Champion Christian vs UL Monroe prediction: Ryan Cross's rebuilt UL Monroe takes its second step against Champion Christian
A program that replaced nearly its entire roster gets an early chance to show its new pieces fit, against a visitor from Hot Springs whose level remains unclear.
- UL Monroe should control a home game against a likely non-Division I visitor, but nobody yet knows how this new roster plays together.
- Watch how Cross's six transfers and seven junior college recruits share the ball and minutes in their second game as a group.
- No spread or total is posted yet; last season's 4-28 team returns only Cam Campbell, so its numbers say little about this one.
A program starting from scratch
UL Monroe fired Phil Cunningham after one season and a 4-28 record, then hired Ryan Cross in March as the ninth head coach in program history. Cross inherited no returning scholarship players and rebuilt from zero.
The result is close to an entirely new team: six transfer portal additions, seven junior college recruits and one high school signee. Cam Campbell is the lone returner. The Warhawks open the Cross era on Nov. 2 at home, so this Wednesday game against Champion Christian is their second, and the first chance to adjust after seeing the group in a real game.
Why last season barely applies
Last season's Warhawks were among the worst teams in Division I. Their adjusted net efficiency (points per 100 possessions scored minus allowed, adjusted for opponents) finished at -22.5, 350th of 365. The defense was the bigger problem, allowing 83.9 points per game, 359th nationally.
Almost none of the players behind those numbers are still here, so treat them as a description of what Cross was hired to fix, not a forecast. The one style marker worth noting is pace: last season's team played fast, at 70.7 possessions per 40 minutes, 48th in the country. Whether Cross keeps that tempo is unknown until the Warhawks take the floor.
The visitor from Hot Springs
Champion Christian is a private Christian college in Hot Springs, Arkansas, listed with NAIA and NCCAA affiliations, though it plays a schedule heavy with Division I opponents. Mo Capaci is the head coach. There is no Division I data on the Tigers, and no injury or roster news has surfaced for either side.
Games like this usually serve as a tune-up for the home team, and this one gives Cross another look at rotations before Sun Belt play. No line has been posted, and the teams have not played in the last three seasons.
Numbers that matter
| ULM record last season | 4-28 | The record that cost Phil Cunningham his job after one season and led to Ryan Cross's hire. |
|---|---|---|
| Last season's adjusted net efficiency | -22.5 | Ranked 350th of 365, though nearly every player behind it is gone. |
| Last season's points allowed per game | 83.9 | Ranked 359th nationally, the clearest sign of what the rebuild has to fix. |
| Last season's pace | 70.7 | Possessions per 40 minutes, 48th in Division I; the new staff may or may not keep that tempo. |
Champion Christian vs UL Monroe: quick answers
When is Champion Christian vs UL Monroe?
Wednesday, November 4, 2026 at 7:30 PM ET.