Ranking the 363 D1 Men's Basketball Teams for the 2022-23 Season
Part Five: The Complete Edition (1-363)
I was sick of Matt Norlander telling me to make my own rankings if I disagreed with his. Of course, the year I take him up on his offer is the one he stops pumping them out. I started on this in July, after I finished my 186-man draft board. Bart Torvik provided some really helpful preseason information in terms of who and who wasn’t returning.
In terms of methodologies, I looked at four things:
Returning talent
Incoming talent
Previous year results
Coach/program track record
I hope you enjoy this, if you’re here for a single team’s breakdown, or if you end up reading the whole thing. If you have any questions or something that I should correct (outside of late-season updates, (Steve Masiello)), please reach out to my Twitter, or tell me I’m wrong and an idiot.
Have you ever shot that shot?
Image Credit: Gonzaga Athletics
Gonzaga
#1 in the WCC
This may be getting a bit repetitive at this point in time, but it's the correct selection for many reasons. The Zags bring back a ton of talent, starting with All-American Drew Timme. Rasir Bolton is coming back as well, alongside late draft withdrawal Julian Strawther. Nolan Hickman and Hunter Sallis should look to have an improved role on the offensive end with room in the rotation opening up for the sophomores. The added Chattanooga transfer of Malachai Smith provides some validation and further cements the Zags as the best team in the country.
2. Houston
#1 in the American
I trust Kelvin Sampson. Despite a schedule easier than the #1 rated team in the previous season, the Cougars still impressed when it mattered. This was even with two of their four best scorers having season-ending injuries around Christmastime. Those two players- Marcus Sasser and Tramon Mark return, alongside Jamal Shead. Jarace Walker is a five-star forward who should provide some reinforcements for losing Kyler Edwards and Fabian White.
3. Arkansas
#1 in the SEC
This is a pick that might not look great in December, but it will age well in March or February. Eric Mussleman has a completely rebuilt roster, but this isn’t something he is unfamiliar with. He brings in three five-star prospects- Anthony Black, Nick Smith, and Jordan Walsh, alongside three four-star prospects. It isn’t expected that all of these players will hit, but if even half of these players are All-SEC team worthy, this selection will look smarter. Of course, in the transfer portal, Ricky Council is brought in. Davantoe Davis should take a step forward and hopefully validate this investment.
Image Credit: UVA Athletics
4. Virginia
#1 in the ACC
Virginia was not very good the previous season. It was a microcosm of most individuals’ opinions on Virginia, a slow team that keeps the score low but struggles a ton to create offense. Kihei Clark returns for what feels like his eighth year in college. Ben Vander Plas is an interesting transfer from Ohio, the team who beat Virginia the last time they made the tournament. This is a notable recruiting class for the Wahoos as well, who bring in four 4 stars. This is the most returning talent that Tony Bennet has brought back in his entire Virginia tenure.
5. Baylor
#1 in the Big 12
Despite having their fair share of injury issues throughout the season, Scott Drew’s squad was still able to get a one seed in their region. While they lose some of the talents that propelled them to such a ranking, Keyonte George is one of the more exciting prospects in recent Baylor history. LJ Cryer should be one of the better-returning players in the Big 12. I expect a step forward from Dale Bonner, and he paired with Adam Flager should provide good shooting in the backcourt. Jalen Bridges is an important intra-conference transfer to add to the rotation depth.
6. Tennesee
#2 in the SEC
The Vols were wrongfully given the third seed, and who knows how the season would’ve played out if they were a rightful two seed. They return the majority of their rotation outside of Kennedy Chandler. Zakai Zeigler was a positive surprise in 21-22, and he should improve as a sophomore. Santiago Vescovi is one of the better shooters in the country and that should be highlighted in his senior season. Julian Phillips is a high rated incoming freshman that Rick Barnes should be able to work his magic on.
7. Duke
#2 in the ACC
In their first season under Scheyer, the Blue Devils have a recruiting class that rivals even some of the best classes put forth by K. Their class has three of the four best players in the draft class. Between Dereck Lively, Dariq Whitehead and Kyle Filipowski, there are plenty of reinforcements supporting the Blue Devils from the previous season. Jeremy Roach is their most noteworthy returning player. Former Illini Jacob Grandison should provide some shooting and stability as a 24 year old.
8. Kentucky
#3 in the SEC
The Wildcats return the best player in the country coming off a disappointing end to their season. Tshiebwe will have point guard Sahvir Wheeler returning alongside him. CJ Fredrick in his return will provide some shooting coming off of an injury. Damion Collins, Jacob Topin and Lance Ware are important rotation members, paired with two five-stars in Carson Wallace and Chris Livingston which should provide the team some upside.
9. Texas A&M
#4 in the SEC
Following a late-season surge, the Aggies deserved a spot in the tournament. While it wasn’t received, Buzz Williams and company obviously are hungry for vengeance. They lose only Quenton Jackson from the previous year. I trust Buzz and his ability to work his magic with Tyrece Radford and Henry Coleman, making them all-SEC caliber players. Julius Marble could get some run as a transfer.
Image Credit: Kansas Athletics
10. Kansas
#2 in the Big 12
The reigning national champions lose their MOP from their tournament run, but return Jalen Wilson and Dujan Harris. Kevin McCullar is an important transfer that the Jayhawks won over Gonzaga. It is a good recruiting class for recent Kansas standards, headlined by Gradey Dick, a five star prospect from Wichita. Zach Clemence was impressive on the defensive end for stretches, and being on a team, even if you aren’t getting minutes, that has experience deep in the tournament is important for team growth.
11. TCU
#3 in the Big 12
The Horned Frogs gave top seeded Arizona a run for their money in Overtime, nearly sneaking into the Sweet 16. That team returns six of their top scorers. Mike Miles is a dark horse for making an All American team. Damion Baugh and Michah Peavy are two transfers who have fit the rotation quite well. Jamie Dixon knows this team well, and the returning talent could propel this team to the top of the Big 12.
12. San Diego State
#1 in the Mountain West
Despite five very impressive seasons under Brian Dutcher, the Aztecs are 0-3 in the tournament. Darrion Trammell was one of the best players in the WAC last season and should be an impact transfer. Matt Bradley was good in his first season following transferring from Cal and should continue the recent legacy of “Matt”s. Nathan Mensah should be one of the best defenders in the conference. We know what to expect from this squad, their defense being elite is a presumption, things coming together on the offensive side will make or break their ceiling.
13. Indiana
#1 in the Big Ten
The frontcourt of Trayce Jackson-Davis and Race Thompson finally sniffed the tournament after three years of building and improving. In a down season for the Big Ten, Indiana is expected to be among the top. Xavier Johnson will be among the best point guards in the conference. Jalen Hood-Schifino is a five star prospect who is expected to contribute day one. Outside of Hood-Schifino, this is one of the better recruiting classes in recent history, with 3 four-stars to pair with the five star combo guard.
14. North Carolina
#3 in the ACC
The runner ups from the previous season bring back everybody except for Brady Manek. There are some concerns about this team being another UCLA from the previous season, a mediocre team in the regular season having an impressive stretch run in March, returning their talent, and being expected to repeat such success. This is especially an issue when the team relied so heavily on five of its starters. While this is a formidable strategy for a couple of weeks in March, sustained success with this approach is unlikely, ask Saint Bonaventure. The Tar Heels struggled for the majority of the season, and it isn’t common that higher conference teams are able to flip a switch, especailly with the level of competition they face in the ACC.
15. UCLA
#1 in the Pac 12
Amari Bailey and Adem Bona are two five star players who can complement a talented returning class. Bailey is the higher rated prospect, and though he might put up more in the box score, Bona could provide a good amount of rim protection and defense for a team that loses Myles Johnson. Tyger Campbell and Jamie Jaquez will be two of the best players in the Pac 12. Mac Etienne might not see the rotation much due to the spitting incident, but he demonstrated impressive stretches in 20-21. Bailey won’t have a similar season to Watson, he has a much more translatable set of skills to college and isn’t a defensive specialist like former five starter Peyton Watson.
16. Miami (FL)
#4 in the ACC
John Ruiz has been in the headlines as much as any Miami player this offseason. His boosting capabilities has landed the Hurricanes prized transfer Nijel Pack, as well as retained Isaiah Wong. Following a surprise trip to the Elite Eight, 2 four star commits (AJ Casey and Favour Aire) will look to fill the holes left by Charlie Moore and Kameron McGusty. Jordan Miller should have the ball in his hands more often this season, and Norchad Omier was a good player in the Sun Belt under Mike Balado.
17. Illinois
#2 in the Big Ten
A very different squad for Brad Underwood than in previous seasons highlighted more by transfers than returning talent. Terrence Shannon should keep the Illini elite among the better teams on the defensive end. Paired with fellow Big 12 transfer Matthew Mayer, who looks like he’d fit in with the Urbana-Champaign crowd with his hair. RJ Melendez was good in limited volume the previous season. Skyy Clark is one of four 4 star newcomers. Though a transition year of sorts, the Illini should be competitive in a conference that doesn’t have an obvious national threat.
18. Arizona
#2 in the Pac 12
I’m not sure if Kerr Kriisa can be the best player on a top 25 team, but I am confident Azuolas Tubelis can and will be. He was injured a good part of the previous season and was an afterthought behind the three top 35 picks in the draft with Mathurin, Terry and Koloko, but he’ll receive adequate attention and will be an all Pac 12 player this season. Courtney Ramey might be the more noteworthy of the two transfers, but Cedric Henderson Jr may have more immediate impact. This’ll be a different squad for Tommy Lloyd, but expect continued success in his sophomore coaching season.
19. Michigan
#3 in the Big Ten
If you aren’t already on the Jett Howard bandwagon, you aren’t watching enough film. Usually, the coach’s kid isn’t this surefire, but the talent would exist independently of his last name. Hunter Dickinson has developed an outside game which will hopefully only improve in his junior year. Jaelin Llewellyn will look to follow in the successful footsteps of Mike Smith, as a previous Ivy League turned Wolverine guard. Kobe Bufkin’s long sleeve game is attractive enough for him to start, but his improved contributions on both ends should make the Wolverines one of the better teams in the Big Ten.
20. Oregon
#3 in the Pac 12
Despite having a ton of talent, it was a down year for Dana Altman’s Ducks. Closing games was an issue, and having your core get a year older, and allowing them to make mistakes and grow together might be the answer to this problem. Will Richardson should be getting draft buzz with a productive senior season by year’s end. Quincy Guerrier is much too talented to play the way he did in his first year in Eugene. N’Faly Dante was good once he was finally healthy, but he should be great. Don’t doubt Dana.
21. Dayton
#1 in the A10
The last team out of the field (bracketologists understand that this was lazy work by the selection committee with Richmond getting the auto-bid), the Flyers returned a fair amount of their talent which gave them some high level wins in 21-22. The only true upperclassman on their roster is Toumani Camara, hinting at a very obvious growth potential for this roster. Da’Ron Holmes posted a monstrous block rate as a freshman and should be one of the best bigs in the A10. Malachi Smith is a familiar name and should be competitive independent of his alt alias.
22. Texas
#4 in the Big 12
It might take a season for the transfers from last year to mesh together. Timmy Allen and Marcus Carr are two very talented players even if they haven’t had the success that was expected. The emergence of Marcus Carr as a defender, paired with intra-conference transfer Tyrese Hunter provides some real defensive upside for the Longhorns. Beard brings in two five star freshmen in Dillon Mitchell and Arterio Morris, and putting the pieces together will once again determine this team’s success.
Image Credit: Xavier Athletics
23. Xavier
#1 in the Big East
The Travis Steele experience ended anticlimactically, and Sean Miller is back where he belongs. Another season of Freemantle and Nunge should put the Musketeers in the tournament picture at the very least. Solely Boum was great last season for UTEP and should provide some scoring in the backcourt. Kam Craft and Desmond Claude are two respectable-level recruits that will find their way into the rotation. Now is as good a time as any to instill some faith into first year coaches.
24. Auburn
#5 in the SEC
While they lose two of their best players in Jabari Smith and Walker Kessler, a full season of Allen Flannigan might put them in the running atop the SEC. Their exciting, though infuriating backcourt of KD Johnson and Wendell Green provides a bit of continuity for Bruce Pearl’s squad. Johni Broome is one of the best transfers in the country, and we’ll see if his success can’t roll over from the OVC and Morehead State.
25. Florida
#6 in the SEC
Colin Castleton returning for his senior season is a huge boost for Todd Golden in his first season. Kyle Lofton is a great guy to guide Golden on and off the court, running the point for the Gators. Golden was busy in the transfer market, with Myeron Jones having some upside as a combo guard to pair in the backcourt with Lofton. Will Richard will likely run the wing, and he was great in his freshman year at Belmont. NBA Draft Twitter fell in love with Alex Fudge for a few months, and his defensive upside is off the charts.
26. Villanova
#2 in the Big East
In their first season under the helm of Kyle Neptune, projected lottery talent Cam Whitmore will look to right the ship without Jay Wright. There is not a long track record of recent success for one and done five star players at Villanova, but Neptune might be a catalyst to shift the culture. Brandon Slater, Caleb Daniels and Eric Dixon are three returning upperclassmen who will have Villanova atop the Big East. Even if you attribute the lion’s share of the Wildcat’s success to Wright, this team has the talent to compete.
27. Creighton
#3 in the Big East
Arthur Kaluma should be getting lottery buzz by February. He led a team that overperformed compared to expectations and injury. If Ryan Nembhard doesn’t get hurt, are the Jayhawks still National Champions? Potentially not, and his healthy return should propel this team, paired with fellow Ryan (also injured) Kalkbrenner. Baylor Scheierman was getting the buzz he was as a transfer for a reason. There aren’t many holes on this Blue Jay roster.
28. Saint Louis
#2 in the A10
The return of Javonte Perkins. Hopefully it doesn’t take him long for him to return to his All A-10 form once He gets back onto the court for the first time since March of 2021. Gibson Jimerson is among the most lethal shooters in the country. Yuli Collins removing his name from the transfer portal cements this as one of the best backcourts in the country. This is all without mentioning Javon Pickett. The Billikens could run out a five guard lineup (with Fred Thatch as the fifth guard), and be competitive every night.
29. Memphis
#2 in the American
Not toting a star-studded recruiting class as he has in previous seasons, Penny Hardaway looked towards the transfer portal to fill out his roster. Kendric Davis could be an All-American. Emmanuel Akot seemingly didn’t enjoy losing to them, so he’ll join the Tigers, providing some shooting from the 3/4. DeAndre Williams will be 26 by the end of the season, but his presence has been paramount to their success. Having some stability from the point guard position should do wonders for this roster.
30. Wyoming
#2 in the Mountain West
Jeff Linder has seemingly created a pipeline from the sunny beaches of Los Angeles. He is able to bring in Max Agbonkpolo and Ethan Anderson. This is still Hunter Maldonado’s team, whose decision to return immediately made him among the favorites for the player of the year in the Mountain West. Graham Ike should reinforce the stout defense and there is enough talent and shooting on the roster for Linder to make it back-to-back trips to the tournament.
Image Credit: Stanford Athletics
31. Stanford
#4 in the Pac 12
This is it for Jerod Haase. He has been able to recruit well, and retain one of those high-rated players to come to Palo Alto. Harrison Ingram had an up and down season, showing some flashes in terms of playmaking and ball handling, but still needing to smooth out some edges before his five star potential is realized. Michael Jones joins Spencer Jones (no relation) to provide some shooting and shot making on the wing. The expectation has been making the tournament for a couple of seasons now for Haase. His job will depend on it.
32. USC
#5 in the Pac 12
Though they very much so felt like paper tigers the previous season, their incoming recruiting class, headlined by five star center Vince Iwuchukwu and three four star freshmen, should improve the potential upside of this group. Reese Dixon-Waters had a much better sophomore than freshman season and should take a step forward as a shooter with size. Boogie Ellis is solid in his role and Drew Peterson remains one of the more underrated players in the country. Peterson’s shooting was huge for this team last year, one that should have visions of the second round with the mix of incoming talent and retained supporting cast.
33. Tulane
#3 in the American
Following a more competitive season than previously expected, the Green Wave bring back their pair of Ja(y)lens, with Forbes being an elite scorer from the wing spot and Cook being a more ball-dominant floor general and scorer. Sion James flashed some impressive abilities on the defensive end in his sophomore season. Kevin Cross is one of the better passing bigs in the conference. Ron Hunter may not be able to walk on water, but this should be his best team in New Orleans.
34. Oklahoma State
#5 in the Big 12
Even after losing Cade Cunningham, this was a competitive team the previous season. They likely would’ve made the tournament if not for a postseason ban and a lack of motivation. Bryce Thompson might finally realize his potential in his junior year. John-Michael Wright was underappreciated and fantastic at High Point. Between accomplishments in college and high school ratings, Mike Boynton has a talented group. There is more offensive capability in this team than in the previous season, some potential balance in a team which has been reliant on the defensive end in years past.
35. LSU
#7 in the SEC
It was a turbulent season for the Tigers which ended in disappointment despite having talent all throughout the roster. Mat McMahon was tasked with putting the pieces back together following a fair amount of his roster finding their way out of Baton Rouge one way or another. It’ll be interesting to see Adam Miller who we haven’t seen since early 2021. KJ Williams, Justice Hill and Trae Hannibal are three transfers who McMahon brought with him from Murray State. This is a talented recruiting class to pair, with Tyrell Ward being one of three four star freshmen.
36. Alabama
#8 in the SEC
It is taken as a certainty that Jahvon Quinerly is going to return from his injury and be the same guy he was before, but when it comes to lower body injuries, that can’t be taken as a certainty. Especially with his shooting falling off the previous season and a great reliance on athleticism, it might be difficult to fill his shoes as he looks to get back to his full self. In terms of incoming talent though, there is plenty of go around. Mark Sears and Dom Welch were two of the better mid major players the previous year, but most exciting is freshman Brandon Miller, who could be a lottery talent. If his team can get back on track with their defense and the talent added can improve the overall shooting, this team could be back atop the SEC.
37. Temple
#4 in the American
Khalif Battle had one of the best sophomore seasons in the country, and he should be hungry for a tournament appearance in his junior year. Expectations are high throughout the roster, and Aaron McKie responded to these expectations by reloading what little was lost. Though some playmaking will need to be replaced, Kur Jongkuch is a talented passer for a big man. Jongkuch struggled at times on the defensive end, and Nick Jourdain might be the more obvious option at the five, but bringing out a two big rotation shouldn’t be out of the question. Hysier Miller will need to clean up the turnovers, but he had a good freshman year outside of that. He could be the starting one in November for the Owls.
38. Drake
#1 in the MVC
Tucker DeVries attempting 200 3’s as a freshman would only be more impressive if he wasn’t the coach’s kid. Tucker was one of the best non-one-and-done freshmen in the country and he should continue this growth into his sophomore season. Having Roman Penn back for a fifth season can only help both Tucker and his Dad. Garrett Sturtz is a perfect MVC player, between his grit and shooting ability. Darnell Brodie’s effort on the defensive end could make or break the Bulldog’s run for the conference title. Though the Bulldogs will lose double digit scorers, the depth throughout the roster, headlined by three fifth-year starters who averaged double digits.
39. Iowa State
#6 in the Big 12
Though losing star freshman Tyrese Hunter to a bigger fish in the same pond is disappointing, TJ Otzelberger immediately reloaded, picking apart St. Bonaventure’s roster, reaffirming his defense with A10 DPOY Osun Osunniyi as well as Jaren Holmes. Gabe Kalscheur returns for his fifth season and Caleb Grill should attempt close to 200 3’s. Offense was an issue in Otz’s first season at the helm, but a year of growth should make this group a bit more well-rounded.
40. Purdue
#4 in the Big Ten
It will be interesting to see the role that Zach Edey plays in a higher usage role, now that Trevion Williams is gone. Caleb Furst was highly rated as a recruit and showed some flashes the previous season. The shooting of Mason Gillis and well-traveled transfer David Jenkins Jr. will provide some complementary shooting. Two four star recruits should be all Matt Painter needs to work his magic.
41. Texas Tech
#7 in the Big 12
De’Vion Harmon had more success in the Big 12 than he did in the Pac 12, and we’ll see if he can’t replicate the success he had a few seasons back when he was with the Sooners. Fardaws Aimaq is set to put up Tshiebwe level rebounding numbers. Kerwin Walton had some moments in the ACC and when presented with the opportunity, he might be able to put something together. Mark Adams found success in surprising players last season, and though this will likely not be as elite a defensive unit, they are set to win tough games.
42. Virginia Tech
#5 in the ACC
There is more promise to this unit than may have been expected coming into the season, following a late-season surge and a run through the ACC Tournament. Hunter Cattoor is one of the better guards in the conference. Sean Pedulla played well as a freshman and should take a step forward. Grant Basile is a transfer who Mike Young should be able to work his magic on. This group was able to figure it out late last year, they should build on that.
Image Credit: St. John’s Athletics
43. St. John’s
#4 in the Big East
It is a travesty that Posh Alexander has yet to make the tournament but this should be the year. Though pairing him with another sub 6’2” guy in Andre Curbelo might be a bit risky, Alexander’s defense should make up for their combined lack of size. David Jones is a wing who plays like a forward and the intra-conference transfer should have an immediate impact on Mike Anderson’s squad. Lack of size may be an issue, so Joel Soriano will have to have another impressive defensive season to keep the Johnies afloat.
44. Ohio State
#5 in the Big Ten
Touting a top ten recruiting class of four four star recruits, the Buckeyes should be able to rebuild what they lost in the draft. Roddy Gayle and Bruce Thornton are the backcourt of the future, and we’ll see if Chris Holtman can’t replicate his success of pairing high rated guards with veteran talent. Sean McNeil and Isaac Likekele are two talented Big 12 transfers, both bringing a unique set of skills to Columbus.
45. Florida State
#6 in the ACC
The Seminoles had a more talented roster than their record may have revealed in 21-22. Caleb Mills was one of the best players in the American as a freshman and he should take a step forward in his second season in Tallahassee. Matthew Cleveland was not great as a freshman but the tools he possesses makes it very likely that he’ll improve in his sophomore season. Darin Green was one of the better players in all of Florida and nabbing him from UCF is a good get for Leonard Hamilton. One of the two 6’9”+ freshmen bigs are likely to pop.
46. Butler
#5 in the Big East
Thad Matta did pretty well for himself in terms of navigating the transfer portal after being away from the sport for a good amount of time. He landed two of the best big men in the conference, with Ali Ali providing shooting, playmaking and scoring, while Manny Bates, though he didn’t play more than a single game for the Wolfpack last season, is more of a defensive minded big. Both can likely play next to each other, essentially a Karl Towns/Rudy Gobert combination with Ali’s upside as a passer and shooter. In terms of the guards, getting Chuck Harris back is important, but it can only be made better if Harris can shoot in the mid 30s from outside. Matta could have a better first season in Indianapolis than might be expected.
47. Oklahoma
#8 in the Big 12
Jalen Hill emerged as one of the better guards in the Conference last season and he’ll be a higher volume in his senior season. The Groves brothers return for their second year in Norman, providing an impact on the perimeter. Grant Sherfield is one of the most productive pure point guards in the country and the Nevada transfer should fit in nicely to this group. Oklahoma brings in two four star recruits. It is a tough conference, but the pairing of incoming talent, transfers and returning players should keep them competitive.
Image Credit: Arizona State Athletics
48. Arizona State
#6 in the Pac 12
Between DJ Horne and Desmond Cambridge Jr., there is enough shooting on this roster for an NRA rally. That duo should combine for close to 500 attempts from outside. Devan isn’t the volume shooter his brother is, but his size should help the team out on both ends. Marcus Bagley is still really interesting even if we haven’t seem much from him lately. He has the potential to be one of the best players in the conference, but his health will likely influence this team’s ceiling. If he can remain healthy and the two guards pop, Bobby Hurley could find himself back in the tournament.
49. Michigan State
#6 in the Big Ten
Tyson Walker shot nearly 50% from outside and should be higher volume with two key pieces (Christie, Bingham) lost to the association. Joey Hauser fits the stretch-four role well for the Spartans. Mady Sissoko is due for a jump in production and playing time. Jaden Akins could be a key piece in the rotation. Michigan State is expected to be good at best, there isn’t much expected internal improvement to make them great, but under Tom Izzo, the Spartans are always in a place to overperform.
Image Credit: UAB Athletics
50. UAB
#1 in Conference USA
Jelly Walker was phenomenal last year, he was a main component in the Blazers making the tournament. Hopefully, another year of his pairing with KJ Buffen will lead to some success and CUSA getting some respect in terms of the national polls. The addition of LSU’s Eric Gaines provides some stability in the backcourt next to the occasional erratic Walker. Andy Kennedy is building a monster via the transfer portal, a more impressive feat due to him coaching in the CUSA, not the SEC.
51. Mississippi State
#9 in the SEC
Iverson Molinar would’ve worked really well under Chris Jans system, but even with his departure, Jans shouldn’t expect his team to falter. By bringing in hard-nosed, defensive-minded guys, the Bulldogs will look to remain competitive and in the middle of the pack in the SEC. With how stacked this conference is this season, getting 8 conference wins might be enough for a tournament bid, especially if there aren’t any hiccups through conference play. DJ Jeffries is a talented and versatile defender who’ll prove important secondary playmaking next to lead guard Dashawn Dabis, who comes by way of the Pac 12. This team doesn’t have very much proven shooting, but their defense and transition offense should be superb.
52. West Virginia
#9 in the Big 12
Even though they only won four conference games, the Mountaineers were a conference win or two away from a tournament birth, and that just goes to show host stacked the conference was the previous year. This roster had a ton of talent, and looking to bounce back after their four conference win season will be done by finding talent in the transfer portal. Erik Stevenson provides good shooting, size, defense and passing from the wing- Huggins’ type of guy. Emmit Matthews returns to Morgantown, displaying himself as an improved interior defender, allowing either the Mountaineers to go small with him at the five, or run him out there ars the three, with one of the two incoming seven footers on the wing. This team might lack the top end talent and star player to compete with the top talent of this league, though.
53. Missouri
#10 in the SEC
This team is going to look nothing like the team who won just 12 overall games the previous year, and it really shouldn’t. If you aren’t having success with a current group of players, it’s unlikely a different coach is going to. Isiaih Mosley is one of the best scorers in the country, and Dennis Gates benign able to bring in a guy like him to Columbia in his first year is really impressive. Nick Honor can be a high-level shooter and he had some impressive moments in his junior year at Clemson. D’Moi Hodge is a good guy for Gates to bring with him from the Horizon League. Gates rebuilt the program at Cleveland State in little time, and this is a team that has many more resources than his previous.
54. VCU
#3 in the A10
The Rams are coming off a second place finish and what Mike Rhoades has been able to accomplish in half a decade can’t be understated. That success is expected to continue in his sixth year at Richmond, with two Michigan transfers likely to be a centerpiece of the Ram’s success. Brandon Johns and Zeb Jackson demonstrated some promise on the defensive end, and if you can play defense, you’re going to see the court for Rhodes. Ace Baldwin understands this, as he is both a great perimeter defender as well as a really talented shooter. Getting a guy like Baldwin back for his junior year should be taken advantage of by Rhodes, who will look to make it to another tournament, and get to actually play a game this year.
55. Providence
#6 in the Big East
Ed Cooley will look to remain atop the conference in the same way he won the Regular Season title last year, by bringing in transfers who can shoot and defend. When Noah Locke is at his best, he can be among the best shooters in the conference, and finding a home in Providence might be where he can hit his stride. Devin Carter has the defensive end taken care of more than the ability to shoot, but bringing him in as a sophomore means Cooley can put him in a place where he can grow. Bryce Hopkins is a noteworthy get for this roster, the former Kentucky product didn’t play a ton in his first year, but his versatility on both ends could be ridden to another surprising finish.
