D1 · Sun Belt Conference

Southern Miss Men’s Basketball Recruiting: Roster & Openings

KenPom #219 · 19–16 · 2025–26 · Division 1 · Sun Belt Conference · Hattiesburg, MS

Southern Miss finished 19–16 (Sun Belt 7th, KenPom #219) in 2025–26. 16 players hold the 2026–27 roster; 12 are new this season.

Roster data through 2026–27

Roster16 players
New this season12
Transfer additions10
Clearest projected openingForwards · 2027
Most common home stateMS (4)

Where the door opens

our roster projection · your arrival year

Forwards: open from 2027 — 3 ahead.

Guards: blocked until 2028.

2027
Gcrowded11 ahead
Fopening3 ahead
Cbalanced2 ahead
2028
Gopening7 ahead
Fopen1 ahead
Copen1 ahead
2029
Gopening4 ahead
Fopen0 ahead
Copen0 ahead
2030
Gopen2 ahead
Fopen0 ahead
Copen0 ahead

Projections for 2029, 2030 are low-confidence reads.

Guards in that room (11)
Cy Merrett6′5″So
Brandon Weston6′5″RS-Sr
Jalyke Gaines - Wyatt6′0″Sr
Brewer Carruth6′5″Jr
Chandler Watts6′6″RS-So
Isaac Taveras6′6″Sr
DeAndre Harvey6′4″Fr
Camden Cerese6′4″Jr
Anthony Igiede6′5″RS-Sr
Dorion Bowen6′6″Fr
Elliot Tulip6′6″Jr
Forwards in that room (3)
Mike Montano-Best6′8″RS-Jr
Marcus Overstreet6′9″Sr
Cameron Wallace6′8″Sr
Centers in that room (2)
Fallou Diagne6′11″Grad
Max Blank7′0″Jr
Those openings are for the roster in general. See whether your position, size and profile fit them →

If you want to play at Southern Miss

How to get recruited here

For 2027 arrivals the roster projection reads: G crowded (11 ahead), F opening (3 ahead), C balanced (2 ahead).

Of the latest cycle's 12 arrivals, 2 came straight from high school and 10 from the transfer portal.

Most arrivals come from MS, NY, FL.

2 of 16 recent arrivals held a national ranking — 2 of 16 appear in our cross-checked rankings ledger; players absent from the ledger are not necessarily unranked.

22% of last season's scoring returns.

The roster, as a depth chart

2026–27 · 16 players

Guards 11 of 16

Chandler Watts6′6″RS-So
Isaac Taveras6′6″Sr · final yr15.3 PPG
Dorion Bowen6′6″Fr
Elliot Tulip6′6″Jr
Cy Merrett6′5″So
Brandon Weston6′5″RS-Sr · final yr
Brewer Carruth6′5″Jr2.4 PPG
Anthony Igiede6′5″RS-Sr · final yr
DeAndre Harvey6′4″Fr
Camden Cerese6′4″Jr
Jalyke Gaines - Wyatt6′0″Sr · final yr

Frontcourt 5 of 16 · forwards + centers

Max Blank7′0″Jr · C
Fallou Diagne6′11″Grad · C · final yr1.9 PPG
Marcus Overstreet6′9″Sr · F · final yr
Mike Montano-Best6′8″RS-Jr · F
Cameron Wallace6′8″Sr · F · final yr
freshman final year — spot opens returning

Returning production

22%of recorded scoring returns
1 of 5top scorers returning
Top returning scorers
Isaac Taveras15.3 PPG in 2025–26 · returning
Brewer Carruth2.4 PPG in 2025–26 · returning
Fallou Diagne1.9 PPG in 2025–26 · returning

Computed from 15 of 18 players on the 2025–26 roster with recorded stats; "returning" means listed on the 2026–27 roster.

Who actually gets onto this roster?

How players arrive

2from high school10via the portal

6 of 16 roster spots were filled out of high school or held over.

Rankings

2 of 16

2 of 16 appear in our cross-checked rankings ledger; players absent from the ledger are not necessarily unranked.

Best-ranked: Brandon Weston #83.

Where from

MS 4 · NY 3 · FL 2 · IL 2 · OK 2 · TN 2

7 international: Montreal, Quebec; Mississauga; Nice, France; Dakar and 3 more

High schools: Hargrave Military Academy ×2; Parklane Academy; Independence High School and 2 more

Transfer flow

named arrivals and departures

2025–26 → 2026–27 · in

→Cy Merrett
→Mike Montano-Best
→Brandon Weston
→Marcus Overstreet
→Jalyke Gaines - Wyatt
→Cameron Wallace
→Camden Cerese
→Anthony Igiede
→Elliot Tulip
→Max Blank

2025–26 → 2026–27 · out

←IJ Ezuma
←Felipe Patino
←Tylik Weeks
←EJ Paymon
←Jett Montgomery
←Robert Cowherd
←Chiante' Tramble

How this roster compares

Sun Belt Conference (12 programs, 2025–26 medians)
MeasureSouthern MissConference
Average guard height6′5″6′3″+2″
Average frontcourt height6′10″6′9″+1″
Roster size1615+1
Freshman share13%25%−12pp

The five-year arc

kenpom rank · wins · conference finish
#3292021–22#107→ moved to the Sun Belt2022–23#2602023–24#3072024–25#2192025–26
7–26 · C-USA 14th25–8 · Sun Belt 4th16–16 · Sun Belt 10th11–22 · Sun Belt 12th19–16 · Sun Belt 7th

Coaching staff

Kailex StephensAssistant coach
Jay LadnerHead coach
Win CaseAssociate head coach
Noah CroakAssistant coach
George BrocatoVolunteer assistant coach
Brian KingAssistant strength and conditioning coach
Ben MandelbaumAssistant coach
Staff changes9 on-court staff changes in 4 offseasons — 1 before 2024–25, 6 before 2025–26, 2 before 2026–27.

Academics

published admissions data
Acceptance rate99%
SAT midpoint1190
ACT midpoint23

How this page is made: Rosters: official Southern Miss rosters, 2025–26 and 2026–27, read from the athletic department's own site · Season: Southern Miss's 2026–27 roster is posted, so this page reads it; the conference comparison uses 2025–26, the newest season every program has on file. · Stats: 2025–26, the last season played — the 2026–27 season has no games yet. · New this season: players not listed on the 2025–26 roster; a newcomer who is not a freshman counts as a transfer addition · Ratings: KenPom, five seasons; conference finish computed among same-conference teams by rating · Openings: Depth Chart's roster projection from listed class years; confidence stated per year · Sample: among players who made a college roster — the data cannot see who didn't. Among players who made a college roster. Model judgments describe positions and cohorts, never a named player's future. Refreshed automatically when the rosters change. Corrections: research@mydepthchart.com.

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