Kevin Willard quote book: DePaul

By Sam Federman (@Sam_Federman)

On Villanova’s patience in its second-half comeback:

“Yeah, I mean, I thought we did a good job battling and still playing hard while not playing well. And when you have a young team, sometimes that can be a little frustrating when you’re not playing well offensively, it kind of affects your defense. I thought we hung in there as close as we could while not playing overly well offensively. We knew they were very good defensively. Their length, I knew, was gonna bother us. The two times we’ve played against long teams, we’ve struggled a little bit offensively, but again, they didn’t give up. They just stayed with it, made some big plays and again, it was more defensively, I thought, that kept us in the game.”

On switching to a 2-3 zone:

“I think we’ve been really good with pick-and-roll defense. I think, sometimes coming out of Christmas break, you’re just not as sharp, and you gotta give Chris and their staff credit. They kept running the same play, and it was just a matter of just trying to…we had to take that away and just make sure…they were getting too many easy layups, so we switched into a zone and just had the guards take the pick-and-rolls and scrambles from there.”

On Bryce Lindsay’s shooting:

“I feel like I have like, five or six of those guys, to be honest with you. Every time he shoots it, every time Perk shoots it, I think it’s going in. Every time Matt Hodge shoots it, I think it’s going in, the same thing with Dev. Obviously, yeah, he can really shoot it, but I think he’s been doing much more off the ball, making plays for his teammates. I think that’s what I’m more excited about. The more comfortable he gets in making plays for his teammates, I think that’ll open up even more shots.”

On playing physical, grind-it-out games:

“Every time you win in this league, it’s important, no matter how you win. The other night, we got up 20 on the road and tonight, we got down 10, so just finding ways to win, that’s all that really matters.”

On how Villanova has progressed:

“I think the young guys — even Tyler’s young to me because he’s learning a new system — I think these guys embracing the system, learning the system, I think they’ve gotten more comfortable with it. They’ve taken coaching very well. I really enjoy coaching this group because they are young, so you do have to teach them a lot. They don’t know everything, but they listen, they try their best and they’re learning. So from that standpoint, I think that’s been the biggest thing. They’ve been coachable, they’ve learned, they’ve embraced the system, and I think that’s why we’ve won some games.”

On free throw shooting:

“Matty just had a tough night. I think in the first half, we were just a little bit…we still had Christmas cookies in our stomach, it seemed like. We’re working with Duke every day, and Duke’s working hard on it. Duke’s the only one that we’re really working with. Everybody else, they’re good shooters. It’s just sometimes you eat too much Christmas cookies and your free throws go to shit.”

On DePaul’s length affecting second chances:

“I think DePaul did a pretty good job with their length. We also got four or five really good looks in the first half on kickout threes, which we’ve been working on. I think it was four wide-open threes we missed off offensive rebounds, so again, to only be down four not shooting the free throws well and not shooting the ball well in the first half, it just shows this team has a little bit of grit.”

Wilkins’ late jumper propels Furman to victory in SoCon opener

By Justin Mathis (@J_Math23)

GREENVILLE, S.C. – As the page prepares to turn over to 2026, the opening game of Southern Conference play closed out the final day of 2025 as Furman Paladins hosted Mercer on Wednesday at the pristine Timmons Arena.

 

With two notable absences, specifically Cooper Bowser due to an injury in a December 18 road win at Manhattan, Furman leaned on a balanced attack. With time winding down, freshman Alex Wilkins landed the knockout blow with a jumper outside the lane that lifted the Paladins to a thrilling 74-72 victory over Mercer in what felt like a 12-round heavyweight fight.

 

Prior to that shot, Furman held a five-point lead on three separate occasions over the final 2:41 of regulation. However, Mercer was relentless and kept landing jabs throughout to eventually pull even. Ben Vander Wal hit two free throws to provide a 66-61 cushion for the Paladins, but Mercer’s Zaire Williams canned a triple that cut the margin to two points with 2:27 remaining in regulation.

 

“That was a fun one,” said Furman head coach Bob Richey. “That was a war. Ryan (Ridder) has done an incredible job with (Mercer), and they played with tremendous fight. You knew that they would just keep coming, and both teams just battled it out. I am proud to come out on the other side of it. There is a lot of bad things being said about college basketball, but you couldn’t beat that game out there today.”

 

Less than 20 seconds later, Asa Thomas answered with a three-pointer of his own and pushed the Furman lead back out to five points. Baraka Okojie hit a shot near the paint, which cut the deficit to three, but Thomas was fouled on a three-pointer and made two of three free throws, making a 71-66 margin with 1:37 to play.

 

On the ensuing Bears possession, Okojie knocked down a three-pointer and trimmed the margin to two once again. Thomas converted the front end of a one-and-one, but Brady Shoulders squared up from the left corner and drilled a game-tying triple for the Bears with 40 seconds left.

 

Furman put the ball in the hands of Wilkins, who drove down the right side and hit a runner amid strong contact for a 74-72 Paladin lead with 19.1 seconds left. 

 

“I thank God,” Wilkins exclaimed. “My teammates put a lot of trust in me and so does Coach Richey. I put in a lot of work in on my craft, so it was a great opportunity, and to seize it was amazing. I just play every game to try and make my teammates proud, make Coach Richey proud, make sure I didn’t make any mistakes, and it worked today. I’m excited and this was a good conference win.”

 

After moving the ball up court and calling timeout, Mercer ran one final play with 5.4 seconds to play. Okojie took a handoff at the top of the arc and put up a floater from the left free throw line extended, but it kicked off the back iron. A tap back by Armani Mighty was short, and Furman emerged with the win. 

 

The result also notched the 100th career coaching win for Richey in SoCon play.

 

“The story of today is we had enough to beat the highest NET-ranked team in the league,” Richey stated. “For us to send three freshmen out there (Wilkins, Abijah Franklin, and Owen Ritger) to fight like that, and for guys to step up to make key plays, that’s the joy that you get to see a group come together. There’s no self-pity. These are the circumstances and they’re not always ideal, but that’s life.”

 

“You have to go find a way. I think our group has done a good job of keeping that mindset of not accepting defeat, not accepting pity, and not accepting ‘woe is me.’ We’ve got to stay connected and make sure that our strength must be our connection. We’ve got to go play to our identity and let’s see what happens.”

