Welcome to the third installment of the 2026-2027 NCAA Basketball Team Power Rankings. These are the teams from 199-100. The closer the countdown gets to the double digits, the more likely a team is to make the NCAA Tournament. None of these teams are likely to get an at-large bid, but some sneaky sleepers are in these ranks.
The Power Five appears near the end of the list, which is never good. Those are two teams I can say with confidence won't make the NCAA Tournament. Enjoy the rankings of 199-100.
*Ranking of teams 365-300
*Ranking of teams 299-200
199. Western Michigan Broncos- Last Season Ranking: 294
Conference: MAC
Head Coach: Kahil Fennel (1st season)
Player to know: Jaylen Washington
Western Michigan hired coach Fennel from Texas Rio Grande Valley. The new Broncos head man turned his former program around with an efficient offense and an especially high percentage from deep. Nothing comes easy for opponents on offense, and the defense forces teams into bad shots, usually from deep. There is not a single minute returning for Western Michigan, but that is a good thing
198. Austin Peay State Governors- Last Season Ranking: 285
Conference: United Athletic Conference
Head Coach: Corey Gipson (4th season)
Player to know: Rashaud Marshall
Austin Peay went out with a bang in the Atlantic Sun, winning the league regular season, and even though the Governors missed the tournament, it was still considered a successful year for Austin Peay. The 2026-2027 roster features two stars, one of them a candidate for United Athletic Conference player of the year, plus a freshman. Beyond the two stars, the depth has questions, but Coach Gipson will still lead these guys to one of the league's top finishes.
197. Oakland Golden Grizzlies-Last Season Ranking: 187
Conference: Horizon League
Head Coach: Greg Kampe (43rd season)
Player to know: Chris Field Jr.
Oakland is always a team that's hard to judge. That is usually the case when a legend who's been part of college basketball longer than I have been alive is coaching. Coach Kampe has seen everything the game has to offer, and his most versatile teams always surprise and win the Horizon League. The 2026-2027 roster has a lot of guys who can do a lot of different things with no stars. Is this another surprise run to the NCAA Tournament for the Golden Grizzlies?
196. Northern Colorado Bears- Last Season Ranking: 201
Conference: Big Sky
Head Coach: Steve Smiley (7th season)
Player to know: Langston Reynolds
The Bears aren't on TV much, but if you are one of the lucky ones to catch a Northern Colorado game, you will see a well-oiled machine on the offensive end of the floor. Coach Smiley makes sure the threes go up at a high volume, the offense is efficient, and the ball never stays in the same place for long. Northern Colorado needs to spend some of the energy they use to perfect the offense on defense. The defense is what is holding the Bears back from being a juggernaut in the Big Sky.
195. Abilene Christian Wildcats- Last Season Ranking: 174
Conference: United Athletic Conference
Head Coach: Brette Tanner (6th season)
Player to know: Noah Bolanga
Let's describe Abilene Christian basketball in a nutshell. It's old-school back-to-the-basket, get-to-the-rim style: minimal threes, heavy free throws. The problem is the offense is always clunky and never consistently puts up points. However, the defense is elite at slowing opponents down, minimizing threes, and forcing turnovers. Scoring becomes a chore on both ends. If the Wildcats can score consistently, they will make the NCAA Tournament again fairly easily.
194. Cornell Big Red- Last Season Ranking: 171
Conference: Ivy League
Head Coach: Jon Jaques (3rd season)
Player to know: Jacob Beccles
The Big Red can get up and down the floor and are elite at putting the ball in the hole. They will likely lead the nation in field goal percentage, three-point attempts, three-point makes, and three-point percentage. The problem lies on the defensive end of the floor. Cornell doesn't play much defense, which has hurt them in the Ivy League because their offense is good enough to win the league. Â
193. Troy Trojans- Last Season Ranking: 123
Conference: Sun Belt
Head Coach: Adam Howard (1st season)
Player to know: Robert Davis Jr.
Troy was the Sun Belt representative in the NCAA Tournament, where they got smoked in the first round by Nebraska; then coach Scott Cross, who rebuilt the program, left for Georgia Tech. Adam Howard gets his first-ever head coaching job. Howard is known for his offensive game plans and his ability to recruit high-level talent. The Sun Belt is deep, and Howard doesn't have an NCAA Tournament roster this year.
192. UC Davis Aggies- Last Season Ranking: 264
Conference: Mountain West
Head Coach: Jim Les (16th season)
Player to know: Connor Sevilla
The Aggies are sometimes good, sometimes bad, but UC Davis is usually a few games over .500 and a competitive, middle-of-the-pack team in the Big West. Historically, the Aggies have had some of the best individual players in the Big West, and Sevilla will be one of them this year, even in the new conference. Even with a player like Sevilla, the Aggies will still be a few over .500. The Mountain West is a lot harder league.
191. San Diego Toreros- Last Season Ranking: 180
Conference: West Coast
Head Coach: JR Blount (1st season)
Player to know: Marqui Worthy Jr.
San Diego is a bottom-of-the-WCC team, and the hope is that new coach JR Blount can change that. Blount is a fantastic recruiter and excellent player developer. The recruiting ability is already paying off. The Toreros have a high ceiling and low floor this year. It may not be this year, but Blount can turn the San Diego program into contenders.
190. Florida International Panthers- Last Season Ranking: 230
Conference: Conference USA
Head Coach: Joey Cantens (1st season)
Player to know: Jerald Colonel
The Panthers should be a lot better at basketball than they are. Florida International is in Miami, FL, and the school has never had a problem getting players. Joey Cantens has made that clear in his first offseason as the Panthers' coach. He has loaded this roster with a defensive player of the year and another all-conference. Those stars pair with some elite JUCO scorers. Florida International will be pretty good.
189. Indiana State Sycamores- Last Season Ranking: 170
Conference: Missouri Valley
Head Coach: Matthew Graves (3rd season)
Player to know: Karmoni Gregory
It's hard to fathom a Sycamores team that dominated the Valley for so long becoming one of the league's worst teams. Year 3 under coach Graves may have the special sauce, though. It is the best roster he's had, and there are finally shooters. Indiana State is still a long way from the NCAA Tournament, but they should be much improved in the Valley in 2026-2027.