56. Washington
#7 in the Pac 12
The Huskies have had a strange couple of years under Mike Hopkins, but got back on the right path the previous year, mainly behind Terrell Brown. Noah Williams might be the most obvious player to take Brown’s place as lead scorer, and while his shooting from outside will certainly need to improve, playing next to someone like Jamal Bey is certainly helpful. Bey has good size and is a fine shooter, and is a versatile forward. This team has good size, but it lacks an obvious point guard. Williams is a wing, and their previous guy in Brown is no longer around. Keion Brooks demonstrated some playmaking abilities at Kentucky, but not a whole lot. Potentially one of the two freshmen guards will get a look at the one.
57. Penn State
#7 in the Big Ten
In a down year, this is a team that could make a push for the tournament, especially if they play well out of the gates. A big factor in early season play is generally roster continuity. If guys are used to playing together, they’re more likely to be ready for November. Having Jalen Pickett, Myles Dread and Seth Lundy return for their senior years is really important for a team who will look to start better than they did the previous season. Camren Wynter was one of the best players in the Colonial lat season for Drexel, and bringing a guy like him in who can distribute the ball next to Pickett is important for opening up shots for shooters like Dread, Lundy and Bucknell transfer Andrew Funk.
58. Seton Hall
#7 in the Big East
The Pirates will be without the majority of their talent which led them to a tournament appearance the previous year, but Shaheen Holloway got busy his first offseason, fresh off an Elite Eight run. Al-Amir Dawes is a talented defender, shooter and willing secondary playmaker, providing good experience to a roster that is going to have a lot of new faces in Newark. KC Ndefo is one of the best defenders in the country, regardless if he is playing against MAAC or Big East opponents. He’ll be an important guy for Holloway to have, allowing the transition ot a bigger program to be easier. Kadary Richmond should get more playtime, especially with the defensive improvements he showed as a sophomore.
59. Notre Dame
#7 in the ACC
Though losing Blake Wesley isn’t optimal, the Fighting Irish return a trio of seniors who contributed a ton to their two wins in the tournament the previous season. Nat Laszewski is one of the best stretch bigs in the country. Marcus Hammond is a high volume scoring-minded combo guard who should score some of the points which were left on the table by Wesley. JJ Starling is another highly rated (five-star) combo guard who should contribute as a freshman.
Image Credit: CougCenter
60. Washington State
#8 in the Pac 12
The Cougars will lose a lot of perimeter talent, but their two bigs should be amongst the most talented in the league. Even with Efe Abogidi departing, Mouhamed Gueye could hold things down in the middle. Pairing him with Dishon Jackson might mean the paint defense doesn’t lose a step. Guye is still incredibly raw on both ends, but he could take a step forward as a sophomore. In terms of replacing perimeter pieces, there isn’t an obvious lead guard, but rather a collection of good passers. This might be a concern against players like Tyger Campbell, who can defend well against the other team’s one guard, but the size throughout the roster might make up for that.
61. UConn
#8 in the Big East
A new initiator for this offense will need to be found, and there isn’t an obvious high-end answer for filling the hole left by RJ Cole. Cole’s ascendence to being the Huskie’s best player the previous year was one that took time, and forcing a new player into that role isn’t easy. Tristen Newton provided a ton of scoring for East Carolina, but there is a difference in talent that Newton might struggle with between the American to the Big East, especially in terms of conference depth. There isn’t an obvious 6’1” guy to fill that role either. This team has a ton of size, and while that can be helpful for defense, if the secondary playmaking isn’t there, this team could struggle a ton in the half-court.
62. North Texas
#2 in Conference USA
Tylor Perry was one of the best freshmen in the conference last season, and he should excel as the Mean Green’s floor general. Tyree Eady is a wing who can provide some scoring and some size out of the Summit League. Abou Ousmane should once again put up impressive numbers on the boards in his junior season. Rubin Jones could average upwards of double digits. Grant McCasland’s team is long, smart, and gritty. They should keep the score low, just the way they like it.
63. Marquette
#9 in the Big East
The Golden Eagles were on the fast track to the Sweet Sixteen if they had been able to get past North Carolina in the first round, with Baylor, the worst one seed a good matchup for Shaka Smart in the second round. Despite the blowout first round loss, Shaka Smart had a fantastic first year. Much of this was due to Justin Lewis exploding on the scene. Without him, this team lacks that perimeter shooting. Olivier-Maxence Prosper is the next obvious guy to fill that role, but Justin Lewises don’t grow on trees. There isn’t a ton of obvious incoming talent that will spark excitement, but Tyler Kolek had a good sophomore year at the point, and if his defense can continue on the trajectory it is on, the Golden Eagles could fill Smart’s teambuilding vision.
64. Boise State
#3 in the Mountain West
The Broncos got a really difficult first round matchup in the tournament last year, and they could have been a second weekend team with how they played against conference foes, especially the best of the best. This team will now look to move forward without leading scorer Abu Kigab. Marcus Shaver provided a good amount of clutch shooting, especially from outside down the stretch. Bringing him back for his fifth year is important. This team might have a hole at the guard spot, as there isn’t too obvious of a lead playmaker. Kigab was a unique player in his size and skill set, but there isn’t an obvious player who is going to step up as the lead guard. While Shaver could look to average upwards of five assists per game, he is usually better utilized as a scorer, meaning Max Rice could be looked towards, without displaying much of it in his first three years.
65. South Carolina
#11 in the SEC
GGJ and BBV are a fascinating combination. GG Jackson is a recruit which could find a ton of success in Columbia (SC), especially with the talent around him that Lamonte Paris brings in. Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk demonstrated playmaking in limited playing time for Illinois. The two could operate interestingly in the short roll under Paris’ system, and the two-man pick and roll, or the horns sets makes the big-man combination really interesting, especially for Meechie Johnson who’ll look to find his way as this team’s lead guard. There isn’t much backcourt experience, as Johnson didn’t play a ton for Ohio State in his two years. Chicago Carter might emerge as a 3&D wing, but extrapolating from his junior year which he didn’t play much might be dangerous. Josh Gray could play at the 5, with a huge lineup of a seven footer, two bigs, Johnson and Carter. This team doesn’t have wing depth that might lead them to a deep tournament run, but if they can be competitive in the conference, it’ll be a success for the Gamecocks.
66. Saint Mary’s
#2 in the WCC
Randy Bennett might have to play more underclassmen than he is comfortable with. Augustas Marciulionis shouldn’t be someone you dread seeing take the court, especially with the playmaking and perimeter defense the sophomore wing displayed in his freshman year. Logan Johnson will need to increase his willingness as a shooter, as well as his efficiency, but he should be the obvious leader of this team. Alex Ducas and Kyle Bowen understand how Bennett wants to play, and understanding how you fit in a system is almost as important as how you perform in it.
67. Iowa
#8 in the Big Ten
Kris Murray was good at times in low volume in the previous season and his identical twin was just a top four pick in the draft. Patrick McCaffery is filling the role of a high-volume scorer. Fillip Rebraca is the big who feels like he could have a lot of success at Iowa, especially if he shoots threes as well as he did in his Summit League days. Fran will figure out the offense and everything else should fall into place.
Image Credit: Clemson Tigers
68. Clemson
#8 in the ACC
PJ Hall is going to be one of the better bigs in the country. He has a ton of tools, and his emerging game from outside should be enough to have the Tigers in the middle of the pack in the ACC. Hunter Tyson complements Hall with good size and shooting ability from the 4. Brevin Galloway is an intra-conference transfer who’ll see if he can’t have more luck from outside in South Carolina than he did in Massachusetts. This team will be one of the best teams from outside in the country if not the conference, and that alone should keep them in games.
69. Kansas State
#10 in the Big 12
Jerome Tang has deserved an opportunity at a head coaching job for a long time, and although the hiring doesn’t have the sort of acclaim other power five hires have received, Tang should be credited with turning Baylor into the conference powerhouse it is today. The Wildcats are likely to struggle against both Tang’s former team and the rest of the conference opponents, simply due to a lack of obvious high end talent, and a large number of question marks throughout the roster. Keyontae Johnson hasn’t played since collapsing two years ago, and with potential legal trouble, who knows if he’ll get to see the court. Desi Sills is a good transfer to get, a talented wing defender, and Markquis Nowell compliments Sills’ defense. This team has plenty of defense, but an obvious rim protector might prevent them from reaching the tournament in Tang’s first year.
70. Colorado
#9 in the Pac 12
This team hit their stride in conference play the previous year, and with late blockers, it is great to bring back the players who made that run possible. Jabari Walker and Evan Battey, though, departed, and Tad Boyle will have to look elsewhere to lead to the continued success he’s had in his dozen years in Boulder. Tristan da Silva looked great as a stretch big in his sophomore year, and if he is able to continue to develop defensively, he could be an all conference player as early as this season. Da Silava is more of a four than a five, meaning some questions about the starting five might be held. Seven footer Lawson Lovering didn’t play much as a freshman, but he is the most obvious answer. He isn’t the strongest build player, though, and his skinny frame might be an issue in the rebounding department.
71. Rutgers
#9 in the Big Ten
Coming off of a strange season of great wins and horrible losses, the Scarlet Knights lose their two top players, but have a good bit of depth which will likely keep them competitive against the top of the conference, even if they aren’t projected to make it back to the tournament. The forward rotation might be a question, and there wasn’t an obvious step taken by way of the transfer portal. Caleb McConnel is capable as a defender and shooter, but he plays more like a wing than a forward. Cliff Omoruyi could take a steep forwards being among the best big men in the already stacked conference, but that doesn’t answer who will slide over to the four. There is good size on the roster from the wing spot, but in a conference that utilizes bigs the way they do like the Big Ten, the answer of who’ll play next to Cliff could haunt the Scarlet Knights.
72. Wake Forest
#9 in the ACC
Behind Williams and LaRavia, Wake Forest was ahead of schedule in the previous season. This was good for their short-term success, but in the long term, it meant their two players were out the door after just a year in Winston-Salem. To reload, Steve Forbes will look again towards the transfer portal, picking up Tyree Appleby from Florida and Jao Ituka out of the MAAC. An issue arises in the fact that three of their likely go to scorers (Davien Williamson, Appleby and Ituka) are all likely under 6’ barefoot. This is contrasted by two near seven footers in Andrew Carr from Delaware and returning sophomore Matthew Marsh. Wing depth might be a concern.
73. Maryland
#10 in the Big Ten
Kevin Willard is one heck of a hire, even if he doesn’t have the postseason success that the Terrapins are looking for. Coming off a disappointing season, the Terrapins lose their two top scorers from the prior year, but bring in some interesting transfers, led by Jahmir Young. The Conference USA point guard has a very impressive two way skillset, is a talented shooter, rebounder and passer. Expecting him to replicate that success isn’t a given, though, as up transfers commonly struggle in conferences like the Big Ten. Hakim Hart will need to improve his shooting, as he’ll likely be in a ton of pick-and-pops with Young. Donta Scott could be a formidable roll man, but his finishing around the rim isn’t great. This team should have good defenders all around, but their ability to win close games might be in question.
Image Credit: Towson University Athletics
74. Towson
#1 in the Colonial
The Tigers essentially run it back after falling just short the previous season. They’ll bring back their three leading scorers, who are all in their final seasons and looking for a meaningful end to their college careers. Cam Holden is going to be likely the most important player on this roster, whose abilities as a point guard with size holds skills that are important to not only he but the entire roster. Holden will be expected to be the leading ball handler with Terry Nolan departing. Nicolas Timberlake has perimeter abilities that Holden has not been as consistent with. Skou Sylla was a major contributor at Nova Southeastern University, and if he can transfer over well, Pat Skerry’s team might run the table.
75. Mississippi
#12 in the SEC
Kermit Davis has struggled with consistency from year to year, accumulating in a last-place finish the previous year. This is definitely a disappointment for a team that had plenty of talent, but just couldn’t remain healthy and win close games. Having good carryover from the previous year is helpful, but with two of their better defenders gone, and only Daeshun Ruffin remaining as an obvious talent on against other guards. Ruffin is important for keeping this team together on both ends, acting as essentially a quarterback. Finding rim protection will likely be accomplished externally. Theo Akwuba and Jayveous McKinnis were talented at defending the paint in their past roles at lower level programs, and seeing how they translate to the higher level might define the Rebel’s season.
76. Portland
#3 in the WCC
The Pilots rebounded really well after a few rough years, and this was mainly due to first year head coach Shantay Legans. Legans is able to retain the talent which brought his team to an overperforming 19 wins the previous year. Michal Meadows is worth paying attention to, as his shooting looked a lot better in his sophomore year than his freshman, even if the numbers don’t jump off the page. Tyler Robertson’s two way potential paired with his rebounding might make him the best player on this team. A guy of that size and skillset could make the Pilots a team that could compete for a tournament bid. Having continuity from the previous year makes Portland a difficult time to travel to for conference foe.
77. Toledo
#1 in the MAC
Even though they’ll lose Ryan Rollins, one of the best players in the conference, the Rockets bring back essentially everyone else, including forwards Setric Millner and JT Shumate, who combined for 30 points per game. Tod Kowalczyk doesn’t have a tournament appearance in his 12 seasons in Toledo, despite having a ton of talent and being utop the conference throughout his tenure. Coming off of their second straight first place finish, Tyler Cochran could be a big reason for a three peat. The Northern Illinois transfer will look to fill the guard spot left by Rollins. The Rockets could very much so compete for an at large, but it will likely come down to how they perform in the conference tournament.
78. Cincinnati
#5 in the American
Wes Miller has his Bearcats more competitive than what might’ve been expected in his first year in Ohio. He returns a ton of his talent which landed them a middle-of-the-pack finish. David DeJulius could be one of the best guards in the conference, especially if he can figure out shooting. DeJulius might be able to take a step back in terms of playmaking, allowing him to focus more as a spot up shooter. Landers Nolley is a well-traveled forward and a really good get who didn’t get to show what he was able for Memphis. Hopefully, an in-conference foe might allow for more success.
79. Boston College
#10 in the ACC
After essentially ending Wake Forest’s season in the ACC Tournament last year (and coming close to doing the same to Miami), there are reasons to look up for Earl Grant in his second year. They still miss Al Skinner and his tight flex offense and haven’t find the success since his departure. Makai Ashton-Langford should compete for a spot on the All ACC Team in his senior season, with the expected improvement of Jaeden Zackery to pair in his second season. They could be a middle of the pack team in the ACC.
80. San Francisco
#4 in the WCC
The Dons shouldn’t expect much falloff from their tournament appearance the previous year. The retention of Khalil Shabazz helps. As does how well the transfer portal was operated by Chris Gerlufsen. Tyrell Roberts will take the backcourt next to Shabazz, and though they’ll lack in backcourt length, Shabazz is a talented perimeter defender. Both Shabazz and Roberts are willing passers, and for guys who view themselves as alpha scorers, being willing and able to spread the ball around is important. Losing Bouyea’s abilities as a lead ball handler might hurt, but Toni Rocak could be used more as a ball handler than a scorer with two guards who are plenty capable themselves. The recruiting class that Gerlufsen brings in should be applauded, and this team should be competitive.
81. North Carolina State Wolfpack
#11 in the ACC
Kevin Keatts was given another season after a disappointing 2021-22, but the state of the roster doesn’t scream tournament team. Getting back future first-rounder Terquavion Smith should keep them competitive and Casey Morsell is a stabilizing presence at the guard spot. Jarkel Joiner is an encouraging transfer from the SEC. DJ Burns was fantastic for Winthrop and hopefully, he can find success in the ACC. If Keatts wants to stay in Raleigh, he’ll have to compete for a bid.
82. Colorado State
#4 in the Mountain West
The most recognizable Ram is gone, but that doesn’t mean the bottom is going to fall out. Nike Medved has found continuous success wherever he’s played, without too much falloff in between. Isaiah Stevens is one of the better passers in the country, and his combination of defense and shooting paired with his aforementioned passing will keep the Rams on the right side of the conference. Josiah Strong will look to fill out the wing rotation, and while there isn’t an obvious forward who will look to fill the four, this team has wings on wings next to Stevens, and if Isaiah Rivera can improve his volume outside shooting, the Moutain West could have several tournament teams once again.
83. Western Kentucky
#3 in Conference USA
Slick Rick has made it seven seasons in Bowling Green, and is still looking to reach a tournament. If the game were played on paper and talent were the only factor in determiningteam success, the Hilltoppers would have made several tournaments by now, it is just putting it all together in the conference tournament which has been their enemy. This year is no different in terms of the vast amount of talent on their roster. Dayvion McKnight and Luke Frampton are a very talented pair of guards who’ll give the Hilltoppers one of the best backcourts in the conference. Frampton’s shooting paired with McKnight’s passing is going to be a difficult thing to defend. Most importantly, though, might be Jamarion Sharp. The tallest guy in the country, his block rate was off the chart, he’ll look to average upwards of five per game as a senior.
Image Credit: Sports Illustrated
84. Wisconsin
#11 in the Big Ten
This roster loses their two best players from the previous year, and this might be the falloff year many were projecting last year to be for the Badgers. Chucky Hepbrun’s injury in the second round prevented a Sweet Sixteen run, but he’ll be back, running the point in his sophomore year. Jordan Davis will look to match fellow twin Kris Murray’s production with both of their twins drafted in the lottery. The biggest issue on this roster might be the lack of obvious point guard play next to Hepburn. Chucky and Brad Davisson split roles at the one last year, and while Max Klesmit was a fine secondary playmaker in the SoCon, expecting him to perform well in the Big Ten might be too big of an ask.
85. SMU
#6 in the American
The previous year was the last dance for the Mustang’s head coach and talent, and it ended in the NIT, rather than the NCAA tournament, disappointing for a team that beat Memphis twice in the regular season. Though the top end players are all gone, Rob Lanier was able to retain the majority of the team’s depth. In order to fill the gaps, he brings in underperforming former five star forward Samuell Williamson. Williamson never seemed to get it going in his three seasons in Louisville, and while he demonstrated himself to be a good defender at times, a lack of efficiency on the perimeter, turnovers and a lack of aggressiveness prevented him from seeing much of the court. Outside of Williamson, returning sophomores Jalen Smith and Zhuric Phelps could be important guards for this rotation, Phelps providing playmaking while Smith will look to continue his impressive efficiency as a shooter.
86. Syracuse
#12 in the ACC
With two of the three Boeheims gone, this will be a much younger roster in what may be a lame duck season for the third and oldest. Joey Girard could be an all conference player, and if Jesse Edwards can stay out of foul trouble and on the court, he could be one of the best defenders on the east coast. Judah Mintz is a high rated freshman, and outside of him, five other freshmen are added to the roster. This could get ugly, but Jim might have another sweet sixteen run in him as a double digit seed.
87. Georgia
#13 in the SEC
This is a tough power conference job to take over, and Mike White understands that with their current crop of players, not much winning is to be expected. White brings in essentially a new team, a collection of high and low level transfers who will look to get the Bulldogs out of the cellar. There is a ton of depth and experience on the roster, but there isn’t much obvious upside in terms of a younger player who is likely to surprise in a high level role. There are a lot of pieces, including Jailyn Ingram, who wasn’t able to show off what he accomplished at Florida Atlantic. Ingram will be 26 this upcoming season, and he is just one of many four plus year guys of experience. There might be difficulties in getting the ball in everyone’s hands. Justin Hill and Terry Roberts will look to be the lead guards in terms of distribution, but there may not be enough shots to go around. Perimeter shooting might be the make or break for this talented, but crowded roster.
88. Grand Canyon
#1 in the WAC
Jovan Blacksher was one of the best underclassmen in the conference the previous year and he is expected to be one of the best players in the conference period in his junior year. Blacksher lacks in size, but he doesn’t lack in his two way contribution. He is the lead ball handler on the team, and is able to provide both inside and outside, has really improved as a shooter. Blacksher is talented as a perimeter defender as well, and even though he isn’t able to control his sub six-foot frame, the effort and attention to detail is there, and that is at times all that matters. Much like how they landed Holland Woods the previous year, the transfer portal will likely grant them a huge member of their rotation this year as well, with Bryce Drew bringing in another power five player, this time in sophomore Logan Landers. Landers didn’t play much as a freshman for Kansas State, but he projects to be a forward who can contribute a little bit everywhere, while not trying to do too much. With New Mexico State in a different coaching regime, picking the Antelopes to make it two of three in the tournament might be a safe bet.
Image Credit: Audacy
89. Vermont
#1 in the America East
Ryan Davis and Ben Shungu will be missed but Vermont should be competitive once again in the America East. Dylan Penn and Robin Duncan should be two leaders of the team, both in their experience and contribution to their team. Though this team isn’t familiar as years past, the proven culture over the past 12 years of Becker’s tenure should propel them to the top of the conference, despite Bryant potentially overtaking the throne.
90. Minnesota
#12 in the Big Ten
A power conference team winning 13 games would generally be seen as a disappointment, but the way in which Minnesota played with the players on their roster will likely lead to some excitement for this upcoming season. Though reaching the tournament isn’t an expectation, this team could win 20 games and build towards the top half of the conference in Ben Johnson’s third year. Much of this will be based on Jamison Battle’s ability, the best payer on the team, the leading scorer and the heart and soul of this team. His abilities on the perimeter were impressive, but Battle’s upside as defending inside, as well as on the perimeter makes him one of the scarier players to face on both ends in the conference. Dawson Garcia has bounced around a bit, but the former high-rated recruit can fit a role as a stretch big in Minneapolis.
91. Jacksonville
#1 in the ASUN
The Dolphins were a positive surprise in their first season under Jordan Mincy. They’ll bring back a ton of what made them successful, namely their backcourt of Kevion Nolan and Jordan Davis. Omar Payne didn’t bounce back like he might’ve wanted to in the Big Ten, hopefully, he’ll find more success in a smaller conference. Dylan O’Hearn played a big role at NJIT and he’ll add to the backcourt ability of Mincy’s team. Another year of experience with some of the guys who made it happen really should make the Dolphins dangerous to make another appearance in the Title game.
92. Stephen F. Austin
#2 in the WAC
Though Gavin Kensmil is seen as the biggest loss from last season to the present, the secondary playmaking and the defense of David Kachelries and Calvin Solomon might be more important than Kyle Keller might be willing to admit. Three talented freshmen showed out well on the defensive end, and while Sadaidriene Hall’s size and length might lead you to expect he’d be a good defender, Jaylin Jackson-Posey’s demonstration of interior defense for a 6’2” freshman guard should provide Keller some confidence that he’ll be able to maintain the stout defense he rode into a shared title finish the previous season. The freshman class that Keller brought with him into his first year in the WAC is seemingly endless in depth, with Nana Antwi-Boasiako another high upside athlete who should get more of a look as a sophomore.
93. Pittsburgh
#13 in the ACC
John Hugley is exciting as an upperclassman but there isn’t much else certainty, with a ton of new talent added between the transfer portal and incoming freshmen. Dior Johnson is a pretty good get for Jeff Capel out of Southern Cal Academy. Nelly Cummings was a star on a tournament team, while Blake Hinson made the second weekend with Iowa State (warming the bench). Capel will have to put something together in his fifth year, and with his new roster, saying that he isn’t trying whatever he can would be foolish.
94. UCF
#7 in the American
The Knights were mediocre last season after having a talented roster, including three talented, double-digit scorers all leaving the program. CJ Walker has looked better in Orlando but still hasn’t popped the way that he might’ve been expected to. Walker displayed some playmaking as a junior which could be more utilized this season. Johnny Dawkins will likely look to get more out of his wing depth than the previous season. Tyem Freeman could be a talented defender. CJ Kelly is a transfer who could be one of the best shooters on the team and Ithiel Horton demonstrated some good things in the ACC, but there isn’t an obvious start on the roster, nor a player who symbolizes the production that was lost.
95. Norfolk State
#1 in the MEAC
Robert Jones ran through the conference the previous season, and he’ll bring back everyone but second-leading scorer Jalen Hawkins to a team that made it to the tournament the previous season. Joe Bryant Jr should be the best player in the conference and he returns for his fifth year in Norfolk. Bryant means everything to this team, putting in good effort on the offensive end, being the leading ball handler, an impressive shooter, a talented rebounder for being 6’1”, and a high-effort player on the defensive end. This roster isn’t solely reliant on Bryant, even without Hawkins. There are only two underclassmen on the roster, meaning the majority of the team has seen the tournament multiple times after a tournament the previous season in 2021 as well as the most recent year. Kris Bankston is one of the most underappreciated players on the roster, but if he is able to continue his prolific play in the middle, this team could be a 14 or 15 seed and threaten to upset someone in the tournament.
96. Loyola Chicago
#4 in the A10
This team will be without Lucas Williamson, one of the more important players in the team’s history as they begin a new chapter in the A10. Though the A10 might on average get more bids than the MVC, that is due to the competitiveness and depth of the league, so the Ramblers will have to continuously work throughout the season, which is commonly difficult under a yonder head coach, despite how well respected Drew Valentine is throughout the country. Valentine is well in touch with the importance of the transfer portal, and he’ll look to continue the defense that this team has found its success. Sheldon Edwards is an important player for this team’s defense, as he was talented on both ends from the wing, and bringing a guy like him from the MVC and into their new conference is important for a coach who understands that defense might be the easiest path to victory with the amount of scoring the Ramblers lose.
97. New Mexico State
#3 in the WAC
The Aggies are to the WAC as Gonzaga is to WCC. Unrivaled dominance. With a new coach and without Teddy Allen, who lead the team to yet another conference title and their first tournament win since 1993. Greg Heiar understands that he can’t waste and time getting acquainted with his new team and that the Aggies want to make it back to the tournament. Landing a standing point guard from a power five, tournament team last year is a good step to take. Xavier Pinson was one of the most important pieces on LSU’s roster last year, and having him in a conference like the WAC could mean a potential run at conference player of the year.
98. UC Santa Barbara
#1 in the Big West
Though Joe Pasternack’s squad wasn’t able to repeat their tournament appearances the previous seasons, the expectation is they’ll make it two of three this season. Andre Kelly will replace the productivity of Amadou Sow. Kelly was productive at a power five, he’s going to eat in the Big West. Kelly is complimented by Miles Norris in the front court and backcourt running mates Ajay Mitchell and Ajare Sanni. Mitchell came into his own as a freshman, while Sanni is in his fifth year. They are complemented by Josh Pierre-Louis who will do the majority of the ball handling. The well rounded nature of this team should mean they could waltz through the conference.
Image Credit: Southern Illinois University Athletics
99. Southern Illinois
#2 in the MVC
Bryan Mullins has been building towards this season for a few years now, being competitive against the top teams in the conference, even if his teams weren’t consistent; among them. Having six experienced seniors throughout the roster might mean this is the season that Mullins brings his Salukis into the top three of the MVC. Lance Jones and Marcus Domask are two all-conference caliber players who’ll contribute to the majority of the scoring, Jones, is a nationally underappreciated defender. Jawaun Newton is a talented intra-conference transfer who is likely to experience more success in Carbondale than he did in Evansville. Troy D’Amico could take a step forward in his sophomore season, being among the best big shooters in the conference.
100. Wichita State
#9 in the American
Isaac Brown’s second season and his first as the official head coach was not as good as his first, despite the high expectations set with the return of Tyson Etienne. The team had plenty of talent, with the Shockers just lacking to get anything consistently going on both ends of the ball. This season might have similar results with lower expectations. Though there is some good talent on this roster, mainly by means of incoming transfers, that talent meshing together might be an issue. In addition to this, there isn’t very much on the roster or that was added to the roster which might hint that the defense is set to improve. There isn’t a great rim protector on the roster; Kenny Pohto is still young and raw. While the perimeter defense has a possibility to improve, the amount of scoring lost might make it difficult for the Shockers to find their stride.
