The DII men’s basketball season officially tips off Saturday, Nov. 2 with 10 teams set for battle at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic. Among those two teams happen to be the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the DII men’s basketball preseason Power 10 rankings.
Minnesota State and Nova Southeastern both lose significant pieces, but also return a slew of experience that reached the championship game last year. The reigning champs have the honor of being the No. 1 team heading into 2024, while the Sharks come in at No. 2 looking to reach their third-straight championship game.
There were a bevy of coaching changes among the DII elite programs. Of course, none is bigger than the changing of the guard at Northwest Missouri State. Ben McCollum — and a majority of the roster — is gone, and with so many new faces this is the first time the Bearcats aren’t in the preseason Power 10 in what feels like an eternity. Other tournament teams — like Gannon and Fort Lewis, for example — also welcome new head coaches, so we will see how long it takes to adjust.
🔮 5 early predictions for the DII men’s basketball season
Another factor that made these preseason Power 10 more difficult than ever before is the fact that the “Covid years” are over. For the first time in a long team, many teams are seeing massive turnover and instead of relying on a bevy of returners, are hopeful to have just one person returning. Incoming freshmen and transfer signings will play a more important role in 2024-25 than ever before in DII men’s basketball.
If you are new to my Power 10 rankings, please know that these are mine and mine alone. There is no voting body or anything other than some notes from head and assistant coaches, spreadsheets full of stats and selection committee metrics, and what I am actually seeing in-game action. Now, since it is the preseason, much of that is unavailable, so these first selections are based heavily on returners or transfer classes.
The preseason Power 10
No. 1 Minnesota State | 2024 final ranking: 1. Kyreese Willingham is back for the defending champs, and the last time we saw him, he was drilling the game-winning shot in a thrilling finale to the season. I expect him to contend for the Bevo Francis Award. Justin Eagins, who started every game for the champs, is also back after scoring 12.6 points per game and shooting an impressive 41.3 percent from 3-point land. The Mavericks also brought in some nice transfers like David Harmon (10.6 points per game for Wayne State (Neb) last year) and Caden Kirkman (8.3 points per game at Augustana (SD) in 2024) with NSIC experience.
“This year’s team has great length and has had great energy so far,” head coach Matt Margenthaler told me. “I like the fact that we have some returners that have college experience along with a few transfers that will fit nicely in the mix. Kyreese has had three solid years and is looking to make his senior year the best so far. He’s worked extremely hard in the off-season and is ready to have his best season yet.”
DII MEN’S BASKETBALL CENTRAL
No. 2 Nova Southeastern | 2024 final ranking: 2. Last year, head coach Jim Crutchfield practically had an entirely new team from the undefeated national championship squad in 2022. So, the fact that he has three returners who started a combined 77 games and contributed 30.2 of the Sharks’ 99.9 points per game is almost unfair. Plus, Dallas Graziani is back after a year away, and the guard, who may be smaller in stature, is huge in leadership and the right key for the high-octane engine that is the Sharks’ go-go-go tempo. Throw in transfers Tyler Eberhart (who averaged double-digit points in each of the past two seasons at Charleston (WV)) and Ross Reeves (who averaged 16.1 points in two years at Chaminade) and the Sharks are loaded once again.
No. 3 Cal State San Bernardino | 2024 final ranking: 6. The Coyotes have been in back-to-back national semifinals, so why not another? Last year’s team was very different looking from the year prior, and it will be the same again this year with just Evan Guillory returning to the starting rotation. But here is why I like the Yotes so much. “Most notably we have five Division II transfers who averaged double-digit points in Evan Oliver, Charlie Henderson, Andrew Henderson, Camren Pierce, and Nic Welp and three who averaged six rebounds or more,” head coach Gus Argenal told me. That’s almost unfair.
No. 4 West Texas A&M | 2024 final ranking: 3. For the second straight year, West Texas A&M will come into the season with no transfers, building a team recruited by head coach Tom Brown and crew. That’s exactly why the Buffs are ranked so highly despite the large turnover in the starting rotation — Brown just wins. The Buffs are 191-31 since 2018 with four trips to the DII Men’s Elite Eight in six tries (keep in mind there was no tournament in 2020 when the Buffs were 32-1 at stoppage of play). This team is always fast and guard heavy, and no matter who Coach Brown puts out there, will score points by the boatload.
