Multi-Bid League Preview for 2024-25

In Alphabetical order.

AMERICAN CONFERENCE

A little less than three weeks ago, the 14 members of the American Conference all converged on Irving, Texas for the AAC’s Annual Media Day. Among them were a cluster of legitimately hopeful players and coaches seeking a massive leap in this conference. Florida Atlantic has lost a lot, yet the Owls are once again ready to compete in entirely new way. Memphis is filled to the brim with dazzling talent, yet has been tasked with addressing major personnel changes to its coaching staff and potentially the overarching philosophy under Penny Hardaway. That leaves defending AAC Tournament Champions, UAB, left to carry the proven weight of the league entering the burgeoning 2024-25 season.

HC Andy Kennedy, Tony Toney, and Yaxel Lendenborg are ready to tackle high expectations in 2024-25.

Defending regular-season champion South Florida will have more to play for than ever imaginable following the tragic loss to rising Head Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim. I feel beyond fortunate to be around AAR and his programs at Kennesaw and South Florida the past couple of years. A unique closeness with his players and coaching staff made him a special leader. Everyone I witnessed in his programs and around them, adored him and players loved playing for him. Ben Fletcher was by his side since the Kennesaw State early days with big ideas to build one of D1’s worst programs into a winner and champion. Well, it worked. That led the two to head to Tampa a season ago. The bond for this team will remain strong and honorable under Ben Fletcher.

Ross Hodge, Paul Mills, and Adam Fisher all enter year two as head coaches in the AAC with upgraded talent. An open opportunity to ascend is here for North Texas, Wichita State, and Temple respectively. Can one or more of them capitalize?

Regular Season Champion:
UAB

Conference Tournament Location:
Frisco, TX

Auto-Bid Winner:
UAB

Player of the Year:
PJ Haggerty - Memphis

Newcomer of the Year:
Jamal Mashburn, Jr., Temple

Forecasted At-Large Contenders:
Memphis, Wichita State, North Texas, Florida Atlantic, South Florida

Forecasted Bids to Begin the season:
1

ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE

Combining academics and coastal empires has led to the 18-team monster, better known as the Atlantic Coast (-to-coast) Conference. Yes, the influx of SMU, Stanford, and California will hit the basketball court on Monday night giving that final feeling of - we are here now.

The ACC has had an illustrious history on the hardwood. Even recently, with disappointing quantities for teams selected in mind, the ability for programs like Miami (2023), Duke/UNC (2022), and Clemson/Duke (2024) to advance deep into the NCAAs, has to restore confidence. A program like Wake Forest continues to pound on the door for inclusion, yet needs to conquer road winning.to be included in the elusive field of 68.

A new window has opened with the sudden retirement of Tony Bennett at Virginia just weeks before the season was to commence. Ron Sanchez is tasked with carrying the Cavaliers forward, but will the loss of a Hall-of-Famer prove to be too much?

The anticipation at Louisville can be felt from Coast-to-Coast.. Pat Kelsey has delivered a roster and nonstop energy to a proud place that was lifeless for a couple of brutal years. Is it too much to ask for the Cardinals to vault all the way back into the top five in this league?

SMU and Stanford are not only new to the league but they bring in former proven Pac-12 (R.I.P.) coaching stalwarts. The Cardinal welcome Kyle Smith back to the Bay Area after a successful run at both San Francisco and Washington State. The Mustangs landed Andy Enfield. A man who constantly had dominant big men at USC, most notably Evan Mobley who led the Trojans to the Elite Eight in 2021.

Leading the charge as the most dangerous team to go deep, perhaps all the way in the NCAA Tournament is of course, Duke. With Cooper Flagg, the nations top recruit, and rare older transfers (Mason Gillis, Sion James, and Maliq Brown) in the fold - this Blue Devil roster has a balanced feel to it. Flagg is part of a heralded six-player freshman class that is just purely loaded with talent. Plus Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster are there to steady the ship from last year’s Elite Eight run.

North Carolina and Clemson are back to contend. RJ Davis is poised to go on another tear for the Heels, and I expect Chase Hunter to make a significant step forward in leadership at Clemson. RJ and Chase will have terrific teammates around them, which make these two the clear two and three for the ACC entering the season from my vantage point.

From there, the door opens for new faces. We may see Wake Forest finally realize the potential, and goodness they are strong on paper this season - returning Hunter Sallis, Efton Reid III, and Cam Hildreth for potent offense and glass cleaning. Four top Sophomores enter the program from the portal, where development leaps may be waiting in the wings. The Deacs have to be elated to have Omaha Billew (via Iowa State) and Davin Cosby (via Alabama). Ultra talented guys coming from highly successful teams.

Sophomore leap themes are fun and provide substantial upside, so let’s address the Irish of Notre Dame. The sensational sophomore duo of Braeden Shrewsbwerry and Markus Burton will take this team places in 2025. That is because of the staff, namely Braeden’s father - Micah. The second-year head coach quickly turned around Penn State in a two-year stint. He know has the ability to repeat history with this year’s Irish. Everything I have heard is positive. For an entire offseason. Buy stock immediately.

Veteran athletes Julian Roper II and J.R. Konieczny are another reason to appreciate the depth and passion this program will bring in 2024-25 under Micah Shrewsberry. J.R. is a South Bend native as well.

Pittsburgh and Syracuse appear to be bubble-bound. The Panthers and Orange have great pieces and fairly high upside potential, just difficult to know until we see these two get tested a few times. Pitt is a bit more proven between the two tournament hopefuls. Returning Ishmael Leggett, Zack Austin, and Jaland Lowe, along with the portal addition of Damian Dunn (via Houston) and you have a very reliable backcourt. The frontcourt has a bunch to prove, likely to be led by Florida State transfer, Cameron Corhen. Red Autry’s Orange will feature JJ Starling and Chris Bell’s on-court leadership. Transfers will be key to the success, with two former CAA stallions coming in - Jyare Davis (Delaware) and Jaquan Carlos (Hofstra).

Pay close attention to the Ramblin’ Wreck of Georgia Tech. These Yellow Jackets are coming off a wild first year under Damon Stoudamire that showcased four wins against high level NCAA Tournament teams. The consistent winning needs to come next. Baye Ndongo and
Naithan George had moments of brilliance as freshmen, now become more mature this season. The Javian McCollum addition via Oklahoma appears to be a perfect backcourt puzzle piece with Mr. George.

Miami will once again own one of the most talented rosters in the country, but how will they handle the first sign of trouble? Remains to be seen. At Boston College, Florida State, and Virginia Tech, the rosters are lacking a bit (largely due to NIL deficiencies', reportedly), and despite well-respected head coaches in Earl Grant, Leonard Hamilton, and Mike Young, this looks like a down year for all three. Over at N.C. State, the magic carpet ride to the Final Four eventually ended. A team back with good pieces, but no D.J. Burns, and I think the Wolfpack slip back to the middle of the pack. In Berkeley, the Bears should continue to improve. Excited to see the sharpshooting of
Andrej Stojakovic on display, but it will take time. Mark Madsen’s group not only has a new league to deal with, but also a brand new roster. Eleven guys are gone from last season.

Regular Season Champion:
Duke

Conference Tournament Location:
Charlotte, NC

Auto-Bid Winner:
Duke

Player of the Year:
RJ Davis - North Carolina

Newcomer of the Year:
Terrence Edwards, Jr. - Louisville

Forecasted At-Large Teams:
North Carolina, Clemson, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, Pittsburgh (First Four)

Forecasted Bids to Begin the season:
6

ATLANTIC-10 CONFERENCE

The splendor that comes with two different A-10 teams earning wins in the coveted opening round of March Madness reassured the world, that what this league is doing has merit. The Duquesne Dukes stymied a lethal BYU team and Dayton took down a hot Nevada squad. The bar for 2024-25 has gone up, and now may introduce some new faces.

In the basketball-rich city of Richmond, Virginia, two prominent members reside. The defending regular-season champs, Richmond, and the cross-town rivals, VCU. The Spiders are looking to replace some immediate departures, but recent returns suggest that Chris Mooney’s squad (which still has DeLonnie Hunt and added a potpourri of vet transfers) is once agains crawling back for more. At VCU, Ryan Odom has perhaps the strongest returning roster he has had during his career. The Rams were the overwhelming pick at Media Day, and I tend to agree. Shooters, spacing, a renewed defensive energy all appear to be a great balance for sustained winning.

Ultra-dramatic A-10 Tournament bracket navigation usually mandates a commitment to getting stops. Look no further than Loyola-Chicago here. The Ramblers were an amazing 28th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency. They became one of the hotter teams in the country to pull into a second-place finish in the A-10. Des Watson, Miles Rubin, and Jayden Dawson committed to staying and finishing these larger goals for coach Drew Valentine. The portal was pleasant with Justin Moore’s great floor general abilities coming over from Drexel and another frontcourt weapon with Francis Nwaokorie via UC San Diego. This team has a little bit of everything to work with, and should be a top contender for best defense in the league.

Head Coach Josh Schertz and Indiana State made waves last year behind overnight celebrity Robbie Avila and Isaiah Swope, among others. Now, the Schertz-Avila-Swope trio are all the faces of the St. Louis Billekins program. Quite a shift, but a scary one for the rest of the A-10. Schertz convinced fan-favorite and sniper, Gibson Jimerson to stay this season. Should be a fun year, and I expect them to peak later in the campaign.

Dayton continues to operate at a high-major level. With scheduling, budget, massive fan support, etc. The Flyers have carved out a unique place in the A-10 and the nation. Due to these factors, they should always be in the mix for championships, at least during this era. Posh Alexander and Zed Key are in the fold to see how high these Flyers can fly.

The other crop of squads worth keeping tabs on are George Mason and Saint Joseph's. Both teams have playmakers that dazzle. Questions remain on the defensive side of the ball and with shot selection.

Regular Season Champion:
VCU

Conference Tournament Location:
Washington, DC

Auto-Bid Winner:
Saint Louis

Player of the Year:
Erik Reynolds II - St. Joseph’s

Newcomer of the Year:
Robbie Avila - Saint Louis

Forecasted At-Large Teams:
VCU

Forecasted At-Large Contenders:
VCU, Dayton, Loyola-Chicago, Richmond, George Mason

Forecasted Bids to Begin the season:
2

BIG EAST CONFERENCE

Who can stop Connecticut? This has become an unstoppable force at the program-level nationally. The two-time defending Champion Huskies are right back here at the top of the list with a three-peat in realistic sight. Fortunately for the Big East, some teams in this league have had head-to-head success against UConn. Creighton and Seton Hall have been able to beat the Huskies in each of the two seasons and Sean Miller’s Xavier program swept the Huskies in 2023, so there is a sliver of hope for the other 10 schools.

Despite the avenues for derailment, UConn will start this season at the top of the Big Board and Seed List. Until its proven, I certainly do not want to forecast against this freight train. Alex Karaban takes over the primary big role, which should be no issue. Hassan Diarra, Solo Ball, and Aidan Mahaney make up a really skilled backcourt. Samson Johnson and Tarris Reed, Jr. solidify the frontcourt. Ultra-talented freshman Liam McNeeley gives the Huskies that extra layer to bury teams on a regular basis once again.

The Blue Jays of Creighton are the team that can take this trophy from UConn’s grip. Ryan Kalkbrenner is a dominant college basketball player, who will combine with Mason Miller, Pop Isaacs, and Steven Ashworth to lead this team to another quality season and high-octane offense. January 18th and February 11th are the dates to keep circled, as they will face UConn on each.

Kam Jones is setup to have an even more electric role and impact on the emerging Marquette program under Shaka Smart. The Golden Eagles have advanced a round farther in each of the three years under Smart thus far. First Round in 2022, Second Round in 2023, and the Sweet 16 a season ago. If the pattern continues, you may see this program in the final eight this year. Marquette brought in a few freshman led by Damarius Owens to help uphold the standard, but did not take a transfer in this cycle.

Rough luck, snake-bitten, can’t catch a break. Just a few examples have how one might summarize the Xavier rosters recently. The Musketeers have leveraged some of the misfortune to help accumulate depth. Stars like Zach Freemantle and Jerome Hunter would be likely gone by now, but the recovery process was long for each and they now have eligibility remaining. The influx of transfer portal prowess this time around includes the secured commitments from Dante Maddox, Jr., Ryan Conwell, Marcus Foster, and John Hugley IV bring in a loaded veteran presence. This squad is old and full of quality guys who can fill the stat sheet.

Rick Pitino has an equally loaded team roster primed to get this SJU program into the dance for the first time since 2019. The foundation was built a season ago. The additions of Kadary Richmond, Aaron Scott, Deivon Smith, and Vince Iwuchukwu provides enough veteran assurance to get St. John’s on the good side of the bubble this coming year.

Regular Season Champion:
UConn

Conference Tournament Location:
New York City, NY

Auto-Bid Winner:
UConn

Player of the Year:
Kam Jones - Marquette

Newcomer of the Year:
Deivon Smith - St. John’s

Forecasted At-Large Teams:
Creighton, Marquette, Xavier ,St. John’s

Forecasted At-Large Contenders:
Creighton, Marquette, Xavier ,St. John’s, Villanova, Seton Hall, Providence

Forecasted Bids to Begin the season:
5

BIG TEN CONFERENCE

The days of Zach Edey eating everyone in this conference alive are mercilessly over. The league is opening up again to all comers, including four new members from the West Coast - UCLA, USC, Washington, and Oregon. The 18-team structure requires a chunky element of unbalance to the scheduling models. Many conference mates will only see each other once prior ot the B1G Tournament and the top 15 of 18 will qualify for the postseason event.

Purdue got the benefit of the doubt at Media Day, to repeat as the 2025 champion. But I’ve had an strong suspicion that this league could in fact have a surprise winner. Perhaps a Michigan, or an Ohio State. A couple of major schools with fresh mindsets at the helm to run their programs.

Out West, Eric Musselman (USC) and Danny Sprinkle (UW) have been brought in to elavate programs that have been terrific before in the past, yet needed a fresh approach for this daunting travel schedule. UCLA scrapped a strategy that was heavy on international and went into the modern D1 transfer portal for some major upgrades. And at Oregon, Dana Altman a deep team is building around Jackson Shelstead.

Brad Underwood and Tom Izzo continue to coach and recruit at the highest levels of the league. Illinois will welcome in Kylan Boswell, a leader at Arizona and a pair of international phenoms in Kasparas Jakucionis and Tomislav Ivisic. The Illini think their vets can bring them along. Ben Humrichous may have been the biggest prize however after he scorched the Valley last season with 41.4% three-point shooting. In East Lansing, a cast of characters are prepped to take on larger roles. Jaden Akins is still around to lead the group.

Pressure is mounting at places like Indiana and Maryland where fans take expectations to the next level. Mike Woodson has done a nice job getting Indiana back to the tournament, but after a subpar year last year, folks in Bloomington are now on the edge of their seats. In College Park, Kevin Willard enters the season looking to improve on a 7-13 disappointment during league-play last year. Willard grabbed Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Selton Miguel in the portal to help build some more winning habits.

Penn State is a team still led by Ace Baldwin, and I suspect Mike Rhoades will overperform expectations as he usually does. The true mysteries are Iowa and Wisconsin in my book. The Hawkeyes arguably have more to work with behind Payton Sandfort and Owen Freeman. This same core of guys produced a 10-10 rollercoaster run last year, that ultimately ended in the NIT. Hawkeyes need to tweak a few things to win on the margins in this improved and deeper B1G. The Badgers are taking a slight step back in talent. Steven Crowl and Max Klesmit are still around and are great leaders. Let’s see what Cam Hunter’s comeback from Central Arkansas looks like and what Xavier Amos or John Tonje can deliver before declaring them an NCAA-level team.

The hype is coming in hot from Piscataway. Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper have made waves with their commitment to play this year at Rutgers. It has already been an action-packed build up to the season. Seems like it may be a struggle with maturity for Steve Pikiell at some point, so I remain in wait and see mode, with tempered team expectations.

Regular Season Champion:
Purdue

Conference Tournament Location:
Indianapolis, IN

Auto-Bid Winner:
Michigan

Player of the Year:
Bruce Thornton - Ohio State

Newcomer of the Year:
Oumar Ballo - Indiana

Forecasted At-Large Teams:
Purdue, Ohio State, UCLA ,USC, Illinois, Michigan State, Indiana, Oregon (First Four)

Forecasted At-Large Contenders:
Purdue, Ohio State, UCLA, USC, Illinois, Michigan State, Indiana, Oregon, Iowa, Wisconsin, Penn State, Maryland

Forecasted Bids to Begin the season:
8

BIG 12 CONFERENCE

A cornucopia of basketball powers have now combined to form the top tier of the Big 12. The blue blood of Kansas was always there. Today, the additions of Houston recently and Arizona this coming season along with the past two decades of sustained Baylor success, makes the top of this league unparalleled. Especially when you throw in a recently loaded Iowa State team. That gives the league as many as five anchors for the other 11 schools to go after and build resumes against. Fascinated to see how this computes when the Bracketology forecasting season of mid-January really begins to intensify.

Houston will open the season at the number two overall spot, with Iowa State coming close at fifth overall on the Big Board. Tremendous respect for the way Houston plays with physicality, and let’s not forget they won the regular-season crown a season ago. It is clear the defense, the relentless rebounds, and the toughness are converted into road wins, which is the hardest thing to do in college basketball. Cyclone Nation is buzzing after last season’s Big 12 Tournament Title and run to the Sweet 16. The returning roster features Tamin Lipsey, Milan Momcilovic, and Keshon Gilbert. Four portal additions, including two quality bigs, make this roster old and ready to go deep in March.

Kansas, Arizona, and Baylor will be poised to make sure they are each in the hunt for a conference championship. The three powerhouses rarely lose at home, if ever, so it will come down to who can stockpile road wins. In Arizona’s case, it will be interesting to see how Tommy Lloyd’s offensive rim-to-rim system translates with Big 12 travel. They will be playing in mostly tougher environments and seeing some of the nations best defenses in this gauntlet of a conference.

Texas Tech is poised to join the top five projected teams, and Cincinniati is setup nicely to challenge. Grant McCasland enters his second season in Lubbock ready to improve upon last year’s run to the Second Round. JT Toppin comes into this program oozing with confidence and is just a Sophomore. The big man played a key role in New Mexico’s rise to the MWC Tournament title a season ago. Red Raiders are building perfect pieces around the trio of key returnees: Darrion Williams, Chance McMillan, and Devan Cambridge. In Cincy, Wes Miller and the Bearcat community are starving for a tournament bid. The depth and the maturity of the roster is deep this coming season and I believe they make it happen. Four seniors starting with Dan Skillings, Jr., Day Day Thomas, Simas Lukosius, and interior enforcer Aziz Bandaogo.

One of the most unique hires of the offseason came as a result of Mark Pope’s departure to Kentucky, That would BYU’s hiring of Kevin Young from the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. Young should help further modernize the game and take advantage of BYU’s deep resources to acquire talent. This first roster is an intriguing one. We know Mawot Mag can play well and contribute from his time at Rutgers and really impressed that Young was able to secure the important veteran guard trio of Dallin Hall, Trevin Knell, and Richie Saunders.

Steve Lutz has been to the past three NCAA Tournaments and Darian DeVries has been to two of the past three. Do not sleep on these guys! Oklahoma State and West Virginia were picked near the bottom of the league, but I think these two coaches are primed for overachievement. Especially DeVries, who gets one last ride with his son, Tucker.

Kansas State and TCU were both difficult to forecast. They begin the season on the outside looking in, but I’m teetering on both. TCU’s schedule is not the strongest, but Jamie Dixon will do another great job at his alma mater, curious to see if its enough for another bid. Jerome Tang had a huge first year in the Little Apple, and a step back last year. Now Tang brings in Coleman Hawkins and more to fix it. Will be a fascinating team.

Regular Season Champion:
Houston

Conference Tournament Location:
Kansas City, MO

Auto-Bid Winner:
Houston

Player of the Year:
Hunter Dickinson - Kansas

Newcomer of the Year:
Tucker DeVries - West Virginia

Forecasted At-Large Teams:
Iowa State, Kansas, Arizona, Baylor, Texas Tech, Cincinnati, BYU (First Four)

Forecasted At-Large Contenders:
Iowa State, Kansas, Arizona, Baylor, Texas Tech, Cincinnati, BYU, Kansas State, West Virginia, TCU, Utah

Forecasted Bids to Begin the season:
8

MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE

For complete thoughts on the Mountain West, please refer to the MWC Media Day Preview here:

https://bracketeer.org/inside-college-hoops/2024/10/17/mountain-west-hoops-preview-2024-25

Regular Season Champion:
Boise State

Conference Tournament Location:
Las Vegas, NV

Auto-Bid Winner:
San Diego State

Player of the Year:
Tyson Degenhart - Boise State

Newcomer of the Year:
Jared Coleman-Jones - San Diego State

Forecasted At-Large Teams:
Boise State, Nevada (First Four)

Forecasted At-Large Contenders:
Boise State, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah State, Colorado State

Forecasted Bids to Begin the season:
3

SEC

A consolidation of the best basketball minds have accumulated throughout the SEC footprint. The league is full of brilliant coaches and recent history has impacted meaningful basketball changes. Alabama and Auburn were annual afterthoughts prior to Bruce Pearl turning around the Tiger program. The Crimson Tide hiring of Nate Oats has not only led to a Final Four, but also a top-overall seed a couple of seasons ago. Home games in either venue are nightmares for opponents. The two programs typically build very challenging schedules as well. Sure enough, they are the top two to watch this coming season. Can you believe Johni Broome is back? And what about Mark Sears and Grant Nelson? - both decided to comeback at Bama.

In Knoxville, a mostly silent legend continues to grow. Rick Barnes’ leadership and staff got them to the Elite Eight last year and helped find a player in Dalton Knecht, who became the nation’s most lethal weapon on the court. This season, the Vols become more offensive and will need to establish a defensive identity again. The foundation is so secure however, I believe the Vols will be in the protected seed mix throughout the year.

The Arkansas/Kentucky drama had and continue to have no dull moments. You’ve heard by now that John Calipari parachuted to Arkansas, which free’d up the big job in Lexington for 1996 National Champion and rising head coach Mark Pope. These two programs both went big in the portal. Calipari’s Hogs will still have a hint of Lexington with it. DJ Wagner, “Big Z” Zvonimir Ivisic, and Adou Thiero all followed Cal to Fayetteville. Stars from Tennessee and FAU in Jonas Aidoo and Johnell Davis have helped form a loaded roster. At Kentucky, Mark Pope built a team his way. Elite shooters are littered throughout the roster. BYU managed to have a really high NET ranking last season due to a lot of high margins of victory in this system. Expect more of that to follow with even better players.

Chris Jans, Todd Golden, and Lamont Paris all entered the league with Matt McMahon at LSU and Dennis Gates at Missouri. They all head into year three in the league with mixed feelings. McMahon and Gates are looking to generate momentum and rebuilt/improved their rosters. Jans and Golden are looking to continue on the same track with incremental gains in the league standings and seed list for the NCAAs. Then we have South Carolina’s Lamont Paris, who won the Coach of the Year and came close to leading a stunning run to a league championship last year. With everyone overlooking them again, this Gamecock team will be dangerous. Fascinating group of coaches here with varying expectations.

In Athens, Mike White might have a sneaky great roster. If a recent exhibition game demolition over UCF is any clue, they look primed to put up a lot of points. Asa Newell will be featured prominently. The 5-star freshman stands at 6-11 and if he can quickly mature around an older set of teammates, this team can go deep and potentially earn their first bid since 2015.

Speaking of offense, Ole Miss is loaded with a roster full of scoring. They put on a clinic recently against Illinois during a Charity Exhibition matchup. Odd to say about a Chris Beard coached squad, but finding the defensive identity may be the biggest challenge left to solve. The good news here is this team will expose inferior opponents and have enough ability to make good teams look bad (like Illinois).

Texas and Oklahoma enter the league for football reasons, but it is throwing Rodney Terry and Porter Moser into the fire. This league has a ton of depth, the Horns and Sooners just add to that. Texas is positioned with a terrific roster and now need to learn best practices on navigating the SEC footprint. Moser’s Sooners got left behind as one of the last teams out last season, and now have a few challenges roster-wise. Will be a hard year for both, but difficulty also presents opportunities.

Regular Season Champion:
Auburn

Conference Tournament Location:
Nashville, TN

Auto-Bid Winner:
Tennessee

Player of the Year:
Johni Broome - Auburn

Newcomer of the Year:
Jaxson Robinson - Kentucky

Forecasted At-Large Teams:
Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, Florida, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Texas

Forecasted At-Large Contenders:
Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, Florida, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Texas, Georgia, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Missouri

Forecasted Bids to Begin the season:
10

WEST COAST CONFERENCE

Stu Jackson has had a full plate since becoming the league commissioner in mid 2023. The league is dedicated to putting Basketball first, but continues to be impacted by football funding. The prize of the league’s economic fortunes, Gonzaga, will be gone by 2026. Now, Grand Canyon will also not join after turning its back on the WCC for more money in the Mountain West. Based on the fate of Saint Mary’s eventually, the conference may be down to eight squads. And that includes Seattle U., who isn’t part of the league quite yet.

Here is the good news. A two-year deal with Oregon State and Washington State keeps the league healthy for these next two seasons and adds extra excitement to a league that can sometimes follow the same patterns each year. On the Palouse, more change is coming with the WSU program turning to David Riley to run the program. Riley remains one of the youngest head coaches in D1 hoops and had a ton of regular-season success at Eastern Washington. Oregon State still is under the watchful eye of Wayne Tinkle and he is excited about this opportunity to get his program on track. The Beavers were struggling in the PAC-12, but this WCC move should allow the program to regenerate some buzz that can impact NIL and recruiting in the near future.

The league of course belongs to Gonzaga until they exit. The Bulldogs have nearly everyone back from a team that went on a torrid run late in the year to get off the bubble, up to a five-seed, and blitzed both McNeese and Kansas in the NCAAs. With Graham Ike, Nolan Hickman, and Ryan Nembhard, this team will be unflappable. Plus the extra depth added with Khalif Battle and Michael Ajayi will help a lot with situational scenarios.

Saint Mary’s looks to maintain a string of three consecutive five-seeds in the NCAA’s bracket. The Gaels have completely dominated the NET ranking scheduling and using advanced scouting to bring in quality opponents, who they can run away from in most cases. It is not uncommon to find the Gaels sniffing the top ten of the NET by February. I believe more of the same is coming behind reigning WCC POTY Augustas Marciulionis and Mitchell Saxen. Jordan Ross is poised to bring dynamic scoring and athleticism that this program can use to offset the losses of Joshua Jefferson and Aidan Mahaney. The Gaels also added Paulius Murauskas from Arizona and Ashton Hardaway from Memphis to help with quality depth.

In Santa Clara, the frustration continues with metrics like the NET. Despite owning a brutal annual schedule, the Broncos seem to get overlooked by the model or suffer an untimely personnel problem. This year, Santa Clara has the most opportunity in the conference to build an at-large profile. The Broncos have nine strategic non-conference games including two true road contests at Nevada and McNeese (both are in the preseason bracket).

On the Hilltop, the Dons program continues to progress. Had the opportunity to see the team practice lately and Marcus Williams is ready to guide this team. He has other terrific guards in Malik Thomas and Ryan Beasley. Chips Newbury will be such a key frontcourt leader and shooter, and the additions of Carlton Linguard, Jr. and Jason Rivera-Torres have the program on great footing. The key is finding a way to beat Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s or both at least once.

Regular Season Champion:
Gonzaga

Conference Tournament Location:
Las Vegas, NV

Auto-Bid Winner:
Gonzaga

Player of the Year:
Ryan Nembhard - Gonzaga

Newcomer of the Year:
Elijah Fisher - Pacific

Forecasted At-Large Teams:
Saint Mary’s

Forecasted At-Large Contenders:
Saint Mary’s, Santa Clara, Washington State

Forecasted Bids to Begin the season:
2

COMPLETE PROJECTIONS

Bracketeer's All-American Watch List: Non-Power Conferences

Bracketeer.Org is committed to delivering wide-ranging recognition and coverage to all 31 conferences across College Basketball. The Non-Power Conference Watch List has identified 68 players who were considered for the three All-American Teams and includes players poised to be all-conference level players across each of the 22 eligible conferences. Regardless of position, any player on an active roster can be considered a preseason All-American.

The 2025 Bracketeer.Org Non-Power Conference Player of the Year will be announced in the final week of March 2025.

Bracketeer’s All-American Watch List for the Non-Power Conferences recognizes the college basketball season’s most outstanding players regardless of position. We are excited to find more ways to honor the 22 conferences that do not get nearly enough attention in D1 Basketball. The list contains players from all 22 eligible conferences.

Regardless of position, any player on the active roster is eligible to be considered a preseason All-American. As such, the Bracketeer All-American Teams recognize the outstanding team player and leadership, not merely exceptional individual success. The watch list was comprised after seven consecutive months of schedule consulting and mass-scale roster tracking by Rocco Miller and input from various coaches, industry journalists, and industry peers throughout the offseason.

A midseason watch list will be released in early January or before. The Final All-American Awards will be given in late March.

Eligible Conferences

America East, ASUN, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, CAA, Conference USA, Horizon League, Ivy League, MAAC, MAC, MEAC, MVC, NEC, OVC, Patriot League, SoCon, Southland, SWAC, Summit League, Sun Belt, WAC

Ineligible for Consideration: ACC, American, Atlantic-10, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Mountain West, SEC, WCC

Preseason 1st Team All-Americans

Tyon Grant Foster, Grand Canyon
Daniel Batcho, Louisiana Tech
Caden Pierce, Princeton
Kimani Hamilton, High Point
Xaivian Lee, Princeton

2nd Team

Christian Shumate, McNeese
Duke Deen, Bradley
Kobe Julien, Arkansas State
Kezza Giffa, High Point
Robert McCray V, Jacksonville

3rd Team

Don McHenry, Western Kentucky
Honor Huff, Chattanooga
Dominique Daniels, Jr., California Baptist
Matt Rogers, American
Barrington Hargress, UC Riverside

All-American Watch List

**Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2023-24 season.

**Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2023-24 season.

Mountain West Hoops Preview 2024-25

By Rocco Miller

The master plan for college athletics may be drifting away from a rock-solid basketball league like the Mountain West, but the bedrock of this league will not go away. Recent realignment announcements will forever leave its mark on what has been a consistently high-producing conference that sent an astronomical six teams dancing a year ago. With two short seasons left to appreciate this group of 11 programs, let’s enjoy what we have before it ends.

The belle of the ball - San Diego State - has been to two straight Sweet Sixteens now and rarely if ever loses a home game. The Aztecs are creating a lifetime’s worth of what-ifs over the past couple of years, in which both runs ended at the hands of a historically superior UConn team. The Aztecs will have a ton of retooling to do (more on that in a bit) in 2025. But the standard is the standard at SDSU - which exudes defensive suffocation to opposing offenses and raucous home crowds.

The MWC in 2024-25 appears to be wide open. My spring started with quality time spent with the staff at Boise State. They were ectactic at first about the way things were shaping up, and some talk of Darkhorse Final Four contenders. They were looking at bringing the big three back of Tyson Degenhart, O’Mar Stanley, and Chibuzo Agbo. The roster looked good to me as well, and the idea began to grow in my mind. Weeks later, Agbo, surprisingly to Boise, hit the portal and quickly landed at USC. Leaving Boise State with a hit on strength and continuity. Out in Albuquerque, a young phenom big in JT Toppin hit the portal, and landed in the Big 12. The league as a whole has a lot to replace and needs to establish continuity quickly to optimize bids. The six-bid perfect storm of 2023-24 is almost assuredly not going to be possible.

Opportunity lies right in front of the six or seven breadwinners in this league to get an MWC trophy. Non-conference opportunities are there for all, and once again these top-tier programs have stacked themselves with enough opportunities to gain some wins. If you are curious, see our Mountain West schedule page. Nevada will have a great opportunity to continue building on success under Steve Alford, who outcoached a lot of terrific coaches last season. Utah State and Wyoming introduced exciting new head coaches in Jerrod Calhoun and Sundance Wicks, respectively. Calhoun was able to keep three core Aggies and went portal hunting to help build a high-octane offense. With Calhoun’s scheme, the rest of the MW will need to prep a bit differently for the high-upside Aggies. With Wicks, Laramie promises to be energetic. Wicks brings serious energetic juice! He also can coach effectively. Earning the Wyoming job after a tremendous turnaround in short order at Green Bay.

Colorado State and UNLV will be looking a little different this year, yet still have an opportunity to compete. The Rams are a squad who figures to play more through Nique Clifford and Bowen Born. Born has had a prolific career at Northern Iowa when healthy. The Rebels got a major win when retaining Dedan Thomas, Jr. following his MWC Freshman of the Year campaign a season ago. The portal vultures were out in full force for his services. Down in New Mexico, a burgeoning superstar in Donovan Dent is back to try and take New Mexico to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments for the first time in over a decade. Out West, it’s a potentially recharged San Jose State squad looking to leap back into the top five of the conference. The key for Tim Miles’ group is a healthy Robert Vaihola. Vaihola at full strength two years ago, was an absolute joy to watch. He does a ton of little things to help the Spartans win around the rim and plays intelligently. Vaihola was set to set sail before a brutal leg injury occurred just before the season opener a year ago. Coach Miles brought in some very capable transfers and Adrame Diongue is going to continue maturing as a major rim protector.

Fresno State welcomes in local legend Vance Walburg to lead the Bulldogs into the future. Walburg has had a long career in coaching and was hired to bring a strong connection to the Valley. He was ultra-successful locally at Clovis West High School and earlier in life at Fresno City College. His ridiculous 133-11 dominant record coaching Fresno City College led him to the Pepperdine job in 2006-07. It did not last long as Walburg was dealing with personal issues and the death of his mother. This is a redemption project for him. Walburg brings in some JUCO superstars to shake up the MWC this season. The roster appears to be highly offensive-based. When in the NBA, Walburg coached under George Karl for two NBA teams, so you may see some similarities in those great Coach Karl schemes.

Air Force will have a top team in the country in terms of returning minutes and players. Ethan Taylor is sticking with the program and has all-league-level talent. Joe Scott’s Falcons will look to shake up the league standings, per usual, with a terrific home-court advantage at altitude in Colorado Springs. The portal took away key players Rytis Petraitis and Kellan Boylan, which will likely limit the Falcons, however.

ORDER OF FINISH - PREDICTIONS

1. Boise State (MWC Reg Season Champs) - Degenhart and Stanley have unfinished business. The Broncos swept San Diego State and won tough road games at Nevada and New Mexico. BSU was the only visiting team from the MWC to win at SDSU last season. This group brings in really important pieces with Alvaro Cardenas to run the point guard spot and a talented 7-footer in Arizona transfer, Dylan Anderson. I think the pieces fit very well for BSU to navigate this changing league with confidence, despite the loss of Agbo.

2. San Diego State (MWC Tournament Champs) - Aztecs have to retool its offensive priorities, but the defense isn’t going anywhere and neither is Viejas Arena. The defense allows SDSU to pull off crucial road wins in tough environments annually, this year won’t be different. You may see some struggles in non-conference play, especially considering the stiff tests the Aztecs will face, but this is a conference standings-only prediction.

3. Nevada (At-Large Bid) - The Wolfpack are going to have to tweak its offensive strategy without the shifty-smooth Jared Lucas around Reno any longer, but I believe running more offense through the interior and an improving defensive model, will be enough to help the league earn a third bid to the tournament. Nick Davidson had a cluster of breakout games last season and will be a great leader this year, also some strong shooting should still be in store with the returns of Tre Coleman, Daniel Foster, Tyler Robison, and the key sniper addition of MWC-lifer Xavier Dussell.

4. New Mexico - Easy to make a case for the Lobos to win either trophy this season, as many of my peers have done. I believe this team will be quality. Early chances with UCLA and St. John’s would do wonders for its at-large resume and the MWC getting more than three bids. The shooting of Dent and impact newcomer C.J. Noland is solid, but no major threats after that from deep. The interior is full of length and experience, led by Nelly Junior Joseph. But I do believe the loss of House, Toppin, and Mashburn leaves the Lobos with a bit less weaponry. And that is a team that the NCAA (unfairly) was prepared to not select last year if the Lobos did not win all of the MWC marbles in Vegas.

5. Utah State - If I had a way to make an arrow going straight up next to the name, I would. USU landed Jerrod Calhoun, who took Youngstown State from the basement to the top of the Horizon League with his wonderfully orchestrated offensive system. The offense delivers consistent open looks and YSU was able to leverage personnel in a way that got them a high-rate of interior easy buckets. Perhaps most impressively, YSU had the top defense in Horizon League play last year, after being 9th in the league defensively two years prior. This staff is blossoming in many ways and it brings a heavy analytical approach to the MWC. Outside of those fun facts, Mason Falslev, Isaac Johnson, and the ageless Ian Martinez all decided to stay! This team will be a lot of fun.

6. Colorado State - Ram nation has had seven months to contemplate what life without Isaiah Stevens will be like. Perhaps it won’t sink in until the Rams opener for many. The reality is, the show must go on. The wonderful news is Niko Medved is tremendous and is still in Fort Collins. Riding in on last year’s tournament win, another program milestone. Bowen Born and Keshawn Williams are in to fill most of the Stevens void. Born, when healthy, is as steady of a hand as you’ll find, rarely turning the ball over. If it all comes together, CSU will be back near the top competing for the trophy.

7. UNLV - The Dedan Thomas return is major. Now Kevin Kruger will have to architect the rest of the pieces to maximize Rebel potential. The Rebs also have to work on consistency, the losses to Air Force and Southern at home last season were backbreaking. Jalen Hill’s recovery from an ACL tear should be complete, his progress is key.

8. San Jose State - Two years ago, SJSU shocked everyone with a fifth-place finish, trip to the MWCT Semifinals, and #97 finish in Ken Pomeroy’s rankings. That was the last time we saw Robert Vaihola. Vaihola was the league’s best 2-point finisher (74%), second-best offensive rebounder, and third-highest offensive-rated player (129.3 ORTG). All of these factors are premium for winning games, his health will determine what SJSU can really do this year. The additions of Donovan Yap, Will McClendon, Sadaidriene Hall, and Josh Uduje all appear to bring upgrades as well.

9. Wyoming - Sundance Wicks and home games in Laramie is enough to put a few wins on the board immediately. More upside is generated from the effective FG% progress Wicks made at Green Bay. A collection of guards will learn quickly how to effectively play teams off the perimeter and take wise shots on offense. The bigs will learn to keep opponents off the offensive glass. His Green Bay teams thrived in these areas, and it will be interesting to see how much of that foundation carries over.

10. Fresno State - We spent time covering Walburg above, and its really hard to know what we are getting right away on the court. The league didn't do the Bulldogs a lot of favors by throwing SDSU at them in early December either. Perhaps Amar Augillard is our guy to watch, the JUCO Player of the Year last season averaged nearly 23 points per night at that lever and had decent rebounding and assist numbers.

11. Air Force - Despite all of the continuity advantages, it is difficult to project this team to be any better than last year. However, the Falcons have been known to sprinkle in some Freshman late to their roster. And they recently added nine new players! Still have no information on who if any will be on the floor. So keep your eye on that.

Atlantic-10 Media Day 2024-25

Greetings from Washington D.C. A beautiful sunrise and seemingly perfect weather day is happening here. Of course, that will not be an option for folks like us because we have 15 scrappy and sometimes tough Atlantic-10 teams to learn about. Thank you for joining.

We begin the day with Bracketeer’s A-10 Ballot for the upcoming year. I am positive of only one thing, there will be a number of surprises in this league as always. Where will they come from and how? Who knows. The exercise I executed on was done with January thru March in mind, league-play only. Teams are all starting in November at different starting points. I expect the well-coached, defensive minded teams to catch up by January. That made the task difficult.

BRACKETEER’S A-10 PRESEASON POLL

1. VCU - The Rams finished strong with a run to the A-10 Title Game and two wins in the NIT. They worked hard to retain key cogs in Max Shula, Joe Bamisile, and Zab Jackson. Even more impressive is they added an underrated star in Phillip Russell who led UT Arlington and SEMO to winning seasons in each of the past two years.

2. Loyola-Chicago - The league’s top defense from a season ago, could have an even better defense now. Miles Rubin projects to grow and develop further and the additions of Jalen DeLoach (via Georgia) and Kymany Houinsou (via Washington State) ensure no depth drop-off in defensive commitment.

3. Dayton - The Flyers own the highest ceiling from a talent standpoint. The additions of Posh Alexander and Zed Key further make this team older and expected to win at a high clip. Can Posh maintain consistency throughout the season?

4. Saint Louis - Robbie Avila ankle concerns aside, this team can and likely will compete for the league crown. HC Josh Schertz would like a little more consistent shooting, yet with the offensive system being anchored by Avila and Isaiah Swope, I think it will still produce at a high level. Plus the Billikens added a defensive stopper and rebounding machine, Kalu Anya.

5. St. Joseph’s - The Hawks boast some weapons with the return of Erik Reynolds,
   Xzayvier Brown, and Rasheer Fleming. All three are capable of being all-A10 talents. The Hawks have the tools to leap but need to prove that they can close out wins in such a narrow-margin conference.

6. George Mason - Tony Skinn had a terrific debut as Head Coach a year ago and is building towards something bigger. A foreign trip snafu has me somewhat hesitant about the inner dynamics of the program, but I will presume that gets resolved by conference play. GMU has KD Johnson in from Auburn and Darius Maddox back in the fold. Could be formidable for A-10 defenders to keep up here. The Pats need to protect the Basketball better to ascent to the top of the mountain.

7. Richmond - Chris Mooney is entering year 20 if you can believe it. The Spiders are defending regular-season champions and bring a solid core back led by DeLonnie Hunt. The Spiders will need to break in a big man (there ae options), which is vital to Mooney’s offensive flow.

8. Duquesne - Dru Joyce III takes over the program that captured America’s hearts during March in a historic run to the Round of 32. The Dukes lose key scoring, but have established a tough-minded culture and have some fascinating new faces. Alex Williams was a joy to watch at Furman, I expect him to have an important role.

9. St. Bonaventure - A true pick based on Mark Schmidt’s tremendous coaching success. The Bonnies are new and fresh and have JUCO’s from high-level programs. Lajae Jones is an impact example, who won big at Barton (the JC National Champs).

10. Rhode Island - The Rams had a bonding trip to the Bahamas and boosted the overall talent level by adding players like Jamarques Lawrence (via Nebraska) and Sebastian Thomas (an all-KenPom player in the America East last year via Albany). The obvious question remains. How will URI defend? They were near the bottom last year in Blocks, Steals, and adjusted D as a whole.

11. George Washington - A program on the rise with a lot to like. Coach Chris Caputo is a bright mind in the sport and did an amazing job to keep sophomore phenoms Darren Buchanan Jr., Jacoi Hutchinson, and Trey Autry together. The one down side recently is the injury to Garrett Johnson, torn ACL. Also, the Revolutionaries have a manageable schedule without many tests and they need to resolve defensive issues, much like URI.

12. UMass - The Minutemen were likely the hardest team to place. Its another talented roster with seven players back. The two stars from last year were Josh Cohen and Matt Cross. They are both gone. Daniel Rivera was brought in from Bryant to help fix the rim protection and overall paint defense.

13. Fordham - These Rams play with a ton of energy and are best when the game gets chaotic. The core is mainly in tact, can they start shooting it a little better? Hard to say yes.

14. La Salle - Fran Dunphy teams will find ways to steal wins. The Explorers open a new building this season. It’s impossible to pick them in last place, so they land at 14.

15. Davidson - I am shocked that I have the Wildcats this low. I like the McKillop system and they should’ve upgraded their shooting skills with Zach Laput, who ripped off near-40% shooting from deep at D2 Bentley. My biggest concerns remain within in giving up too many opposing free throws and not getting many second chances on offense. This is a rough league to pick, because Davidson could easily be in the top half of the league.

ANNOUNCEMENT: The 2024 Western Slam

From the same group who put on the fantastic Atlantic Slam a season ago, On Ice Entertainment, and in conjunction with the ENMAX Center and the City of Lethbridge, another new Canadian event will be coming your way this upcoming basketball season, the Western Slam. Dates are set for November 28-30 with an identical format. Three games per squad, full round-robin event.

WHY THE WESTERN SLAM?

The Western Slam invites the entire community to rally behind College Basketball, creating a collective spirit that will resonate both on and off the court.

• The Western Slam Event stands as the only NCAA Division I event of its kind in the Western Canadian region, marking a significant milestone for both the event and the city of Lethbridge, Alberta.

• The event promises not only an electrifying spectacle but also a substantial economic boost for the community.

• The Western Slam Event 2024 celebrates the essence and significance of NCAA college basketball, highlighting the talent and dedication of young athletes and the vital role of collegiate sports in shaping athletes' futures.

THE FIELD

KENNESAW STATE - The Owls program soared to new heights in 2023 by winning the ASUN Tournament and Regular Season trophies. That led to several opportunities for the former staff to advance their careers and for the Owls to hire a well-respected rising Head Coach in Antoine Pettway. Now KSU is also on the move. The Owls will compete in Conference USA for the first time. There’s no doubt that the competitive Western Slam will help prepare them for a tougher league. Simeon Cottle is coming off of a splendid Sophomore season and will continue to lead this group into 24-25 as a Junior.

KENT STATE - The Golden Flashes have been consistently successful in the MAC. They followed up a run to the 2023 NCAA Tournament with a run to the 2024 MAC Championship Game a season ago. Head Coach Rob Senderhoff received excellent news when VonCameron Davis decided to remove his name out of the portal and return to Kent State. Davis will help lead a talented group during the 24-25 campaign.

TOWSON - The always competitive Tigers will continue its trend of scheduling challenging games this coming season under Pat Skerry. The Tigers program has finished in the Top 150 of KenPom rankings in three consecutive seasons. They’ve fallen short in the semifinals of the CAA Tournament for three straight years. So Towson will be hungry and on a mission all year long to get over that hump. Towson plans to bring back as many as eight significant contributors for the upcoming year.

UC IRVINE - Off of another Big West Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance, Russell Turner and the Anteaters will be ready to come to Canada and learn more about this new team. Losing Derin Saran and Carter Welling certainly isn’t ideal, however, UCI does have a good chunk of production coming back. That list includes the big man, Bent Leuchten, who was in the portal for a while but opted to return.

THE SCHEDULE

At Press Time - all games are tentatively scheduled and subject to a different order.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28TH

• UC Irvine vs. Kennesaw State

• Towson vs. Kent State

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29TH

• Kennesaw State vs. Towson

• Kent State vs. UC Irvine

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30TH

• Kent State vs. Kennesaw State

• UC Irvine vs. Towson

THE VENUE

EnMax Centre

A 5,479-seat multi-purpose arena, in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.

Renovations to upgrade the facility were completed in spring 2012. Among the improvements are an expansion of 40,809 square feet, the addition of 18 luxury suites, improved concessions and washrooms, a new press box, and a restaurant/lounge.

2024 Field Updates - The Rady Children's Invitational

BYU, NC State, Ole Miss, and Purdue are planning to headline the 2024 Rady Children's Invitational at LionTree Arena in San Diego, multiple sources told Bracketeer.Org. NC State and Ole Miss are finalizing agreements to participate in the 2024 field.

The event's official dates are Thursday, November 28th (Semifinal Round) and Friday, November 29th (3rd Place Game/Championship Game). This is not an official release.

Arkansas will not participate as initially anticipated in the Rady Children’s Invitational in San Diego next season. Ole Miss was slated to play in the Preseason NIT event in Brooklyn, NY - that event will be moved to another location, details are still emerging. Notre Dame was originally in this event and recently left for the Players NIL Festival in Las Vegas.

THE EXPECTED FIELD

• Purdue is coming off a memorable run to the National Championship game this past season and the Boilermakers return several pieces of their roster despite losing Zach Edey.

• NC State is coming off a wild ride to the Final Four in 2024. The NC State addition gives the event, two reigning Final Four teams. The Wolfpack will be an old team again with the return of Michael O’Connell and the addition of Brandon Huntley-Hatfield to go along with Senior vets, Jayden Taylor and Ben Middlebrooks.

• Year two of the Chris Beard era is ahead at Ole Miss. The Rebels feel good about their chances to succeed this season with Jaylen Murray, Matthew Murrell, and Jaemyn Brakefield all back in the fold. Each player in this trio averaged in double-figures a season ago. The Rebels also brought in five additional newcomers who averaged in double-figures at their respective previous stops. Malik Dia headlines this group, a versatile big who had a high usage rate at Belmont last season.

• BYU enters the Kevin Young era on a high. Mark Pope may have just left for Kentucky, but the Cougars achieved high goals a year ago and earned a 6-seed in the NCAA Tournament, despite it being its first season in the Big XII. Coach Young worked hard to retain several players from last year’s roster and convinced big man, Keba Keita, to transfer over from rival, Utah.

By Rocco Miller

NEWS: Matchups set for 2024 Acrisure Invitational

One thing has become clear as we look ahead to the 2024-25 season: The place to be is in Palm Desert, California during Thanksgiving Week.

Over four days (November 26-29), Acrisure Arena will be home to 20 games involving high-major teams in Men’s and Women’s College Basketball. If you need an alternative for Turkey Day, look no further.

Announcing The Field for the 2024 Acrisure Invitational

Washington, Santa Clara, TCU, and Colorado State are the latest teams to confirm they will be part of this loaded feast of basketball in the desert. These will be the semifinal matchups to be played on Thursday, November 28th:

• TCU vs. Santa Clara

• Washington vs. Colorado State

All four squads will be in action on Friday, November 29th as part of either the Championship Game or 3rd Place Game

Announcing the on-Campus Matchups

UC Riverside and Alcorn State have been confirmed as the participating travel teams within the Acrisure Invitational for 2024. Here is the full schedule of games they will compete in against the remainder of the field:

• November 18th - Alcorn State at TCU

• November 19th - UC Riverside at Santa Clara

• November 21st - UC Riverside at Washington, Alcorn State at Colorado State

• November 24th - Alcorn State at UC Riverside

Overview

The tournament will again be held at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert.

This will be the second year of the event.

Between November 26th and 29th - 20 high major games will be played at the venue.

ANNOUNCEMENT: 2024 Acrisure Holiday Invitational

The first annual Acrisure Holiday Invitational will occur at Acrisure Arena on November 26th and 27th. Matchups are now set with SMU taking on California Baptist in one Semifinal and Fresno State facing Washington State in the other Semifinal on November 26th. The two winners and losers respectively will meet on November 27th.

On Campus matchups have also been finalized. Full schedule at the bottom of the article.

WOMEN’S HOLIDAY INVITATIONAL

The Women’s field will boast a terrific group of brands - Michigan State, California, Arizona, and Vanderbilt.

Cal will play Michigan State and Vanderbilt takes on Arizona on November 26th. Winners/Losers will meet on November 27th in what promises to be a premier event in the sport.

All games on November 26th and 27th will be held at the Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert.

HOLIDAY INVITATIONAL: ON-CAMPUS SCHEDULE

Northern Colorado and Prairie View A&M will be the dedicated travel teams for this Multi-Team Event.

November 17th - Northern Colorado at Washington State
November 18th - Prairie View A&M at SMU
November 20th - Northern Colorado at California Baptist, Prairie View A&M at Fresno State
November 23rd - Prairie View A&M at Northern Colorado

The 2023 NABC Brooklyn Showcase - Preview

There’s a Quadruple-Header in Brooklyn Today. This is what we live for.

Two A-10 teams, two ACC teams, the Pac-12, the Big East, the AAC, and the America East Conference. This is Brooklyn on December 10th. Four games, one venue. The 2023-24 College Hoops calendar is full of opportunities early on in the year to see a cluster of teams in one venue. Whether its one of the many MTE’s around the Thanksgiving Holiday or these ever-popular one-day neutral events, there is more access to seeing teams. Selfishly this is a great thing for people like me who want to maximize team coverage, however, I do also believe we are losing too many games on campus as a whole. Nevertheless, I have arrived in Brooklyn and am ready to embrace the day!

Home to the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets, the Barclay’s Center will be today’s epicenter in College Basketball.

North Texas - Fordham

North Texas has been an undersold program for several years now. This season, the Mean Green’s arrival to the American should help gather overdue attention. In case it doesn’t- UNT is scheduling anyone they can, anywhere. We are in the midst of a three-game stretch where the Mean Green went to Boise State, play here in Brooklyn today, and then head to Tupelo, MS to play Mississippi State. Why? UNT needs the tests, and it has proven too difficult to get teams to play in Denton that will move the needle. Also, getting these “neutral” chances will help with resume quality within the Quadrant system leveraged by the NCAA Selection Committee.

Today, the Mean Green meets Fordham University for the first time. Fordham came into this year with high expectations and off of a season in which the Rams climbed to second place in the Atlantic-10. Head Coach Keith Urgo sees an opportunity to stay at the top and sought out tests in non-conference play to make another strong in-conference run possible. The Barclay’s Center will once again host the Atlantic-10 Tournament, so today also allows the team to play in the same building where ultimately the fate of its season will be determined.

Fordham University and its basketball program fell in love with the home court advantage inside the Barclay’s Center this past March.

Sour patch kids were delivered earlier this week for very different reasons to each of these programs. North Texas (5-3) was sixty seconds or less away from a key road win at Boise State. Leading by five at the time, a myriad of things fell apart. Two of UNT’s best players Rubin Jones and Aaron Scott fouled out in that final stretch, causing some turmoil. BSU capitalized and finished the game on an 11-0 run. Fordham (4-5) was largely expected to steamroll NJIT, saw a 12-point lead evaporate and the visiting Highlanders seized the moment. That was the second straight home loss after Tulane came in and got the win at Rose Hill last weekend. Stunned North Texas left Boise on Tuesday and stunned Fordham has been looking to correct its mistakes since Wednesday Night.

Both teams entered the season with well-respected defensive reputations. North Texas is darn near elite defensively. Boasting three straight Top 50 finishes in adjusted Defense, and the past two in the Top 25. New Head Coach Ross Hodge has always had his hand in this defense during his time as an assistant for Grant McCasland (now at Texas Tech). The early returns analytically on Hodge are promising. The Mean Green are defending the interior extremely well (22nd nationally vs. 2-pt. attempts) and overall are right there again in the Top 50, at 31st in total adjusted defense. The Rams are a heavy ball-pressure group that loves to discombobulate opposing offenses. It was the crown jewel last season in Fordham’s run through the A-10 and A-10 Tournament. This season the formula remains as the Rams are 22nd in the country at rate of turnovers forced to its opposition. For Fordham, the defense is about where you want it to be mostly- boasting the 84th overall nationally in adjusted defense.

One of the brightest minds in College Basketball, Ross Hodge, is finally running his own program now at North Texas.

The problem for Fordham is the offense. Rams are struggling beyond the arc at 30.4% as a team and horrendous from the line at 61.5% (15th from the bottom in D1). The Rams are also turning the ball over far too often with a rate north of 20% of its possessions resulting in a turnover. That defeats a lot of the Fordham edge with its turnover creation. Unlike the Rams, North Texas is a team with quality shooters. As a team, the Mean Green are nearly 38% from distance and the 2nd best free throw shooting team in America at 80.2%. UNT does have a high rate of turnover issue, however, and that will be a primary key in today’s matchup.  

Fordham returns to the Barclay’s Center. Our last memory of the Rams here was the ruckus Semifinal game vs. Dayton. Very memorable as I’ve never seen such strong support for the Rams in recent memory. They want to recreate that magic this year. I have no idea what to expect in turn out because this is an 11:30 am tip-off and I am barely awake myself. In any event, it’s good for them to get the chance to play in the building again before the pressure is on. North Texas played three competitive games in the Charleston Classic, two gut-wrenchers against St. John’s and LSU followed by a demolition of Towson. Besides the visit to Boise, that was their only experience away from Denton to date. Leaders Aaron Scott and Rubin Jones plus several staff members were part of last season’s successful wins in Springfield over UMass (62-44), and in Phoenix over Grand Canyon (60-58) in what some may consider similar experiences.

Colorado - Miami

In a matchup that will certainly steal most headlines today, the Hurricanes and Buffaloes are set to square off in a matchup that has been circled for many months. Miami, of course, coming off a historic run to the Final Four and bringing back the ultra-talented Norchad Omier along with Nijel Pack and breakout phenom, Wooga Poplar. The Canes were picked by many to upend Duke this season as the ACC’s shining squad. On the other bench, we have a Colorado team that brought back Tristan Da Silva, KJ Simpson, Julian Hammond III and nabbed a five-star player in Cody Williams for the first time in program history. Expectations for both of these teams entering the year were not only the NCAA’s but perhaps a protected seed (Regional advantage) and/or a favorite to reach the NCAAT’s second weekend. While March will always be the ultimate judge on a season, today’s winner will benefit with a key resume win in a true neutral court competition, far from Boulder and Coral Gables.

Cody Williams is improving rapidly and the data (119.9 ORtg) absolutely loves his efficiency.

Today, the Hurricanes only have one black eye to dwell on. A road rough-up at the hands of Kentucky in the new ACC-SEC Challenge. Certainly forgivable in general. A look at the film that day raised concerns about the Hurricanes’ ability to defend an athletic team such as Kentucky. Colorado is not that level of athlete, but the next cut below. Some serious Buffalo talent exists, CU has elite outside shooting marks, and it will test Miami. Hurricanes also were forced into becoming a jump-shooting team during the unfortunate 31-10 run Kentucky went on early in the second half to turn that contest into a runaway. On the flipside, Miami has looked the part pretty much every other time out. Canes’ obliterated opposition in all five home games thus far including P6 teams, UCF and Notre Dame. The Bahamas showing left no doubt who the best team was, as Miami handled Kansas State and Georgia. Every goal is in front of Miami to achieve, including a high seed in the NCAA.

Wooga Poplar’s shooting numbers are off the charts and the Hurricanes are off to a 7-1 start.

Colorado is finding its way still and has yet to make a big statement. An opportunity to perhaps change that today. Most nights, the Buffs have handled its business. The big concern in Boulder is the vulnerable defense, especially away from home. Colorado State exposed the Buffaloes most recently, shooting 51% and scoring 88 points. Second-half defense melted down in both the Richmond (five-point win)- shot over 50%, and Florida State (OT loss)- shot 61%, games down in Daytona Beach. Tad Boyle is likely tinkering with the right mix and managing any fatigue issues. Today is likely to be another barn-burner and we shall see how he adjusts from those three experiences.

Recognition is due for two of the top three effective three-point percentage teams in the land. Could be a slobber knocker of elegant and effective outside shooting. Miami comes in at 42.5% e3pt.- good for second best in America. Colorado comes in at 41.8%- good for third-best in the country. We could be in for a real treat today. When Julian Hammond III gets his chances, he is deadly and so is Tristan Da Silva and KJ Simpson. Weapons galore from the perimeter. The Canes’ Wooga Poplar is statistically the best downtown shooter on the court at nearly 54%. Also deadly are Bensley Joseph when he gets his chances, and usually Nijel Pack. A shooting showcase may be here, especially with an overflow of NBA scouts expected.

Colorado feels as if they haven’t played up to their potential in previous big games this year. They come in hungry and hyper-focused on defending the perimeter threats, but what is the answer for Omier? You might as well prebake a double-double in the oven because Omier is more than likely to provide that. The Buffs may take for granted that they prevent offensive rebounds/second chances and produce offensive rebounds for their offense. A nice edge on paper for CU on both ends. We’ll see if the perimeter focus impacts the interior edge.  

Miami played in the Hall of Fame Tip-off event at Mohegan Sun. They beat Providence before losing to Maryland there, really the only relevant recent experience up in this part of the country in the past two seasons on a neutral court. Colorado’s best win of last season was arguably the win over Tennessee in Nashville. The Buffs played lights out that day in a 12-point win, and would be another huge boost if they get that type of result here Today.

The 2023 Myrtle Beach Invitational Thread

OVERVIEW

The 2023-24 Myrtle Beach Invitational is set to tip off in mere hours, and we could not be more thrilled to be a part of it for the first time. Also, for the first time, is the ESPN-sponsored event’s move to make this a complete event without a Power Six representative- opening the field to a wide cast of programs with an opportunity to win this thing come Sunday evening.

View from the Shores this morning before the 25 minute commute to Conway.

College of Charleston vs. Vermont - Game 1 Preview

The early favorite has been the College of Charleston since the field was announced earlier this spring. The Cougars came into the season as a complete team, daring the 2023 NCAA selection committee to dig deep in moments of potentially entering the at-large field. Following an uber-successful 31-4 season, the Cougars bring back leaders Ante Brzovic and Reyne Smith. In true Pat Kelsey fashion, the Cougars brought in some intriguing “up-transfers” including CJ Fulton from Lafayette. C of C passed its first test on opening night against Iona, however lost in the Veteran’s Classic by 18 to Duquesne. The Duquesne game had multiple wild runs for each team. The Dukes had the last laugh, getting a ton of good looks from inside the arc (22-for-33). Kelsey’s Cougs will need to clean that up today against the perennial America East favorite, Vermont.

John Becker’s Catamounts enter the Myrtle Beach Invitational with a rotation full of returners. However, the shining star in the season-opening win over Merrimack was Shamir Bogues. The transfer from Tarleton is quickly proving he is a terrific fit in Becker’s system. Bogues got the start had 19 points and shot the ball very well. Aaron Deloney is the preseason pick by many publications to win America East Player of the Year. Vermont only had one D1 game prior to this event and we will learn quite a bit in this marquee matchup this morning.

Wyoming vs. Saint Louis - Game 2 Preview

The great mystery game of the day! Wyoming brings a full roster of intrigue, and none more intriguing than Freshman Cam Manyawu. Manyawu is the first Cowboy in history to begin his career with back-to-back double-doubles. He’s athletic and surprisingly ready at such a young age for a major role at this level. Granted, Wyoming’s only D1 game was against Cal Poly. It is all we have to go off thus far. The very early returns on the Cowboys tell us that they are once again taking shots early in the shot clock (22nd fastest in the nation), and getting to the free-throw line more frequently than anyone in the country. Defensively, the Pokes have excellent defensive rebounding and forced mistakes metrics. Again, grain of salt stuff given Cal Poly is the only D1 game they’ve played. A matchup with Saint Louis will begin to tell us what Jeff Linder really has cookin’.