188. Cal State Northridge Matadors- Last Season Ranking: 158
Conference: Big West
Head Coach: Andy Newman (4th season)
Player to know: Josiah Davis
The Matadors have completely turned their program around under head coach Andy Newman. Cal State Northridge went from being one of the worst programs in the country to one of the best teams in the Big West. The only thing left for Newman is to make the NCAA Tournament. Davis's return gives the Matadors a leg up in the Big West; the depth has questions, but it is time to trust Coach Newman to win games.
187. Monmouth Hawks- Last Season Ranking: 208
Conference: Coastal Athletic
Head Coach: King Rice (16th season)
Player to know: Stefanos Spartalis
Monmouth is trending up, and the Hawks were one game away from the NCAA Tournament. Coach Rice has had a long road to the top of the CAA, but now that they're there, they don't look like they'll leave anytime soon. The Hawks have a young roster but still have enough talent to finish near the top of the CAA. Is this the year Monmouth finally makes it back to the NCAA Tournament?
186. Southern Illinois Salukis- Last Season Ranking: 136
Conference: Missouri Valley
Head Coach: Scott Nagy (3rd season)
Player to know: Jalen Haynes
The Salukis are in a transitional rebuild under head coach Scott Nagy; every team going through a new coach has to do that. Southern Illinois is in good hands, though, as their head coach is a program builder and has made the NCAA Tournament multiple times at every stop. In this case, for the Salukis, it's when, not if, but that when, won't be in 2026-2027. The roster is young and likely finishes in the middle of the MVC pack.
185. Merrimack Warriors- Last Season Ranking: 271
Conference: Metro
Head Coach: Joe Gallo (11th season)
Player to know: Tye Dorset
The Warriors have become one of the best low-major schools in the sport. Merrimack wins a lot and has a handful of conference regular-season titles. The only thing missing from the resume is the NCAA Tournament berth. The Warriors have reloaded for 2026-2027 and are ready to bring their extremely slow pace and smothering defense back to the top of the Metro Conference.  Â
184. Sacramento State Hornets- Last Season Ranking: 263
Conference: Big West
Head Coach: Mike Bibby (2nd season)
Player to know: Mikey Williams
The first year didn't go well under Coach Bibby, but the Hornets couldn't defend. Sacramento State, armed with Coach Bibby and Shaq as their GM, went back to the drawing board. The two added a ton of scoring, and it looks like they want to outscore everyone. Defense will still matter, but this roster is one to watch in the Big West.
183. Arkansas State Red Wolves- Last Season Ranking: 155
Conference: Sun Belt
Head Coach: Ryan Pannone (2nd season)
Player to know: Layne Taylor
2025-2026 was the third straight season the Red Wolves have won 20 games, and the third straight year Arkansas State has finished near the top of the Sun Belt. Coach Pannone runs an elite offense and has built a roster full of players who are great at putting the ball in the basket. The defense isn't good, and the turnover margin is high, which lowers the ceiling, but the offensive prowess wins Arkansas State a lot of games.
182. St. Bonaventure Bonnies- Last Season Ranking: 111
Conference: Atlantic 10
Head Coach: Mike MacDonald (1st season)
Player to know: Benjamin Bill
Saint Bonaventure enters a new era as legendary head coach Mark Schmidt retired and the Mike MacDonald era begins. The Bonnies are in a transitional period and may struggle this year. Coach MacDonald built a winner at Division II Daemon, and he brought some of his stars to St. Bonaventure. The question is, can those stars translate to Division 1 basketball? MacDonald will win, but not in year 1.
181. Howard Bison- Last Season Ranking: 303
Conference: MEAC
Head Coach: Kenneth Blakeney (8th season)
Player to know: Cedric Taylor
Howard has become a MEAC juggernaut. It's gotten to the point where if the Bison don't run away with the league and make the NCAA Tournament, it is a giant surprise. Same old, Same old for Howard in the 2026-2027 season. They will have the MEAC player of the year, run and hide in the league, and make the NCAA Tournament.
180. Lipscomb Bisons- Last Season Ranking: 203
Conference: Atlantic Sun
Head Coach: Kevin Carroll (2nd season)
Player to know: Mateo Esmeraldo
Lipscomb has won a lot recently, but like any other team that plays in a one-bid league, if they don't win the tournament, it doesn't matter. The 2026-2027 season may look different for the Bison. Coach Carroll is a great coach, but if he wins with 7 true freshmen, then he deserves coach of the year.
179. La Salle Explorers- Last Season Ranking: 204
Conference: Atlantic 10
Head Coach: Darris Nichols (2nd season)
Player to know: Rob Dockery
La Salle has been rebuilding for a while, and the first season under Coach Nichols saw the Explorers win only 9 games. The proud fanbase holds La Salle to a much higher expectation, as they should. Explorers basketball was built on being Philly tough, and once Coach Nichols gets back to that, the La Salle program will start to win again.Â
178. Ball State Cardinals- Last Season Ranking: 257
Conference: MAC
Head Coach: Chris Capko (1st season)
Player to know: Zaon Collins
The Cardinals have gotten worse each of the last four seasons, so former head coach Michael Lewis is out, and new coach Chris Capko is in. Capko brought an entirely new roster and landed many players who were stars at their mid-majors, plus some Power Five guys who needed to transfer down. The rebuild may not take long in Muncie.
177. North Dakota State Bison- Last Season Ranking: 210
Conference: Summit League
Head Coach: David Richman (13th season)
Player to know: Melvin Bell Jr.
North Dakota State dominated the Summit League last year and were a trendy pick to pull an upset in the NCAA Tournament potentially. The unfortunate part is that the eligible players to return have all left for the transfer portal, leaving the Bison scrambling. North Dakota State doesn't have the star power they had last year, but count out Coach Richman at your own peril.
176. Towson Tigers- Last Season Ranking: 114
Conference: Coastal Athletic
Head Coach: Pat Skerry (16th season)
Player to know: Jaquan Womack
Unfortunately, Towson's window may have closed. The Tigers made the CAA conference tournament finals last season and lost a heartbreaker to Hofstra, and then two of the program's best players transferred to bigger schools. Towson and Coach Skerry can still succeed because the coaching staff preaches defense, and the Tigers consistently have one of the best defenses in the country. Can they score?
