+- CSNbbs (https://csnbbs.com)
+-- Forum: Proving Grounds (/forum-768.html)
+--- Forum: NonFBbbs (/forum-819.html)
+---- Forum: Chicago State (/forum-987.html)
+---- Thread: 2025-26 Men’s Basketball (/thread-1014108.html)
2025-26 Men’s Basketball - Todor - 08-20-2025 09:58 AM
The conference schedule is out. The non con probably won’t be released for a while, but it’s still nice to get a taste of what the upcoming season holds.
https://northeastconference.org/images/2025/8/19/2526_NECMBB_Schedule_Grid_4x3.png
Not sure what to expect from this squad. Don’t know the full roster and I don’t know a lot of about the coach. But he had some moderate success in the SWAC and I see no reason that he can’t build Chicago State up to at least have a decent conference record. Non con will probably be as brutal as ever though.
I’d be satisfied if the Cougars could be at or near .500 in the NEC, and depending on the schedule, pick up a couple non conference wins. I fully expect we’ll see a couple SWAC schools on there.
RE: 2025-26 Men’s Basketball - Todor - 09-02-2025 02:07 AM
From what I can scrounge from the schedules Cougar opponents have released, here is an incomplete look at the Chicago State non conference.
I believe these opponents and dates to be pretty certain.
11-3 @ DePaul
11-6 @ St Louis
11-11 @ Butler
11-18 @ Minnesota
12-6 @ Illinois State
12-14 @ Loyola
12-20 @ Indiana
Hoping for 2-3 home games before conference, but we will see. Historically, that would be a good non conference schedule for a lot of low majors. This may be a case of more road games this year, and a few return games next year.
Not many wins on this partial schedule, but at the same time, no long trips. Last few seasons, the Cougars were crisscrossing the country for games that were not much easier. With conference travel, this many games within easy reach of Chicago are definitely welcome.
RE: 2025-26 Men’s Basketball - MICHAELSPAPPY - 09-04-2025 04:53 PM
(09-02-2025 02:07 AM)Todor Wrote: Not many wins on this partial schedule, but at the same time, no long trips. Last few seasons, the Cougars were crisscrossing the country for games that were not much easier. With conference travel, this many games within easy reach of Chicago are definitely welcome.
Yeah, if you are going to have to get beat up, at least have a short drive home.
RE: 2025-26 Men’s Basketball - Todor - 09-09-2025 02:16 AM
Full schedule now released.
https://www.gocsucougars.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule
Not all that much that hasn’t been previously released.
Home games with UIC and SC State. Another Big 10 game at Iowa. Road games at Youngstown, Bowling Green, and Fort Wayne. In other words, nothing new. Usual low major schedule.
RE: 2025-26 Men’s Basketball - MICHAELSPAPPY - 09-09-2025 08:32 AM
Scheduling for a school that is essentially on the level with a SWAC or MEAC school is a problem. SWAC basketball programs have to volunteer their bodies to get massacred as the price for a paycheck to underwrite their entire athletic program. Generally any wins in non-conference against a D1 team at any level is a big plus. The teams live on the road for a couple of months. I followed UAPB for years and any year in which they got a D1 non-conference win was a big deal to them. How their coaches keep them from being totally demoralized before the conference season is amazing.
And Pine Bluff is a city of around 40,000, but UAPB is the only game in town, essentially, so they are a big draw, and they have the luxury of being all the way across the state from the Razorbacks, so there is little direct competition. CSU administration needs to really rally the students and alumni to attend games, because I can't imagine that they will get much attendance from the general football-watching public.
RE: 2025-26 Men’s Basketball - Todor - 10-06-2025 08:06 PM
Now we’ve got the full schedule and the roster. Almost time for some hoops.
In light of the coaching change, Dailiss Cox and CJ Delancy are the main returning players.
Greg Spate showed increased playing time last season and could build on that this season.
The most intriguing returner is Deshawn Jean-Charles, who didn’t play last season. He’s big and athletic, and hopefully he developed well in the year off and is fully healthy.
RE: 2025-26 Men’s Basketball - Todor - 10-13-2025 12:56 AM
Preseason KenPom ratings for the NEC
287-LIU
315-Central Connecticut
332-Stonehill
340-LeMoyne
345-St Francis
349-Fairleigh Dickinson
356-Wagner
359-Mercyhurst
360-New Haven
361-Chicago State
It’s a down year across the board for most NEC teams. The biggest factors for the NEC are similar to other conferences, yet hit just a bit harder down at this level I believe. Biggest factors I see are-
1. Player turnover. Most of the leagues best players have graduated or transferred
2 Some new coaches in the league. Which coach will get their feet under them first
3 St Francis’ final year. Likely going out with a whimper like Hartford did
4 Entry of New Haven. We will see how ready they are soon enough
5 Balance of the league. No clear favorite, not much separation among teams
RE: 2025-26 Men’s Basketball - Todor - 10-13-2025 01:33 AM
While not an official coaching change as of yet, the Wagner program is in complete chaos.
Head coach Donald Copeland suspended for player abuse
As of October 7 haven’t release a full season schedule or roster.
https://www.silive.com/colleges/2025/10/with-coach-under-fire-wagner-college-mum-about-roster-schedule.html
RE: 2025-26 Men’s Basketball - MICHAELSPAPPY - 10-14-2025 12:23 PM
Administration had to have been asleep at the wheel.
RE: 2025-26 Men’s Basketball - Todor - 10-27-2025 09:58 PM
Cougars picked 6th in the NEC Preseason Poll
https://www.gocsucougars.com/news/2025/10/27/chicago-state-mens-basketball-ready-to-make-noise-in-nec-preseason-poll.aspx
New coach and recruiting has brought some excitement to the Southside this season.
RE: 2025-26 Men’s Basketball - Todor - 10-27-2025 10:03 PM
LIU picked tops, last years champion picked runner up
1. Long Island (unanimous)
2. Central Connecticut
3. Stonehill
4. Mercyhurst
5. Fairleigh Dickinson
6. Chicago State
7. Saint Francis
8. Wagner
9. Le Moyne
10. New Haven
I see LIU getting the top spot with who they have returning. Central Connecticut, last years champion is a “respect” pick however. They lost virtually the entire championship team to graduation and transfers, so I’m not sure they will reload this quickly.
Both Stonehill and Mercyhurst are newer D1 teams just now hitting their stride. They have climbed the ranks since entering D1, but both squads were hit by transfers. Stonehill lost their leading scorer I believe, and Mercyhurst graduated Jeff Plaunitis, who was one of the most capable big men in the NEC.
I don’t know much about FDU’s squad. They were hit by some transfers, but I haven’t looked at their team closely yet.
I think St Francis will finish dead last, being a zombie squad who lost their coach, most of their talent, and is just finishing out their last D1 season. I don’t see how they can avoid it based on what we know.
Wagner is a capable squad, but I’m still waiting to hear if their coach is coaching this season, after being suspended for player abuse earlier in October. Bad timing for that kind of chaos.
LeMoyne enters their second NEC season after a tie for last place in the standings in their first campaign.
And New Haven gets the ritual last place slot based on it being their first D1 season, the unfamiliarity, and their finish in D2 last year.
RE: 2025-26 Men’s Basketball - Todor - 10-27-2025 10:23 PM
NEC Presason all first team includes
Bernie Blunt, Mercyhurst, Grad, Morgantown, PA, (Quinnipiac)
Malachi Davis, LIU, RS- Sr, Scarborough, Ontario, (Arizona State)
Jamal Fuller, LIU, Grad, Toronto, Ontario
Hermann Koffi, Stonehill, Soph, Quebec
Darin Smith, Central Connecticut, Soph, Springfield, Mass.
RE: 2025-26 Men’s Basketball - Todor - 10-30-2025 01:39 AM
Wagner, picked 8th in the NEC, has now named an interim head coach in light of the player abuse accusations against the head coach Donald Copeland earlier this month.
We will see how, or if, this effects the Wagner program this season. They are just a couple years off an NCAA tournament appearance.
https://necsports.com/news/2025/10/28/MBB_McMillan_Interim_WC_25.aspx
RE: 2025-26 Men’s Basketball - Todor - 11-03-2025 07:42 AM
NEC season openers
Chicago State @ DePaul
Thomas College @ Stonehill College
Vermont State Johnson @ Central Connecticut State University
SUNY Cobleskill @ Le Moyne College
New Haven @ Connecticut
Long Island @ Notre Dame
Mercyhurst University @ Northwestern
Fairleigh Dickinson @ Iowa State
Saint Francis University @ Oklahoma
RE: 2025-26 Men’s Basketball - Todor - 11-06-2025 09:05 PM
Pretty good half of basketball for the Cougars versus St Louis. Robbie Avila has some points but has mostly been contained, several St Louis has racked up some fouls, Chicago has hung around within striking distance versus a quality team, and the Chicago offense is getting looks.
A lot to like in the first half.
Beyond a dreadful 3-4 minute stretch where St Louis went on an absolute tear and broke the game wide open, Chicago State played pretty well for the second game of a new coach with a new team. St Louis is picked in a dead heat for first in the A10, so outside of a big lapse, I am satisfied with the level of play the Cougars showed.
What i liked-
Dailiss Cox! 8-8 from the floor. He’s a master of soft touch mid range shots.
Turnovers- 15 is too many, but 5 came from one guy, and 3 of those were in 30 seconds. Overall, apart from a few sloppy ball handling episodes and some toward the end of the game, Chicago took care of the ball well enough.
Depth- It might just be early season roster rotating to see who can do what, but the team seems to be able to sub in and out in most positions without a noticeable change in play. Even with a fast paced game, the Cougars had guys to keep bringing in without losing much.
Fouls- Not a big issue. Nobody was really fouling constantly instead of playing defense, although St Louis got the ball inside too often and brought about too many And 1’s, but those are tough to avoid once it gets inside. More of a defense issue than a constant fouling situation IMO.
If this type of loss to an A10 front runner is any indication, I think Chicago State is going to do OK under Landon Bussie and this new squad in the NEC.
St Louis is a very good squad (around 70 in KenPom) and Chicago State went toe to toe with them for much of this game.
RE: 2025-26 Men’s Basketball - MICHAELSPAPPY - 11-15-2025 02:21 PM
Well, at least we are plus-2 on the boards.
RE: 2025-26 Men’s Basketball - MICHAELSPAPPY - 11-15-2025 02:22 PM
The two teams are a combined 0 for 8 from the arc. Not exactly burning the gym down.
RE: 2025-26 Men’s Basketball - MICHAELSPAPPY - 11-15-2025 02:23 PM
How about that, an 8-point lead.
RE: 2025-26 Men’s Basketball - MICHAELSPAPPY - 11-15-2025 02:26 PM
Nine minutes in and only one turnover. That will win ballgames for you.
RE: 2025-26 Men’s Basketball - MICHAELSPAPPY - 11-15-2025 02:28 PM
Not to mention plus-6 on the boards.