Basketball season is right around the corner! 

And for JMU fans, that’s an exciting time. It’s always been an exciting time for fans of the women’s hoops team, but with the Dukes’ men’s program taking a step forward, it makes for an even more entertaining winter. Both the men’s and women’s teams enter the year as the preseason Sun Belt favorites. It’s a good time to be a fan of the Dukes.

Here’s our season preview guide for both the men’s and women’s teams.

JMU men’s basketball

The coach

Preston Spradlin returns for his second season leading the Dukes. The 38-year-old coach has led his teams to 20 wins in five straight seasons, including four at Morehead State. Given the Dukes’ schedule and roster, that’s the expectation again in 2025-26.

If Spradlin takes JMU to an NCAA Tournament or even a Sun Belt regular-season title, his name will come up in Power Conference searches. He’s a rising star in the industry.

His calling card, at least historically, has been strong defense. JMU’s 2024-25 team broke that mold, instead leaning mostly on Bryce Lindsay and an efficient offense. This year’s squad should move back to the defense-first mindset, especially with Lindsay now at Villanova.

The roster

Well, it’s essentially all new. Gone are players like Xavier Brown, Mark Freeman, and Lindsay. In come guys like Cliff Davis and Justin McBride. The notable returners are Eddie Ricks and Justin Taylor, who transferred into the program last year and add solid frontcourt depth. Ricks has star potential, while Taylor figures to be more of a reserve.

Here’s a closer look at the Dukes’ 2025-26 roster, starting with the oldest members of the group.

Bradley Douglas, G — A 5th-year player from Georgia Southern (and Little Rock and the JUCO ranks), Douglas knows college basketball. He’s played in 141 games, starting 92. He scored 12 points per game with the Eagles this past season, and he’s a preseason First Team All-Sun Belt player. He’s an important piece.

Cliff Davis, G — Another 5th-year guy, Davis most recently played at UTRGV. He averaged just over 12 points per game last season, and he might be the Dukes’ most reliable 3-point shooter. He’s a 38% shooter from deep over his lengthy career. JMU needs his shooting.

Kose Egbule, G — An NAIA All-American transfer, the redshirt senior has over 1,000 career points. He’s not expected to be a major piece, but he’s a solid depth addition.

Chance Lundy, G — A club basketball star at JMU, Lundy walked onto the team. He has a great story, although it’s unlikely the senior sees major playing time. Still, going from club hoops to a top-100 D1 roster is incredible.

Justin Taylor, F — The former Syracuse starter played a small role for the Dukes this past season, but his familiarity with Spradlin is a plus. He’s a capable rebounder who could carve out a role off the bench, but the senior plays in a crowded position group.
Josh Stephen, G — A walk-on from Shenandoah University is a capable 3-point shooter (35.7% for his career).

Ike Cornish, G — The 6’6 guard has played for Maryland, Ohio, and Nicholls. When healthy, he’s an elite athlete with upside. His exact role is to be determined, but the senior’s potential is intriguing.

Gabe Newhof, F — The NAIA All-American should play a major role, since the senior is 6’9 and 235 lbs. He’s a good rebounder and can score in the post with traditional big man moves. He’s worked hard as a free-throw shooter, and if he can make over 70% from the line he can be an important scoring option.

Paul Lewis, G — Matt Lewis’ younger brother joins the Dukes as a redshirt junior. He’s played at Vanderbilt and UTSA, and he has a lot of potential, but he’s unproven at the college level. His role likely depends on the play of the veteran guards. If they struggle, Lewis might quickly earn more time.

Eddie Ricks III, F — A junior, Ricks began his career with Spradlin at Morehead State. He averaged 6.7 points and 4.7 rebounds a year ago for the Dukes, and he could take on a bigger role this year. He’s a really good defender, and he snagged 15 rebounds in an exhibition loss to Richmond. He has game.

Justin McBride, F — At 6’7 and 240 lbs, the junior has pro-level skills. He scored 14 in the exhibition loss to Richmond, and he should thrive in the Sun Belt after seasons at Oklahoma State and Nevada. He’s a likely double-digit scorer and one of the team’s best players.

Eli Wilborn, F — Another tank, Wilborn is 6’8 and 250 lbs. The junior from Duquesne shoots a high percentage from the field and can block shots. His size makes him a defensive plus, and his picky shot selection means that if he’s shooting, it’s got a chance to go in. He should fit perfectly into this team.

