By Nick Bartlett, SuperWest Sports
|
With the 2025-26 campaign in the rearview mirror for the nine teams of the new Pac-12, let’s take an early look at next season.
It’s a basketball conference that ceased to exist for the past two years, with the Beavs and Cougs playing in the WCC, and the other 10 legacy Pac-12 teams bolting.
That sets up an exciting and unpredictable re-emergence in 2026-27.
New to the party are five former Mountain West schools—Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Utah State—along with Gonzaga from the WCC, and Texas State from the Sun Belt.
The Zags are certain to be the preseason favorites, with the Aggies and Aztecs expected to be their most likely pursuers.
But the new consortium of teams is bound to produce plenty of surprises.
Here are my way-too-early outlooks.
.
Gonzaga (31-4)
The Zags immediately become the flagship brand of Pac-12 basketball, and their performance will shape the reputation of the new conference.
To play up to their usual standards, they’ll need to replace Graham Ike.
His experience in the paint will be difficult to replicate, but Braden Huff returns from injury, and he’s an elite scorer at the post position.
Huff can shoot, has a good handle for his size, and is a high-IQ player. He should be able to make up for the scoring lost by Ike, but they’re very different players.
Other notable returners for the Bulldogs include Mario Saint-Supery and Davis Fogle. While Fogle gets a lot of attention, Saint-Supery should prove more important.
Recent Hall of Fame inductee Mark Few will need to involve multiple players, particularly in the early season, to build team chemistry.
If Saint-Supery can provide stability, it will take pressure off Davis and allow him to be the highlight that he is.
This is Gonzaga’s conference to lose.
Utah State (29-7)
For some teams, the Pac-12 feels like a brand-enhancing deal, but for the Aggies, it’s an opportunity to solidify themselves as a reputable name.
Utah State made the NCAA Tournament the previous two years, but former head coach Jerrod Calhoun is out after taking the Cincinnati job, and Ben Jacobson is in.
Calhoun and Jacobson have similar styles, but there will be some differences. Calhoun prefers an in-your-face defense, while Jacobson prefers more structure.
Jacobson, who built Northern Iowa into a high-level mid-major, likes to slow the pace, protect the ball, and be highly efficient on offense.
Utah State’s success next season, however, will likely depend on the return of Mason Falslev, who excels on both sides of the ball.
Falslev averaged 16 points per game, 5.7 rebounds, 1.9 steals, and 3.1 assists, and was selected the Mountain West Player of the Year in 2025-26.
USU’s not on Gonzaga’s level, but they feel like the second-place team this upcoming season.
San Diego State (22-11)
Everyone knows what to expect from San Diego State basketball—a solid defense complemented by a spotty offense. Things will remain the same in the Pac.
The key for the Aztecs is to score enough points to hang with Gonzaga and Utah State. SDSU’s defense should continue to dominate as long as Magoon Gwath returns.
Gwath, a 7-foot big man with solid shot-blocking skills, averaged 1.5 rejections per game a year ago. His skill set should prove transferable.
The main concern for SDSU entering the Pac-12 is finding enough offensive firepower. In particular, they’ll need buckets from Elzie Harrington and Zach White.
San Diego State lost a lot of scoring to the portal and graduation.
Miles Byrd recently announced he was leaving, which also stings. He was the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year and a double-digit scorer.
White, a three-star prospect from Sherman Oaks, might be able to make up for the team’s lost production.
Colorado State (21-13)
People may be sleeping on Colorado State. This is a squad that has won at least 20 games six years in a row, minus the Covid campaign.
The 2026-27 season should prove exciting for the Rams, who return their top three scorers in Brandon Rechsteiner, Kyle Jorgensen, and Carey Booth.
The trio provides experience, which should prove a nice balance alongside one of CSU’s best recruiting classes.
Colorado State nabbed a plethora of quality three-star recruits from around the region, most notably, guards Kaiden Bailey and Eli Sancomb, and power forward Ethan Harris.
CSU could sneak up the conference standings, along with some other teams in transition, such as Washington State, San Diego State, and Boise State.
The Rams might even buck a few top teams this season.
Oregon State (17-16)
Oregon State underwent a year of transition, firing Wayne Tinkle after 12 years at the helm. Tinkle’s Beavers did alright this year, finishing 17-16, but they lacked the “it” factor.
OSU didn’t put together any long winning streaks, had no star player, and only a few signature wins. If not for the new conference and a desire to start fresh, the athletic department might have stayed with him.
Josiah Lake II was OSU’s best player last season, leading the team with 13.1 points, 4.2 assists, and 1.4 steals.