175. Vermont Catamounts- Last Season Ranking: 200
Conference: America East
Head Coach: John Becker (16th season)
Player to know: Gus Yalden
The only year in the last 15 years the Catamounts have not won 20 games was the COVID-shortened season. Vermont enters the America East as the league favorite once again. They are the league's premier team every year and always a threat to make the NCAA Tournament. It will be another dominant year in the America East this season, especially with the preseason favorite for conference Player of the Year.
174. Eastern Michigan Eagles- Last Season Ranking: 276
Conference: MAC
Head Coach: Billy Donlon (1st season)
Player to know: Mohammad Habhab
Billy Donlon is known as a program builder. Everywhere he has gone, he has won games and done so quickly. Eastern Michigan appears to be no different, and they are going to start winning right away. The MAC is a tough conference, but the 2026-2027 Eagles look to be the best roster the team has assembled in a while. They have scoring and depth, and now they will be well coached. Sleeper team in the MAC.
173. Portland Pilots- Last Season Ranking: 265
Conference: WCC
Head Coach: Shantay Legans (6th season)
Player to know: Timo George
The Pilots are a perennial bottom-feeder in the West Coast Conference, and that won't change, even with the new West Coast Conference. Portland has been having a tough time getting players, well, at least American players. Coach Legans has been great at bringing in talented freshmen, but like any small school, those players don't stay with the Pilots long enough to turn the program around.
172. East Carolina Pirates- Last Season Ranking: 142
Conference: American
Head Coach: Michael Schwartz (5th season)
Player to know: Cian Medley
East Carolina has been a conference bottom-feeder forever, and little can change that, especially in the American. That league is deep, and while the Pirates have some players who can compete, the overall depth isn't good enough to truly compete in the American. The core starters will be better this season for Coach Schwartz, but East Carolina will still finish at the bottom of the league.
171. St. Thomas Tommies- Last Season Ranking: 128
Conference: Summit League
Head Coach: John Tauer (16th season)
Player to know: Kendall Blue
The Tommies are becoming a force in the Summit League, and it is only a matter of time before St. Thomas starts accumulating multiple NCAA Tournament appearances. Coach Tauer gets the most out of his team because he coaches an unbelievable offense. The Tommies are excellent from three, elite inside the arc, and usually have one of the nation's lowest turnover rates. If that wasn't already enough, St. Thomas is one of the Summit League's best defensive teams. The Tommies get over the hump this year.
170. Central Arkansas Bears- Last Season Ranking: 346
Conference: United Athletic Conference
Head Coach: John Shulman (3rd season)
Player to know: Ty Robinson
Central Arkansas won the most games, the most conference games, their first regular-season conference championship, and played in their first conference championship game. All in a year after winning 9 games the previous season. The Bears head into the 2026-2027 season as one of the favorites in the United Athletic Conference, with Robinson among the favorites for league Player of the Year.
169. Buffalo Bulls- Last Season Ranking: 323
Conference: MAC
Head Coach: George Halcovage III (4th season)
Player to know: Antoine Lorick
Coach Halcovage had some lean years early on, but the Bulls have continued to improve over the years. They are doing it by playing a low-possession, low-turnover, heavy three-point offense. Buffalo needs a lot of athletes and experience to get the most out of the offense truly. This year, Coach Halcovage has some elite athletes and tons of experience at his disposal. Buffalo is a big-time sleeper in the MAC.
168. Pepperdine Waves- Last Season Ranking: 243
Conference: West Coast
Head Coach: Griff Aldrich (1st season)
Player to know: Will McClendon
The rebuild at Pepperdine is tough, but Griff Aldrich may be the right man for it. The Waves likely won't be good for a few years, but coach Aldrich will have them making notable progress in no time. Aldrich has always been a good recruiter and got players to Longwood in Farmville, VA. Imagine what he can do in Malibu, CA.
167. UMass Minutemen- Last Season Ranking: 199
Conference: MAC
Head Coach: Frank Martin (5th season)
Player to know: Jordan Clayton
Everyone wants to preach patience when talking about the Minutemen's rebuild. In reality, it's been 4 years for Coach Martin, and UMass is now in year 5 to take that next step and make a reasonable push toward the top of the MAC. The Minutemen brought in an excellent transfer class. This is the best roster UMass has had under Martin.
166. Bradley Braves- Last Season Ranking: 109
Conference: Missouri Valley
Head Coach: Brian Wardle (12th season)
Player to know: Xander Alarie
The Braves have become a consistent Valley contender every season. Coach Wardle has guided Bradley to only one NCAA Tournament appearance, but his teams are always in the mix because he gets the absolute most out of his roster. The 2026-2027 roster has many players with little Division I experience but an extremely high ceiling. Trust Wardle to finish near the top of the Valley again.
165. Queens Royals- Last Season Ranking: 217
Conference: Atlantic Sun
Head Coach: Grant Leonard (5th season)
Player to know: Jordan Watford
Queens won the Atlantic Sun and made the NCAA Tournament in their first season eligible after the transition. Very few teams in the lower mid-majors make back-to-back NCAA Tournaments, and I am confident the Royals will do that. Watford is one of the best players in the country, not just the Atlantic Sun. Power teams, better watch out for the Royals.
164. East Tennessee State Buccaneers- Last Season Ranking: 139
Conference: Southern
Head Coach: Brooks Savage (4th season)
Player to know: Jayden Cooper
East Tennessee State won the Southern Conference regular season last year but didn't make the NCAA Tournament, which is the downside of a one-bid league. The defense wins the games, as it is borderline elite and aggressive. The offense isn't flashy but is extremely efficient and doesn't need elite offensive players to be successful. The Buccaneers are in a position to be good for a long time.
163. Robert Morris Colonials- Last Season Ranking: 220
Conference: Horizon League
Head Coach: Andrew Toole (17th season)
Player to know: Ace Valentine
Robert Morris is rolling and has now finished in the top two of the Horizon League for two straight seasons. The 2026-2027 team will be another year the Colonials finish near the top of the Horizon League. The roster is well balanced, with its stars and plenty of depth. Coach Toole will make Robert Morris must-see TV three years in a row.Â
162. Kennesaw State Owls- Last Season 134
Conference: Conference USA
Head Coach: Antoine Pettway (4th season)
Player to know: Amir Taylor
The Owls got hot and made a surprise run to the NCAA Tournament last year, giving Gonzaga a huge scare. The unfortunate part of a successful year at a mid-major in the NIL era is that the likelihood of keeping your current players is zero. Kennesaw State lost a ton of talent to the transfer portal and is starting fresh in 2026-2027. This season will not end in an NCAA Tournament appearance.
