Main males’s college basketball begins Monday after a rollicking offseason by which UConn head coach Dan Hurley flirted with the Los Angeles Lakers, big-name coaches modified positions and former Virginia head coach Tony Bennett retired in October.
No want to attend till March for insanity. It is already right here. Listed below are 10 questions (and solutions) concerning the season:
1. Can UConn three-peat?
Completely. The Huskies grew to become the primary crew to repeat as nationwide champions for the reason that 2006-07 Florida Gators. Now they’re aiming to grow to be the primary crew to win three in a row since John Wood’s UCLA groups received seven titles in a row from 1967-1973.
Hurley’s return was crucial for UConn to have a shot. Simply as essential was junior ahead Alex Karaban’s spurning the NBA to return. He is joined by stud freshman Liam McNeeley, who is predicted to contribute closely after the departure of 4 starters from final season’s crew.
2. What does Purdue appear like with out Zach Edey?
A lot completely different. There’s not one other participant like Edey. Purdue can not exchange the 7-foot-4 middle, who’s now enjoying for the Memphis Grizzlies. As a substitute, the Boilermakers will rely closely on 6-foot level guard Braden Smith, who averaged 12 factors, 7.5 assists, 5.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals final season. He is the favourite to be Massive Ten Participant of the 12 months. Purdue will take a step again this season, however it might probably nonetheless be a top-15 crew — the point of interest of the roster will simply be a lot shorter.
3. Can John Calipari get his mojo again?
He already seems to have finished simply that. It appeared like Calipari would retire at Kentucky, however unrest among the many fan base after three straight first-weekend exits from March Insanity led to an unceremonious finish. Coach Cal landed at Arkansas, the place he needed to construct a roster from scratch. A trio of transfers — D.J. Wagner (Kentucky), Johnell Davis (Florida Atlantic) and Jonas Aidoo (Tennessee) — will cleared the path. (Calipari apparently nonetheless has a superb recruiting contact.) An 85-69 exhibition win over No. 1 Kansas final Friday has Razorback followers energized.
4. How good is Duke’s Cooper Flagg?
Actually, actually good. “The King” himself, LeBron James, instructed Brian O’Keefe in a story published in Esquire in September that Flagg might be a “big-time participant” for Staff USA sometime.
The highest recruit within the nation has earned nationwide consideration for years because of his mixture of measurement (6-foot-9 and 205 kilos) and athleticism. He already has signed large endorsement offers with New Balance and Gatorade.
Flagg turned heads in a scrimmage towards the USA males’s nationwide crew over the summer season. It is lastly time for him to take the courtroom for the Blue Devils, who are ranked seventh in the Associated Press poll.
5. Who can survive the Massive 12?
The Massive 12 was already the nation’s finest convention, however with the additions of Arizona, Arizona State, Utah and Colorado, the league acquired even deeper.
The convention has 5 groups within the AP preseason High 10. High-ranked Kansas is the favourite, however No. 4 Houston, No. 5 Iowa State, No. 8 Baylor and No. 10 Arizona might be formidable challengers.
Search for the Jayhawks to prevail. Historical past says KU, which has received 20 of 24 Massive 12 titles, nearly at all times finds a method. Transfers Zeke Mayo (South Dakota State) and AJ Storr (Wisconsin) will place Kansas to resist the Massive 12 grind.
6. Is that this the tip for Penny Hardaway at Memphis?
Drama abounds at Memphis beneath Hardaway’s watch. In September, he dismissed four assistant coaches, and his program has been beneath a cloud of recruiting violations. Memphis, which completed 22-10 in 2023-24, returns just one participant from final season. Hardaway wants a win within the NCAA Match for job safety, however even which may not save him.
7. Can Mark Pope rejuvenate Kentucky?
Pope, who performed at Kentucky from 1994-1996, succeeded Calipari. He was beforehand at BYU and Utah Valley and has received 20 or extra video games in six of the previous seven seasons and made six postseason appearances. However the stakes are much higher at Kentucky.
The Wildcats enter the season twenty third within the AP High 25, behind six fellow SEC packages (No. 2 Alabama, No. 11 Auburn, No. 12 Tennessee, No. 13 Texas A&M, No. 16 Arkansas and No. 19 Texas).
Pope engineered a fast turnaround at Utah Valley and saved BYU aggressive by a convention change to the Massive 12. He’ll have an early alternative to rejuvenate the fan base when UK takes on No. 7 Duke on Nov. 12. Anticipate him to energise the Wildcats, who completed 23-10 final season.
8. Which mid-majors are primed for a March Insanity run?
When you nonetheless contemplate Gonzaga a mid-major, the Bulldogs are the plain reply. Graham Ike and firm might be a Closing 4 contender as soon as once more. Elsewhere, Grand Canyon (30-5 final season) and St. Louis are packages to control.
GCU returns the WAC Participant of the 12 months in Tyon Grant-Foster. St. Louis employed former Indiana State head coach Josh Schertz, who introduced nationwide sensation Robbie Avila — a.ok.a. “Cream Abdul-Jabbar” — with him. In a preseason poll, St. Louis was picked fourth within the Atlantic 10 and acquired a pair of first-place votes.
9. Which main program may have a training opening subsequent?
Prior to now two years, the head-coaching jobs at Duke, Kentucky, Ohio State, Michigan, Villanova and Louisville have opened. Control Mike Woodson at Indiana, which missed the NCAA Match final season. That should not be the case this season, however whether it is, expect IU to fire Woodson.
10. Can the Massive Ten finish the drought?
Purdue got here shut final season, however the Massive Ten hasn’t received a nationwide championship since Michigan State’s 2000 title. It would not appear probably this season, both, because the convention is predicted to be down from earlier seasons. Purdue (14th), Indiana (seventeenth), UCLA (twenty second) and Rutgers (twenty fifth) are ranked within the AP preseason High 25.