101. Vanderbilt
#14 in the SEC
The Commodores have been building towards success after a few underwhelming seasons. For them, finishing above .500 in league play would be a productive year, but without the services of Scotty Pippen Jr, this is going to be more difficult to accomplish. Lower level transfers aren’t going to be answered right away, and this might be a rebuilding year after taking down some of the top talent in the SEC the previous year. There just isn’t enough incoming talent or remaining talent throughout the roster which would allow for this team to remain competitive against the teams they are going up against night in and night out. In all but the Big 12, this wouldn’t be the worst team in the conference, but when playing against the top level of the sport, there is always a team that needs to finish in last.
102. Massachusetts
#5 in the A10
Frank Martin was one of the best coaching hires of the offseason. Having guys who were previously at higher profile jobs find work at smaller programs can be a great thing for both the program and the coach. Look towards the surprising success Shaka Smart had at Marquette when he wasn’t in the spotlight of Texas. Martin brings a ton of high level talent with him to Amherst, two players from his South Carolina team and three other power five guys. Having that pipeline from a previous job is an absolute privilege for the minutemen, and Martin won’t have the continuity that other A10 teams have, but the incoming talent he brings in is some of the highest level external improvement throughout the conference. Noah Fernandes is a great guy to bring back, whose two way ability, passing, and shooting on the perimeter should make Martin incredibly grateful to maintain a guy like him.
Image Credit: FAUAthletics
103. Florida Atlantic
#4 in Conference USA
Dusty May will have the best team in his five year tenure, and that is due in large part to contributions by underclassmen, as well as the continued success of Michael Forrest in his senior season. Forest will split point guard abilities with Bryan Greenlee who is really coming into his own as both a passer and a scorer. Most intriguing should be rising sophomore Alijah Martin, who was highly efficient as a freshmen, and could be one of the best players in Owl history if he sticks with the program. Jalen Gaffney provides experience both at the higher level and in his three years at a successful program.
104. Utah Valley
#4 in the WAC
A WAC player could’ve and should’ve been in the conversation for National Player of the Year. Fardaws Aimaq is now a part of Texas Tech, and finding someone to carry the torch on both sides of the ball is going to be a team effort. Tim Fuller might be more comfortable, but he’ll have to carry more weight, especially inside. Aziz Bandaogo has good size and is incredibly impressive per 40 numbers in terms of blocks. If Aziz can provide some rim protection inside, this team might finish better than they did with one of the better players in the sport. Good shooters on the wing between Blaze Nield, Le’Tre Darthard and Jaden McClanahan off the bench should make it easier for Fuller and Aziz to work inside. Many might’ve expected Mark Madsen to roll over after losing a player like Aimaq, but the supporting cast that the Wolverines sports, paired with the incoming talent might mean this team could join Aimaq in the tournament.
105. Louisville
#14 in the ACC
Chris Mack didn’t leave Louisville in a great place and Kenny Payne is going to have his hands full. It’s easy to look forward to the potential of DJ Wagner and punt on this season, and with the current state of the roster, that might not be too far from reality. Jae’Lyn withers was more disappointing than he figured to be. Brandon Huntley-Hatfield is a good prospect to buy low on after a disappointing stay at Tennesee.
106. San Diego
#5 in the WCC
Steve Lavin is an interesting hire. He has displayed an ability to win at a high level and in competitive conferences, but the game has changed since he last coached. This wasn’t displayed on how he operated in the transfer portal. Sigu Sisoho Jawara is a really underrated get by way of the Big Sky, but more recognizable might be the two Pac 12 guys. Jaiden Delaire was a big part of Stanford’s roster during his time in Palo Alto, providing good size as well as an ability to knock down an outside shot. Eric Williams is a talented forward with good passing abilities. There isn’t an obvious rim protector on the roster. Nic Lynch is a near seven footer, but he hasn’t displayed too much of an ability to operate the paint. This team could run a five out, with Delaire at the center, but dealing with this conference’s big men might be a challenge.
107. Abilene Christian
#5 in the WAC
The Wildcats transitioned over really well to the WAC, having a 25-win first season after losing their head coach over the previous offseason. They’ll look to care over that success into their second season in the conference, but they’ll have to do so without scoring. The Wildcats rely more on the defensive end than they do their offense, but Mahki Morris and Reggie Miller weren’t simply offensive-minded players, providing good defense and size. Finding someone to replace that, especially in a system that works with what Brette Tanner envisions might not be easy. Ali Dibba played in the WAC the previous season, and while the transfer didn’t shoot as well as what the Wildcats might want from outside, he might be a defender that really helps this rotation out.
108. Davidson
#6 in the A10
Bob McKillop is one of the more accomplished head coaches of this century and the Wildcats will look to find their way without him. This isn’t a team whose expectations will tank, especially with bringing back Foster Loyer, who has found a ton more clueless in North Carolina than he did in Michigan State. The players surrounding him won’t be who he saw the previous year, but Connor Kochera is a talented transfer, but not the shooter on the wing that Hyunjung Lee was, even if he faltered in his final season with the program. Sam Mennenga demonstrated comparable shooting to Lee, though not on the volume Lee was able to pour in. If Mennenga can be the talent on the wing from the four he is projected to be, the Wildcats could make another tournament under a McKillop.
Image Credit: Kent State Athletics
109. Kent State
#2 in the MAC
Sincere Carry has brought the Golden Flashes close the past two seasons and by bringing back his top two scorers, Rob Senderoff should have his most talented team since making the tournament in 2015. Continuity will be an important factor of this team’s success, but two important transfers come in. Miryne Thomas is familiar being on the other end of the court against the Golden Flashes, having played at Ball State. Thomas displayed good productivity from the four. Chris Payton hasn’t demonstrated as much productivity, but hopefully, his season under the leadership of Jeff Capel will lead to some good carry over. Malique Jacobs will share the backcourt with Carry, providing vital complementary playmaking and scoring. Between the depth and experience of this roster, this team should expect to repeat in the MAC Finals.
110. Northwestern
#13 in the Big Ten
The Wildcats didn’t meet expectations set for them the previous year, and while there is good carry over and this team doesn’t lack talent, the amount of obvious growth that this roster has in terms of internal and external improvement is lacking. There shouldn’t be much expectation for this team to do too much better than they did the previous year, especially with losing two big men who were important pieces of the rotation. Boo Buie is a talented playmaker and defender, but how much growth can we really expect him to have as a senior? Julian Roper is a sophomore wing who could take a step forward, but the wing rotation is already pretty crowded with upperclassmen like Ty Berry and Chase Audige, guys who might’ve already reached their ceiling. Not much has been done by Chris Collins which would lead you to expect anything more out of the Wildcats than they produced the previous year.
111. Utah
#10 in the Pac 12
First year head coaches have much more luck turning around programs in lower-level conferences than in higher-level conferences, just because there are very few easy nights in places like the Pac-12. Craig Smith should understand that T. J. Otzelberger is an outlier in his coaching class, and that looking to build off of last season should be his biggest goal, rather than winning a conference title in year two. This team brings back a good amount of depth, but there isn’t an obvious star on this roster. Branden Carlson is the leading returning scorer, but the seven-footer isn’t likely to take someone off the dribble to score a bucket late in the game. Developing guards might be the answer, but this team doesn’t have many prototypical six-footers who are able to get downhill easily. Instead, the Utes have fantastic size and good forward depth, presenting them as potential top-level defenders.
112. Longwood
#1 in the Big South
The Lancers lost their tournament virginity in the previous season, and they’ll maintain a lot of where they found their success, losing only two players from their single conference loss team. DeShaun Wade and Isiah Wilkins returned for their final season in Farmville, hoping to replicate the success found in Griff Aldrich’s system. Walyn Napper should overtake abilities at the point guard, having transferred from Southern Miss. If Michael Christmas is worth the hype, it could be a clean sweep in the conference for Longwood.
113. Richmond
#7 in the A10
Tyler Burton might emerge as one of the best players in the country by year’s end, especially with the amount of experience this team loses. There are going to be a lot of shots to take, and Burton will be able to take more of them in his senior year. Though he’ll need to continue to grow as a playmaker, especially without an obvious point guard on the roster, his scoring alone should keep this team an exciting watch, even if they aren’t expected to win another game in the tournament. In terms of lead ball handlers, Neal Quinn brings with him the most assist of any player on this team, and as a seven footer, it is exciting to see how Chris Mooney utilizes him. Quinn resembles Grant Golden’s game to an extent, but Golden had Gilyard next to him. With no obvious traditional one, this team might struggle with efficiency, especially in the half court.
114. South Florida
#9 in the American
Tyler Harris, at one point in time, was Memphis’ leading scorer the previous season, and he’ll transfer to Tampa for his graduate year. Though he isn’t going to be the solution to all of the Bull’s problems, he isn’t a bad start. The auditions will come to this roster by way of transfers, as the team that Brian Gregory put on the court the previous year was one that precluded success. Harris is joined as a newcomer by Selton Miguel and Keyshawn Bryant. Both wings struggled with efficiency, but both are talented defenders. Miguel can be built around more than Bryant, as Miguel is in his sophomore year while Bryant is using his final year of eligibility. Russel Tchewa might not be the long-term solution at the five if he struggles as much as he did the previous year on defense. This team still has holes, but they could find improvement just via different players taking the court for them.
115. Middle Tennessee
#5 in Conference USA
Nick McDevitt had a fourth year that the majority of those close to the program expected in his first three. Though he’ll lose his top two scorers, the majority of the other players he rode to his successful return. Eli Lawrence and Camryn Weston are two players expected to take the step towards becoming all-conference caliber players. Tefale Lenard got minutes and experience as a freshman that he should carry with him to be an important part of the wing rotation as a sophomore. If Jalen Jordan can return to form, this team could once again challenge the top of the conference.
116. Liberty
#2 in the ASUN
Darius McGhee will be the best player in the conference, and this shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. He could average upwards of 25 in his redshirt senior season. He’ll have some help, bringing back four of the top five scorers behind him, with Kyle Rode and Shiloh Robinson returning for their senior season, potentially the last dance for the season under Ritchie McKay. The two wins in Brody Peebles and Joseph Venzant are both only sophomores and if they can find some stability, Liberty should be back in the tournament for the second time in three seasons.
117. UNLV
#5 in the Mountain West
Bryce Hamilton and Donovan Williams are 34 points which will need to be replaced, but having a point guard like Jordan McCabe, a steady, under control guy, now in his fifth year of college is really helpful for setting up guys who look to take more shots than they did the previous year. McCabe himself might look to take more of those shots, and though he is used to being more of a pass first guy, if he can improve as a shooter, it’ll make his job much easier, not allowing guys to play off of him and clog the passing lane he looks to utilize to the Running Rebel’s success. This team has a good amount of experience, and EJ Harkless joining the roster, and being reacquainted with a Kruger could mean success is found by the pair in Las Vegas.
118. Southern Utah
#6 in the WAC
Todd Simon handled the Big Sky, even if it didn’t end in a tournament appearance, and if he is able to have continued success in the WAC that he did in his previous conference, the Thunderbirds might not be around for long. The depth of this conference is something that the Big Sky didn’t have, with no Idaho’s nor Chicago States to beat up on. There isn’t anywhere to hide in the modern WAC. Jason Spurgin proved in his freshman year that he embraced the challenge. The near seven foot big demonstrated both shooting and rim protection. He should be among the most productive players on this roster, especially if he is able to gel well with Felix Lemetti, the Omaha transfer, who will look to overtake point guard duties.
Image Credit: Akron Beacon Journal
119. Akron
#3 in the MAC
The Zips nearly took down UCLA in the first round of the tournament the previous season. Though they’ll lose one of their stars in Ali Ali to the Big East, talented guard Xavier Castaneda returns for his senior season following doing just about everything on the offensive end for John Groce the previous season. Trendon Gankerson was productive previously in the MAAC, and the intra-conference transfer from Northern Illinois will look to uptake some of the scoring Bryan Trimble left behind. Depth might be brought into question, with six freshmen joining the roster. With the Zips expecting to remain competitive, though they won’t be able to do it in the most welcoming of environments, one of the many underclassmen on the bench should be looked towards to step up.
120. BYU
#6 in the WCC
Alex Barcello was everything for this program and losing a guy like him, who provided, passing, defense, shooting, and rebounding from the one is difficult, specifically for the coach. Having a guy like Barcello on the roster makes it much easier for Mark Pope, who will likely look towards Rudi Williams to be the stopgap at the point guard spot. Williams provides what Barcello provided for Coastal Carolina, but developing chemistry in the program, with the coach and his teammates isn’t a certainty, and it might take this team time to gel with how many new parts there are. Video George is a good wing to have on the roster, with abilities as a shooter, a secondary playmaker and a talented multifaceted defender.
121. Hawai’i
#2 in the Big West
Noel Coleman in his junior season is going to be something to watch, especially as he is reunited with Juan Munoz and Samuta Avea. They’ll lose a fair amount of depth and some secondary playmaking, meaning the role that JoVon McClanahan plays, even off the bench, will be even more important. Ryan Rapp will be an important player in the Rainbow Warrior’s wing rotation. Kamaka Hepa might be the most important player on the roster, as he paired with Bernardo da Silva might determine the ceiling for Eran Ganot with their ability to protect the paint.
122. Seattle
#7 in the WAC
Chris Victor had one of the better first years that a coach has had in recent WAC memory, splitting a conference title. This success was mainly on the back of two-way stud Darrion Trammell, who is now in San Diego. This team still has a lot of talent from the previous year, especially underclassmen, or lesser-proven guys who overperformed in a role they were given out of necessity. Riley Grigsby will likely be an all-conference player. The biggest question on this roster might be who can replace Trammell’s playmaking abilities. Questions should be asked about Alex Schumacher’s translatability and if he is able to take the jump as a lead ball handler following up transferring. The Redhawks have plenty of scoring talent, and while forward Emeka Udenyi is a talented playmaker for his position, expecting him to be the lead ball handler might be too much of an ask for the senior.
123. St. Bonaventure
#8 in the A10
Though the starting five was fantastic for the Bonnie’s the previous season, that was it. This team lacked depth and their guys had to be ridden a ton, with their second unit continuously losing the lead that their starters created. Those five guys are all gone, and in order to replace them, a combination of the transfer portal and higher expectations for their younger guys. Daryl Banks made himself a household name following his showing in the tournament the previous year, and a guy like Mark Schmidt has the ability to raise the bar for guys, even for those who have achieved milestones as high as the Elite Eight. Finding solutions for the Bonnie’s defense might be the biggest concern of Schmidt who loses Osun Osunniyi to Iowa State. Chad Venning has good size and Anquan Hill demonstrated a good amount of the perimeter, but both of them did so in lesser volume.
124. New Mexico
#6 in the Mountain West
Regardless of how well the team performs, the Pit is among the toughest places to play in the country. With Richard Pitino manning the Pit, some excitement was brought to Albequerque. Pitino brings back nearly his entire team, one that had a ton of close games against the top of the league. The backcourt of Jaelen House and Jamal Mashburn Jr. might be the best in the country, and though both of them still need to improve as perimeter shooters, their ability to get a bucket when they need it, and their big game potential is what makes them so competitive against the top of the conference. The Lobos will expect to be among the best teams in the conference, and bringing in a guy like Morris Udeze to fill out the forward rotation is important for a team that was commonly more focused on offense than they were defense.
125. Iona
#1 in the MAAC
The Peacocks would not have become a household name if not for the falling of the Gaels in the first round of the MAAC Tournament. They’ll lose some fo their talent which propelled them to threaten for an at large, but they’ll bring back Nelly Junior Joseph, who has only improved after winning Conference Freshman of the Year. Nelly is one of the best defenders in the conference, having averaged 1 steal and a block per game the previous season. Filling the shoes of Tyson Jolly and Elijah Joiner will likely be Berrick Jean-Louis and Walter Clayton Jr. Pitino didn’t utilize the transfer portal as he did in his first two seasons, bringing in an interesting crop of freshmen who he’ll look to ride to yet another tournament appearance.
126. Eastern Michigan
#4 in the MAC
Emoni Bates will make the headlines, but if we learned anything the previous season from a five star player at a mid major, it’s that you need more than just one player to run your conference. Comparing the rosters of Eastern Michigan to Milwaukee’s this year, even relative to the differences in skill between the MAC and Horizon League, the Eagles have more talent. Emoni was at the very best, an inconsistent player the previous year, and being out of the spotlight might be helpful to him. Even if he doesn’t take the backseat to Noah Farrakhan, he might be able to with how impressively the guard showed as a freshman. There is a ton of talent outside of Bates that joins the roster, including Tyson Acuff and Jalin Billingsley, both down transfers from Duquesne and Georgetown respectively. Though the questions will start and end with Bates, there is enough talent on the roster otherwise that they should be competitive.
127. Georgetown
#10 in the Big East
The Hoyas will look to get back on track, and bringing in a familiar face is really helpful for Pat Ewing. Qudus Wahab was a big reason why the Hoyas made the tournament in 2021, and having him return for his senior year can help the Georgetown defense, which was one of the many problems faced by the conference play winless squad the previous year. Akok Akok has a ton of upside, even if he didn’t look great in limited play for UConn. High-rated prospects leaving the place where expectations were set can be really helpful. Jay Heath is the third senior transfer joining the rotation, who will provide some shooting from the wing. This new-look team will likely be better, and the added experience will only help.
128. Nebraska
#14 in the Big Ten
The Cornhuskers are by no means struggling with attracting talent to Nebraska, but retaining it and building off of it is an issue. Though they looked great down the stretch, another last place finish for Fred Hoiberg was the outcome last season, and patience may be wearing thin, even with the understanding of how difficult of a situation the Cornhuskers are in. Hoiberg utilized the transfer portal well, adding guys like Juwan Gray and Sam Griesel. Both of these wings provide good defense for a team that struggled to limit perimeter shooting the previous year. Gray was a part of an Alabama team that, though not as potent as their defense in 2020, was impressive nonetheless in 2021. Having good depth all around the rotation is important, especially if that depth can shoot and defend.
129. Bradley
#3 in the MVC
The younger talent of the Braves overperformed the previous season, hinting towards a step forward for some of the now sophomores and juniors. Connor Hickman will likely overtake the starting two job, and if his shooting can continue to improve, as it did sequentially throughout his freshman season, he could be one replacement for Terry Robert’s production. Duke Deen is only 5’8” but he is a competent point guard. Even if his size is a disadvantage, Wardle will get the best out of him. Forwards Ja’Shon Henry and Malevy Leons will likely be the leaders, both in their productivity and experience. Rienk Mast had an all-around really solid season as the starting five, and as an upperclassman, if he can improve his outside shooting efficiency, he might make an all-conference team.
130. Utah State
#7 in the Mountain West
This is team’s likely starting five is one of the oldest in the country. There are two seniors, two fifth year guys and Dan Akin, who transferred in from Cal Baptist and is in his sixth year of college. With a coach like Ryan Odom, that experience could be used to a finish that might not be reflected in their depletion of talent in the offseason and the lack of obvious talent. Taylor Funk might be this team’s leading scorer, s he was really efficient inside and out as a forward in the A10. Having a forward who can knock down a shot on the perimeter is something that Odom seems to prioritize, with him having to replace Justin Bean somehow.
131. Louisiana Tech
#6 in Conference USA
Losing Eric Konkol alongside a combined 29 points of scoring between Kenneth Lofton and Amorie Archibald will obviously be difficult for the Bulldogs, but they bring back some of the depth that has made them so successful. Secondary playmaking might be an issue. LaDamien Bradford may be looking toward taking a step with the ball in his hands in his sophomore year. Cobe Williams will continue his role as the primary ball handler. Williams will need to improve his efficiency as both a passer and a scorer, and that can be made more easily next to a plater like Keaston Willis, who improved his shooting in consistency his sophomore year. The remnants of a competitive roster are there for Hester.
132. Ohio
#5 in the MAC
The Bobcats lose their top three scorers and the remnants of Jeff Boals’ first class in Athens. Though name recognition might be an issue among the rotation players, it won’t take long to figure out that this is a talented team, combining experience, depth and incoming talent. Three transfers, who will likely be big parts of the rotation, with Jaylin Hunter, the most productive of the three, likely filling the shoes of Mark Sears at the one. Dwight Wilson, though he didn’t play the previous season due to an injury, was hyperproductive two seasons ago, and he’ll look to help the Bobcats stay on course.
133. George Mason
#9 in the A10
Most would lead you to believe that Kim English made the Final Four based on how he was received in Fairfax. This wasn’t the case, and the Patriots will look to make it to the top half of this league without two way league D’Shawn Schwartz. Thankfully, English is able to bring in more high level transfers, both five year men in Victor Bailey and Ginka Ojiako. Defense might be the biggest issue and although Josh Oduro is an obvious answer inside, finding someone on the perimeter to keep the Patriots competitive on both ends might be an issue. Finding a lead guard defender might be filled by a returner in junior Ronald Polite, or Bailey could guard down, either way, finding balance on both ends is something that English will look to further emphasize in his second year.
Image Credit: Bryant Athletics
134. Bryant
#2 in the America East
Seeing how Charles Pride operates without Peter Kiss should be an interesting thing to monitor. Pride himself is a talent, regardless of who is in the backcourt with him, but without Kiss’ dominant shooting, playmaking and at times overdribbling, Pride’s role in this offense might be different. He could be looked toward to be more of the full time ball handler. While Sherif Gross-Bullock does provide some secondary playmaking, Pride obviously knows this offense more than the La Salle transfer. Keeping an eye on the well traveled Earl Timberlake is important for the ceiling of this team. He didn’t perform at Memphis as well as he was projected to coming into the previous year, but he should be able to get more of an opportunity to see the court in a smaller conference. New conference or not, Jared Grasso has this program rocking.
135. Loyola Marymount
#7 in the WCC
This team had talent that disappointed last year, and prioritizing depth might be important so to not have to rely so heavily on that talent. This team’s now sophomore Lamaj Lewis demonstrated an interesting skillset from the wing. Lewis’ size, passing and defense could make himself as an important part of the rotation, even though he barely played in his first year. In terms of obvious immediate talent, third and fifth year guys Jalin Anderson and Cameron Shelton will provide passing and interior scoring, but the majority of the shooting is likely to come from wings. Keli Leaupepe demonstrated how important he can be for this rotation as a junior, and if he is able to be used as the multifaceted defender he demonstrated himself to be, the Lions are likely to bounce back.
136. Santa Clara
#8 in the WCC
In a conference full of talented coaches, Herb Sendek might be the least appreciated. Being in a well-coached conference means that your talent isn’t always rewarded with a trip to the tournament, which stings for a guy like Jalen Williams, who is currently a rotation piece for Oklahoma City in the Association. The Broncos will look to remain on the right side of the conference behind Keshawn Justice, one of the best shooters on the west coast, especially paired with his impressive 6’7” size. Justice is a talented playmaker as well, but there isn’t a ton of obvious talent that Justice will be able to set up. Sendek wasn’t all too active in the transfer portal, looking more to develop the talent that he has. Big man senior Jaden Bediako’s rim protection could take a step forward to make him one of the best defenders in the conference.
137. Fresno State
#8 in the Mountain West
The Bulldogs would’ve been a threat to make the tournament in most other years, especially with Orlando Robinson, one of their better players in recent history. Instead, a sub-.500 conference finish isn’t displaying how talented this team was last season. Justin Hutson hasn’t had the high-level success that he might have hoped for, but when playing in a conference as talented as the Mountain West, you’ve got to be okay with a bit of disappointment. Though Orlando doesn’t have an obvious replacement, three experienced, near seven footers could fill a role at the five. Chuks Isitua was one of the few bright spots on the worst team in the country the previous season, looking to find more of a role in Fresno than he did at IUPUI. This team might lack forwards though, there isn’t much discrepancy on this roster. They have about eight different wings, but three seven-footers. How Hutson utilizes this collection of talent will be intriguing to see.
138. Rhode Island
#10 in the A10
Archie Miller is one of three first year head coaches to join the A10 who previously started at much bigger programs. Miller will lose the Mitchell twins, which hurts, especially seeing how poorly this team performed with their talent. Miller understands that a team that finished in 11th place can’t only improve internally and that the transfer portal is the way to turn around a program that faltered in David Cox’s final few years. Brayon Freeman had an impressive shooting season the previous year, and he knows this conference well, having transferred from George Washington. Miller might need a year or two with lacking continuity from the previous team, but seeing what a well-proven coach can bring to a smaller conference should excite the Rams.
139. Ball State
#6 in the MAC
Michael Lewis will need to meet high expectations that James Whitford fell just short of. The Cardinals weren’t bad by any means the previous season, but they’ll lose two of their three highest scorers. Thankfully, the future of the program likely lies in Payton Sparks, who put up nearly 14 points and 9 assists his freshman season. Sparks should be the hub of the offensive attack, but Jarron Coleman could pick up some scoring opportunities as well. The Missouri transfer had a previous stay in the SEC and he should look to fill the role Miryne Thomas had on the wing. If Sparks pops and Coleman’s productivity carries over well, this could be one of the better teams in the conference.
140. Pepperdine
#9 in the WCC
With four teams in the conference who had tournament-level talent, there was going to be a team that got beat up on, even if it wasn’t reflective of just how talented of a coach Lorenzo Romar is. Romar brings back the majority of his roster which was the victim of the top-heavy conference, including a trio of forwards who all averaged double digits. Chief amongst them is sophomore Maxwell Lewis. Though Lewis doesn’t have the playmaking abilities of Houston Mallette, nor the experience of Jan Zidek, Lewis’ defense is what should lead the Waves to having more success in Lewis’ second year in Malibu.
Image Credit: George Washington Athletics
141. George Washingon
#11 in the A10
Chris Caputo will look to find success in some guys who have been grateful for just mediocrity lately. He’ll bring back all but two of his most impactful players, attempting to teach old dogs new tricks. This is one of the lesser discussed ideas when a coach is replaced, it is so easy for a player to leave a program in this day and age that when there is a coaching change, being able to maintain some of the continuity from the previous tenure to the talent is often less likely than it is. The colonial’s two leading scorers are gone, but the depth throughout the offense remains. Hunter Dean and Ricky Lindo will be the big men, with Lindo being one of the best defenders in the conference. If Dean can continue to improve as a defender, especially on the offensive end, and if Max Edwards displays why he was recruited by Kansas State, the colonials may find more success than may be expected.
142. South Dakota
#1 in the Summit League
The Coyote’s athletic department has high expectations, and even though they were a solid team the previous year, Todd Lee was let go a year after being named the conference player of the year. Eric Peterson should understand that finishing outside of the top three, even in his first year might mean he’s on the hot seats. Thankfully, this is a team full of talent. Landing Paul Bruns from North Dakota is an admirable intra-conference transfer get. The backcourt of Bruns, Mason Archambault, Kruz Perrott-Hunt and hopefully the now healthy A.J. Plitzuweit is among the best four man rotation in the sport, forget just the Summit League. Pairing those four with junior forward Tasos Kamateros, the Coyotes could score upwards of 80 points a game on a nightly basis. There might be a looking hole at the five. While Mihai Carcoana is an intriguing transfer, intriguing might not be good enough for a team who expects to win 25 games.
