Atlantic Sun Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 18, 2025 by David Griggs

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

ATLANTIC SUN MEDIA DAY PRESEASON COACHES POLL:

  1. Queens
  2. North Alabama
  3. Eastern Kentucky
  4. FGCU
  5. Austin Peay
  6. Jacksonville
  7. Lipscomb
  8. Central Arkansas
  9. Stetson
  10. Bellarmine
  11. North Florida
  12. West Georgia

ATLANTIC SUN MEDIA DAY PRESEASON MEDIA POLL:

  1. North Alabama
  2. Eastern Kentucky
  3. Queens
  4. FGCU
  5. Lipscomb
  6. Jacksonville
  7. Austin Peay
  8. Stetson
  9. North Florida
  10. Bellarmine
  11. Central Arkansas
  12. West Georgia

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-ASUN TEAM:

-Chris Ashby – Queens
-Corneilous Williams – North Alabama
-Tate McCubbin – Austin Peay
-Camren Hunter – Central Arkansas
-Montavious Myrick – Eastern Kentucky
-Chris Arias – Jacksonville
-Charlie Williams – Lipscomb
-Donte Bacchus – North Alabama
-Jamie Phillips Jr. – Stetson
-Shelton Williams-Dryden – West Georgia

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-North Alabama was a fantastic story last year. For a program that had struggled ever since transitioning up to D-1 and had no real basketball history or culture, they absolutely exploded last year and won 24 total games. They were packing their arena, tied for 1st place in the conference, nearly made the NCAA Tournament, and then earned an NIT bid. This year they are in a bit of a reset mode as they are tasked with replacing four starters, but the expectations are still high. Kedar Bodie was a standout player at the JUCO level last year and is someone who could make an immediate impact. Dallas Howell and Corneilous Williams also saw key minutes, so they should be able to be big-time contributors this year as well.

-Eastern Kentucky had a stretch late in the year where they won eight straight games, but for most of the year they struggled more than what you would expect. Turner Buttry and Jackson Holt both return and make up an experienced and talented backcourt. Both are also very solid outside shooters. Juan Cranford Jr. transfers in from Saint Francis where he put up some pretty impressive numbers, so he should be a contributor as well. Amarr Knox is another solid transfer who averaged over 14ppg on an Alabama State team that made the NCAA Tournament last year. All in all, I really like this EKU roster and think they can win the league this year.

-Queens has been a super-fun program to follow since they began transitioning up to D-1. They won 20 games last year and have high expectations for this season. Chris Ashby returns for his final year of eligibility after averaging just under 13ppg last year and is a very solid outside shooter. Yoav Berman had a solid year is a freshman and is also a superb outside shooter: he should be able to contribute in a big way this season. As always, Queens should be a lot of fun to watch this year.

-FGCU was a modest 18-15 last year, but started to catch fire down the stretch, winning five of their last six before losing in the conference tournament. Unfortunately just one starter returns from that team and the roster seems to be lacking in guys with a whole lot of proven D-1 experience. The expectations are still reasonably high, but it could be a long year for the Eagles.

-Kevin Carroll takes over the coaching duties at Lipscomb. They had a great season last year where they won 25 games, which included winning the conference tournament and advancing to the NCAA Tournament. The problem is that so much of that team is gone that it is like an entirely new team this year. Their roster is lacking in D-1 experience and it could be a long season for them.

-Jacksonville is another team that is having to completely rebuild after experiencing some success a season ago. Chris Arias had a solid freshman season and is a fantastic outside shooter. Given how much players tend to improve between their freshman and sophomore years he will likely be the player they depend on the most this year, but he certainly cannot do it all alone: some of the returners who saw limited minutes will have to step up this year.

-Austin Peay had an unremarkable season last year, but they were showing signs of life down the stretch and I kind of like them this year. If nothing else I think they will be very much improved with three starters returning including Tate McCubbin, who was a double-figure scorer last year and earned preseason honors this year. They have also added a few guys who put up solid numbers in JUCO or D-2 last year.

-A couple years ago Stetson won 22 games and was a great story given how they had been able to build themselves up. Last year, they won just eight games, and with the roster turning over again it is looking like it could be another long year for the Hatters. Jamie Phillips Jr. is the lone returning starter and while they have a couple of impressive-looking freshmen and JUCO players joining the roster, it remains to be seen if they can step into D-1 and contribute right away.

