High-Major College Basketball: Preseason Lineups and Key Position Battles as Practices Begin

Nearly 60 seniors are still angling for another year on a high-major roster right now, which has created all sorts of uncertainty with college basketball's return looming in just 40 days. The range of potential outcomes is wide for numerous teams who are still trying to figure out who is on the roster and then who is actually able to play.

Monday marked the first day of official practice throughout the Division I ranks. The road to Detroit and the Final Four starts now.

Let's dive into projected starting lineups and the biggest preseason battles for each high-major club entering 2026-27.

ACC

Boston College

Projected starting lineup

- G Money Williams - G Armoni Zeigler - G Jacob Furphy - F Brandon Benjamin - F Luke Hunger

Top reserves : F Zak Smrekar, F Andrija Bukumirović, G Ernest Shelton , C Aly Tounkara , F Colby Duggan , G JB Frankel

Biggest preseason battle :  Merrimack  transfer Ernest Shelton (35% from 3-point range on 8.4 attempts) profiles as the movement shooter who thrives in a Luke Murray-coached offense. Can he defend and make good enough decisions to crack this BC starting lineup?

California

Projected starting lineup

- G Semetri (TT) Carr - G Jordan Ross - G Michael Cooper - F Jake Wilkins - F Lee Dort

Top reserves : G Nojus Indrusaitis , C Nicolas Mitrovic, G Jovani Ruff , G Dionycius Bakare, F Amier Ali , Sammie Yeanay

Biggest preseason battle : Does Mark Madsen want to play Semetri (TT) Carr and Jordan Ross together? Both point guards have not been plus 3-point shooters throughout their careers, which could open the door for sharpshooting Pitt transfer Nojus Indrusaitis to become a starter.

Clemson

Projected starting lineup

- G Ace Buckner or Dillon Hunter (if eligible) - G Cole Certa - G/F Liutauras Lelevicius - F David Fuchs - F Dylan Faulkner

Top reserves: G Zac Foster (when healthy), F Chase Thompson , G Harris Reynolds, C Will Stevens, F Amare James, F Carter Welling (when healthy)

Biggest preseason battle : Two starting-caliber players are on the mend for Clemson . The Tigers' floor-ceiling combination completely changes when Carter Welling and Zac Foster are back to 100%. The timing is the million-dollar question right now. Foster tore his ACL last December; Welling's torn ACL occurred in March. If Clemson can get to full strength by February, it's a completely different club.

Duke

Projected starting lineup

- G Caleb Foster - G John Blackwell - G Dame Sarr - F Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje - C Patrick Ngongba

Top reserves: G Cayden Boozer , F Drew Scharnowski , F Cam Williams, G Deron Rippey Jr., G Bryson Howard

Biggest preseason battle : Uh, everything. No role is truly safe for a loaded Duke roster. The most pivotal battles center at point guard and power forward. Only one of Caleb Foster or Cayden Boozer can start, and you can make a strong case on both sides of the aisle. It sounds like Foster holds the slight lead right now, but Boozer's the best facilitator on the roster. At the 4-spot, potential future No. 1 pick Joaquim Boumtje-Boumjte feels inevitable, but five-star Cameron Williams has a tantalizing inside-out skillset, too.

Florida State

Projected starting lineup

- G Anthony Robinson II - G Kameron Taylor - F Shon Abaev - F Sebastian Rancik - C Marcis Ponder

Top reserves : F AJ Swinton (when healthy), F Cooper Schwieger , G Martay Barnes, G Brandon Bass Jr., F Collin Paul

Biggest preseason battle : FSU looks like a real-deal ACC sleeper if freshman big fella Marcis Ponder can win the 5-spot job. The 6-foot-11, 285-pound center is a manchild and can give FSU the interior thump it so desperately needs. This defense could be sneaky-decent with a ball-hawk like Anthony Robinson at the point of attack, Sebastian Rancik shadowing big wings/forwards and Ponder protecting the rim.

Georgia Tech

Projected starting lineup

- G Colby Garland - G Kam Craft - F Victor Valdes - F Jackson Fields - F/C Cole Kirouac

Top reserves : G Courtland Muldrew , G Nasir Whitlock , F Tylis Jordan , F Kayden Allen, C Moustapha Diop, C Jackson McVey

Biggest preseason battle : Georgia Tech has one of the most unproven center spots in the ACC between Cole Kirouac, top-100 freshman Moustapha Diop and Jackson McVey, who didn't play a second last year at Georgia . Who emerges as a difference-maker?

