Big East Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 21, 2025 by David Griggs

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

BIG EAST MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Saint John’s
  2. Connecticut
  3. Creighton
  4. Providence
  5. Marquette
  6. Georgetown
  7. Villanova
  8. Xavier
  9. DePaul
  10. Butler
  11. Seton Hall

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST 1ST TEAM:

-Solo Ball – JR, G – Connecticut
-Alex Karaban – SR, F – Connecticut
-Tarris Reed Jr. – SR, C – Connecticut
-Owen Freeman – JR, F – Creighton
-Chase Ross – SR, G – Marquette
-Bryce Hopkins -SR, G/F – Saint John’s

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST 2ND TEAM:

-Silas Demary Jr. – JR, G – Connecticut
-Josh Dix – SR, G – Creighton
-KJ Lewis – JR, G – Georgetown
-Jason Edwards – SR, G – Providence
-Ian Jackson – SO, G – Saint John’s

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST 3RD TEAM:

-Nik Graves – SR, G – Creighton
-Jackson McAndrew – SO, F – Creighton
-CJ Gunn – SR, G – DePaul
-Malik Mack – JR, G – Georgetown
-Oswin Erhunmwunse – SO, F – Providence
-Dillon Mitchell – SR, F – Saint John’s
-Joson Sanon – SO, G – Saint John’s

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Saint John’s had an incredible season last year where they won 31 games, earned a #2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and just kept picking up momentum as the season went on. They were an amazingly good pressure defense team that could also get into the passing lanes and just shut teams down. While they lost early in the NCAA Tournament, it was still a program-changing season for the Johnnies. Only one starter returns, but if anyone is equipped for the transfer-heavy era of the modern day, it is Rick Pitino. He also gets the kind of players that he knows he can plug into his high energy system. Oziyah Sellers is a great all-around player and fantastic outside shooter from Stanford, Joson Sanon is another good all-around player from Arizona State, Bryce Hopkins comes in after being a star at Providence, Dillon Mitchell put up some decent numbers at Cincinnati last year, Dylan Darling put up big numbers at Idaho State, and Ian Jackson saw productive minutes at North Carolina, so this is a deep/athletic/talented team.

-You know your program is top-notch when you can win 24 games, finish 3rd in a major conference, make the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament, and consider that a down year. So, by their own standards, UConn is coming off of a down year. Three starters are back, and Silas Demary Jr. and Solo Ball make up a very talented/experienced/formidable backcourt. Alex Karaban is a great power forward who also has range. He can hit from the outside, and from pretty much anywhere else on the court. He is also a good rebounder. Malachi Smith transfers in from Dayton as another big-time player. I like this UConn team a lot, and I think they can keep pace with Saint John’s and possibly win the league. I DO NOT like @HurleyMania, but I have to admit that I think UConn is pretty good.

-I used to pick on Greg McDermott for his early exits in the NCAA Tournament, but that is clearly no longer the case. Creighton has won 25 games each of the last two years, has shown that they are not just a top-25 team, but a top-25 program, and appear to be back in that range this year. They do lose two absolute winners from last year’s team, but Nik Graves comes in after having a fantastic career at Charlotte, Owen Freeman comes in at center after putting up big numbers at Iowa, Josh Dix was also a standout player at Iowa, and Blake Harper was one of the best players in the MEAC last year, so they have reloaded their talent.

-I was a little surprised to see Providence picked this high. They won just 12 total games last season and finished 8th in the Big East. Four starters are gone and they do not seem to have much in the way of proven D-1 talent. Jason Edwards is a solid player, and while a lot of the other guys on the roster are decent, they do not seem to have the talent level that a lot of the league has.

-Marquette had an early exit from the NCAA Tournament last year, but it was still a successful season overall with 23 total wins and a respectable 13-7 record in Big East play. They return ten guys from last year’s roster and I think they can still be pretty good this year. They are losing three of their best players from a year ago, so I can understand why some are expecting them to take a step back. To me, I think a team with that many guys who have experience in head coach Shaka Smart’s system and can step into it right away can also contribute right away even if they did not put up big numbers a year ago. I am not expecting a complete drop-off this year.

-For a long time Georgetown has been a Big East punching bag, but they are making progress under Coach Ed Cooley. They took a big step forward last year winning 18 total games, and are looking to continue their improvement into this year. Just one starter is back, but they have gone into the portal and grabbed KJ Lewis from Arizona, Jeremiah Williams from Rutgers, and Langston Love from Baylor. These are decent players and not stars, but they should be able to keep Georgetown’s forward momentum going.

-The days of Villanova being a consistent top-five caliber program now seem like a long time ago. Kevin Willard takes over as head coach, and while he has proven that he can be successful and likely will be successful at Nova if he is given time, it may be a long season for the Wildcats this year. All five starters are gone from a year ago, but they did land some quality players from Under the Radar schools who can probably help them out. Devin Askew was a fantastic player at Long Beach State last year and averaged close to 19ppg, Zion Stanford comes in from Temple (who plays right across town), Bryce Lindsay was a contributing player for a pretty good James Madison team, and Duke Brennan saw a lot of minutes for Grand Canyon last year. So, they have some pieces, and can probably finish near the middle of the league if things go right for them.

-Xavier won 22 games last year and barely snuck into the NCAA Tournament where they won a First Four game, but lost in the Round of 64. Strangely enough, the team that Xavier beat in the First Four (Texas) ended up hiring their coach and grabbing a few of their key players, so Xavier is starting completely over. Richard Pitino takes over after a successful run at New Mexico and he has his work cut out for him. The roster consists of several players who saw key minutes and put up decent numbers at some Under the Radar programs last year, but the question remains as to whether or not they can compete at the Big East level.

-DePaul won 14 games last season, which is not good, but considering they won just 3 the year before it was a noticeable improvement. They didn’t get a whole lot of love at Media Day, but with CJ Gunn and Layden Blocker both returning after putting up solid numbers last year, and Kaleb Banks transferring in after having a very good year at Tulane, as well as a few other guys who look like they can step into bigger roles, I think DePaul will exceed expectations. I do not think they will finish near the top, nor do I think they will be anywhere near the bubble, but I bet they end up being better than 9th.

-As for Butler, I like Thad Matta as a coach, and I like Butler as a program, and I keep thinking that soon those two forces will join forces and pull Butler back into national relevance, but it has n’ot happened yet and it does n’ot look like it will happen this year. Having said that, Jalen Jackson is a phenomenal addition to the roster, and was arguably one of the best players in the Horizon League a year ago. Finley Bizjack put up solid numbers as a freshman last year and is a very good outside shooter. Yame Butler also comes in after having a good year at Drexel. They have a few good pieces. They are perhaps better than where they have been projected to finish in this poll. But, I do not see them finishing anywhere near the bubble.

-Seton Hall was a train wreck last year winning just two Big East games and finishing last. All five starters are gone and Coach Shaheen Holloway has gone into the portal to try and rebuild. Adam “Budd” Clark averaged close to 20ppg at Merrimack last year, Elijah Fisher put up big numbers at Pacific, and TJ Simpkins was a very solid guard for Elon, so they do have some proven talent and we should see some improvement this year.

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MAC Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 21, 2025 by David Griggs

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

MAC MEDIA DAY PRESEASON COACHES POLL:

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

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-MAC 1ST TEAM:

-Tavari Johnson – SR, G – Akron
-Javontae Campbell – SR, G – Bowling Green
-Delrecco Gillespie – SR, F – Kent State
-Peter Suder – SR, G – Miami OH
-Jackson Paveletzke – SR, G – Ohio U

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-MAC 2ND TEAM:

-Evan Mahaffey – SR, F – Akron
-Shammah Scott – SR, G – Akron
-Daniel Hankins-Sanford – SR, F – UMass
-Eian Elmer – JR, F – Miami OH
-Javan Simmons – JR, F – Ohio U
-Sonny Wilson – JR, G – Toledo

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Akron blew through this league last season losing just one conference game, then won the MAC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Expectations are once again high despite just one starter being back. The good news is that the Zips went deep into their bench last season, so while only one key starter is returning, lots of guys who saw significant minutes are back and can step into bigger roles this year. They also have some promising freshmen along with a smattering of transfers who come in from bigger programs presumably in search of more playing time.