 

Wilkins paced the Paladins (10-4, 1-0 SoCon) with a team-high 20 points and a game-high seven assists. Thomas finished 19 points, while Tom House and Vander Wal tallied 13 and 11 points, respectively. Furman will return to action at home against Western Carolina on Saturday, at 4 p.m.

 

Okojie posted a game-high 22 points for Mercer (8-6, 0-1 SoCon) in the loss, along with 13 points from Williams. Mighty had the third-highest field goal percentage in the country (70 percent) prior to Wednesday. He was held to eight points and 13 rebounds on 4-for-11 shooting. Bench scoring favored Mercer, 16-2, as did points in the paint (38-28), and second chance points (17-8). The Bears will visit East Tennessee State on Saturday at 4 p.m. 

Sumler scores 29 as Bucs rally past Bulldogs

By Jacob Conley (@gwujake)

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. — Gardner-Webb played its best half of the season in the opening 20 minutes Wednesday against Charleston Southern.

The Runnin’ Bulldogs led by as much as 17 points with 3:40 left in the first half, but A’lahn Sumler scored 19 of his game-high 29 points in the second half as the Buccaneers rallied for an 89-79 at Paul Porter Arena.

“We are almost there,” an upbeat Jeremy Luther said. “I know everybody sees the 2-14 record and thinks ‘oh my gosh, this team sucks.’ But if you were in our practices or saw the first half today, you would never know we are 2-14. This team is a joy to coach and even though it’s been a long year with wins and losses, I still have faith that we will do good things.”

Both teams got off to a slow start in the contest, but Lase Olalere had a bucket to give CSU a 6-3 lead. Navuan Peterson ripped a pair of threes as the Runnin’ Bulldogs took their first lead at 11-10. Peterson stayed hot with another three and a driving layup, and his 13 early points saw GWU grab an 18-11 lead.

Spence Sims added a transition triple and Jacob Hogarth went to work in the paint with two straight buckets. Luke Williams hit a three for CSU, but Peterson scored again and Colin Hawkins converted a putback as GWU led, 38-22.

Hawkins followed with a three-point play as the lead grew to 17 points. CSU answered with a 7-0 run, all from the foul line, but Sims hit a three from the corner and Hogarth scored in the post to push the lead to 46-34 at the half.

Brycen Blaine opened the second half with a three-point play, and by the time Sumler hit a trey and Blaine hit another, CSU was in the middle of a 13-5 run and trailed by just four, at 51-47. Williams then hit back-to-back threes as CSU took a 55-53 lead with 11:59 left in the game.

Hawkins stopped the bleeding with a fadeaway jumper, but Williams and Sumler hit threes on consecutive trips. GWU tried to stay in the game, but the defense could not come up with a stop as they trailed, 83-71, at the final media stoppage, thanks to another Sumler three.

The Runnin’ Bulldogs got as close as eight points over the final stretch, but fell, 89-79.

A Tale Of Two Halves: Charleston Southern shot a blistering 58 percent from the floor in the second half, including 8-for-13 from beyond the arc.

“I told the guys at halftime that they were going to hit us in the mouth, and they did,” Luther said. “CSU is a good team and they are an old team. They just won a money game at Richmond. Saah (Nimley) is a good coach, so you knew they wouldn’t give up. We are a young team and could not find that counter punch.”

“We had never been up by 17 against a D-1 team this year. When they made a run at us, we went back to old habits like we had most of the year after we had played so well in the first half. The good news is we will learn from this and hopefully this won’t happen again. I am so proud of the team.”

Peterson’s Fast Start: Navuan Peterson scored 13 of his team-high 17 points in the first eight minutes of the game after getting the starting nod over Jacob Hogarth.

“That was a coach's decision,” Luther said. “It’s not that Jacob had done anything wrong, we just saw something schematically that we could take advantage of. Their five (center) does not like to come out and guard on the perimeter, and Navuan can shoot if he gets going, and that’s exactly what happened.”

Follow The Leaders: Sumler led CSU with 29 points, while Williams and Blaine chipped in with 16 and 15, respectively. Peterson led GWU with 17, while Hogarth chipped in with 15 off of the bench.

Up Next: Gardner-Webb will travel to Winthrop on Saturday at 4 p.m., while Charleston Southern will host UNC Asheville the same afternoon at 2 p.m.

Inside the Numbers: Winthrop at Longwood

Longwood forward Elijah Tucker gets a dunk in Wednesday's 82-70 win over Winthrop.  (Photo:  Evan Woodall/Longwood Athletics)

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FARMVILLE, Va. – Just hours before the ball was set to drop a few hours north of this Virginia town, the ball frequently dropped through the net for Longwood to close out 2025 with a big win over its rival.

Longwood shot 51.7 percent from the floor and limited Winthrop to just over 32 percent from the field and 20 percent from three, giving the Lancers an 82-70 win over the Eagles in the Big South lid-lifter at the Joan Perry Brock Center.

You know what happened – now let’s go…Inside the Numbers!

• Winthrop center Logan Duncomb logged his fifth double-double of the season, scoring 31 points and boarding 13 misses. Duncomb missed just four times in 16 tries from the field and four more times in 11 free throw attempts, serving as the focal point of the Winthrop offense.

“We knew Duncomb was their leading scorer and he was going to get his,” Longwood forward Elijah Tucker said. We really just didn’t want them to make threes. We were closing out and trying to run them off the three-point line as best we could.”

Winthrop shot 5-of-24 (20.8 percent) from three.

“That guy (Duncomb) can score 30 and (grab) 20 (rebounds), but I don’t know if he’ll beat us unless they’re making threes,” Longwood coach Ronnie Thomas said after the game. “We actually lost (the ability to defend the gaps) a little bit late. I thought he got in (the paint) and we went down there and tried to double when we shouldn’t have, and we gave up two of their (kick-out) threes. I thought we did a good job of making him work for (his point total).”

• Along a similar line, the stat of the day came from the Winthrop side.

All of the Winthrop shooters not named Logan Duncomb combined to shoot 17.4 percent (8-for-46). Guards Daylen Berry and Kareem Rozier shot a combined 4-for-23 – also 17.4 percent – and 2-for-11 (18.2 percent) from beyond the arc. Winthrop made just eight field goals in the first half.

“That’s not going to get it done anywhere,” Winthrop coach Mark Prosser said after the game. “We have to show the ability to listen, to pay attention, and to carry over. They’re a team that floods to help. We can’t go to the paint and play off one foot and then shoot a reach-out layup at the rim. It’s a drop-off game. It’s a spray game. You get better looks that way.”