161. Jacksonville State Gamecocks- Last Season Ranking: 145
Conference: Conference USA
Head Coach: Ray Harper (11th season)
Player to know: Jordan Stiemke
Coach Harper has had significant success as Jacksonville State's head coach. In his 10 previous years there, there haven't been many losing seasons, but 2025-2026 was one of them. Entering the 2026-2027 season, it looks like this could be another of those losing seasons. The Gamecocks have a strong freshman class that will need to play and make an impact for Jacksonville State to succeed.
160. UTEP Miners- Last Season Ranking: 159
Conference: Mountain West
Head Coach: Joe Golding (6th season)
Player to know: Leif Moeller
UTEP has struggled to find its footing under head coach Joe Golding, and it always comes down to the offense. The Miners have struggled to put points on the board. UTEP now faces another challenge as it begins its first season in the Mountain West. The 2026-2027 roster does not feature a single player who received minutes in 2025-2026. The hope is to fix the scoring problem because not being able to score in the Mountain West is a recipe for disaster.
159. Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders- Last Season Ranking: 148
Conference: Conference USA
Head Coach: Nick McDevitt (9th season)
Player to know: Jahvin Carter
The Blue Raiders have become one of the best programs in Conference USA, and while they have not made an NCAA tournament under Coach McDevitt, they are on the cusp of doing so. Middle Tennessee runs an offense that usually leads to a lot of wins. It's heavy three-point attempts on offense and preventing the three-pointer on defense; add some much-needed depth for 2026-2027, and Middle Tennessee challenges for the top of Conference USA again.
158. Cal Poly Mustangs- Last Season Ranking: 277
Conference: Big West
Head Coach: Mike DeGeorge (3rd season)
Player to know: Hamad Mousa
Two things are true about the Cal Poly basketball program heading into the 2026-2027 season. They'll compete for the most threes of any team in the country. The other is that about 90% of the Mustangs' roster is returning. That is rare in the NIL era, and even rarer when a conference player of the year candidate like Mousa stays.
157. Eastern Washington Eagles- Last Season Ranking: 236
Conference: Big Sky
Head Coach: Dan Monson (3rd season)
Player to know: Alton Hamilton
At this point, it doesn't matter who coaches Eastern Washington. They are the same team; they will be efficient from the floor and especially from three, even if the volume has dropped considerably under Coach Monson. The defense needs to be much better, and quickly. Porous defense has plagued Monson-coached teams for a while. The Eagles are back at the top of the Big Sky.
156. Loyola-Chicago Ramblers- Last Season Ranking: 92
Conference: Atlantic 10
Head Coach: Drew Valentine (6th season)
Player to know: Donald Hand Jr.Â
2025-2026 will always be a mystery for Ramblers fans. The roster Valentine assembled won only 9 games and was terrible on both ends of the floor, which is very off-brand for most Valentine-coached teams. Last season is probably a good reason most of the roster is flipped, and Loyola-Chicago has a roster built on scoring and experience through the transfer portal. Coach Valentine hopes this is the right recipe.
155. Wright State Raiders- Last Season Ranking: 190
Conference: Horizon League
Head Coach: Clint Sargent (3rd season)
Player to know: Dominic Pangonis
The Raiders dominated the Horizon League, then headed to the NCAA Tournament, where Wright State gave the Cavaliers everything they wanted. Coach Sargent has Wright State putting up a ton of points without shooting a high volume of threes. There is no reason to believe the Raiders will finish anywhere other than first place in the Horizon League. They have earned the benefit of the doubt.
154. San Francisco Dons- Last Season Ranking: 82
Conference: West Coast
Head Coach: Chris Gerlufsen (4th season)
Player to know:Â Jaroslavs Pihtovs
The Dons have been one of the better programs in the WCC over the last decade and even have an at-large tournament appearance to show for it. However, the 2026-2027 season looks like it may be a long year for San Francisco and coach Gerlufson. The Dons have one of the most inexperienced rosters in the country, and most of their production will likely come from freshmen. Â
153. James Madison Dukes-Last Season Ranking: 129
Conference: Sun Belt
Head Coach: Preston Spradlin (3rd season)
Player to know: Cavan Reilly
James Madison has been one of the best mid-major programs over the last five seasons, but like so many teams in a one-bid league, they've made the NCAA Tournament only once. The Dukes enter the 2026-2027 season with a talented roster and multiple scoring options. James Madison will have multiple leading scorers this season. The Dukes are a Sun Belt favorite.
152. Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks- Last Season Ranking: 238
Conference: Southland
Head Coach: Matt Braeuer (2nd season)
Player to know:Â Narit Chotikavanic
28 wins is the most in Stephen F. Austin history, and it happened in the regular season. The unfortunate thing for the Lumberjacks is that they play in a one-bid league and lost in the Southland Conference tournament. It is unreasonable to expect Stephen F. Austin to replicate the 2025-2026 season, but don't expect the falloff to be huge. The Lumberjacks will be a major factor in the Southland, and this time they want an NCAA Tournament appearance.
151. San Jose State Spartans- Last Season Ranking: 157
Conference: Mountain West
Head Coach: Tim Miles (6th season)
Player to know: Robert Vaihola
Last season, San Jose State relied too often on one player to bail them out when they couldn't score. Coach Miles' teams like to run a lot of isolation to make sure the best players get the ball, but it was different last year. The 2026-2027 roster has some intriguing transfers with proven success. Middle-of-the-pack Mountain West season incoming for the Spartans?
150. Princeton Tigers- Last Season Ranking: 216
Conference: Ivy League
Head Coach: Mitch Henderson (15th season)
Player to know: Jackson Hicke
Princeton has been too good under Coach Henderson to be down for too long. Even with 9 overall wins in 2025-2026, the Tigers had enough Ivy League wins to finish 5th in the Ivy, one game out of the Ivy Conference tournament. Princeton returns its entire roster from last season, and they will be much improved. Hicke is good enough to win the Ivy Player of the Year.