Louisville

Projected starting lineup

- G Jackson Shelstad - G Seth Trimble (if eligible) - G Karter Knox - F Alvaro Folgueiras - F Flory Bidunga

Top reserves : G Adrian Wooley , G De'Shayne Montgomery , C Obinna Ekezie Jr., F Boyuan Zhang, G Isaac Ellis, C Gabe Dynes , F LJ Wells (if eligible)

Biggest preseason battle : Karter Knox and Adrian Wooley are both capable of starting for a Louisville club that should rank inside the top-10 in the preseason polls. Knox provides floor-spacing, size and a bigger body. Wooley is more of a slasher and could help solve some of the creation questions that remain for Louisville. This is all a moot point if Seth Trimble doesn't get an injunction for a fifth year of eligibility.

Miami

Projected starting lineup

- G Acaden Lewis - G Dante Allen - F Shelton Henderson - F Malik Reneau (if eligible) - C Somto Cyril

Top reserves : F Caleb Gaskins, F DeSean Goode , C Robert Miller III , F Nick Dorn , G Brent Bland , C Egor Ryzhov, G LJ Cason (redshirting due to torn ACL)

Biggest preseason battle : All eyes are on the 4-spot for the U. Malik Reneau led this club in scoring last year and could return for a final year. If not, five-star freshman Caleb Gaskins and Robert Morris transfer DeSean Goode will tangle for the last starting spot. You better bring the physicality and do the dirty work if you want to play for Jai Lucas.

North Carolina

Projected starting lineup

- G Terrence Brown - G Matt Able - G Neoklis Avdalas - F Jarin Stevenson - C Sayon Keita

Top reserves : F Maximo Adams, F Alex Samodurov, F Kevin Thomas, G Jaydon Young , G Isaiah Denis , C Cameron Fens (if eligible), F Cade Bennerman , G Angelo Brizzi

Biggest preseason battle : UNC's shiny new backcourt of Terrence Brown, Matt Able and Neoklis Avdalas are all capable of playing on the ball, but who will earn Michael Malone's trust as the primary initiator? Brown, armed with a lightning-quick first step, should have the inside crack at it, but his 17% turnover rate in pick-and-rolls last season is a cause for concern.

NC State

Projected starting lineup

- G Preston Edmead - G Christian Hammond - G Paul McNeil Jr . - F Eemeli Yalaho or F Ven-Allen Lubin (if eligible) - F/ Kyle Evans

Top reserves : F RJ Keene, G Darius Adams , F Robert Jurkovic, F Zymicah Wilkins , G Kingston Whitty

Biggest preseason battle : Rebounding is a major question for this NC State frontcourt that will be very reliant on mid-major transfer-ups. Another year of eligibility for Ven-Allen Lubin would help shore up that concern.

Notre Dame

Projected starting lineup

- G Braeden Smith - G Braeden Shrewsberry - G Ethan Roberts - F Brady Koehler - C Logan Duncomb

Top reserves : G Logan Imes , F Bryce Dortch , G Jonathan Sanderson, F Tommy Ahneman , F Devin Brown

Biggest preseason battle : Notre Dame 's starting lineup makes sense. Smith is a traditional set-the-table point guard. Roberts and Shrewsberry are both good shooters. Koehler is the stretch 4, and Duncomb is a back-to-the-basket 5-man. The concern is the depth. Notre Dame's second unit is awfully unproven.

Pittsburgh

Projected starting lineup

- G Naithan George - G Jalil Bethea - G Jonathan Powell - F Baye Ndongo - C Armani Mighty

Top reserves : G A'lahn Sumler , F Dominique Diomande , F Chase Foster, F Timofei Rudovskii , G Jermal Jones

Biggest preseason battle : Pitt is handing ex-five-star Jalil Bethea the biggest opportunity of his career after flameouts at Miami and Alabama . Can he take the starting role and run with it? He will be pushed by Charleston Southern transfer A'lahn Sumler, who may not be an elite athlete but does everything else very well and looks like a legit high-major player.