No. 5 Cal (PA) | 2024 final ranking: First five out. In a season where teams don’t have the luxury of returning an abundance of starters, the Vulcans get three good ones back. Bryson Lucas, Keith Palek III and Donald Whitehead Jr. combined for more than 30 points per game last year and Lucas was one of the best rebounders in the PSAC. Here’s something to keep an eye on: transfer Keondre DeShields. The guard was at St. Francis (PA) last year… as a wide receiver on the football team.
No. 6 Minnesota Duluth | 2024 final ranking: First five out. The Bulldogs have been a tough out in the tough Central Region and return three of the program’s all-time greatest players. Charlie Katona, Austin Andrews and Joshua Brown started every game last year and each one averaged more than 9.0 points per game and 4.5 rebounds per game. Mattie Thompson is also back after appearing in every game for the Bulldogs and will bring even more experience to this loaded lineup.
No. 7 North Georgia | 2024 final ranking: 9. The Nighthawks return a ton of talent, most notably A.J. White (16.8 points per game, 93 assists, 44 steals) and Cayden Charles (11.7 points per game, 6.4 rebounds per game, and a team-high 49 steals). Colin Turner may be the X factor after he came alive as a starter in the tournament, showing he’s a quite capable scorer when given expanded minutes. The Nighthawks face off against St. Thomas Aquinas and Minnesota State at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic, so they will be tested right out of the gates.
No. 8 West Liberty | 2024 final ranking: First five out. The Hilltoppers are another team that will have a fresh look in 2024-25 with only Kyler D’Agustino returning to the starting rotation. They do have three key reserves back — Dante Spadafora, Lanyc Shuler and Finley Woodward — who played in 33 games last year and will see an elevated role. But the Hilltoppers cleaned up in the transfer portal, bringing in All-MEC-er JJ Harper from Concord, Vadim Clanet who scored 10.5 points per game for Davis & Elkins, defensive specialist Jaylen Stewart from Indiana (PA) and Andrew Shull who averaged 11.2 points per game for Pitt Johnstown the last two seasons.
No. 9 Charleston (WV) | 2024 final ranking: 10. The Golden Eagles lose a ton and only return MEC tournament MVP Dwaine Jones (10.1 points per game and a team-high 196 assists) to the starting rotation, but do have CJ Meredith, Obinna Ugwuakazi and Keaton Turner who contributed 21.1 of UCWV’s 85.1 points per game a year ago. Some big transfers (quite literally big as Zach Loveday is a 7-foot transfer from Samford) are intriguing. Keep an eye on Ayinde Taylor who averaged more than 17 points per game at Louisburg CC last year.
No. 10 DBU | 2024 final ranking: NR. Head coach Blake Flickner told me, “This year’s team may be the best DBU team ever,” so I’m in to see what they can do. The Patriots were up and down the top 10 last season, and have a blend of returning talent, and transfers like Drew Calderon, Xavion Brown, Wes Bongiorni, Jackson McCabe and AJ Borden that can make this squad very tough to beat.
First five out (in alphabetical order):
- Cal State LA. The Golden Eagles return three of their top five scorers from a year ago. They also remember that first-round surprise exit from the DII tournament and will be looking for a redemption tour.
- Florida Southern. This is solely dependent on the health of Jadin Booth, but if he is good to go from the start, Booth and Alex Steen may be the best returning one-two punch in DII.
- Fort Lewis. New head coach and essentially a whole new team. Still, the Skyhawks have been building a powerhouse program, and should compete with a slew of DI transfers on the roster.
- MSU Moorhead. The Dragons return three starters, including Jacob Beeninga who led the team in points and assists and I expect to be on the Bevo Francis Award watchlist.
- Northwest Missouri State. Well, the Ben McCollum era is over and with him, the entire starting rotation is gone. This could be a rebuild year, or the Bearcats may prove they are a powerhouse program that can withstand any amount of change.
