2025-26 Preseason Rankings

jessej

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GIVING DAY 2023
Dog Days of August
while we await the release of the full schedule and partial season ticket pricing
thought this would be a better discussion instead of when Mason is getting a D-1 Football Program

with free transfers and players moving teams for better pay, there is a large degree of uncertainty

from barttorvik.com
 
OP
jessej

jessej

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GIVING DAY 2023
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jessej

jessej

All-American
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GIVING DAY 2023
Jeff Sagarin

maybe the original of the analytic approach
no longer publicly available
and i don't have a membership
but it can be found on the sport reference data site
and it has the same problems as the KenPom Data


 

hoopsjunkie75

Sixth Man
⭐️ Donor ⭐️
Jeff Sagarin

maybe the original of the analytic approach
no longer publicly available
and i don't have a membership
but it can be found on the sport reference data site
and it has the same problems as the KenPom Data



Was VCpoo left off of this list intentionally? Or am I missing something here?
 

Patriotsince81

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@jessej Thanks for posting, it's always interesting to see various predictions/prognostications. Given the day and age we live in with the portal and NIL I will confidently predict we finish first, or 14th, or anywhere in-between in A10 play. ;)
 
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jessej

jessej

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GIVING DAY 2023
9/10/25
1757543876692.png
 

GMUgemini

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I’m a little surprised we are picked 4th there. So many people have been talking up GW and Loyola.

If Davidson finishes that low, I’m not sure how much leash McKellips the younger will have left.

St. Joes losing their coach late, I’m going to say they aren’t finishing that high. Probably bottom half. Maybe Donohue knocks it out of the park, but I have my doubts.
 
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jessej

jessej

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GIVING DAY 2023
I’m a little surprised we are picked 4th there. So many people have been talking up GW and Loyola.

If Davidson finishes that low, I’m not sure how much leash McKellips the younger will have left.

St. Joes losing their coach late, I’m going to say they aren’t finishing that high. Probably bottom half. Maybe Donohue knocks it out of the park, but I have my doubts.
look at the author - Philly Bias
 

NewPatriot

Starter
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFbipSTulCA

Predictions start at 40:00

5. GMU
4. L-C
3. vcu
2. Dayton
1. GW
I am disappointed in the post caster's analysis.

He basically pulled nams off each poster without any situational analysis.

Example: 'Dayton Jordan Derkack suffered a bit.of a setback the previous year transferring from Merrimack to Rutgers'.

He didn't explain that Derkack was brought in as a backup PG to NBA lottery pick Dylan Harper..of course he going to see a drop off in minutes"

If you are gonna be a podcaster with college basketball SME level expertise..you better come with the goods..
 

GMUgemini

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George Washington at 1st is a bold prediction.

I think us being just outside too 4 makes sense to me. I have us somewhere around 6th
 

psyclone

Hall of Famer
The Athletic picks top 5 mid-majors: (some details omitted on all but vcu due to length limitations)

Mid-major men’s basketball preseason rankings: How Gonzaga, San Diego State look after offseason moves​

RJ Godfrey #10 of the Georgia Bulldogs defends against Graham Ike #13 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the second half in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at INTRUST Arena on March 20, 2025 in Wichita, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Graham Ike is Gonzaga's returning leading scorer who averaged 17.3 points and 7.3 rebounds last season. Jamie Squire / Getty Images
By Lindsay Schnell
Oct. 8, 2025Updated 8:24 am EDT

What even is a mid-major in Division I college basketball in 2025?
It’s not a straightforward answer. With conference realignment scrambling so much of what we know about the college hoops landscape — which has included numerous longtime mid-majors moving into power conferences over the last few years — it’s hard to keep up.
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It’s strange, for example, to consider Gonzaga a mid-major, given that they’ve made two national championship appearances in the last nine years and play a tougher nonconference schedule than numerous high-major programs. But because they’re still in the WCC, that’s how the world sees them. (That changes next year when the Zags join the re-vamped Pac-12 with Oregon State, Washington State and Boise State, among others, and morphs into a conference more on par with the Big East).
In the transfer portal era, where athletes are almost always immediately eligible to play at their new school, mid-majors are often ravaged by high-major programs with more resources. The schools below lost their share of important pieces from last year’s rosters, but given their track record of success, they’ll make any high-major team who draws them in the NCAA Tournament nervous, and rightfully so.
One quick note: It’s not uncommon for some of the best mid-majors to meet in conference games — Boise State and San Diego State both play in the Mountain West, for example, and Saint Mary’s and Gonzaga boast one of the nation’s best basketball rivalries in the WCC. But mark Dec. 14 on your calendars right now. That’s when Saint Mary’s and Boise State meet in Idaho Falls in what should be one of the best games of the season — mid-major or otherwise.
Here is a breakdown of the top five mid-major teams according to Bart Torvik’s preseason rankings.

1. Gonzaga​

Last season: 26-9 (NCAA Tournament second round)
Coach: Mark Few (27th season)

2. San Diego State​

Last season: 21-10 (NCAA Tournament first round)
Coach: Brian Dutcher (ninth season)
San Diego State's projected starting 5

3. Boise State​

Last season: 26-11
Coach: Leon Rice (16th season)

4. vcu​

Last season: 28-7
Coach: Phil Martelli Jr.(first season)
vcu's projected starting 5

Nyk LewisGFr.No. 53Gonzaga High School
Jadrian TraceyGR-Sr.6.9 PPR, 2.8 RPG, 1.7 APG Oregon
Jordann DumontFR-So.1.8 points Villanova
Barry EvansFSr.13.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.7 APG Bryant
Christian FerminFSr.4.6 PPG, 3.1 RPG vcu
Top bench players: Tyrell Ward (redshirt, LSU), Michael Belle (2.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg), Ahmad Nowell (1.5 ppg, 1.1 apg at UConn)
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Biggest losses: Max Shulga (15.0 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 4.0 apg), Joe Bamisile (15.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg)
Why they’re here: Losing all five starters is never fun, but vcu should be solid again this season with a new coach, experienced veterans finally getting serious minutes and a few key transfers.
Tyrell Ward, a former top-40 recruit who played two seasons at LSU, could explode. He was an important player for the Tigers for two seasons, making 18 starts in 54 total games. He redshirted last season, but is likely to push for a starting spot. Barry Evans is also poised for a big year after a breakout 2024-25 season at Bryant, where he was named the American East newcomer of the year. Evans was one of two players to follow first-year coach Phil Martelli Jr. from Bryant to vcu; Keyshawn Mitchell, who started at Bryant last year, was the other.
And don’t be fooled by Ahmad Nowell’s underwhelming stats from UConn. The 6-foot point guard was a top 40 recruit in the 2024 class when he committed to UConn over offers from Kansas, Kentucky and Auburn, among others. He struggled with a shoulder injury last season. Now healthy, he has the skillset to be a star in the Atlantic 10.

5. Saint Mary’s​

Last season: 29-6
Coach: Randy Bennett (25th season)
Saint Mary's projected starting 5

Mikey LewisGSo.8.2 PPG Saint Mary's
Tony DuckettGSo.10.4 PPG, 1.9 APG San Diego
Mantas JuzenasFFr.BC Zalgiris Kaunas
Paulius MurauskasFJr.12.1 PPG, 7.7 RPG Saint Mary's
Harry WesselsCSr.5.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG Saint Mary's


 
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