They now have some experience in the post to go with their young talent. Taylen Kinney and Tyran Stokes are both highly touted freshmen and while they are undeniably super-talented, can they compete against the likes of Arizona, Houston, and Texas Tech?

-Iowa State is coming off a 29-win season and has two key starters back. Jaquan Johnson had a big year at Bradley last year and will be running the point for the Cyclones this year. Leon Bond III also comes in from Northern Iowa, so it is a solid backcourt from the Missouri Valley. This has been one of the better Big 12 teams in recent years: they were in the Sweet Sixteen last year and should be that good again this year.

-Texas Tech never seems to get the respect they deserve. Being picked 5th in the Big 12 is not bad by any means, but I think they are better than 5th if JT Toppin is healthy. Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn and Cruz Davis both averaged over 20ppg game last year and were huge portal pickups. They have also got some really good outside shooters. Coach Grant McCasland has done nothing but win during the last three years. This is a team that can once again exceed expectations. In fact this is a team that can win the Big 12. In fact I am picking them to win the Big 12: they are that good.

-Kevin Young has had two solid seasons as coach at BYU and seems poised to have yet another solid season this year. Two starters are back from last year’s 23-win team that made the NCAA Tournament including Robert Wright III, who is one of the best point guards in the entire nation. They have acquired several other players who are prolific outside shooters and will once again be a very dangerous team.

-I kind of like this TCU team. They were really playing well down the stretch last season winning 11 of their final 13 before losing to Duke in the Round of 32. Three starters are back including Xavier Edmonds, who gives them a really strong presence in the paint, and they add Gavin Sykes, who was a prolific scorer for Long Beach State last year. It seems like TCU is another team that is frequently overlooked, but Jamie Dixon is a good coach. They return some key players from a team that was good last year, and they picked up a few more good players in the portal, so this should once again be a solid tournament-caliber team.

-I am actually pretty excited about this Cincinnati team. They have a new coach in Jerrod Calhoun, who did a great job at Utah State, and they also have a mostly new roster. They have a solid backcourt with three senior transfers in Tylen Riley, Myles Colvin, and Trevian Carson. All averaged double-figures last year and all can hit from all parts on the court. Tyler Tejada, who averaged close to 18ppg at Towson last year, gives them some presence in the paint. But, this is a guard-heavy team that should be fun to watch and who I think can do really well this year.

-Coach Ross Hodge won 21 games at West Virginia last year, but all five of his starters have moved on. They did pick up some really good players in the portal: particularly Finley Bizjack, who was a standout guard at Butler last year and averaged just over 17ppg. They have guys who were solid role players for power conference schools last year and who will have the opportunity to step up this year.

-Coach Scott Drew has done an amazing job at Baylor. Like…a Hall of Fame-type job. This program was not just in ashes when he took over: the ashes had been scattered into the wind. It was basically just completely gone. The fact that he turned them into a top-25 program, much less won a national championship, is remarkable. Having said that, last season was a struggle and that struggle may continue into this season. They do have two key starters back including Isaac Williams IV, who had a fantastic year as a freshman last year. They also picked up some solid players from Under the Radar schools in Brett Decker Jr. (who was a key player on a very good Liberty team), Isaac Celiscar from Yale, and Evan Chatman from UAB. They have players, but they do not have the stacked rosters that the teams in the top half of the league seem to have.

-Oklahoma State has not been a top-25 program for the last several years, and while they have a few decent players and might even make a push for the NCAA Tournament, I do not see them doing all that well against the teams in the top half of the conference. Kanye Clary is a solid returner and Luka Bogavac was a solid player for North Carolina last year,

-The Randy Bennett Era begins at Arizona State!! Bennett was a hugely successful coach at Saint Mary’s and had an emphasis on a half-court style of play. He is also going to have to build an almost entirely new roster. Paulius Murauskas comes over from Saint Mary’s and will likely be one of the leaders of the team this year. Ben Defty also transfers in after putting up big numbers for Boston U. I do not quite know what to make of this team yet but am anxious to see how they do.

-UCF is coming off a fairly solid year where they were 21-12 overall and made the NCAA Tournament. Johnny Dawkins has done a really solid job with this program in the ten years he has been there and has won 20+ games in each of the last two seasons. I like his roster this year. Caydon Vasko was a solid post player for Winthrop, Dior Johnson was an absolute scoring machine for Tarleton State (averaging over 24ppg), and Mister Dean was a solid player for Charleston. UCF is often overlooked. I do not think they will contend for the top of the league, but I do think they can make it back to the NCAA Tournament with the players they have and the way Dawkins can get his guys to play together.

-I love Tad Boyle as a coach. I say that every year. But…it may be another rough season for Colorado. They did pick up a really solid Under the Radar player in Justin Neely from UNC Greensboro, but they do not have any guys who have really proven themselves at the D-1 level, much less the high-major level.

-Casey Alexander takes over at Kansas State after solid runs at Lipscomb/Belmont. He has left the Bouleveard!! (a bit of a UTR inside joke). Can he win away from the Boulevard?? Can he actually build a program at the high-major level?? This is a lot different than sustaining success at the UTR level. I like the guy…but I think the answer to that question is NO. At least for this year. K-State won 12 games last year and I do not see them doing much better than that this year.

-Utah’s glory days now seem like they were a long time ago. They had one of their worst seasons in recent memory, winning just 10 games last year. Babacar Faye transfers in from Western Kentucky, who was a really solid player for the Toppers last year, but when looking at the rest of the roster, the best way to say it is that they appear to lack depth.

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