-After two solid years in their first two years of transitioning, Bellarmine has completely fallen apart. They won just five total games a season ago, and Doug Davenport takes over for his father (long-time successful head coach Scott Davenport). He has his work cut out for him. Jack Karasinski is a solid player and shooter, but he will need some help. A lot of guys who do not have a lot of D-1 experience will have to step up.

-North Florida is having to replace their entire starting lineup. While I do not expect them to be very good this year, I am expecting them to be a little better than next-to-last. Alex Vargo put up big numbers in JUCO last year and should be a player they can rely on this season. Devin Hines put up decent numbers at Lafayette a year ago and as a grad transfer gives them some experience. They have at least a couple of pieces and should be able to win a few games.

-West Georgia is in their second transitional year, and that is never an easy place to be. They won just six games a year ago, and while three starters are back everyone is pretty much expecting them to struggle again this year.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Utah State coach Jerrod Calhoun

Posted on October 17, 2025 by Jon Teitel

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

We are less than 3 weeks away from the tip-off of a 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 Utah State coach Jerrod Calhoun, who talked about his birthday plans and his expectations for this season.

You played basketball at Cleveland State for Rollie Massimino and were a student assistant at Cincinnati under Bob Huggins: what was the most important thing you learned from either of those 2 Hall of Famers? I learned a lot of lessons from both. Rollie was incredible at having the players spend a ton of time around his wife/children: he created an unbelievable family atmosphere. He also gave his assistants great ownership of the program. Bob was the best practice coach that I had ever seen: those 3-hour practices were so beneficial that we always thought when we showed up for a game that we would win the fight.

You won the 2005 NAIA title as an assistant at Walsh University in 2005, made the Final 4 as an assistant to Huggins at West Virginia in 2010, and were D-2 national runner-up at Fairmount State in 2017: what is the secret to winning games in March? Role identity is very critical: 1 through 15 must understand their roles. You must be connected both on and off the court and be playing for a bigger purpose than yourself. You must also be balanced: rotating/finishing on defense and creating advantages on offense. Every game is so close that it often comes down to the final possession.

In 2023 as head coach at Youngstown State you tied a school record with 24 wins and were named Horizon League COY: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? I think the Horizon is 1 of the most underrated leagues in the country. Greg Kampe is still a great coach at Oakland, and we also have guys like Jon Coffman/Darrin Horn. That award is due to a great effort on the part of the players/assistants, so it was very neat.

You were hired as head coach at Utah State last year and won 26 games in your 1st season: how were you able to come in and be so successful in Year #1? We identified some very good players and have 1 of the best home atmospheres in all of college basketball due to our student section (“The Herd”). We were #20 in offensive efficiency due to our unselfishness and our ability to create advantages. We had outstanding chemistry due to our belief in “we over me” and putting the team 1st.

Last December you had a 1-PT win at San Diego State, which was the school’s 1st road win over a top-25 team since 1991: do you view it as just another win on your schedule, or a program-altering win that people will be talking about for years to come, or other? I do not think it was “program-altering” because every win is big. Viejas Arena is 1 of the toughest venues in the country, which helps make the MWC so great. This has been a great program for a long time, so I consider it more of a “momentum-changer”: it gave us a lot of confidence as a group.

In the 2025 NCAA tourney you lost to UCLA: what did your team learn from that game that you think will help them this season? You learn from every experience: you must handle success when you win and self-reflect on your losses. The last loss of a season is always the hardest, but it taught me that we need more positional size, which we addressed in the offseason. Bruins coach Mick Cronin is a good friend of mine and 1 of my favorite quotes is from him: “You must win the fight before you win the game”.

You were rumored to be in the mix for the West Virginia head coaching job last March before signing an extension that made you the 2nd-highest paid coach in the MWC: how easy was your decision to stay put? It really was easy. When jobs come open there is so much talk on Twitter, which is why I no longer have social media. When I was younger I that that if I could ever get good enough then I wanted to be in a place that made my family and I extremely happy. Every coach wants their sport to be important to the entire community, and this is by far 1 of the best jobs on the West Coast, if not the entire country. I think we can really grow this program and still think we can eventually reach the Final 4. I love living out here: every day that I wake up it looks like a postcard because the mountains are just mesmerizing. When we move to the Pac-12 next year we will be entering a league with teams like Gonzaga/Oregon State so we must be ready.