“We didn’t carry over the things that we talked about, and they did a good job of taking advantage of mismatches. It’s not as though we didn’t know that was coming. We didn’t handle it well.”

• Longwood got great energy – and 34 points – from its bench. Redd Thompson led the Lancers with 15 points in reserve duty, while guard Jaylen Benard had a dazzling bucket on a baseline lob after a timeout and a key three. Forward Elijah Jones also added seven boards and three blocks in 18 minutes of play.

“I think our depth is great,” Thomas said. “I think we’re 19th in the country in bench points. That’s not by any design – it’s just that those guys are working really hard. I trust all five of those guys. They’re special.”

• Winthrop showed signs of fatigue after a tough loss at Texas Tech Sunday afternoon. Prosser voiced his concern about that response.

“I’m really disappointed in the league, that this is the understanding that we represented our school and our league on national television on TNT for two hours on Sunday, and you’d hope that this would not be the first (Big South) game, but of course -- our kids, you know, maybe I don't know. It’s certainly not an excuse, but, you know, maybe that plays into being 5-for-24 from three, just a fatigue level, but it is what it We couldn't change it then. We can't change it now.”

“We’ve got to make sure we fix it. We better fix it quickly, because we’ve got to turn this thing around.”

• Longwood and Winthrop came into the game with identical 8-7 records after being picked to finish near each other in the Big South media preseason poll. How much does Longwood feel it is being slept on?

“I feel like we did it to ourselves, really,” Tucker said. “We were pretty inconsistent in non-conference play, and I think that’s what we’re trying to change. I feel like the start of this conference season by beating Winthrop in the first game and, you know, proving to everybody that we do play together and we do play hard -- the league should be on notice now.”

• The win was the first for Thomas as a head coach in Big South play. Tucker was almost happier for Thomas than the Lancer boss was for himself.

“I’m proud of Ronnie. Ronnie’s my guy,” Tucker said. “There’s no one I would rather play for. I love Coach Ronnie. He’s the one who got me here. He’s the one who believed in me. I’ll do anything for him.”

Thomas saw the significance of the win, and especially that it came against Winthrop.

“When I came into the league, Pat Kelsey was the (Winthrop) head coach, and (former guard) Chandler Vaudrin and those guys ran through the league,” Thomas said. “I was like, ‘Okay, this is the class of the Big South.’ Then Prosser took over for Kelsey and right away, they were 14-2 (in the league).”

“I think it’s always a test of who we are, and that’s what Winthrop’s been in the Big South. They’re great for our league. To come in and do (this) – especially the way they owned us last year when we got our tails kicked three times, and it wasn’t close and wasn’t pretty – it was a great test for us to see where we are and where we stand.”

• Prosser closed with some strong words for his team.

“It’s a long season, but we’ve got to start being the team that we thought we were,” Prosser said. “We have talented guys. I think that if you look across our guard play today, our starting guards – their numbers were atypical. We’ve just got to make sure we’re getting high-quality looks. We have to do a better job of touching the paint and making decisions.”

“Sometimes, the decision is you. Sometimes, that’s what the game tells you to do. The game tells you to finish. You’ve got to go finish.”

Duncomb’s 31 led all scorers. No other Eagles finished in double figures. Winthrop shot 32.3 percent (20-for-62) from the field and 5-for-24 (20.8 percent) from distance. The Eagles knocked down 25-of-32 tries from the line (78.1 percent).

Tucker was one of four Lancers in doubles. Thompson led Longwood with 15 points off the bench on 5-for-10 shooting. Guard Jacoi Hutchinson added 14 on 5-for-9 from the field. Tucker and Benard added 12 apiece. Longwood shot 51.7 percent (30-for-58) from the field and 38.9 percent (7[of-18) from distance. The Lancers knocked down 15-of-21 (71.4 percent) from the stripe.

Next up:  Winthrop returns home to square off with Gardner-Webb at Winthrop Coliseum in Rock Hill, S.C. Game time Saturday is set for 4:00 (Eastern), with coverage over ESPN+. Longwood travels to High Point’s Qubein Center to take on the defending champion Panthers. Tip time is 2:00, with streaming over ESPN+.

Hustle Stats:

Points off turnovers:  Longwood 16, Winthrop 10

Points in the paint:  Longwood 44, Winthrop 30

Second-chance points:  Longwood 16, Winthrop 13

Fast-break points:  Longwood 6, Winthrop 2

Bench points:  Longwood 34, Winthrop 17

LONGWOOD 82, WINTHROP 70

WINTHROP (8-8)

Clouet 0-4 2-2 2, Kamarad 0-4 5-6 5, Rozier 3-11 0-0 8, Duncomb 12-16 7-11 31, Berry 1-12 5-5 7, Wilson 0-3 2-2 2, Nnamoko 0-1 0-2 0, Hendawy 1-4 4-4 6, Meo 2-4 0-0 6, Boyogueno 1-3 0-0 3. Totals 20-62 25-31 70.

LONGWOOD (9-7)

Nziemi 3-6 3-6 9, Hutchinson 5-9 4-4 14, Billups 2-4 1-2 7, Richards 3-4 0-0 6, Tucker 5-10 2-2 12, Payne 0-0 0-0 0, Thompson 5-10 3-3 15, Jones 1-4 2-4 4, Benard 5-8 2-4 12, Kelly 1-3 0-0 3, Kalala 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-58 15-21 82.

Halftime:  Longwood 38-29. 3-Point goals:  Longwood 7-18 (Hutchinson 0-2, Billups 2-4, Richards 0-1, Thompson 2-5, Benard 2-4, Kelly 1-2), Winthrop 5-24 (Clouet 0-4, Kamarad 0-1, Rozier 2-6, Berry 0-5, Wilson 0-1, Hendawy 0-1, Meo 2-3, Boyogueno 1-3). Fouled out:  NA.  Rebounds:  Longwood 41 (Nziemi/Tucker 9), Winthrop 35 (Duncomb 13). Total fouls:  Longwood 28, Winthrop 17. Technicals:  NA.

 

Big South 2025-26 non-conference recaps and resolutions

By Josh Noel (@Josh_DDH)

As tunes of Auld Lang Syne ring out across the world, the men’s basketball teams of the Big South will turn the page to 2026 in a different kind of way.   