143. Sam Houston State
#8 in the WAC
Jason Hooten continued in the WAC what he did for many years in the Southland. Replicating that success in his second year in his new conference and 13th at the school is going to be much more difficult without Savion Flagg. Hooten used the transfer portal well once again, landing two higher level transfers in Kaosi Ezeagu and Qua Grant. Grant played a bit more for Wichita State than Kaosi did for Kansas State, but both are expected to contribute a bit more in a smaller conference. Tristan Ikpe has improved his talents as both a playmaker and a shooter, and though his volume could use a boost to further highlight his intriguing talents as a forward, what he demonstrated, though in a lower sample size as a junior is impressive, especially with the strides he’s taken defensively.
144. Samford
#1 in the Southern Conference
Buddy McMillan has turned around a program in a couple of years in a time it wasn’t so easy to do so. Becoming introduced to his players, the team and the culture in the time of the pandemic is quite difficult, and the fact that the Bulldogs are a relevant threat after only two full years of his leadership is impressive. They’ll bring back the majority of their roster, led by junior Ques Glover. Glover will be among the top scorers in the conference, and the talent of McMillan’s first class doesn’t stop with Glover, with Jaden Campbell and Jermaine Marshall two highly productive scorers. Campbell is one of the best shooters in the conference while Marshall provides a big presence inside, playing above his 6’6” frame, creating mismatches against wings. Buba Parham is a transfer who played real minutes on a tournament team and a power five school. The Bulldogs have the talent and continuity to win this league.
145. Georgia State
#1 in the Sun Belt
Jonas Hayes inherits a program that has experienced a ton of success before losing its head coach to a bigger conference. Thankfully, Hayes has a pipeline of sorts from his previous program, Xavier. Dwon Odom is the first demonstration of his utilization of that pipeline, who had a good freshman year, especially on the defensive end. Odom plays bigger than his size, and should be among the more talented player in the Sun Belt. Jamaine Mann is another power conference transfer, a sophomore wing who had some good minutes as a scorer for Florida. Mann will need to improve his shooting abilities, as he could look to fill out the prototypical 3&D role.
146. UTEP
#7 in Conference USA
Despite losing a ton of scoring talent, headlined by Souley Boum, a combined 48 points between three players leave El Paso. Though Golding reloaded through the transfer portal, expecting immediate and continued success might be a difficult taks for the second-year coach. The two most important players on the roster might both be transfers, in Shamar Givance and Tae Hardy put on big numbers at their last stop, and with the amount of turnover in scoring, they’re likely expected to replicate their success in Texas. The amount of turnover for Golding, between the new job and all the new players is a lot to overcome.
147. Colgate
#1 in the Patriot League
The Raiders look to continue their ascendance to full-on mid-major powerhouse. This is done so through having a continued pipeline of productivity from one year to the next. Freshmen watch sophomores take big leaps who become stars as juniors and all-conference players as seniors. That is Matt Langel’s blueprint and it continues into his 12th year in Hamilton. Tucker Richardson is the leading returning scorer, and although finding answers at the other guard spots might be a bit difficult, Oliver Lunch-Daniels has already demonstrated his ability to be productive off the bench for the Raiders. Keegan Records is one of the best defenders in the conference, and he’ll keep everything together at the five. It can easily be forgotten how much talent is lost from year to year with how seamlessly it is replaced.
Image Credit: Rider Athletics
148. Rider
#2 in the MAAC
The Broncs bring back three of their four top scorers from a team that ended the season well, paving the way for the Peacocks to win the auto bid by knocking off Iona in the first round. The backcourt of Dwight Murray and Allen Powell both return for their senior seasons, after combining for 24 points and 7 assists. Though Powell has two inches on Murray, Murray is an elite rebounder, and he’ll be a real triple-double threat despite his 6’ frame. Allen Bertrand will look to fill the shoes of Dimencio Vaughn, with Kevin Baggett having nabbed Bertrand from Rhode Island. This is an older roster that has faced a ton of adversities between the pandemic and injuries.
149. Miami (OH)
#7 in the MAC
Travis Steele will have a very different roster than the one which took the court in Oxford the previous season, losing three of his four top scorers. Much of that is to be expected with a new coach, even one as proven as Steele. Though it didn’t work out for him in Xavier, a chance to regain some confidence at a lower level will be important for him. The second leading scorer from the previous season Mekhi Lairy won’t be someone Steele can build around, with Lairy in his fourth season in Oxford. A fresh crop of freshmen instead might be who Steele looks toward in the future. Julian Lewis, Kamari Williams and Morgan Stafford will bridge the three generations of players, with Lewis demonstrating some good productivity at William and Mary. Though expectations might come with a coach like Steele, between the new coach and the new roster, it might be a slow start for the Redhawks.
150. Montana State
#1 in the Big Sky
Danny Sprinkle has been revolutionary for the Bobcats but they’ll lose three of their top five scorers. Getting Caleb Fuller from UC Davis is one of the most underrated transfers of the season. In addition to him, Robert Ford from conference rival Idaho State is pretty sweet to pair. Sprinkle has reloaded his roster, and building off of the experience from the previous year which he had historic success for the Bobcats.
151. DePaul
#11 in the Big East
The Blue Demons found more success in Tony Stubblefield’s first season than might have been expected, but that was mainly due to the two guys who they don’t bring back into his second year. The bottom might fall out for this team who had some promise the previous year. There are some talented scorers on the roster, coming by way of the transfer portal, but the talent difference for guys like Eral Penn and Da’Sean Nelson might be a bit difficult to overcome. Having a guy like Umoja Gibson on your roster is always helpful, Gibson will carry over his shooting to be one of the best perimeter shooters in the Big East, having displayed a ton of that scoring ability in the Big 12. Caleb Murphy being tasked as the lead ball handler might be a bit difficult of an ask, so starting Jalen Terry might be smart. Murphy doesn’t have the shooting to play next to a lead ball handler, so he may have to come off the bench.
152. Manhattan
#3 in the MAAC
The Jaspers bring back the most scoring of any team in the MAAC, returning their top three scorers and five of their top seven. Though they didn’t have the success their talent might represent, much of this lies beyond the numbers, with a month-long COVID pause and many close games lost. The Jaspers understand what they have on their hands, as they’ll be one of the oldest teams in the country, having brought back much of their talent for a fifth season. Omar Silverio will likely play the two-guard next to Anthony Nelson. Jose Perez is one of the better playmakers in the state of New York, and with the amount of continuity, the Jaspers could take out more talented rosters who lack the returning talent Steve Masiello has.
153. Hofstra
#2 in the Colonial
After a successful first season in Hempstead, Speedy Claxton will have to make do with the incoming talent with three of his five leading scorers gone. Thankfully, Aaron Estrada is returning, who should truly should be the best player in the conference. Tyler Thomas is an impressive get for Claxton out of the NEC, who was ultra-productive, and should transfer well. In addition to him, Darlinstone Dubar is a sophomore worth paying attention to, who is set to fill Estrada’s star shoes after he leaves, even if in a different role. The amount of talent, returning and new on the roster should have the Pride competing again at the top of the conference.
154. Long Beach State
#3 in the Big West
What Colin Slater’s role meant for this team is not reflected in his stat line, and replacing him won’t be through the four incoming transfers. Marcus Tsohonis is an intriguing incoming product from VCU, though, who will complement Joel Murray as the only other senior on the roster. Murray will be the leading scorer, but Jadon Jones isn’t going to be far behind, with a sophomore leap likely coming, both in his shot selection and efficiency from the floor. This season might not be dissimilar from the previous one in how long it will take them to play together, but they’ll be ready come conference play time.
155. Indiana State
#4 in the MVC
It was an expected rough season for Josh Schertz in his first season, especially with the amount of roster turnover he experienced in year one. The Sycamore’s three top scorers will return, but how much does take mean for a team who won four conference games the previous season? The trio of Cooper Neese, Cameron Henry and Nailex Stephens all have at least four years under their belt, and should make the Sycamores more competitive. Trenton Gibson will hope to be a more efficient playmaker than previously Micah Thomas and the aforementioned Henry. Xavier Bledson has playmaking abilities as a forward, but he’ll need to clean up turnovers. If Gibson can be the defacto five, this team might play up to their true talent.
Image Credit: Philadeplhia Inquierer
156. Pennsylvania
#1 in Ivy League
The Quakers bring back Jordan Dingle for his junior season, and he should be one of the most likely candidates for Conference Player of the year, coming off a season where he averaged nearly 21 points. Michael Moshkovitz might be the most important player on the roster, as he’ll play the defacto point guard with Dingle looking more to score. Moshkovitz has good size at 6’7” introducing an interesting dynamic for Steve Donahue. With a player like Dingle, having shooters on the perimeter to is vital for his success, and that is exactly what Dingle should have in Clark Slajchert and Max Martz. If this team stays healthy, they should win the Conference.
157. Northern Kentucky
#1 in Horizon League
The Norse likely should have been the representatives from the Horizon League in the tournament, and the amount of returning talent on their roster would leave one to believe their players share that sentiment. Marques Warrick will be among the best guards in the conference, with so much room to grow, even after two very impressive seasons. Warrick might be asked to overtake some of the playmaking abilities left by Bryson Langdon. Sam Vinson was a really good surprise for the wing rotation as a freshman, whose size and ballhandling abilities are a good mix for Darrin Horn. Xavier Rhodes could provide some scoring off the bench if Trey Robinson is looked towards at the four, instead of running a small ball, four guard lineup. Either way, Chris Brandon will get more of a run at the five, even if he might not be the rim protector Adrian Nelson showed himself to be.
158. Rice
#8 in Conference USA
Having Quincy Olivari back and healthy for his junior season, paired with Travis Evee as well, as both a scoring and playmaking option means the Owls should be more competitive due to this continuity. Seryee Lewis didn’t play much for Bruce Weber, but he should get more of a run at the four under Scott Pera. This is a team which might be a year away from reaching its full potential, but this is an important growth year for the juniors and sophomores on the roster.
159. East Carolina
#10 in the American
Six conference wins and finishing with an overall .500 record might not seem very impressive for a power conference team, but the Pirates haven’t had much recent success. Much of their production from the previous year is gone alongside their head coach. Michael Schwartz will look to bring in some new faces, including a recruiting class with a ton of size. In terms of likely immediate contribution, Wynston Tabbs could look to get it going after injury redshirting the previous year. The guard’s shooting is something that this team seems to lack elsewhere. This team doesn’t lack in length, but it may struggle to produce on the offensive end. Michael Schwartz will have to define what he is looking for in a team and culture before it is defined for him.
160. Quinnipiac
#4 in the MAAC
The Bobcats had flashes of how talented their core could be before losing their final five regular season games, with the pieces coming apart. They’ll bring back five of their top seven scorers, and if they are able to keep that handful of players together and healthy throughout the season, they wouldn’t be a surprise to repeat in the MAAC semifinals. Between Dezi Jones and Savion Lewis, the Bobcats have amount the best 6’1” or shorter duos in New England. Though there isn’t very much size throughout the roster, Tymu Chenery and Ike Nweke have demonstrated an ability to play like bigs, despite their size as wings. The latter had great productivity in the Ivy League, and though Ike might be expected to rebound, the ability for Baker Dunleavy’s squad to gang rebound is one of the most entertaining things to watch in the MAAC.
161. Fordham
#12 in the A10
Kyle Neptune brought this team life, one which is severely outmatched in the A10. Having a season which they were able to remain competitive and finished in the middle of the pack, finishing with an even .500 record throughout their whole year was one which the Rams haven’t been used to. Much of this was due to Antonio Daye and Darius Quisenberry and though Daye is gone, Quisenberry’s decision to return for his fifth year might mean some of this success is carried over. Khalid Moore had some good minutes defending the perimeter for the Yellow Jackets in the ACC and he should be a player than first year head coach Keith Urgo is excited to bring in as a graduate transfer.
Image Credit: Fairfield Athletics
162. Fairfield
#5 in the MAAC
Jay Young has proven the willingness to rely on his depth and win through his defense, rather than his offense. The Stags lose some talent, but they’ll bring back shooting while should lead to some carryover in their offensive success. Though they lack a proven leading scorer, finding offense in transition and playing at a quicker pace usually means a scoring-by-committee ideology. Supreme Cook could be one of the best rim protectors in the conference, while Jake Wojcik could be among the best shooters. Caleb Fields brings with his good ball handling and size from the one, highlighting Young’s prioritization of offense.
163. Binghampton
#3 in the America East
This team brings back a lot from an overperforming squad in Levell Sanders’ first year at the helm. Four of their top six scorers return to Vestal, and they’ll start all upperclassmen, and should have some talent coming off the bench, namely Armon Harried, a wing out of the MAAC, who averaged over 11 points per game. Following being one of the best defenses in the AE the previous season, they should be a bit more balanced, with their offense catching on due to returners and newcomers.
164. Saint Joseph’s
#13 in the A10
The Hawks need to replace a ton of offense after losing both Jordan Hall and Taylor Funk. Defense might be what Billy Lange is more concerned about in terms of what may lead him to winning. Erik Reynolds and Cameron Brown are a talented pair of wings who defend well on the perimeter, and the potential front court of Kacper Klaczek and Ejike Obinna could provide rim protection either as a platoon or a twin towers situation. Seven footer Charles Coleman could be the third cog in that big rotation, especially if one of the freshmen guards is able to crack the rotation, and Brown moves up to the four. Billy Lange will have lineup versatility, but finding continuity in shooting with his rotations will be important to keep this team around on the offensive end.
165. UNC Greensboro
#3 in the Southern Conference
The Spartans will look to continue their recent history of success and though Mike Jones didn’t have the first season he might have imagined, his track record would indicate that he is the right man for the job. Though there isn’t a scorer who is returning that will be the obvious “guy”, a talented collection of older talent should mean that this team finishes in the top half of the league. Keondre Kennedy was productive at UMBC, and he brings with him four years of experience to Greensboro. Dante Treacy and Mohammed Abdulsalam have a combined eight years of collegiate experience between the two of them already, and they were both solid pieces for Jones in his first year. Kobe Langley might be who is looked towards the most to self create if not Kennedy, with Langley being among the returning scorers. His twin, Keyshyan, will likely split time in the backcourt with him, and although neither of them are much of shooters, their ability to score in bunches either off the bench or in a starting role is big for this team.
166. California Baptist
#9 in the WAC
Taran Armstrong was better than the film might’ve shown the previous year. The team he had around him didn’t convert the impressive passes he made. It doesn’t count as an assist if he drives insides, looks off one defender, finds the shooter in the weakside corner while the defense collapses, and the shot is bricked. That wasn’t uncommon for one of the better freshmen in the country last season. Rick Croy recognized this issue last year, and in an attempt to solve it, he got busy in the transfer portal. Joe Quintana was a productive player and most notably a talented shooter for Loyola Marymount the previous season and he’ll likely start in the backcourt next to Armstrong. Blondeau Tchoukuiegno was a huge part of the rotation as a freshman for New Hampshire, and he will likely not have to play 38 minutes a game, allowing him to take shots he is more comfortable and better at than what he was tasked with taking in his first year. It will come down to what is next to Taran.
167. Oral Roberts
#2 in the Summit League
Max Abmas is a very special talent, and having him on a team, regardless of the other ten or eleven guys on the roster. Abmas will be grateful that Paul Mills was able to bring back nearly his entire roster from a third place team the previous season. Not only this, but three intriguing transfers, two of them power five, might mean this team has enough to get over the hump. Connor Vanover didn’t see much of the court in Knoxville, but having a 7’5” player on a team that struggled on defense can’t hurt. Patrick Mwamba is able to do more on the perimeter than Vanover might be able to offer, as well as providing some good defense inside. Kareem Thompson is a wing who has improved as a shooter, but most importantly has good size, is a willing passer and can defend, making up for Abmas who struggles against size.
168. Louisiana
#2 in the Sun Belt
The Cajuns have a ton of depth and talent. If basketball was seven on seven instead of seven and five, Bob Marlin would’ve seen a better finish than 8th last year. Thankfully, he’ll return the majority of his talent, and hopefully, have a better idea of roles to set for his guys. There isn’t an obvious lead playmaker. Michael Thomas was the team’s leader in assists, but he only played 15 minutes a game as a freshman. A role doesn’t have to be determined as directly for defensive ability, and that is a motif throughout the roster. Kobe Julien is among the better defenders on the roster, providing some shooting from the perimeter to pair with his inside and outside defense. Jordan Brown is among the best big men in the conference, and if he can continue his ascendence as a shooter, he could lead his Cajuns to the tournament.
169. Siena
#6 in the MAAC
Though the Saints have been a recent fixture atop the MAAC, Carmen Maciariello might have a tough task on his hands, losing four of his top six scorers. Jack Stormo returning for his fifth season will sure up the center, but losing Anthony Gaines’ height and abilities with the ball in his hands will be hard to replace. Jared Billups is likely to take a step forward, having displayed impressive play, especially down the stretch, putting up eight points or more in five of his final eleven games. If Billups can uptake some of the scoring lost from Colby Rodgers, this team might again overperform under Maciariello, but the amount of lost talent, especially in a league with very little dropoff in talent from one team to the next in the MAAC might be too much for the Saints to overcome.
170. Northern Colorado
#2 in the Big Sky
Greeley breeds talent, Jeff Linder knows best. Daylen Kountz is a product of Linder’s excellence. Now in the hands of Steve Smiley, Kountz is favored to be the best player in the Big Sky. Matt Johnson is from the same class as Kountz and brings experience from the point. Riley Abercrombie might be exactly what the Bears are looking for from the four, filling the shoes of Bodie Hume, who’ll be missed. Kur Jongkuch played a big role on the defensive end, and Jamel Melvin’s play in the middle may define Kountz’s legacy in his final season.
171. Purdue Fort Wayne
#2 in Horizon League
The Mastodons return all but one of their core from the previous season. Quinton Morton-Robertson joins the roster by way of the Big South, who will add on to the depth of Jon Coffman’s squad. Jarred Godfrey should be among the leaders in scoring in the conference, as his fifth season should be his most productive from the wing. The motif of shooting throughout the roster continues with Damian Chong-Qui and Deonte Billups. Though DCQ is only 5’8”, he understands his game and what he needs to do to contribute to success. Coffman puts his players in a place to win, understanding what he and his team needs to do to repeat as conference champions.
172. Belmont
#5 in the MVC
Between losing two of their three top scores and the forever underrated Grayson Murphy, it will be a difficult first year in the MVC for Casey Alexander. They’ll bring back top returning scorer Ben Sheppard for his senior season, but the playmaking lost from both the aforementioned Murphy and Luke Smith will need to be replaced. Keishawn Davidson is all too familiar with how talented the Bruins were in the OVC, transferring into the program by way of Tennesee Tech, and likely will look towards being the starting one. The majority of taken and growth won’t come in year one, with seven separate freshmen joining the roster. Alexander understands that this likely is going to be a project, and one which might mean a disappointing finish in his new conference.
173. Harvard
#2 in Ivy League
The Crimson lose Noah Kirkwood, who did just about everything for the Crimson the previous season. Chris Ledlum may fill a similar role Kirkwood did, with some playmaking and ballhandling ability complimenting his size as a forward. If Ledlum is able to improve his shooting from the perimeter, not much falloff should be expected. Ledlum is the leading returning scorer and has a well rounded game. Louis Ledmond has intriguing size as well, with four players 6’6” having averaged 20 minutes or more the previous season. There isn’t a defacto big on the roster, but having a talented wing rotation might solve some of those issues. Luka Sakota will likely do the majority of the ball handling, once again, from the forward position.
Image Credit: South Dakota State Athletics
174. South Dakota State
#3 in the Summit League
Though Eric Henderson has had his Jackrabbits at nothing short of a juggernaut during his tenure, he’ll lose three players which kept his team undefeated in conference play the previous year. Thankfully, he brings back a ton of depth, and a power five transfer by way of Wisconsin, Matthew Mors. Zeke Mayo could be one of the most improved players in the conference, providing good shooting and efficiency, and he should expect his volume to increase in his sophomore year. Alex Arians and Charlie Easley are two talented defenders from the guard spot, and they’ll look to provide playmaking. There are some questions about who is going to fill out the forward rotation next to senior Luke Appel, and though the aforementioned Mors might be the obvious answer due to his power five status, he redshirted during his only year at Wisconsin before transferring.
175. James Madison
#3 in the Sun Belt
The Dukes peaked in December after beating Virginia at home. Their last season in the Colonial didn’t have too many other highlights outside of that game. Getting one of best conference transfers to point should mean their first year in the Southland ends better than their last in the CAA. Noah Freidel was one of the best players on a tournament team the previous year. His shooting and defensive abilities, both inside and out should mean the Dukes have an all-conference player on their hands. His skills should translate well, and he joins a team that is already full of talent. Vado Morse isn’t a bad option to have in the backcourt next to you, with more of abilities as a playmaker from the one. Alonzo Sule is a stretch five who will need to continue his ascendence as a rim protector to keep the Dukes a threat on the defensive end, paired with their obvious stout offense.
176. Tulsa
#11 in the American
Frank Haith might’ve had a tournament team if not for the pandemic a few seasons ago, and he wasn’t able to bounce back in the years following. Bryant Selebangue isn’t the most obvious answer to the starting five due to his lack of high-level experience, but what he displayed in the paint as well as on the perimeter might fit in well to Eric Konkol’s system. There isn’t a lot of obvious talent that is going to take a step forward. Though there is some comfort in continuity, the lack of action taken by Konkol in the transfer portal might mean the Hurricane finishes at the bottom of the conference, once again.
177. Chattanooga
#4 in the Southern Conference
The Mocs will lose much of what nearly led them to an upset win over Illinois in the first round of the tournament the previous year. They’ll bring in Jake Stephens, who may be the most efficient seven-footer in the country. Stephens nearly shot 50% from the perimeter the previous season on five attempts a game. Stephens won’t only be the best shooter on the team, but the best passer as well. Honor Huff is the other VMI transfer to join Dan Earl on his new team, who will provide some secondary playmaking and shooting. Earl had moderate success with these two at VMI, but at a program with more funding, and resources and coming off of a tournament appearance, the ceiling is raised for both he and his former Keydets.
178. UNC Asheville
#2 in the Big South
Drew Pember will be who the bulldogs need to stand a chance against the Lancers, who will be a clear step ahead of Mike Morrell’s squad. Outside of Pember, Fletcher Abee should fill some of the scoring left by the loss of LJ Thorpe, but Trent Stephney alone might not be enough to fill the point guard abilities. Caleb Burgess may get more of a look than expected as a secondary ball handler, with Pember needing a suitable pick-and-roll partner to reach his full potential as conference player of the year.
179. Valparaiso
#6 in the MVC
Though Kobe King was a really good out-of-nowhere surprise for the Beacons the previous season, King will lose a ton of depth which kept his team relatively respectable. The incoming talent is made up of freshman and lower level transfers. Though there wasn’t a go-to point guard the previous season, that is what Nick Edwards was used to at D2 Glenville State. Edwards should be the starting one next to King. Ben Krikkle was productive at the five, and though there are some questions about what the forward rotation next to him will look like, his success as a senior is all but a certainty.
180. UC Riverside
#4 in the Big West
Mike Magpayo didn’t have the sophomore season he would’ve wanted after breaking on the scene in his first season as head coach. Losing Dominick Pickett won’t help a bounceback third season for Mike, but getting back Zyon Pullin will. Losing the duo of Callum McRae and JP Moorman will mean Pullin will further be relied upon as the primary ball handler, with a secondary ball handler (hopefully Flynn Cameron) emerging to lessen the load. Four transfers and one freshman joining the older roster will be an interesting combination.
181. Gardner-Webb
#3 in the Big South
Tim Craft’s culture building in Boiling Springs should mean he’ll find a bigger opportunity soon. Despite losing two 14-point-per-game scorers, Craft shouldn’t find his Bulldogs in the basement of the conference. This will mainly be due to Kareem Reid taking a step forward, and the incoming talent of DQ Nicholas and Lucas Stieber, who played intriguing roles at their previous stops in Southeast Missouri State and Green Bay, respectively. If one of the three up transfers are able to hit as well, this team could perform better than their middle-of-the-pack projections.
182. Wofford
#5 in the Southern Conference
The Terriers, though they’ll lose the majority of their talent and depth, have proven the ability to put things together quickly. It seems as if every year someone steps up, and with a roster that welcomes six freshmen, it should be expected that a younger or unproven player takes a step forward where they aren’t expected to. BJ Mack and Messiah Jones have already proven themselves to be talented pieces on a roster that has seen a fair amount of both turnover and success in the last half decade, but the pieces around them are what might lead to this team being disappointing. The four sophomores joining this roster haven’t seen a whole lot of the court, and they’ll half to, as Mack and Jones can’t play all five positions, as much as Mack might want to.
183. Princeton
#3 in Ivy League
The Tigers had the most talented roster in the Ivy League, even though they missed the tournament. They will lose 39 points between three players, but Mitch Henderson has proven the ability to find productivity in places where it isn’t expected. He’ll have to get creative, with very little proven outside of seniors Ryan Langborg and Tosan Evbuomwan. The two have games that complement each other, with Tosan an inept shooter, while Langborg finds the majority of his scoring from the perimeter. Matt Alloco was a big part of the rotation the previous season, though he didn’t have the productivity many were expecting in his sophomore season. He should improve on volume with three huge departures.
184. Missouri State
#7 in the MVC
Isiaih Mosley had huge performances for the Bears and received the majority of the spotlight, but Gaige Prim was one of the best players in the conference. Replacing both of them is going to be a huge talent for Dana Ford. Ford did pretty well for himself in the transfer portal, and though he has three freshmen joining the roster, the four senior transfers should provide some short-term success. Bryan Trimble was a key piece of a tournament team the previous season in Akron, and he’ll be a starting wing. Matthew Lee made the Elite Eight for Saint Peter’s, and he should share the backcourt with Trimble. Continuing the trend of success is Kendle Moore, who should complete the three man guard rotation, by way of Colorado State. Dalen Ridgnal, James Graham and Chance Moore all lack the experience of the other transfers, but they come by way of power five programs, potentially allowing the finding of untapped potential for Ford.
185. UC Irvine
#5 in the Big West
Russell Turner is a legend in and out of Irvine, between his pre-game comments (Louis “Queen”) or his 12 impressive years heading the Anteaters. Losing Collin Welp will hurt, but finding someone to fill the five won’t be difficult, between Bent Leuchten and Dean Keeler returning, as well as Chazz Hutchison transferring in. DJ Davis is one of the most underappreciated players in the conference, and as an upperclassman, he’ll have a huge role in scoring inside and out. Dawson Baker is another junior who might take a step forward, especially under Turner’s watch.
186. Detroit Mercy
#3 in Horizon League
Antoine Davis is going to go down as one of the best players in not only the history of the program but the history of the conference. This is all without ever reaching the tournament, which he’ll look to do in his redshirt senior year. His Dad looked towards the transfer portal to supplant him with talent after losing second-leading scorer Madut Akec. Gerald Liddell was productive at Alabama State while Arashma Parks might’ve seen the most talent following transferring from Temple. Damezi Anderson didn’t play much at Indiana and he failed to stay healthy in the MVC, but he could complement the skills of Davis with his potential as a forward on the perimeter. Though it starts with Davis, he is only able to do so much in terms of defense and complimentary scoring.
Image Credit: Montana Athletics
187. Montana
#3 in the Big Sky
The Grizzlies were good last season, and with the turnover throughout the roster, it might be a bit difficult to expect them to take the leap. Brandon Whitney and Josh Bannan are both talented, but the continuity throughout the roster might not be there. There are four freshmen alongside two transfers who will be looked towards to make an immediate impact. Aanen Moody’s abilities on the perimeter should likely transfer over from Southern Utah and Lonell Martin’s two-way ability should provide the Grizzlies some balance.
188. Mount St. Mary’s
#7 in the MAAC
Though the Mountaineers will lose two of their top three scorers as they transition from the NEC to the MAAC, they aren’t expected to regress, behind the talents of Jalen Benjamin and the proving coaching success of Dan Engelstad. Engelstad brings with him an older roster, one of whom he expects to build off of his recent success in Emmitsburg. Though the older contributors on his roster haven’t proven to be among the most competitive in the conference, Engelstad will likely roll out a ten or eleven-man rotation. Expected to take a step forward should be Deandre Thomas who has already proven himself a formidable shooter in a lower-volume roll. Now with him likely a fixture of the wing rotation, Benjamin should have plenty of space to work inside and out.
189. UC San Diego
#6 in the Big West
Losing Tony Rocak was disappointing, especially after receiving contributions from him that weren’t otherwise expected. Getting back Bryce Pope and Jake Kosakowski should help the wings, with the latter being one of the best shooters in the conference. Though the Tritons aren’t yet eligible for the tournament, their future lies in sophomore Francis Nwaokorie. Francis’ abilities around the basket and improving shooting from outside should make him a real competitor for conference player of the year if he sticks around for his upperclassmen seasons. Getting some continuity is important for this program, and it is exactly what Eric Olen has.
190. Yale
#4 in Ivy League
Coming off a tournament appearance, depth is what James Jones has shown to vitalize. Though losing their top two scorers should bring that depth into question, Filling the shoes of Azar Swain and Jalen Gabbidon should be Matthue Cotton and Matt Knowling. Though they play different games than their predecessors, Jones has been proven to be versatile when it comes to success with his players. Bez Mbeng is a sophomore who should do the majority of the ball handling, while Isaiah Kelly could be a complementary playmaker while playing the five.
191. Canisius
#8 in the MAAC
The Golden Griffins stayed in the mix the previous season throughout nearly almost every contest but losing some of the continuity which kept them competitive won’t help. Reggie Witherspoon will lose three of his top four scorers. Jordan Henderson is the leading returning scorer in his fifth season, mixing some playmaking into his 11 points a game. Jamir Moultrie transferred from Kennesaw State for his fifth year, and he’ll provide some much-needed shooting to a team that loses a fair amount of it. Jacco Fritz might be the leading assist getter, despite being a near seven-footer. Though the Griffins should remain in the mix for games, their ability to win close games might be questionable.
Image Credit: Winthrop Athletics
192. Winthrop
#4 in the Big South
Losing DJ Burns is disappointing, especially for NC State, which isn’t the greener pastures that one may expect/ Kellon Talford is coming into his own as a big, and he should play a big role in his junior season. To compliment him will be Cory Hightower and Michael Anumba, two fifth-year players with scoring ability from all over the court. Isaiah Wilson was on a tournament team the previous season. The majority of the incoming talent, though, isn’t as much a certainty. Kasen Harrison could make the crowded wing rotation if his skills transfer over.
193. Brown
#4 in Ivy League
Kino Lilly was the best freshman in the conference the previous season and he’ll lead the charge for Mike Martin. Nana Owusu-Anane might be among the best players on the roster for his potential contributions in the paint, especially with a big hole being left after Jaylen Gainey departed. Paxson Wojcik needs to fill his role as the most productive senior. Assertiveness might be an issue, as playing next to Lilly means at times the ball needs to be in another player’s hands, and that should either be the aforementioned Wojcik or junior guard Dan Friday.
194. Northern Arizona
#4 in the Big Sky
Jalen Cone has been a revelation as a transfer and the fact that he’s coming into his upperclassmen years might mean brighter days for the Lumber Jacks. His size is an obvious issue, and if he’s able to improve as a floor general, he might be able to better compliment Carson Towt, a point forward who is only a sophomore. The youth of the talent throughout the roster is reason for the struggles within the previous season, with Nik Mains being the lone returning senior. Thankfully, their biggest loss in terms of production averaged five points a game, meaning Shan Burcar likely should find his way out of the basement.
195. Niagra
#9 in the MAAC
Greg Paulus loses his top scorer and two of his top three coming into his fourth year in Niagra. His most productive returner is Noah Thomasson, a lead guard with good size who will look to expand his productivity after an impressive first year in New York, having transferred and sat out the previous season. Joe Kasperzyk mirrored Thomasson’s 10.8 points a game in 13 fewer minutes, and with losing both Marcus Hammond and Jordan Cintron, Kasperzyk should look to improve his volume. Paulus’ squad touts ten transfers and newcomers between incoming freshmen and players. Though Paulus has outperformed expectations in his first three seasons, his fourth might be his greatest challenge.
196. Cal State Fullerton
#7 in the Big West
Dedrique Taylor made his second tournament in nine seasons the previous season, but he shouldn’t be expected to do it again, especially with how much he lost. A combined 48 points were lost between four players and his respective top three scores are gone. The most notable remnants of last season’s roster are Vincent Lee and Jalen Harris. Harris was productive in spurts, but his defensive abilities were why he didn’t see the court despite his offensive abilities. Mikey Square will overtake some of the scoring abilities. The amount of turnover might be an issue for Taylor, but he knows how to coach and adapt.
197. Delaware
#3 in the Colonial
The Blue Hens will lose the majority of their scoring prowess that brought them to the tournament the previous season, but they’ve reloaded behind a talented transfer class. Christian Ray’s time in the A10 gave him the opportunity to hone an intriguing set of skills. Jameer Nelson Jr. is the leading returning scorer, but he won’t see too many other familiar faces. Jyare Davis might take a jump at the five in his sophomore year, but he might be expected to do more on the defensive end. LJ Owens could be the make-or-break piece on the roster, with his abilities on the perimeter complimenting Nelson.
198. California
#11 in the Pac 12
It hasn’t gotten much easier one year over the next for Mark Fox, with an inability to retain the talent he brings in. The transfer portal hasn’t been great for him and struggles to make the most of talent when he has it likely means that unless this team is able to exceed opportunities, this will likely be his last season in Berkeley. There are some intriguing transfers. Devin Askew had some moments at Kentucky, but he wasn’t as effective in Austin. Dejuan Clayton will need to improve as a shooter, but he could make Askew’s job easier, by adopting the role of the lead ball handler.
Image Credit: UMass Lowell Athletics
199. UMass Lowell
#4 in the America East
There is a good balance of talent all throughout the roster, with a good mix of depth, namely with Max Brooks and Ayinde Hikim, both juniors, missed with Allin Blunt using his COVID season. Outside of those three, averaging a combined 32 a game, Yuri Covington is an intriguing transfer. The talent on the team is undeniable, but they lacked success with such talent throughout the season, what is supposed to be different this season? It might just be a mix of talented guys who don’t work to contribute to winning.
200. Nevada
#9 in the Mountain West
Steven Alford went from a top-ten job in the sport to struggling at a mid-major. It doesn’t get easier in the Mountain West, which arguably had more depth than the Pac-12 the previous year. The Wolf Pack enter the year without two of the best players in the conference. Alford utilizes his Pac-12 ties to land Jarod Lucas, who had more team success in his sophomore year than his junior but put up impressive personal counting statistics in both seasons. This is a good collection of incoming transfers, with a ton of good passers throughout the roster. A concern for this team might be rim protection. Will Baker struggled at times defending the paint and KJ Hymes isn’t horribly experienced. Finding a solution at the five might be Alford’s toughest challenge, especially with how well he reloaded the backcourt.
201. Merrimack
#1 in the NEC
The Warriors, much like Bellarmine have been incredibly successful even without the ability to compete in the tournament. The carrot of the tournament hasn’t been necessary for Joe Gallo’s squad, who expect another successful season, even if it ends in the NEC tournament, and not the NCAA. Jordan Minor is among the best centers in the conference, and he returns for his senior season in the middle for the Warriors. Ziggy Reid improved as a junior and if he is able to continue his growth as a shooter, he’ll be a huge part of the rotation. Two James Madison transfers: Jaylen Stinson and Devon Savage haven’t demonstrated a whole lot in terms of production, but they’ll be utilized as effectively as possible by Gallo. With a conference experiencing as much turnover as the NEC, Gallo’s team might be the safest option to take home the regular season title.
202. Morehead State
#1 in the OVC
The Eagles no longer have to face two of the best teams in the OVC, but they’ll do so without their star forward Johni Broome. Thankfully, Preston Spradlin isn’t a one-trick pony, and although he’ll lose his top four scorers, the transfer portal provided him a means to continue the upward trajectory of the program. Jalen Hawkins and Kalil Thomas are among the two biggest expected contributors coming into the season, both in their fifth year, and providing some shooting from the wing. Mark Freeman and Alex Gross will likely split playmaking abilities, with Gross being a fascinating prospect, coming by way of D3 Olivet Nazarene and being one of the best passing big men in the country, regardless of level. How these players are utilized, with an intriguing collection of talent.
203. UNC Wilmington
#4 in the Colonial
The Seahawks deserved better than CBI Champions the previous season, and although the majority of his scoring talent is gone, Takayo Siddle has introduced himself as one of the most exciting young coaches at the mid-major level. The most important returner is Shykeim Phillips, who’ll come into his senior season hungry. Donovan Newby will share the backcourt with him, by way of the Horizon League. Jamahri Harvey and Trazarien White should be stalwarts of the wing rotation, with Eric Van Der Heijden and Victor Enoh, transfers from Marist and Ole Miss respectively, will play the five. Expect another slow start in Wilmington, especially with all the new pieces.
Image Credit: Georgia Tech Athletics
204. Georgia Tech
#15 in the ACC
Michael Devoe and Jordan Usher were most of everything that went well for a team who won 5 games in a (regular season) down year for the conference. They don’t return anyone who averaged more than 7 points a game. Rodney Howard and Kyle Sturdivant are the two returning seniors, but neither of them has the track record of former duos Devoe and Usher or Alvarado and Wright from two years back.
205. Eastern Washington
#5 in the Big Sky
There wasn’t the falloff in the post-Groves and Legans era that might’ve been expected, but with losing Linton Acliese III and Rylan Bergersen, there should be some regression. Deon Stroud is a transfer from Fresno State who should keep the Eagles relevant. Steele Venters has a great name and he paired with Angelo Allegri should be two of the most prolific forwards in the country. Ethan Price’s defense might be the most important factor for this roster, who have struggled on that side for quite a bit of time now.
206. Murray State
#8 in the MVC
Steve Prohm returning to Murray is a feel-good story for the Racers, but finding success in the MVC is not as easy as it might have been found in the OVC. With losing nearly his entire roster, it will be a difficult first year for both the coach and the program. Expecting them to go undefeated in conference play anytime soon might be a bit of a difficult ask. In terms of talent, the majority of it will come by way of the transfer portal, rather than internally. Five freshmen join the roster, which will be more effective long term instead of this upcoming season. Rob Perry and Jamari Smith were both productive at current D1 programs, the latter finding his success at D1 newcomer Queens. Smith was a stretch five which will open up the court next to DJ Burns, who doesn’t have the perimeter abilities Smith possesses.
207. Army
#2 in the Patriot League
Army is one of the few programs in the country that has lived under a rock in terms of the effect of the transfer portal. West Point cannot be transferred out of, and for Jimmy Allen, that is a good thing, for talent retainment. Chris Mann is the only senior on the roster, and while he didn’t have a huge role on the team the previous year, he is among the best shooters on the team, and his leadership will be key. The team’s leading scorer, Jalen Rucker had a very impressive sophomore year, and with his improved shooting and ball handling, he may make an all-conference team. There are some questions about the wing rotation next to Mann, as there sin’t much experience. The offseason development of shooting and defense will be the deciding factor for this program, as that growth can only come internally.
208. Pacific
#10 in the WCC
Leonard Perry is making this roster his, optional or not. The lack of obvious returning talent is going to make immediate success for the second-year coach difficult, but if some of these high-rated transfers hit, the Tigers could challenge for the top half of the conference. Keylan Boone was an important part of that Oklahoma State defense, and he’ll bring his size and versatility from the four. Donovan Williams, another former Cowboy doesn’t have the volume to support his 40% perimeter shooting, but if extrapolation is accurate, two stars could be in the hands of Perry. Jordan Ivy-Curry may be the most obvious day-one point guard, but having good passers around the roster, including junior Nick Blake makes it easier on Ivy-Curry.
209. Oakland
#4 in Horizon League
Greg Kampe is going on 40 years in Oakland, Michigan, who should’ve had his fourth trip to the tournament, if not for Jalen Moore’s mid-season injury. Moore is back for his redshirt season, but Jamal Cain is not. Replacing the 6’7” sharpshooter will be difficult, and instead, they’ll look to get smaller, with Rocket Watts joining the team by way of Michigan State. Watts underperformed in his first three seasons for Tom Izzo, but a change of scenery is usually helpful for highly rated down transfers. Trey Townsend will be among the most important players on the roster, with Kampe well known for riding his guys for 35 or more minutes a night.
Image Credit: South Alabama Athletics
210. South Alabama
#4 in the Sun Belt
Richie Riley has demonstrated himself as one of the best recruiters by way of the transfer portal at the conference. Greg Parham will be a sort of delayed gratification for the coach, whose injury-related absence was disappointing, despite the team finishing with 21 wins. Kevin Sammel will provide some rim protection for a team that lacked rim protection the previous year outside of Javon Franklin. With Franklin gone, Samuel should be a step forward, having put up nearly 3 blocks a game for Florida Gulf Coast. Lower-level transfers fill out the rest of the team’s transfers, but returning a good amount of their talent around the edges could mean this team has another top half of the conference finish.
211. Howard
#2 in the MEAC
The Bison had their best season in quite a while the previous season, and under Kenny Blakeney’s leadership and although they’ll lose three of their top five scorers, including Kyle Foster, offensive proficiency should continue under Blakeneny’s leadership. Elijah Hawkins was among the best freshmen in the conference the previous season, and his impressive offensive abilities aren’t only tied to his playmaking abilities, but his scoring. If he is able to improve specifically as a pull-up shooter from the perimeter, he could be among the best players in the conference. It isn’t a question of the confidence Blakeney holds in Hawkins, but if Hawkins is going to fulfill that confidence. His leash should be among the longest on the team. Steve Settle will bring some of the efficiency that Hawkins might lack, but he is seen as more of a secondary playmaker, not needing the ball in his hands as often as Hawkins does.
212. Charleston
#5 in the Colonial
In Pat Kelsey’s second season, the Cougars will look to improve their consistency and how they interact with Kelsey’s proven winning system. This won’t be easy with losing a combined 36 points, headlined by John Meeks. A real concern is finding someone to overtake point guard responsibilities. Grad transfer Ryan Larson is primed to be the lead ball handler, while up transfer Jaylon Scott will see if he doesn’t have similar success as he did at Bethel. Reyne Smith’s impressive play as a freshman should only improve, as his two-point and three-point percentages were comparable in his first season.
213. North Florida
#3 in the ASUN
It was an up-and-down (or really, down then up) season for the Osprey in the previous season, and they should find a fair amount of stability with their building blocks returning. Jose Placer and Jarius Hicklen were important pieces in the backcourt and could combine to average close to 30 in their respective junior seasons. The most experienced player on the roster is Carter Hendricksen whose well-rounded game should continue to be impressive for Matthew Driscoll. Oscar Berry was talented as a freshman at Fairleigh Dickinson and could be a good piece in the rotation.
214. Southern
#1 in the SWAC
The Jaguars, though they finished third, beat the top teams in the conference the previous year, and were by many accounts, the best team in the SWAC. They’ll bring back nearly their entire roster from the previous year, including Tyone Lyons and Brion Whitley, who’ll contend for all conference spots in their redshirt senior seasons. If the two can continue to improve from outside, they’ll be a duo that is hard to defend, and that is already with a guy like Terrell Williams on the roster, who is a talented shooter himself. PJ Byrd and Bryson Etienne will likely split playmaking abilities, with Byrd having a very impressive junior season, and really finding his role on the roster. Though the focus of this team has been on their offensive abilities, Lyons is one of the best defenders in the conference, while Byrd and Etienne are both incredibly pesky on the perimeter. This team is well-rounded and brings back players who have already had success.
215. Air Force
#10 in the Mountain West
AJ Walker was an important player for Joe Scott the previous year, and losing him isn’t as easy as replacing him via the transfer portal, as Air Force doesn’t do transfers. Thus, developing the depth that Scott brought in and carried in from the previous tenure. There were sophomores who showed out well in their freshman year, especially lead guard Ethan Taylor. Taylor needs to improve as a shooter, as this team lacks guys who can knock down an open shot, especially at great volume. Jake Heidbreder and Camden Vander Zwaag are two wings who can stroke it from the perimeter, but they’ll both need to improve on the defensive end. Joe Scott understands how to win at this program, but doing so against guys who can bring in transfers much easier than when Scott found his success is certainly a challenge.
Image Credit: Click2Houston
216. Texas State
#5 in the Sun Belt
Terrence Johnson has been able to find more success in his first two years in San Marcos than would’ve been expected for the interim-turned-full-time coach. He’ll have to find it in his third season with a new class of starters, losing three of his four highest scorers from the previous year. Though a third straight first-place finish might not be likely, expecting his Bobcats to completely bottom out is unlikely as well. This is due to the incoming class of transfers as well as the experience throughout the roster. Two Florida transfers Elijah Kennedy and Tuongthach Gatkek didn’t play a whole lot in Gainsville, but they’ll look to have more of a role in San Marcos. Nighael Ceaser will likely get starter minutes in his senior year, and his ascendence as a rim protector has been huge for this roster. If Ceaser’s lower volume defensive numbers carry over well, the Bobcats could be atop the league, even if they can’t replicate their scoring output from the previous two seasons.
217. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
#1 in the Southland
The Islanders return the majority of their rotation pieces from a team that surged down the stretch and made the tournament. After a slow start to the season, the Islanders played their way to a first-four appearance, and if the showing from February onwards is any indication of what is to come, it wouldn’t be surprising if they make it back again. Though the first part of conference play was a struggle for Steve Lutz, attributing this to it being his first year as head coach would be a fair explanation. This was a .500 team in conference play, even including their late-season surge. Was this just a team who got lucky down the stretch? Or was the February onward version the true Islanders?
218. St. Francis (PA)
#2 in the NEC
The Red Flash bring back four of their starting five and the majority of their scoring talent outside of Ramir Dixon-Conover. The two junior guards, Ronell Giles and Maxwell Land each will be a huge part of the success and high expectations for Rob Krimmel, but they will need to improve their efficiency. Though both guards put up impressive aggregate scoring in their sophomore seasons, it was done so inefficiently. Shooting inside the arc might make or break this roster, with finishing around the basket being an issue for the team. Though Josh Cohen is the most efficient scorer on the roster, he’ll need to clean up his ball handling around the basket, catching the ball higher after establishing post-positioning. If Myles Thompson can carry over his shooting from his junior season, as well as improving his volume, this team has the offensive talent to be atop the NEC.
219. Florida Gulf Coast
#4 in the ASUN
Pat Chambers’ most successful season in Happy Valley just happened to be his last and for a good reason. His Nittany Lions would’ve made their first tournament in a long time if not for the pandemic, and he’ll see if that success can’t be replicated, unfortunately without the talent of Tavian Dunn-Martin on his roster, who put up an NBA-like 21/3/6. Chase Johnston should be one of those players to fill the scoring role, alongside prior Boilermaker Isaiah Thompson, who’ll have a bigger role in the ASUN than the Big Ten. I’m buying Chambers, in this role as a coach, but not as a person.
220. Lehigh
#3 in the Patriot League
A younger roster can be a double-edged sword, and the play of sophomores Tyler Whitney-Sidney and Keith Higgins Jr will determine the way the Mountain Hawk’s season goes. The two guards will look to fill holes in a rotation that loses two of their three highest scorers. Though Higgins had a very impressive showing in his freshman season, Whitney-Sidney could be looked towards more of a facilitator, meaning he may play a bigger role on this roster than previously expected, even if he isn’t scoring very often. TWS is the better shooter of the two, meaning he could be the make-or-break player in just his second year. Jalin Sinclair might split point guard duties with TWS, but with his injury, the previous year, expecting him to mesh right away with the sophomores might be a tough ask.
221. SIU Edwardsville
#2 in the OVC
Returning Ray’Sean Taylor, one of the best players in the league is one thing, but pairing him next to Shamar Wright and DeeJuan Pruitt means that the Cougars should be among the top teams in the league. This team has solid continuity, and although there isn’t a whole lot of other proven D1 talent joining the team, Damarco Minor was one of the best players in D2 the previous season as an underclassman. Finding a true big for this roster might be the deciding factor for this team’s final outcome. Jonathan Kurtas is the returning defacto big man, but he didn’t play a whole lot in his freshman year. Lamar Wright is three inches shorter, but he has displayed more in terms of productivity over two years. Kurtas is the better defender, and if he can continue this performance in a bigger role, Brian Barone could see the tournament in just his fourth year in Edwardsville.
222. Sacred Heart
#3 in the NEC
Though the Pioneers will lose their top two players, the return of Nico Galette should mean Anthony Latina is able to improve off of the previous season. The roster is rounded out by a collection of transfers and pieces which have demonstrated contributions in small spurts. A question definitely exists of who the secondary scorer next to Galette will be. There isn’t an obvious lead ball handler, coming by way of the transfer portal either, and in losing Aaron Clarke, there remains a hole at the one. This roster is built in a means that the starting five one night could be completely different than the starting five the other, with Latina able to take his pick as who should start one night compared to the other. Latina has a ton of depth, but there are obvious questions about high caliber talent among his starting five.
223. Howard
#2 in the MEAC
The Bison had their best season in quite a while the previous season, and under Kenny Blakeney’s leadership and although they’ll lose three of their top five scorers, including Kyle Foster, offensive proficiency should continue under Blakeneny’s leadership. Elijah Hawkins was among the best freshmen in the conference the previous season, and his impressive offensive abilities aren’t only tied to his playmaking abilities, but his scoring. If he is able to improve specifically as a pull-up shooter from the perimeter, he could be among the best players in the conference. It isn’t a question of the confidence Blakeney holds in Hawkins, but if Hawkins is going to fulfill that confidence. His leash should be among the longest on the team. Steve Settle will bring some of the efficiency that Hawkins might lack, but he is seen as more of a secondary playmaker, not needing the ball in his hands as often as Hawkins does.
224. Buffalo
#8 in the MAC
Jim Whitesell will lose three of his mainstays, between Jeenathan Williams, Josh Mballa, and Ronaldo Segu. It will more or less be a complete reset for the Bulls. The highest returning scorer averaged just 2.7 points per game. There aren’t many high-level proven transfers, instead players at lower levels looking to fill a role for Whitesell. Isaiah Adams had some productive games for Johnny Dawkins in the American. Kanye Jones demonstrated some impressive performances as a freshman, and he’ll get more of a chance to improve in the MAC than he did in the ACC. Whitesell will need to be patient with his younger team.
225. UT Martin
#3 in the OVC
Boomerang transfer Parker Stewart and KK Curry provide impressive shooting for a squad that is built around senior two guard KJ Simon. Simon hasn’t evolved as the shooter that he might’ve expected to become, but he has improved from his freshman year, and at the very least, he is willing. Simon is a talented scorer, even if he isn’t the most efficient on the perimeter. Koby Jeffries will likely be the starting one next to Simon. If Jeffires can improve as a scorer, it’ll make his job as a pass-first guard easier, and it should lead to the court opening up even further for Simon. Josiah Morris could be an important depth piece if he can become a better shooter. Though there is some confidence to be held in Curry, Stewart, and Simon, finding some talent in the depth will define this team’s season.
226. Denver
#4 in the Summit League
After inheriting one of the worst teams in the country, Jeff Wulbrun has a first year likely even better than he expected. This was all done in one offseason, and Wulbrun will look to reload after losing KJ Hunt and Jordan Johnson, two double-digit scorers who distributed the ball well for the Pioneers. Tommy Bruner and Tyree Corbett are two of the more productive add in the transfer portal throughout the conference, but neither of them is known well for their passing, despite Bruner’s prototypical point guard size. Marko Lukic has good size and the potential to be a complementary passer, but there isn’t an obvious lead ball handler like KJ Hunt was for the Pioneers the previous season. Despite this potential hole, confidence should be held in Wulbrun’s system, who will look to take another step forward in his second season in Denver.
227. Bethune-Cookman
#2 in the SWAC
If context were taken for first-year coach Reggie Theus, his season would be seen as more of a success than his 10th-place finish might show. His players seem to feel that there is unfinished business as well, as he’ll return the majority of his productivity from the previous season. Joe French and KJ Davis are two of the best forwards in the conference. French is more of a wing, shooting a similar percentage from two as he does from three, in the mid-40s. Davis can handle the ball and defend at a high level, and he will be a big part of a Wildcat roster that could really hit its stride. Marcus Garrett will likely be the starting point guard. This team has a good mix of experience and untapped potential, with a new coach raising the ceilings. If Garrett can continue to improve his discipline as a passer, this team could have a very impressive bounce-back year.
228. Wright State
#5 in Horizon League
The Raiders went to the tournament and won a game the previous season, but they’ll lose their two leading scorers. Trey Calvin had magic moments in both their run through the Horizon League tournament and their win against Bryant, and he’ll look to eat up some of the scoring departing by Grant Basile. AJ Braun looked good as a freshman, and even though he isn’t expected to fill the shoes of Grant Basile, the dropoff shouldn’t be as big as many might expect. Tim Finke is among the best shooters on the roster, providing good size on the wing. Keaton Norris was a really good surprise as a freshman, and he’ll likely be the defacto point guard with Calvin being more of the two.
229. Boston University
#4 in the Patriot League
The Terriers have an older roster, expected to run out a starting five with an average of 3.6 years of experience at the collegiate level. Though this usually is an indicator of running back a team for one last dance, the combined 32 points lost between their two top scorers would indicate otherwise. The depth on this roster played a smaller role behind the likes of Javante McCoy, meaning many players are expected to contribute in a volume that may be unfamiliar to them. Asking fifth-year players such as Jonas Harper and Fletcher Tyneen to take a step forward, instead of being simply role players as they have been throughout their entire careers might be too difficult of an ask by Joe Jones.
230. North Carolina Central
#3 in the MEAC
Two of the best players in the conference return to Durham, Kris Monroe, and Justin Wright. Eric Boone presents important playmaking as well as fearsome perimeter defense from the one. Wright will need to continue his improvement as a shooter, both in terms of efficiency and volume. Brendan Medley-Bacon is a seven-footer who should make this among the best defensive units, with BMB and Boone being key to making this a team who doesn’t only score 75 but give up 80 to pair. LeVelle Moton has seen a ton of success in his decade-plus in Durham, and expectations should be high for the Eagles. Though they aren’t the favorites in the conference, surprises are not uncommon in the MEAC Conference tournament, and if the Eagles can live up to expectations and earn a top seed, they could look to upset Norfolk State.
Image Credit: Northeastern Athletics
231. Northeastern
#6 in the Colonial
Bill Coen brings in a ton of new talent after one of the worst seasons in recent memory for the Huskies. Not a whole lot should be expected for this season, especially with losing the talents of Tyreek Scott-Grayson, Nikola Djogo, and Shaquille Walters, a combined 34/15/7. Jahmyl Telfort will be asked to do more than he may have expected in his junior season, but Coen should be entrusted to guide both he and the Huskies into a more impressive season than the last. Chris Doherty provides important experience to this roster at the five, while incoming transfer Joe Pridgen should be the most important wing on the roster.
232. Navy
#5 in the Patriot League
The Midshipmen had a successful 11th season under Ed DeChellis but in losing their two top scorers, and not having the ease of bringing in new players via the transfer portal, it may be a step back in Annapolis. A ton of experience litters this roster, the most obvious talent lying in senior forwards Jaylen Walker and Tyler Nelson. Though DeChellis prefers running out a deeper rotation, relying on the six proven seniors might be the way to go. There is a hole in an obvious point guard, especially in a rotation that prioritizes depth over developing singular talent, but the playmaking abilities of senior big Daniel Deaver might be the answer to that question. Deaver returns the most assists of anyone on the team, and for a 6’8” guy, he can handle the ball in traffic and facilitate an offense better than most guys of his size in the league.