Your only returning double-digit scorer from last year is Mason Falslev: what makes him such a great player, and do you think he can increase his FG%/FT% after both decreased last year (although his 3P% increased dramatically)? I compare Mason to Joe Mazzulla. There are certain guys who have the “it” factor: they want to win every single drill due to their competitive spirit. Mason’s confidence level is at an all-time high and he is a more vocal leader now. He will get to the FT line more this year since he has improved different areas of his game, and I think it will be a natural progression for him to make that jump with his shooting percentages.

You have a birthday today: besides talking with me, how will you celebrate the big day? I am going to watch the Aggies play San Jose State tonight in football: hopefully it is a sellout!

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? The goal is to win the MWC. I think Brian Dutcher’s San Diego State team is in a league of its own on paper, but I also respect the heck out of coaches like Bryce Drew/Josh Pastner/Leon Rice: the list goes on and on. We have won regular season/tourney titles in the past, but every year you try to win the league title, make the NCAA tourney, and advance. I am driven by the process/details on both sides of the ball and have built our roster depth, which hopefully will pay big dividends.

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Big West Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 17, 2025 by David Griggs

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

BIG WEST MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. UC Irvine
  2. UC Santa Barbara
  3. Hawaii
  4. UC San Diego
  5. Cal State Northridge
  6. UC Davis
  7. Cal Poly
  8. Long Beach State
  9. UC Riverside
  10. Cal State Bakersfield
  11. Cal State Fullerton

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-BIG WEST TEAM:

-Jurian Dixon – SO, G – UC Irvine
-Mahmoud Fofana – SR, F – Cal State Northridge
-Jason Fontenet II – JR, G – UC Santa Barbara
-Andre Henry – SR, G – UC Irvine
-Aidan Mahaney – SR, G – UC Santa Barbara
-Gytis Nemeiksa – SR, F – Hawaii

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-I am not supposed to play favorites, but this is probably my favorite conference out of all 31 of them. I love the rivalries, the quality of play is way better than what most people realize, and I think the committee should look a little closer at just how hard it is to win on the road in this league.

-UC Irvine did not make the NCAA Tournament last year, but I would argue they should have. They won 27 regular games, and an amazing 13 of those were true road wins with another five coming on a neutral floor. That is incredible. I guarantee you many of the teams from P4 leagues that snuck into the field would have not done as well against the schedule UC Irvine played. This year they are the preseason favorites despite having just one starter back, but Andre Henry and Langston Redfield both return after suffering injuries, so the cupboard is not bare. While a lot of the returners saw limited minutes, many should be able to step into bigger roles this year.

-UC Santa Barbara is also tasked with replacing most of their starters. They have several players who transferred in from P4 programs, presumably in search of more minutes. If they can step into bigger roles this year they should be able to finish near the top of the standings.

-Hawaii being picked 3rd is interesting. They finished 9th in the standings last year, but they have added some talent from the portal, including Dre Bullock (who averaged double-figures at South Dakota) and Tanner Cuff (who was a solid post player at Evansville). Jake Meyers also comes in from Norfolk State and they have some guys who were high-level contributors at the JUCO level. All these new pieces could add up to a lot more wins for the Rainbow Warriors this year.

-UC San Diego had an amazing season last year! They won 18 conference games! They won 30 games overall! They made the NCAA Tournament and nearly beat Michigan in the Round of 64!! And this year…well…virtually all of those players are gone and they are having to start over. They turned to the portal and grabbed Tyson Dunn (who put up solid numbers at Buffalo) and Alex Chaikin (who averaged just under 14ppg at Lafayette). Most returners saw limited minutes last year. UCSD will not be as good as they were a year ago, but they have enough pieces to at least be competitive in the conference.

-Andy Newman has done a great job in his two years at Cal State Northridge. They won 22 games a season ago and were a very respectable 14-6 in the conference, which earned then an NIT bid. They are in a bit of a reset mode with just one starter returning, and their roster seems to be lacking in players who have seen significant minutes at the D-1 level. Still, given how bad this team was the season before Newman arrived and how good they are now, I am not going to count out his ability to get production out of his roster.

-Jim Les has had a few good years at UC Davis, but not many recently. They did pick up a solid transfer in Connor Sevilla (who put up good numbers at Central Arkansas), but they do not have much in the way of proven D-1-level guys.

-Cal Poly is coming off their best season in quite some time. They were just 16-19, but the most games they had won in four years prior to that was eight, so it was a good first year for Mike DeGeorge as head coach. Just one starter returns in Peter Bandelj, who is a solid guard, but he is one of the few players on the team with substantial experience. Still, this is a program that appears to be going in the right direction.