149. Sam Houston Bearkats- Last Season Ranking: 181
Conference: Conference USA
Head Coach: Chris Mudge (4th season)
Player to know: Aidan McDowell
Sam Houston had an elite offense and put up a lot of points, which helped them win 22 games and finish second in Conference USA. The defense and their inability to keep teams from scoring at will ultimately kept the Bearkats from winning the conference and led to an early exit in the NIT. The offense will be elite again. Sam Houston hopes the defense is better for their run to the NCAA Tournament this year.
148. Tulane Green Wave- Last Season Ranking: 118
Conference: American
Head Coach: Ron Hunter (8th season)
Player to know: Krystian Lewis
Tulane has been better under Coach Hunter, but given the expectations that the program had when they hired Hunter, it is hard not to think that the Green Wave have underachieved in the Hunter era. Tulane is competitive in the American, which is an improvement, but has not been anywhere near the NCAA Tournament. It is going to be another year that Tulane fails to make postseason play again in 2026-2027, but they will still have a winning record.
147. Loyola Marymount Lions- Last Season Ranking: 130
Conference: West Coast
Head Coach: Stan Johnson (7th season)
Player to know: Jevon Porter
It's hard to predict what will happen in the West Coast Conference this year with Gonzaga out. Loyola Marymount has been a team many have ranked highly for years but has never won enough games to get over the hump. This is the best roster head coach Stan Johnson has had, and now is the time.
146. Charlotte 49ers- Last Season Ranking: 191
Conference: American
Head Coach: Wes Miller (1st season)
Player to know: Dorian Finister
How good will Charlotte be this year? It is hard to tell; Coach Miller had a ton of success at UNC Greensboro, and the defense will be elite for an American Conference team. The offense has always been the question mark for any team Miller has coached. The 49ers have a lot of power-conference talent, but few of them were impact players at their schools. Charlotte will be much better, but still not tournament-worthy.
145. Drake Bulldogs- Last Season Ranking: 121
Conference: Missouri Valley
Head Coach: Eric Henderson (2nd season)
Player to know: Owen Larson
Drake had a tough year, and it was the first time the Bulldogs had not had a winning record in 7 years. The defense was terrible, and Drake didn't have nearly enough good players. Coach Henderson hopes year 2 will be much better than the first. There are a lot of question marks on the 2026-2027 roster, but it is hard to see them not improving a little bit. Drake is still a middle-of-the-pack Valley team.
144. Furman Paladins- Last Season Ranking: 135
Conference: Southern
Head Coach: Bob Richey (10th season)
Player to know: Marcus Kell
Furman has earned the benefit of the doubt in the Southern conference under Coach Richey. The Paladins consistently finish near the top of the league and have one of the league's best players. Last year wasn't a great regular season for Furman, but they still made a run to the NCAA Tournament. Those facts make Furman one of the hardest teams to rank, so even though the Paladins lost most of their scoring from 2025-2026, don't count them out.
143. Valparaiso Beacons- Last Season Ranking: 283
Conference: Missouri Valley
Head Coach: Roger Powell (4th season)
Player to know: JT Pettigrew
Valpo had a surprising season last year, winning 18 games and finishing in the middle of the Valley. The 2025-2026 season hopefully won't be a one-off, since the Beacons have a good portion of their roster back from last year. Â The returners include 3 out of the top 5 scorers from last season. Valpo will be a factor in the Valley this year.
142. Hofstra Pride- Last Season Ranking: 163
Conference: Coastal Athletic
Head Coach: Speedy Claxton (6th season)
Player to know: Joshua DeCady
The Pride got the job done last year in a surprise run through the CAA Tournament. Hofstra had the CAA Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year at the end of last season. Neither of those players are with Hofstra anymore, and the roster is young and inexperienced. If there was ever a coach who could lead the Pride through this, it is Claxton; he is leading his alma mater and doing it for all of Long Island.
141. Pacific Tigers- Last Season Ranking: 198
Conference: West Coast
Head Coach: Dave Smart (3rd season)
Player to know: Jaden Winston
The Tigers have been down for too long, but Coach Smart is the guy for the job, and the 2025-2026 season should further reinforce that. Pacific won 18 games and made a nice run in the WCC. The Tigers built a better roster in the transfer portal, and given how good Coach Smart is at his job, Pacific will finish in the top 5 of the WCC this year.
140. Belmont Bruins- Last Season Ranking: 124
Conference: Missouri Valley
Head Coach: Evan Bradds (1st season)
Player to know: Jack Smiley
Belmont was the Missouri Valley regular-season champion last year but lost in the conference tournament and did not make the NCAA Tournament. The icing on the cake for the Bruins was that former coach Casey Alexander left for Kansas State, leaving the program in the hands of Evan Bradds. Bradds was one of the best Belmont players ever and also coached at Duke. He knows how to win, and the Bruins won't drop off much.
139. Ohio Bobcats- Last Season Ranking: 161
Conference: MAC
Head Coach: Jeff Boals (8th season)
Player to know: Javan Simmons
Every season under Coach Boals, the offense has been one of the best in the MAC. The Bobcats will consistently have one or two players near the top of the MAC leaderboard in scoring and offensive statistics. That will be the case again in 2026-2027. Ohio will have some of the best offensive players in the MAC, but can they defend enough to have a chance to win the league?
138. Northern Iowa Panthers- Last Season Ranking: 115
Conference: Missouri Valley
Head Coach: Kyle Green (1st season)
Player to know: Greyson Uelman
Ben Jacobson is off to Utah State, and the Panthers hired former assistant coach Kyle Green. Green isn't going to change how the reigning Missouri Valley Conference tournament champions play overall. Northern Iowa will still play smothering defense, and it will likely be one of the best units in the sport. The pace will increase from one of the slowest in the country, but not much. The Panthers will always be relevant in the Valley.
137. Yale Bulldogs- Last Season Ranking 107
Conference: Ivy League
Head Coach: James Jones (27th season)
Player to know: Trevor Mullin
The Ivy League typically runs through Yale, as Coach Jones has built an Ivy powerhouse. The Bulldogs always run an efficient offense, and that alone makes them tough to beat; add their low turnover rate, high assist rate, and high three-point percentage, and it's easy to see how Yale has become a powerhouse and has found success in the NCAA Tournament. Yale doesn't have a known star on the roster this season, but don't be surprised if they win the Ivy again.
