The beginning of the 2024-25 college basketball season is right here finally.
OK, tremendous, it’s true — games have been taking place for greater than every week now.
However what’s November even for if not shaking off the rust of an extended offseason? That goes for each the lithe athletes on the courtroom and the blithe know-it-all penning this preview column.
Assuming you’ve been too busy barking on the moon about the imploding Bears and the invisible Bulls and Blackhawks (an antenna? significantly?) to tune into faculty hoops, what have you ever missed up to now? Not loads. Preseason No. 6 Gonzaga destroyed No. 8 Baylor 101-63. Baylor then handed John Calipari his first loss at Arkansas, beating the No. 16 Razorbacks 72-67. No. 1 Kansas held off No. 9 North Carolina in a 92-89 thriller, and No. 11 Auburn outfought No. 4 Houston 74-69. That was the meat of it heading into a giant Tuesday night time, which introduced a Kansas-Michigan State and Duke-Kentucky doubleheader in Atlanta.
As an AP Prime 25 voter, I’ve already bumped up Gonzaga and Auburn on — and dumped Baylor and Arkansas from — my second poll. However let’s not get too hung up on the early-season comings and goings, as a result of it’s a mighty lengthy highway from now to the Remaining 4 in San Antonio. As a substitute, let’s get you prepped:
Rock Chalk, actual speak: For the second straight season, Kansas was ranked No. 1 getting into. However what’s going to cease this Jayhawks group from being a complete flop just like the final model, which sunk to the center of the Massive 12 pack and misplaced within the second spherical of the NCAA Event? Returnees Dajuan Harris Jr., KJ Adams Jr. and Hunter Dickinson present a robust basis, however the remaining will depend upon how the switch items match. Did Invoice Self hit a house run within the portal with Zeke Mayo from South Dakota State, Rylan Griffen from Alabama and AJ Storr from Wisconsin or didn’t he?
UConn shoots for 3: Faculty basketball hasn’t seen a championship three-peat since John Picket-led UCLA received seven straight titles from 1967 by 1973. After successful back-to-back titles in sensational trend, the Dan Hurley-led Huskies are aiming to maintain it going. Hurley’s roster has modified a lot, although, that purchasing into this group’s elite-ness requires one thing of a leap of religion. Then once more, the very same factor might’ve been stated a 12 months in the past.
Life after Zach Edey: The 2-time nationwide participant of the 12 months is within the NBA, however Purdue is the favourite within the Massive Ten even with out him. Why? Don’t consider it as being as a result of the Boilermakers are anticipated to stay in tip-top kind. Consider it as being as a result of the Massive Ten is down, and possibly approach down. The Boilers are ranked thirteenth, Indiana sixteenth, Ohio State twenty first and Rutgers twenty fourth. Illinois, coming off an Elite Eight run, is unranked. Exterior of the Rutgers one-and-done duo of Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper, there isn’t a lot glitz on this 18-team convention.
The true huge leagues: The Massive 12 has 5 groups — Kansas, Iowa State, Houston, Arizona and Baylor — ranked forward of Purdue. The SEC has three groups — Alabama, Auburn and Tennessee — nearer to the highest. Early-season rankings are nothing if not unreliable, however they’re portray one hell of an image a few Massive Ten that, by the best way, hasn’t produced a nationwide champ since Michigan State in 2000. Subsequent time you hear a Massive Ten coach bloviating about his league being the most effective within the nation, strive to not snigger.
Concerning the Illini: Brad Underwood rebuilt primarily a complete roster because the Elite Eight loss to UConn, as just one present Illini participant, Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, noticed the ground (for all of 9 minutes) in that sport. There are such a lot of newcomers, so many three-point shooters and, Underwood guarantees, a lot potential. What number of Illini groups have had a number of freshmen being talked about as potential one-and-done first-round picks? That’s the case with each Will Riley and Kasparas Jakucionis now. Maybe this group will sneak to the highest of the Massive Ten. Wouldn’t that be enjoyable?
No love for Northwestern: Is anybody else on the market sufficiently old to recollect when the Wildcats went to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments in 2023 and 2024? As a result of the Massive Ten media — which pegged the ’Cats to complete sixteenth within the league standings — clearly has forgotten all about these golden years. Now not is Boo Buie round to take all the massive pictures, however Nick Martinelli erupted for 32- and 26-point video games proper out of the chute final week. He’s one to look at.
Chris Holtmann’s maiden DePaul voyage: The Blue Demons are off to a 3-0 begin below Holtmann, a former coach of the 12 months in each the Massive East and the Massive Ten. After the Tony Stubblefield period — to not point out the Dave Leitao, Oliver Purnell and Jerry Wainwright eras — the bar is extremely low, not that Holtmann is attempting merely to clear the bar. There’s no greater mountain to climb for any coach within the major-college ranks.
My AP Prime 25 preseason poll: 1. Kansas, 2. Alabama, 3. Houston, 4. UConn, 5. Purdue, 6. North Carolina, 7. Iowa State, 8. Gonzaga, 9. Duke, 10. Auburn, 11. Arizona, 12. Baylor, 13. Texas A&M, 14. Indiana, 15. Creighton, 16. Tennessee, 17. Michigan State, 18. Arkansas, 19. Marquette, 20. Illinois, 21. Cincinnati, 22. Texas, 23. Ole Miss, 24. Rutgers, 25. Clemson.