-Long Beach had been one of the better programs in this conference, but they had a terrible season a year ago where they lost 25 games (after winning 21 the year before) and are still trying to rebuild from that. Just one starter is back, but they do have some guys transferring in with some solid D-1 experience, so the Beach may exhibit some improvement this year.

-UC Riverside’s program has been a great story in this conference, and has really turned itself around winning 20+ games in two of the last three seasons. The problem this year is that all their starters are gone and they have a new coach in Gus Argenal. Their roster does consist of some guys who were standout players at lower divisions, but stepping onto the D-1 level in a conference like the Big West, which is one of the top Under the Radar conferences, is not easily done. It could be a long year for the Highlanders, which is unfortunate because you kind of hate to see a legit up-and-coming program like this suddenly lose all its momentum and have to start over.

-It has been a while since Cal State Bakersfield had a winning season and the expectations are once again not very high. Dailin Smith was a solid player at Alabama A&M last year, but other than him they just do not have many guys with solid D-1 experience on the roster.

-Cal State Fullerton won just six total games a season ago, and the days of them being a solid conference contender now seems like it was a long time ago. They do have some guys who were standout players at lower divisions last year, so I do not expect them to finish dead last, but I do not expect them to be anywhere near contention either.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews High Point women’s coach Chelsea Banbury

Posted on October 17, 2025 by Jon Teitel

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

We are less than 3 weeks away from the tip-off of a 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 High Point women’s coach Chelsea Banbury, who talked about making the NCAA tourney last March and her expectations for this season.

You played basketball at FGCU: how good a player were you back in the day? That was a long time ago! I think that I was a good player: I played PG and loved to play fast/make passes in transition, but my teammates made me look better than I was.

In 2008 you received the Eagle Scholar-Athlete Award as the student-athlete with the highest GPA: how did you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? We went to practice very early in the morning and had the rest of the day left for classes/homework. I was there to get my degree and took it seriously, so I did as well as I could with both school/basketball.

During your 11 years on the coaching staff at your alma mater your team played in the NCAA Tournament or WNIT every single season: what is the secret to winning games in March? Preparation was very important to our success, but the work did not start in March. You must build the right work habits/chemistry early in the summer and then keep getting better each day.

You were hired as coach at High Point in 2019: why did you take the job? I thought that it was an incredible opportunity: the campus is unreal and the academics are impressive, so it is an easy thing to sell. The athletic director/president both want us to succeed, and now we have a $180 million arena/hotel/conference center. This is a special place, and I wanted to come in and build my own program.

In your 2nd year as head coach, you made the 2021 NCAA tourney before losing to UConn: what are your memories of facing Paige Bueckers/Geno Auriemma? Geno was out with COVID, so Chris Dailey was coaching the Huskies. 1 of the things that is underappreciated is how good their defense is. Paige was the national POY that year: her mid-range game is as good as I have seen but it was a couple of her passes that blew me away, so I know that she will continue to do great things.

You have been named conference COY twice in the past 5 years: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? It has everything to do with our players, so it is more of an honor for our entire team because they are the ones who put our game plan to work. I have been fortunate to coach a lot of good players who bought into what we want to do so they deserve all the credit, and my staff has also been great at supporting me.

Last year you had 1 of the most balanced-scoring offenses that I have ever seen with 5 different players scoring 9.7-10.4 PPG: was that a happy coincidence, or is that exactly how you want your team to play, or other? That 1 was a happy coincidence. We talked a lot about passing up a good shot for a great shot but last year it could have been anyone’s night to score. Certain teams have 1 player who will take 20 shots/game, but when you have a selfless team that will share the ball you become a lot harder to scout. If you are the most open person, then the ball will find you. We have a lot of good scorers this year too…although it might not be quite as balanced as last year.

Take me through the 2025 postseason:
In the Big South tourney title game, you had a 6-PT win over Longwood: what did it mean to you to win a conference title for just the 2nd time in program history? It was awesome! I do not know if it is more about relief when you are a coach, but seeing all the players celebrate after all their hard work paid off was very cool. We had a senior guard named Nakyah Terrell who broke her leg in the tourney semifinal. It broke my heart to not have her out there for the final, but she still helped us win that game, so I was a little emotional.

