2025-26 College Hoops Thread

[TallTitan34]

Unsure if he's joking or serious but Kenneth Lofton Jr. on his Instagram says he's returning to LA Tech.

https://x.com/playoffmem/status/2004979222662840507?s=46

[brewcity77]

Kentucky one of a number of programs showing interest in Trentyn Flowers, along with Michigan, Kansas, Florida, BYU, Indiana, Texas Tech, USC, and Washington. Flowers has played 8 games the last two seasons in the NBA, most recently 3 weeks ago for the Bulls when he scored 4 points and added 1 rebound in 4 minutes.

This all circles back to the NCAA never putting clear structures in place. It's honestly kind of amazing how thoroughly they dropped (and continue to drop) the ball on this stuff.

https://www.si.com/college/kentucky/recruiting/kentucky-in-mix-for-current-nba-player-on-two-way-contract-trentyn-flowers

[WhiteTrash]

Kentucky one of a number of programs showing interest in Trentyn Flowers, along with Michigan, Kansas, Florida, BYU, Indiana, Texas Tech, USC, and Washington. Flowers has played 8 games the last two seasons in the NBA, most recently 3 weeks ago for the Bulls when he scored 4 points and added 1 rebound in 4 minutes.

This all circles back to the NCAA never putting clear structures in place. It's honestly kind of amazing how thoroughly they dropped (and continue to drop) the ball on this stuff.

https://www.si.com/college/kentucky/recruiting/kentucky-in-mix-for-current-nba-player-on-two-way-contract-trentyn-flowers

How did they drop the ball? Players, fans and lawmakers wanted this to create equity. College sports finally is run like the professional sports that is had become.

[1SE]

Well, at least us sucking also coincides with the complete implosion of everything that made College basketball worthwhile

[brewcity77]

How did they drop the ball? Players, fans and lawmakers wanted this to create equity. College sports finally is run like the professional sports that is had become.

Not sure if this is serious.

Assuming this is, it became clear NIL was coming and they were going to get destroyed in court. They needed to put a structure in place back in 2019 and here we are years later with no one knowing the rules. Between the current NCAA Tournament contract and NIL, I'm not sure any sports administrator has failed more completely than Mark Emmert did.

[Shooter McGavin]

So it sounds like anyone can now pay college basketball.  No eligibility restrictions.   Excellent.

[Billy Hoyle]

Kentucky one of a number of programs showing interest in Trentyn Flowers, along with Michigan, Kansas, Florida, BYU, Indiana, Texas Tech, USC, and Washington. Flowers has played 8 games the last two seasons in the NBA, most recently 3 weeks ago for the Bulls when he scored 4 points and added 1 rebound in 4 minutes.

This all circles back to the NCAA never putting clear structures in place. It's honestly kind of amazing how thoroughly they dropped (and continue to drop) the ball on this stuff.

https://www.si.com/college/kentucky/recruiting/kentucky-in-mix-for-current-nba-player-on-two-way-contract-trentyn-flowers

They did have clear structures in place - if you were ever paid to play at any level and you made more than your actual and necessary expenses (food, housing, travel, essential equipment, and meds), you were ineligible. In addition, if you played in any outside competitions one year after your first opportunity to enroll in college (6 months for tennis), then you lost a year and had to sit out the first year.

Hell, in the 2000s, if you were on an amateur team and a pro played with you (e.g., for rehab purposes), that made you a professional and you had to sit out two games for every one you played.

Then the lawsuits began.

[WhiteTrash]

Not sure if this is serious.

Assuming this is, it became clear NIL was coming and they were going to get destroyed in court. They needed to put a structure in place back in 2019 and here we are years later with no one knowing the rules. Between the current NCAA Tournament contract and NIL, I'm not sure any sports administrator has failed more completely than Mark Emmert did.

The NCAA did a poor job, but Mark Emmert deserves as much blame as a general does for getting the US into a war. The university presidents make the major policy decisions. He probably deserved his outlandish salary for being the public punching bag.