-Travis Steele has done a phenomenal job since taking over at Miami OH and last year they won an amazing 25 total games and finished 2nd in the conference. Expectations are high again this year, and I think the Redhawks are good enough to win the league. Three starters return and that experience alone is reason to be optimistic. Peter Suder is a solid all-around player who can score from anywhere on the court, Eian Elmer is a very good outside shooter who can put up some points as well, and Brant Byers returns after a very solid year as a freshman. I like this Miami OH team. I like them enough to pick them to win the conference.

-Kent State really caught fire in the second half of conference play last year, winning 9 of 11 before losing in the MAC semifinals. It was enough to earn them an NIT bid where they managed to get as far as the quarterfinals. This year they are faced with a bit of a rebuild and it is hard to say who their go-to players are going to be.

-Ohio U felt like they should have been better last year than what they were. They won just 16 games, and I thought they had the potential to be better. Perhaps I overvalued them…and perhaps I am doing the same thing again this year. I really like Jeff Boals as a coach and I think they have a really balanced group of players, particularly Jackson Paveletzke and Aidan Hadaway. Javan Simmons also joins the roster after having a good season at Toledo a year ago. This is a fun team to watch and I think they can surprise some people this year.

-It is going to take a while to get used to UMass being in the MAC. They joined primarily for football reasons and many felt (including me) that it did not make a whole lot of sense for basketball, but here they are. When UMass hired Frank Haith, err Frank Martin, I really thought he would get them going and make them nationally relevant. That simply has not happened in the three years he has been there. They won just 12 total games last season and were so far from the NCAA Tournament that they could not see it with a telescope. They have finished outside the top-200 of the NET in two of the last three years. I admit to being surprised that they have not been better. Will this move help them win more games and build up their program? They do not have much in the way of D-1 experience. They have turned to guys from lower divisions who put up big numbers to join the roster and contribute right away. They also have some freshmen that may have some potential. I like Frank Haith, ERR, Frank Martin. I still believe he can rebuild UMass. But, this is sort of a pivotal season for them. They need to show at least some signs of improvement. (Note from Stalica: I am going to frame this preview for the HoopsHD break room. Only Griggs could mix up Angry Frank and Frank Haith in the same breath.)

-Toledo has just one starter back from last year, but Sonny Wilson is a solid player who averaged just under 16ppg and can hit from the outside. The problem is he cannot do it all himself. They have turned to a couple of standout JUCO players and some talented freshmen to try and fill out the roster.

-Bowling Green just cannot ever seem to get it going and keep it going. They have finished outside the top-280 of the NET in three of the past four years and won just 14 games last season. Just one starter returns, so it once again feels like the Falcons are back to square one. They were plagued with injuries last year so if they can stay healthy we should see some improvement, but other than that it will be a struggle for them to finish in the top half of the standings.

-Ball State is another team that just cannot seem to build up any consistent success. They are tasked with replacing all five starters from a team that finished 9th in the standings last year and missed the conference tournament. They do have some notable transfers who averaged double figures a season ago in Armoni Zeigler (Saint Peter’s), Juwan Maxey (Youngstown State), and Devon Barnes (UTEP), so they have some pieces to work with. Hopefully for the Cardinals that results in more wins this year.

-Eastern Michigan did not have a great season last year, but the 16 wins was the most they have had in quite some time. The problem is all five starters are gone and it feels like they have been sent back to square one. Stan Heath is a proven head coach, and he has made some progress, but it is just so hard to build from year to year at this level now. Addison Patterson put up good numbers at Northwestern State last year, Mak Manciel averaged double-figures at Detroit Mercy, and Mehki Ellison was a standout player at Stetson, so they do have a few pieces to work with. Will they be able to keep pushing forward?

-Western Michigan was abysmal for most of last season, but was actually showing signs of life toward the end. They won five of their last seven games before losing in the MAC Tournament and beat a very good Miami OH team during that stretch. The problem is that not much of that is being carried over into this year. Just one starter is back, and while they should get some help from Justice Williams and Jayden Brewer who both averaged double-figures at Under the Radar programs a year ago, and they do have some freshmen and lower division transfers coming in that may have some promise, this still feels like an uphill climb for the Broncos.