In the 1st 4 your team had 15 STL in a 6-PT loss to William & Mary: what did your team learn from its postseason run that you think will help them this season? Understanding the intensity of March. William & Mary made 6-9 3-PT shots in the 1st half so you must take every opposing shooter seriously. Once you get to the postseason you will get everyone’s best so you must be ready to execute your game plan at the highest level.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? We are like every other team: our goal is to continue to win championships and be playing our best basketball in March. I do not expect us to be ready for March right now, so I just want us to get better every single day and enjoy the grind.

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SEC Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 16, 2025 by David Griggs

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

SEC MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Florida
  2. Kentucky
  3. Tennessee
  4. Alabama
  5. Arkansas
  6. Auburn
  7. Missouri
  8. Ole Miss
  9. Texas
  10. Mississippi State
  11. Vanderbilt
  12. Oklahoma
  13. Texas A&M
  14. Georgia
  15. LSU
  16. South Carolina

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SEC 1ST TEAM:

-Alex Condon – Florida
-Josh Hubbard – Mississippi State
-Otega Oweh – Kentucky (Preseason Player of the Year)
-Tahaad Pettiford – Auburn
-Labaron Philon Jr. – Alabama

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SEC 2ND TEAM:

-Nate Ament – Tennessee
-Boogie Fland – Florida
-Ja’Kobi Gillespie – Tennessee
-Thomas Haugh – Florida
-Mark Mitchell – Missouri

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SEC 3RD TEAM:

-Malik Dia – Ole Miss
-Aden Holloway – Alabama
-Karter Knox – Arkansas
-Jaland Lowe – Kentucky
-DJ Wagner – Arkansas

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-This conference sent 14 teams to the NCAA Tournament, and while I did not really agree with the 13th and 14th teams, I do acknowledge that they at least had a case. The SEC has seemingly turned itself into the strongest basketball conference in history. I have noticed two things this league has collectively done since Garth Glissman took over as Associate Commissioner for Men’s Basketball in 2023. The first is how the league built out their conference schedules. If you go back and look at the OOC schedules, teams rarely played on Saturdays so as to not conflict with football. Also, on every Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday night throughout November and December, the biggest game taking place in the country almost always involves an SEC team. This increased the exposure of the league, and it increased the overall quality of the OOC schedules, which put them in the position to get that many teams into the field. The other thing is that many schools started to put more resources in to basketball. For a league with more of a football history than a basketball one, last season the arenas were packed all year long for virtually everyone, and the interest level was through the roof. This is a conference that went nuts for basketball…and it likely will again this year! It is as if they collectively realized that they had the resources to make basketball extremely successful, extremely popular, and extremely profitable, so they did it.

-I guess you could say Florida had a semi-decent season last year. They won 36 games en route to winning a national championship and once again look like they can be national title contenders. Xaivian Lee and Boogie Fland make up one of the best backcourts in the country, Thomas Haugh is a great shooter and rebounder at the #3 spot, and Alex Condon is a talented frontcourt player. The Gators are simply stacked with talent.

-Kentucky is having to rebuild their starting roster after last year’s Sweet Sixteen run, but they have seemingly been doing that every year for the past twenty years. Mark Pope enters his second year with the Wildcats, and for a fanbase with incredible (almost silly) expectations, they still seem to like him. Jaland Lowe will be handling the point guard duties, and he will be joined out on the perimeter by Otega Oweh, who is an NBA-caliber player. While they are reloading, they are reloading with guys who are clearly high-caliber D-1 players and will once again spend likely spend the entire season in the rankings.

-Tennessee is coming off a 30-win Elite Eight season. They lose a ton of talent off of that team, but they are simply replacing it with a ton of different talent. Ja’Kobi Gillesipe comes in from Maryland and will run the point, Amaree Abram was a solid player for Louisiana Tech last year, Jaylen Carey comes in from conference rival Vanderbilt, and Felix Okpara comes in from Ohio State. I do not know if the Vols will be quite as good as they were a year ago, but they will still be pretty damn good!

-Alabama had one of their best seasons in school history last year. They ultimately did not make the Final Four, but they reached the top of the polls a few times and won an amazing 28 games. They are having to replace a lot of that talent, but Coach Nate Oats knows his system and knows how to plug guys into it that fit it. Labaron Philon Jr. is one of the best guards in the conference, and he and Aden Holloway will make up a very solid backcourt. Holloway is also a very good outside shooter. All of Alabama’s players can hit from the outside, but even by Bama standards Holloway is an outstanding shooter. Never ever EVER underestimate this team while Nate Oats is coaching it!

