2025–26 Northeast Conference men's basketball season

2025–26 Northeast Conference men's basketball season
LeagueNCAA Division I
SportBasketball
Defending championsSaint Francis (2024–25)
DurationNovember 3, 2025 – TBD
Games90 regular-season conference games (18 per team) and 7 tournament games
Teams10
Streaming partner(s)NEC Front Row, ESPN+
NBA draft
Regular season
Regular-season championsLIU (1st title)
  Runners-upCentral Connecticut
Season MVPDarin Smith Jr.
Central Connecticut
NEC tournament final
VenueCampus sites
ChampionsLIU (7th title)
  Runners-upMercyhurst
Tournament MVPGreg Gordon
2025–26 NEC men's basketball standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
LIU 15 3   .833 24 10   .706
Central Connecticut 12 6   .667 18 12   .600
Mercyhurst * 10 8   .556 17 17   .500
Le Moyne * 10 8   .556 15 17   .469
New Haven ** 9 9   .500 14 17   .452
Stonehill 8 10   .444 12 21   .364
Fairleigh Dickinson 8 10   .444 11 21   .344
Wagner 8 10   .444 14 17   .452
Chicago State 5 13   .278 7 25   .219
Saint Francis 5 13   .278 7 24   .226
2026 NEC tournament winner
* ineligible for the 2026 NCAA tournament due to transition from Division II
** ineligible for both the 2026 NEC tournament and the 2026 NCAA tournament due to transition from Division II
As of March 10, 2026

The 2025–26 Northeast Conference men's basketball season, officially, the 2025–26 NEC men's basketball season, began with practices in October 2025, and was followed by the start of the 2025–26 NCAA Division I men's basketball season on November 3. Conference play started on January 2, and the regular season will conclude on February 28, 2026. This will be the 45th season of Northeast Conference (NEC) men's basketball. Central Connecticut is the defending regular-season champion. Saint Francis is the defending conference tournament champion.

This is the first season of NEC membership for New Haven, which began its transition from Division II.

This is the final season of NEC membership for Saint Francis, which began its reclassification transition to Division III.