FARMINGTON, Utah — Big Sky coaches and media have the Portland State men's basketball team contending at the top of the conference once again, and newcomer Koren Johnson as one of the league's best players.
 
The predictions came as the league announced its Big Sky Coaches and Media Polls Wednesday, as well its preseason all-conference team.
 
The coaches picked the Vikings to finish tied for fourth in the league, while the media picked them to place fifth. Johnson, meanwhile, was one of seven members of the preseason all-conference team.
 
There was a clear top five in both preseason polls. Montana State, Northern Colorado and Eastern Washington went 1-2-3 in both polls. Montana and Portland State were next, finishing tied for fourth in the coaches poll and fourth and fifth, respectively, in the media poll.
 
The gap between those five and the rest of the league was significant. In the coaches poll, Montana and Portland State were 17 points clear of Idaho, which finished sixth with 56 points. The Vandals were sixth in the media poll, too, finishing with 183 points – 53 points behind the Vikings.
 
Overall, there was remarkable agreement between both polls. The only difference between the coaches and media polls was the Vikings being tied with Montana in the coaches poll and behind them in the media poll. Otherwise, all the placements matched.
 
Johnson, meanwhile, joined Northern Colorado's Langston Reynolds, Montana State's Jed Miller, Utah Tech's Ethan Potter, Eastern Washington's Andrew Cook and Alton Hamilton IV, and Southern Utah's Jaiden Feroah on the preseason all-conference team. Reynolds earned preseason MVP honors in his return to Northern Colorado after a year away in Minnesota.
 
Johnson came to the Vikings after previous stops at Ole Miss (2025-26), Louisville (2024-25) and Washington (2022-24). He was named the Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year in 2023-24, when he averaged 11.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game for the Huskies.
 
He prepped at Garfield High School in Seattle where he was ranked as the nation's 25th best point guard prospect and the No. 1 recruit from the state of Washington.
 
Johnson and the Vikings will play an exhibition at Nevada on Oct. 25 before officially opening their season at home against Lewis & Clark on Nov. 3 (7 p.m. tipoff). The Vikings will celebrate their 2025-26 Big Sky Conference regular-season title that night, something they hope to be contending for again in 2026-27.
 
2026-27 Big Sky Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll 
 
1: Montana State (7) – 97
2: Northern Colorado – 81
3: Eastern Washington (3) – 79
T4: Montana – 73
T4: Portland State – 73
6: Idaho (1) – 56
7: Utah Tech – 50
8: Weber State – 29
9: Idaho State – 26
10: Southern Utah – 25
11: Northern Arizona – 16 
 
2026-27 Big Sky Men's Basketball Preseason Media Poll 
 
1: Montana State (19) – 326
2: Northern Colorado (7) – 295
3: Eastern Washington (5) – 279
4: Montana (1) – 254
5: Portland State – 236
6: Idaho – 183
7: Utah Tech – 161
8: Weber State – 143
9: Idaho State – 93
10: Southern Utah – 85
11: Northern Arizona – 57
 
2026-27 Big Sky Men's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
 
Langston Reynolds, Northern Colorado (MVP)
Jed Miller, Montana State
Ethan Potter, Utah Tech
Andrew Cook, Eastern Washington
Alton Hamilton IV, Eastern Washington
Jaiden Feroah, Southern Utah
Koren Johnson, Portland State