-John Calipari and Arkansas did not feel like they were meeting expectations for much of the year last year, but they got into the NCAA Tournament as a 10 seed, made the Sweet Sixteen, and lost to Texas Tech in an overtime thriller. With three starters back from a team that finished so strong, I think this is a team that a lot of people are sort of overlooking. DJ Wagner and Karter Knox both received preseason honors, and Nick Pringle is a solid grad transfer coming in from South Carolina. Calipari teams tend to start at a moderate pace, and then once Christmas hits they start to really click. This is a team that can make a lot of noise in conference. In fact, I think they can win the league.

-Auburn had a historic season last year where they won 32 games and did so playing against one of the toughest schedules I have ever seen. They also made it to the Final Four. The problem is all five starters, along with the head coach, from that team are gone so Auburn is in a bit of a reset mode. Tahaad Pettiford put up some good numbers last year, Keyshawn Hall comes in from UCF, and they have got a few others coming in as either freshmen or JUCO transfers that show a lot of promise. Everyone on the team has big shoes to fill, and we may not see them be quite as good as they have been this year.

-I like this Missouri team this year. Dennis Gates has done an amazing job getting them turned around and they made the NCAA Tournament last year after winning just 8 games the year before. Three key starters are back from that team, and that experience should help them out. Mark Mitchell earned preseason honors and he has a pretty good supporting cast around him. Jayden Stone, who missed last season due to an upper-body injury, is also back, so the Tigers have some really good pieces.

-Chris Beard had a great year at Ole Miss last year as the Rebels made the Sweet Sixteen. This year they are tasked with having to replace several key players from that team. Just one starter is back in Malik Dia, who is a very solid player, but he’s going to need some help. Kezza Giffa transfers in from High Point, but much of the rest of the roster looks like it is made up of guys that have seen limited minutes at the D-1 level.

-I am pretty sure that Texas made history last year as the first-ever 14th-place team to make the NCAA Tournament. It was not a bad debut for Sean Miller, but they do look to be a little stronger this year. Jordan Pope had a nice year at Oregon State last year and is a solid get from the portal. Tramon Mark is a grad transfer who actually returns to Texas after playing at both Houston and Arkansas in the meantime., and Dailyn Swain averaged double-figures for Xavier a year ago, so the Longhorns should be back in the hunt to return to the NCAA Tournament this year. (Note from Stalica – I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings for Griggs, but Texas’ 14th place finish and subsequent loss to Xavier in the NCAA Tournament got Rodney Terry fired and opened the door for Miller to take his talents to Austin. He would have also taken the Texas job 2 years earlier had Texas not beaten Xavier in the Sweet 16 in 2023).

-Chris Jans may have his hands full at Mississippi State this year. They won 21 games last year and made the NCAA Tournament, but most of those key pieces are gone. The good news is that Josh Hubbard is back, who is one of the best guards in the conference. Jayden Epps (Georgetown), Quincy Ballard (Wichita State), and Ja’Borri McGhee (UAB), who were each double-digit scorers a year ago, all join the roster. I kind of like this team. I know the SEC is tough as nails, but I think they have some really solid pieces.

-Vanderbilt really turned the corner last year under first-year coach Mark Byington and made it to the NCAA Tournament after a 20-win season. This year will likely be a struggle. Replacing Jason Edwards will not be easy, and while they picked up a couple of very solid transfers in Frankie Collins (TCU) and Mike James (NC State), and that in and of itself would be enough to be solid contenders in most leagues…but the SEC is not most leagues.

-Oklahoma snuck into the NCAA Tournament a year ago, but they must start completely over this year. All five starters are gone, but they have a solid group of players transferring in, including Xzayvier Brown, Nijel Pack, and Tae Davis, all of whom were big-time scorers a year ago. You never can really tell about a transfer-heavy team, but I think they will do a little better than what many are predicting.

-Bucky Ball has arrived at Texas A&M!!! And BOY does he have some work to do!! All five starters are gone from last year’s team that made the Round of 32. Pop Isaacs, who was an outstanding player for Creighton, and Mackenzie Mgbako, who was a solid player for Indiana, both transfer in. Jacari Lane, who was a great UTR player at North Alabama, is also on the roster. The Aggies have some pieces and Bucky McMillan is a proven coach. I think they can be pretty good this year.