He also finished tied for the team lead in defensive rebounds with 3.8 per contest. That was an area of concern at one point, considering he’s a 6-foot-2 guard.
The junior isn’t a traditional star, but he fueled OSU a year ago as a First-Team All-WCC selection.
Other noteworthy players for Oregon State last season included Isaiah Sy and Dez White. White was an All-WCC Honorable Mention selection after averaging 9.7 points per game.
Looking to generate more excitement in the new conference, OSU hired Michigan assistant Justin Joyner in the off-season. It’s his first head coaching gig, but he’s expected to be the opposite of Tinkle.
Previously an associate head coach at Saint Mary’s, Joyner is known for a fast-paced, high-volume three-point offense. He’ll need strong guard play to make the system work, so Lake’s return would prove pivotal.
If Lake returns, along with Sy and White, giving the Beavers three experienced seniors, they could find themselves in the upper tier of the Pac-12.
Boise State (20-12)
Some analysts believe Boise State can make a run in the new Pac, but that seems unlikely—at least for next season.
In fact, the Broncos could slip to the bottom of the conference.
They lost most of their guards in the transfer portal, and it feels like too much to overcome, with Drew Fielder, RJ Keene II, and Dylan Andrews all departing.
It’s unsettling because BSU was on average on defense a year ago, ranking 330th in blocks per game and 167th in points allowed nationally.
The Broncos were still solid in 2025-26, finishing 20-12, but declined an invitation to play in the NIT.
They have a lot of holes to fill in the offseason. Aginaldo Neto and Julian Bowie return, but can’t be expected to make a huge jump.
If Boise State can find a decent big man, a reliable point guard, and some no-fear scorers, they might be alright.
It would be a cool season to make some noise, as they’re upgrading their student section, known as “Blue Chaos.”
Washington State (12-20)
Washington State had an unsettling year, suffering unfathomable losses to Portland, Pepperdine, and San Diego.
Head coach David Riley seemed lost during his second season on the Palouse.
He’s probably lucky that the school is in a financial crisis, or else he could have found himself looking for a new job.
The Cougars ended their campaign on a four-game losing streak, including a loss to the Pilots in their first game in the WCC Tournament.
After impressive showings against Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s earlier in the year, WSU seemed set for a respectable season—until they blew a 17-point lead in Corvallis.
Three things hindered the Cougars from realizing their potential last season: a porous defense, a tendency to blow big leads, and difficulty winning on the road.
Wazzu ranked 279th in points allowed per game, despite solid post play from ND Okafor, and self-imploded down the stretch.
Entering the new Pac-12, a bounce-back season depends on whether Ace Glass returns.
The Cougs have already lost most of their roster from a season ago in Rihards Vavers and Okafor. If Glass leaves also, they’re making pizza from scratch.
It’s hard to imagine he’ll stay, given the roster depletion, but WSU’s still in a decent position, oddly.
If Riley fumbles the bag in the non-conference next year, it might be enough for him to get fired.
On the other stirrup, an entirely new roster could prove to be a blessing, considering the results last year.
Texas State (19-13)
Due to their lack of basketball history, Texas State might be getting overlooked.
The Bobcats aren’t going to be a top team anytime soon, but they could finish near the middle of the conference with a few breaks.
TXST, the coolest acronym ever, returns DJ Hall, who is everything for them.
Hall, the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year last season, averaged 15.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per contest.
The Bobcats also have an experienced coach in Terrence Johnson, who won back-to-back Sun Belt championships earlier in his tenure.
The big caveat with Texas State, though, is that they’ll be playing a more difficult schedule than they’re accustomed to.
They’ll probably get mollywhapped a few times, but the combination of Hall and Johnson should keep this team competitive.
Fresno State (13-19)
Fresno State is improving, but the Bulldogs aren’t quite there yet.
Vance Walberg did a good job in his second year with the program. But having taken over a team that went 12-21 the year before, it’s gonna take a while.
And things are just gonna get more difficult.
Fresno State has already lost key players in the transfer portal, including DeShawn Gory and Zaon Collins. And a slew of other players are projected to leave as well.
FSU also graduated its leading scorer, Jake Heidbreder, who led the team in scoring at 17 points per game.
He was also the glue guy, playing 37 minutes per contest.
Without him, and eight players potentially dipping, this could prove a tough year for Fresno State basketball.
The Bulldogs could well be a bottom-of-the-pack team.
Writes about football and basketball as a Senior Writer and hosts “The Nick Bartlett Show” for SuperWest Sports.
Latest posts by Nick Bartlett
(see all)
;)
You must be logged in to post a comment Login