NCAA Basketball: Ranking all 353 D-I programs for 2019-20 season

272. UC Davis Aggies

Head Coach Jim Les is a proven winner and in his nine seasons, he has turned the Aggies into a consistent winner in the Big West. This year due to the graduation of many of their top players including former Big West Player of the Year TJ Shorts, the Aggies are going to struggle. Les has proven they won’t be down for long.

271. Monmouth Hawks

The 0-12 start to last season had everyone wondering if the Hawks were going to make a coaching change midseason. Head coach King Rice righted the ship and by the end of the season, the Hawks were playing good basketball. The two leading scorers return from this team and coach Rice is hoping to use their finish as momentum going into the season.

270. Western Michigan Broncos

Western Michigan had never experienced a season quite like last year. They lost three players, two of which were key contributors, to injury. Two of those players are back but they did lose two of their top three scorers from the season before. Western Michigan may outplay this ranking.

269. St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers

The Terriers leader on the floor last year Glenn Sanabria has graduated. Their leading scorer Jalen Jordan has transferred. The Terriers are left hoping the rest of the roster can pick up the slack and a graduate transfer from UMass, Unique McLean gives them an added scoring punch. Looks like another middle of pack finish for the Terriers.

268. Western Carolina Catamounts

Western Carolina got a ton of production from their younger players last season. That entire team is back for a second year with coach Mark Prosser. It is hard to get excited about a team who gave up 80 points per game and won only seven games. The Southern Conference is still loaded at the top but Western Carolina will be better.

267. Appalachian State Mountaineers

Dustin Kerns is one of the better young coaches in the game. He enters his first season coaching the Mountaineers. He can build around a great young guard in Justin Forrest. The negative is that the team he inherited only won 11 games a season ago. Karns may need a season to fully work his magic.

266. High Point Panthers

When Tubby Smith left Minnesota, he was hired by his alma mater to try and do something no one else has ever done, get them to the NCAA tournament. A season ago the Panthers showed some life finishing one game over .500. This season the top four scorers from a year ago are no longer with the team including star Jahaad Proctor. The Panthers will be lucky to repeat last season’s minimal success.

265. Chattanooga Mocs

Head Coach Lamont Paris has won a total of 22 games in two seasons. Last year the Mocs were very young and they struggled. This year the Mocs lose three out of their 4 top scorers and are still young. Could be another long season for the Mocs.

264. George Washington Colonials

The Colonials have a new coach and revamped roster, after winning nine games a season ago. The new coach is Jamion Christian, who had tremendous success at Mount St. Mary’s and Siena before going to George Washington. He rebuilt the roster with sit-out transfers. This could be a tough year until Christian gets things rolling in DC. However, the track record for Christian of turning around programs quickly should speak for itself by now.

263. Jackson State Tigers

Under Wayne Brent the Tigers have always been competitive in the SWAC conference and usually finish near the top. The issue with Jackson State as with most other SWAC teams is their inability to stay competitive against virtually anyone else. This year should be the same for the Tigers.

262. Howard Bison

17-17 is the best record Howard has had since 2001-2002 when they were able to win 18 games. This year could be worse considering the Bison have a new coach and two members of their three-headed monster in RJ Cole and Chad Lott are no longer on campus. That leaves new coach Keith Blakeney still with one of the best scorers in the MEAC in senior Charles Williams.

261. Towson Tigers

The Tigers only won 10 games a season ago after winning 18 and the 20 the previous two seasons. Head Coach Pat Skerry had the Tigers trending in the right direction. This season they return their three top scorers and add a crucial transfer. Was last year just an outlier or a sign of things to come?

260. Bethune-Cookman Wildcats

The Wildcats are a hard team to figure out. Last year with a very experienced team, who entered the year as one of the favorites in the MEAC, didn’t live up to expectations. This season still as an experienced team, the Wildcats return double-double machine Cletrell Pope and lead guard Malik Maitland. This could finally be the year for the Wildcats.

259. Dartmouth Big Green

The Big Green have not had a winning record since 1998-1999. Since that season they have only six seasons with double-digit wins. Last year was one of them. The Big Green do return their entire team from a season ago. Last season could be the start for some positive momentum

258. Long Beach State 49ers

Head Coach Dan Monson has had a lot of success as the head coach of the 49ers. This season may be a tough one as he loses all three of his top scorers. He has tried to rebuild the team with a couple of transfers and JUCO players. Unfortunately, the top half of the conference has some very good teams.

257. San Diego Toreros

San Diego lost four sensational players and those 4 players accounted for almost all their scoring.  This season the Toreros will have a brand new starting five sans one player. With the way the top half of the West Coast conference looks that is could spell bad news for the Toreros.

256. Portland State Vikings

The Vikings return one of the best players in the Big Sky conference in Holland Woods. In fact, Portland State returns most of its roster that went .500 a year ago. If Woods can find some more consistent help Portland State has an outside chance of outplaying this ranking and finishing near the top of the Big Sky.

255. Cal State Fullerton Titans

The Titans lost their two leaders and the members of arguably the best backcourt in the Big West conference a season ago. Kyle Allman and Khalil Ahmad have graduated and replacing their production is going to be near impossible. Fullerton did add High Point transfer Brandon Kamga and still return efficient forward Jackson Rowe to help minimize the loss of their two stars.

254. William and Mary Tribe

When William and Mary decided to part ways with former coach Tony Shaver, the move was not well received by much of the roster. Star Nathan Knight decided to stay and finish his career for the Tribe. His supporting cast, which made the Tribe a dangerous team when all together, have all left to pursue other options. It is a shame that the country has never seen a player like Knight in the NCAA tournament.

253. Quinnipiac Bobcats

The Bobcats lost a ton of production from a team expected to make the NCAA tournament a season ago. Cameron Young who averaged 24 points per game a season ago was lost to graduation. Head coach Baker Dunleavy now turns to Juniors Rich Kelly and Jacob Rigoni to lead the current team. Northwestern grad transfer Aaron Falzon is going to further help cushion the blow of the loss of Young.