136. Montana State Bobcats- Last Season Ranking: 268
Conference: Big Sky
Head Coach: Matt Logie (4th season)
Player to know: Christian King
Over the last 7 years, the Bobcats have been one of the better teams in the Big Sky Conference. Coach Logie's scheme is simple. Shoot a high volume of threes at a high percentage. Montana State made 37% of their attempts in 2025-2026. On defense, prevent the opponents from shooting threes. Opponents had under 20 attempts from deep per game. If they do those two things successfully, the Bobcats will find themselves in the NCAA Tournament.
135. New Mexico State Aggies- Last Season Ranking: 138
Head Coach: Jason Hooten (4th season)
Player to know: Stephon Payne
The move to Conference USA has not been kind to the Aggies. The program that made the NCAA Tournament every year hasn't made the tournament in four straight seasons, but Coach Hooten is starting to see some payoff from his rebuild. New Mexico State has a lot of talent on this roster and is one of the best teams in Conference USA, at least on paper. Will it translate to the hardwood?
134. Hawaii Warriors- Last Season Ranking: 116
Conference: Mountain West
Head Coach: Eran Ganot (12th season)
Player to know: Marcus Adams
The Warriors and their head coach, Eran Ganot, are one of the more unique teams in the country. The offense is a grind-it-out style that relies on a ton of size and positional flexibility to get to the paint or shoot wide-open threes. The unique part is the defense. Hawaii plays a no-help man-to-man, and Coach Ganot recruits the best individual defenders he can find to run it. Â Hawaii is always dangerous.
133. Davidson Wildcats-Last Season Ranking: 156
Conference: Atlantic 10
Head Coach: Matt McKillop (5th season)
Player to know: Josh Scovens
The Wildcats run a heavy three-point, high-efficiency, low-turnover offense that usually leads to high-percentage shots. The style of play is why Davidson is always a factor in the Atlantic 10. The 2026-2027 roster made a few key transfer-portal additions that could take Davidson from the middle of the league to fighting for an NCAA Tournament appearance.
132. Rhode Island Rams- Last Season Ranking: 130
Conference: Atlantic 10
Head Coach: Archie Miller (5th season)
Player to know: Jonah Hinton
Rhode Island has struggled to find consistent play on both sides of the ball. In the first three years of the Archie Miller tenure, the Rams couldn't stop anyone; last year, the defense was excellent, but the offense was terrible. All of that has led to disappointing years for Rhode Island. The 2026-2027 roster has a nice mix of players who can both score and defend and should be a middle-of-the-pack Atlantic 10 team.
131. Harvard Crimson- Last Season Ranking: 160
Conference: Ivy League
Head Coach: Tommy Amaker (19th season)
Player to know: Robert Hinton
The Crimson have been one of the best programs in the Ivy League under Coach Amaker, but it has been a long time since Harvard has seen themselves in the NCAA Tournament. Crimson fans will take solace in knowing that Harvard is a favorite to win the Ivy League this year and will make Ivy Madness easily. Robert Hinton is the best player in the Ivy League and will lead the Crimson to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2014-2015 season.
130. Liberty Flames- Last Season Ranking: 97
Conference: Conference USA
Head Coach: Ritchie McKay (12th season)
Player to know: Cooper Campbell
Coach McKay has built Liberty into a top Conference USA team every season, and they do it by posting some of the best three-point and turnover percentages in the country. Liberty is also one of the most efficient teams in the country. The Flames shot over 60% from two last year. Playing as slow as Liberty does with those kinds of offensive efficiency numbers makes them painfully hard to beat.
129. Toledo Rockets- Last Season Ranking: 154
Conference: MAC
Head Coach: Tod Kowalczyk (17th season)
Player to know: Austin Parks
The offense is going to get up and down the floor, mainly in transition and by putting pressure on the rim, score a ton of points, play good enough defense, and finish at or near the top of the MAC. That is the play style we are all accustomed to under coach Kowalczyk. The defense has been his downfall in the past and the reason Toledo and Kowalczyk have not made the NCAA tournament. Can the Rockets finally break through?
128. Richmond Spiders- Last Season Ranking: 152
Conference: Atlantic 10
Head Coach: Chris Mooney (22nd season)
Player to know: Derin Saran
Richmond got off to a hot start in 2025-2026 at 10-2 before finishing at 15-17 overall. Coach Mooney went back to the drawing board and had to infuse the program with talent. Richmond met those goals in the transfer portal and secured some very talented freshmen who will make the Spiders better, but overall depth is still a question.
127. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers- Last Season Ranking: 149
Conference: Conference USA
Head Coach: Hank Plona (3rd season)
Player to know: Teagan Moore
Coach Plona recruits athletes who play basketball. Every time the Hilltoppers step on the floor, they are going to be the most athletic team on the floor, and Coach Plona has used that to his advantage to turn Western Kentucky into one of the best programs in Conference USA; even though there isn't an NCAA Tournament appearance yet, that is coming soon. The program is too good to have a tournament drought.
126. Illinois State Redbirds-Last Season Ranking: 132
Conference: Missouri Valley
Head Coach: Ryan Pedon (5th season)
Player to know: Chase Walker
The Redbirds have been trending up over the last couple of seasons and have finished near the top of the Missouri Valley. The NCAA Tournament is the next step in Illinois State's rebuild. The 2026-2027 roster is built to win; it has the stars who have been in the system, and Coach Pedon has filled the rest of the roster with excellent role players, making the Redbirds one of the favorites in the Valley.
125. Miami (Ohio) Redhawks- Last Season Ranking: 120
Conference: MAC
Head Coach: Travis Steele (5th season)
Player to know: Evan Ipsaro
The Redhawks were the talk of college basketball last season, going 32-2, earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, and winning a game. Their strength of schedule was terrible, and the defense wasn't good, but 32 wins is mighty impressive. Miami lost its best players to graduation and the transfer portal but brought back two key members of the 2025-2026 team. I would be shocked if the Redhawks got anywhere near the NCAA Tournament this year. Â
124. Penn Quakers- Last Season Ranking: 270
Conference: Ivy League
Head Coach: Fran McCaffery (2nd season)
Player to know: TJ Power
Season 1 under coach McCaffery was a rousing success. The Quakers won the Ivy League and headed to the NCAA Tournament. That is always the goal in a one-bid league. The bigger picture is that Coach McCaffery retained most of his roster from 2025-2026, including the potential Ivy League player of the year. Penn is on its way to becoming the next Ivy League juggernaut and is one of the favorites in the league in 2026-2027.