Billikens came to Myrtle Beach with a couple of D1 wins under its belt. SLU took care of Southern Indiana and Illinois State prior to arriving. Now the Bills hit the road for the first time in 23-24. Although Gibson Jimmerson is still technically a Junior, he has logged 99 games for the program. He continues to be a leader for this squad. Jimmerson made 15 free throws in a 20-point performance vs. Illinois State. The Billiken roster got a shot in the arm when Mike Meadows eventually fell to them via Portland in the portal. Meadows had big games for the Pilots. Unfortunately, he battled injuries all of last season but appears fully good after logging an average of 24.5 minutes in the first two D1 games. Terrence Hargrove can expose mismatches in a big way. He proved that in the opener with 27 points and 15 rebounds. We will see what Wyoming does to try to keep him off the glass. Pretty big key for both squads. Much like Wyoming, SLU will play fast - so this game should be high-octane and reveal quite a bit about both teams. The toughest test for each thus far on the young season.

San Diego State to Play California in Inaugural SoCal Showcase

The defending National Runner-Up, San Diego State, will make the short trip to San Juan Capistrano to participate in the one-day SoCal Showcase vs. California inside The Pavilion, per sources. The date is set for Saturday, November 25th.

The Golden Bears are already set to compete in the annual SoCal Challenge on November 20th and 22nd against two of Bradley, UTEP, or Tulane (Bracket TBA). So the Bears will be hanging in SoCal throughout Feast Week. Excitement is buzzing over the hiring of Mark Madsen. The Bears have overhauled and upgraded talent to go along with a much improved non-conference schedule.

Tickets and Tip-off information will be announced at a later date.

The same group that has worked hard to build the SoCal Challenge is thrilled to host another premier game around the Thanksgiving holiday. The Pavilion is located in San Juan Capistrano, California. The setting provides a “Maui”- like atmosphere with the fans packed into The Pavilion for College Basketball action and a nearby beach for vacationing.

The Inaugural Atlantic Slam

Inaugural Atlantic Slam Brings College Hoops to new brunswick

By Rocco Miller

The Atlantic Slam is coming to College Basketball in 2023. The event is held in Moncton, New Brunswick. Plans are in place to deliver a unique experience for each of the participating teams and fans. The event will not only host college basketball doubleheaders for three straight days (November 17-19), but will also host a High School Basketball showcase featuring three of the best Canadian teams and a top European team. The idea is to give an opportunity for a burgeoning Basketball hotbed (Canada) better access to Division 1 Basketball. The other part that is so unique is that the Province of New Brunswick is showing a substantial commitment to basketball by approving funding for this Event. There are early plans in place to grow the event and add a Women’s field in 2024.

The Avenir Centre

This building looks spectacular. Designed for Moncton’s Junior Hockey program, the Avenir Centre is an 8,500-seat venue that hosts several concerts and events. This will be an opportunity to showcase New Brunswick’s nicest venue to the American audience.

Meet The Teams

The inaugural field will be Gardner-Webb, Yale, Weber State, and Colgate. Four successful programs are now secured to come and launch this event off the ground. The event could not be more thrilled to have this group of teams, which will play a round-robin style event each day between November 17-19.

GARDNER-WEBB – In the past decade of Big South basketball, only two programs have been .500 or better in every conference season – Winthrop and Tim Craft’s Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs. One of the more underappreciated tenures in College Basketball is right here in Boiling Springs. Coach Craft has provided a model of consistent winning, highlighted by a trip to the 2019 NCAA Tournament. The 23-24 version of the Bulldogs will bring back several key players including DQ Nicholas, Lucas Stieber, Caleb Robinson, and Julien Soumaoro.

𝑺𝑬𝑪𝑶𝑵𝑫 𝑻𝑬𝑨𝑴

Congrats to Junior DQ Nicholas on being recognized by the @bigsouthsports …

🌟 Leads team in scoring.

🌟 Averaged a team-high 12.4 points per game, ranking 10th in conference.

🌟 1,000 point member for his career.#BornToRun pic.twitter.com/YulU53aHN2

— Gardner-Webb Men's Basketball (@GWU_MBK) March 1, 2023

YALE – These Bulldogs had their third-best season (by KenPom standards) in the 24-year tenure of James Jones a season ago. Only the 2020 version (no tournament) and the 2016 edition (advanced to 2nd Round of NCAA’s) proved to be stronger seasons. The year ended with a tough Ivy League Title Game loss to Princeton (who of course went on to make Sweet 16 noise and shock the world). An NIT appearance and a Top 65 finish is a wildly successful team by Ivy League standards. Coach Jones has to feel good about the fact that his top five returners each played significant minutes in the Ivy Title game including three starters in John Poulakidas, Bez Mbeng, and August Mahoney. Matt Knowling projects to have a strong senior season as well. The Atlantic Slam will offer a great opportunity to see where Yale is heading in 23-24.

WEBER STATE – Second-year head coach Eric Duft is no stranger in Ogden. He spent several years on the bench with retired legend Randy Rahe. Coach Duft made strides in his first year, leading the Wildcats to a 12-6 record in Big Sky play and they picked up an opening round win over Sacramento State before falling in a double OT thriller to an uber-talented, and eventual NCAA rep, Montana State team. That loss represents a few important areas. One, these Wildcats were playing well enough to make the NCAA’s last year in Coach Duft’s first season. Two, that loss has got to be driving this Wildcat program all off-season in preparation for the season. The biggest news came recently when NBA prospect Dillon Jones announced he would withdraw from the NBA Draft and return to Weber State. This has some pundits picking the Wildcats to win the Big Sky this season. They will come to compete at the Atlantic Slam.

COLGATE – Amazing that Matt Langel and the Raiders are still rolling. Langel has been in the mix for several high major job openings in recent years but is clearly comfortable in Hamilton, New York, where is leading one of the more successful runs in Patriot League history. The Colgate program has won the Patriot League Tournament in four of the past five seasons and the Raiders have a dominant 44-4 record in the league the past three seasons. All of that success has not always translated to non-conference success, however. Raiders have lost 16 games in the past two non-conference seasons, so the Atlantic Slam will certainly provide a challenge. Colgate got excellent news earlier this week with the announcement of Ryan Moffat’s return. Moffat joins Keegan Records in what looks like a dynamic duo. Colgate does have to replace some quality older players however, and the Atlantic Slam will be right around the time they start to learn a lot about the younger pieces to the puzzle. Especially in the Atlantic Slam’s round-robin format.   

One last ride in Hamilton.

Let’s run it back, @r_moffatt ✊#GoGate pic.twitter.com/veHlGPnhqe

— Colgate Men's Basketball (@ColgateMBB) June 14, 2023

The 2023 SoCal Challenge - Announcement

3rd Annual SoCal Challenge will be held on November 20th and 22nd in San Juan Capistrano, CA

The SoCal Challenge is back and ready for more ultra-competitive College Basketball contests. Last year’s Surf Division boasted nothing but thrilling games with multiple games landing in overtime before UNLV eventually claimed the trophy. This season the format does not change - a bracketed Tip-Off event in San Juan, Capistrano on November 20th and 22nd. The bracketed games will be played on the 20th with the Championship Game and 3rd Place game being played on the 22nd.

The event will welcome California of the Pac-12, Tulane of the American Conference, UTEP from Conference USA, and Bradley from the Missouri Valley to once again provide the SoCal community and national viewers watching on CBS Sports Network four very competitive teams, and nearly ensuring some great battles. That has been a hallmark of this great event.

Travel Packages and Sponsorship opportunities will be available soon.

MEET THE TEAMS

CALIFORNIA – The Golden Bears are going to compete this season thanks to a splash hire of HC Mark Madsen. Madsen comes over from Utah Valley, where the Wolverines had a record-setting 22-23 season that included a deep run in the NIT. Madsen is no stranger to the SoCal Challenge, as his Wolverines won the 2021 Sand Division in the inaugural year of the event. Time was not wasted after the announcement of Madsen’s hiring as the Golden Bears got busy in the Portal. Keonte Kennedy (via Memphis), Mike Meadows (via Portland), Fardaws Aimaq (via Texas Tech and UVU), Jalen Cone (via Northern Arizona), and Jaylon Tyson (via Texas Tech) will all join veteran Devin Askew in what has to be considered one of the most experienced rotations in the Pac-12. How fast can they gel together? Check out the SoCal Challenge to find out.

Day 1🎃 pic.twitter.com/vmxP8pIkSS

— Fardaws Aimaq (@FardawsAimaq) June 13, 2023

TULANE – Ron Hunter brings this Green Wave program out west to San Juan Capistrano where they will be greeted with waves coming in from the Pacific Ocean. Coach Hunter has steadily improved the talent level at Tulane since his arrival and Green Wave fans and community can smell a breakthrough season. Sion James, Jaylen Forbes, and Kevin Cross all return and are in positions of leadership. Some new talent arrives with Kolby King (via St. John’s), Gregg Glenn (via Michigan), Jordan Wood (via Howard), and VMI’s leading scorer, Asher Woods, all joining the program.

LUTE OLSON AWARD
National Player of the Week

BOSTON, MA -- Tulane’s Jaylen Forbes helped the Green Wave to a pair of conference wins last week, averaging 29 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game against SMU and UCF. pic.twitter.com/7SoabYkfqs

— College Insider Inc. (@collegeinsider) January 16, 2023

UTEP – HC Joe Golding enters his third season at UTEP following a wildly successful run as the coach at Abilene Christian. UTEP has fought hard for two seasons in CUSA with last year being the best CUSA season ever (FAU in Final Four, North Texas and UAB in NIT Finals, Charlotte CBI Champs, etc). The coming CUSA is going to be much different. Gone are FAU, North Texas, UAB, UTSA, Charlotte, and Rice. In comes Liberty, New Mexico State (already a rival for the Miners), Sam Houston, and Jacksonville State. This new-look league appears to be wide open and the Miners have done enough to believe they can compete for the CUSA Title. Zid Powell (via Buffalo), Elijah Jones (via ECU) and Baylor Hebb (via Colorado State) join the roster via the Portal. Established leaders in Tae Hardy, Calvin Solomon, Otis Frazier III, and Mario McKinney, Jr all return for another year in Golding’s system. Excitement in El Paso is warranted.

BRADLEY – The Braves had a memorable run in 22-23 to the Missouri Valley Conference regular season title. Highly successful HC Brian Wardle is of course disappointed in losing the Arch Madness Title game, but this season can be about redemption. The Braves will need to fill some key holes but can build around ultra-talented Malevy Leons this season. Leons will be joined by fellow vets Connor Hickman, Darius Hannah, and of course Duke Deen. Trey Pettigrew joins the program via Nevada and appears to have the most upside of the newcomers.

Florida Atlantic headlines Chicago Event

Sources: Chicago to Host Season Opening Doubleheader

The Florida Atlantic Owls will play the hometown Loyola-Chicago Ramblers and Mississippi State will face Arizona State in an event that we expect to be sponsored by Barstool Sports, multiple sources told Bracketeer.Org.

Games will be held in Chicago’s Wintrust Arena on Wednesday Night, November 8th.

FAU brings back its entire team besides Michael Forrest in 2023-24. This game will likely serve as the first of many tests for the 23-24 Owls. The Ramblers are looking to erase a forgettable 22-23 campaign by knocking off a Top 25 opponent on the big stage.

Mississippi State recently got great news as Tolu Smith returns to the Bulldogs. Early projections suggest this is a Top 25-level roster. The ASU Sun Devils are no strangers to big events. Coach Hurley and the guys will be ready for a big game against SEC-level competition to open the season.

There is no timetable for an official announcement.

The Inaugural Arizona Tip-Off

By Rocco Miller

Intersport’s newest Multi-Team Event (MTE) is here, the Arizona Tip-Off. The same company that has hosted numerous successful College Basketball events including the Fort Myers Tip-Off, the College All-Star Slam Dunk Contest & 3-point Shootout, and the 3X3U National Championships - has its newest idea ready to reveal: A bracketed Tip-Off event in Glendale, Arizona. The bracketed games will be played between November 17th thru 19th, making for a quality fall weekend experience in the desert. Each of the eight teams will also participate in one on-campus game as part of the event.

Desert Diamond Arena is prepared to host the innagural 2023 Arizona Tip-Off in Glendale.

2023 TEAMS Revealed

The 2023 Arizona Tip-Off will include two Divisions, the Cactus Divison and the Desert Divison. DePaul, Grand Canyon, South Carolina and San Francisco make up the Cactus Division and will play in a bracketed event on November 17th and 19th inside Desert Diamond Arena..

The Desert Division will feature South Dakota, VMI, Northern Arizona, and Purdue Fort Wayne. These four programs will play in bracketed Semifinal games on November 17th, followed by a 3rd Place and Championship Game on November 18th.

ON-CAMPUS MATCHUPS

• November 12th: Northern Arizona at Grand Canyon

• November 13th: South Dakota at DePaul

• November 13th: VMI at South Carolina

• November 22nd: Purdue Fort Wayne at San Francisco

CACTUS DIVISION PREVIEW

The Cactus Division is an intriguing one with quite a mix of teams. We welcome two power-six teams in South Carolina and DePaul to go along with highly successful non-power programs in San Francisco and Grand Canyon. These four will battle it out in a four-team bracketed tournament to be played on November 17th and 19th.

SOUTH CAROLINA – It was a challenging first year for HC Lamont Paris in Columbia a season ago. The SEC is loaded with tremendous head coaches and resources to acquire talent. The head man for the Gamecocks is certainly as qualified as they come and was a tremendously successful coach at Chattanooga. The Gamecocks have attacked the portal to turn things around and signed BJ Mack, an ultra-efficient transfer from Wofford. Mack is one of the best stat stuffers in the nation and will be counted on heavily in the upcoming year. Gamecocks also bring in Ta’Lon Cooper (via Minnesota), Myles Stute (via Vanderbilt), and The Citadel’s leading scorer, Stephen Clark (nearly 17 PPG at SoCon level).

DePAUL – The Tony Stubblefield era enters its third season in the Windy City. The Blue Demons have shown promise the past two years, but the rugged Big East has kept DePaul an arm’s length away consistently from NCAAT consideration. Six conference victories in Stubblefield’s first season were tied for the most since 2006-07. Now the league gets even tougher with Georgetown’s hiring of Ed Cooley and St. John’s hiring of Hall of Famer Rick Pitino. The Blue Demons will need to be crisp from day one to move the needle this season, which makes this Arizona Tip-Off appearance all the more critical. DePaul welcomes Chico Carter, Jr. from South Carolina as an impact transfer, adding more juice to the Arizona Tip-Off potential matchup against his former team. Jeremiah Oden (via Wyoming), Elijah Fisher (via Texas Tech), and Jaden Henley (via Minnesota) each bring potential and experience to the Blue Demons.

SAN FRANCISCO – HC Chris Gerlufsen prepares for his second season on the Hilltop in charge of this burgeoning Dons’ program. San Francisco won the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City and faced Grand Canyon during that run. Dons and Lopes could meet again this season in Glendale. USF finished last year strong by getting back to the WCC semifinals by knocking off local rival Santa Clara in a thrilling OT comeback. USF has to replace the all-everything guard, Khalil Shabazz this coming year. Dons addressed some needs by grabbing two excellent athletes in Jonathan Mogbo (via Missouri State) and Malik Thomas (via USC). Stefan Todorovic (via SMU) has a high upside as the next great perimeter shooter. The Dons return key experience with Marcus Williams, Josh Kunen, Ndewedo (AKA Chips), Saba Gigiberia, and Isaiah Hawthorne all back to compete. USF still has a roster spot and is hopeful to get more good news soon (as of press time).