233. Central Connecticut State
#4 in the NEC
Four conference wins don’t seem like much, but for a program that has had as many struggles in recent memory as the Blue Devils have, it was a successful first season for Patrick Sellers, and one they should be confident they can build off of. Though a few rotation pieces are departing, their top scorer, Nigel Scantlebury returns for his senior season, running the point in New Britain. Scantlebury will be among the best players in the conference, and his ability to ball handle is only made easier as his respectability as a shooter, both getting his shot near the rim as well as on the perimeter. Andre Snoddy was a fantastic surprise as a freshman, and his productivity is likely to continue as the starting three will look to continue, both as a playmaker and defender.
234. Tennessee State
#4 in the OVC
The Tigers will once again look towards the transfer portal to provide them success and keep them at the very least, relevant. The intra-conference transfer Junior Clay is among the most notable of these transfers. He’ll share point guard duties with returning sophomore Marcus Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald had an impressive freshman season, and if he can continue to display the impressive defense and improved shooting he did down the stretch for the Tigers, Fitzgerald could be a mainstay of this program for years to come. Christian Brown put up impressive splits in a limited role, and with a forward rotation less logjammed than the previous year, he’ll likely get upwards of 30 minutes a game as a junior. There are some questions about the five, but between David Acosta, Emmanuel Dowuona, and Adong Makuoi, Penny Collins should have plenty of options.
235. Youngstown State
#6 in Horizon League
The Penguins lose two of their top three scorers, a combined 26 points between Tevin Olison and Michael Akuchie. Dwayne Cohill will take the reins as the surefire alpha scorer in his redshirt senior season. Garret Covington could get more of a look if he can improve his skills as a ballhandler. Jerrod Calhoun has an older roster, bringing in Adrian Nelson to play the five, who has experience atopthe conference at Northern Kentucky. William Dunn could take a step forward in terms of production in his junior year, and the experience throughout this roster should lead the Penguins to win some tight games.
236. Nicholls State
#2 in the Southland
The first-place team from the previous season will lose three of their starters, but bring in a class of transfers that could fill the holes. Josh LeBlanc was a part of a tournament team and Micah Thomas has demonstrated both abilities as a shooter and a playmaker during his single year in the MVC. Latrell Jones returns for his fifth and final year in college, and he provided some good offense from the wing the previous season but without the conference’s leading scorer, Ty Gordon, Jones might be more easily guarded on the defensive end. Josh LeBlanc, although not known as much of a scorer from his days in Birmingham, may get some more looks from the inside. At the very least, he’ll have plenty of offensive rebounding opportunities if he’s lined up next to Manny Littles.
237. Kennesaw State
#5 in the ASUN
Between the 6’4” and under the trio of Terell Burden, Spencer Rodgers and Chris Youngblood, the Owls bring back a lot of the success that made them a middle-of-the-pack team. Quincy Ademokoya could truly take a step forward as an upperclassman. A true concern is defense and size on that end. Desmond Robinson likely can’t be the defensive anchor he might be looked to be, Some continuity in a roster full of turnover might be a positive for Amir Abdur-Rahim.
238. Marshall
#6 in the Sun Belt
The Thundering Herd will look to have a better first season in the Sun Belt than their last in Conference USA. Most of this will be accomplished via internal growth, as Dan D’Antoni returns his top three leading scorers, including Taevion Kinsey. Kinsey was among the biggest disappointments on the roster the previous season, who’ll really have to pick up his shooting. Volume shooters are given more leeway in terms of efficiency than role players, but Kinsey’s efficiency was literally cut in half after shooting in the low 40s as a sophomore. Kinsey should be better as a senior, and this will likely mean that the Herd will have a better finish than a four-win conference season the previous year. Having one of the most talented players in the conference is a good thing to take with you when chartering unknown waters.
Image Credit: La Salle Athletics
239. La Salle
#14 in the A10
Fran Dunphy is a legend of the region, but La Salle isn’t Temple, and he’ll have a bigger challenge on his hands than he might realize the signed up for. Specifically, this team wasn’t great last season, and the only additions outside of freshmen are a couple of MAAC transfers in the Drame brothers. Dunphy wasn’t active in coaching when the transfer portal really started to explode. The Explorers are at a disadvantage for this very reason, especially after losing their two leading scorers from the previous year. Expecting Dunphy’s system to catch on over a single offseason might be a bit ambitious, especially without having been in the coaching game for the past several years. It’ll be interesting to see the shot selection of guys like Josh Nickelberry, and Khalil Brantley should be expected to take a good amount of the team’s shots.
240. Tarleton
#10 in the WAC
Billy Gillispie might legitimately expect his guys to win a title. Not a CBI title. The big one. Losing the two few bright spots in terms of perimeter efficiency from the previous season might not help his high aspirations, but Billy, though a bit old school, understands and embraces the importance of the transfer portal. Not many reinforcements are coming in terms of knockdown shooters which might be an issue we see hurt the Texans throughout the season. Noah McDavid is the best-returning shooter, but his lack of volume might show that his near 40% from the perimeter is simply small sample size. The Texans might have to win ugly.
241. San Jose State
#10 in the Mountain West
Omari Moore’s ability on the defensive end, as well as his playmaking, is a reason to watch the game, even if this team doesn’t have a whole lot else. The Spartans struggled in conference play the previous year, and much of this was due to not having a designated guy to take shots late in games. Defining those roles can be made easier as a coach becomes better acquainted with both his players and the program. Tim Miles is in his second year in San Jose, and he should look to define those offensive roles. Moore is a talented playmaker, and if he is expected to be the lead ball handler, having a crop of guys who can score inside, are active off the ball, and make the extra pass makes Moore’s job as a playmaker much easier. This team, though, didn’t do enough in the offseason to lead one to expect them to win much more than they did the previous year.
242. McNeese State
#3 in the Southland
The Cowboys have an interesting roster after losing some pieces, one that lacks shooting but has a fair among of willing and able passers. This means two things, scoring in transition is a must for this team, but with the number of passes this team needs to take in order to have good half-court possession, turnovers might be likely. Zach Scott and Malachi Rhodes are the two best shooters on the team, with Rhodes coming by way of Bucknell, needing to display more consistency, and likely a higher volume in a team that lost a fair amount of its perimeter talent and shooting. Harwin Francois’ decision to return for his fifth season becomes that much more important, providing some of that aforementioned playmaking as well as much-needed shooting. There may need to be a lead playmaker who steps up, so to prevent the turnovers from getting out of control, and that may come by way of transfers or freshmen, as although there are some talented secondary playmakers, this team might struggle to find looks late in the game, as it slows down.
243. Texas Southern
#3 in the SWAC
Johnny Jones has found more success in the SWAC in the past five seasons than nearly any other coach in their first five years. There are only two players on this roster shorter than 6’4”, one of them being PJ Henry, who isn’t easy to target on the defensive end, as he is a pesky perimeter defender, and quite smart, using his size to his advantage. Outside of Henry and Zytarious Morlte, it is a team full of athletic wings, essentially the Toronto Raptors of the SWAC. There isn’t an obvious lead guard on this roster in terms of consistently bringing the ball up the court. This allows for scoring in transition off of forced turnovers, but it also leads to struggles in the half-court at times, and issues with turnovers late in the game when it slows down. For a team who expects to be in the SWAC Title game year after year, they need guys who excel when the game slows down, and while their defense will keep them competitive, Hrny might be important to get this team back to the tournament.
244. Jacksonville State
#6 in the ASUN
The Gamecocks won the auto bid despite falling in the semifinals. They won’t have some of what propelled them to their success. Darian Adams and Jalen Gibbs both are gone, but they’re likely to be replaced in part by Skyelar Potter and Clarence Jackson. Outside of those two, Demaree King should be the senior leader from both the point guard position and as a senior. This team could truly take a step back but their second season in the ASUN could also be a positive surprise for Ray Harper.
245. North Dakota State
#5 in the Summit League
Rocky Kreuser never gained the notoriety he deserved on the national stage, but he is a big reason why the Bison have remained amongst the giants in the Summit League. This will be an important season for Dave Richman, who’ll experience the most turnover on his roster in recent memory. Though there are two talented incoming transfers in Luke Yoder and Jacari White, both of them are lower-level players, and the obvious fit in the backcourt with not much there outside of freshmen guards. There is some good experience in the frontcourt, between Boden Skunberg, Grant Nelson and Andrew Morgan. Nelson and Morgan form a talented duo of near seven footers, Morgan demonstrating perimeter intrigue his freshman season.
246. Appalachian State
#7 in the Sun Belt
Though Dustin Kerns has found success which Boone may not be used to seeing from their basketball team, losing the main player who dragged their basketball team to the tournament the previous year, and to a second place finish last year will make it difficult for Kerns to replicate that success in year four. Carvell Teasett is a talented transfer who put up good numbers for Northwestern State and Dibaji Walker could produce more, especially as a defensive specialist than he was able to demonstrate in Massachusetts. Donovan Gregory could take a senior-sized step forward in his fourth season, but he’ll need to improve as a shooter, instead of just looking for baskets in transition. Gregory, Teasett and junior Xavion Brown will look to split playmaking duties, but most interesting might be Tamell Pearson. Pearson, at times, had looked more comfortable on the perimeter in Western Illinois than he did inside, and if he can develop into a stretch five in his senior year, it might not be as big a falloff for Kerns as might be expected.
247. Northwestern State
#4 in the Southland
The Demons begin the Corey Gipson era, which will be done without two of the better players the program has had in recent memory, Kendal Coleman and Carvell Teasett. In Coleman, they’ll lose a sturdy presence inside and a rim protector, and lose their leading playmaker with Teasett heading to App State. Gipson brings with him a pipeline to Missouri State, bringing with him three players and potential pieces of the rotation from his previous stop. Ja’Monta Black is the most proven of the three, a talented shooter on the wing. Most intriguing may be the Missouri transfer, seven plus footer Jordan Wilmore, who didn’t play a whole lot in Columbia, but should be the obvious answer at the five for the Demons.
248. UC Davis
#8 in the Big West
Elijah Pepper likely won’t have the surrounding primary scorers he did the previous season with Ezra Manjon and Caleb Fuller leaving, alongside their combined 27 points a game. Kane Milling will look to put his feet in fitting shoes, as will Robby Beasley, joining the program from Montana. Christian Anigwe is the only senior on the roster and his abilities at the five on both ends of the floor could keep the Aggies competitive. Despite losing a lot, the internal growth from a roster of mainly sophomores and juniors could lead Jim Les’ program to overperform- it wouldn’t be the first time he had a team that did.
Image Credit: Yahoo! Sports
249. East Tennessee State
#6 in the Southern Conference
The Buccaneers will need to get back on track after a disappointing first year under Desmond Oliver, and improving their depth should make things a lot easier. Bringing in a multitude of transfers, three from power five teams will allow for some weight to be taken off the shoulders of Jordan King. King is the most productive returner for the Buccaneers, with three of their four top scorers departing. King will likely split point guard duties with highly touted wing transfer Justice Smith, who comes by way of D2 Mansfield. This will be a different test for Oliver than the previous year, with many more unknowns than he had in the roster his first season in Johnson City.
250. Charlotte
#9 in Conference USA
Losing their top three leading scorers is really disappointing, especially after breeding Jahmir Young into one of the best players in the conference. They’ll look towards Aly Khalifa to provide continued success, after being among the best freshmen in the conference. Khalifa has a modern skillset, as he was among the team leaders in assists per game, exhibiting impressive skills as a ball handler for a near seven-footer. Montre Gipson should fill some of the scoring and ball handling Young took with him to Maryland.
251. Cornell
#6 in Ivy League
Max Watson is the only transfer joining an Ivy League roster. Watson isn’t expected to be a big part of the rotation, though there is a lot of unproven talent in the backcourt with all of the turnovers throughout the roster, losing a combined 30 points between three of their four top scorers leaving the program. The leading returning scorer is Chris Manon, but most intriguing is Keller Boothby, who shot 50/40/80 as a junior, though on quite a low volume. There should be plenty more opportunities for Boothby to prove that he isn’t just a small sample-size enigma.
252. Sacramento State
#6 in the Big Sky
Between all the incoming talent added over the offseason, figuring out who is taking what shot, and when, may be a bigger issue for David Patrick than having enough players to make shots. His guy Callum Mcrae might be looked towards, but Akol Mawein and Gianni Hunt both have power five experience. Zach Chappell is the leading returning scorer, while Cameron Wilbon can be a bit more trigger-happy than Chappell at times. There is a ton of talent to go around, but figuring out how it interacts likely will determine the ceiling of this team.
253. Southeastern Louisiana
#5 in the Southland
After David Kiefer found success in his third season in Hammond, he’ll have to scramble to replicate it in his fourth, after losing nearly all of his productive players. Roscoe Eastmond is a pretty talented player who Kiefer was able to retain, who should be among the assist leaders on the team, a talented point guard and defender. Matthew Strange could be a more important player on this roster than previously expected and is he among the best remaining shooters on the team. There is a good incoming transfer class joining the roster, led by Christian Agnew, who had two solid seasons in Conference USA. Agnew could be utilized more as a playmaker next to Eastmond, with Kiefer needing to replace both playmaking and scoring. There isn’t an obvious rim protector on the roster, and while Max Brackmann has good size as 7’2”, he is still incredibly raw. Half-court defense will be a work in progress for the Lions.
254. Grambling State
#4 in the SWAC
The Tigers understand how they want to play and Donte Jackson has been one of the better coaches in the SWAC in getting the type of players he wants for his system. This pattern continues, as he is essentially able to land down transfers, with Jonathan Aku from AFA, Jourdan Smith from Coastal Carolina, and Virshon Cotton by way of New Mexico State. These players are transferring due to a lack of playtime at their previous stops, and the expectation that being at a smaller program will mean a greater opportunity to show off their skills. Thus, the three of them haven’t demonstrated a whole lot in terms of productivity. Tra’Michael Moton and Shawndarius Cowart will look to mix in with the newcomers, two of the better passers on the roster. Cam Christon is among the best shooters in the conference, and though he won’t be tasked to do with too much else on the offensive end, his defensive versatility will allow for Cotton to likely start next to Cowart and Moton in the backcourt, with Christon at 6’6” moving to the 4.
255. Troy
#8 in the Sun Belt
Success was found in Troy the previous year through chaos. Having a quick and forced pace on both ends allowed for winning games that the Trojans might not have expected to pull off. Duke Miles was a big reason for this, one of the more aggressive perimeter defenders in the country, defending well in the full court and orchestrating an offense that he wasn’t always able to run traditional sets in the half court. Adding a similar player to Miles in Aamer Muhammed, though they are different in terms of scoring, both prioritize abilities as defenders, especially against primary ball handlers, may mean this success can be replicated even if the Trojans lose their top scorer. Muhammed defended less proven and experienced players in D2. Scott Cross will look to carry over his success from his third into his fourth year, and that will start on the defensive end.
256. USC Upstate
#5 in the Big South
Bryson Mozone will most obviously be replaced by Mysta Goodloe, who has got the size and the improving shooting to be a primary scorer, or at the very least, complement the talents of Jordan Hainey quite well. Dave Dickerson’s squad will expect Jalen Breazeale to take a step forward in his sophomore season, though Andre McConnell may overtake some of the point guard roles left by Dalvin White. Ahmir Langlais and transfer Seny N’Diaye will play big roles at the five as their defense looks to improve internally and externally.
257. North Carolina A&T
#7 in the Colonial
With the amount of turnover as of late- outside of the organization, bringing back their two top scorers is important for Phillip Shumpert, even if he isn’t expected to be the long-term answer for the Aggies. Between three conferences in three seasons and firing their head coach three months before the season started, it might take a little bit of time for this team to come together, but Demetric Horton and Marcus Watson should be the two guys to guide them through the uncertainty. Austin Johnson is an intriguing big from the Big West, but some concern may be held in the seven newcomers in addition to Johnson, many of them unproven. It could get ugly, or it could be a really good story for Shumpert.
Image Credit: Duquesne Athletics
258. Duquesne
#15 in the A10
The Dukes might’ve hit rock bottom under Keith Dambrot last season, meaning they can only go up. In order to have more than a single conference win, transfers and internal growth will be looked towards. Though there are five freshmen joining the roster which might not be the most productive right away, a class of transfers has high upside, even if they aren’t as permanent as the incoming class. The growth of the two junior forwards might be the most important for this team staying out of the basement. As they put up good numbers last year, limiting both turnovers and poor shots attempted might mean the difference for this roster. Tre Williams’ improvement in ball handling is something with watching, especially for someone of his size.
259. Bellarmine
#7 in the ASUN
Scott Davenport should be coming off his first, maybe the second appearance to the NCAA tournament, but he’ll have to continue to play for regular season accolades, with his Knights continuing to transition into D1. They’ll lose two played in Dylan Penn and CJ Fleming who accounted for 32 combined points, but Davenport isn’t much of a star guy, preferring x’s and o’s to Jimmys and Joes. Juston Betz should play a big role, having averaged nearly 35 minutes a night, and 7 rebounds (as a 6’3” guard). They’ll be fun to watch, even if they do take a step back.
260. Utah Tech
#11 in the WAC
Noa Gonsalves isn’t the most obvious answer to who might be looked towards to fill the shoes of Hunter Schofield, and though it might be apples to oranges in terms of skills and size, Gonsalves had an underrated freshman season. Gonsalves’ length, athleticism, and skills should intrigue Jon Judkins to the point of running out Gonsalves at the point, ahead of Cameron Gooden, who by any metric is the most productive returning player on the roster. Dancehall Leter is one of the better shooters in the conference, and his defensive versatility paired with his size and mobility might win the Trailblazers some games in which Leter’s size isn’t matched.
261. Old Dominion
#9 in the Sun Belt
The Monarchs, unlike their previous conference-mates Marshall, do not have very much carryover from this roster in comparison to the last. Unlike Marshall, though, Jeff Jones’ squad was active to replace talent that was lost by way of immediate gratification in the transfer portal. Chaunce Jenkins wasn’t able to see the court much for Wichita State as a freshman, but his potential is noteworthy, as if Jones is able to retain him for several years, he could be groomed into a star at forward. Mekhi Long might be the best returning player, who isn’t only the best returning scorer, but a very talented defender. If Long can continue his abilities both as a talented perimeter defender and a rim protector, the Monarchs could be a difficult team to put up points against, even if there isn’t an obvious immediate source of scoring on the roster.
262. Northern Iowa
#9 in the MVC
The Panthers lose three double-digit scorers, instead of AJ Green, who brought the Panthers the conference regular season title. Replicating both his talent as well as Noah Carter and Trae Berhow won’t all be done in one offseason, especially with the number of freshmen joining the roster. There aren’t very many immediate answers in terms of returning talent or incoming transfers, meaning it will be a work in progress in Cedar Falls. Nate Heise had a good freshman season and he will likely be among the most productive players on the roster. Bowen Born was the best sixth man in the conference the previous season, a fellow sophomore. Asking him to overtake the full-time point guard role will not be an easy task, especially for a younger player.
263. St. Francis Brooklyn
#5 in the NEC
The terriers bring back a roster that was just okay the previous season and with not very much obvious in terms of high-end replacements or lower-classmen taking big jumps, a middle-of-the-pack finish is to be expected again. Their two highest-scoring players are gone, but the trio of Rob Higgins, Larry Moreno, and Tedrick Wilcox all are impressive shooters, contributing well while not overstepping. Higgins will likely have the ball in his hands more than the other two, being looked towards once again as the lead ball handler. The four transfers who join the roster haven’t demonstrated a whole lot in terms of consistent success, especially at the D1 level. Though the terriers are likely to be steady once again, expecting much more out of this roster isn’t likely feasible.
264. American
#6 in the Patriot League
With a starting roster of three juniors and a sophomore, there are many ways this season could go for the Eagles. A team more focused on retaining talent and developing it rather than finding it, and sequentially losing it through the transfer portal, depth and experience can be bred throughout a team, especially with Mike Brennan’s younger players. Elijah Stephens, who will look to be the starting point guard, isn’t the only facilitator on the team, with Brenan’s systems focused on distributing the ball as a team, rather than running plays through a specific player. There isn’t expected to be a single leading scorer and seven other role players in the rotation, but Connor Nelson is the player with the most experience and success in Brennan’s program. His shooting on the wing next to Jonny O’Neil is vital for keeping this team competitive.
265. UMBC
#5 in the America East
Most of what propelled the Retrievers to their second-place finish is no longer around, as they’ll lose 36 points between Keondre Kennedy, Darnell Rogers (short king), and LJ Owens. Craig Beaudion will look to take over some of the scoring that has been lost to graduation. He hasn’t played a full-time role in over a season, so he might be a different player than was previously seen. Tra’Von Fagan was solid on the perimeter in limited minutes at Buffalo. Jarvis Doles is a notable intra-conference transfer. There are a lot of pieces to put together in Baltimore.
266. Austin Peay
#8 in the ASUN
It’s the second year in the post-Terry Taylor era, and there has been a ton of change in the time since he left Clarksville. In their first season in the ASUN, they’ll hope for some building off of the previous season. This is mainly done through internal improvement and the transfer portal, with their most notable departure being Tariq Silver. They’ll turn to sophomore Elijah Hitchins-Everett to take a step forward. Shon Robinson should get more playing time than he did at San Jose State. This could truly be a sleeper team, especially if a star emerges in Nate James’ system.
267. Southeast Missouri State
#5 in the OVC
Brad Korn will lose his top scorer from the previous season, but with the impressive showing of Phillip Russell in his freshman season, the Redhawks may have among the best player in the conference. Russell displayed an impressive combination of shooting, getting his own shot inside, distributing the ball, and playing good perimeter defense for a small guard, and the expectation exists that he’ll take a step forward. Though Russell lacks in size, there is a good collection of wings throughout the roster, both in joining the roster and returning. Kobe Clark joins the program after playing his freshman season at Georgetown. Dylan Brandon will need to improve as a shooter, but he looks to be a talented secondary playmaker. Two 7’0” freshmen join the rotation, but certainly, questions exist about who will fill the hole in the middle.
268. Robert Morris
#7 in Horizon League
Andrew Toole brought with him a reputation for his defensive units from the NEC and his decade-plus at Bobby Mo. Having some improved size in his backcourt, with Winthrop transfer Josh Corbin and sophomore Enoch Cheeks could bring back that reputation for the Colonials. Cheeks is particularly exciting, exhibiting a well-rounded game as a freshman. Kahliel Spear, though, will be the heart and soul of this roster at the wing. Michael Green has played against Toole in the NEC and he will look to improve in efficiency. A lack of shooting could be an issue, with Tristan Jeffries potentially supplanting some shooting from the roster, as some more volume should be expected out of him in his sophomore season.
Image Credit: UT Columbia University Athletics
269. Columbia
#7 in Ivy League
Despite a last-place finish the previous season, there are some reasons to have optimism about the Lion’s roster. That begins with the young talent on the roster and Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa’s next steps as a sophomore. Eddie Turner is a talented lead guard who’ll set the tone for Jim Engless. Forward Liam Murphy will need to improve on the perimeter on both ends, but this is a team that will provide a ton of opportunities for growth, they aren’t trying to win right now and expectations aren’t very high, breeding the potential for some good surprises.
270. Coastal Carolina
#10 in the Sun Belt
The Chanticleers had a successful season the previous year, and despite only finishing in seventh place in the conference, the positives demonstrated in Cliff Ellis’ fifteenth season in South Carolina was something to take forward into his sixteenth. Unfortunately, this is to be done without the services of their two leading scorers and their leading assist-getter. Ellis made good use of the transfer portal to look to reload. Antonio Daye is a talented graduate transfer, who’ll provide both inside scoring and playmaking Jomaru Brown, another fifth-year guard will play next to Daye in the backcourt, and has more of a nack of defending and shooting than Daye. The forward rotations are similarly experienced, with Wilfried Likayi in his fifth year, providing some defense and rebounding, while Essam Mostafa, a fourth-year junior is more of a scorer. If Ellis is able to put these pieces together over the offseason, the Chanticleers may be looking at another deep postseason run, even if it is just the CIT.
271. Illinois State
#10 in the MVC
The Redbirds are in a different position than they may be used to, experiencing a bit of instability and looking in a different coaching direction, taking Ryan Pedon to take the helm in Normal. He’ll do so without one of the top scorers in the country, Antonio Reeves. Outside of Reeves, they’ll lose five of their six top scorers. The most productive returner is Kendall Lewis who filled more of a role as a spot-up shooter and an opportunistic scorer, rather than a player who could take the ball and get a bucket. Pedon did well for himself in the transfer portal, especially with the uncertainty of a first-year coach. Darius Buford and Colton Sandage are 13 plus point per game scorers. Buford, a junior, will likely share the playmaking abilities with the fifth-year player from Western Illinois in Sandage. Though questions about the backcourt are answered, finding a starting five might be a bit difficult. Joe Petrakis had some good moments at Western Illinois, but it may be a center-by-committee situation.
272. Bucknell
#7 in the Patriot League
The Bison are moving in the right direction after a hiccup. Their main focus is and should remain on continued and sustained growth, rather than winning in the short term. It is how the team has had the success it has this century, but obviously, that doesn’t come easy. Targeting freshmen who can be built around and kept for four years in Lewisburg is a big step in that process. Having good continuity on his roster, only losing one important piece from the previous season is another. Thirdly are looking for guys who can fill roles that they might not have been asked to the previous season. Andre Screen and Jake Van Der Heijden are two good examples of this. The big men’s expectations and productivity should increase in their junior and senior seasons respectively. If Nathan Davis can continue to build and improve off the previous season, the Bison could overperform.
273. Charleston Southern
#6 in the Big South
The Buccaneers were one of the worst teams in the country the previous season, thankfully, they’ll be able to build off of that, with their most notable departure being Deontay Buskey. One of the worst teams in the country returning their roster doesn’t mean much, but pairing that with an intriguing incoming class might hint toward more competitiveness. RJ Johnson, Tahlik Chavez, and Claudell Harris should be a reason for improvement on the perimeter, while Taje Kelly playing the small ball five might improve the poor defense exhibited the previous season.
274. Little Rock
#6 in the OVC
Myron Gardner, DeAntoni Gordon, and Isaiah Palermo are the three returning scorers for the Trojans, and their size as wings as well as shooting ability, particularly Gardner’s might make this team one of the best offensive units in the OVC. After a rough final season in the Sun Belt, there will be some pieces to replace, especially in terms of ball handling. CJ White might start, meaning there would be essentially four starting wings, considering Gordon plays more like a wing than a forward. White has had issues with efficiency with his ball handling in the past, and with it being expected that he takes a step forward in terms of the amount of responsibilities, it could go poorly. There are only three players shorter than 6’5” on this roster, and though Darrell Walker’s team has good size, they will need to improve most importantly on their decision-making.
275. Alcorn State
#5 in the SWAC
After an impressive showing in his second year, Landon Bussie will look to continue what had worked for him, and that is done through versatility on the defensive end, discipline on the offensive end, and unselfishness on both ends. Jeremiah Kendall joining the Braves by way of PVA&M highlights Bussie’s continued pipeline to his previous school. The Braves will look to replace three well-rounded players, between passing, shooting and rebounding. Though Bussie has proven an ability to win with his system, not every player is able to play disciplined and unselfish enough to be a part of the rotation. Though he didn’t play a whole lot the previous season, the showing from Devin Carter in his freshman season, especially in spurts as a rebound and runner from the guard spot may mean he’s a bigger part of the guard rotation than previously expected.
276. Stony Brook
#8 in the Colonial
The American East did the Seawolves dirty, and such actions may have catalyzed the turnover throughout the roster. Geno Ford’s roster loses a seemingly insurmountable amount of scoring between Anthony Roberts, Tukei Green, and Jahlil Jenkins. Aaron Clarke brings in some scoring from Sacred Heart, but outside of him and the two leading returner scorers Tyler Stephenson-Moore and Frankie Policelli, there isn’t a whole lot of proven talent, either new or incoming. Kenan Sarvan is a stretch big who will look to overtake the starting five role. Ford has his work cut out for him.
277. Fairleigh Dickinson
#6 in the NEC
In a way, Tobin Anderson is still coaching for St. Thomas Aquinas. The amount of turnover the Knights experienced after being one of the worst teams in the conference wasn’t surprising, nor is it that Anderson replaces much of that talent with players from his previous program. Demetre Roberts and Grant Singleton will look to carry over their scoring from D2 STA. There aren’t many remnants of returning talent for the Knights. Joe Munden and Sebastien Lamaute are two guards who bring an interesting set of skills, with Lamaute improving as a shooter in his sophomore season, while Munden is looked towards a defensive specialist. The biggest question will be if the jump, both for Anderson and his incoming talent is too much to ask.
278. Cal Poly
#9 in the Big West
The Mustangs have been among the worst teams in the Big West for a while now. If Alimamy Koroma and Trevon Taylor are two seniors who can be among the best in the conference, John Smith’s squad should find themselves in the middle of the pack. Cameron Pierce should improve as a floor general, with some upperclassmen wisdom paired with improved teammates to dish the rock to. Chance Hunter has a fantastic name and a good chance to be an important wing on the roster, especially if he can continue to improve from outside. It wasn’t going to be an easy project for Smith.
279. Oregon State
#12 in the Pac 12
The Beavers might not be the worst team in the country to be coming off a recent Elite Eight run, with Saint Peter’s possibly taking the throne from them for the worst follow-up to an Elite Eight run in the sport’s history. The Beavers are expecting a similar closer to their most recent than their 2021. There aren’t many obvious reasons to expect much better out of this roster than the last. Christian Wright might be a transfer worth getting excited about if he was transferring into the Big West, and not another power conference team. This team has a good amount of youth, meaning it could be a good building season for Wayne Tinkle, who should be incredibly grateful that he signed an extension when his stock was the highest.
280. Dartmouth
#8 in Ivy League
The Big Green lose their top three scorers and a combined 36 points, headlined by Brendan Barry, one of the best players in the conference the previous season. Seeing how David McLaughlin bounces back will be interesting, and that should start with Ryan Cornish, who should come into his own alongside fellow sophomore Romeo Myrthil and junior Izaiah Robinson. The three sub 6’4” guards don’t have much in the way of proven production, none of them having averaged more than 20 minutes per game. Myrthil, though on a limited sample size, should be the best shooter of the three, while it may be questionable who overtakes the ball handling abilities for McLaughlin.
281. Mercer
#7 in the Southern Conference
The Bears look to move forward without their three top scorers from the previous season. While Jalen Cobb is a good addition to the roster, outside of him, there isn’t a whole lot in the way of obvious productivity to replace the three that are lost. The roster is a combination of older talent who might have already reached their ceiling and freshmen who have very little in the way of a proven track record of productivity. Kamar Robertson is a solid point guard to get back for his senior year. Paired with Shawn Walker Jr, who has good abilities to handle the guard for essentially a forward, there are some talented and experienced players throughout the roster. This could be a team, due to its experience that doesn’t finish too highly in conference play but makes a run in the SoCon tournament.
Image Credit: New Orleans Athletics
282. New Orleans
#6 in the Southland
The Privateers will lose the two most important players of any team in the conference, but they will look not to stay down for long. Between four intriguing transfers and a couple of players who had demonstrated some talent in the Privateer’s second-place finish from the previous season. Jordan Johnson was one of the best shooters in the Summit League, and that is a talent that translates regardless of conference. Johnson also showed some flashes as a secondary playmaker, and he’ll take the court next to returning senior Daniel Sackey, who’ll split playmaking abilities next to him. This team may lack size at the wing spot, with Johnson and Sackey 6’1” and 5’9” respectively. Mark Slessinger has had success for over a decade in the Southland, and he understands a formula that works for him in this conference.
283. Saint Peter’s
#10 in the MAAC
The Peacocks deserve to rest on their laurels following reaching the Elite Eight the previous season, and with the state of the roster, they likely will ride that wave to and through this upcoming season. Their three top players who made themselves household names as well as their coach have all left. They’ll bring back a roster that barely saw the court in their tournament run. A roster full of transfers and unproven talent, as well as a first-year coach in Bashir Mason, it’ll once again be trial by fire for many of the players on this roster. Cam Young and Jayden Sadler will be among the most competitive players on the roster, with Saddler having put up some impressive stats in the SWAC.
284. Prairie View A&M
#6 in the SWAC
The Panthers will look to continue their impressive show of shooting on the perimeter between Jeremiah Gambrell and William Douglass, two wings who return for their redshirt senior seasons. There wasn’t an obvious lead guard the previous season, and Ricky Nelson might provide just that Nelson doesn’t do much on the offensive end outside of shoot and passing the ball, but that might be just what Byron Smith needs to succeed and set his perimeter threats up. There might be an issue at the five, as Nikkei Rutty is the most likely player to be tasked to be in the middle but he doesn’t have a whole lot of scoring abilities inside. Rutty isn’t the most efficient of finishers inside, and though he has asserted himself as a ball handler, having a five who isn’t a big threat to roll might clog up the spacing.
285. Cal State Northridge
#10 in the Big West
It has been a rough couple of seasons in Northridge with all of the investigations and issues with rule violations. Pairing that with an uncompetitive roster, Trent Johnson has his work cut out for him, but he should have a long leash with the job being quite a difficult one. Johnson hit the transfer portal to build around star freshman Atin Wright, who will likely be among the best players in the conference as a sophomore, who might average 18 points and 38 minutes, a true workhorse. Ethan Igbanugo is the most proven of the six transfers that Johnson welcomes, with the difference between North Dakota and California hopefully not being too big of a leap for him.
286. Hampton
#9 in the Colonial
Jordan Nesbitt brings a bit of intrigue to the program that Edward Joyner has previously been missing. If Nesbitt spends his next three years of eligibility in Hampton, the Pirates could be on the upswing. Complimenting him is senior Russell Dean, who’ll have to clean up the shots that he should’ve abandoned as an underclassman. Marquis Godwin is another senior who brings good size. The motif of size is an important one for Joyner’s program, who highlights the five-with-seven footer, Dajour Dickens. The combination of experience and size could mean good things for the conference newcomers.
Image Credit: FIU Athletics
287. FIU
#10 in Conference USA
Jeremy Ballard will have a difficult task in front of him with losing as much talent as he did. He dug deep in the transfer portal, looking toward Glenville State of all places to land John Williams, who’ll overtake the point guard role left by Isaiah Banks and Tevin Brewer. Austin Williams is one of the best gets of the offseason for a Conference USA team, who put up huge numbers in the American East. Denver Jones is the leading returning scorer, who is complimented in size by the aforementioned pair of Williams, all 6’4”. Most intriguing might be the center position, with Seth Pinkney potentially getting the most minutes, but incoming freshman Darryon Prescott might be used in a platoon role, both are seven-footers, with size a continuing motif throughout the roster.
288. Cleveland State
#8 in Horizon League
Dennis Gates remade the culture in Cleveland, and Daniyal Robinson will look to carry that over in his first season with the Vikings. His team will lose the majority of the talent that brought them their first-place finish, including four of its top five scorers. Robinson made use of the transfer portal, most notably landing Tristan Enaruna, who is coming fresh off of the national championship. Redshirt seniors Deante Johnson and Yahel Hill are the two leading scorers, but neither of them has demonstrated the ability to be the alpha scorer. All of the new talent to this roster might make it difficult to find consistency, especially with the majority of the newcomers not seeing D1-level talent.
289. Maryland Eastern Shore
#4 in the MEAC
The Hawks had a solid bounce-back season after a poor showing (or lack thereof) in recent history. Kevon Voyles and Da’Shawn Phillip’s size and scoring abilities account for much of that success, and they both return for their senior seasons. Phillip brings with him more playmaking and a greater ability on the defensive end due to his impressive frame, whereas Voyles is more of a complementary piece, used more as a shooter. Zion Styles doesn’t have the playmaking abilities as Phillip, used more as a scorer and defender. A question exists about playmaking and size. There isn’t a true big man on the roster. Where Nathaniel Pollard can play the small ball five, he is only 6’5” and an entire season of having to guard up is a bit much to ask out of the five-year player.
290. NJIT
#6 in the America East
Miles Coleman is going to be one of the best players in the conference, but beyond him, there isn’t much for this team to get excited about. Mekhi Gray is a talented upperclassman, but he has been a bit all over the place, especially from the perimeter. Souleymane Diakite has had some moments on the defensive end and he’ll be relied upon as a veteran piece on the roster. Adam Hess is another veteran piece from Eastern New Mexico, and his offensive abilities on the perimeter will look to translate up to the D1 level.
291. Marist
#11 in the MAAC
The Red Foxes lose their five top scorers, but bring in some transfers who could contribute immediately. Kam Farris and Anthony Cooper should eat up a fair amount of the scoring, with Cooper seeing tougher competition than he might have at D2 Caldwell. Patrick Gardner is a seven-footer but he has guard skills, with the ability to shoot the ball, guard on the perimeter, bring the ball up the court, and of course, guard the rim. If Gardner’s productivity matches the skills he has exhibited, albeit, at a lower level, John Dunne might not have the finish he is expected to.
292. High Point
#7 in the Big South
Tubby Smith’s son is essentially in his redshirt first season as head coach for the Panthers. Losing nearly 20 points per game scorer JMW (John-Michael Wright) will hurt, but GG having the ability to make this his own team, instead of a hand-me-down from his dad’s is an important step. This started by bringing in Abdoulaye Thiam, who didn’t play much during his stint in Minneapolis. Jaden House and Zack Austin are two wings who should complement Thiam’s abilities on the perimeter. We’ll see how GG handles steering the ship himself.
293. Central Michigan
#9 in the MAC
The Chippewas haven’t been to the tournament in two decades and have been noncompetitive as of late. Tony Barbee loses a lot of the talent which brought some hope to Mount Pleasant. He’ll lose a team that emphasized depth and balance throughout the roster, boasting seven players who averaged eight points or more. He’ll lose five of them. He’ll most notably bring back sophomore Kevin Miller, who had an impressive season both as a scorer and a facilitator. Miller will be the most important player on the roster who should be more efficient, even without the talent he had on his roster the previous season. Jessee Zarzuela had a good sophomore season at Coppin State and he should look to intake some of the scoring that was lost from the previous season.
294. UIC
#11 in the MVC
The Flames aren’t going to have it any easier in the MVC than they did in the Horizon League, especially with the amount of turnover they’ll experience throughout their roster Their top four scorers have all departed, and although Jace Carter had an inspiring freshman season, expecting him to overtake the scoring that was lost, as well as improve as a playmaker might be a bit too much to ask from him. Jaden Brownell has been with this program for a year, and he’ll look to be a platoon starting big as a redshirt freshman next to Duquesne transfer Toby Okani. Luke Yaklich is a coach worth getting excited about, but if he isn’t able to carry over talent from one season to the next, it’ll be hard for him to reach his full coaching potential.
295. Wagner
#7 in the NEC
The Seahawks lose one of the best players in program history in Alex Morales as well as their head coach. Morales isn’t the only important player leaving Staten Island, as four double-digit players leave the program. DeLonnie Hunt will overtake the duties at the one, and though he was used more as a secondary playmaker the previous season, more is expected to be asked out of him as a junior. Zaire Williams has an interesting set of skills for a wing, a talented defender who needs to improve in terms of efficiency both on the perimeter and in the paint. The forward rotation lacks proven experience, and while the two of the three returning forwards combine for nine years of collegiate experience, not much has been demonstrated in their first few years of an ability to contribute on the court. A step back was expected for the Seahawks and much like the NEC, turnover should beget patience.
296. Loyola Maryland
#8 in the Patriot League
The Greyhounds lose their top scorer Cam Spencer from the previous year and don’t have an obvious means to fill that hole. In terms of scoring Kenneth Jones and Jaylin Andrews will use their now five years of individual experience to take over, with Jones an improving shooter and Jaylin able to get his shot inside. Jones will have the ball in his hands more as a facilitator, while Andrews should do the majority of the aggregate scoring. There are some players expected to take a step forward, the multiple sophomores on the roster are all obvious candidates. Twin brothers Veljko Ilic and Milos Ilic both had productive seasons at the five, and although they might have to split time with Golden Dike, another near seven-footer, and Alonso Faure, a four-man big rotation could be what guides Tacaras Hardy’s team to success.
297. Kansas City
#6 in the Summit League
The Kangaroos are in a questionable place after a very successful season. They’ll need to replace nearly everyone on their roster, and that is likely due to Billy Donlon leaving the program. Four double-digit scorers depart, with only four players who saw rotation minutes the previous year returning to Kansas City. The roster is being completely remade by Marvin Menzies, who will have a very difficult task in front of him. Menzies was a good coach to land for the Kangaroos, but this isn’t expected to be something that can be turned around over a single offseason. Look towards Anderson Kopp to become an all-conference player, just due to the number of touches he’ll get on a freshman ladened roster.
298. Lipscomb
#9 in the ASUN
Another season of Ashan Asadullah should keep the Bison competitive as he improves the breadth of his skill. Matt Schner and Derrin Boyd put up big numbers at much smaller programs, and the potential for one of the two of them to at least have some translatable skill at the next level could make the difference for Lennie Acuff. Trae Benham should be a bit more steady in his second season, and Will Pruitt should similarly take a step forward as there is a good mix of internal and external improvement that could make the difference.
Image Credit: UT Arlington Athletics
299. UT Arlington
#12 in the WAC
Things don’t come much easier in the WAC than they do in the Sun Belt, especially without David Azore. Azore will be the biggest loss in terms of the box score, but having freak athlete Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu leave your program really hurts. The Mavericks could have had another Norchad Omier on their hands in terms of previous Sun Belt talents with freak athleticism. In terms of who will be looked towards filling what was lost, the majority of it won’t be seen in Greg Young’s first year in the WAC, with a clean slate essentially being brought with him into his new conference. Brandyn Talbot should get some more looks with the ball as his hands, and what he might be able to demonstrate as a playmaker could be a positive surprise for the Mavericks.
300. Texas A&M-Commerce
#7 in the Southland
The Lions have a concerning amount of turnover for a team joining D1. Though they’ve had a good amount of success, especially as of late in D2, they’ll face quite a challenge with their three top scorers departing. They’ll have a solid class of seniors who’ll fill out the rotation, led by Demarcus Demonia. There is a concern about proven talent on the wing, as the seniors who have seen the court consistently are all 6’7” and above. Demonia has good playmaking abilities for a forward, but asking him to be the lead facilitator might be too much of an ask. An incoming class of transfers and freshmen could present some opportunities for half-court facilitation, but there hasn’t been a whole lot that is proven. In terms of the other end of the court, JJ Romer Rosario projects as one of the better defenders in the conference, with good size and potential versatility for the big.
301. Southern Indiana
#7 in the OVC
Unlike their conference-mates Lindenwood, the Screaming Eagles have more of a history of success at the lower levels. Stan Gouard will bring back his three top scorers and the jump to D1 is made, allowing him to have some important continuity to what will otherwise be a difficult task. Tyler Henry and Jelani Simmons both should be the starting wings. Both are impressive defenders, Jelani able to guard up. Though they aren’t anything more than secondary playmakers, Gouard’s system generally looks towards just that, a team full of good passers, rather than just one or two leading playmakers. Size and defense are important for the Eagle’s continued success, and while they don’t have an obvious go-to scorer, for a team that has struggled with shooting, having multiple players who can put up 15 a game on any given night is important.
302. Alabama A&M
#7 in the SWAC
The Bulldogs lose all-conference performer Jalen Johnson but not a whole lot from a team that was solid the previous year. Otis Hughley being able to retain a roster as a first-year head coach is an accomplishment on its own, that roster consisting of Garrett Hicks and sophomore Dallin Smith is just the cherry on top. Smith was one of the best freshmen in the conference, and though he’ll need to improve his efficiency, his defensive abilities alone as a forward are worth him being a huge member of the starting five. Garrett Hicks shot nearly the same percentage from 2 that he did from 3 in his sophomore year, and his abilities on the perimeter, on both ends are going to be huge for a team who looks to finish atop the conference. Hughley was busy in the transfer portal, most notably bringing in secondary playmaker and guard Messiah Thomas, by way of Campbell.
303. William & Mary
#10 in the Colonial
Ben Wright will look to guide the Tribe through a rough spot as of late, and he’ll likely be the best player, with only room to grow in his junior season. Anders Nelson should fill some of the holes lost by the natural turnover of the roster, providing a scoring punch from the guard spot. Tyler Rice’s point guard abilities as a freshman lacked at times in efficiency and consistency, but some maturity will likely mean the aforementioned Wright and Nelson will have someone more reliable to set them up. Chris Mullin(s) joins the roster after spending four good years at Rice. The Tribe just need some consistency as they seek to find the success Dane Fischer found in his first season at the helm.
304. Coppin State
#5 in the MEAC
Juan Dixon will have one of the toughest tests in his stint in Maryland, losing his two top scorers and three of his top four. The top returning scorer, thankfully, is redshirt sophomore Nendah Tarke. Sam Sessoms is a talented point guard out of Penn State, and he could really pop in a smaller league. Justin Winston also had some productive games in the Horizon League, joining the forward rotation. Dixon’s difficulty will lie in putting all the pieces together, and lacking much continuity outside of Tarke. With Tarke still experiencing growing pains as an underclassman, this team could be inconsistent.
305. Arkansas State
#11 in the Sun Belt
Norchad Omier wasn’t seen as the two-way freak athlete that he was during his time in Jonesboro, and he’ll take his game to South Beach. Their defense is likely going to take a step back. Markise Davis, though in a lower volume, had demonstrated some abilities on the defensive end, as well as improvement as a shooter. The ball handling that Omier provided, though, isn’t going to be replaced by a forward like Norchad, but instead, Clabe Fields will likely overtake full-time point guard abilities, a more traditional approach to the offensive initiation. Avery Felts didn’t get the opportunity in his redshirt freshman season to demonstrate his true abilities as a shooter, but in a lower volume, he shot well. Mike Balado’s team might just have too much turnover to remain in the top half of the Sun Belt.
306. Weber State
#7 in the Big Sky
Outside of losing one of the best coaches in conference history, the Wildcats are also losing four of their top five scorers, including Koby Mcewen who was one of the best in the conference the previous season. It’ll be a new crew for Eric Duft, headlined by Steven Verplancken and star freshman Dillon Jones, who’ll look to take another step forward in his sophomore year. Jones’ growth will likely come in efficiency and ball handling, with a knack as a point forward already demonstrated. Bringing the pieces together will be difficult, as five freshmen are expected in Ogden.
307. Central Arkansas
#10 in the ASUN
It has been a struggle for the Bears as of late, but they’ll seek some improvement in their first season in the ASun. Anthony Boone found more success in his second season than his first, but losing Darious Hill and Jared Chatam is going to hurt. Thankfully Camren Hunter is only a sophomore and he accounted for a ton of success in Boone’s system. Ibbe Klintman should produce more as a forward with handles. Churchill Bounds has a fantastic name and could be another sophomore to improve, especially with his abilities as a defensive anchor.
308. Alabama State
#8 in the SWAC
Though Tony Madlock will lose a lot of his rotation, as most first-year head coaches do, he’ll bring with him his son, by way of South Carolina State. TJ Madlock was productive in the MEAC, and he’ll look to carry that productivity with him into his sophomore year. Madlock will shift from what was a roster full of able passers and playmakers to one where it is likely that his son will have the ball in his hands the majority of the time. Though Isaiah Range is a talented defender and can handle the ball at times, there aren’t many remnants of Mo Williams’ squad. This will mean a blank slate for Madlock. Though TJ is a solid player to build around, there isn’t a whole lot else obvious on the roster, especially in terms of perimeter ability. This is a team that might have to play slow due to their lack of full-court passing ability, or risk being among the D1 leaders in turnovers.
309. Campbell
#8 in the Big South
The fighting camels were better than their record may have shown in the previous season, and that was mainly due to the talents of Cedric Henderson and Jordan Whitfield. Both of those players are gone now, and there are some questions about the roster. Ricky Clemons is truly more than a last name, and he and Jesus Carralero both in their senior seasons should be some of the better players in the conference. Devon Dunn may have a bigger role than he did in the NEC. The Camels will be competitive, and if they win close games, they could threaten the top of the conference.
310. Drexel
#11 in the Colonial
The Dragons took a step back after making the tournament the previous season, and with how much they’ll lose from their roster, they shouldn’t expect much. Camren Wynter is gone, alongside 28 other combined points. Two freshmen and two transfers headline the roster, but there isn’t much which may scream immediate success. Mate Okros and Coletrane Washington should be two of the most important players on the roster, but the step they are expected to take forward might be asking a bit much out of them. Expectations should be low in Philadelphia.
311. UTSA
#11 in Conference USA
It is going to be a rough season in San Antonio after losing the majority of the players who contributed to their three conference wins. Their leading returning scorer is Jacob Germany, who should put up some big numbers, but expecting him to lead the Roadrunners to any success is a really tough task. The majority of the other returners on the roster are going to be looked towards to fill roles that they previously haven’t. Another intriguing big joins the roster next to Jacob Germany in Carlton Linguard. A potential twin-tower lineup could be intriguing, as Steve Henson might begin to get desperate.
312. Western Michigan
#10 in the MAC
It has been demonstrated that the leash isn’t very long for Broncos coaches, and Dwayne Stephens will have to demonstrate immediate growth for a program that has been in the basement of the MAC of late. Thankfully, bringing back Lamar Norman, their top scorer, as well as their four other top scorers will make improvement easier. Of course, bringing back a roster of players who produced very little doesn’t mean much difference should be expected, but bringing in Tray Maddox by way of the Big West is important for externally improving. Tafari Simms had a productive season in Milwaukee and expectations that continuity breeding improvement could mean a middle-of-the-pack finish.
313. St. Thomas
#7 in the Summit League
In their second season as a D1 school, the Tommies will look to get comfortable after some ups the previous year. They’ll do so without their second-leading scorer, Anders Nelson, but having Riley Miller return for his fifth year is important in continuing to improve on their offense as it adjusts to facing faster, quicker, and more athletic players. Though Drake Dobbs isn’t the most athletic player, having a year to get accustomed to the program after silly waiver restrictions should allow him to slide in well in the backcourt next to Miller, or at the very least, orchestrate the second unit. Brooks Allen has improved massively as a passer since his days in D3, and the senior forward’s defensive abilities, namely on the perimeter, should look to improve a defense that looked out of place at the D1 level the previous year.
314. Bowling Green
#11 in the MAC
The Falcons will lose a ton on the offensive end from the previous season, losing their four top scorers and a combined 46 points between those four players. Most notably, Daeqwon Plowden likely didn’t end his college basketball career in the manner he wanted, with a disappointing final season under Michael Huger, despite an impressive stat line he put up. Leon Ayers and Samari Curtis are the wings who should carry the load for this team, with Ayers coming by way of Duquesne. A large amount of this roster is going to undertake roles that they previously haven’t been in, and Huger will look for one of his seniors to step up. Chandler Turner could be the starting four, providing some shooting as well as some productivity on the inside.
315. Georgia Southern
#12 in the Sun Belt
The Eagles were better than their tenth-place finish might demonstrate, and at the very least, they have more talent than a team who only won five conference games. Much of this talent returns, and there are some well-performing players that Brian Burg was able to land via the transfer portal. Most notable should be Tai Strickland, who played on a Temple team that looked good last year. Strickland is a talented scorer who’ll provide good experience. Jalen Finch will likely overtake point guard abilities, by way of Jacksonville State. In terms of returning talent, Cam Bryant and Andrei Savrasov provide similar experience, both in their collegiate third and fifth years respectively. Both will likely fill out the starting forward rotation. Bryant looked impressive on the perimeter in his sophomore year, while Savrasov demonstrated good versatility on the defensive end. Burg will have high expectations, having to prove that he can have continuous success if he wants a second contract in Statesboro.
316. Morgan State
#6 in the MEAC
The Bears bring back their top two scorers, but there are many questions around the roster that haven’t been answered by Kevin Broadus in the offseason. Preferring a roster of wings, rather than a more traditional style of roster building has contributed to success in the past, but efficiency on the offensive end, defining a primary playmaker, instead of a roster full of secondary playmakers, is a difficult thing to ask for a group of 6’6'' 20-year-olds who aren’t so used to orchestrating an offense. The remnants of playmaking exist among the roster, between Isaiah Burke and Malik Miller putting up two assists per game, but the Bears were among the ten worst teams in turnovers per game and that trend may continue with not finding a proven point guard. Conference-mate Delaware State had the most cumulative turnovers in the country but attempts to clean that up in the transfer portal and through recruiting were taken, where such an attempt wasn’t seen in Baltimore. Though this team has the scoring potential with Malik Miller to average upwards of 70 points per game, and the defensive potential to perform well in the half court, if the ball is turned over 18 times a game, this team might disappoint.
317. Omaha
#8 in the Summit League
The Mavericks limped through the regular season the previous year, and while some of the talent from last year returned, Crutchfield may look to hit the reset button in terms of how basketball is envisioned and played by a team of players who only won five games the previous season. Frankie Felder did a whole lot of good things in his freshman year from the guard spot. He’ll carry with him some shooting, though lower volume and some versatility on the defensive end. Though he might not be looked towards as the primary ball handler, Felder is the leading returner in assists from the previous year, as well as the highest scorer from last year’s team. Bad teams can commonly have a single-player look to do too much, and with Chris Crutchfield, a first-year head coach in Omaha, this may be even more likely. To prevent this from occurring, some of the incoming students, potentially Luke Jungers or Jaeden Marshall will need to contribute right away, to at the very least not allow Felder to see himself as the only answer for the Mavericks.
318. Radford
#9 in the Big South
Darris Nichols is bringing in a five-star prospect in his second season to Radford. He’ll lose a combined 34 points between four players, but he’ll bring in a five-star prospect. Nothing else matters. Bryan Antoine may not be what he was seen as when Villanova originally recruited him, but he might be able to turn it around. Josiah Jeffers will almost certainly be more productive than Antoine, who was the leading scorer in the previous season. Daquan Smith is another interesting player who got minutes for a tournament team.
319. Elon
#12 in the Colonial
The struggles are expected to continue for the Phoenix with the majority of their scoring talent now gone, after another disappointing finish in the CAA. Though Billy Taylor might bring a new culture to the program, it isn’t expected that he’ll do it all in one season, especially with the historical struggles this team brings with them. Torrence Watson is the highest returning scorer, but he shouldn’t be expected to do much more in his graduate season than he did in his previous four. There is an interesting class of new coming talent but Sean Halloran’s impact after transferring up might be questionable.
320. Holy Cross
#9 in the Patriot League
Gerrale Gates has been tasked to do a ton on both sides of the ball, and as he is the oldest player on this roster, the expectations from Brett Nelson unto him are through the roof. Gates shot more threes last season than in his previous three combined, and although he didn’t shoot them at a great clip, if he has been improving them in the offseason, he will be really difficult to contain. A roster with six juniors will look towards Gates for leadership and what to do once the fifth-year forward is gone, as a class led by Bo Montgomery look towards next year to reach their apex. The Crusaders got going down the stretch of the season, and with solid continuity, they’ll look to bring that momentum with them into the upcoming season.
321. Southern Miss
#13 in the Sun Belt
Hattiesburg hasn’t been a place of basketball pride in recent history, and losing five of their six top scorers from the previous year will make it difficult to reverse course. Though Jay Lander has had success in developing talent in his three years for the Golden Eagles, maintaining it has been an issue. Thankfully, he’ll bring in a class of talented freshmen. Two accomplished Mercer upperclassmen will likely be the day one starting one and five, with Neftali Alvarez being one of the best passers in the Southern Conference last year. Donovan Ivory’s stay in Green Bay didn’t end well, but he demonstrated a knack for scoring on a team that didn’t have much else going for them. In terms of returning talent, the incoming talent might eclipse that which returns. DeAndre Pickney will likely be the starting four, but outside of him, the players he sees fill out the rotation next to him will likely be new faces.
322. Eastern Illinois
#8 in the OVC
The Panthers had a rough first season under Marty Simmons and there isn’t a ton on the roster returning to provide any support for his second season. The two top scorers from this program depart, and there isn’t an obvious go-to scorer. Having a roster full of guys who average seven points a game might bear success if you pair that with a successful defense, and that is what Simmons is looking to build towards. Behind freshman Paul Bizimana and Rodolfo Bolis, there are two of the more underrated, versatile defenders in the conference, with the ability to guard multiple positions. This trend continues in the transfer portal, with Yaakema Rose Jr not only bringing with him some scoring from the guard spot but some perimeter defense to pair. Jermaine Hamlin was among the leaders in the country in blocks per 40. Though this team will struggle to produce on the offensive end, their defense could take another step forward.
323. Lafayette
#10 in the Patriot League
The Leopards lose their top two scorers as well as a legendary coach, ushering in a new era of basketball in Easton. Mike Jordan is an interesting pick for head coach, a rare intra-conference thievery from Colgate’s in Mike Jordan. Jordan might not share what O’Hanlon had in mind for program building, meaning it might take a few years for the coach to become comfortable with the kids he is coaching. The issue with being the guy after the guy is that what worked for the prior may not work for the current. CJ Fulton and TJ Berger are two sophomores worth building around and riding into their future, but seeing if they fight with Jordan’s mindset will be interesting to watch coming into the season.
324. Western Carolina
#8 in the Southern Conference
Justin Gray will not be able to get comfortable in his second year in Cullowhee, as he’ll have to scramble to look to find talent on a roster that lost a lot of it in the transfer portal. Though the portal gives as much as it takes, there isn’t a ton of high-level proven talent joining the Catamounts. Tre Jackson and Tuzahun Claude come by way of successful programs, but expecting two fourth-year guys to turn such a corner after three years of not doing so is a difficult ask. Players will be playing, in a way out of position, asked to do things in terms of productivity that they hadn’t likely since high school. Some may be able to rise to the occasion, and that could raise the ceiling for Gray, but with the amount of proven talent on this roster, it might be difficult to see this team improving much from the previous season.
325. Houston Christian
#8 in the Southland
Losing a player like Darius Lee in the way he was lost, basketball aside isn’t going to be easy for a program. It isn’t the counting stats that will need to be replaced. Sam Hofman will be the forward who should’ve taken the frontcourt next to Lee, but he’ll be one of the more productive players on the roster regardless of who he is playing with. Brycen Long will be the hub of the offense, expected to facilitate the offense. In losing Lee, some playmaking needed to be replaced, and while Maks Klanjscek demonstrated some abilities in the American East, he was more of a secondary playmaker than a lead guard. This team has more to play for than just the sport.
Image Credit: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
326. The Citadel
#9 in the Southern Conference
The Bulldogs lose their longtime head coach and their three top players, bringing back a team of seven seniors or graduate transfers, one sophomore, and four freshmen. Despite the distribution of age, this is not a team expected to compete, with no obvious dominant scorer existing on the roster. Though Stephen Clark has looked good when presented with the chance, asking him to create for himself, might be a bit difficult. Though Clark has looked like a formidable lead ball handler, finding someone to pass the ball to on this roster who he entrusts to score the ball might be difficult. Rudy Fitzgibbons can shoot the ball, but if he is the only perimeter threat, that isn’t going to be as easy. Ed Conroy will not have the easiest path toward success in his first season as the head coach.
327. Jackson State
#9 in the SWAC
Mo Williams returns back to where he is the most comfortable, and he’ll have the privilege of taking with him two players from his previous stop at Alabama State. This team still has some successful members from a solid sixth-place finish the previous year, headlined by Gabe Watson, who’ll need to improve his efficiency in his fifth collegiate year if he looks to replicate the aggregate scoring he put up in his redshirt junior year. Ken Evans is a wing who has the ability to defend, pass and shoot the ball, important on any roster. Evans is a talented rebounder, boasting good athleticism, and though he isn’t the most efficient finisher around the basket, his abilities as a passer make up for his lack of a left hand. Trace Young could fill in as the starting big for the Tigers, as he already knows Williams and the system he is interested in bringing to Jackson.
328. Eastern Kentucky
#11 in the ASUN
There are a ton of moving parts throughout the Colonel’s roster. The trio of Rooper Robb, Devontae Blanton, and Michael Moreno are three of the few sureties on AW Hamilton’s squad. Between a freshman and five up transfers though, finding some confidence outside of these three might be a bit difficult. Leland Walker and John Ukomadu will play big parts in the roster, with some potential chemistry issues existing between all of the moving parts. This could be a top-three or a bottom-three team in the conference, and neither should be surprising.
329. New Hampshire
#7 in the America East
After a pretty successful 2021, they’ll lose three double-digit scorers, between Jayden Martinez, Nick Guadarrama, and Blondeau Tchoukuiegno, that’s a combined 40 points per game. They’ll lose a ton of the shooting that Coach Bill Herrion had ridden to success in the past. They have a ton of talent that is unproven at the D1 level, or at the volume, they may be expected to contribute. Nick Johnson is the most notable returner, putting up 8.6 a game from the wing, but on below-average shooting from the perimeter. Growth will need to occur internally and from the talent, they bring in.
330. Cal State Bakersfield
#11 in the Big West
The Roadrunners struggled a ton the previous season, and that was mainly due to closing down games. With the amount of turnover throughout the roster, the defensive maturity in close games once again might be lacking, and it might be up to Rod Barnes to clean up the mistakes by the newcomers and freshmen. Kaleb Higgins is the best returning player, but his lack of size isn’t encouraging for a team who doesn’t have an obvious presence around the basket. Ivan Reynolds plays a versatile game and could be an important piece of the rotation, especially if he can double his three-point percentage. Their two-win season from the previous year shouldn’t be expected to be elapsed with the state of the roster.
331. Western Illinois
#9 in the Summit League
Rob Jeter had a good team on his hands the previous year, but good things have been proven to not last for long in Macomb, especially in terms of the basketball program. Jeter will have to replace a ton of the talent that propelled the Leathernecks, who are usually at the base of the Summit, to a sixth-place finish. Trenton Massner setting up Will Carius and Luka Barisic was a big reason why success was found, and though the latter two scorers are gone, Massner was the best player on the court the previous year, and did almost everything for his team last year, defending both inside and out at a high level for a point guard, being one of the best passers in the conference and rebounding well. If Massner can improve as a shooter, he has shown a good trajectory through his first three years in college, he’ll keep his team relevant. The lost talent is being replaced by a collection of transfers, all of their lower level. The number of question marks that surround this program might be enough for an expected last-place regression, but Jeter has impressed in his first two years at the helm.
332. Monmouth
#13 in the Colonial
The amount that the pride lose in their first season in the NEC might make the transfer over a bit more difficult for King Rice than previously considered. Four freshmen join a roster that loses a combined 50 points of scoring between four players. Myles Ruth will be asked to do more with the ball in his hands after not seeing the court on a consistent basis through his first two seasons. Outside of Ruth, Myles Foster is the leading returning scorer, but his 5.3 points don’t exactly scream competitiveness.
333. Arkansas Pine Bluff
#10 in the SWAC
Though they’ll lose one of the better players in the conference, Solomon Bozeman might see that as a blessing in disguise, as he’ll look to find more balance in his roster in his second season. Shawn Williams did a ton for the Golden Lions in his only season in Arkansas, but rebounding and defending weren’t exactly his calling cards. Those are important building blocks for any team, especially with a coach as young as Bozeman. Though winning with a guy like Williams as the hub of your team (size of a point guard, plays like a combo guard, not super efficient, high usage), can obviously be done, that wasn’t the case the previous season, and that is because Bozeman was missing the pieces throughout his roster of complementary rebounders and defenders. Though there was plenty of scoring both with Williams and the departing Morris, there wasn’t an obvious rim deterrent inside, nor lengthy wing defenders. Adding Shaun Doss will help on the wing, but there isn’t an obvious five who’ll protect the paint.
334. Milwaukee
#9 in Horizon League
The Panthers may be resting on their laurels with the drafting of Pat Baldwin Jr., with the state of the roster heading into this season. Bart Lundy was scooped up from D1 Newcomer Queens. Lundy is able to get a good amount of talent out of underwhelming prospects, and that will be most imminent with Jordan Ratliffe joining the roster, by way of D2 UNC Pembroke. Jalen Johnson is a very talented foreword who joins the Panthers by way of Alabama A&M. The most productive returning player is likely Vin Baker Jr., who should be the starting five on name recognition alone.
335. Northern Illinois
#12 In the MAC
It has been an uncompetitive couple of years for the Huskies, but some flashes began to show under Rashon Burno in his first season in DeKalb. Keshawn Williams returns, the leading scorer from the previous season. Importantly as well returns Anthony Crump, who was a big part of the defensive attack led to some close wins for the first-year coach. Burno is building a culture and that starts on the defensive end. In losing Trendon Hankerson, though, this team might be a bit too one-sided, struggling to put up points.
336. Incarnate Word
#9 in the Southland
It is difficult for a team to find stability if they lose what were semblances of success year after year. This is the case for the Cardinals, who are coming off of a last-place finish and lose three of their five top scorers. This isn’t a program that has had much winning lately, either, so attracting high-level talent via the transfer portal has made that much more difficult. There are some good players on this roster, but finding the combination of efficiency, defensive ability, and consistency has been why despite some pretty impressive counting statistics, there hasn’t been a whole lot of team-wide success. Josh Morgan and Charlie Yoder both had good sophomore and junior seasons respectively and with Benjamin Griscti, another intriguing sophomore ready to take a leap forward, if Carson Cunningham is able to keep his core together for a couple of years, this couple will be a talented team.
337. VMI
#10 in the Southern Conference
The Keydets lose both their coach and two of their top players to conference rival Chattanooga. Outside of Stephens and Huff, Trey Bonham and Kamdyn Curfman transfer to Florida and Marshall respectively, meaning they’ll lose their four leading scorers and a combined 58 points between those four players. They will look to be replaced slowly, as one cannot transfer into a military academy with ease. Sean Conway and Tanner Mans will be the two highest returning scorers, with Mans projecting as one of the better shooters in the conference as he enters his junior year. There isn’t an obvious point guard on the roster with Bonham and Stephens splitting those duties. It will likely be an incoming freshman to fill that role, not an easy task for him or Andrew Wilson.
338. Queens
#12 in the ASUN
This will be an interesting year in Charlotte, with Bart Lundy heading to the Horizon League as the Royals begin their transition to D1. Losing Jamari Smith will be another blow for this roster, but they’ll have Kenny Dye, who accounted for a ton of their success as well. AJ McKee could take a big jump in his sophomore season, as well as Try Hubbard, likely coming off the bench. Mike Fowler might be the most important player on the defensive end due to his length, with size being an issue throughout the roster. It could be a slow start in Grant Leonard’s first season.
339. Albany
#8 in the America East
The Danes lose three double-digit scores and don’t return a single one. They’ll have to hope for a bit of help in the transfer portal, turning towards Malik Edmead from Merrimack and Sarju Patel out of Cornell. Japannah Kellogg had some good moments from Green Bay. With all the roster turnover and not much returning talent, expectations should be low from a team that lost a ton from a team that wasn’t great in 2021, relative to American East standards.
340. Stonehill
#8 in the NEC
The Skyhawks join D1 with two of their top three scorers returning from the previous season. Having continuity as a new D1 program is key to preventing the bottom from falling out. Isaiah Burnett and Andrew Sims make up the wing rotation that Chris Kraus has tied to his success. Stonehill was not among the best D2 programs the previous season, so expecting them to replicate what Merrimack did in their first year in the NEC might be a difficult ask. Some impressive transfers join the roster though, by way of D2. Max Zegarowski is yet another wing, who can likely play the small ball five next to Sims. There isn’t a player taller than 6’7” who has played basketball at the collegiate level, with no obvious big joining the rotation, likely presenting more of a challenge in the NEC than it did the NE-10.
341. South Carolina State
#7 in the MEAC
The Bulldogs were a good surprise under first-year coach Tony Madlock, but that success isn’t likely to carry over, not only losing their coach but their top scorer and five of their seven top producers. Erik Martin had a busy summer, getting acquainted with his new group, and trying to fill out a roster that he had to replace the majority of production from. Thankfully, the transfer portal will provide at the very least, stopgaps. Tra’vion McCray was a quality player for a SoCon team the previous season, providing scoring and playmaking for the Bulldogs. Rashaan Edwards took a back his junior season in terms of all-around productivity, but he should be more of the focus on the offensive end following the amount of turnover. Things don’t come easy Orangeburg.
342. Idaho
#8 in the Big Sky
The Vandals have been working to dig their way out of the basement over the past couple of years, and the process will continue, especially after losing three of their four top scorers. Trey Smith will be an interesting new piece from San Jose State that will fit in with Rashad Smith, forming an interesting duo of wings. The lack of size will continue to be an issue, and Terren Frank who has some high major experience alongside Isaac Jones will look to be the answer. One game at a time for Zac Claus.
343. UL Monroe
#14 in the Sun Belt
Keith Richard hasn’t had much success in the past couple of seasons, and he has had two 20-win teams in his now 13 years in Monroe, he might be on thin ice if he isn’t able to reverse course. He’ll look to cool off his coaching seat without his four leading scorers from the previous year, but with the transfer portal, a season can be turned around even if the majority of your talent departs. The highest-rated transfers aren’t joining his team, but Richard will look to work his magic with lower-performing and unproven guys at programs of a similar level. AD Diedhiou didn’t do a whole lot for a tournament team in Birmingham the previous season, and he’ll look to be the starting big for a team with not otherwise obvious starting fives returning to Monroe. If Diedhiou doesn’t work out, Victor Bafutto at the very least has good experience and upside as a rim protector. Richard will have to find success in players who aren’t expected to provide it.
344. Hartford
Independent
The Hawks should be coming off of their second straight tournament appearance, but they’re pretty far from losing their tournament virginity in March of 2021. The Hawks are in their last season in D1, meaning attracting talent isn’t easy for a team that is going to draw a smaller audience next season. Despite this, John Gallagher is still John Gallagher, and he’s expected to have a team with a lot of heart if nothing else. They'll lose all but one player who averaged more than 20 minutes a game the previous year. There isn’t an obvious player who is set to overtake the scoring that was lost between Austin Williams and Moses Flower. The freshmen who join the roster might get important minutes as there are a lot of holes around the roster. Pano Pavlidas is an intriguing presence on the defensive end, and though his volume isn’t crazy, if he can continue to improve on his shot, he could be an important piece of the forward rotation, next to the fifth-year man Jared Kimbrough.
345. UT Rio Grande Valley
#13 in the WAC
Losing your head coach is always tough, but Lew Hill is still missed in a way that isn’t comparable to firings, resigning, or buyouts. Matt Figger is a fine coach with a good history, but he’s still working his way out of the basement of the Vaquero’s new conference. Their second year in the WAC is expected to be similar to their first, in the sense that they are likely to struggle, having to replace a ton of talent from the previous season. Figger looks towards lower levels and unproven talent to fill out his roster, and with the potential of finding a diamond in the rough, and with Figger’s past coaching pedigree, selling him short might be a mistake. This roster has a good amount of size, and they could compete by keeping the score low. Sherman Brashear’s abilities on the perimeter can only help Justin Johnson, who should put up insane numbers on a team with not very much talent outside of him.
346. Evansville
#12 in the MVC
It has all been downhill for the Purple Aces after they upset Kentucky in Lexington. They went on not to win a conference game that season, lost their coach due to legal issues in the 2020 offseason, and are in their second coach sense after being among the worst teams in the country over the past two seasons. Things shouldn’t be much better for David Ragland in his first year, as he’ll lose his two most productive players. Blaise Beauchamp is the most intriguing returner, putting up some good production as a shooter as a sophomore. Marvin Coleman should at the very most be a stopgap, as he’ll spend his final season in college in the backcourt next to Beachamp. Kenny Strawbridge is the most productive transfer, and though there isn’t a de facto point guard on the team, Strawbridge brings with him the most experience as a ball handler, but the majority of that ball handling might have to be located internally.
347. Delaware State
#8 in the MEAC
The Hornets have been one of the worst few teams in the past half-decade, and with losing their three top scorers, a combined 38 points, the Hornets shouldn’t look to get too much better. The majority of incoming talent is joining the roster as freshmen, instead of proven transfers, meaning this is likely going to be a roster that takes a bit of time to reach its full potential. Corey Perkins demonstrated some intriguing potential from the perimeter and should be among the best shooters on the team. Brandon Stone, though in lower usage, has demonstrated some efficiency as a scorer. It will all likely fall in the hands of Martaz Robinson to conduct the offense, who will accept a bigger responsibility as both a ball handler and a scorer.
348. North Alabama
#13 in the ASUN
The Lions were not good last season and they’ll lose three of the players which prevented them from being the worst team in the country. CJ Brim, Jamari Blackmoon, and Payton Youngblood averaged a combined 29, and while Daniel Ortiz had some good flashes as a freshman, expecting him to take this team out of the basement might be a bit unrealistic. KJ Johnson is an interesting intra-conference transfer but at the very most, he’ll likely be a solid role player at the two. If Ortiz takes the next step to being one of the best guards in the conference, this team might not be awful.
349. North Dakota
#10 in the Summit League
Having Paul Bruns transfer out of the program after just one year is tough. Having him transfer to rival South Dakota is even more difficult. Bruns wanting to join a more successful program shouldn’t be much of a surprise, as the Hawks have really struggled to put it together on the defensive end, despite the obvious offensive talent on the roster. Part of it might be Paul Sather’s own doing, in issues with roster construction, distribution of size, and development of talent. There isn’t great wing length throughout the roster, with Brady Danielson and Mitchell Sueker both being talented offensive players and good shooters, but lacking quickness and athleticism, and not exactly being stoppers on the defensive end. A’Jahni Levias could be a freshman who improves this defense, but if Sather isn’t able to retain that talent, it’ll all be for naught.
350. Florida A&M
#11 in the SWAC
MJ Randolph will be amongst one of the best players Robert McCullum sees during his time in Tallahassee. The consistency he provided at the one, paired with his scoring and athleticism is hard to replicate, especially with the difficulties in retaining talent via the transfer portal. Instead of looking for proven 6’2” point guards at the lower level, the roster is filled with lengthy wings and forwards. The most obvious choice to run the one would be Connors State transfer Jordan Tillmon, who had good showings his freshman year, providing shooting and rebounding, similar to Randolph. Tillmon hasn’t proven a whole lot, and expecting to plug and play him might be a stretch. Especially in terms of second units, there isn’t much of an answer for who is going to handle the ball. Jordan Jackson has the size of a one, but he barely played as a freshman. There are a ton of questions for the Rattlers, and while they should be a stout defensive unit, moving forward without last year’s CPOTY will be a challenge.
351. Idaho State
#9 in the Big Sky
Tarik Cool and Robert Ford were two of the reasons preventing the Bengals from being among the worst teams in the country, and they are both gone. There isn’t much-proven talent that will keep this team afloat in Ryan Looney’s fourth season. Jared Rodriguez at best will be good, but the Bengals might expect him to be great. Kolby Lee and Miguel Tomley are both reinforcements from the WCC but neither of them had huge roles in their past programs. Expectations should be low.
352. Green Bay
#10 in Horizon League
It won’t get much easier for Will Ryan in his third season after a rough finish the previous season and losing the majority of his scoring, headlined by Emmanuel Ansong and Kamari McGee. His leading returning scorer is local kid Cade Meyer, who displayed an intriguing skill set both inside and out his sophomore year. They’ll look to replace some of the point guard abilities lost in Lucas Stieber's transferring and Indian Hills Transfer Davin Ziegler might be next in line. There is a ton of new talent on his roster, and finding any stability with this amount of turnover is no easy task.
353. Presbyterian
#10 in the Big South
Quinton Ferrell’s squad might hit rock bottom this season. They were bad the previous season, and they’ll lose top contributor Rayshon Harrison, who contributed 17 a game for the Blue Hose. Trevon Reddish-Rhone and Winston Hill could average 18 shots a game, while Crosby James’ numbers might match what he put up at D2 Anderson. A collection of tongue talent will get their opportunity to shine, with four freshmen being added to the roster. Terrell Ard has an interesting set of skills at 6’7” and if he is able to figure out his shooting from outside.
354. Portland State
#10 in the Big Sky
The Vikings were mediocre all things considered the previous season, and they’ll truly lose more than any team in the conference, with a combined 66 points gone, and respectively their top six scorers leaving the program, headlined by James Jean-Marie. There is some intriguing incoming talent, but with no obvious prospect able to fill the 12 shoes which were left behind, expecting much for Jase Coburn might just be wishful thinking. Cameron Parker was good at Montana and he should be able to do more or less whatever he wants at a program seeking help.
355. Chicago State
Independent
After their better season in the WAC in recent memory, the Cougars will leave to fight the fight on their own. The Cougars will do this without three of their four leading scorers from the previous year, meaning winning seven games- which is impressive for the Cougars, might be a pipe dream. Gerald Gillion has done a heck of a job both in his first year at coaching and his first full offseason of working the portal. Elijah Weaver provides good experience, both in terms of abilities on the court and coming from a winning program, something that is underrated for a team that has had difficulties coming by it. Jahsean Corbett is a homegrown talent, and in his freshman year, he demonstrated good two-way abilities in addition to being the returning leading scorer.
356. Tennessee Tech
#9 in the OVC
The Golden Eagles lose their four top scorers and the majority of their talent from the previous season. Although there is some intriguing talent joining the roster by way of the same transfer portal which led them to lose their talent in the first place, the solutions are seen more as stopgaps than the long-term solution. The majority of the experience on this roster are upperclassmen, meaning there isn’t likely much room to grow for this team, especially after finishing at the bottom half of the conference the previous year. Ty Perry and Erik Oliver might show signs of productivity, but there isn’t the chance for that to carry over into the following season, with both players having played at least four seasons in college. Though experience is usually a good thing, when there isn’t much obvious talent for a roster to build off of, it could, in fact, harm the long-term health of this Golden Eagle’s team.
357. Stetson
#14 in the ASUN
Between three players, the Hatters are going to lose 34 points in production. There wasn’t much else going for Donnie Jones’ squad in the previous season outside of the trio of Rob Perry, Chase Johnston, and Christiaan Jones. Jalen Blackmon should have a prominent role on this roster after a promising freshman season and Stephan Swensan should be impactful at the point. Alvin Tumblin could be a more impactful defender in his sophomore season, but with the amount the Hatters lost, being unconfident in them would make sense.
358. Maine
#9 in the America East
For the past decade, Maine has been among the worst teams in the country. Chris Markwood, an alumnus of the program, will be tasked to pick up the pieces, and it isn’t expected that he’ll find much success in his first season. They’ll have some good experience to their roster, starting at the 1 with LeChaun Duhart who’ll be the highest returning scorer. Outside of him, Ja’Shonte Wright-McLeish is improving on the perimeter and should allow some driving lanes for the speedy Duhart. It’ll be another rebuilding season in Orono.
359. Mississippi Valley State
#12 in the SWAC
The Delta Devils might be on the short list of the worst teams in the country over the last half-decade, and that isn’t said lightly. It isn’t due to a lack of talent, as Robert Carpenter and Caleb Hunter might not have won a lot in Itta Bena, but they had successful personal tenures. Terry Collins might be the next player on that list of players who put up impressive counting numbers on a team that finished sub-350 in the country. George Ivory will look to revert that pattern, and that is mainly done through rebuilding the roster, instead of trying to win with a team who wasn’t able to do much of that the previous year. Daniel Umoh demonstrated some intriguing defensive abilities his freshman year, and if any of that is able to carry over, he might be the starter, pushing Quoiren Waldon to the bench. Jordan Johnson and Kedar Waller could fill out the guard rotation, they will both look to improve their efficiency as passers. Ivory had some moments for Arkansas Pine Bluff, and though his tenure didn’t end well in Pine Bluff, coming home can change circumstances.
360. Lamar
#10 in the Southland
The Cardinals were among the worst teams in the country in Alvin Brooks’ first year at the helm. They didn’t win a single game in the WAC in their only season there, boomeranging back to where they have previously called home in the Southland. It is more or less a complete reset for Brooks, who only brings back three players who played a minute for his team the previous season. It might be important for the players on this roster to get the bad taste out of their mouths from the previous year, and not beginning any of them back is among the easiest ways to do so. There is very little proven D1 talent on the roster, and the talent who returns from the previous year didn’t play a huge role. Brooks has been around the game a very long time, but this might be his toughest test to date.
361. Long Island
#9 in the NEC
Getting rid of Derek Kellogg was questionable, especially after a third-place finish the previous season. As with many questionable coaching decisions, roster turnover follows. The Sharks lose three players who averaged upwards of a dozen points, headlined by Ty Flowers and Eral Penn, one of the best scoring duos in the country. First-year coach Rod Strickland will look to replace the talent he lost through recruiting and the transfer portal. Maurice Commander was a productive combo guard in the Horizon League, and he’ll split ball handling with Tre Wood, both redshirt seniors. Jacob Johnson needs to improve his shooting from his days as a kangaroo. The athletic director put Strickland and this entire program behind the 8 ball by firing a successful coach and hiring Strickland in July.
362. IUPUI
#11 in the Horizon League
This was the worst team in the country the previous season and isn’t expected to get much better, having lost upwards of 70% of their returning minutes With not much in the way of incoming transfers or recruits, this will quite likely be the worst, if not one of the worst teams in the country, once again. Matt Crenshaw brings in Bryce Monroe who was productive in the WCC. There are only four other players who have seen minutes at the D1 level. Boston Stanton is the leading returning scorer and a sophomore who Crenshaw may see as worthwhile building around. If Crenshaw is able to maintain his talent into a second and third season, this year could be looked back on as an important stepping stone toward success.
Image Credit: Lindenwood Athletics
363. Lindenwood
#10 in the OVC
The Lions were a sub-.500 team in D2 the previous season, and lack the track record of other transitioning teams of consistent success at the lower level. Kyle Gerdeman will have a difficult job on his hands, especially with losing his two top scorers. Bringing back Kevin Caldwell will allow for some good continuity from the previous team. If you were to ask any coach if they could only bring back one player from their starting five, who it would be, they’d answer with their point guard. Caldwell isn’t the only returning starter, as senior guard Brandon Trimble provides some shooting from the wing. Chris Childs and Cam Burrell are players who would match the talent of the D1 competition the Lions are facing, coming by way of Bryant and Western Illinois. Growing pains should be expected in St. Charles.
Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy the upcoming season as much as I will.