123. George Washington Revolutionaries- Last Season Ranking: 90
Conference: Atlantic 10Â
Player to know: Omari Witherspoon
Unfortunately, the window has closed for the Revolutionaries. Coach Caputo is one of the best young coaches in the game and built a team over the last two seasons that competed and challenged near the top of the Atlantic 10. The 2026-2027 roster leaves a lot to be desired; it lacks quality depth and star power. Caputo will have to do an amazing job this year.
122. Florida Atlantic Owls- Last Season Ranking: 137
Conference: American
Head Coach: John Jakus (3rd season)
Player to know: Kanaan Carlyle
Coach Jakus wants to play fast and score as many points as possible. As a result, Florida Atlantic has been one of the country's better offensive teams for the two seasons Jakus has been at the helm. The Owls haven't won enough, though, because the defense is non-existent. Heading into the 2026-2027 season, Florida Atlantic will likely have one of the top offenses in the country, which will keep them near the top of the American.
121. Kansas State Wildcats- Last Season Ranking: 46
Conference: Big 12
Head Coach: Casey Alexander (1st season)
Player to know: Brandon Rechsteiner
Jerome Tang could never replicate his first-season success. The Wildcats have turned to former Belmont head coach Casey Alexander, who will hopefully instill in the program the belief that it can build sustained success. Alexander runs his offense with a ton of ball movement and kick-out threes. The team needs a lot of shooters and athletic big men to be successful. Kansas State will probably struggle in 2026-2027, but give Alexander some time, and he will make multiple NCAA Tournaments.Â
120. Wyoming Cowboys- Last Season Ranking: 164
Conference: Mountain West
Head Coach: Sundance Wicks (3rd season)
Player to know:Â Nasir Meyer
Coach Wicks hasn't been a Division 1 coach for long, but he's proven he can recruit and win. The Cowboys did not enter the 2025-2026 season with high hopes, and many figured they would be a bottom-of-the-league team. Wyoming did finish 9th but ended with 18 overall wins. The Cowboys have a lot of production returning from that team and will be an extreme sleeper in the Mountain West.
119. Seattle Redhawks- Last Season Ranking: 117
Conference: WCC
Head Coach: Chris Victor (6th season)
Player to know: Will Heimbrodt
Seattle finished in the top 5 of the WCC in their initial run through the conference, which was right about where most had them pegged. The Redhawks are pesky; they aren't great at anything, but they're good at a lot of things. What sets Seattle apart from many other teams with their talent caliber is the man on the sidelines. Coach Victor is one of the best. Seattle finished top 4 in the WCC.
118. College of Charleston Cougars- Last Season Ranking: 131
Conference: Coastal Athletic
Head Coach: John Groce (1st season)
Player to know: Eli Ellis
John Groce takes over at College of Charleston after a successful tenure at Akron. The Cougars have a roster that is expected to win a lot of games and make the NCAA Tournament. That isn't anything new for the College of Charleston, as they are the premier program in the CAA. They have the NIL money to land former power-conference players and the money to hire the best coaches. The Cougars will remain on top for a while.
117. Kent State Golden Flashes- Last Season Ranking: 122
Conference: MAC
Head Coach: Rob Senderoff (16th season)
Player to know: Chansey Willis Jr.
Kent State has been one of the three teams that have run the MAC over the last decade, and that isn't likely to change anytime soon. The Golden Flashes are one of the truly elite offensive teams in the country every year. Coach Senderoff loves to shoot threes; his teams get to the rim and draw a ton of contact. Kent State is one of the nation's leaders in free throw attempts every year. The Golden Flashes will finish at the top of the MAC again.
116. Temple Owls- Last Season Ranking: 141
Conference: American
Head Coach: Adam Fisher (4th season)
Player to know: Derrion Ford
Temple has not made the NCAA Tournament in a long time; at least, it has been a long time by their standards. The Owls are one of the best programs in the country, and Coach Fisher is slowly building Temple back to prominence. The team has a lot of talent this year; the depth should be much better, and Ford will be in the mix for American Player of the Year. Â
115. Utah Valley Wolverines- Last Season Ranking: 108
Conference: Big West
Head Coach: Todd Phillips (4th season)
Player to know: Dominick Nelson
Utah Valley was a missed dunk away from making the NCAA Tournament last season. Instead, the Wolverines headed to the NIT, lost a close game, and then saw their top three contributors transfer. Â Nelson comes back to play for Coach Phillips after a year at Iowa State. The last time they were together, Nelson won the conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
114. Saint Joseph’s Hawks- Last Season Ranking: 106
Conference: Atlantic 10
Head Coach: Steve Donahue (2nd season)
Player to know: Jaiden Glover-Toscano
Saint Joseph's had a successful first season with new head coach Donahue. The Hawks finished third in the Atlantic 10 and made the NIT. Even in defeat, it was huge progress under Donahue. Heading into the 2026-2027 season, the Hawks bring back their leading scorer and have a roster with two of the better rim protectors available in college basketball. Protect the rim, rebound, and get the ball to your star is the philosophy for Saint Joseph's
113. UAB Blazers- Last Season Ranking: 95
Conference: AmericanÂ
Head Coach: Andy Kennedy (7th season)
Player to know: Deuce Jones
The Blazers have to recruit a certain type of player to run their uptempo, pressure-the-rim style offense. Those players are usually athletic guys who are elite scorers. UAB will always lead the nation in two-point shots, paint touches, and free throws. They rarely turn the ball over, and they win a lot. The style of play is hard to recruit to, but UAB and Coach Kennedy have mastered it.Â
112. Washington State Cougars- Last Season Ranking: 133
Conference: Pac-12
Head Coach: David Riley (3rd season)
Player to know: Ronnie Harrison
After two short years in the West Coast Conference with mixed success, the Cougars head to the new Pac-12. It is familiar territory for Washington State, but the new Pac-12 isn't what it once was, and the league is still much harder overall than the WCC and poses the biggest challenge of head coach Riley's tenure. Wazzu got the needed step up in talent to compete.