[Billy Hoyle]

so far the trailblazing former G League kid at Santa Clara isn't exactly lighting it up for a 9-4 team that lost to 4-9 Loyola of Chicago:

https://santaclarabroncos.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/thierry-darlan/9674

[GoldenEagles03]

Milwaukee was a 2 point favorite tonight and are currently up 35.

If they play like that tomorrow against Wisconsin, it could be a game.

[HutchwasClutch]

Milwaukee was a 2 point favorite tonight and are currently up 35.

If they play like that tomorrow against Wisconsin, it could be a game.

Tough spot with a back to back for Milwaukee tonight while Wisconsin has been off over a week.  But Lundy is a good coach and they'll battle hard.  Lundy is underrated and has done well with scarce resources at Milwaukee.  A smart AD will see that and he'll make a move up someday. 

[Jay Bee]

Tough spot with a back to back for Milwaukee tonight while Wisconsin has been off over a week.  But Lundy is a good coach and they'll battle hard.  Lundy is underrated and has done well with scarce resources at Milwaukee.  A smart AD will see that and he'll make a move up someday. 

Lundy2muMbb

[wadesworld]

Lundy2muMbb

Hopefully they word the Tweet correctly when it's announced!

[MU82]

This, rather than whining, is the correct way for coaches to navigate the new college basketball landscape of NIL, transfer portal, direct payments and pros being allowed to play college hoops again:

"Make the rules, let me know what they are, and then I'm gonna follow them. We're gonna find every creative way to use those rules to our advantage. We're not going to complain. We're just going to adapt." - Louisville coach Pat Kelsey.

[wadesworld]

This, rather than whining, is the correct way for coaches to navigate the new college basketball landscape of NIL, transfer portal, direct payments and pros being allowed to play college hoops again:

"Make the rules, let me know what they are, and then I'm gonna follow them. We're gonna find every creative way to use those rules to our advantage. We're not going to complain. We're just going to adapt." - Louisville coach Pat Kelsey.

I think that's what most coaches are whining about. Make the rules.

[MU82]

I think that's what most coaches are whining about. Make the rules.

Who is supposed to make the rules? Who is supposed to enforce whatever rules are made? Any rule the NCAA decides to make could - and probably would - be challenged in court. And the challenge could - and probably would - be successful.

[K1 Lover]

If anyone needs more CBB positivity in their life, Nebraska has been pretty fun to follow. The only power conference team that's never had a single win in the NCAA tournament is now 14-0, having just pulled off the home upset against MSU.

It would probably be one of the greatest sports feats of all time if they somehow end up winning the whole thing. Nebraska will certainly be America's team come March.

[MuggsyB]

If anyone needs more CBB positivity in their life, Nebraska has been pretty fun to follow. The only power conference team that's never had a single win in the NCAA tournament is now 14-0, having just pulled off the home upset against MSU.

It would probably be one of the greatest sports feats of all time if they somehow end up winning the whole thing. Nebraska will certainly be America's team come March.

They're pretty good and well coached.  It's a bit disheartening that Ssm Hoiberg is playing better than Chase Ross right now. 

[Jay Bee]

They're pretty good and well coached.  It's a bit disheartening that Ssm Hoiberg everyone is playing better than Chase Ross right now. 

fixed

[brewcity77]

The NCAA did a poor job, but Mark Emmert deserves as much blame as a general does for getting the US into a war. The university presidents make the major policy decisions. He probably deserved his outlandish salary for being the public punching bag.

Emmert was a public punching bag, but let's not act like he was completely without agency. The renegotiation of the NCAAT contract is on him, not the P4 commissioners. And while I don't think the power leagues made navigating NIL easy, but in addition to public punching bag, don't forget he was one of them. He was the LSU Chancellor, he was the President at Washington, it was his job to see what was coming in terms of NIL and wrangle the other administrations before it became the hellscape it turned into.

I feel like he often gets a pass as though these things all just happened to him and he was innocently walking through it with blinders on. He's as culpable as anyone for these failures, and honestly his failed contract made all of it worse because there's less money for the big leagues to scramble after because of him.

[mileskishnish72]

www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/01/the_ncaa_s_eligibility_circus.html

Author backs Shaka's approach - sort of.

[WhiteTrash]

Emmert was a public punching bag, but let's not act like he was completely without agency. The renegotiation of the NCAAT contract is on him, not the P4 commissioners. And while I don't think the power leagues made navigating NIL easy, but in addition to public punching bag, don't forget he was one of them. He was the LSU Chancellor, he was the President at Washington, it was his job to see what was coming in terms of NIL and wrangle the other administrations before it became the hellscape it turned into.

I feel like he often gets a pass as though these things all just happened to him and he was innocently walking through it with blinders on. He's as culpable as anyone for these failures, and honestly his failed contract made all of it worse because there's less money for the big leagues to scramble after because of him.

The university presidents could have fired him at anytime for failing to do his job.

[Billy Hoyle]

If anyone needs more CBB positivity in their life, Nebraska has been pretty fun to follow. The only power conference team that's never had a single win in the NCAA tournament is now 14-0, having just pulled off the home upset against MSU.

It would probably be one of the greatest sports feats of all time if they somehow end up winning the whole thing. Nebraska will certainly be America's team come March.

Not an josett. Nebraska was favored.

Seattle U took Gonzaga to OT in Spokane  THAT would have been an upset!

[TedBaxter]

They're pretty good and well coached.  It's a bit disheartening that Ssm Hoiberg is playing better than Chase Ross right now. 

Do you think Hoiberg having 2 6th year 24 year old teammates in Mast and Garcia help and they've played over 132 career games?  How about Jamarques Lawrence, another senior with over 100 games?  Maybe UCLA and Iowa transfers Berke Buyukluncel and Price Sandfort who have over 70 career games? 4th year junior Cale Jacobson, a former walk-on, who has more career games than Sean Jones? 

I posted on another board that 62% of Marquette's Big East offense is coming from freshman and sophomores ages 18-20.  83% of Nebraska's points are coming juniors, seniors and super seniors ages 21-24.  Nebraska has one redshirt freshman, Brandon Frager, who is averaging 11.4 points and he's the only underclassman playing for Nebraska and there are a ton of teams with this experience level.  If you've never played high school or college basketball, you probably don't understand what the physical and emotional maturity advantages are for older players.  Chase is pushing to lead this team, but outside of Ben Gold, none are close to have 4 years of experience.

Yes, Shaka rolled the dice and it hasn't worked this year with this younger roster, especially when playing older teams.  Marquette's sophomores and freshmen have outscored the Big East opponents sophomore and freshmen 126-74 in 3 conference games.  Unfortunately, they are upperclass dominant teams. 

[TedBaxter]

They're pretty good and well coached.  It's a bit disheartening that Ssm Hoiberg is playing better than Chase Ross right now. 

Do you think Hoiberg having 2 6th year 24 year old teammates in Mast and Garcia help and they've played over 132 career games?  How about Jamarques Lawrence, another senior with over 100 games?  Maybe UCLA and Iowa transfers Berke Buyukluncel and Price Sandfort who have over 70 career games? 4th year junior Cale Jacobson, a former walk-on, who has more career games than Sean Jones? 

I posted on another board that 62% of Marquette's Big East offense is coming from freshman and sophomores ages 18-20.  83% of Nebraska's points are coming from juniors, seniors and super seniors ages 21-24.  They have one redshirt freshman, Brandon Frager, who is averaging 11.4 points and he's the only underclassman playing in the rotation for Nebraska and there are a ton of teams with this experience level.  If you've never played high school or college basketball, you probably don't understand what the physical and emotional maturity advantages of older players.

Yes, Shaka rolled the dice and it hasn't worked this year with this younger roster, especially when playing older teams.  Marquette's sophomores and freshmen have outscored the Big East opponents sophomore and freshmen 126-74 in 3 conference games.  Unfortunately, they are upperclass dominant teams.