Image Courtesy: ESPN
Secret scrimmages and exhibitions have been going on for a few weeks on the hardwood, but now it is time to start the college basketball regular season!!
After last season ended, many veterans that college basketball fans love moved onto professional basketball or bigger and better adventures as did some young phenoms. So, this year college basketball has many new faces. Whether they are incoming freshmen or star transfer portal additions, they are going to make big impacts for their teams.
So, let us enjoy potentially the last season of normalcy in March with a 68-team NCAA Tournament field. If they expand the tournament, fine. But, if this is it, do not let anyone disturb you from watching college basketball from November to April.
Enjoy the ride.
*All statistics come from College Basketball Reference.*
Conference Projections:
ACC
1.Duke Blue Devils
2.Louisville Cardinals
3.North Carolina State Wolfpack
4.Virginia Cavaliers
5.North Carolina Tar Heels
6.SMU Mustangs
7.Clemson Tigers
8.Syracuse Orange
9.Notre Dame Fighting Irish
10.Miami Hurricanes
11.Virginia Tech Hokies
12.Pittsburgh Panthers
13.Georgia Tech Yellowjackets
14.Wake Forest Demon Deacons
15.Florida State Seminoles
16.California Golden Bears
17.Boston College Eagles
18.Stanford Cardinal
Best Non-Conference Games
1.Florida @ Duke (Dec. 2; ACC/SEC Challenge)
2.Arkansas vs. Duke (Nov. 27; Chicago)
3.Kentucky @ Louisville (Nov. 11)
4.Louisville @ Arkansas (Dec. 3; ACC/SEC Challenge)
5.Michigan vs. Duke (Feb. 21; Washington DC)
Best Conference Games
1.Duke vs. Louisville (Jan. 6/7, Jan. 26)
2.Duke vs. North Carolina (Feb. 7, March 7)
3.Duke @ NC State (March 2)
4.Virginia @ Duke (Feb. 28)
5.NC State @ Louisville (Feb. 9)
Awards
Player of the Year: Darrion Williams, Forward, NC State (Junior)
2024-2025 Stats: 15.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.3 steals (@ Texas Tech)
Defensive Player of the Year: Seth Trimble, Guard, North Carolina (Senior)
2024-2025 Stats: 11.6 points, 5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.4 steals
Newcomer of the Year: Cameron Boozer, Forward, Duke (Freshman) / Mikel Brown, Guard, Louisville (Freshman)
2024-2025 Stats: N/A (Both in high school)
Coach of the Year: Ryan Odom, Virginia
Conference Tournament Champion: Duke
Big 12
1.Houston Cougars
2.Texas Tech Red Raiders
3.BYU Cougars
4.Iowa State Cyclones
5.Arizona Wildcats
6.Kansas Jayhawks
7.Baylor Bears
8.TCU Horned Frogs
9.Kansas State Wildcats
10.Cincinnati Bearcats
11.Oklahoma State Cowboys
12.Utah Utes
13.Colorado Buffaloes
14.West Virginia Mountaineers
15.UCF Golden Knights
16.Arizona State Sun Devils
Best Non-Conference Games
1.Houston vs. Tennessee (Nov. 25; Players Era Men’s Championship)
2.Duke vs. Kansas (Nov. 18; New York City; Champions Classic)
3.Arizona @ UConn (Nov. 19)
4.Creighton vs. Iowa State (Nov. 25; Players Era Men’s Championship)
5.Kansas @ North Carolina (Nov. 14)
Best Conference Games
1.Houston vs. Texas Tech (Jan. 4, Jan. 25)
2.BYU vs. Texas Tech (Jan. 17, March 7)
3.Houston @ Iowa State (Feb. 16)
4.Arizona vs. Kansas (Feb. 9, Feb. 28)
5.Iowa State vs. Kansas (Jan. 13, Feb. 14)
Awards
Player of the Year: JT Toppin, Center, Texas Tech (Junior)
2024-2025 Stats: 18.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, 1.1 steals
Defensive Player of the Year: Joseph Tugler, Forward, Houston (Junior)
2024-2025 Stats: 5.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, 1 steal
Newcomer of the Year: AJ Dybantasa, Forward, BYU (Freshman) / Darryn Peterson, Guard, Kansas (Freshman)
2024-2025 Stats: N/A (Both in high school)
Coach of the Year: Kevin Young, BYU
Conference Tournament Champion: BYU
Big East
1.St. John’s Red Storm
2.UConn Huskies
3.Creighton Blue Jays
4.Marquette Golden Eagles
5.Providence Friars
6.Villanova Wildcats
7.Georgetown Hoyas
8.Butler Bulldogs
9.DePaul Blue Demons
10.Xavier Musketeers
11.Seton Hall Pirates
Best Non-Conference Games
1.Kentucky vs. St. John’s (Dec. 20; Atlanta; CBS Sports Classic)