Conference play begins on New Year’s Eve, with the first four matchups tipping off at 2 p.m. on ESPN+ when Gardner-Webb hosts Charleston Southern.

After two consecutive seasons ranked 18th with a KenPom adjusted efficiency margin under minus-5, the Big South isn’t quite performing up to the standard of previous years. The conference’s adjusted efficiency margin of minus-6.94 ranks 22nd of 31 leagues, and is on pace for its lowest since a minus-9.14 mark in 2020-21.

Though this could be seen as a disappointing downturn, it’s worth noting that the Big South lost three of its top coaches in one offseason (Alan Huss, Griff Aldrich and Darris Nichols), while only one team returned more than 40 percent of its minutes (USC Upstate).

Here’s a look at the players and stats to know with a resolution for each team to ring in the new year as the Big South double round-robin begins:

High Point (12-3 overall, KenPom: 94, NCAA NET: 96)

The Panthers enter Big South play as the only team with double-digit wins and ranking within the top 100 of both KenPom and the NET. The offense, as expected, is the straw that stirs the drink, ranking sixth nationally at 95.3 points per game and within the top 50 of adjusted offensive efficiency.

Four Panthers average double figures, led by Cam’Ron Fletcher at 17 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. Despite leading HPU in scoring and rebounding, Fletcher has come off the bench over the past four games. Braden Hausen, who dropped back-to-back career highs of 11 and 18 points in two of his last three games, looks to be the starter moving forward. Rob Martin (14.0 PPG) and Terry Anderson (12.9 PPG) round out the starters scoring, with Conrad Martinez (11.7 PPG) and Chase Johnston (44.4 percent 3-point field goals) available off the bench.  

Perhaps the larger surprise and story for HPU is the improved defensive metrics under first-year head coach Flynn Clayman. The Panthers lead the country in turnover margin (8.2) thanks to forcing 17.6 turnovers per game (seventh nationally) and only committing 7.4 turnovers of its own (13th nationally).  

Though formidable, this purple and white machine has its own Achilles’ heels. HPU has allowed nine or more offensive rebounds in nine games this season and nine or more 3-pointers in seven games. Big South play will also pose a challenge to the Panthers, whose non-conference strength of schedule ranks 359th in all of Division I. 

RESOLUTION: Lean on roster’s experience when conference play gets gritty

 

Winthrop (8-7 overall, KenPom: 129, NCAA NET: 143)

Last year’s Big South Tournament runner-up looks to be High Point’s top competition in its quest for a repeat championship. 

Mark Prosser’s squad is the only Big South team besides HPU with a positive adjusted efficiency margin (+3.4) and adjusted offensive efficiency within the top 100 (69th). A quartet of seniors lead the way for the Eagles, including big man Logan Duncomb (15.4 PPG, 7.6 RPG), Kareem Rozier (13.0 PPG), Daylen Berry (12.4 PPG) and Kody Clouet (11.5 PPG).

Similarly to HPU, Winthrop is one of the best teams in the country at limiting offensive turnovers (14.2 percent, 26th nationally) and scores 36.2 percent of its points from behind the arc. The Eagles’ methodical offense played Arkansas and Nebraska within seven points, and has led to only one loss by more than ten points so far this season. 

While Winthrop may be more battle-tested in the non-conference, it has only one Kenpom top 200 win and succumbed to several late-game losses that have blemished its record. The Eagles will also need to improve their perimeter defense, as it has allowed 10 or more 3-pointers in six games so far this season. 

RESOLUTION: Patrol the perimeter on both ends of the floor to maintain established leads

Charleston Southern (9-6 overall, KenPom: 220, NCAA NET: 187)

Coming off the conference’s highest-rated win over Richmond, the Buccaneers are the hottest team entering Big South play. The Bucs have climbed 100 spots in KenPom since the start of the season, thanks in large part to winning four of their last five games.

Brycen Blaine steers the ship for CSU, averaging 18.1 points per game while shooting 38.5 percent from 3-point range. Blaine’s seven games of 20 or more points position him well for first team all-Big South honors.

The hidden treasure to the Bucs’ early success comes from their ability to splash cannonballs from downtown. CSU ranks second nationally in percentage of points from 3-pointers (45.1 percent) and fourth in threes attempted to field goals attempted (53.1 percent). A’lahn Sumler (13.8 PPG), Jesse Hafemesiter (12.1 PPG), Luke Williams, and Armari Carraway all shoot 37 percent or better from 3-point range.

On the defensive end of the floor, the Bucs are within the top 100 for restricting effective field goal percentage (47th), offensive rebounds (65th), 3-point percentage (97th), and 2-point percentage (41st).  

While the defense may force tough shots, it’s hardly forcing turnovers. CSU ranks third-last nationally in turnover percentage (12.2 percent) and near the bottom 10 in defensive steal percentage (6.3 percent). The Bucs have only forced 10 or more opposing turnovers in five games this season. The offense also truly lives and dies by the three, as CSU ranks 354th in points from 2-pointers and 333rd in points from free throws.  

RESOLUTION: Use 3-point repertoire to expand offense and collapse defense to force more turnovers

 

UNC Asheville (6-8 overall, KenPom: 250, NCAA NET: 247)

UNC Asheville breaks the pattern of four double-figure scorers by boasting five lethal contributors. Justin Wright (17.1 PPG), preseason Big South player of the year Toyaz Solomon (16.7 PPG), Kameron Taylor (15.5 PPG), Connor Dubsky (15 PPG), and DJ Patrick (10.3 PPG) can fill it up for the Bulldogs on any given night.

Similarly to Mike Morrell’s previously best UNCA squads, this year’s team makes its money from accurate 3-point shooting (36.8 percent). Perhaps even more encouraging is that 3-pointers only make up 27.3 percent of the Bulldogs’ points and 32.4 percent of their field goal attempts.

A rather suboptimal way that this Asheville squad breaks the mold of its predecessors is its propensity to get into turnover trouble. The Bulldogs rank 335th in the country when it comes to committing offensive turnovers (21 percent) and forcing defensive turnovers (14.3 percent)

The Bulldogs will need to continue their reliance on their fab five due to lack of depth, as their 22.1 percent of bench minutes is 11th-fewest in the country. No one besides the five double-figure scorers averages more than six point per game. The Bulldogs’ three losses at home this season also match their total blemishes at Kimmel Arena over the past three seasons combined.