Paul Jones III, G — A Winthrop transfer, Jones was solid (7.6 points per game) during his freshman season. He’s a solid prospect with upside.

Christian Brown, F — The true freshman is fascinating. A small forward in high school, he’s up to 6’8 and 235 lbs and will likely play power forward and center for this team. He’s super talented and should improve as the season goes on.

Preston Fowler, F — The highest-rated recruit in program history, there’s buzz about the 6’8 forward with guard skills. Is he ready to make a huge impact now or will he need a season of development?

The schedule

Meh.

Arkansas headlines the schedule, which only includes three teams in the preseason KenPom top 100 (Akron, George Mason and Arkansas). It’s not the worst schedule in the world, but it’s really hard for teams like JMU to get top competition on the schedule. The Dukes sit in a place metrics wise where they’re too good for teams to expect to beat them, but they’re not good enough to be considered a respectable loss. Losing to JMU would hurt a team’s resume, but winning against the Dukes wouldn’t help. At least in the eyes of the NET. That’s a bad place to be.

On the plus side, JMU really doesn’t have any games it can’t win. The Dukes should have a chance in every game this year, with Arkansas being the toughest test on paper. 

Full schedule can be found here.

The projection

KenPom has JMU going 19-11 overall and 12-6 in the Sun Belt. That feels fair, but we’ll move the bar a bit higher. JMU is the preseason pick to win the conference, and Spradlin is in his second year in Harrisonburg.

Anything less than 20 wins and a top-3 finish in the Sun Belt will feel disappointing. The Dukes should be in contention for the league’s automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, given the amount of talent on the roster and coaching staff.

JMU women’s basketball

The coach

It’s Year 10 for Sean O’Regan, who is 210-81 leading the Dukes. He’s done a fantastic job, although he’s still only made one NCAA Tournament. Could this year bring No. 2?

O’Regan is one of the top mid-major coaches in the country, and while he’s a JMU alumnus, it wouldn’t come as a shock if Power Conference teams start pushing for his services soon. He’s an exceptional roster builder, and the Dukes are fortunate he’s in Harrisonburg.

The roster

This unit starts and ends with Peyton McDaniel. She’s one of the best players in the country, and she’s a Duke. Her presence means JMU can win any game it plays against mid-major competition.

The return of forward Ashanti Barnes is also critical. She’s a double-double machine — six last season — and figures to lead the team in rebounding.

Outside of those two, it’s murkier. JMU lost a lot of its top sidekicks to graduation, including Jamia Hazell and Kseniia Kozlova.

SMU transfers Kylie Marshall (guard) and Brianna McLeod (forward) should bolster the roster, joining returning guards Bree Robinson and Zakiya Stephenson. That group of six players figures to play key roles, and the next two or three spots in the rotation are up for grabs.

Can any of the underclassmen secure roles? Freshman forward Grace McDonogh is among those most likely to see the court early in their careers, and she started in a recent scrimmage, according to the Daily News-Record.

The TLDR for this team is that McDaniel and Barnes will lead the way, and even with key personnel losses, there’s more than enough talent for the Dukes to win the Sun Belt.

The schedule

We love it. Home games against Notre Dame and Virginia Tech? Electric!

The Dukes also have home nonconference games against George Mason, Liberty, Villanova and VCU, among others. They face Texas on the road and play Boston College and Wisconsin at a neutral site. If the Dukes go off in the nonconference portion of their schedule, they could quietly build a resume worthy of at-large consideration into the NCAA Tournament. At the very least, the Dukes will be prepared for Sun Belt play and should learn a lot about themselves during the nonconference slate. Just about every game is a must-watch for fans in November and December.

As for the Sun Belt, we’ll see how the league stacks up. The league games might lack intrigue at times, but JMU’s schedule should be entertaining for most of the season. It’s a great slate of games.

The projection

A Sun Belt championship is the lowest-level goal for this team. An NCAA Tournament win feels like the high-end goal.

JMU has elite talent that most other mid-majors don’t with McDaniel and Barnes. If they stay healthy, JMU should win a lot of games. The Dukes’ guards are elite defenders, and they should take a leap offensively this season. O’Regan is an experienced coach with a decade of head coaching experience now.

It could be a special season in Harrisonburg again, as the Dukes return a couple of stars from a 30-win team.

Photo courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications