150. UTSA Roadrunners - Last Season Ranking: 227
Conference: American
Player to know: Vasean Allette
It might be time for the Roadrunners to become the following program from the American to start competing for league championships every year. Head coach Austin Claunch built up the Nicholls program, and with the transfers and talent he has brought in to play for UTSA, he will do the same for the Roadrunners.
149. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers - Last Season Ranking: 127
Conference: Conference USA
Player to know: Ryan Myers
Western Kentucky is in good hands under head coach Hank Plona. He ran one of the best JUCO programs in the country at Indian Hills Community College. His ties to JUCO basketball have helped him immensely on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal. The Hilltoppers have a roster that will compete, but is likely a middle-of-the-league team.
148. Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders - Last Season Ranking: 187
Conference: Conference USA
Player to know: James Dent Jr.
It has been a good few years for the Blue Raiders in the Conference USA, even though they have not made the NCAA Tournament. However, heading into the 2025-2026 season, Middle Tennessee has to replace four double-digit scorers. Few teams can overcome that even in the transfer portal era.
147. Tulsa Golden Hurricane - Last Season Ranking: 153
Conference: American Athletic
Player to know: Miles Barnstable
Tulsa has been through some tough times over the last few seasons, but current head coach Erik Konkol is the guy many believe will get the Golden Hurricane out of its funk. The time for that to happen may be this year; the roster is full of new faces, but all of them have been stars for winning programs and will bring the winning formula to Tulsa. Don't be surprised when the Golden Hurricane finishes in the middle of the league.
146. Little Rock Trojans - Last Season Ranking: 242
Conference: Ohio Valley
Player to know: Johnathan Lawson
The Trojans made the Ohio Valley title game last year and lost, but never fear, Little Rock fans: the Trojans' style of play is sustainable, and they will likely be back this season. The defense is always going to be one of the top in the country, the offense is efficient, and the Trojans have the two best players in the league.
145. Jacksonville State Gamecocks - Last Season Ranking: 219
Conference: Conference USA
Player to know: Mostapha El Moutaouakkil
Head coach Ray Harper has turned the Gamecocks into an annual contender in the Conference USA. Jacksonville State did make the NIT last season and won a game in the event. Heading into the season, the Gamecocks have loaded up on talent in the transfer portal and will have a nice mix of scoring and defense. They will finish near the top of the conference again.
144. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs - Last Season Ranking: 110
Conference: Conference USA
Player to know: Scooter Williams
Talvin Hester is one of the best young coaches in the game, and he will win no matter the roster. I don't want to say ignore the roster, because every team needs some talent, but few coaches are as good at getting the most out of their roster as Hester is. Louisiana Tech lost a ton of talent last year, but will still be competitive in the Conference USA.
143. Illinois-Chicago Flames - Last Season Ranking: 229
Conference: Missouri Valley
Player to know: Ahmad Henderson
The Flames are another team that had a great season but didn't get talked about nearly enough. Heading into the 2025-2026 season, Illinois-Chicago is hoping to change that narrative and make a lot of noise in the MVC. The problem is they have a ton of transfers who will have to gel for Illinois-Chicago to meet their potential.
142. East Carolina Pirates - Last Season Ranking: 121
Conference: American
Player to know: Jordan Riley
The Pirates play extremely fast on offense, get to the free-throw line, are an elite rebounding team in the conference, protect the rim, and rarely turn the ball over. All of those things have led to East Carolina basketball being competitive again under head coach Michael Schwartz. The roster has some talent, but that kind of thing doesn't usually matter for teams that play the Pirates' style. If they execute, they will win.
141. Temple Owls - Last Season Ranking: 142
Conference: American Athletic
Player to know: CJ Hines
Temple is one of the game's outstanding programs and historically has won a lot. Lately, the Owls have not done much winning. They don't win much in the American, and it's usually a lack of depth. That was the case last year, and it had one of the worst defenses in the country. Temple bolstered the roster with quality transfers who play sides of the ball. Hopefully, the results improve and the Owls can start winning consistently.