-Buffalo has just been utterly miserable for the last two years, and things may not be a whole lot better this year. Ryan Sabol is a really solid player, but he cannot do it alone and he does not appear to have much in the way of help.

-Andy Bronkema takes over as head coach at Central Michigan and he appears to have his work cut out for him. He is tasked with replacing all five starters from a year ago and seems to be looking primarily toward players from lower divisions.

-Northern Illinois was among the worst teams in all of D-1 last year and expectations are not high this year. They appear to be turning to some international players to try and get things jump-started.

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The Hoops HD Report – SEC Preview Special

Posted on October 20, 2025 by David Griggs

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

A full panel is assembled to preview this year’s SEC. As a whole, the conference is coming off of a historically good season where it was perhaps the most collectively successful conference in college basketball history. This year, it will be among the strongest conferences again. The defending National Champion Florida Gators are once again looking like Final Four contenders. Same with Kentucky. Same with Tennessee. Same with Arkansas and Alabama, who should both be really good. 14 teams made the NCAA Tournament a year ago, and we think we could see close to as many as that back again this year.

And for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show…

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Pulling for Pullen: HoopsHD interviews Wyatt Thompson about Jacob Pullen

Posted on October 20, 2025 by Jon Teitel

Jacob Pullen scored 18 PTS in his college debut for Kansas State in 2007, and then continued scoring for the following 4 years. He set a career-high with 38 points against #1 Kansas on Valentine’s Day 2011, tied his career-high the following month with another 38 PTS in his final game against Wisconsin in the NCAA tourney, and his 2132 career PTS remain the most in school history. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Wyatt Thompson (the “Voice of the Wildcats”) about Pullen’s sensational scoring ability and his postseason heroics.

What made Pullen choose Kansas State? I assume that a lot of it was due to a pair of coaches (Bob Huggins/Frank Martin). Jake’s 1st year was in 2007 and when Frank took over for Hugs he did not miss a beat. We had heard that Jake was a fine player coming out of a fine program in Proviso East.

In the 2009 NIT he scored 32 PTS in a 4-PT OT win over Illinois State: what was your reaction to the ridiculous final play (when he inbounded the ball off a Redbirds player and made a layup as time expired)? I do recall that play: he was always a high-IQ player. I have been here 24 years, and we have had a lot of good teams here. We had had a lot of great guard duos as well and Jacob/Denis Clemente were 1 of the best. That NIT was the start of a good little run for us.

Take me through the 2010 NCAA tourney:
He scored 28 PTS in a 5-PT 2-OT win over Xavier: how were the Wildcats able to overcome the Musketeers’ amazing clutch shooting (Terrell Holloway made 3 FTs with 5 seconds left in regulation, then Jordan Crawford made a 35-footer with 4 seconds left in the 1st OT: www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFa14Wzo5nI)? In my 49-year career that might be the best game I ever had the opportunity to cover. I recall that we tried fouling them on the floor at the end of regulation, but the refs did not call a foul until Holloway was shooting and he made all 3 shots to send it into OT. Xavier hung around with us because they were well-coached and every bit as tough as we were. It was 1 of those games with hardly any separation at all.

He scored 14 PTS and tied a school record with 6 STL in a 7-PT loss to Butler: what made him such a great defender? Just his strength: he had a unique body type because even though he was not the tallest kid his body was thick. Hugs/Frank were all about being rugged/tough: as the saying goes, “No blood, no foul”! He just had a feel for stealing the ball: most people know about his scoring record, but it was a hard adjustment for him at 1st. Once he figured out that he belonged he just blossomed into an incredible player who did so many things.

As a freshman he scored a season-high 20 PTS/10-10 FT in a 9-PT upset of 2nd-ranked Kansas, then scored a career-high 38 PTS in an upset of top-ranked Kansas on Valentine’s Day in 2011: where do those 2 upsets rank among the biggest in the history of the “Sunflower Showdown”? We started to dip around 1990 as KU started to take off, but it had been a heated rivalry. I would describe the upset during his freshman year as “stunning” because nobody in our conference was beating KU back then. I would say it was easily 1 of the top-15 moments in school history: it was monumental at the time. As far as his 38-PT game, it was 1 of the top-3 performances by a K-State player that I have ever seen. That is why he is as beloved as he is: as time goes on you develop even more appreciation for what he did. Beating KU was the ultimate thing even though they did everything they could to try to slow him down. He scored in so many ways: deep threes, twisting his way to the rim, etc.

