Southland Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 24, 2026 by David Griggs

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

SOUTHLAND MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. McNeese
  2. Stephen F. Austin
  3. TAMUCC
  4. Lamar
  5. UTRGV
  6. LSU New Orleans
  7. Houston Christian
  8. Northwestern State
  9. SELA
  10. Nicholls
  11. Incarnate Word
  12. East Texas A&M

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-McNeese has been the flagship program in this conference for the last three years and is the preseason favorite to win it again this year. They recruit the portal well and have adapted to the modern NIL/Portal era as well as any Under the Radar program has. They won 28 games a year ago and it still felt like they should have won more. Larry Johnson is back and he is good enough to start for most of the current P-4-level teams. They did lose some key players and most of the returners saw limited minutes last year, so we may see them take a step back, but this is still an outstanding program.

-Stephen F. Austin was actually last year’s 1st-place team. Unfortunately they still had to play the championship game on McNeese’s home floor and did not win it. What’s also unfortunate is that none of their starters are back. Narit Chotikavanic was a key player off the bench and MJ Russell put up big numbers for UL Monroe, so they do have a couple of really solid pieces. Coach Matt Braeuer had a great debut season last year and this team should be good again this year.

-TAMUCC ended last season with a near upset of SFA in the Southland semifinals, but with just one starter back there is not a whole lot of carryover into this season. Sebastian Robinson was a solid portal pickup from NJIT and Dan Mukuna put up big numbers in D-2 last year, so they may have the horses to keep themselves near the top of the standings this year.

-Lamar is in a reset mode after a frustrating 12-19 season a year ago. Jordan Fee takes over as coach and he has been tasked with rebuilding the roster. Quante Berry was a solid role player at Memphis last year and he will be joined by some other guys who were standout players at non-D-1 programs, but they do not appear to have much in the way of solid D-1 experience.

-Coach Jim Shaw has had a pretty solid run in his three years at UTRGV and is coming off a respectable 18-15 season. Look for them to once again be a good defensive team. They looked to NAIA/JUCO to build their roster and picked up some guys that put up some really impressive numbers. I actually like UTRGV to be a bit of a dark horse this year.

-LSU New Orleans has been rebranded. They have also been re-rostered as all five starters from last year’s Privateers team are gone. They did invest in NIL last year and seemed to have a talented roster, but went just 15-18 on the season. This year they have some good pieces as Nick Jones comes over from Wagner where he averaged nearly 15ppg and Kahlil Singleton transfers in after being a key player for Canisius. They have some good pieces. The question is can those pieces fit together to actually build something?

-Houston Christian has had more struggles than successes over the years and it looks like that will continue into this year. They have added some solid JUCO players, but do not have anyone who is a proven standout player at the D-1 level.

-Northwestern State was just 10-22 last year, and two of those wins were non-D-1, but I think we may see some improvement this year. They will not run with the teams at the top of the league, but they should be able to hold their own with everyone else. Izzy Miles is a player to watch. They also added some solid JUCO talent so Coach Rick Cabrera may be in a position to make some improvements this year.

-SELA is coming off their worst season in a while where they won just 9 total games and finished near the bottom of the league. Things may not be that much better this year. They do have some guys with D-1 experience, but we probably will not see them put up the win totals that they had been prior to last season.

-Darion Brown takes over as coach at Nicholls. The Colonels really took a step back last year winning just 14 games after winning 20 in the previous two years. From a roster standpoint, no one really jumps out as being a prolific scorer, and with so many new players and a new coaching staff it is just hard to gauge just what kind of team they are going to have.

-After a very solid 19-win season two years ago, Incarnate Word struggled last year winning just 12 total games and going 7-15 in SLC play. Coach Shane Heirman is having to replace his roster and they just do not have much in the way of proven D-1 experience and production.

-East Texas A&M had a rough year last year where they failed to make the SLC Tournament and are starting over this year after all five starters moved on. The expectations are not high. What is interesting about them is that they do bring in several international players. Most people, and this absolutely includes myself, are not familiar with international players because…yunno…they play in another country and I just never get to watch them. But, they appear to have at least put up good numbers and they may turn out to be better than what most people are anticipating. This team was picked to finish last, but they are at least worth keeping an eye on! I am more optimistic about them about ETAMU than I am the majority of teams that were voted into the bottom half.

