Best of the Rest 2025-26 Preview: Top teams, players and storylines beyond college basketball’s Power Five

One of the everlasting charms of college basketball is that it’s played in arenas that can fit more than 17,000 people … but also in gyms with a capacity of less than 2,000. On a fundamental and by-definition-possible level, Duke, Kentucky and Kansas are vying for the same championship as Radford, Siena and Weber State. I’d concede that Division I is probably 50-or-so schools too large, but there is still widespread appeal over the topography that brings college hoops’ 365 teams across 49 states together.

And as always here at CBS Sports, we make the time and the space to give the players and programs outside the power conferences some attention and acclaim in advance of the season. We’ve got one week until the 2025-26 campaign tips off, so let’s look at who outside of the ACC, Big East, Big 12, Big Ten and SEC are well-positioned for strong regular seasons. 

My annual vow on behalf of our team: We’ll write and talk about the mid-majors as the season moves along. This isn’t some box to check in October. Because mid-majors will be responsible for eye-opening upsets in November just as they will in March. Some of the best stories and surprises emanate from the Atlantic 10 and the Ivy League and the Missouri Valley and SoCon and Big West and the MAC and the MAAC and beyond. 

Can’t wait to see who authors some of the can’t-miss storylines in what is going to be a telling season for mid-major hoops. The transfer portal has seemingly caused a chasm between the high-majors and most schools outside of those five leagues. How big is that gap? This should be a revealing year in that regard … and I wonder if it has a broader impact on at-large bids, especially after there were only four at-larges handed out to non-power-conference teams.

Despite the widening talent gap, you’ll still see All-American candidates, NBA Draft picks and March Madness heroes emerge from these ranks. No matter how much the system tilts against the small schools, some coaches and players always work their way onto the main stage. That’s why I’ll always love college basketball.

Ten players to know

These aren’t necessarily the 10 best players outside of the Power Five leagues, but they are certainly 10 guys you should be following over the next five months. Some of them will surely be involved in the NCAA tourney. A year ago on this list, we gave you studs like Donovan Dent, Tyrese Hunter, Xaivian Lee — and even future lottery pick Cedric Coward.

1. Graham Ike, Gonzaga

Probably the best and/or most reliable player outside the Power Five. Ike has played 115 games between his time at Wyoming and Gonzaga and has career averages of 17.0 points, 7.8 rebounds and 57% shooting. This will be his fifth season of college, and in teaming up with Braden Huff (who also could have made the list), Gonzaga figures to again easily rank as a top-25 team.

2. Robbie Avila, Saint Louis

Remember all the hype heading into last season? Avila missed the initial portion of the season but wound up having a good year; his PR took a hit because the Billikens failed to win 20 games. “Larry Nerd” (his best nickname) averaged 17.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and shot 36% from 3. SLU will be better this season — and Avila’s numbers probably uptick all the more. Dark horse All-American.

3. Miles Byrd, San Diego State

The Aztecs’ senior wing had a breakout season (12.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.1 spg) and is ready to be the next great SDSU product — provided he puts together a better jump shot. Byrd has a lot of tremendous tools, and his defense should continue to be a lethal weapon when paired with another ‘Tec who could be on the list: sophomore center Magoon Gwath. 

4. Dug McDaniel, Memphis

The 5-10 point guard started at Michigan for two seasons, did one year at Kansas State and is now looking to have his first true starring role in signing with Memphis. I expect Penny Hardaway to give McDaniel (a 39% career shooter from beyond the arc) a yellow-green light to launch as he pleases. McDaniel makes the list, most of all, because I think he’ll set a career best in assists and average north of five per game for the first time.

5. Rowan Brumbaugh, Tulane

The American’s preseason Player of the Year is a junior lead guard who is coming off a season averaging 15.5 points, 4.8 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.6 steals. The Green Wave were a second-tier team in the conference last season, but I’ve got them inside my preseason Top 100 And 1 and believe Brumbaugh will guide the way to Tulane’s first year of at least 21 wins since 1995-96.

6. Mason Falslev, Utah State

A really good combo guard who is easily one of the 100 best players in college basketball. Falslev, a junior, averaged 15.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.3 steals and shot 39% from 3-point land for an Aggies team that won 26 games and earned a No. 10 seed under first-year coach Jerrod Calhoun. He’s an under-the-radar draft prospect (relative to first-round buzz, that is) for now, but given how much he’s asked to do, Falslev winning Mountain West POY would be no surprise.

7. Miles Rubin, Loyola Chicago

Probably the second-best big outside the Power Five/Gonzaga (behind Magoon Gwath at SDSU). Rubin is an obvious talent who hasn’t capitalized on his ability yet, but I expect that to change in his junior season. The 6-10 roving center averaged 2.3 blocks in each of his first two seasons. Can that number bump to 2.8 or 2.9? He’ll definitely rise above 10.0 points per game for the first time, and his rebound numbers should increase from 5.5 a year ago to north of 7.0 per game for a team I’ve got ranked in the top 75. 

