Professional and College Basketball Forums banner

2025-26 Projected Starting Lineups

2 reading
408 views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  Bingo v2.0  
#1 · (Edited)
Didn’t see a catch-all thread for each team’s projected lineup, though I know the individual team threads have speculated about particular schools.

So, based on what you’ve read or heard about the newcomers your team has added and, obviously, what you know about the returning players, what are your thoughts on your team’s starting five and key bench pieces?

For Bing, I’ll go with:

C Demetrius Lilley - 6’10”
F Sayerr Senghore - 6’8”
G Bryson Wilson - 6’5”
G Wes Peterson Jr. - 6’6”
G Jeremiah Quigley - 5’11”

Key rotation players off bench:
G Evan Ashe - 6’3”
G Ryan Richardson - 6’5”
F Zyier Beverley - 6’9”

Could easily make the case to swap in Richardson or Ashe for Wilson or Peterson, or Beverly for Senghore, but this is what I’ll go with. Would bet anything Lilley and Quigley are in there with Peterson next as most likely start. I’d also guess that guys like Benigni, and hopefully Lemond if he made offseason progress, see some regular action, just not like the other three. Also, want to note that in a group photo at some event, Senghore looked notably bigger than his listed measurements, which I found interesting since he looked like a pretty skilled player from what I’ve seen for a guy his (listed) size.

I like the size and athleticism overall. Not sure how much 3 point shooting there is with this group. I know freshman Blackburn is reported to be a threat, but as a freshman you never know what sort of impact or how much time he’ll see. No idea what to expect from Kelsey.

Wouldn’t expect many appearances from Snagg and Ibroci.

So what do you think for your team? I usually feel like I’ve got a rough idea for each school, but the amount of turnover now makes it difficult to guess without spending time googling a bunch of names and seeing clips.
 
#3 ·
Projected Starters

Ace Valentine
8.0 PPG, 3.2 APG on 52/33/67 FG in 26.7 MPG (UMBC)
Devin Ceaser
11.5 PPG on 39/27/73 shooting in 20.6 MPG (Old Dominion)
Jah King
15.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.4 APG on 46/30/84 in 35.8 MPG (New Haven)
Caden Diggs
2.9 PPG on 34/24/84 in 10.6 MPG (Old Dominion)
Josh Odunowo
11.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG on 57% FG (UMBC)

Key Reserves

Paul Greene
13.8 PPG, 12.1 RPG on 49% FG in 30.5 MPG (Southern NH, D2)
DJ Armstrong
12.3 PPG on 44/37/92 shooting (UTPB, D2)

Bench
Jose Tanchyn
9.4 PPG, 6.7 RPG on 52/31/50 FG in 22.3 MPG (Palm Beach Atlantic, D2)
Cougar Downing
12.2 PPG, 45% 3FG (Eastern New Mexico, D2)

Wild Cards
Tim Eze (2nd year at UMBC) - really like his build and athleticism, could make a big leap
Daylon Dickerson (2nd year at UMBC) - former SMU WR turned basketball player, struggled to adapt from JUCO last year
Riley Jacobs (True Freshman) - hard for 18 y/os to make an impact at this level in 2025...can Jacobs?
 
#4 ·
Most of this is a wild-ass guess, but since that’s what we do here….

UVM starters
TJ Hurley
Lucas Mari
Jackson Skipper
Ben Michaels
David Simon

Rotation
TJ Long
Gus Yalden
Noah Barnett
Sean Blake
Ben Johnson

A few things that bug me about this.

TJ Long is one of the top five players. I put him in the second group because he’s coming off the injury and I’m wondering if maybe they ease him back in. Plus he’d give us a deadeye shooter in the second unit.

10 guys seems like too many. But who are you supposed to leave out? The rotation is generally deeper in the non conference portion of the schedule and then gets narrowed. I’m assuming that happens again and we play 10 guys.

This doesn’t even include Trey Woodyard at all, and I can’t see how he doesn’t warrant some run given his experience and overall skill set. It just feels like somebody has to be left out. I don’t think it will be one of the four bigs because we need some size. So it’s Johnson or Woodyard, I think.

These things always sort themselves out over the season as some guys underperform, others exceed expectations, there are inevitable injuries, etc.
 
#5 ·
Most of this is a wild-ass guess, but since that’s what we do here….

UVM starters
TJ Hurley
Lucas Mari
Jackson Skipper
Ben Michaels
David Simon

Rotation
TJ Long
Gus Yalden
Noah Barnett
Sean Blake
Ben Johnson

A few things that bug me about this.

TJ Long is one of the top five players. I put him in the second group because he’s coming off the injury and I’m wondering if maybe they ease him back in. Plus he’d give us a deadeye shooter in the second unit.

10 guys seems like too many. But who are you supposed to leave out? The rotation is generally deeper in the non conference portion of the schedule and then gets narrowed. I’m assuming that happens again and we play 10 guys.

This doesn’t even include Trey Woodyard at all, and I can’t see how he doesn’t warrant some run given his experience and overall skill set. It just feels like somebody has to be left out. I don’t think it will be one of the four bigs because we need some size. So it’s Johnson or Woodyard, I think.

These things always sort themselves out over the season as some guys underperform, others exceed expectations, there are inevitable injuries, etc.
Makes sense. As difficult as it is to pin down a team at this point in the year, I think Vermont is positioned to have a great year based on what I’ve found regarding who they brought in and who they return. Though I have to acknowledge that I’m not exactly going out on a limb projecting the Catamounts to be atop the standings.
 
#6 ·
Didn’t see a catch-all thread for each team’s projected lineup, though I know the individual team threads have speculated about particular schools.

So, based on what you’ve read or heard about the newcomers your team has added and, obviously, what you know about the returning players, what are your thoughts on your team’s starting five and key bench pieces?

For Bing, I’ll go with:

C Demetrius Lilley - 6’10”
F Sayerr Senghore - 6’8”
G Bryson Wilson - 6’5”
G Wes Peterson Jr. - 6’6”
G Jeremiah Quigley - 5’11”

Key rotation players off bench:
G Evan Ashe - 6’3”
G Ryan Richardson - 6’5”
F Zyier Beverley - 6’9”

Could easily make the case to swap in Richardson or Ashe for Wilson or Peterson, or Beverly for Senghore, but this is what I’ll go with. Would bet anything Lilley and Quigley are in there with Peterson next as most likely start. I’d also guess that guys like Benigni, and hopefully Lemond if he made offseason progress, see some regular action, just not like the other three. Also, want to note that in a group photo at some event, Senghore looked notably bigger than his listed measurements, which I found interesting since he looked like a pretty skilled player from what I’ve seen for a guy his (listed) size.

I like the size and athleticism overall. Not sure how much 3 point shooting there is with this group. I know freshman Blackburn is reported to be a threat, but as a freshman you never know what sort of impact or how much time he’ll see. No idea what to expect from Kelsey.

Wouldn’t expect many appearances from Snagg and Ibroci.

So what do you think for your team? I usually feel like I’ve got a rough idea for each school, but the amount of turnover now makes it difficult to guess without spending time googling a bunch of names and seeing clips.
That’s a big starting five!