111. UC-Irvine Anteaters- Last Season Ranking: 112
Conference: Big West
Head Coach: Russ Turner (17th season)
Player to know: Harrison Carrington
The Anteaters won the Big West regular season again; that has become a recurring theme under coach Turner. The Anteaters are at the point now where they should get the benefit of the doubt in the league every year, even with the amount of talent UC Irvine lost at the end of the season. Any other team in the Big West would be rebuilding, but somehow Coach Turner is going to get UC Irvine into the NCAA Tournament.
110. North Texas Mean Green- Last Season Ranking: 79
Conference: American
Head Coach: Daniyal Robinson (2nd season)
Player to know: Je’Shawn Stevenson
The Mean Green play ugly basketball, but it is effective. The offense is inefficient, and North Texas doesn't have many capable three-point shooters. However, when the Mean Green's defense is as good as it is, the offense doesn't have to be great. North Texas plays a havoc style of defense and led the nation in turnovers forced, steals per game, and field goal attempts per game. In other words, it is hard to score on North Texas.
109. Duquesne Dukes- Last Season Ranking: 119
Conference: Atlantic 10
Head Coach: Dru Joyce (3rd season)
Player to know: Tarence Guinyard
Dru Joyce was a phenomenal hire for the Dukes. He is a fantastic recruiter and an even better in-game coach. Duquesne was competitive in the Atlantic 10 last season despite limited depth and poor defense. The 2026-2027 roster has fixed the depth problem, and this version of the Duquesne basketball team will score a lot of points. The Dukes will once again be a very competitive Atlantic 10 team.
108. UNC Wilmington Seahawks- Last Season Ranking: 113
Conference: Coastal Athletic
Head Coach: Takayo Siddle (7th season)
Player to know: Patrick Wessler
The Seahawks keep defying expectations every year. They made the tournament two seasons ago and then lost some talent. It didn't matter to head coach Siddle. He rebuilt the roster to win the CAA regular season. Wilmington does it by consistently being one of the best rebounding teams in the country, and they never turn it over. Couple that with an efficient offense and a defense that doesn't allow any open looks, and you have a team that will win their conference a lot. The Seahawks are in the mix to win the CAA again.
107. Fordham Rams- Last Season Ranking: 188
Conference: Atlantic 10
Head Coach: Mike Magpayo (2nd season)
Player to know:Â Lateef Patrick Jr.
Few coaches get more out of their roster than Coach Magpayo does. The Rams will be one of the slowest-paced, most aggressive, best rebounding, and best defensive teams in the country every year. Fordham needs to shoot better to meet its lofty expectations. Magpayo fixed that problem in the transfer portal. 20 wins this year for Fordham.
106. UCSB Gauchos- Last Season Ranking: 127
Conference: Big West
Head Coach: Joe Pasternack (10th season)
Player to know: CJ Shaw
The best Gauchos teams under coach Pasternack have always had three things in common. They have great deep shooters, athletic bigs who can score, protect the rim, and play defense, and a clearly defined star who will do most of the scoring on offense. Santa Barbara has all of that this year, and this team has all the makings of another top Big West finish in 2026-2027.
105. Akron Zips- Last Season Ranking: 91
Conference: MAC
Head Coach: Dustin Ford (1st season)
Player to know: Tahj Staveskie
John Groce is one of the best coaches in Akron history, but he is gone to Charleston; don't worry, though, Zips fans, because the athletic department hired associate head coach Dustin Ford. Ford is known as one of the best talent developers in the game. He was also one of Akron's chief recruiters. Getting the talent shouldn't be a problem, but can he outscheme most of the teams and continue the dominant run through the MAC every year like Groce? Time will tell.Â
104. Texas State Bobcats- Last Season Ranking: 179
Conference: Pac-12
Head Coach: Terrence Johnson (7th season)
Player to know: DJ Hall
There is always one mid-major team with an underrated roster that will win a lot of games and surprise everyone who isn't paying attention. Texas State has a ton of offensive firepower, and competing in the same league as Gonzaga, they are going to need it, but will the low three-point, low free-throw volume, midrange, and transition game work in the new Pac-12?
103. Oregon State Beavers- Last Season Ranking: 126
Conference: Pac-12
Head Coach: Justin Joyner (1st season)
Player to know: Jackson Rasmussen
Oregon State is back in the Pac-12, and while it is a new-look Pac-12, it is still familiar territory for the Beavers. New conference and now a new coach, as Justin Joyner, a former Michigan assistant, takes the reins in Corvallis in what will be his very first head coaching gig. The first year will be a rebuild, but Coach Joyner has a young roster that will grow with him. Oregon State won't be down for long.
102. McNeese State Cowboys- Last Season Ranking: 99
Conference: Southland
Head Coach: Bill Armstrong (2nd season)
Player to know: Larry Johnson
McNeese is one of the most aggressive defensive teams in the country, using its athleticism and speed to jump passing lanes for double-digit steals every night. Chaos best describes the Cowboys on defense. That defense leads to easy transition buckets and creates backbreaking turnovers for the opponent. The talent, athleticism, and ability to change a game on defense make McNeese the overwhelming favorite in the Southland.
101. Tulsa Golden Hurricane- Last Season Ranking: 147
Conference: American
Head Coach:Â Eric Konkol (5th season)
Player to know: Jeremiah Johnson
The Golden Hurricane won 30 games last year for the first time since the Bill Self days. The NIT runners-up took a giant step forward under Eric Konkol, but like most mid-majors, most of the roster has flipped. Tulsa isn't without talent, though; Coach Konkol built this roster with a lot of talent, and while the Golden Hurricane probably won't win 30 games again, they will be in a postseason tournament.
100. Penn State Nittany Lions- Last Season Ranking: 104
Conference: Big Ten
Head Coach: Mike Rhoades (4th season)
Player to know: Josh Reed
Penn State was one of the worst power conference teams in the country in 2025-2026, and that doesn't look like it will change much in 2026-2027. The offense lost a lot of talent from a 12-win team, and instead of going out and getting power conference talent, Coach Rhoades went and got low-major talent. All of those players had successful seasons at their former schools, but many aren't Big 10-level players.Â
Stay tuned for the final installment of this year's team power rankings. Did your team find themselves in the top 100?
Add us as a preferred source on Google