UAC Basketball Championship Predictions: Favorites, Contenders & Futures Outlook
Updated November 11, 2026
Updated November 11, 2026
The 2026–27 United Athletic Conference (UAC) men's basketball championship features programs adjusting to a new conference. Following the Western Athletic Conference's rebranding and significant membership changes, nine teams will compete in the inaugural UAC basketball season, with eight qualifying for the conference tournament.
The preseason coaches' favorite returns standout guard Ty Robinson.
The Governors feature preseason UAC Player of the Year Rashaud Marshall.
The Trojans have three preseason All-UAC selections and the arrival of head coach Travis Ford.
The Texans bring an aggressive defensive identity built around forcing turnovers.
Arlington's experience against former WAC opponents provides them with a useful foundation.
The preseason coaches' favorite returns standout guard Ty Robinson.
The Governors feature preseason UAC Player of the Year Rashaud Marshall.
The Trojans have three preseason All-UAC selections and the arrival of head coach Travis Ford.
The Texans bring an aggressive defensive identity built around forcing turnovers.
Arlington's experience against former WAC opponents provides them with a useful foundation.
Our prediction to win the 2026–27 UAC basketball championship is Central Arkansas. The Bears enter the inaugural UAC season with an established system under head coach John Shulman and a strong foundation from their 2025–26 campaign, when they finished 22–12 overall and 15–3 in ASUN play. Their appearance in the ASUN championship game demonstrated an ability to compete deep into a conference tournament, an important consideration when making college basketball picks in this market.
Central Arkansas also has encouraging advanced metrics. During the 2025–26 season, the Bears posted a 54.3% effective field goal percentage while committing turnovers on just 15.3% of possessions and forcing opponents into turnovers on 19.5% of possessions. That combination of efficient shooting and positive turnover differential provides a repeatable blueprint for success.
The return of Ty Robinson, who averaged 14.2 points and 5.6 rebounds last season, alongside former ASUN Freshman of the Year Tucker Anderson gives Central Arkansas additional offensive potential. Austin Peay remains a serious challenger behind Marshall and Collins, while Tarleton State's defensive pressure could complicate the tournament bracket. However, Central Arkansas offers the most convincing combination of established team performance, offensive efficiency, and roster talent to emerge as the inaugural UAC tournament champion.
Conference Realignment
The UAC combines former ASUN, WAC, and Ohio Valley Conference programs, making historical conference records difficult to compare directly.
Tournament Qualification
Only eight of the nine UAC teams qualify for the championship tournament, creating an additional obstacle for lower-ranked contenders.
New Conference Rivalries
The 16-game conference schedule introduces unfamiliar opponents, making head-to-head performances particularly valuable when evaluating championship contenders.
Roads Lead to Texas
The championship takes place in Allen, Texas, potentially providing a geographic advantage to Texas-based programs such as Tarleton State and UT Arlington.
