On this podcast, Isaac Bourne, Ian Sacks, Frank DeBari, and Drew Gentile come collectively to preview three new mid-major conferences as we truck the month earlier than the month earlier than the school basketball season begins.
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It’s Robert Morris’ league to lose. With the pickup of Ace Valentine from UMBC and Jalik Dunkley from Nicholls plus the return of Darius Livingston Jr., head coach Andrew Toole has put collectively one in all his finest rosters up to now. That isn’t to say that different packages should not out of the working, although, with groups like Wright State, Inexperienced Bay and Milwaukee trying harmful as we inch nearer to the beginning of the season. The Phoenix are ready on some courtroom circumstances to go their means earlier than they’ll really vault themselves into contending standing.
No convention’s turnout is extra depending on one participant’s eligibility greater than the CAA, with former Akron guard Tavari Johnson sitting in limbo in the mean time as he awaits a doable fifth season with head coach John Groce, who’s now the top coach at Charleston. Johnson would absolutely be a straightforward preseason participant of the yr favourite. Elsewhere, Takayo Siddle and the Seahawks of UNCW have put collectively a well-balanced squad that exhibits a fantastic mixture of transfers and returners to the lineup. Towson sits within the combine as properly with Villanova switch Zion Stanford trying to produce on a mid-major degree as soon as once more like he did at Temple in 2024-25. Hampton initiatives to take a leap out of the bottom-feeders into doable competition as properly this yr, with a new-look beginning lineup headlined by former Central Connecticut massive man Max Frazier.
Lastly…the convention can take a break from Liberty’s dominance of the previous few years within the common season, with Zach Cleveland, Colin Porter and Kaden Metheny all transferring on…or can it? The Flames look to be reloaded with the Campbell twins, Cooper and Cobi, coming over from Troy, whereas Zander Carter seems to be to take a leap because the lone rotational returner left in Lynchburg. As for the league favorites, the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky deliver again two guards in Teagan Moore and Armelo Boone whereas including Sharron Younger to bolster the already stacked backcourt. As for different contenders, Kennesaw State returns a trio of sophomores in Kaden Rickard, Trey Simpson and Amir Taylor whereas including Avery Thomas II from Louisiana Tech, so it initiatives to be a loaded group on the high as soon as once more for CUSA.