-Georgia is coming off an NCAA Tournament year, and is adding some high-caliber transfer players. Jeremiah Wilkinson put up big numbers at Cal, and Marcus Millender was a really solid player for UTSA. The SEC will be at a much higher level than what these guys are used to, but they should be able to contribute for the Bulldogs. Mike White is a solid coach and it would not shock me at all to see them back in the NCAA Tournament.

-LSU was one of the few teams from the SEC that didn’t make the NCAA Tournament a year ago, and it is looking like they are going to have a hard time getting there this year. They have turned to the portal and managed to bring in some very high-caliber players from Under the Radar teams. Marquel Sutton (Omaha), and Rashad King (Northeastern) were both prolific scorers. Pablo Tamba was also a strong player at UC Davis, so the Tigers may be a little better. It is just that everyone in this league is so tough. Well…ALMOST everyone…

-South Carolina won just two SEC games a year ago, and I think the chances of them winning more than that this year are very very small. They just don’t match up against anyone in this conference all that well.

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Patriot League Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 15, 2025 by David Griggs

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PATRIOT LEAGUE MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

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

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-PATRIOT LEAGUE TEAM:

(***note from David***. I gotta say this is one hell of a backcourt!!!)

-Greg Jones – JR, G – American (Defensive Player of the Year)
-Kyrone Alexander – JR, G – Boston U
-Jalen Cox – JR, G – Colgate
-Jacob Theodosiou – JR, G – Loyola MD
-Austin Benigni – SR, G – Navy (Preseason Player of the Year)

COMMENTS FROM DAVID

-Historically, it has been very difficult for service academies to build consistently successful basketball programs, but one of the advantages they tend to have in the transfer-heavy era that we are now in is that they do usually retain their key players. All five starters are back for Navy, and while they were just a modest 10-8 in conference play a year ago, they really caught fire in the latter half of conference play and won seven out of eight before losing in the PL Championship Game. Austin Benigni is one of the best players in the conference and averaged just under 19ppg a season ago, and he is surrounded by a lot of guys who saw quality minutes last year. This could be Navy’s year!

-Boston U has two solid returners in Kyrone Alexander and Michael McNair. Alexander is a solid guard and McNair is a good outside shooter. They are joined by some guys who saw quality minutes a year ago and seem ready to step into bigger roles this year, so the expectations are high for the Terriers.

-Colgate won just 14 games a year ago, which was a huge step back from how well they had been playing. Matt Langel has done a good job with his program, and with three solid starters back I think we will once again see them near the top of the league, if not at the very top of the league. Jalen Cox gives them a strong presence out on the perimeter, and he will be supported by a mixture of solid returning players and talented newcomers.

-American was last year’s conference winner. The problem is just one player from that team is back, so they are in the process of having to rebuild. Duane Simpkins led the Eagles to their best season in quite some time last year and he hopes to be in the mix again this year. Greg Jones returns after averaging double-figures last year and who is a prolific outside shooter. The question is whether the other returners and newcomers step up and contribute this year.

Bucknell was one of the hottest teams in the conference in the second half of conference play last year. They won 10 of 11 before losing in the conference tournament. Unfortunately they are having to replace a couple of their best players and it does not look like that success will carry over into this season. At least not at the beginning.

-Loyola MD was a very underwhelming 6-12 in PL play a year ago, and even though three starters are back and that experience could benefit them, I just do not see them being a team that can finish in the top half of the standings this year. Jacob Theodosiou is a solid guard who earned preseason honors, but he cannot do it by himself.

-Lafayette is another team that returns the majority of their starters, but they do so after a rather unimpressive year where they were not particularly all that strong down the stretch. Still, experience can translate into improvement.

-Lehigh struggled last year and is tasked with replacing their top players. It will likely result in them struggling even more this year.

-Holy Cross, who used to be one of the flagship teams in the league and one of the better UTR programs in the nation, has been an utter disaster for the past several years and that status does not seem like it will improve this year. They actually had a solid OOC campaign last season, but fell apart once conference play started. A couple of starters do return, and I am a little surprised they are being picked to finish 9th because I think they will be a little better than this, but not much better.

-Army has managed a winning record in two of the last three season, which I would say is an accomplishment for a service academy program. This year they appear to be at the bottom of their talent cycle. Just one starter is back and their roster has very little in the way of guys who have experience as D-1 contributors.

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