SMU

Projected starting lineup

- G David Terrell Jr . - G Rowan Brumbaugh - G/F Jaylin Stewart - F Nic Codie - F Jaden Toombs

Top reserves: G Oziyah Sellers (if eligible), G Jermaine O'Neal Jr. , G Cameron Lomax, C Johan Munch , G Jacob Patrick , F Jakub Szumert

Biggest preseason battle : Will St. John's transfer Oziyah Sellers get eligible and push for a starting role? It's firmly in the range of potential outcomes for a 6-5 guard who can pass, dribble, shoot, cut and defend. Sellers shot 35% from 3-point range on 4.1 attempts last season for the Johnnies, and he could push the defense-first David Terrell or the offense-tilting Rowan Brumbaugh for a major role because Sellers is a useful, two-way player.

Stanford

Projected starting lineup

- G Christian Bliss - G Julius Price - F Nick Townsend (if eligible) - F Donavin Young - F/C Aidan Cammann

Top reserves: F Aziz Olajuwon, C Austin Maurer , G Elias Obenyah, G Isaiah Rogers, C Drew Anderson, F Evan Stinson

Biggest preseason battle : Seattle U transfer big man Austin Maurer had some real moments -- namely when he went toe-to-toe with Gonzaga 's awesome frontcourt and held his own -- so there's a real opportunity for him to seize one of these starting roles and run away with it.

Syracuse

Projected starting lineup

- G Garwey Dual - G Aiden Tobiason - G Gavin Doty - F Sadiq White Jr . or F Amarri Monroe (if eligible) - F Luke Wilson

Top reserves : G Kiyan Anthony , F Mark Morano Mahmutovic, F Francis Folefac , C Tasman Goodrick , F Abdramane Siby, G Ryan Moesch

Biggest preseason battle : Does this roster have enough wiggle to consistently win one-on-one matchups, generate paint touches and create advantages? Or will Syracuse need to scheme things up consistently to create good shots? It could determine just how big the role is for Kiyan Anthony, who profiles as a tough shot-taker (and maker, maybe).

Virginia

Projected starting lineup

- G Chance Mallory - G Jurian Dixon or G Christian Harmon - G Sam Lewis - F Thijs de Ridder - C Johann Grünloh

Top reserves: G Jan Vide , F Kalu Anya , G Nolan Adekunle, C Favour Ibe, F Silas Barksdale , G Elijah Gertrude

Biggest preseason battle : Both guys will play, but there's only room for one of Jurian Dixon or Christian Harmon in the starting lineup. The mid-major transfers were sharp evaluations, but they both do different things well. Harmon is a jumbo shooter who can play on the ball in a pinch but is at his best as an off-ball spacer. Dixon is closer to a true combo guard who can handle some of the creation duties if Ryan Odom needs it. Whoever makes fewer mistakes will play the most.

Virginia Tech

Projected starting lineup

- G Ben Hammond - G Jaylen Curry - G Tyler Johnson or G Isaiah Elohim - F Amani Hansberry - F Miles Heide

Top reserves : G Ethan Copeland , C Musa Sagnia , F Kuol Atak , F Sin'Cere Jones

Biggest preseason battle : It looks like there are three guards for two spots in this Virginia Tech starting lineup. Jaylen Curry, Tyler Johnson or Isaiah Elohim are all fighting for two spots. Johnson might be the best spot-up shooter of the trio. Elohim has terrific positional size at 6-5 and the ability to score at all three levels. Curry brings the speed and creativity, although I wonder how good Virginia Tech's defense would be if it has two small guards on the floor together in Curry and Ben Hammond.

Competition is good.

Wake Forest

Projected starting lineup

- G Kevair Kennedy - G Justin Ray - G Jamari McDowell - F Gavin Placide - C Antonio Dorn or Justin Abson (if eligible)

Top reserves : C Xander Pintelon , F Gallagher Placide, G Isaac Carr , F Vinny Chaudhri, F Ring Nyeri

Biggest preseason battle : Getting Justin Abson cleared would be a big deal for a Wake Forest center spot that is a massive question mark. The former Appalachian State and Georgia product is a plus defender; he just didn't get to show it at UGA bec

_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/2026-27-college-basketball-starting-lineups/)._