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Pac-12 Media Day (or lack thereof) Recap and Response

Posted on October 24, 2026 by David Griggs

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

-The Pac-12 released no preseason poll or awards, so the following are just notes on each of the member schools in a semi-order of finish…

-The Pac-12 is back!!!! But…the Pac-12 Network does not appear to be. Had the Pac-12 Network gotten the proper distribution the league may have never gone away in the first place…

-Gonzaga is the preseason favorite to win the league despite having to replace its entire starting lineup, but it is easy to understand why. They are one of the programs that can simply reload their talent every year. Having said that, they are not completely stacked with players who have averaged double-figures at big time programs. Xaivian Lee is a solid PG, but Isiah Harwell saw limited action last year, as did Davis Fogle in the frontcourt. But Braden Huff/Massamba Diop make up a strong post presence and the Zags are always able to have guys step into new roles.

-Utah State is coming off a 29-win season where they made it to the Round of 32, but only one starter returns from that team. They did get some solid pickups in the portal, though. AJ Bates comes over from Louisiana Tech after averaging just under 13ppg last year, Solomon Callaghan was a double-digit scorer and solid outside shooter for Wright State last year, and they have some talented looking freshman as well. They also pick up Ben Jacobson, who is a proven head coach. I do not know if Utah State will be quite as good as they were a year ago, but I do think they will be safely inside the bubble.

-I like this Colorado State team. I think they have a shot at making a run at the bubble. They finished last season winning nine of their last ten games before losing in the quarters of the MWC Tournament, and it was a really solid first year under Coach Ali Farokhmanesh where the team improved as the season went on. They return three starters, including Josh Pascarelli who was a solid backcourt player last year and a terrific outside shooter. Justin Menard, who averaged double-figures at Marist last year, also transfers in to complete the backcourt. Kyle Jorgensen is another player to watch who has both size/range. I think the Rams could have a really solid year this year.

-San Diego State is coming off a 22-win season where they made it to the Mountain West Championship game, but failed to make the NCAA Tournament. Only one starter, and four players total, are back from last year, but they added some big players from the portal. Latrell Davis (San Jose State), Chance Gladden (Boston U), Nick Anderson (Rice), and Isaiah Sy (Oregon State) were all double-digit scorers last year and can all hit from range. If they can gel together, San Diego State will likely be dancing again come March.

-Boise State has won 20+ games last season for the last five years, but in that time never advanced beyond the First Four of the NCAA Tournament. Leon Rice has done a solid job (regardless of what Joby Fortson says about their former conference!), but I do not look for them to be within reach of the NCAA Tournament this year. All five starters from last year are gone, and while they have a few players that put up impressive numbers at Under the Radar schools, they just do not seem to have the pieces to run with the teams at the top of this league. They are projected to finish in the middle and I think that is where they will end up.

-Washington State is back in the Pac-12!!!! Ummm…yay?? They had a miserable season last year where they won just 12 games, which was their worst one in a while. David Riley enters his third year as coach and he will need to replace the entire starting lineup. Lazerek Houston was a big time scorer in D-2 last year and Fraser Roxburgh put up solid numbers at Manhattan, but they do not have anyone who is really proven at this level. It could be another long year for Wazzu.

-Texas State comes in after being long time members of the Sun Belt. I believe they were one of about 37 teams in a tie for 2nd place last year. They won 19 games and were competitive in a pretty solid league. I think they will be able to hold their own against the bottom half of the league, but are a long way from the teams at the top. DJ Hall is a player to watch: he averaged over 15ppg last year. He will need some help, though.

-Oregon State is back in the Pac-12!!!! Umm…yay? They were a modest 9-9 in the WCC last year and lost most of the key players off that team. Josiah Lake was a solid player for them a year ago, and DeShawn Gory is a solid portal pickup from Fresno State. Legend Smiley comes in from San Francisco and was a fantastic outside shooter last year, and Jackson Rasmussen averaged double-figures at Idaho, so they have some pieces and could finish higher than where they have been picked.

-Fresno State has struggled for a while and with all five starters gone it looks as though the struggles will continue. Coach Vance Walberg is entering his third season and has a couple formidable players transferring in in Dragos Lungu/Ross Candelino, but they do not appear to have much depth and it could be another frustrating year.

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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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