When it comes to Division 1 men’s college basketball in New England, the headliner going into next season is obvious. UConn, led by coach Dan Hurley, has won back-to-back national championships and will seek the sport’s first three-peat in more than 50 years.
Providence had a strong first season under new coach Kim English, and Boston College recorded its first 20-win season in more than a decade that the Eagles will hope to build on in Earl Grant’s fourth year.
But below them, there are several talented mid-major squads throughout the region who are getting ready for big seasons that they hope will end with some noise in March. Two are hoping to return to the NCAA Tournament, while a few others are trying to break through after coming very close last season.
Here are five mid-majors from New England to keep an eye on in 2024-25.
Vermont
Last season: 28-7 record, won America East championship, lost to Duke in first round of NCAA Tournament
A model of consistency over the last decade, the Catamounts have won eight consecutive regular season championships in America East and have been to the NCAA Tournament each of the last three seasons. Those streaks have a good chance of continuing in 2024-25, when John Becker’s group hopes to make the next step and win its first NCAA Tournament game in exactly two decades. Becker will return eight players from last season’s squad – including all-league players Shamir Bogues, Ileri Ayo-Faleye and TJ Long – and add Texas transfer Gavin Perryman. With some experienced depth, Vermont could make some noise next March.
Yale
Last season: 23-10 record, won Ivy League tournament, beat Auburn in first round of NCAA Tournament, lost to San Diego State in second round
A memorable season ended in crushing fashion when Yale was blown out in the second round of the NCAA Tournament by San Diego State. But after winning their second tournament game in program history with a heart-pounding upset victory over Auburn, the Bulldogs have something to build on next season.
Danny Wolf, Yale’s best player last season, transferred to Michigan, and the Bulldogs lost two other starters. But coach James Jones will bring back two starters – Bez Mbeng and John Poulakidas – to play through. Look for Samson Aletan, who had a strong freshman season and helped clinched the win over Auburn with two blocks in the closing seconds, to step up into a bigger role with Wolf gone, as Yale challenges Princeton atop the Ivy League.
UMass
Last season: 20-11 record, lost to VCU in Atlantic 10 tournament quarterfinals
The 2024-25 season will be UMass’s final one in the Atlantic 10 after being a founding member of the conference in 1976 before it moves to the Mid-American Conference, where the football program finally found a home. The Minutemen will certainly try to make it a memorable one as they continue to build under coach Frank Martin, who signed a contract extension to stay in Amherst through 2029.
UMass had a better-than-expected season in 2023-24 as it finished with 20 wins for the first time since 2013-14, and Martin is eager to build on that. He lost leading scorers Josh Cohen (transfer to Southern Cal) and Matt Cross (transfer to SMU) as well as starter Keon Thompson (transfer to Stephen F. Austin), but brings back six players, including Rahsool Diggins, Jaylen Curry and Jayden Ndjigue (Ayer, Mass.), who are hopeful to make one final mark on the A-10.
UMass Lowell
Last season: 22-10 record, lost to Vermont in America East championship
After joining Division 1 a decade ago, coach Pat Duquette finally has the River Hawks on an upward trajectory with 48 wins and two second-place finishes over the last two seasons. Now they'll try to make a bigger leap. They held a second-half lead in the America East title game in March before Vermont stormed by them, but there’s great reason for optimism next season. UML returns four core players in Quinton Mincey, Max Brooks, Cam Morris and Yuri Covington – who were all double-digit scorers – in addition to three impact transfers. One of them is Caleb Murphy, a former Top 100 recruit by ESPN who’s looking for a strong finish to his college career after stops at South Florida and DePaul.
Quinnipiac
Last season: 24-10 record, lost to Saint Peter’s in Metro Atlantic Athletic tournament semifinals
The top-seeded Bobcats’ dream season and bid to make the program’s first NCAA Tournament as a Div. 1 program was crushed in an upset loss to Saint Peter’s in the MAAC tournament. It seemed like a missed opportunity. But despite losing leading scorer Matt Balanc, second-year coach Tom Pecora will return core starters Amarri Monroe, Paul Otieno, Savion Lewis and Alexis Reyes (Roxbury, Mass.) to a group expected to be a preseason favorite in the MAAC.
They’ll have some stiff challengers, though. Their competitors include Merrimack, who will join the MAAC this season and has another strong group that will be hungry after losing in the Northeast Conference championship game at home last season.
