A Wednesday ruling in Indiana could reshape a chunk of college basketball’s 2026-27 picture.
Judge Kara Krothe granted a preliminary injunction to nearly 90 college athletes who are seeking a fifth year of eligibility in Monroe County Circuit Court, opening the door for a wave of players to return. The NCAA is expected to appeal, but for now, some of the sport’s biggest roster dominoes are lined up to fall.
The most notable names on the list include Iowa State guard Tamin Lipsey, Miami forward Malik Reneau and Kansas wing Tre White.
Lipsey is expected to be back at Iowa State, and that matters in a big way for T.J. Otzelberger’s group.
A three-time All-Big 12 selection, he was a four-year starter and gives the Cyclones the kind of steady, disruptive guard play that changes the feel of a team. Iowa State also just took a hit with sophomore guard Killyan Toure suffering a significant shoulder injury that will keep him out until midseason.
Lipsey helps patch the biggest offensive concern, especially when it comes to creation without Joshua Jefferson, while also reinforcing what should again be an elite defense. With him back, Iowa State looks like a top-20 team.
Miami appears poised to get a major lift as well. Reneau led the Hurricanes in scoring last season, and his return would give Jai Lucas a powerful left-handed forward to pair with new point guard Acaden Lewis.
That duo has the chance to become one of the ACC’s most dangerous offensive combinations. A starting five of Lewis, Dante Allen, Shelton Henderson, Reneau and Somto Cyril looks strong enough to put Miami in top-10 territory.
Kansas, meanwhile, gets the kind of depth and versatility that matters on a roster that already leans heavy on star power. White is expected to return for a fifth season after playing the best basketball of his career under Bill Self, posting 13.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and shooting better than 40% from 3-point range.
With likely No. 1 pick Tyran Stokes and Utah transfer Keanu Dawes already in the mix, White would give the Jayhawks another experienced piece who can defend, move around the floor and take pressure off younger options. A projected lineup of Taylen Kinney, White, Stokes, Dawes and Paul Mbiya would be loaded, and White’s presence would also make life easier on Toledo transfer Leroy Blyden Jr. and sophomore breakout candidate Kohl Rosario.
There are other programs waiting on big answers, too. Wichita State expects star point guard Kenyon Giles back after he averaged 19.1 points and shot over 37% from deep on huge volume, a profile that could push the Shockers toward the top of the American after a 24-win season. Indiana is in line to add frontcourt depth with Sam Alexis, a 6-foot-9 big who would fit behind Alabama transfer Aiden Sherrell and SMU transfer center Samet Yigitoglu as the Hoosiers try to get bigger and sturdier under Darian DeVries.
Santa Clara could be looking at another strong run if Elijah Mahi returns. The 6-7 wing averaged 14.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists last season, and his presence alongside point guard Sash Gavalyugov, Jake Ensminger, Thierry Darlan and KJ Cochran would mean Herb Sendek brings back five rotation players from a team that earned a No. 10 seed and came an eyelash from knocking off Kentucky in the first round.
Wake Forest’s frontcourt also stands to gain if Justin Abson remains eligible. The former Appalachian State and Georgia big man would immediately help solve a major question for Steve Forbes’ team and looks like the starting center if he gets the green light.
The transfer portal could also get messy. UCF wing Riley Kugel, who averaged 14.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists for a Knights team that made the 2026 NCAA Tournament, is in the portal and would draw interest from high-major programs if he is eligible.
UCF has a significant hole on the wing, and Johnny Dawkins could even consider bringing him back. With eligibility questions now splitting the pool of five-in-five seniors, Kugel could also wind up filling a need for another team, including LSU, which has several seniors in limbo.
In Other News...
Kansas Has A Backcourt Decision That Could Define Bill Selfs Season
Bill Self is heading into his 24th season with the roster still in flux, and that uncertainty is especially noticeable in the backcourt. Recent transfers and incoming recruits have left Kansas with a handful of moving pieces, while CBS Sports analyst Isaac Trotter has already started sketching out possible roles and a projected lineup that reflects just how open things still are.
The guard rotation is where the real decision sits, with Kansas weighing fit, creation and defense as it waits on NCAA eligibility calls and settles on its final mix. Kohl Rosario and Leroy Blyden Jr. are among the names in the mix for minutes, and how Self sorts through that competition could end up shaping not just the opening lineup, but the way this team functions once the season begins. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Suddenly Has A Running Back Problem It Cant Ignore
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With a bye week now offering a little breathing room, Kansas gets a chance to sort through the damage before the next kickoff. In the meantime, the workload has started to shift toward Micah Johnson, a walk-on whose role is expanding at exactly the wrong time for a position group that already needs help getting healthy. [Read more 🡒]
Tre White Suddenly Gives Kansas A Real Lineup Decision
Tre Whites path back into Kansas basketball just got a lot more interesting, and it comes at a time when the Jayhawks are trying to sort out what their rotation will look like heading into the season. White transferred to Kansas for his senior year and wound up starting all 35 games last season, so his name carries real weight when it comes to any lineup discussion. For a team that knows what he can bring on the floor, even the possibility of having him available again changes the conversation.
The wrinkle is that this is still part of a broader eligibility fight, one involving several players seeking relief in similar lawsuits. White has been granted temporary eligibility while the case continues, which gives Kansas a real short-term decision to make without providing full clarity for the long term. The bigger question now is how the program plans around a situation that could shift again before theres any final resolution. [Read more 🡒]