In the 2011 NCAA tourney he scored 38 PTS/6-8 3PM in a 5-PT loss to Wisconsin (which set a record for most PTS by a Big 12 player in an NCAA tourney game): was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot he put up seemed to go in because he was “in the zone”? Yes. At that time Wisconsin was very big/strong/athletic, which you think would have been a problem for Jake, but they just could not slow him down. We did not lose due to his performance (13-22 FG): the Badgers were 1 of the most physical teams that I had ever seen.

He remains the all-time leading scorer/3-PT shooter in school history: did you realize at the time how prolific a player he was, and do you think that anyone will ever break his records? Nobody thought that he would break Mike Evans’ scoring record. From the beginning I felt that his ability would make him a quality scorer in the Big 12. He could draw fouls, make FTs, and could make shots from deeper range than I thought. His records might be broken since we keep getting talented scorers (like PJ Haggerty), but it would be tough to find a good player who stays here for 4-5 years. Jake almost averaged double-digits for 4 years in a row, which is very hard to do. He scored 700+ PTS as a sophomore so after that you knew that he would have a shot at the record as a senior.

He was a 2-time All-American and won the 2011 Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award for the nation’s best senior who is 6’ or shorter: what did it mean to him to win such outstanding honors? I remember asking him about it: if you ask him now, he would probably be as proud of that Naismith Award as anything. When he 1st got here, I do not know if he liked it all that much because it was like boot camp, but it laid the foundation for him to become tougher/stronger. That is why he blossomed: you just could not break him down. He could score on you even if you were 5’10” or 6’5″.

When people look back on his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? I get emotional talking about this because I have been here a long time. I have seen 9 of the top-10 scorers (Bob Boozer was a little before my time), and when I look at those names, I know that he belongs. Guys like Evans/Rolando Blackmon had nice long NBA careers, and Steve Henson was an Olympic-level decathlete, but Jake will be known forever as 1 of the top guys who ever played here. He was the 1st 1 to get down on his knees on Senior Day and kiss the midcourt logo: he left here a Wildcat. The only reason they have not retired his # yet is that he has been playing pro basketball overseas for the past 15 years and they want him to be present when they do so!

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Sun Belt Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 20, 2025 by David Griggs

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

SUN BELT MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

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

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SBC 1ST TEAM:

-Robert Davis Jr. – JR, G – Old Dominion (Preseason Player of the Year)
-Bradley Douglas – SR, G – James Madison
-Thomas Dowd – JR, F – Troy
-Tyren Moore – SR, G – Georgia Southern
-Jalen Speer – SR, G – Marshall

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SBC 2ND TEAM:

-Eren Banks – JR, G – Appalachian State
-Mark Drone – SR, G – Texas State
-Jelani Hamilton – SO, G – Georgia State
-Chandler Jackson – JR, G – Arkansas State
-RaSheed Jones – JR, G – Coastal Carolina

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SBC 3RD TEAM:

-Jordan Battle – SR, G – Old Dominion
-John Broom – SO, G – South Alabama
-Kaden Gumbs – JR, G – Texas State
-Matt Van Komen – SR, C – Marshall
-Nakavieon White – SR, F – Georgia Southern

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

Before the season even started last year this conference got our attention with their super-extended-ladder format to the conference tournament. The difference between finishing 4th and 6th was SUBSTANTIAL given how many rounds you could bye into the conference tournament. Once conference play started, it was a logjam all season long, which made every game feel incredibly meaningful and exciting! As crazy as we thought the format was, it actually made the regular season a ton of fun!

-James Madison was last year’s 1st-place team and is again the favorite this year despite having just one starter back. In fact they lost their top-five scorers, so they appear to be starting over. Cliff Davis had a pretty solid season for UTRGV last year, Justin McBride saw some quality minutes at Nevada last season, and Gabe Newhof was a standout player in NAIA last year, so the Dukes have some pieces.

-Arkansas State had a fantastic season last year with 25 total wins, a tie for 1st place in the league, and some pretty big wins along the way. Unfortunately they are starting completely over with all five starters being gone from a year ago. They have a smattering of guys that transferred in after seeing limited minutes at bigger programs, and Matt Hayman had a really good year at Stephen F. Austin last year, so they do have a few pieces to work with.

-South Alabama has just one starter back and has turned to some standout players at D-2 and NAIA to try and rebuild their roster. They have some guys that appear to have potential, but the question is how well will they perform at the D-1 level?

-I have long been a fan of Scott Cross as a coach, and Troy had their 4th straight 20+ win season last year as they finished in a tie for 1st place. Unfortunately, like a lot of other teams, most of their key players from a year ago are gone. Thomas Dowd returns, who was very strong in the frontcourt a year ago. They will look to some guys who saw limited minutes off the bench last year to step into bigger roles and be bigger contributors this year, along with some pretty impressive-looking freshmen who have future potential.

-Old Dominion was underwhelming for most of last season, particularly in the latter part of the season where they lost seven straight before barely winning their season finale prior to the conference tournament. Having said that, there is reason to be optimistic this year. Robert Davis Jr. returns to the roster, who is arguably the best player in the conference. Two other key starters also return, and they went into the transfer portal to pick up KC Shaw (who put up big numbers for Maryland Eastern Shore last season), LJ Thomas (who was a prominent player for Austin Peay), and Jordan Battle (who is a fantastic outside shooter from Coastal Carolina). Old Dominion is looking MUCH improved!! So much so that they are my pick to win the league this year despite the lack of preseason love.

-Marshall finished just one game out of 1st place last year! But was ultimately 5th in the conference standings after all the tiebreakers, which gives you an idea of just how crazy this league was. Only one starter is back from that team, and while Jalen Speer is a very solid player, there are not too many others on the roster with solid D-1 experience, so it could be a rebuilding year for the Herd.

-Appalachian State won just 17 games last year, so the season wasn’t so HOT HOT HOT. And, with just one starter back, it may not be so HOT HOT HOT this year either. Eren Banks comes in from Georgia Southern, and Kasen Jennings put up some pretty good numbers at South Florida, and they have some standout players from lower divisions. I can see them finishing in the top half of the conference, but I do not see them competing for 1st place.

-Texas State, like everyone else, is having to replace most of their key players. Jalen Bolden comes in from UL Monroe after putting up some big numbers for them a year ago, and he is certainly a guy that knows this conference. Other than him it is a transfer-heavy team that consists mostly of guys with limited D-1 experience.

-Louisiana had a pretty poor season overall last year, but they were starting to look a little better down the stretch. Only three players are returning, but two of them were starters. It is a transfer-heavy team consisting largely of guys from bigger programs who saw limited minutes and appear to be seeking more playing time.

-Georgia Southern is having to replace their entire starting lineup, and while Nakavieon White gave them some quality minutes off the bench last year and should be a key player this year, they appear to be lacking in proven D-1 experience.

-It has been a rough few years for Georgia State, and after just 14 wins in each of the last two seasons it may be another rough year for the Panthers this year. Two starters do return, and Jelani Hamilton transferring in from Iowa State is a huge addition to the roster. They have added a few JUCO players who may be able to contribute as well. I do not think the Panthers will have a strong season, but I do think they will do a little better than where they have been picked in the preseason.

-Southern Miss won just 11 games last year and is faced with having to rebuild their roster this year. They have turned to some guys who put up big numbers in JUCO and NAIA, and we may see some improvement this year, but with so little D-1 experience it is hard to imagine them finishing in the top half of the standings.

-Coastal Carolina’s days of being a top-level under the radar program now seem like a lifetime ago. They have been really bad the last three years, and all signs point to them being bad again this year. Rasheed Jones gave them some quality numbers last year, and AJ Dancler was a good pickup from Le Moyne, but they are lacking in proven D-1 experience. This is a program that, at least to me, seems like it should be performing at a much higher level than they have been in recent years, but it does not seem like they will be turning things around this year.

