LONGVIEW, Texas -- Men's hoops is back.

Fresh off an SCAC Blue Division title and conference tournament semifinal appearance, the LeTourneau men's basketball team is primed for a return to the top ranks of the league.

The YellowJackets posted a 17-9 record in the 2025-26 campaign, going 12-4 in conference play and a perfect 8-0 in divisional games. 

However, the 2026-27 conference structure does not have divisions, so a return to the SCAC Tournament will mean that much more.

Sixth-year head coach James Wallace's Jackets -- alongside fifth-year associate head coach Joel Wallace and graduate assistant Caleb Lyles -- open the season on Friday, Nov. 6, against longtime rival McMurry at 6:00 p.m. inside Solheim Arena.

All home games are free admission or can be watched online through FloCollege.

THE ROSTER

LeTourneau returns three starters from a year ago, Logan Brinkoeter, Cooper Smith, and Max Frels.

Brinkoeter -- an All-SCAC honorable mention -- was a double-double machine down low, racking up 10 on the year, including a stretch of five straight. The senior averaged 10.8 points and 7.6 boards in 24 games started.

Smith -- who's already racked up 34 career starts in just two seasons in Longview -- provided 7.1 points per game and 4.6 rebounds, while Frels added 6.9 points, including seven double-digit scoring outbursts.

Dionisio Martinez made good in his sixth-man role a season ago despite battling through injury, compiling 7.7 points per game in just over 15 minutes a night while shooting an astounding 51.4 percent from beyond the arc.

Jayden Prioleau also projects an uptick in production, scoring 4.8 points a game in just 6.2 minutes last year.

The YellowJackets found an experienced pair in the portal, adding junior Javon Tolliver from Trinity and sophomore Jace Jeffries from Ranger.

Suraj Olasode, Ezra Seay, Dalton White, Patrick Penosky, and Tyler Henry round out LeTourneau's returners.

The freshman class is composed of Keyaun Williams, Kobe Prejean, Isaiah Villegas, and Jaydrien Henderson.

SCAC OUTLOOK

LeTourneau was selected third in the SCAC coaches preseason poll, compiling 65 points. Reigning SCAC champions St. Thomas led the way with 81 points and nine of the 10 first-place votes. Concordia Texas was second with 72 points and the other first-place nod.

THE SCHEDULE

The YellowJackets await a 25-game regular season slate along with one Division I exhibition, with thirteen of those games being inside Solheim Arena.

Following the Friday night season opener, LeTourneau embarks on a road trip to Belton, Texas, to face Mary Hardin-Baylor on Nov. 11 before returning home to take on Hardin-Simmons on Nov. 17 (6:30 p.m.). A trip to Jackson, Miss., for games against Belhaven (Nov. 21) and Millsaps (Nov. 22) completes the November slate.

The YellowJackets open December with a home game against longtime Highway 80 rival East Texas Baptist on Dec. 1. The teams did not play last season, but the series continues in 2026-27.

LeTourneau then hosts Covenant for the first all-time meeting between the programs on Dec. 5. 

The one Division I exhibition is set for Dec. 15 at UT Arlington (12 p.m.).

SCAC play begins on Dec. 11 at Centenary in Shreveport. LeTourneau will play 18 conference games as the league schedule is adjusted this year with home-and-home games against the entire conference.

LeTourneau will host Concordia Texas on New Year's Day, and Texas Lutheran on Jan. 2. Hendrix (Jan. 15), Ozarks (Jan. 16), Colorado College (Jan. 22), and defending SCAC champion St. Thomas (Jan. 23) comprise a four-game home stand for the YellowJackets in January.

The YellowJackets also face Austin College (Feb. 5), Dallas (Feb. 6), and Centenary (Feb. 19) in league play.

The SCAC Tournament is set for Feb. 26-28 at Brookshire Grocery Arena in Bossier City, La. The top six teams qualify for the tournament.

FOLLOW THE YELLOWJACKETS

Be sure to follow LeTourneau athletics all season long on letuathletics.com and social media at Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram for up-to-date scores, news, and other information.