140. Loyola Marymount Lions - Last Season Ranking: 130
Conference: West Coast
Player to know: Jalen Shelley
Loyola Marymount has been a popular destination for big-time transfers under head coach Stan Johnson. Unfortunately, the Lions have not been able to turn that into wins. I know that everyone is playing for third place in the West Coast Conference, and Loyola Marymount can't even do that. This season, the Lions have a ton of talent and one of the better teams Coach Johnson has had. Can they win enough?
139. East Tennessee State Buccaneers - Last Season Ranking: 152
Conference: Southern
Player to know: Milton Matthews III
East Tennessee State won 19 games last year and finished in the top three of the Southern Conference, yet many college basketball fans forgot how good the Buccaneers were. Heading into the 2025-2026 season, head coach Brooks Savage bolstered the scoring and returned a lot of developmental pieces. East Tennessee State will be just as good again.
138. New Mexico State Aggies - Last Season Ranking: 156
Conference: Conference USA
Player to know: Jemel Jones
The Aggies won games on the back of their defense a season ago. It was one of the best in the country, and Jason Hooten coached teams that always are. New Mexico State won 17 games on the backs of its defense, but if it didn't have one of the nation's worst offenses, it could have won the Conference USA. The roster this year is loaded with scorers, and scoring will no longer be a problem.
137. Florida Atlantic Owls - Last Season Ranking: 106
Conference: American Athletic
Player to know: Isaiah Elohim
Florida Atlantic struggled at times last year under head coach John Jakus, and the problems stemmed from Jakus's style of play. The Owls want to play as fast as possible and take as many shots as possible throughout the game. Coach Jakus went out and brought in players from the transfer portal who will thrive in his system. The Owls will make the postseason again.
136. Southern Illinois Salukis - Last Season Ranking: 144
Conference: Missouri Valley
Player to know: Isaiah Stafford
Scott Nagy is entering his second year as the coach of Southern Illinois, and we are sitting on eggshells waiting for the Salukis to rise and win the Missouri Valley and then put a stranglehold on the league for the next 10 years like he did at Wright State. There are some building blocks for that this season, but the Salukis may still be a year away.
135. Furman Paladins - Last Season Ranking: 170
Conference: Southern
Player to know: Cooper Bowser
Furman won 25 games again last year and was a factor in the Southern Conference race. The Paladins being good has become the norm for head coach Bob Ritchie. The 2025-2026 season may be anything but normal, though, as Furman lost a ton of talent and has a roster full of true freshmen.
134. Kennesaw State Owls - Last Season 226
Conference: Atlantic Sun
Player to know: Simeon Cottle
Head coach Antoine Pettway is one of the best young recruiters in the game, and Kennesaw State has an elite freshman class again to pair with their veterans. The Owls are an extreme sleeper in the conference because of their overall talent level. Don't be surprised if Kennesaw State makes a run at the NCAA Tournament.
133. Washington State Cougars - Last Season Ranking: 111
Conference: West Coast
Player to know: Tomas Thrastarson
The Cougars played in the College Basketball Crown tournament and won 19 games in their first year in the West Coast Conference. It would have been interesting to see if they could have pushed Gonzaga and Saint Mary's had they not had so many injuries. Heading into the 2025-2026 season, the roster was gutted by the transfer portal, which could make for a long year for Wazzu.
132. Illinois State Redbirds - Last Season Ranking: 200
Conference: Missouri Valley
Player to know: Chase Walker
Illinois State won 22 games last season and won the Purple College Basketball Invitational. The Redbirds and head coach Ryan Pedon return their entire roster from last season. That is one of the main reasons that Illinois State was picked to win the Valley in the preseason. Illinois State is good enough to beat some primary conference schools.
131. College of Charleston Cougars - Last Season Ranking: 145
Conference: Coastal Athletic
Player to know: Mister Dean
It was only a matter of time before Chris Mack got Charleston consistently back to the NCAA Tournament and dominating the Coastal Athletic Conference. He only needed one year with Charleston to build a dominating roster. The team has a lot of transfers, but they are all extremely talented and can all score. How well they gel will determine how well the Cougars play.
