FARMINGTON, Utah — The Big Sky Conference office has released its 2026-27 men’s basketball preseason polls and all-conference team, which have tabbed the Montana State Bobcats as league favorites and Northern Colorado’s Langston Reynolds as MVP.
The Bobcats are set to return 11 players from last year’s squad, which finished second in the Big Sky regular-season standings with an 18-14 overall record. They are projected to be led by 2025-26 first-team All-Big Sky performer Jed Miller, who averaged 14.9 points per game, 5.7 assists per game, 2.9 assists per game and 1.6 steals per game last season.
Montana, meanwhile, was picked fourth in both polls (tied with Portland State in the coaches' rankings). The Grizzlies did not have a player named to the preseason all-conference team.
Northern Colorado was picked second in both polls, with Reynolds returning to the Big Sky Conference after a season at Minnesota. While playing in the Big 10, he averaged 11.6 points per game in 26 starts.
He also led the Golden Gophers with 150 assists. At the conclusion of hist 2024-25 campaign for Northern Colorado, he was voted first-team All-Big Sky after averaging 16 points per game. He played for UNC from 2022-25 and is now back in Greeley with the Bears.
Eastern Washington checked in at third in both polls, highlighted by a pair of preseason all-conference selections. Andrew Cook returns to Cheney after missing the 2025-26 season with an injury. The year prior, he averaged 16.1 points per game for the Eagles, along with dishing out 59 assists and securing 38 steals.
He’s joined on the preseason team by Alton Hamilton IV, who was a second-team All-Big Sky performer last season and was named to the Big Sky’s all-tournament Team. Hamilton IV averaged 11.3 points per game and 5.7 rebounds per game last year, along with dishing out 73 assists for the Eags.
This season the Big Sky will welcome in two new men’s basketball programs, with Southern Utah and Utah Tech bringing the league to 11 full-time member institutions. Both programs are also represented on the preseason all-conference list, with Ethan Potter (UT) and Jaiden Feroah (SUU) both getting the nod.
Potter was a first-team All-WAC performer last season, and a member of the league’s all-tournament team. He averaged 16.8 points per game and 7.8 rebounds per game for the Trailblazers. Feroah was an all-defensive team honoree for the WAC last season, averaging 13.5 points per game and 6.7 rebounds per game for the Thunderbirds.
Portland State’s Koren Johnson rounded out the preseason all-conference team. Johnson is a transfer from Ole Miss, who was named 2023-24 Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year while playing for Washington. The Vikings, who are the Big Sky’s reigning regular season champion, were tied for fourth in the coaches’ poll and fifth in the media poll.
Idaho, the defending Big Sky tournament champions, were voted sixth by both coaches and media.
The 2026-27 men’s basketball season will officially begin on Monday, Nov. 2.
2026-27 Big Sky Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1, Montana State (7) – 97
2, Northern Colorado – 81
3, Eastern Washington (3) – 79
T4, Montana – 73
T4, Portland State – 73
6, Idaho (1) – 56
7, Utah Tech – 50
8, Weber State – 29
9, Idaho State – 26
10, Southern Utah – 25
11, Northern Arizona – 16
2026-27 Big Sky Men’s Basketball Preseason Media Poll
1, Montana State (19) – 326
2, Northern Colorado (7) – 295
3, Eastern Washington (5) – 279
4, Montana (1) – 254
5, Portland State – 236
6, Idaho – 183
7, Utah Tech – 161
8, Weber State – 143
9, Idaho State – 93
10, Southern Utah – 85
11, Northern Arizona – 57
2026-27 Big Sky Men’s Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
Langston Reynolds, Northern Colorado (MVP)
Jed Miller, Montana State
Ethan Potter, Utah Tech
Andrew Cook, Eastern Washington
Alton Hamilton IV, Eastern Washington
Jaiden Feroah, Southern Utah
Koren Johnson, Portland State
