University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
10/19/2026 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss senior guard Isaac Taveras (Santo Domingo, Dominic Republic) earned Sun Belt Preseason Player of the Year honors while the Golden Eagles men's basketball squad was picked to finish seventh Monday in a vote by the league's 14 head coaches.
Taveras, who was also named the league's top player by the publication Blue Ribbon Magazine earlier this fall, averaged 15.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest for the Golden Eagles last season as he converted 51.5 percent of his shots (136-of-264) from the floor. He also added 2.3 assists per contest.
The Golden Eagles, which finished 19-16 a year ago including 9-9 in the league to tie for eighth place, was picked to finish seventh in the league despite acquiring two first-place votes.
Arkansas State was chosen to win the regular season crown, followed by James Madision, Troy, South Alabama, Marshall, Louisiana and the Golden Eagles to round out the top seven in the league. App State was picked to finish eighth, before Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Old Dominion, Louisiana Tech, Coastal Carolina and ULM to round out the league poll.
The Golden Eagles open the season with a Wednesday, Oct. 21, exhibition contest against LSU New Orleans. Game time is set for 6 p.m. at Reed Green Coliseum.
Tickets for the 2026-27 Golden Eagle men's basketball season can be purchased by clicking here.
2026 Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year:
Isaac Taveras, Southern Miss [4th Yr. | G | Santo Domingo, D.R.]
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
Adante' Holiman, Old Dominion [4th Yr. | G | McAlester, Okla.]
Peyton Law, South Alabama [5th Yr. | F | Calhoun, Ga.]
Jacob Meyer, Georgia State [4th Yr. | G | Covington, Ky.]
Noah Otshudi, Marshall [5th Yr. | G | Hamilton, Ontario, Can.]
Isaac Taveras, Southern Miss [4th Yr. | G | Santo Domingo, D.R.]
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team
Tameron Ferguson, Arkansas State [3rd Yr. | G | St. Cloud, Minn.]
Preston Fowler, James Madison [2nd Yr. | F | Vernon, Conn.]
Dallas Gardner, Georgia Southern [4th Yr. | G | Charlotte, N.C.]
Gage Lattimore, James Madison [3rd Yr. | G | Greensboro, N.C.]
Layne Taylor, Arkansas State [3rd Yr. | G | Farmington, Ark.]
Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team
Jacoi Hutchinson, Troy [4th Yr. | G | Laurel, Md.]
Jamyron Keller, Louisiana [4th Yr. | G | St. Matthews, S.C.]
Jalen Langsy, South Alabama [3rd Yr. | G | Shakopee, Minn.]
Kyran Tilley, Louisiana Tech [3rd Yr. | G | Louisville, Ky.]
K.J. Windham, James Madison [3rd Yr. | G | Indianapolis, Ind.]
2026 Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Arkansas State (3) – 182
2. James Madison (9) – 176
3. Troy – 143
4. South Alabama – 136
5. Marshall – 125
6. Louisiana – 117
7. Southern Miss (2) – 109
8. App State – 105
9. Georgia Southern – 85
10. Georgia State – 79
11. Old Dominion – 76
12. Louisiana Tech – 64
13. Coastal Carolina – 58
14. ULM – 15
Taveras, who was also named the league's top player by the publication Blue Ribbon Magazine earlier this fall, averaged 15.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest for the Golden Eagles last season as he converted 51.5 percent of his shots (136-of-264) from the floor. He also added 2.3 assists per contest.
The Golden Eagles, which finished 19-16 a year ago including 9-9 in the league to tie for eighth place, was picked to finish seventh in the league despite acquiring two first-place votes.
Arkansas State was chosen to win the regular season crown, followed by James Madision, Troy, South Alabama, Marshall, Louisiana and the Golden Eagles to round out the top seven in the league. App State was picked to finish eighth, before Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Old Dominion, Louisiana Tech, Coastal Carolina and ULM to round out the league poll.
The Golden Eagles open the season with a Wednesday, Oct. 21, exhibition contest against LSU New Orleans. Game time is set for 6 p.m. at Reed Green Coliseum.
Tickets for the 2026-27 Golden Eagle men's basketball season can be purchased by clicking here.
2026 Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year:
Isaac Taveras, Southern Miss [4th Yr. | G | Santo Domingo, D.R.]
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
Adante' Holiman, Old Dominion [4th Yr. | G | McAlester, Okla.]
Peyton Law, South Alabama [5th Yr. | F | Calhoun, Ga.]
Jacob Meyer, Georgia State [4th Yr. | G | Covington, Ky.]
Noah Otshudi, Marshall [5th Yr. | G | Hamilton, Ontario, Can.]
Isaac Taveras, Southern Miss [4th Yr. | G | Santo Domingo, D.R.]
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team
Tameron Ferguson, Arkansas State [3rd Yr. | G | St. Cloud, Minn.]
Preston Fowler, James Madison [2nd Yr. | F | Vernon, Conn.]
Dallas Gardner, Georgia Southern [4th Yr. | G | Charlotte, N.C.]
Gage Lattimore, James Madison [3rd Yr. | G | Greensboro, N.C.]
Layne Taylor, Arkansas State [3rd Yr. | G | Farmington, Ark.]
Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team
Jacoi Hutchinson, Troy [4th Yr. | G | Laurel, Md.]
Jamyron Keller, Louisiana [4th Yr. | G | St. Matthews, S.C.]
Jalen Langsy, South Alabama [3rd Yr. | G | Shakopee, Minn.]
Kyran Tilley, Louisiana Tech [3rd Yr. | G | Louisville, Ky.]
K.J. Windham, James Madison [3rd Yr. | G | Indianapolis, Ind.]
2026 Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Arkansas State (3) – 182
2. James Madison (9) – 176
3. Troy – 143
4. South Alabama – 136
5. Marshall – 125
6. Louisiana – 117
7. Southern Miss (2) – 109
8. App State – 105
9. Georgia Southern – 85
10. Georgia State – 79
11. Old Dominion – 76
12. Louisiana Tech – 64
13. Coastal Carolina – 58
14. ULM – 15
Players Mentioned
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