-UL Monroe won just 7 total games a year ago, and is tasked with replacing all five starters, which may not be the worst thing in the world. They have been one of the weaker programs in the SBC in recent years, and no one seems to be expecting much of them this year.

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America East Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 20, 2025 by David Griggs

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

AMERICA EAST MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Vermont
  2. Maine
  3. UAlbany
  4. UMass Lowell
  5. Binghamton
  6. Bryant
  7. UMBC
  8. NJIT
  9. New Hampshire

MEDIA DAY PREASEASON ALL-AMERICA EAST TEAM:

-Quincy Allen – SR, G – Bryant
-TJ Hurley – SR, G – Vermont
-Demetrius Lilley – SR, C – Binghamton
-Amir Lindsey – SO, G – UAlbany
-TJ Long – SR, G – Vermont
-Josh Odunowo – SR, G – UMBC

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Vermont has been the dominant program in this conference for the past several years, and while they slipped to 2nd last year and did not win the conference tournament, expectations are still high for the Catamounts this year. Very high, in fact. They have the best backcourt in the conference with TJ Hurley and TJ Long, who both put up big time numbers last year. Hurley in particular is a fantastic shooter. While they do have to replace their frontcourt, they have a couple of solid transfers coming in in Ben Johnson (Bellarmine) and Ben Michaels (Buffalo). This is a team that will likely run away with the league and could give someone fits in the Round of 64.

After Vermont, there is a MAJOR drop off!!!

-You have no idea how happy it makes me to see Maine this high in the preseason poll!! Well, if you followed us last year, I guess maybe you do. Maine was one of the worst programs in all of D-1, but their recent turnaround has been remarkable and the expectations are high again this year. Now having said that, I am not quite sure why the expectations for this year’s team are so high. Four starters are gone from last year’s 20-win team that made it to the AEast championship game, and there doesn’t seem to be anyone all that proven on this year’s roster. Ace Flagg’s brother had a pretty good season at Duke last year, and he is a solid signee for the Black Bears, but I think they are in rebuilding mode.

-UAlbany is tasked with replacing four of their starters after a so-so season last year. The 17 games they won were the most they had won in a while, but with so many new guys on the roster it is hard to say whether that will translate into success for this year. They have a smattering of guys who transferred in after seeing limited minutes at bigger programs, so this is their chance to play a bigger role. Amir Lindsey received preseason honors after having a pretty solid year as a freshman last year, so he is someone they will be relying on.

-Like a lot of teams, UMass Lowell’s roster has turned over. All five starters from a year ago are gone and they have turned to the portal to try and replace them. This year’s team does not seem to have a ton of experience, so there are more questions than answers about them.

-It has been a while since Binghamton managed a winning season, and like seemingly everyone else in this league they are faced with a roster overhaul and a lack of experience at the D-1 level. Bryson Wilson put up some decent numbers and minutes at Buffalo, and he may be the Bearcats’ most experienced player.

-Bryant had a fantastic season last year! They were the 1st-place team! They won the conference tournament! They won 23 total games and made the NCAA Tournament! And this year…well…all those key players are gone and they are pretty much starting over. Jamion Christian takes over as head coach and he seems to have a roster that lacks experience. It may be a long season as they look to rebuild.

-It is fair to say that UMBC did not have a good year last year, and were particularly bad down the stretch. But, they do have two returning starters, and they are both pretty good. Josh Odunowo is a solid guard who earned preseason all-conference honors. Devin Ceaser comes in from Old Dominion and should be able to contribute right away, and Jah’likai King put up some big numbers at New Haven (who was D-2 last year), so they have some pieces. I think they can finish higher than this. Like…a lot higher than this. Maybe even as high as 2nd.

-NJIT has three starters back, which makes them among the more experienced teams in the conference. The problem is they only won six total games a year ago and were dead last in the standings, so despite the experience the expectations are not high. What they do appear to have are some outstanding outside shooters. I know they need more than that, but at least they have something. They may be able to do a little bit better than next-to-last this year.

-New Hampshire won just eight games a year ago and appears to be in for another long season this year. Just one starter is back and they will be relying on players without a whole lot of proven D-1 level experience.

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