Big South Sleeper: Radford Has More Upside Than Its Continuity Suggests
2026-10-07
Radford is MMH's Big South sleeper.
The Highlanders do not have the continuity of Presbyterian or the top-end roster of High Point. What they do have is a collection of transfers whose roles fit together better than a typical rebuilt roster.
See the full Big South preview for the complete conference projection.
Why the sleeper case works
The most important piece is Ja'Corey Robinson.
The 6-foot-6 guard averaged 6.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists at Austin Peay while shooting 52.1 percent from the field. Radford expects him to take on a much larger creation role, including primary ballhandling responsibilities.
Tristan Gross brings shooting and experience after making 43.5 percent of his threes at Mercer. Cameron Jackson gives the Highlanders a physical interior presence after shooting 62.7 percent from the field at UT Arlington.
Jordyn Kee and Mathieu Grujicic add more perimeter size, while Zion Walker, Gabriel Ferreira, Parby Kabamba and Warren Keel Jr. give Radford enough depth to experiment with lineups early.
What could hold Radford back
Almost everything is new.
That creates obvious questions about ball security, late-game offense and defensive communication. A talented roster can still look disjointed if roles take too long to settle.
The early tell
Watch Robinson's assist-to-turnover balance and how quickly the frontcourt establishes itself defensively.
If Robinson handles the larger role and Gross provides reliable spacing, Radford can move from the middle of the league into the top four.
MMH projects the Highlanders sixth, which leaves plenty of room to beat expectations.