GRAND CANYON – The Lopes represent two things for the Arizona Tip-Off. One, they are about as close to a host school as possible and will be able to bring the Havocs student section to these games. And two, they are the only team in the field that made the 2023 NCAA Tournament. GCU was part of the most difficult WAC season in recent memory – an underappreciated and terrific league in the West. Lopes were forced to win four straight games to get to the NCAA’s a year ago, and did exactly that. In the NCAAT, they trailed Gonzaga by just four at Halftime before eventually falling 82-70. The year ended on such a high note, and this offseason GCU just continues to get good news. The talented quartet of Ray Harrison, Jovan Blackshear, Jr., Gabe McGlothan, and Josh Baker are all returning and bring a ton of cohesion/experience under HC Bryce Drew. In addition, the Lopes plan to bring in seven players from the Portal. Collin Moore is a proven scorer from Georgia State. Lok Wur was a highly recruited player who is coming south from Oregon. Tyon Grant-Foster comes in from DePaul, another fun Arizona Tip-off storyline.

DESERT DIVISION PREVIEW

The quartet of South Dakota, VMI, Northern Arizona, and Purdue Fort Wayne will play a four-team bracketed tournament to be played on November 17th and 18th.

SOUTH DAKOTA – Head Coach Eric Peterson enters his second season in Vermillion. The Coyotes are eager to get back to the top of the Summit League and the Arizona Tip-off will serve as one of the early indicators of what this USD bunch is capable of. The Coyotes are working hard to fill the roster and have already landed two high major transfers in Lahat Thioune (via UCF) and Bostyn Holt (via Utah). Another addition is Kaleb Stewart (via Louisiana Tech), who should have a major role this season.

VMI – Another second-year coach looks to lead his squad through a successful Arizona Tip-Off journey in HC Andrew Wilson. The Keydets had to completely rebuild following the exit of HC Dan Earl and SoCon juggernaut big man, Jake Stephens, a year ago. Now VMI looks to make strides in 23-24 up the SoCon standings. The unique thing at VMI is they have a difficult time bringing in transfers while also losing many players (seven this year) to the portal. So they went out and signed a 2023 High School class containing seven players. Some of the recruits are record holders at the high school level and it will be interesting to see who the Alpha’s are because they will all likely get a chance to play in November.

NORTHERN ARIZONA – Where were you last March when NAU stunned top-seed Eastern Washington in the Big Sky Tournament Quarterfinals? It was an epic triumph for an over-starved Lumberjack program and it propelled HC Shane Burcar and the Jacks to its first Big Sky Tournament Title Game appearance in 15 years. NAU looks to build on that March momentum entering the 23-24 campaign but will have to do so without playmaker and sharpshooter, Jalen Cone (transferred to Cal). Seniors Nik Mains and Xavier Fuller also depart. The Jacks turn to Carson Towt, Oakland Fort, Liam Lloyd (son of AZ HC Tommy Lloyd), and Trenton McLaughlin all are back to take this program another step forward. NAU will also get to stay in State for the game at GCU and of course, the two games in the bracket, creating potentially a slight edge.

PURDUE FORT WAYNE – The most knowledgeable underground scouts that I am fortunate to know are all raving about Rasheed Bello. He was named Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (D2) Player of the Year after averaging 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.5 steals per game at Wisconsin-Parkside. Rumblings are saying a ceiling of becoming an all-Horizon League performer is well within reach. A more decorated D1 transfer is Jalen Jackson (via Illinois-Chicago). Jackson is a Fort Wayne native and really began to peak for UIC last February. HC Jon Coffman has had this Mastadon program close a few times to really break through, this would be as good a year as ever to make that NCAAT appearance happen. The question will once again be on the defensive side of the ball where in the nine seasons under Coffman, the Mastadons have yet to have an Adjusted defensive efficiency rank in the Top 200 in the nation. Regardless, this is an entertaining bucket-getting team, that the masses will enjoy watching in the Arizona Tip-Off.

2023 Continental Tire Main Event

2023 Field Summary - Continental Tire Main Event, Las Vegas NV

San Diego State, Washington, and Xavier will headline the 2023 Continental Main Event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, multiple sources told Bracketeer.Org.

The fourth team in the event is currently TBD.

The event's official dates are November 17th (Semifinal Round) and November 19th (3rd Place Game/Championship Game).

Minnesota will not be playing in the Continental Tire Main Event in Las Vegas next season as initially anticipated. Xavier was slated to play in an event in Savannah, GA - but that will no longer happen, per sources.

• San Diego State is coming off a memorable run to the National Championship game this past season and the Aztecs return Final Four hero Lamont Butler, Darrion Trammell, Micah Parrish, and have added Reese Dixon-Waters (via USC) in the Portal.

• Washington is going all-in on offensive weapons as they have added volume scorers with Sahvir Wheeler and Moses Wood out of the portal, and a tough-as-nails glue guy in Anthony Holland. Braxton Meah is one of the most improved big men in the conference and is ready for a breakout season. The ultra-talented Keion Brooks also returns for the Huskies.

• Xavier returns impact pieces with Zach Freemantle, Jerome Hunter, and Desmond Claude. Sean Miller went fishing into Conference USA’s section of the transfer portal to bring in Dayvion McKnight (via Western Kentucky), Quincy Olivari (via Rice), and Abou Ousmane (via North Texas) to assemble a veteran and dynamic roster to date.

By Rocco Miller

The 2023 Sunshine Slam - Confirmed Teams

the 2023 Sunshine Slam

Colorado, Florida State, UNLV, and Richmond will headline the 2023 Sunshine Slam in Daytona Beach, multiple sources told Bracketeer.Org. These four programs will comprise the Beach Bracket.

Two more confirmed teams for the Ocean Bracket will be Siena and Stetson with two more teams TBD.

There is no timetable on an official announcement. Brackets for the event are currently TBD.

On-Campus matchups will include Siena playing at Richmond and Stetson playing at UNLV. Dates are TBD. Colorado and Florida State will also host a game when the final two Ocean Bracket teams are determined.

The Buffaloes will likely come in as the favorite, with Tristan Da Silva, Julian Hammond III, KJ Simpson, and J’Vonne Hadley all returning plus the additions of five-star super frosh Cody Williams and TCU transfer Eddie Lampkin, Jr.

By Rocco Miller

FAU HC Dusty May with Rocco Miller Ahead of March Madness

HEAD COACH EXCLUSIVES

DUSTY MAY, FLORIDA ATLANTIC

The Florida Atlantic Owls are headed to the NCAA Tournament! Florida Atlantic takes on Memphis on Friday night. FAU earned its first Tournament bid in 21 years (2002) and second ever in school history.

FAU celebrated their historic bid on Selection Sunday in front of their home crowd at the Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena. It was the only fitting location, with FAU earning their place as one of the nation's best teams in part due to their 17-0 record in Boca Raton in a season with the top seven highest-attended home games in school history.
 
For Head Coach Dusty May and company, the Owls will now lace up their dancing shoes and work towards making history once more, this time on college basketball's biggest stage.

Coach May and I caught up this week to discuss:

• An overview of FAU Basketball for America to learn

• What it means to the program and University

• Memphis- initial impressions

• Lineups, matchup pieces, Owls versatility

• New Goals going forward

And much much more.

FULL INTERVIEW

Changing Of The Guard - February 5th

Prelude

It’s time for another volume of Changing of the Guard. A weekly column here at Bracketeer.Org solely focused on the conference races. This will be your one-stop shop each week to see what is happening in each league race for the regular-season crown for all 32 leagues.

Some leagues provide us with a different leader or a proverbial “Changing of the Guard” at the top of the standings each and every week. Other leagues, may have one team run away with it from wire to wire. No matter how it shakes up, we will be here to provide the summary for you. If you happen to be new to Bracketeer this season, conference race changes are leveraged in each Bracket Forecast update to A) Exhibit a variety of outcomes within the Bracket that could very well be in play come March and B) Give more schools notoriety for the stellar play and achievements during the regular season.

The Disruptors

Virginia Tech - The Commonwealth Clash rivalry triumph over Virginia ruined the opportunity for UVA to go solely into First Place in the ACC. Hokies also held on to some hopes in the At-Large bid arena as well.

Utah Tech - The dynamic duo of Cameron Gooden and Tanner Christensen combined for 47 points in a true upset over Southern Utah. The win yielded First Place in the WAC to a third school from the Beehive State, Utah Valley.

So if you weren't in the Burns Arena last night - here's what you missed!!#UtahTechBlazers | #WACHoops | #WACmbb pic.twitter.com/NlQgVQSWH0

— Utah Tech Men's Basketball (@UtahTechMBB) February 5, 2023

Long Beach State - Winners of the latest version of the Black & Blue rivalry game. The Beach denied UC Irvine the opportunity to obtain a tie for First Place by defeating the Anteaters in OT.

Lipscomb - The Bison knocked off Liberty on a day when Kennesaw State also fell. It denied the Flames an opportunity to be in First Place alone and tightened the Standings across the ASUN.

We win, we dance 🕺#IntoTheStorm ⛈ l #HornsUp 🤘 pic.twitter.com/Rdj6uidnu8

— Lipscomb Men's Basketball (@LipscombMBB) February 5, 2023

Niagara - Spoiled Siena’s run as the First Place MAAC squad in a packed MVP Arena on Sunday. The Purple Eagles have now won four in a row in addition to playing this role as “Disruptor.”

USC Upstate - Spartans managed to snap a four-game losing streak to stun First Place UNC Asheville, 76-70. The victory should only deliver some newfound confidence into this Spartan program moving into the last three weeks of the regular season. The loss to UNCA created a First Place tie with surging Radford.

Tennessee Tech - A buzzer-beater, one of three in the OVC on Saturday, spoiled SEMO’s status in First Place. The TTU triumph provided air to Morehead State to ascent into First. Here is the memorable moment that went down in Cookeville:

Coast-to-coast for the 𝗚𝗔𝗠𝗘 𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗥 for Brett Thompson and @TTU_Basketball ‼️#OVCit | #OVC75 | #WingsUp pic.twitter.com/3wwkD2EROP

— Ohio Valley Conference (@OVCSports) February 4, 2023

Alabama A&M - The Bulldogs took First Place Southern to the cleaners in an 82-61 victory. The result means that Alcorn State is back into a First Place tie with the Jaguars.

Changing Of The Guard

A brief summary (this will be reflected on the upcoming Bracketology Big Board) of who our new league leaders are, following this weekend’s action.

• Atlantic 10 - VCU Rams

• MAAC - Rider Broncs

• MAC - Akron Zips

• OVC - Morehead State Eagles

• Southland - Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders

• WAC - Utah Valley Wolverines

.@RiderMBB is atop the #MAACHoops standings!! And the next game is nationally televised on @ESPNU! Pack the Zoo Friday night.

🎟️https://t.co/yEjDcEDHnq#GoBroncs pic.twitter.com/UZJhRG76iE

— Rider Athletics (@RIDERATHLETICS) February 6, 2023

Conference Race Recap for All 32 Leagues

Big 12 – The Texas Longhorns (8-2) sit atop the Big 12 Standings with a one-game cushion at this point. Texas won a difficult road game at Kansas State and became the first opponent to beat the Wildcats inside the Octagon of Doom. Iowa State (7-3) achieved second-place status alone by knocking off Kansas (6-4) in a convincing 68-53 triumph. Texas will head to Kansas on Monday night, while Iowa State heads to West Virginia this Wednesday. Two tough tasks ahead for the leaders.

B1G – Purdue (11-2) got held up in their demolition of the Big Ten on Saturday. The rival Hoosiers (7-5) got the better of them in Bloomington. The Boilermakers still have a two-game lead in the loss column over second-place Rutgers (8-4). The Scarlet Knights avenged a previous loss to Michigan State by knocking off Sparty in Madison Square Garden, 61-55.  

STORMING THE COURT IN BLOOMINGTON ‼️ @IndianaMBB pic.twitter.com/67RtgSjAsf

— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) February 4, 2023

Big East – Xavier (11-2) had its largest blowout win in league play by a fair margin over struggling St. John’s, 96-71. Having a severe weather delay getting to Cincinnati probably did not help the Johnnies’ chances in this one. The Musketeers are neck-and-neck with Marquette (11-2) for the Big East Title chase. The Golden Eagles won its fifth in a row on Saturday vs. Butler in a 60-52 rock fight. Creighton (9-3) and Providence (9-3) are lurking in the background still. Friars had the weekend off, while Creighton handled its business against Villanova, 66-61.

SEC – The Tide kept on Rollin’ this past weekend in Baton Rouge. Alabama (10-0) had just enough breathing room to put away LSU, 79-69. Tigers put up a much better fight this time around, after losing by 50! in Tuscaloosa. With eight conference games to go, Tennessee (8-2) and Texas A&M (8-2) are the Tide’s stiffest competition currently. Vols bounced back with a less-than-sexy win over Auburn, 46-43. The Aggies rolled over Georgia, 82-57. An interesting week coming for Bama – who will host Florida and play at Auburn in Round One of the Hoops Iron Bowl. Texas A&M will host Auburn this Wednesday as well.

Pac-12 – UCLA (10-2) had little trouble dismissing either of the Washington schools this week. Bruins rolled past WSU on Saturday, 76-52. I was on hand this past Thursday for the win over Washington, 70-61. Although the final score appears close, UCLA had this game in hand virtually the whole way. Arizona (10-3) and USC (9-3) also handled their business. Both the LA schools and Arizona Schools hit the road this coming week, which could yield “upsets” ahead. Wildcats will be in the Bay Area, and the LA schools head to the Oregon schools.

ACC – Clemson (10-3) is coming back to Earth a bit following a magical 10-1 start to league play. A home loss to Miami (9-4) yesterday not only puts Clemson in a tight race for first, but also in the thick of a narrow-bubble scenario for today. Pittsburgh (9-3) has emerged into the loss-column tie and joins Virginia (9-3), who had the ability to secure first place on Saturday, but fell to rival Virginia Tech, 74-68. The Panthers had the weekend off and have an appetizing week ahead (in theory), playing both Louisville and Florida State. UVA hosts NC State (9-4) and Duke (8-4), in two key home tilts. And the first-place Tigers have the mid-week off and will need it to prepare for next Saturday’s trip to Chapel Hill to take on the Tar Heels.  

MWC – San Diego State (9-2) put on a defensive clinic in Friday’s showdown vs. Boise State (8-3), holding the Broncos to 2-for-18 shooting from distance en route to a 20-point halftime lead. The Aztecs never looked back and won the game by 20. First matchup between these two in a while that did not go down to the wire.  Boise State is joined now in a three-way tie for second place with Utah State (8-3) and Nevada (8-3). The Aggies have a dream opportunity when they host SDSU this Wednesday Night on CBS Sports NET.

AAC – Houston (10-1) avenged its only conference loss at Temple, 81-65. The Cougars had a scoring outburst to begin the second half after trailing by four at Halftime. The win gives UH a two-game lead over Temple, Tulane, and Memphis who all have three losses now. The Tulane win at Memphis helped create this additional cushion as well. The Green Wave earned the thrilling 90-89 OT win behind Jaylen Forbes, Kevin Cross and Jaylen Forbes, who combined for 65 of the 90 Tulane points. Houston will host Tulsa this Wednesday in its lone game of the week ahead.

WCC – All eyes were on the WCC on Saturday Night as Saint Mary’s (10-0) won an emotional 78-70 game over Gonzaga (8-2) in come-from-behind fashion. Frosh Aidan Mahaney hit some key buckets when they mattered most despite going just one-for-eight from deep for the game. Drew Timme did everything he could to will the Bulldogs to a key road win, scoring 23. The Gaels now have a two-game edge over Gonzaga and the battle for third place features a quartet of five-loss programs (BYU/Loyola Marymount/Santa Clara/Pacific). Really shows how balanced the rest of the league is. SMC will do its best to navigate its remaining six games to make some history, beginning on Thursday at LMU.

A BIG second half from Aidan Mahaney propels Saint Mary's past Gonzaga in OT‼️ pic.twitter.com/uX2ZNwbya4

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 5, 2023

CUSA – Florida Atlantic (12-1) used a dominant second half to flex its muscle on the road against Charlotte, 67-52. The victory comes following the Owls’ first league-play loss at UAB and gave FAU a split on the difficult road swing. North Texas (10-3) is the clear second-place team, but the Mean Green were already swept by FAU. The Owls will host the (Rice) Owls this Thursday and Louisiana Tech on Saturday.

A 10 – Ace Baldwin Jr. scored 37 points as VCU beat Saint Louis on the road, 73-65, on Friday night. Baldwin scorched for 12-of-15 shooting, including four-for-five from distance, and went nine-for-nine from the line for the Rams (9-2). The win put the Rams in first place alone, as they get set to host Dayton (7-4) this Tuesday. The Flyers fell at St. Bonaventure (7-4) this past Saturday. Fordham (6-4) is also in the mix as a four-loss team. The Fordham Rams had the chance to really get in the hunt be fell apart late in a road loss at Richmond on Sunday.

WAC – We seem to get a new leader every weekend in the wild WAC. That is once again the case this week. Utah Valley (9-2) had the safest path of all by getting the weekend bye. The Wolverines sat back and witnessed Southern Utah (8-3) get upended at Utah Tech, 86-79. More WAC carnage included the three 7-4 teams all going down on Saturday. Sam Houston fell at UT Arlington by 12. Seattle U lost its fourth straight at New Mexico State. And Stephen F. Austin was clipped in a tight one at Grand Canyon (6-4), 86-83. UVU will host both California Baptist and Southern Utah this coming week.

Ivy – Princeton (7-2) got the key win on Friday over Cornell (5-4), 89-82, despite playing at a faster pace -preferred by the Big Red. Tigers managed to save room in the tank to handle Columbia with ease, 88-66. Cornell’s road woes carried over to the loss at Penn (5-4) on Saturday and knocked the Big Red into a concerning spot. Yale (6-3) is your second-place team now. The Bulldogs are surging. An 11-point road win at rival Harvard was followed by a 19-point drubbing of Dartmouth on Saturday. Brown (5-4) scored two important road wins over Dartmouth and Harvard to get into a third-place tie with the Quakers and Big Red.

Sun Belt – Louisiana and Southern Miss (both at 10-2) continue to be the class of a complicated league. The Cajuns have now ripped off 10 straight wins after starting league play 0-2. An important test against Marshall was passed on Saturday, Cajuns winning that by 10. They are a perfect 11-0 in the Cajundome. The Golden Eagles completed its road sweep by knocking off Georgia State, 79-71, on Saturday. That’s seven straight wins for the Golden Eagles. The stage is set for an unbelievable showdown in Hattiesburg this Thursday Night, Louisiana at Southern Miss. Must-see Television.

MVC – Drake (10-4) had the biggest scare of the four teams tied atop the wild Missouri Valley race. The Bulldogs were once again led by Tucker DeVries, who had 32 points and 11 boards in a 85-82 Double OT thriller at Valparaiso. The win gave Drake two Double OT wins in single week! Bradley (10-4) picked up an impressive road win at Northern Iowa, 77-69. Belmont (10-4) had a fun win over Illinois State, 90-75. And we had to wait for Sunday, but Southern Illinois (10-4) also picked up a win over Missouri State in a superb performance, 73-53. Three of these four hit the road next, beginning with Drake at Murray State on Tuesday Night. Indiana State (9-5) is waiting in the wings. Sycamores have found their groove again, winning three straight.

Big West – CSUN made a splash in the Big West race by stunning UC Santa Barbara (9-2), 72-67. Never take a trip to the Matadome for granted. A great win for a struggling Matador program who lost to this same UCSB team on the road by 20 in January. A golden opportunity opened and closed for UC Irvine on Saturday, but the Anteaters (8-3) fell in the always rugged Black & Blue rivalry game, 93-88, at the hands of Long Beach State (8-4) in OT. Time to stop sleeping on The Beach – they’ve won six in a row now and host UC Santa Barbara on Thursday. Hawai’i (8-4) recovered from a loss at UC Davis, by knocking off Cal Poly, 69-56. UC Riverside (8-4) had a tough week and dropped two road games, at CSUB and at CSUF on Saturday night.

Still thinking about last night’s win? We are too.

Highlights from the big win over the Gauchos#GoMatadors #UniteTheValley pic.twitter.com/lD7gEYDN7O

— CSUN Men’s Basketball (@CSUNMBB) February 5, 2023

MAC – Yet another showdown came and went over this past weekend. The Akron Zips (9-1) had this puppy circled on the calendar for a long time, as they handled an outstanding Kent State (8-2) squad by 12. The victory puts Akron in first alone heading into yet another big test on Tuesday vs. Toledo (8-2). The Rockets have the most efficient offense in the MAC going up against the top defense in the MAC (Akron). Going to be a dandy.    

SoCon – There are only three teams of ten above .500 in league play. All of them are 10-2 now. The trio is led by Furman, who handled its rival, Wofford, on Saturday to the tune of a 13-point win. The Paladins also own wins over Samford and UNCG (split series) this year. UNCG went to The Citadel and shot it well (near 43% from deep) en route to a 79-59 triumph. The Bulldogs held up their end of the bargain by cruising past East Tennessee State, 73-62. This coming week features Furman traveling to VMI and hosting Western Carolina, in two games that the Paladins are expected to handle.

Big Sky – Eastern Washington (12-0) refuses to lose! Eagles got another road win once again on Saturday. This time it was at Portland State. The Eagles continue to shatter its 30+ year history books in Big Sky play. They had never been better than 5-0 to start league play, EWU has now more than doubled their previous high. Tyreese Davis led the charge with 27 points in the electric 98-88 road win on Saturday. Eagles have six games left in the regular season, with three coming at home. They are off until next Saturday’s short road trip to Idaho. Montana State (10-2) is still within striking distance. The Bobcats have now won five straight following its 75-62 win over Northern Colorado on Saturday.

ASUN – Kennesaw State (10-2) had to enter one of the toughest buildings in the ASUN – McBrayer Arena in Richmond, KY. Yes, the home of the Eastern Kentucky Colonels (9-3). EKU squeaked out a 77-74 win behind 24 points from Devontae Blanton. EKU now owns home wins over the top two ASUN squads (Liberty and Kennesaw State). Speaking of the Liberty Flames (10-2), they found some road trouble themselves. Liberty’s defense did not have a good enough answer for the Bisons’ Derrin Boyd, who hit five of six triples and led the way with 22 points. The Sophomore, Boyd, was playing for NAIA powerhouse Georgetown College a season ago. Boyd’s game has clearly translated to the D1 level as he now has been the ”KenPom MVP” in four of the Lipscomb wins. Liberty now returns home to host Bellarmine on Thursday followed by a potential revenge game against EKU on Saturday. The Owls of Kennesaw State will play a tricky home-and-home with Jacksonville State on Thursday and Saturday, beginning on the road.

MAAC – Siena (9-4) got off to a good start on Sunday, but could not hold on as the Saints went cold in the second half. Niagara (8-5) came into a crowded (over 7K+) MVP Arena and stunned the home squad. Noah Thomasson led the way with 18 for the Purple Eagles. All MAAC eyes have now turned to Rider (10-3). A changing of the guard. The Broncs have won seven straight including Sunday’s 67-56 road win at Manhattan. The Broncs also own the tiebreaker over Iona (9-3). The Gaels have recovered nicely this week, gaining a dominant win over Mount St. Mary’s on Friday and getting past Fairfield on the road on Sunday. Iona heads on the vaunted Buffalo roadtrip next week (At Canisius, At Niagara), while Rider hosts Fairfield on Friday and gets Sunday off.

Horizon – Milwaukee (10-3) had the weekend off following a too-close-for-comfort victory at IUPUI on Thursday. Youngstown State (11-3) had a dominant win over fellow title contender Northern Kentucky (10-4), 74-56, in the Game of the Week. YSU held NKU to under 28% shooting from deep and the Norse didn’t get much going on the interior either. Four Penguins finished in double-figures, led by Brandon Rush’s 18. Cleveland State (9-5) took a couple of tough losses on the road. The Vikings had won six of seven prior to Thursday’s trip to Detroit Mercy. They lost there by 18, then played much better before falling in OT at Oakland, 92-89. The Panthers will have a three-game week, all at home. With Green Bay visiting on Monday, Detroit Mercy coming on Thursday, and Oakland visits Saturday. The Penguins have a tough tip to both Purdue Fort Wayne (Friday) and Cleveland State (Sunday).

Big South – The USC Upstate Spartans played spoiler on Saturday in a 76-70 upset over first-place UNC Asheville (10-2). Combine that with Radford’s ninth straight win, this one over Winthrop, and we have a tie at the top on our hands between the Highlanders (10-2) and the Bulldogs. DaQuan Smith was butter with five threes in the win over Winthrop for Radford and finished with a game-high 24 Points. Longwood and Gardner-Webb are each 8-4 and two games back following the Bulldogs fifth straight win over Presbyterian on Saturday and the Lancers bounce back win over Campbell. UNC Asheville hosts Winthrop on Wednesday, while Radford will welcome Gardner-Webb this Thursday in a red-hot game that will feature a combined 14 straight wins between the two squads. Something has to give.

Miss yesterday's win over UNC Asheville?

Don't worry, we've got you covered with some highlights of the 76-70 victory.#SpartanArmy ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/pFkVqHfCNO

— USC Upstate Men's Basketball (@UpstateMBB) February 5, 2023

Summit – It is Oral Roberts’ (12-0) world and everyone else is just living in it. ORU went to Kansas City and demolished the Roos by 28. Another dominant performance. With only six games left to be played and a four-game lead over South Dakota State (9-4), the Golden Eagles can actually clinch the league title this week, which is pretty wild to consider. ORU stays on the road and heads to St. Thomas, followed by Western Illinois on Saturday. The Jackrabbits are looking at rivalry week against South Dakota. Playing just once this week, in Brookings this coming Saturday.  

CAA – Our fancy new first-place team, Hofstra (10-2), rolled past its local rival, Stony Brook, this past Saturday. The Pride were without Aaron Estrada; however, Tyler Thomas was a machine in this game. Thomas went for 29 points, 11 rebounds and only attempted 17 shots total in a 79-58 win over the Seawolves. Charleston (10-2) kept pace with the Pride by knocking off Delaware, 84-67, on the road. The Cougars took out some frustration following its two-game skid. Dalton Bolon led the way with 18. UNCW (9-3) and Towson (8-3) are still very much in the hunt. The Seahawks head to Charleston on Wednesday in a rematch of what was the Game of the Year so far in the CAA. Towson will face a very manageable schedule from now until the final week (when the Tigers face C of C and UNCW), beginning with Hampton on Wednesday. As for Hofstra, a pair of tricky road tests at Northeastern and at Monmouth are coming this week.

America East – The winning just continues for the Vermont Catamounts (7-2), who have now rattled off five wins in a row. UVM took down Albany in a road game, 87-68, to maintain its two-game edge in the loss column over UMass-Lowell (7-4), Bryant (6-4), New Hampshire (6-4), and Binghamton (5-4). Vermont next heads to Maine, who has won four of its past five, in what could be a tough test this Wednesday.

Patriot League – American knocked off Colgate (11-1), 61-60, to finally end the Raider perfect streak in league play. The Eagles were led by Colin Smalls, who came off the bench to score 17 points. The Raiders own a two-game lead in the race however over Lehigh (9-3). The Mountain Hawks scored a season sweep over their rivals, Lafayette, this past Saturday. Lehigh gets a crack at Colgate this Wednesday. We will have a great race if Lehigh can pull the upset, otherwise Colgate is likely running away with the regular-season crown.

MEAC – Maryland-Eastern Shore (6-1) rested this weekend and will continue to ramp up for the second half of the short 14-game MEAC league schedule. League action resumes next Saturday, and the Eagles will host Norfolk State (5-2) in a possible revenge game. Howard (6-1) also feels good heading into the second half of the league season. The Bison will take on Delaware State on the road next Saturday.

Ohio Valley – No idea where to start! Let’s just say this conference had three different buzzer-beaters in probably the span of ten minutes on Saturday evening. Morehead State allowed the first one to Southern Indiana’s Jack Campion, which forced an overtime session in Evansville. The Eagles (9-3) managed to overcome the Screamin’ Eagles momentum and eventually seal the deal in the extra session, 71-66. SIU-Edwardsville’s (7-5) Ray’Sean Taylor hit about a 62-foot miracle shot to stun Little Rock, 84-81. In a pivotal contest, Tennessee Tech’s (7-5) Brett Thompson sunk a jumper from the elbow as time expired to give the Golden Eagles a crucial 82-80 victory over SEMO (8-4). This put Morehead State in first place alone for the first time this season, and yes, a Changing of the Guard in the OVC. Tennessee-Martin (7-5) had a tough week and fell at D1 newcomer, Lindenwood, 80-75.

What a 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐓 by @rayballin3 to win it for @SIUEMBB ‼️#OVCit | #OVC75 | #thisisSIUE | #SCTop10 @SIUECougars | @baronecoach pic.twitter.com/SQivpFPm60

— Ohio Valley Conference (@OVCSports) February 4, 2023

Southland – Texas A&M Corpus Christi (8-3) made a road splash on National TV by running away from Southeastern Louisiana (8-3), 83-72. Terrion Murdix had 23 to lead the Islanders. Northwestern State joined the three-loss party atop the Southland Conference by beating Lamar on the road, 72-68. And watch out for D1 newcomer, Texas A&M-Commerce (6-3), who got another win on Saturday over McNeese, 60-58. TAMUC will play the Demons twice this week in a home-and-home exchange. The Islanders are the new leaders for bracket forecasting, thanks to its 2-1 combined record against the other first place squads. Islanders will host Houston Christian and Lamar this week. SELA will head to McNeese and host Nicholls in a Louisiana-heavy week upcoming.

SWAC – Southern U. (8-2) had its three-game win streak snapped at Alabama A&M, 82-61. A thorough victory for the home Bulldogs (5-5). AAMU’s Messiah Thompson went for 20 to lead the charge. That opened the door for our preseason pick, Alcorn State (8-2), to get back into a first-place tie. The Braves got a stiff test from Arkansas Pine Bluff (6-4), yet survived it in a 70-67 win. Grambling (7-3) looked great in a 73-60 victory at Alabama State. The Tigers have some talent and appear to be in this thing for the long haul. Things pick right back up here on Monday with Southern headed to Alabama State, Grambling going to Alabama A&M, and Alcorn State will host MVSU.    

NEC – Wagner (5-5) came across the Stateline to New Jersey, and knocked off Fairleigh Dickinson (7-3) in Teaneck, 83-79. The Seahawks had a ridiculously balanced attack as nine players contributed between six and 12 points, which kept FDU on their defensive toes all day. Stonehill (8-3) has a three-game win streak after earning a road win at St. Francis NY, 65-59. Skyhawks are seeking history in its first season as a D1 member. That of course means, they are not postseason eligible anytime soon, so the Skyhawks are really going to fight for this crown, much like Merrimack (7-4) has done in the past. Merrimack is still not postseason eligible. So that leaves the fine trio of Sacred Heart (6-5), aforementioned Wagner, and St. Francis PA (5-5), who are two losses behind pace of FDU out of the eligible programs.

Changing of the Guard - January 22nd, 2023

Prelude

Welcome back to Changing of the Guard. A weekly column here at Bracketeer.Org solely focused on the conference races. This will be your one-stop shop each week to see what is happening in each league race for the regular-season crown for all 32 leagues.

Some leagues provide us with a different leader or a proverbial “Changing of the Guard” at the top of the standings each and every week. Other leagues, may have one team run away with it from wire to wire. No matter how it shakes up, we will be here to provide the summary for you. If you happen to be new to Bracketeer this season, conference race changes are leveraged in each Bracket Forecast update to A) Exhibit a variety of outcomes within the Bracket that could very well be in play come March and B) Give more schools notoriety for the stellar play and achievements during the regular season.