RESOLUTION: Take better care of the ball and use it to generate more 3-pointers

 

Radford (7-8 overall, KenPom: 252, NCAA NET: 289)

Year one of Zach Chu’s head coaching tenure has brought its share of highlights and speed bumps for Radford.

Dennis Parker, Jr. enters Big South play as the conference’s leading scorer, averaging 19.4 points per game. The Highlanders guard set a school and conference record with 53 points against Coppin State, which was the most by a Division I player since 2019. Del Jones (14.6 PPG) and Jaylon Johnson (10.7 PPG) will also be players to watch.

The Highlanders have established their identity under Chu as a run-and-gun, huck-and-chuck team. Radford plays at a top 20 tempo in the country and takes nearly half of its attempts from behind the arc (49.4 percent). This approach has led to RU scoring 75 or more points in seven straight games.  

Running up and down the floor has also shown its downsides for Radford. The Highlanders’ defense hasn’t yet caught up with the offense, ranking 296th in adjusted defensive efficiency. Such ragged pace also forces Radford to frequently send its opponents to the free throw line at a high rate (45.9 percent free throw rate). The Highlanders have yet to beat a team above 330 in KenPom, so they will need to be on their A-game to stay in the conference title race.

RESOLUTION: Keep foot on the gas but look for opportunities to apply the break

 

USC Upstate (8-7 overall, KenPom: 262, NCAA NET: 217)

If the Big South held midseason awards, USC Upstate would likely win most improved team, and Marty Richter may well be on his way to coach of the year. The Spartans have already surpassed last season’s win total of six with an 8-7 record in the non-conference slate.

Mason Bendinger is Upstate’s primary scorer at 15.5 points per game, while returners Karmani Gregory (14.9 PPG) and Carmelo Adkins (13.0 PPG) also lead in the scoring department.

The Spartans’ foundation under Richter is built on its defense. Upstate ranks top 50 in limiting 3-point attempts (34.5 percent) and is within the top 100 nationally for both effective field goal percentage allowed (48.6 percent, 93rd) and two-point defensive percentage (47.4 percent, 66th). While returning 40.3 percent of last year’s minutes may not sound like a lot, it’s the highest percentage in the Big South, and has led to steps forward for Gregory and Adkins.

For Upstate to continue its second season success, the offense will need to contribute to the load. The Spartans rank outside the top 200 for 3-point percentage, 2-point percentage, and free throw percentage. Upstate has only made 10 or more 3-pointers twice this year against Division I opponents, which is a figure that must creep up given its conference mates’ tendency to launch from downtown. 

RESOLUTION: Sometimes the best offense is a good defense

 

Presbyterian (7-8 overall, KenPom: 291, NCAA NET: 287)

After finishing a program-best fifth in last year’s top-heavy Big South, the Presbyterian faithful are hoping for a similar favorable result in 2026. The Blue Hose began its season with a bang, earning a 68-64 win over Big South tournament host East Tennessee State.

Jonah Pierce (14.5 PPG) and Carl Parrish (13 PPG) are the only double-figure scorers for PC, who ranks among the top 10 slowest tempos as a team in the country. Whereas other teams in the Big South rely on guard play, Quinton Ferrell’s team boasts several talented big men who will look to make their mark on the rest of the conference. The Blue Hose is top 50 nationally in offensive rebounding percentage, thanks in large part to Pierce (8.9 RPG) and Jaylen Peterson (7.2 PPG). Pierce and Chidi Chiakwelu both have 21 blocks on the season as well, resulting in a top 100 defensive block rate (11.7 percent).

Presbyterian will need its offensive output to match its defense if it hopes to build off last season’s record conference finish. PC averages less than 70 points per game due to its slow tempo (69.3 possessions per game), and its adjusted offensive efficiency sits outside the top 300 as well. The Blue Hose will need to correct its 3-point shooting (27.9 percent) and shake the turnover bug, where they rank among the bottom 30 for turnover percentage (21.1 percent, 337th) and non-steal turnover percentage (11.4 percent)

RESOLUTION: Find opportunities for the frontcourt to draw attention that will free up the guards to kickstart the offense

 

Longwood (8-7 overall, KenPom: 302, NCAA NET: 317)

Ronnie Thomas’ team unsurprisingly brings many of the characteristics that established the Lancers as a perennial conference competitor under Griff Aldrich. Longwood frequently draws fouls, ranking tenth nationally in free throw rate (48.2 percent), then shoots a Big South-best 76.9 percent at the line, which ultimately leads to ranking second in the country for point distribution from free throws (28.4 percent). Jacoi Hutchinson (12.7 PPG), Johan Nziemi (12 PPG), and Elijah Tucker (11.7 PPG) lead the Lancer attack.  

Longwood remains stingy on defense as well, currently ranking within the top 100 nationally for in turnovers percentage forced (19.6 percent) and steal percentage (11.2 percent). Lastly, glass-cleaning emphasis remains intact as the Lancers are once again inside the top 75 for limiting offensive rebounding percentage (27.8 percent).  

The Lancer faithful take pride in Longwood’s ability to muck it up, but it will take a more aesthetically pleasing approach to make noise in the Big South. Longwood is approximately bottom 10 in the country for 3-point percentage (26.7 percent) with no one on the team shooting above 36 percent from behind the arc. The Lancers’ interior defense is more vulnerable than previous years, as it allows 57.8 percent shooting inside the arc. A brutal beginning to conference play of Winthrop, High Point, and UNC Asheville leave the Lancers little time to figure out their issues.

RESOLUTION: Use early conference tests to diversify offense and bolster defense

 

Gardner-Webb (2-13 overall, Kenpom: 360, NCAA NET: 360)

Gardner-Webb is looking to find its identity as Big South play begins. The Runnin’ Bulldogs have yet to defeat a fellow Division I opponent, but also returned just 9.7 percent of its minutes and an average of 0.55 years of Division I experience.

Jacob Hogarth (10.7 PPG), Spence Sims (10.2 PPG), and Jacob Hudson (10.1 PPG) have emerged as the primary scoring options for Jeremy Luther’s outfit. Five more Runnin’ Bulldogs average seven or more points per game. Since GWU ranks top 50 nationally for 2-foul participation, scoring threats can always remain on the floor. The Runnin’ Bulldogs rank just inside the top 100 for defensive free throw rate, so perhaps a lack of fouling can keep GWU close against its conference mates.

There are certainly plenty of areas to improve for the Runnin’ Bulldogs, and that begins with the interior defense. GWU allows the third-highest effective field goal percentage (59.8 percent) and seventh-highest 2-point percentage (62.1 percent) in the country. Once the interior defense is better established, Gardner-Webb can pivot its focus to shore up the perimeter and cut down on turnovers.

RESOLUTION: Play loose as team identity continues to take shape

As the year of 2025 comes to an end, the road to Johnson City begins. A sixteen-game slate awaits the Big South as the calendar continues to turn towards March.

Sizing up the Ancient Eight as Ivy play approaches

By Andrew Hefner (@Ahef_NJ)

As the non-conference slate has come and will soon be gone, the Ivy League still remains full of the most unpredictable but impressive schools, players, and coaches in the nation.

The Ancient Eight will begin its games with all eight schools in action on January 5, but there has been no shortage of breakout performances, disappointments, and shakeups that have no doubt altered the expectations and predictions for teams across the Ivy. 

Princeton Tigers (4-11)

Princeton was one of the biggest losers in the offseason in the country, suffering the departures of now-Florida guard Xaivian Lee, senior sharpshooter Blake Peters, and former Ivy League Player of the Year Caden Pierce, who announced he would sit out his senior season, among others.

Poised for a breakout year, junior Dalen Davis was to be the oldest and most experienced player left on the roster for the Tigers, though he went down with a serious lower leg injury in mid-November in a home win against Northeastern and has been missing since. He is reportedly progressing well towards a return, and the Tigers are hopeful he can return before their first Ivy League game with Penn.

Mitch Henderson has dealt with early adversity this season, but should still have Princeton contending for an Ivy Madness berth. (Photo by The Trentonian) 

Alongside Davis, junior Jackson Hicke and sophomore Malik Abdullahi have shone through despite the rough start to the season for Princeton, though Abdullahi has had injury concerns down the stretch. Sophomore Jack Stanton has also stepped into a larger role and features an excellent three-point shot that, when consistent, could cause problems for Ivy defenses. Incoming freshman Landon Clark has been the only newcomer with substantial playing time and has been in the starting five for 10 of his 15 games played. 

Princeton wrapped up its non-conference slate with a big win against Vermont in overtime to snap an eight-game skid, after losing each of its last seven by five points or less. Head coach Mitch Henderson affirmed a seven-man rotation headlined by Hicke, Stanton, and Davis that he believes will help Princeton stay in the win column for Ivy play. 

With plenty of talent on the roster and rather unlucky results over the last month, a full-strength Tiger team certainly has the capability to return to its former ways, but it seems that a little bit of magic will need to be on Princeton’s side this time around.

Projected Starting Lineup: Dalen Davis (if healthy), Jackson Hicke, Jack Stanton, CJ Happy, Malik Abdullahi 

Brown Bears (5-7)

Brown similarly lost key players to graduation, including All-Ivy first team and leading scorer Kino Lilly, Jr., who worked out with the San Antonio Spurs over the summer before making his way to play pro ball in the United Kingdom. Likewise, starters Aaron Cooley and Lyndel Erold also completed their years of eligibility, and current senior Alexander Lesburt, Jr. departed the program before the season.

Despite these key departures, a strong returning class of seniors has kept Brown fairly successful to open the season, featuring Malcolm Wrisby-Jefferson and Landon Lewis. Lewis, who was second in scoring for the Bears last season, is currently the leading scorer, though he suffered an ankle injury at Maine earlier this month and will be out until early January, potentially back in time for the Ivy opener. 

Even with many upperclassmen rostered, multiple freshmen and sophomores have stood out for the Bears throughout the start of the season. Sophomore Jeremiah Jenkins, who started just two games last season, has been in the starting five for every contest thus far and has drastically improved his three-point shooting from 14 percent to 44 in just one season. He had five made threes and 21 points in a game earlier this season against Hampton, and is also averaging over two blocks a game while leading the team with five assists per game.

Isaiah Langham’s emergence has kept Brown afloat in non-conference play. (Photo by Brown University Athletics)

Freshman Isaiah Langham has become a favorite of head coach Mike Martin, and has averaged just over nine points per game, starting in nine contests. Langham is a Maryland native and chose Brown over teams such as Fairfield. He has already taken home two Ivy League Rookie of the Week honors. 

In a similar fashion, junior forward N’Famara Dabo has gone from five starts last season to starting every game alongside Jenkins, and leads Brown in rebounds, while junior Luke Paragon did not start a single game last season before now starting eight of the first 12. 

Brown opened the season with four losses, including a tight overtime matchup with Vermont, before a rapid turnaround with five wins in its last eight and one non-conference game to play against a Division III opponent. The Bears also have the least amount of points allowed per game of the Ivy schools, with 65.3 on average, and have shown incredible defensive depth that could keep them in a great spot in conference play. 

Brown looks strong heading into conference play, but has not been able to topple a truly strong opponent yet, and could have some trouble opening up with defending Ivy champion Yale. 

Projected Starting Lineup: Jeremiah Jenkins, N’Famara Dabo, Luke Paragon, Isaiah Langham, Landon Lewis (if healthy)

Dartmouth Big Green (5-7)

Dartmouth endured a tough non-conference slate that has been highlighted by multiple incredible performances from a program with plenty of up-and-coming talent. The Big Green are looking for a repeat of its successful season last year, and it seems that with breakout sophomore superstar Kareem Thomas leading the way, Dartmouth will have no problem doing so. 

Thomas, a second-year guard out of Delaware, had limited playing time in his freshman season with just 60 total minutes throughout the year. On the complete flip side, he was given a brand new chance to shine for the Big Green and has taken full advantage, averaging 19.7 points per game for second in the Ivy League and top 40 in the country. He is shooting at over 55 percent from the field and has been the star of the show in Hanover all season long. On December 13, he had his best single-game performance shooting-wise, going 5-for-5 from three and 7-for-9 from the field for 22 points in a win over Boston University.

Brandon Mitchell-Day (21) has blossomed into Ivy League’s leading rebounder halfway through senior year at Dartmouth. (Photo by Dartmouth College Athletics)

Defensively, Dartmouth has been great as well, with reigning All-Ivy second team selection Brandon Mitchell-Day sticking around for his senior season and leading the Ivy in rebounds with 8.6 per game. The 6-foot-8 forward has been a starter since his sophomore season, and has remained a key part of the Big Green over that time. Despite scoring leader and First-Team All-Ivy honoree Ryan Cornish departing for USC and vital role player Cade Haskins moving to William and Mary, starting seniors Mitchell-Day, Jackson Munro, and Jayden Williams have remained loyal to Dartmouth and return for a big final conquest in their college careers. 

