The DII men’s basketball season is set to commence, tipping things off in Lakeland, Florida, at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic. Before the loaded 10-team field gets going— which includes three DII Men’s Elite Eight teams from a year ago — let’s take a look at the preseason rankings.
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DII basketball is a tough beast, especially in the transfer portal era. Entire starting fives have been wiped out, and while many talented new faces have been brought in, it will take time to adjust. How long it takes, well, that is what is to be determined.
For those new to the DII men’s basketball Power 10 rankings, these are solely mine and don't reflect the input of any voting body or the NCAA selection committee. It is a combination of selection committee metrics and what is happening on the court, a blend of the national polls and regional rankings, if you would. Being that there are no metrics, these are largely based on recent success and returning experience.
The DII men’s basketball preseason Power 10
No. 1 Nova Southeastern. This is the only obvious choice in the Power 10. Guards Dallas Graziani, Ross Reeves, and Ryan Davis are returning national champions and know how this electric and intense full-court attack wins ball games. Bobby Rosenberger III joins the mix from Saint Francis, where he averaged 8.2 points per game in a swingman role from the bench and starting five. So does Jaxson Nap, who arrives from Seattle Pacific, where he scored 11.6 points per game to go along with 10 rebounds per game. How deep the bench is will always be a question mark, but the first six or seven are as ready to make a championship run as any in the division.
No. 2 DBU. The Patriots were a national semifinal team a year ago, and there are two big reasons why they enter No. 2 this year: Trevor Frank and Xavion Brown. Brown was the engine that made the offense go, leading the team in assists and steals while adding eight points per game. Frank scored 10.5 points per game and added 81 steals, making this one of the more electric returning backcourts in DII. Throw in the experience of Drew Calderon (7.4 points per game), and this team has the talent to try and match last year’s historic 34-win season. The Patriots open against two Power 10 teams — Washburn and Michigan Tech — at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic.
No. 3 Washburn. The Ichabods lose a ton of starting experience but return some of the key pieces that got them to the national semifinals. One starter returns, but luckily for the ‘Bods, it’s a good one in Jack Bachelor. Bachelor contributed 13.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and a team-high 5.5 assists per game. Joining him were key reserves Dillon Claussen, Brady Christiansen and Sam Ungashick who have the experience to step into expanded roles. Isaiah Saams-Hoy comes in from Alaska Fairbanks after leading the team in scoring (16.3 points per game), assists (3.5 per game), steals (1.6 per game) and blocked shots (29 total). Bryson Smith (11.4 points per game with a team-high 131 assists for Northeastern State), Jeremiah Jones (a team-high 11.9 points per game for UMary), and Marcus Glock (9.1 points per game for Northwest Missouri State) bring DII experience and scoring prowess. If these players mesh quickly, Washburn is a threat to make it back to the DII Men’s Elite Eight.
No. 4 Daemen. The Wildcats return all four of their top scorers from a very good team last year. Yes, they were upset by archrival St. Thomas Aquinas in the tournament, but it feels like that stung and could be a reason this core is all back for another run. Both Benjamin Bill and Justin Hemphill were Bevo Francis Award watchlist members last year and contributed 28.8 points, 14.6 rebounds and 5.3 per game. Zach Philipkoski and Justin Glover round out the list of scorers that will make this team the early favorite in the East.
No. 5 Lenoir-Rhyne. The Bears will open their season against No. 4 Daemen at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic. One year after making program history and reaching their first-ever DII Men’s Elite Eight, the Bears return three of the starters who made it happen. Sparkplug Julian Dozier is back after scoring 11.7 points per game to go with a team-high 172 assists and 66 steals. He’ll get to feed the ball to monster, 7-foot-2 center Conrad Luczynski in the paint, who scored 12.0 points per game with a team-high 7.3 rebounds per game. Sam Martin and Junior Hodnett bring additional experience, having scored more than 8.0 points per game last season. The Bears have also brought in some very nice transfer talent, but two that stand out are Amarion Savage and Blessin Kimble. Savage scored 10.1 points per game while leading his team in assists and steals at the JUCO level, while Kimble contributed 12.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game for DII New Mexico Highlands. That kind of incoming talent with a slew of returning experience sets Lenoir-Rhyne up nicely.