The Disruptors

Dedicated section for teams who may not make it to the top of the league standings but did an impeccable job this past week disrupting the race.

TCU - The Horned Frogs shook up the national picture and the Big 12 race by going into Phog Allen Fieldhouse and taking down Kansas by a whopping 23 points. If you missed the historic TCU win, here are the highlights:

Oklahoma State - The Cowboys’ win over Iowa State was not nearly as loud as the TCU win above, but it was just as important in disrupting the Big 12 race. The Cowboys came all the way back from a 16-point hole to beat a very good Cyclones team. It was a matchup of the two best defenses in the conference and no easy baskets were given. A great win for the Pokes, who are in the think of a cloudy bubble picture right now.

Kentucky - Funny that we now have witnessed the Wildcats spoil the SEC race on two straight weekends. Last week it was knocking off Tennessee from the ranks of the unbeaten, and Saturday it was Texas A&M who got a taste of the Wildcat medicine. Antonio Reeves came off the bench to lead UK with 23 points in the win over the previously perfect Aggies.

New Mexico - Cooled off the Broncos eventually in a classic Mountain West thriller on Friday Night. The disruptive win created a large tie for second place and propelled the San Diego State Aztecs into first place.

"I'm not just saying this ... that was the loudest building I have ever been in." - @LoboCoachPitino.
Highlights from another memorable night in the legendary Pit. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/1G01aOvA0Z

— Lobo Basketball (@UNMLoboMBB) January 21, 2023

George Washington - The Colonials really have improved lately and it showed on Saturday in a win over Dayton that surprised many. The Dayton loss knocked the first place quandry down to just VCU and Saint Louis. Most importantly to GW is the fact that they are 4-2 and within striking distance of the top now.

Houston Christian - The Huskies played well in a 91-79 win over Texas A&M Corpus Christi. The loss for the Islanders sent them down into third place and off the Southland Standings perch.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff - Shaun Doss continues to show why he is one of the most gifted players in the SWAC. Doss had 23 points and the Lions became the first team to beat Southern U. in league play. The Jaguars loss sent them into a shared lead with Alcorn State.

Changing Of The Guard

A brief summary (this will be reflected on the upcoming Bracketology Big Board) of who our new league leaders are, following this weekend’s action.

• MEAC - Howard Bison

• OVC - UT Martin Skyhawks

“Quit playin’!”

🎥 about Saturday’s 91-78 win over EIU.

6️⃣ Skyhawks in double figures.

10-1 now in the Nest. pic.twitter.com/7L4Xvez2Bw

— UT Martin Athletics (@UTMSports) January 22, 2023

Conference Race Recap for All 32 Leagues

Big12 – For the second time this week, Kansas (5-2) fell. This time at home in a rout vs. TCU by 23. Kansas State (6-1) took advantage by beating Texas Tech in come from behind fashion. Markquis Nowell (23 Pts.) had his sixth game north of 20 points. Iowa State (5-2) lost a 16-point lead at Oklahoma State and the game ultimately. So, it is just the Wildcats of KSU left with one loss.

B1G – Purdue (7-1) owns this grip in first place no matter what happens on Sunday vs. Maryland. Four teams have three losses, who are next in line.

Big East – Xavier (8-1) shook off its mid-week loss to DePaul by defeating Georgetown, 95-82. Zach Freemantle had a tremendous 30-point, 11 rebounds, and seven assist day for the Musketeers. Marquette (8-2) is the stiffest competition out there for now. The Golden Eagles had an impressive 74-53 road win at Seton Hall on Saturday.

SEC – Alabama (7-0) obtained a little breathing room on Saturday. The Crimson Tide are not only perfect in league play, but they’ve won every game by double-digits! Texas A&M (5-1) finally fell from the ranks of the unbeatens on Saturday. The Aggies took a competitive loss at Kentucky, 76-67. Alabama next will host Mississippi State on Wednesday.

Pac-12 – UCLA (8-1) got off to a decent start in the showdown at Arizona, then fell on tough times. Particularly shooting from the outside (just 4-for-20 from deep). Arizona took over from about midway thru the first half on, and later held on for a scrappy 58-52 win. The Bruins still hold a two-game lead over the ‘Cats, Utah, USC, and Arizona State – who have three losses each.

ACC – Clemson (8-1) held on for another dramatic win at Littlejohn Coliseum over a hungry Virginia Tech program, 51-50. The Hokies had a clean look to win it late, but Hunter Cattoor’s three-point look from the wing fell short. The Tigers have Virginia (7-2) on their heels. Cavs got a nice road win at Wake Forest on Saturday. In the next week, Clemson hosts Georgia Tech on Tuesday before a road trip to Florida State.

No. 19 Clemson got the win at home over Virginia Tech, 51-50. @ClemsonMBB | #ACCMBBpic.twitter.com/jPij4CfjDw

— ACC Men's Basketball (@accmbb) January 22, 2023

MWC – San Diego State (6-1) got a good challenge at Air Force before finally putting the Falcons away in the final minute, 70-60. Aztecs have first place to themselves now following the thrilling New Mexico (5-2) win over Boise State (5-2) in OT on Friday night. That makes up two of four parts in the logjam for second place. Utah State (5-2) snuck past San Jose State on Saturday by one point. Nevada (5-2) has the weekend off but is hosting the Lobos this Monday night in a showdown.

AAC – Houston (6-0) is gearing up to face Temple (5-2) in the Fertitta Center on Sunday. Owls (5-2) are in second place and can capture the attention of the nation if they pull off a stunner.

WCC – Saint Mary’s (7-0) passed another test with flying colors by beating Santa Clara, 77-58. The Gaels now have the sixth-best adjusted defensive efficiency in the country. Gonzaga (6-1) struggled a big at Pacific, but ultimately won, 99-90. The leading Gaels are now off until next Saturday when they will face a road test at BYU.

CUSA – Florida Atlantic (9-0) has won three road games since Monday! The Owls keep chugging along, and two of the tests – at WKU and at UTEP are difficult venues to win at. The rest of the league has been beating each other up. The next teams in line all have three losses now: North Texas, Middle Tennessee, and Rice. FAU will host Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky this coming week in Boca Raton.

A 10 – VCU (6-1) is starting to roll now. Usually, the Battle of Richmond is a tight nailbiter that is a 50/50 game. This past Friday, the Rams made quick work with its rival Spiders on the road, 74-62. Rams are now prepping for another regional rival on Wednesday, George Mason. Saint Louis (6-1) kept pace on Saturday by defeating La Salle, 84-71. The Billikens now turn its attention to a road game at Davidson this coming Friday. As mentioned earlier, George Washington is responsible for knocking Dayton out of first all together right now - here are the highlights:

WAC – Seattle U. (7-0) is on an absolute roll. Saturday, the Redhawks took care of a previously-hot Southern Utah team quite easily, 81-60. A ton of credit goes to the perimeter defense for Seattle U., who held the Thunderbirds to an anemic 1-for-25 (4%) three-point shooting. Utah Valley (7-1) showed a lot resiliency by winning at the always rowdy Grand Canyon Lopes. Seattle U. now gets ready for its most challenging week of the WAC season thus far, as the Redhawks head to Sam Houston on Thursday, followed by Stephen F. Austin on Saturday. UVU will play at Southern Utah in a tough one, and then host the surprisingly winless New Mexico State Aggies next weekend.

Ivy – Princeton (5-1) rallied late to force OT and prevent an upset vs. Dartmouth. The Tigers ultimately prevailed, 93-90. All five Tigers scored in double figures, led by a double-double from Caden Pierce (17 & 13), the Frosh. Cornell (4-2) took a loss at Harvard and now fall to second place. Harvard, Dartmouth, Brown, and Yale are all tied for third at 3-3 right now. Keep in mind that only four total teams advance to Ivy Madness in March.

MVC – Southern Illinois (8-2) picked up a difficult road win at Missouri State. Belmont (8-2) achieved an even tougher road win at Bradley. The Salukis and Bruins come out of this weekend feeling great about themselves, both are playing excellent ball. SIU will host Murray State on Tuesday. Belmont heads to Evansville for a Wednesday Evening matchup.  

Sun Belt – Marshall (6-2) had a rough meltdown in the end of regulation to allow Arkansas State to force OT today. After that, it was all Thundering Herd in OT to earn a nine-point win. Southern Miss (6-2) passed a test on Saturday against James Madison, 83-70. Louisiana (6-2) won its fourth straight road game on Saturday, this time at Texas State, 60-51.

Marshall 87
Arkansas St 78

Herd is 17-4 (6-2)

The Herd absolutely DOMINATED the OT.

Taylor ties his SZN high w/ 27pts
Kinsey 27pts (9 in OT)
Curfman 16pts on 4-8 from 3

Marshall shot 53% from 3 and 48% in total. The Herd continues ti show they can win in different ways.

— The ThunderCast 🦬⚡️🦬 (@ThunderCast_Pod) January 21, 2023

Big West – UC Santa Barbara (7-1) rolled over Cal State Bakersfield, 76-58, to maintain control of the race. UC Irvine (6-1) has the weekend off and will next play at Cal State Fullerton, this Thursday night. UC Riverside (7-2) ran out of magic on Saturday as Hawai’i (6-2) got them, 67-63. Four really good teams here at the top.

SoCon – Samford (8-0) keeps winning, and even better the return of Ques Glover (out since December) occurred. Bulldogs took down Western Carolina, 74-65. UNCG (7-1) continues to hang tough in second place. The Spartans shut down Mercer in a 59-48 slugfest.

MAC – Kent State (6-0) rolled past Ball State on National TV this past Friday night. The Golden Flashes will head to Northern Illinois on Tuesday before hosting Buffalo on Friday next week. Akron (5-1) got a road win at Western Michigan on Saturday. Zips are hosting both Miami-Ohio and Ohio U. next week.   

ASUN – Kennesaw State (7-1) is off to its best start since becoming a D1 school. The Owls had a nailbiting victory at Florida Gulf Coast, 65-63. Liberty (7-1) got an impressive double-digit road win at North Florida, a UNF team who is typically tough at home. KSU and Liberty only play each other once this season (Feb 16th). So we have some time before any crash collisions transpire. The Owls host Austin Peay this Thursday. Flames will host a tough Stetson team on the same night.

Big Sky – Eastern Washington (8-0) refuses to lose! The Eagles got a road win done once again on Saturday. This time it was at Northern Arizona by three. The Eagles lead the league by two games in the loss column over Montana State (6-2) and Weber State (5-2). EWU will host Idaho State this coming Thursday Night.

Horizon – Milwaukee (8-2) picked up an impressive victory over Youngstown State in a shootout, 88-75. BJ Freeman for the Panthers went for 30 points to lead the way. Northern Kentucky (8-2) stymied a solid Purdue Fort Wayne program to the tune of a 74-54 drubbing. The Norse host Milwaukee next Saturday, and the calendar is circled for that one!

MAAC – Siena (7-1) trailed at halftime, then blitzed Mount St. Mary’s in the second half and the competitive game ended up looking like a laugher, 72-57. The Saints remain one game clear of Iona (6-2), who survived a great battle with rival Manhattan on Friday night. Iona now has Sunday off and will have the showdown at Siena next Friday. Before the Saints can focus on Iona, they host Fairfield on Sunday.

Big South – UNC Asheville (7-1) and Longwood (7-1) had sluggish days on Saturday but both found a way to win. UNCA grinded back in it to overcome USC Upstate, 64-58, and Longwood was neck-and-neck with Presbyterian all day, before finally winning, 58-56. Bulldogs still own the H2H tiebreaker and remain in the forecasted NCAA bracket.

CAA – It was a Boston Tea Party at High Noon for the Charleston Cougars (9-0). Cougars thoroughly enjoyed their time in Boston as they smoked the host Northeastern, 87-61. Hofstra, Towson, and Drexel share the second-place honors at 6-2. UNCW has fallen off this past week and now has three losses.   

Summit – Oral Roberts (8-0) had a test from North Dakota for a while on Saturday. Once again the Golden Eagles found a way to finish the job, 84-72. A special season is happening for the small Christian school in Tulsa. Up next is back-to-back home tilts with Denver and Nebraska-Omaha.

America East – Binghamton (4-1) is the biggest surprise conference leader on the board. The Bearcats are still ranked #312 in KenPom, but really doing what it takes to win in the conference. Binghamton is in action on Sunday at Maine, let’s see if they can get to 5-1? UMass-Lowell (4-2) is also hosting Bryant (4-2) in a game certainly worthy of your attention.

Binghamton is in 1st place in America East, the first time in 17 years the Bearcats have been in sole possession of lead.

Levell Sanders has done a terrific job since taking the reigns after Tommy Dempsey was let go.

Guard Jacob Falko is having another great season.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) January 21, 2023

Patriot League – Colgate (8-0) had their biggest scare on Saturday, yet still found a way to hang on and beat American, 62-61. Lehigh (6-2) is now in second place after winning its sixth game in a row, over Lafayette 61-49. Colgate is back on the court this Monday at Boston U.

MEAC – Morgan State (3-1) was hot before Saturday, I promise you. You wouldn’t have known that watching Saturday’s 88-55 blowout loss at the hands of Howard (3-1). Norfolk State (3-1) took out some frustration against Coppin State on the road, 96-65. NSU had lost to Howard on a tough result in its previous game. N.C. Central (3-1) joined the party after gliding past Delaware State, 74-55. Maryland-Eastern Shore (3-1) is also in the five-way mix following a road win at South Carolina State, 76-70.

Ohio Valley – SIU Edwardsville (5-3) is mostly to blame for the OVC now having a six-way tie at the top. If you thought the five-way tie in the MEAC was crazy, get a load of this. SIUE had a tough week, losing to both Morehead State (5-3) and Southern Indiana (5-3). Two friends now at the top with the Cougars. Tennessee Tech (5-3) could have taken over themselves, but eventually lost a tough double OT game to SEMO (5-3), who themselves joined the party! Then we have Tennessee-Martin (5-3) who got a nice 91-78 victory over Eastern Illinois on Saturday.

Here is how we scored it for Tiebreakers this week. The record among each of the six when they play each other:

-UT Martin 3-2 (1 Road Win)
-Southern Indiana* 3-2 (1)
-SEMO 3-3 (1)
-Tennessee Tech 2-2 (1)
-SIU Edwardsville 2-3 (1)
-Morehead State 2-3 (1)

The combination of SIUE's rough week, Morehead State's hot week, and Tennessee Tech's double OT loss to SEMO created a six-way tie for first place in the #OVC

If things remain this way, it's a brutal season for the ladder-style bracket. Tiebreakers could really swing chances. pic.twitter.com/aGrCe1PMyR

— Rocco Miller (@RoccoMiller8) January 22, 2023

Skyhawks to the Field for this week! That is how close this is. BTW, the same process was used above for the MEAC, and Howard won out and will also be in the next Bracket.

Southland – Texas A&M Corpus Christi (4-3) had a tough week, dropping to both Lamar and Houston Christian from the bottom half of the league. Nicholls (5-2) took advantage of the opportunity and sweep McNeese this week in two games against the Cowboys this week. Southeastern Louisiana (5-2) also kept pace on Saturday with a win over D1 newcomers, TAMU-Commerce, 79-73. Nicholls did get a win over SELA back in December for tiebreaker purposes, and the Colonels will represent the Southland in the next bracket forecast.

SWAC – Southern U. (5-1) dropped its first SWAC game on Saturday against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 62-55. This creates a tie at the top with Alcorn State (5-1). The Braves are back to full strength now and have won five straight including a 57-47 waltz over Florida A&M.  

NEC – Fairleigh Dickinson (5-1) let go of a seven-point halftime lead as the Knights witnessed a spirited comeback effort by Sacred Heart (4-2) to fall, 92-85, and drop its first NEC game of the campaign. St. Francis (PA) took care of St. Francis (NY) handily, 87-61 and that brings us back to a first-place tie.