HELENA, Mont. - For the first time since March, the Carroll Men's Basketball team is officially back in action this weekend, kicking-off their 2026-27 campaign in California with a pair of games against Stanton and Hope International on Friday and Saturday.

Coming off the first NAIA Tournament Appearance under third-year Head Coach Dan Pearson, the Fighting Saints (20-0, 17-5) have their sights set on a repeat appearance this year - and an extended run with a new look roster.

Rosters rarely remain intact in the new age of collegiate athletics, and the Carroll Men's Basketball team is no exception to the rule. While only two seniors departed from the 2025-26 team (Dela Cruz, McGarvin), the Saints are faced with the task of replacing the Frontier Conference's MVP.

Isaiah Crane transferred to Division I Montana State in the offeseason, leaving a 19.6 points per game hole in his wake. Replacing that kind of individual production is not an easy ask of any team, but the Saints are up to the challenge. Since 2022, Carroll has been forced to replace three Frontier MVP's (Jovan Sljivancanin, Andrew Cook, Crane), but continually find a way.

For the 2026-27 Saints, Pearson believes the production will not be replaced by one individual, rather the collective growth of several players now fully engrained in his system, comfortable with their roles and now with a complete understanding of their jobs at any given moment on the court.

The Saints return a pair of All-Conference performers, now entering year three in the system, in Isaac Round (Northampton, England / JR) and Kellen Harrison (Bozeman, Mont. / JR), along with reigning Frontier Conference Freshman of the Year Drew Jones (Puyallup, Wash. / SO). The trio of guards have already proven themselves on the court, and had an outstanding offseason as they look to push for the program's first conference title since 2022.

All three players averaged more than 12.0 points per game last season, each bringing a different style for opposing defenses to navigate. The group is immensely talented offensively, but it's been on the defensive end where the Carroll guards have made some game-changing plays in recent seasons. The Saints have been the league's best team in steals each of the last two seasons, combining for 257 total steals last season alone.

Last year, the Saints were one of the smallest teams in the nation, averaging about six-feet, two-inches across the board. That is no longer the case in 2026-27.

Pearson made it a point of emphasis to find some size this past offseason, bringing in a number of inside players to compliment his skilled group of guards. Nate Christy (Spokane, Wash. / SO) and Dean Blair (Great Falls, Mont. / SO) were the primary big men for the Saints all last season, but are now flanked by several new faces on the front line.

Viktor Bystrom (Linkopeng, Sweden / JR) joined the Saints after starting 18 games at Western Texas College last season. The six-foot nine-inch forward was highly effective down low, scoring at a 73 percent clip throughout conference play. Carroll also added a pair of transfers from Central Wyoming College in Julian Ormond (Mableton, Ga. / JR) and Isaac Patik (Casper, Wyo. / JR), who combined for 22 points per game with the Rustlers last season.

Now in year two of the expanded Frontier Conference, the Saints are a little more used to the condensed non-conference schedule. With 22 Frontier Conference games on the schedule, there's only room for six non-conference games in the regular season.

The non-conference slate kicks off this weekend, as the Saints open the year on Friday night against Stanton, in a game relocated to Vanguard University tonight at 8:30 p.m. (MDT). Little is known about the Elks heading into the matchup, with a near complete overhaul of their roster following a 7-17 campaign a year ago.

On Saturday, they'll turn their attention towards a marquee early season matchup. At 2 p.m., the Saints will take on No. 20 Hope International, who finished last season 26-7, advancing to the NAIA Quartefinals. The Saints and Royals have met only one prior time, a 74-63 loss in 2019.