By Jack Kutz

Only a few days sit between now and the start of a new season for JMU men’s basketball.

After an inconsistent 2025-26 season where the Dukes finished 18-15, the new-look team is hoping for a bounce-back season in 2026. Let’s take a closer look before Monday’s season opener against Miami Ohio.

The coach

Preston Spradlin returns to Harrisonburg for his third season with the Dukes. The 39-year-old is coming in with high expectations. His team is picked to finish second in the Sun Belt preseason poll.

Historically, his calling card has been his scrappy defenses and his set offenses. However, last season his defensive unit ranked in the middle of the road in points allowed per game. Point allowed doesn’t always tell the full story, but the Dukes had the 235th best defensive rating last season and 255th in KenPom’s defensive efficiency metric. 

However, after two impressive preseason games and an offseason defined by a new transfer portal class, Spradlin seems to have a much improved squad compared to a season ago.

The roster

Another season, another brand new roster for JMU Nation to watch. Spradlin retained two players, brought in 10 transfers, and recruited three freshmen. Standout players from last season like Justin McBride and Eddie Ricks hit the portal while seniors like Cliff Davis and Bradley Douglas ran out of eligibility.

Here’s a brief look into all 15 players rostered.

KJ Windham, G, third year — The third-year guard should be a key piece of this roster. In two exhibition games, Windham played 23 and 37 minutes. In those minutes, he put up 23 points in each game. Windham is a strong shooter, driver, and playmaker. Against VCU he added four assists and had zero turnovers across both games. The Northwestern transfer looks to be Spradlin’s first option on offense.

Brandon Lee, G, second year — Lee, a second-year transfer from Illinois is another Big Ten transfer for Preston Spradlin. The former four-star recruit uses his quick first step to force fouls. He shot 12 free throws against VCU and also shot well from deep against VCU as he went 3-for-4. Lee is likely to be a great spark plug off the bench on both sides of the ball.

Gage Lattimore, G, third year — The North Carolina Central transfer is slightly undersized at 6’1, but makes up for it with his skill on offense. He dropped 29 on JMU last season and has proven to be a guard that can be relied upon heavily. Defensively, Lattimore has some aspects to improve upon but he plays with a great motor.

Cavan Reilly, G, fifth year — Reilly, a fifth-year Delaware transfer, has not played in either of JMU’s exhibition games. His role in the team is unclear for now, but he brings promise as a great shooter and gritty defender. Hopefully injuries don’t plague his final season in college. 

Ace Meeks, G, first year — The true freshman has gotten significant playing time in the preseason and should continue to during the regular season. Meeks had a number of impressive moments including big plays like breaking ankles and small plays like beating the Richmond press defense. Expect some freshman mistakes, but also expect some great plays from Meeks. 

Paul Jones III, G, third year — Jones started in JMU’s first exhibition versus Richmond, but came off the bench against VCU. After an injury plagued sophomore campaign, the returner is looking to prove himself. He put up 17 points against Richmond and seven against VCU. He brings solid value as a rebounder as he averaged 4.5 in the exhibitions. 

Matthew Owens, G, first year — The local product from Luray is likely to sit the bench for much of his first season with the Dukes. His high school tape is very solid but Owens is set to be a depth piece for the foreseeable future.

Adrian Myers, F, fourth year — Another local player from Stephens City, an hour drive from Harrisonburg, the fourth-year player brings a wide range of skills. In the preseason, Myers started both games. He rebounded well and played solid defense. At 6’6 220 lbs, Myers brings great size to the team. Last season at San Jose State he shot 37% from deep. In exhibitions, Myers shot 2-for-5.

Emarquis Jones, F, fourth year — Jones did not play in either exhibition games, seemingly because of injury. He had a boot on his right foot against Richmond. However, if he can come back healthy, the fourth-year player has a great blend of athleticism, size, and shooting skills. He had a number of athletic defensive plays at the DII level last season that should translate to the Sun Belt. 

Preston Fowler, F, second year — Fowler returns for his second season at JMU. He started in 14 games last season and did a lot of small things that didn’t show up on the box score. He averaged six rebounds per game during the month of February last season and played great defense. If Fowler developed his offensive game while maintaining his other skills, he should be a great leader for the Dukes this season.

Joseph Brown, F, second year — The 6’6 slashing forward may not be receiving a ton of minutes this year, but he showed out at NAIA Clarke last season in limited playing time. He shot efficiently and showed flashes across the board. Brown should be a solid depth piece for Preston Spradlin to lean on if he needs it.

Marley Curtis, F, second year — The North Dakota transfer looked like a very solid “glue guy” for JMU in exhibition. In limited playing time, he was getting on the ground for loose balls and fighting for rebounds. He isn’t a flashy player, but similarly to Preston Fowler, he does the little things right on defense. He may not play a ton this season but we could see more of him if Emarquis Jones doesn’t come back soon.

Garrett Sundra, F, third year — Another Northern Virginia product, Sundra is a dynamic big man who spent two seasons at Notre Dame. As a 6’11 big man, he can shoot the three very well and brings a well rounded game to the table offensively. Defensively, Sundra didn’t look very sharp. He was getting bodied by Richmond and racked up four fouls against VCU. However he shouldn’t go against as many good bigs throughout the season. 

Jacob Hogarth, F, third year — Hogarth put on 35 pounds over the offseason to become the big man Preston Spradlin wants. Offensively, Hogarth may not break the stat sheet but defensively he should be very solid. At 6’9 245 pounds, he should be a force inside. Similarly to Eli Wilborn last season, the weight concerns me, but I hope Spradlin learned his lesson and lets Hogarth play his own style of basketball.

AJ Evans, F, first year — Another freshman, Evans comes in from Iowa. He played football and won a state championship at his high school. He has the size to play in the Sun Belt at 6’9 220, but most likely won’t see a ton of time on the court due to solid depth at his position. If Evans stays in Harrisonburg, he could be a great weapon for the Dukes in the future. 

The schedule

Another subpar schedule left fans disappointed over the offseason. Games against Miami Ohio and Kentucky to start the season are great, but after that the schedule becomes very poor. Delaware is a neat historical rival. Towson and Longwood are teams that JMU has become familiar with. Charleston Southern, William & Mary, and Elon are decent games. Despite these being cool regional games, none of these teams are going to boost JMU’s profile much if they win.

The rest of the out-of-conference schedule is pretty horrid. North Carolina A&T, Virginia University of Lynchburg, Coppin State, and Notre Dame of Maryland are not good matchups. However, playing Troy and Arkansas State are always good opportunities in conference.

Looking at the bright side of this weak schedule, JMU should win most of these games.

The projection

For a program that is joining the American soon, this season feels crucial for Spradlin. Anything less than 20 wins in a weak Sun Belt would be a massive disappointment.

If everything goes right, JMU should get 20 or more wins and compete for a Sun Belt championship. At worst, I think a repeat of last year — a record around .500 — could happen. 

Photo courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications