Junior forward Anthony Przybilla returns to the court this coming season. (Ella Giere | Student Life)

WashU men’s basketball has waited eight months to get back on the floor after a crushing 2-point loss in the Sweet 16 that ended its season. On Friday, that wait will finally be over. 

The preseason No. 10 Bears tip off against Bethany Lutheran College on Friday, Nov. 6 at the 42nd annual Lopata Classic, hosted by WashU. 

Senior guard Ryan Cohen said the 65-63 loss to the University of St. Thomas (Texas) in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III tournament still stings. 

“We knew that we were the better team, and we should have won that game,” Cohen said. “Losing last year, that one hurt probably worse than any loss I’ve had, knowing that our seniors were leaving and that we had to wait all the way until now to start it all over.” 

The Bears, who went 20-8 last year, lost two of their stars from last year’s squad. Forward Connor May led the team with 17.3 points per game as a sophomore and transferred to Yale University. WashU also lost guard Yogi Oliff, a senior who led the team in assists and was named the University Athletic Association (UAA) Defensive Player of the Year.

Cohen started in every game last year and averaged 10.8 points while shooting 41.5% from three. He pointed to sophomore guard Josh Kim as someone who will step into a larger role this season with Oliff gone. As a first-year, Kim played in all 28 games and made seven starts, averaging 6.5 points and 2.4 rebounds a game.

“He’s helping the young guys, he’s holding people accountable when they don’t do things great, and I think that’s a strength of our team,” Cohen said.

Senior guard Lucas Vogel, who played limited minutes last year, has had a strong fall camp and has been shooting the ball well, according to Cohen.

“We have something called the Vogel voice,” Cohen said. “That’s just because he’s always talking and screaming, and he’s got so much juice and enthusiasm always, but he is just a ruthless competitor, and at whatever cost, he wants to win.”

The Bears also brought in seven newcomers, including two transfers and five first-years. Head Coach Pat Juckem said the new players have brought energy that has paired well with the team’s returners. Junior guard Rex Lamb transferred from D-III St. Olaf College, where he averaged 13.9 points on 44.3% shooting from 3-point range as a sophomore. WashU also added graduate transfer guard Coleson Messer from Vanderbilt University, which went 27-9 last year, earning a No. 4 seed in the NCAA tournament.

Cohen said the team is focused on improved rebounding, physical defense, and a faster pace on offense this season. He said the team’s identity is also shaped off the floor.

“Outside of basketball, we say the word ‘guice’ a lot, and we spell it G-U-I-C-E because our ‘guice’ is different, and we like to take pride in being the ‘guiceiest’ team in the country,” Cohen said. “Our bench mob is going to be crazier than any other bench mob for 25 games this year and then playoffs.”

Cohen and Juckem both stressed the importance of team bonding. Cohen said that the team hangs out off the court a lot and had dinner with the coaches a couple of weeks ago.

“This team is like no team that I’ve ever been on before,” Cohen said. “Everybody’s best friends with everybody, and I think that’s so cool.”

The Lopata Classic will be an early test for the Bears. All four teams in the bracket made last year’s NCAA tournament, and a win over Bethany Lutheran could set WashU up with an early ranked matchup against No. 5 Gustavus Adolphus College. 

Cohen is most looking forward to facing No. 6 Illinois Wesleyan University, which the Bears will play in Illinois on Dec. 18.

“That’s a team that in three years I haven’t beaten yet, and that’s our rival,” Cohen said. “So there’s tough feelings towards them, but that one’s circled.”

The Bears finished third in the UAA last season and will be tested in conference play again. WashU will face UAA opponents No. 4 Emory University, No. 23 New York University (NYU), and No. 24 University of Chicago (UChicago) twice each. The team opens UAA play at home on Jan. 9, 2027 against UChicago.

After last season’s heartbreaking Sweet 16 loss, the Bears know what they’re chasing.

“We think about the end goal a lot,” Cohen said. “We don’t talk about it a lot, but we know we’re thinking about it.”