8. Amarri Monroe, Quinnipiac

A senior power forward that would’ve gotten a big paycheck to transfer out and head to a high-major, but instead Quinnipiac holds on to the best guy (by a good margin) in the MAAC. Monroe is even getting a few NBA scouts into QU practices in advance of the season, just to see what he’s working with. Last season, the 6-7, 220-pound product from Newburgh, New York, averaged 18.1 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.3 steals — thriving in an uptempo scheme. 

9. Tyler Lundblade, Belmont

Could be the best shooter in college basketball. Lundblade couldn’t get on the floor for two seasons with TCU, then transferred to Belmont and was unlocked. He shot 47.2% on 212 triples last season and was 94.2% from the charity stripe, which led to 12.4 points per game. His potent 3-point percentage will likely drop this season, but his scoring average has to jump and Belmont is probably going to be a Missouri Valley threat because of it.

10. Aidan Mahaney, UC Santa Barbara

He’s not on the list because he’ll be a top-10 mid-major player. He’s on the list because the cross-country experiment to jump from Saint Mary’s to UConn went badly, and now he gets a reset back closer to home. If Mahaney can figure out how to get his focus a game a lot closer to 2022-23 than what it was in 2024-25, he can be the straw that stirs the drink for a team that’s going to push UC Irvine for Big West supremacy.

Mid-major coaches on the climb

Every year, I like to spotlight a handful of coaches at mid-majors who are on a path to potentially land a high-major job in the coming year(s). Coaches named in this space the prior four years were: Casey Alexander (Belmont), Joe Golding (UTEP), Robert Jones (Norfolk State), Matt Langel (Colgate), Ritchie McKay (Liberty), Russell Turner (UC Irvine), the late Amir Abdur-Rahim (USF), Mitch Henderson (Princeton), Mike Morrell (UNC Asheville), Bob Richey (Furman), Pat Kelsey (Charleston), Darian DeVries (Drake), Dusty May (FAU), Kenny Blakeney (Howard), Eric Henderson (South Dakota State), James Jones (Yale), Bucky McMillan (Samford) and Preston Spradlin (James Madison). 

Bryce Drew, Grand Canyon

The ‘Lopes have made NCAA Tournament appearances in four of the previous five years under Drew, all of those by whacking the WAC. Now GCU is in the Mountain West and Drew, 51, is readying for his 14th season as a head coach. He’s 284-148, and despite getting some looks in recent years, has kept on in Phoenix because Grand Canyon has one of the best home-court environments in the country. If GCU can manage yet another NCAAT despite its league upgrade, Drew may be given an offer he can’t refuse next spring.

Chris Mack, Charleston

Keep scrolling and you’ll discover I’m optimistic this is going to be an NCAA Tournament year for Mack’s Cougars. It’s only his second season with the program, but the first was more than fine: 24-9 and third place in the CAA. Charleston winning the league in Mack’s second season could lead to his name being a buzzy one on the carousel. The 55-year-old loves it in Charleston, but even still, high-majors have looked into him in the past two cycles.

Josh Schertz, Saint Louis

The Billikens went 19-15 last season, hampered here and there with injuries. This season’s group figures to be top-three in the Atlantic 10 and potentially getting Schertz back into the high-major mix if SLU makes the Big Dance. (Schertz was involved with Louisville in the spring of 2024.) His fit with SLU is great, though, and Schertz will likely be picky if he finds himself in a situation where a power-conference program comes calling.

Takayo Siddle, UNCW

I thought Siddle would be at South Florida to start this season. Instead, after some buzz with his name and the Bulls, he signed a modified contract to return for a sixth season with the Seahawks. The team made last season’s tournament, earning a No. 14 seed after winning the CAA tourney. Siddle is 39 and has gone 106-47 over the last five years. He’s poised to one day take a bigger job, but I’m not sure if that will be in 2026, 2027 or 2028.

Tony Skinn, George Mason

The Patriots finished 79th at KenPom.com last season, the program’s best since it was No. 24 at year’s end in 2010-11, Jim Larrañaga’s final year there. Skinn of course played under Coach L and was a primary player on the best team in school history, the 2005-06 squad that reached the Final Four. Skinn’s only into his third season as a head coach but he feels built for the long haul in this profession and should again have his team near the top of the A-10.

Sixteen sweet non-Big Five schools for 2025-26

The order of teams and the capsules have been transferred over from Norlander’s master ranking of the Top 100 And 1 teams for 2025-26.

Norlander’s projected regular-season conference champions outside the Power Five

Want more? Here are links to our power-conference previews: