Previewing the Upcoming Men's Basketball Season - University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Athletics

Photo by: Ray Soldano

10/23/2026 12:27:00 PM | Men's Basketball

The Chattanooga Mocs men’s basketball team is just over a week away from kicking off its 50th season as a Division I member.

CHATTANOOGA (October 23, 2026) --- The Chattanooga Mocs men's basketball team is just over a week away from kicking off its 50th season as a Southern Conference and NCAA Division I member, looking to rebound from last year's tough campaign with a fresh crop of 11 newcomers to this year's roster.

Find below an in-depth team preview including last year's recap, returning players, newcomers, and more…

2025-26 Recap

Chattanooga finished 13-19 overall and 7-11 in SoCon play last season while battling through numerous injuries... marked head coach Dan Earl's fourth season at the helm.
Chattanooga was forced to roll out 15 different starting lineup combinations (third most in DI) last season while accumulating more than 140 games missed including 110+ from scholarship players due to injury.
Chattanooga finished eighth in the league standings and suffered an opening round exit in the SoCon Tournament for the first time since 2013.

Replacement Numbers in 2026-27

Chattanooga returns six players in total and just one starter (Tate Darner) in 2026-27.
The Mocs need to replace 81.7% of its scoring and 77.1% of its minutes with four starters, and seven reserves, gone from last year's squad.
In total, the team will need to replace: 2,004 points, 4,934 minutes, 806 rebounds, 394 assists, 697 FGM and 271 3FGM.

Returning in 2026-27

Now-sophomore guard Tate Darner, a preseason All-SoCon selection, is the lone returning starter this year. Darner averaged 9.9 PPG while leading the team in rebounding (133 total; 4.4 RPG) and set a school freshman record with 53 3FGM in 30 games (18 starts).
Additional returners include senior F Sean Cusano (missed final 26 games due to injury), sophomore F/C Josh Bowman (23 GP; 23 blocks set UTC freshman record), junior G Houston Holland (28 GP; 10.1 MPG), junior G/F Liam Vitters and sophomore G Zach Bleshoy (missed season due to injury).

11 Newcomers Highlight 2026-27 Roster

Chattanooga welcomes 11 newcomers in 2026-27, consisting of five transfer portal signings, three international signings and three scholastic signees.

Of the 11 newcomers, seven are listed at 6'6" or taller as the staff focused on adding size and physicality to this year's roster.
However, only two of the 11 newcomers have experience in the NCAA Division I ranks with the other nine set to make their collegiate debuts this season.

Transfer Portal (5)
F Tyler Houser (Sr., 6-9, 255, Camp Hill, Pa.) – Delaware (DI)

91 career games at DI level… 32 at VMI (2022-23)… 59 at Delaware (2023-26).
Played in 26 games last season at Delaware… 33.4 MPG, 14.2 PPG, 5.4 RPG… missed final four games due to injury.

F Anthony Swift (Sr., 6-7, 200, Las Vegas, Nev.) – Nebraska-Kearney (DII)

Spent last two seasons at Nebraska-Kearney (DII)… played at National Park College (JUCO) in 2023-24, Southern Nevada (JUCO) in 2022-23 and redshirted at Southern Utah (DI) in 2021-22.
Appeared in 28 games (27 starts) last season at UNK… led team in rebounding (194, 6.9 RPG)… averaged 12.9 PPG and totaled 20 double-digit scoring performances.

G Matt Hampton (Jr., 6-4, 180, Frisco, Texas) – Three Rivers College (JUCO)

Played last two seasons at Three Rivers College (MO) of the JUCO ranks… named an NJCAA All-American both years… rated as the No. 15 overall JUCO transfer prospect in the offseason.
Appeared in 65 careers games at TRC… totaled 1,025 points, 377 rebounds, 289 assists and 80 steals… helped TRC claim its first Region 16 title since 2017 following the 2024-25 season.

G Tre Powell (Jr., 6-0, 170, Mount Laurel, N.J.) – Goldey-Beacom (DII)

Played last two seasons at Goldey-Beacom (DII)… NABC All-East Region honoree in both seasons… led GBC to first-ever appearance in NCAA DII Tournament in 2026.
Finished GBC career 15th all-time in scoring (968 points)… scored 620 points in 2025-26… second most in GBC single-season history… 12, 20+ point efforts last season… averaged 19.4 PPG.

F Yonatan Levy (Jr., 6-10, 260, Hod HaSharon, Israel) – Pepperdine (DI)

Played last two seasons at DI level… began career at Green Bay (2024-25)… spent last season at Pepperdine (2025-26)… 45 career games at DI level.
Appeared in all 32 games (28 starts) last season at Pepperdine… averaged 5.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, and 1.7 APG… third on the team in total rebounds (133) and assists (55).

International (3)
G/F Lenny Anigbata (Fr., 6-7, 200, Munich, German)

Arrives from Munich, Germany… played for MHP Riesen of the German BBL… played for FC Bayern (2021-23) and Porsche Ludwigsburg (203-25)… 92 games across four seasons in the German league ranks… brother Alec plays at Utah.

G Yssam Moungalla (Fr., 6-6, 170, Paris, France)

Arrives from Paris, France… played for AS Monaco of the France Betclic league… also competed in the U21 Elite League in France… 15.9 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.9 APG in 30 games for AS Monaco U21 in 2025-26.

G Kobe McDowell-White (Fr., 6-0, 190, Brisbane, Australia)

Arrives from Brisbane, Australia… played for Cairns Basketball of the NBL1… named 2026 NBL1 North Youth Player of the Year… 15.2 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 8.5 APG… father Darryl White played 14 seasons for the Brisbane Bears of the Australian Football League and was named to the league's Indigenous Team of the Century as a fullback in 2005.

Scholastic (3)
C John Fleeman (Fr., 7-0, 275, Kingsville, Mo.)

Early signee from Kingsville High School in Missouri… No. 1 small school prospect in Missouri (Prep Hoops)… 2026 Missouri Class 1 District Player of the Year.

G Christian Matos (Fr., 6-3, 165, Philadelphia, Pa.)

Signee from national power Sunrise Christian Academy (KS) of the Nike EYBL… ESPN.com rated Matos as a four-star prospect in class of 2026… No. 2 overall prospect in Kansas… No. 21 point guard nationally.

F Caleb Hardaway (Fr., 6-7, 220, Chattanooga, Tenn.)

Walk-on signee from nearby Boyd-Buchanan School in Chattanooga… 2026 TSSAA Division II-A District 2 Player of the Year… scored 1,500+ career points and finished third on the school's all-time scoring list.

What's Next?
Chattanooga opens the season on Monday, November 2 on the road at No. 11 Louisville inside the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky. Tip-off is slated for 9 p.m. (ET) and will be nationally televised on the ACC Network.

2026-27 Chattanooga Basketball Ticket Information | View
Season, single game and "Pick-6" mini plan tickets are ON SALE NOW and can be purchased online, in-person at the UTC Ticket Office at McKenzie Arena, or by calling the ticket department at (423) 266-6627 (M-F, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET). For more information, fans can email the ticketing office at MocsTicketing@utc.edu.

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