No. 6 Point Loma Yes, the Sea Lions come in ahead of the West Region champion and national runner-up Cal State Dominguez Hills. There are a few reasons. One, this is a program that has been here before, one that has faced sweeping changes and proved it can remain a contender. Two is the return of two very important starters. Jake Lifgren missed last season with an injury but had a monster season in 2023-24, where he was the team’s leading scorer with 18.1 points per game. Also back is Tyce Paulsen, who, with Lifgren, may be the best backcourt in the West. Both Jaden Matingou and Andrew Hommes return after being the top two, reliable options off the bench last year. Additionally, Caden Harris transfers in from Chico State and has familiarity with the Wild West Region and can score and rebound, as does James Noble, who should have the ability to put up big numbers at Sonoma State. Point Loma opens against CSU Dominguez Hills and Cal State San Bernardino — the last two West Region champions — so the Sea Lions will have a strong test to start the new campaign.
No. 7 West Liberty. It is kind of like déjà vu all over again at West Liberty. Ben Howlett has moved on to IU Indy, and taking over as head coach is Michael Lamberti. Lamberti played under then-Hilltoppers’ head coach Jim Crutchfield during a run where West Liberty won four conference titles and made three Elite DII Men’s Elite Eight appearances. He knows the system, and it showed when he turned Coker into a program that dropped 100 points per game last year. West Liberty only returns Dante Spadafora, who played meaningful minutes last year, but Lamberti brings three of Coker’s top scorers — Jamie Muldowney (12.6 points per game), Judson Coan (12.4 points per game), and Max Hurray (12.1 points per game) — with him. It may take some time to adjust, but expect the same high-scoring, thrilling basketball we always see atop the Hill.
No. 8 Cal State Dominguez Hills. There may be some eyebrows raised when the returning national runners-up are ranked No. 8, and rightfully so. However, the Toros return only one starter from the historic club, albeit one of their best in David Cheatom. To head coach Steve Becker’s advantage is the fact that he brought in several transfers already comfortable in the West Region, in Josiah Sanders and Jayden Johnson. Jalen Brown from Regis brings scoring potential after averaging 13.0 points per game last year, and DeSean Stevens could be a name to watch. Stevens comes from Seattle U, but prior to that was a JUCO All-American. The Toros open with Point Loma, so we’ll learn a lot quickly.
No. 9 Michigan Tech. This probably sounds wild, that there is a team in the preseason top 10 that didn’t even make it out of the second round of the tournament a year ago. But this team returns all five of its starters as well as Ty Fernholz, the first man off the bench, who was second on the team in scoring. Topping the list is Marcus Tomashek, who has finished in the top 15 in scoring in each of the past two seasons. The Huskies have a pretty brutal non-conference schedule to open things up, including DBU and Lenoir-Rhyne in the Classic this coming weekend, but if they can walk away .500 or better, they will be in great shape. This is my early pick to win the Midwest.
No. 10 Missouri S&T. I may be a little too high on the Miners, but they were impressive last season and bring back three starters that should help get things off on the right foot. Andrew Young should find his way onto the Bevo Francis Watchlist after a breakout season in which he posted averages of 16.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. Joining Young back in the rotation are Alex Benassi and Cameron Stovall, as well as the top two reserves, Blaise Beauchamp and Zac Brown. It will be interesting to see what Darron Henry contributes after an All-American JUCO campaign. This team is pretty loaded.
Just missed (in alphabetical order)
Alabama Huntsville. It is insane that the Chargers are this low, but they lost their entire starting five. They do return eight players that saw limited action from last year’s squad and have a large transfer class, so maybe they are gelling by conference play.
Colorado School of Mines. The Orediggers lose seven seniors, but do return two starters. Freshman Trent Minter may be the one to watch, who could be among the top “rookies” in DII.
Columbus State. The Cougars brought in an impressive transfer class and could have one of the tougher defenses in the Southeast, but it will take time to mesh with a very new-look lineup.
Fairmont State. David Jolinder is a big piece returning, but the Fighting Falcons also have three key redshirts back and a slew of transfers that could make this one of the higher-scoring offenses in DII should they mesh quickly.
Valdosta State. The Blazers return two big scorers in Drew Mills and Maalik Leitch, as well as starter MJ Jones and sixth man Lucas Brown Jr. That is a lot of talent, and could see them in the top 10 sooner rather than later.
Five question marks
Florida Southern. The Mocs were a contender with Jadin Booth and Alex Steen. Both are gone, along with the entire starting five. Sixth man Amare Miller will help lead seven instant impact transfers in a new era, but how long will it take to turn it around?
Lake Superior State. The Lakers were one of the feel-good stories of 2024-25, but return zero starters. Are there enough returning role players and transfers to keep the momentum going?
Lincoln Memorial. The Railsplitters are a DII powerhouse, but have a new coaching regime and a roster of transfers. Will they mesh quickly and compete in a tough SAC?
Lubbock Christian. The Chaps were a strong team last year, but lost four starters. They do return Amondo Miller Jr. and Alex Anamekwe, whose season ended in December, but is there enough talent to contend in a tricky South Central Region?