130. Rhode Island Rams - Last Season Ranking: 126
Conference: Atlantic 10
Player to know: Myles Corey
Archie Miller is doing enough to improve the Rams, but he still has yet to make a legitimate run at the NCAA Tournament. Rhode Island has never reached its potential because it can't — and doesn't — play defense. Coach Miller has to figure that out for his team to get their ceiling.
129. James Madison Dukes - Last Season Ranking: 173
Conference: Sun Belt
Player to know: Cliff Davis
Year 1 for Preston Spradlin was a rousing success. He guided his team to the Sun Belt championship but just missed the postseason. James Madison is going to get their threes up and likely will make a good percentage of them. The Dukes have a new roster this year with a ton of development opportunities. It will be hard for the Dukes to win the league again.
128. St. Thomas Tommies - Last Season Ranking: 209
Conference: Summit League
Player to know: Carter Bjerke
It was the closest the Tommies had ever been to their first NCAA Tournament last season, when they lost in the Summit League title game to Omaha. Heading into this season, St. Thomas and head coach John Tauer are among the favorites in the Summit. The Tommies shoot a ton of threes and reload in the transfer portal.
127. UCSB Gauchos - Last Season Ranking: 141
Conference: Big West
Player to know: Aidan Mahaney
The Gauchos finished in 5th place in the Big West last year. It marks the second straight year Santa Barbara has not finished in the top 4 of the league, which had not happened under head coach Joe Pasternack. Last year is in the past, and the Gauchos head into the 2025-2026 season as the overwhelming favorite in the Big West. The roster is loaded with guys who can score and defend.
126. Oregon State Beavers - Last Season Ranking: 139
Conference: West Coast
Player to know: Josiah Lake
The first season in the West Coast Conference was mixed. The Beavers beat Gonzaga and made the College Basketball Crown, but also lost games to Pepperdine and Portland. Oregon State, like many other mid-majors, lost a ton of talent to the transfer portal that they didn't replace. Wayne Tinkle is a good coach, but it is hard to see the Beavers being as successful as last year.
125. Wichita State Shockers - Last Season Ranking: 104
Conference: American Athletic
Player to know: Karon Boyd
It was only a matter of time until head coach Paul Mills got the Shockers ready to compete for NCAA Tournaments every season. That year might be this year as Wichita State is loaded. Coach Mills used the transfer portal to his advantage, finding a ton of scoring and two of the best defensive players. The American is tough at the top, but the Shockers have a roster that can win the league.
124. Belmont Bruins - Last Season Ranking: 178
Conference: Missouri Valley
Player to know: Tyler Lundblade
The Bruins have not qualified for the postseason since they moved from the Ohio Valley to the Missouri Valley. The league is harder, and the Bruins have been crushed in the transfer portal. This is the year that could change most of the roster from last season, with Lundblade a budding star.
123. Troy Trojans - Last Season Ranking: 131
Conference: Sun Belt
Player to know: Thomas Dowd
Troy won the Sun Belt regular season and conference tournament. That means they found their way to the NCAA Tournament and, like every other mid-major to do so, saw their best players leave for the transfer portal. The Trojans still have a good portion of their roster back from the tournament team, and head coach Scott Cross is one of the best coaches in the game. Troy will be fine.
122. Kent State Golden Flashes - Last Season Ranking: 135
Conference: MAC
Player to know: Morgan Safford
Kent State lost a ton of talent to graduation and the transfer portal, and the roster has one double-digit scorer from last year. Still, I am not worried about the Golden Flashes because head coach Rob Senderhoff is so good at developing talent and getting his guys to play for him. Kent State won't win the league, but they will still win 20 games and finish in the top 3 or 4 again.
121. Drake Bulldogs - Last Season Ranking: 124
Conference: Missouri Valley
Player to know: Owen Larson
Drake was one of the better teams in the country last year under head coach Ben McCollum. They played at the slowest pace in the country, but they won games. The Bulldogs won so much that coach McCollum took the Iowa job, and Drake hired former South Dakota State coach Eric Henderson. Henderson will get his team to play fast, shoot a ton of threes, and, most importantly, win.
120. Miami (Ohio) Redhawks - Last Season Ranking: 212
Conference: MAC
Player to know: Peter Suder
Miami is going to get its threes up and shoot them at a high percentage. The Redhawks were the third-best three-point shooting team in the country last year. Miami won 25 games last season, the most in its history. The Redhawks return many shooters and are among the favorites for the MAC title.