Although there has been a slight bit of a step back so far, sophomore Connor Amundsen also still rests right in the keyhole of Dartmouth’s plans for the future, alongside Thomas. The two are poised to rule the Ivy for years to come, especially on the heels of a potentially historic breakout conference performance for Thomas. 

With young superstars centered by a nice returning class of impressive seniors, head coach David McLaughlin, and his Ivy League coaching staff of the Year need to make sure it takes full advantage of what they have in front of them and be aggressive. The season started with three straight losses, but even after tough games all season, the Big Green has had no problem clawing its way back into the win column with big victories over Holy Cross, Boston College, and others, while suffering through tough games against Wyoming, Appalachian State, and, most recently, Florida. One final warmup remains against Division III Elms College before the first Ivy League test at Harvard. 

Projected Starting Lineup: Kareem Thomas, Jayden Williams, Brandon Mitchell-Day, Jackson Munro, Connor Amundsen 

Harvard Crimson (7-7)

Harvard has been one of the strongest teams on paper of the Ivy League institutions throughout non-conference play, but was the unfortunate recipient of a challenging schedule that leaves the Crimson at a level 7-7 heading into its opener against Dartmouth.

The Crimson was lucky enough to be one of the few Ivy schools to return its top scorers and, through the start of their 2025-26 campaign, has seen senior captain Chandler Piggé and reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Year Robert Hinton soar to new, outstanding heights. Hinton, last year’s scoring leader and team MVP, sits fifth in field goal percentage for Ivy players at 47 percent, with Piggé just one place behind him, and is averaging 15.9 points per game. The sophomore is also second in field goals made among the Ivy League, at just shy of six per matchup.

Robert Hinton (4) has picked up where he left off after stellar freshman season, keeping Harvard forwardly placed in Ivy League. (Photo by Dylan Goodman/Harvard Athletics)

Alongside the two stars, the Crimson returned junior Thomas Batties II alongside sophomores Tey Barbour, Austin Hunt, and Ben Eisendrath. Key departures included Harvard's defensive player of the year, Louis Lesmond, who made his way to Fordham for his senior season, and Evan Nelson, a consistent starter last year before moving across the country to play his final season at Arizona. Barbour and Eisendrath were quickly brought in to plug those holes, and have been extremely successful in their new roles. Eisendrath sits second on the team in assists, while Barbour leads the way for rebounds with 5.4 per game. Batties, who started last season, has continued strong form as well and acts as an important glue guy to keep the Crimson train rolling forward.

Harvard has had tight battles through November and December against top local and nationally recognized powerhouses, putting up strong fights against Penn State, Boston University and UMass, among others. The Crimson has looked a bit rocky as of late with a ten-point loss to Furman and its recent game against St. John’s, but closed out non-conference play with a statement win over Colgate. 

With Hinton and Piggé at the top of their games, Harvard will have no problem being one of the toughest matchups in the Ivy League this year. A strong defense with the second-fewest points allowed per game in the Ivy will help the Crimson along as well, but for a successful campaign this season, the big two will need to continue rolling on and perform as advertised. Harvard opens Ivy play at home, with Dartmouth coming to town. 

Projected Starting Lineup: Robert Hinton, Chandler Piggé, Tey Barbour, Thomas Batties II, Ben Eisendrath 

Penn Quakers (6-6)

After a shaky final season under Steve Donahue ahead of his departure to Saint Joseph’s across town, Penn has found a way to make a quick turnaround under the new regime.

Fran McCaffery, the longtime coach of Iowa, quickly worked some transfer magic, bringing in former five-star recruit TJ Power, who, along with key returners, has turned the Quakers into a serious force. 

The Quakers got off to a hot start thanks to senior Ethan Roberts, who returned to Penn after an impressive junior campaign where he averaged 16.8 points per game, good for fifth in the Ivy. Alongside him came Power, who was a top recruit just two seasons ago when he was ranked 17th nationally before committing to Duke. With limited playing time with the Blue Devils, Power made his way to Virginia before becoming the highest-rated recruit to ever join the Penn program. Power was a critical addition needed to fill the hole left by all-Ivy Second Team selection Sam Brown, who transferred to Davidson in the offseason and has indeed stepped up to bring Penn up from the darkness of last season. Power sits second in the Ivy in rebounds, with 7.7 per game and is averaging 14.8 points per game, second only to Roberts.

TJ Power has stepped up in absence of Ethan Roberts to be Penn’s second-leading scorer and top rebounder. (Photo by The Daily Pennsylvanian)

Roberts, who got off to a hot start, averaging 18 points per game, has not played since leaving the floor on December 6 with an undisclosed injury in the Big 5 championship game against Villanova. Penn has quickly adapted, though, continuing on with a strong next man up mentality with the help of returners AJ Levine, Michael Zanoni, Augustus Gerhart, and Cam Thrower.

Zanoni, a key role player last year who transferred from Mercer, has quickly been elevated to a starting role that he has taken full advantage of, ending the non-conference months with a 23-point performance at George Mason and a season-high 30 points against Providence. Levine, a sophomore, leads the team in assists and sits third in the Ivy League for the stat. He has also stepped into a much larger role, already matching his games started from last season before conference play has even begun. 

Also, with Nick Spinoso and George Smith having departed the program due to graduation, opportunities have been given to freshman Dalton Scantlebury, who has become an integral sixth option off the bench for Penn and will make a large impact heading into a tough conference slate ahead. 

Losing two close games to Rutgers and George Mason in the last week, Penn faces one more non-conference test with NJIT on December 31 before crossing the Delaware River to Jadwin to play Princeton to start 2026. Depending on the status of Roberts, Penn’s Ivy League start may be tougher than anticipated, with recent inconsistent results from Power. With all the cogs in motion, though, and its role players at the top of their games, the Quakers are set up to make a complete 180 compared to last season. 

Projected Starting Lineup: Ethan Roberts (if injured, then Cam Thrower), TJ Power, Michael Zanoni, Augustus Gerhart, AJ Levine

Cornell Big Red (6-6)

Like so many other Ivy League programs this year, Cornell suffered badly in the offseason with three of its starters departing.

All-Ivy second team selection and leading scorer Nazir Williams, graduated, and AK Okereke, who transferred south to Vanderbilt, were two big hits to the Big Red, along with Guy Ragland, who also graduated.

Cooper Noard is Ivy League’s leading scorer, averaging nearly 21 points per game for Cornell. (Photo by Cornell Athletics)

In the face of hardship, though, Cornell has had no problem rebuilding for this season, with senior Cooper Noard building on a breakout season to lead the Ivy in points per game through non-conference play with 20.6, putting him in the top 25 in scoring nationally. He has also been deadly from long range, with last year’s All-Ivy honorable mention shooting 41 percent from beyond the arc.

Besides Noard, Adam Hinton, the older brother of the aforementioned Harvard breakout star Robert Hinton, also returned to Ithaca. The elder Hinton, who had never started a game for Cornell before this season, has become a guaranteed starter for his senior season, breaking out for a career-high 14.1 points per game, while leading the team in steals, blocks, and ranking second in three-pointers. With junior Jacob Beccles, sophomore DJ Nix and senior Jake Fiegen returning as well, Cornell has an incredibly deep and versatile lineup and bench to work with all season long. As of late, Fiegen has begun starting for the Big Red as well, coming in second in team scoring after the first two months and earning more minutes in his final season. The Big Red made a big pickup in the portal as well in Kasper Sepp, a junior forward out of Valparaiso, who now starts every game and is a valuable role player for the Big Red heading into Ivy play. 

Cornell, like so many others, has a key group of upperclassmen ready to strike alongside breakout superstars who hope to lead the Big Red to Ivy Madness, which will be hosted at Newman Arena this year. Offensively, Cornell stands first of the Ivies at the end of December with 90.4 points per game, and Jon Jaques, now in his second season as head coach, will be ready to build off his successful rookie campaign. With the hottest player in the Ivy League at his disposal, there is really no limit for Cornell this year. 

One final game with Division III Alfred State remains before hosting in-state rival Columbia in Ithaca. Cornell won five straight at the height of non-conference play but has struggled as of late, so a productive and successful final week of practice will be vital before facing a strong Lions team at home. 

Projected Starting Lineup: Cooper Noard, Adam Hinton, Jacob Beccles, Kasper Sepp, Jake Fiegen 

Columbia Lions (10-3)

Even though Columbia lost its leading scorer in Geronimo Rubio de la Rosa, the recovery from the Lions’ recent last-place season has been a story to behold for first-year head coach Kevin Hovde.

Kenny Noland leads senior-laden Columbia team that already has 10 wins under first-year coach Kevin Hovde. (Photo by Columbia University Athletics)

The highlight of this year’s Lions team is no doubt Kenny Noland, a senior who returned off the back of a strong and productive season to become the superstar that Columbia hoped for. Averaging 17.5 points per game, Noland's scoring has been elite, and he leads his team in assists as well. With one of last year’s starters in Avery Brown still out for an extended period of time with a facial fracture suffered against UConn, it doesn’t seem like Noland will be slowing down anytime soon. 

Ivy schools have done a great job of discovering prospects in the portal this season, and, like Penn, Columbia brought in a big new name. Ryan Soulis, a redshirt sophomore guard who had limited playing time over his first two seasons with Richmond, moved to Morningside Heights ahead of his third season, and has so far been an essential part of the Lions’ early success. With the injury to Brown, along with Zine Eddine Bedri suffering from a long-term leg issue, Soulis has been right there to stop the bleeding for Columbia. 

Noland is supported by experienced senior forward Blair Thompson, as well as a rotating cast of underclassmen to fill out the rest of the deadly Columbia starting five. Sophomore forward Mason Ritter and freshman guard Miles Franklin are leading the charge defensively with Thompson and Noland, with each averaging about or over five rebounds per game for an added bonus.

The Lions went on a tear, winning eight straight amid a tough schedule that featured challenges like Hofstra, Fairfield, Lehigh, and more before ending their run with a tight loss to Stony Brook. Two of their three losses have been against Power 5 schools (UConn and Cal), and their overall performance ranks them second in points allowed and third in points scored per game among the Ivy schools. 

Columbia is almost certainly the most balanced and all-around team currently in the Ivy, and with the eventual returns of Brown and Bedri from injury, the Lions will only get stronger in Ivy play. Columbia opens with Cornell on the road, but not before finishing one more warmup against Division III Penn State Abington at Levien Gymnasium.

Projected Starting Lineup: Kenny Noland, Blair Thompson, Mason Ritter, Miles Franklin, Ryan Soulis 

Yale Bulldogs (11-2)

The reigning Ivy League regular season and tournament champions have picked up right where they left off this year after only one offseason transfer and the return of three of last year’s five starters. 

Even though Ivy League Player of the Year Bez Mbeng graduated alongside All-Ivy First Team guard John Poulakidas, Nick Townsend has been able to lead the charge for another big Yale season. Townsend, a senior captain, leads the Elis in almost every major category with an average of 17 points, 7.5 rebounds, and over four assists per game. The forward does not stand alone, though, as Casey Simmons and Samson Aletan returned to their starting roles and remain crucial to Yale’s success.

Nick Townsend is next man up for Yale, following in footsteps of Bez Mbeng and John Poulakidas to continue Bulldogs’ dominance. (Photo by Yale Athletics)

With big shoes to fill, sophomore Isaac Celiscar and junior Trevor Mullin, who both played in every game for the Bulldogs last season, now start alongside Townsend, Simmons, and Aletan to form a super starting five that shows no signs of being stopped. 

Even off the bench, sophomore Riley Fox has broken out to become one of the deadliest shooters in the conference, and despite significantly fewer minutes than the starters, leads Yale in triples and stands third in scoring. 

Yale rounded out non-conference play with a challenge at fourteen-ranked Alabama, but was on an eight-game win streak, with its only prior loss coming to Rhode Island. Compared to some other Ivy programs, the Yale schedule was not the hardest test out there, but the Bulldogs still put on a show, working their way through with decisive wins over Navy, Quinnipiac, UIC, and closer battles over Akron, Vermont, and Green Bay. 

The Bulldogs have such an abundance and deep bag of talent with real Ivy experience, but Columbia and many others will be right on their tails in an attempt to knock James Jones’ squad off its throne. Yale will start Ivy play at Brown on January 5.

Projected Starting Lineup: Nick Townsend, Isaac Celiscar, Trevor Mullin, Casey Simmons, Samson Aletan