119. Duquesne Dukes - Last Season Ranking: 140
Conference: Atlantic 10
Player to know: Jake DiMichele
Dru Joyce is a good coach who is a great recruiter who will infuse the Duquesne program with talent. Last year was not up to the extremely high standard that coach Joyce holds himself to. The team couldn't score, but the bright side was that they were one of the best defensive teams in the A10. This year, Joyce infused the roster with scorers while still maintaining the defensive edge. The Dukes will be much better.
118. Tulane Green Wave - Last Season Ranking: 199
Conference: American Athletic
Player to know: Rowan Brumbaugh
The Green Wave made their first postseason tournament under head coach Ron Hunter. Tulane made the first round of the College Basketball Crown tournament before losing to USC. The 2025-2026 season is the most talented team that Coach Hunter has had in his tenure at Tulane. They look to improve on their 4th-place finish in the conference.
117. Seattle Redhawks - Last Season Ranking: 123
Conference: WCC
Player to know: John Christofilis
It is year one for the Redhawks in the West Coast Conference, which means head coach Chris Victor and his Seattle basketball team will face Gonzaga and Saint Mary's twice a year. It also means that recruiting and TV appearances will pick up. Seattle has an experienced roster filled with role players. Will any of them step up to be a star?
116. Hawaii Warriors - Last Season Ranking: 201
Conference: Big West
Player to know: Gytis Nemeiksa
Head coach Eran Ganot had a fantastic offseason in the transfer portal. The Warriors have one of the better Big West rosters, at least on paper. Ganot is a great coach who will get the best out of his players. The Warriors have upgraded the scoring in a big way and are a huge sleeper in the Big West.
115. Northern Iowa Panthers - Last Season Ranking: 119
Conference: Missouri Valley
Player to know: Trey Campbell
It is hard to believe the Panthers have not made the tournament for nine straight years, after making 4 of the last seven before this streak. Head coach Ben Jacobson is the most successful Panthers coach, but the Northern Iowa fan base is growing restless. Northern Iowa returns 3 of 5 starters from last year and many of its depth pieces. Could this be the year?
114. Towson Tigers - Last Season Ranking: 133
Conference: Coastal Athletic
Player to know: Tyler Tejada
Towson is eventually going to make the NCAA Tournament, and it's likely going to be soon, given that they have been one of the best teams in the CAA over the last 5 years. Last season, they went 16-2 in the league and lost in the conference tournament to Delaware. The Tigers have their two stars back in 2025-2026 and upgraded their defense in the transfer portal. They are the favorite in the CAA.
113. UNC Wilmington Seahawks - Last Season Ranking: 154
Conference: Coastal Athletic
Player to know: Jahnathan Lamothe
UNC Wilmington is a perfect example of why it is so hard for teams in mid-major conferences to repeat as conference champions. The Seahawks made the NCAA Tournament last year, only to have all their star players transfer. As a result, the roster had to be rebuilt, with the hope that head coach Takayo Siddle wouldn't have to rebuild.
112. UC-Irvine Anteaters - Last Season Ranking: 90
Conference: Big West
Player to know: Jurian Dixon
It is hard to fathom that the Anteaters won 32 games last year and didn't make the NCAA Tournament. That will happen when you have another team in your league that dominates the league like UC San Diego did with the Big West. UC Irvine lost a ton of talent to the transfer portal, but it always trusts in head coach Russ Turner. He has built a power in the Big West.
111. St. Bonaventure Bonnies - Last Season Ranking: 116
Conference: Atlantic 10
Player to know: Darryl Simmons II
St. Bonaventure has struggled to score consistently over the last few seasons, and that has hurt them throughout an entire season. This year, the Bonnies have one of the best backcourts they have had since their previous NCAA Tournament run. The improved offense, coupled with their smothering defense, is going to make the Bonnies tough to beat on a nightly basis.
110. Chattanooga Mocs - Last Season Ranking: 134
Conference: Southern
Player to know: Teddy Washington Jr.
The Mocs ran away with the Southern Conference regular season title last year but were defeated in the conference tournament before going on to win the NIT. Head coach Dan Earl lost a lot of talent to the transfer portal, but it doesn't matter much for him. Chattanooga is going to run a ball-control offense that emphasizes moving the ball and creating easy open looks. Offense comes easily, no matter who is on the roster. Expect another top-three finish in the league for the Mocs.
109. Bradley Braves - Last Season Ranking: 94
Conference: Missouri Valley
Player to know: Alex Huibregtse
The Braves have been one of the best teams in the Valley over the last decade, and head coach Brian Wardle has heard his name associated with some big-time openings. Bradley has won at least 20 games in each of the previous three years, and last year they won 28. The 2025-2026 roster doesn't look as good, but the Braves keep winning every year regardless of the roster.
108. Utah Valley Wolverines - Last Season Ranking: 150
Conference: WAC
Player to know: Isaac Hawkins
Utah Valley had a heartbreaking season last year. They went into championship week as the overall top seed in the WAC, then lost to Grand Canyon in the finals. The Wolverines did make the NIT before losing to San Francisco. Head coach Todd Phillips had to rebuild the roster after Utah Valley lost a ton of talent in the transfer portal. The Wolverines are still the most talented team in the WAC.
107. Yale Bulldogs - Last Season Ranking 108
Conference: Ivy League
Player to know: Nick Townsend
Yale dominated the Ivy League last year and was a trendy pick to pull an upset in the NCAA Tournament again. This year, even with a lot of new pieces, the Bulldogs are the team to beat in the Ivy League again. Head coach James Jones has built a dynasty, a lot like Gonzaga in the WCC and the 2010s Kansas in the Big 12. They will make the tournament again.
106. Saint Joseph’s Hawks - Last Season Ranking: 81
Conference: Atlantic 10
Player to know: Derek Simpson
The Hawks lost their coach, Billy Lange, to the NBA in mid-September, and veteran coach Steve Donahue takes over. Saint Joseph's has a veteran roster, but very few of the players have contributed much at the Division 1 level before this season. It will be interesting to see if the new head coach can develop this roster and get them playing with confidence.
105. Murray State Racers - Last Season Ranking: 109
Conference: Missouri Valley
Player to know: Fred King
Steve Prohm is out, and Ryan Miller is in. Miller was most recently an assistant at Creighton, and he is likely going to bring the Racers back to the powerhouse they were in the Ohio Valley. Murray State is going to shoot a ton of threes, and coach Miller built his first roster with players who shoot a ton of threes and shoot them well.
104. Penn State Nittany Lions - Last Season Ranking: 83
Conference: Big Ten
Player to know: Kayden Mingo
Surprisingly, the Nittany Lions have been a mess under head coach Mike Rhoades. Many people thought he could bring this program back to prominence. Penn State couldn't finish games last year and lost a ton of close games. The 2025-2026 season is going to be a long one for the Nittany Lions. They don't have much, and the roster has eight freshmen.
103. UNLV Rebels - Last Season Ranking: 93
Conference: Mountain West
Player to know: Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn
Josh Pastner is back as a coach of a Division 1 college basketball team. That should make UNLV fans happy because Pastner can recruit and will infuse the program with talent. The Rebels will put it all together sometime within the next 5 years and find their way into the tournament. The roster is loaded with talent, but that doesn't always equate to wins.
102. Santa Clara Broncos - Last Season Ranking: 95
Conference: WCC
Player to know: Elijah Mahi
The Broncos have come on strong over the last few seasons and have been one of the best teams in the WCC. Santa Clara still has to make the NCAA Tournament because it can't beat Saint Mary's or Gonzaga consistently. Those are the wins the Broncos must have to bid for a tournament. Coach Herb Sendek will get the absolute most out of this roster, even if it isn't the most talented he has had.
101. South Florida Bulls - Last Season Ranking: 112
Conference: American Athletic
Player to know: Daimion Collins
The South Florida program is ready for new heights. They hired Bryan Hodgson, who turned around the Arkansas State program, and in one offseason has already brought back the excitement to South Florida basketball. This roster has a ton of talent and is a big-time sleeper in the American.