2.Arizona @ UConn (Nov. 19)
3.Creighton vs. Iowa State (Nov. 25; Players Era Men’s Championship)
4.Baylor vs. St. John’s (Nov. 25; Players Era Men’s Championship)
5.Texas @ UConn (Dec. 12)
Best Conference Games
1.UConn vs. St. John’s (Feb. 6, Feb. 25)
2.Creighton vs. UConn (Jan. 31, Feb. 18)
3.Creighton vs. St. John’s (Jan. 10, Feb. 21)
4.Marquette vs. St. John’s (Jan. 10, Feb. 18)
5.UConn vs. Marquette (Jan. 4, March 7)
Creighton vs. Marquette (Dec. 20, Jan. 27)
Awards
Player of the Year: Zuby Ejiofor, Forward, St. John’s (Senior)
2024-2025 Stats: 14.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals, 1.1 blocks
Defensive Player of the Year: Zuby Ejiofor, Forward, St. John’s (Senior)
2024-2025 Stats: See Above
Newcomer of the Year: Silas Demary Jr., Guard, UConn (Junior)
2024-2025 Stats: 17.1 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2.2 steals
Coach of the Year: Greg McDermott, Creighton
Conference Tournament Champion: UConn
Big Ten
1.Purdue Boilermakers
2.Michigan Wolverines
3.UCLA Bruins
4.Illinois Fighting Illini
5.Oregon Ducks
6.Wisconsin Badgers
7.Michigan State Spartans
8.Indiana Hoosiers
9.Ohio State Buckeyes
10.Iowa Hawkeyes
11.USC Trojans
12.Washington Huskies
13.Maryland Terrapins
14.Nebraska Cornhuskers
15.Northwestern Wildcats
16.Minnesota Golden Gophers
17.Rutgers Scarlet Knights
18.Penn State Nittany Lions
Best Non-Conference Games
1.Michigan vs. Duke (Feb. 21; Washington DC)
2.Purdue @ Alabama (Nov. 13)
3.Auburn vs. Michigan (Nov. 25; Players Era Men’s Championship)
4.Auburn vs. Purdue (Dec. 20; Indianapolis; Indy Classic)
5.UCLA vs. Gonzaga (Dec. 13; Seattle)
Best Conference Games
1.Michigan @ Purdue (Feb. 17)
2.Purdue @ UCLA (Jan. 20)
3.Michigan vs. Michigan State (Jan. 30, March 8)
4.Wisconsin @ Illinois (Feb. 10)
5.UCLA @ Michigan (Feb. 14)
Awards
Player of the Year: Braden Smith, Guard, Purdue (Senior)
2024-2025 Stats: 15.8 points, 8.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 2.2 steals
Defensive Player of the Year: Yaxel Lendeborg, Forward, Michigan (Grad. Senior)
2024-2025 Stats: 17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.8 blocks, 1.7 steals (@ UAB)
Newcomer of the Year: Donovan Dent, Guard, UCLA (Senior) / Yaxel Lendeborg, Forward, Michigan (Grad. Senior)
2024-2025 Stats: 2o.4 points, 6.4 assists, 1.6 steals, 1 block
Coach of the Year: Dusty May, Michigan
Conference Tournament Champion: Illinois
SEC
1.Florida Gators
2.Kentucky Wildcats
3.Arkansas Razorbacks
4.Tennessee Volunteers
5.Alabama Crimson Tide
6.Auburn Tigers
7.Ole Miss Rebels
8.Texas Longhorns
9.Mississippi State Bulldogs
10.Missouri Tigers
11.Texas A&M Aggies
12.Oklahoma Sooners
13.Vanderbilt Commodores
14.Georgia Bulldogs
15.LSU Tigers
16.South Carolina Gamecocks
Best Non-Conference Games
1.Florida @ Duke (Dec. 2; ACC/SEC Challenge)
2.Arkansas vs. Duke (Nov. 27; Chicago)
3.Kentucky vs. St. John’s (Dec. 20; Atlanta; CBS Sports Classic)
4.Kentucky @ Louisville (Nov. 11)
5.Houston vs. Tennessee (Nov. 25; Players Era Men’s Championship)
Best Conference Games
1.Florida vs. Kentucky (Feb. 14, March 7)
2.Kentucky @ Arkansas (Jan. 31)
3.Alabama vs. Auburn (Feb. 7, March 7)
4.Auburn @ Florida (Jan. 24)
5.Arkansas @ Florida (Feb. 28)
Awards
Player of the Year: Otega Oweh, Guard, Kentucky (Senior)
2024-2025 Stats: 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 steals
Defensive Player of the Year: Rueben Chinyelu, Center
2024-2025 Stats: 6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 1.1 steals per game
Newcomer of the Year: Darius Acuff, Guard, Arkansas (Freshman)
2024-2025 Stats: N/A (In high school)
Coach of the Year: Rick Barnes, Tennessee
Conference Tournament Champion: Alabama
Best Non-Power 5 Teams
1.Gonzaga
2.San Diego State
3.VCU
4.Saint Mary’s
5.Memphis
Best Non-Conference Games
1.Gonzaga vs. Kentucky (December 5; Nashville)
2.Michigan vs. San Diego State (Nov. 24; Players Era Men’s Championship)
3.UCLA vs. Gonzaga (Dec. 13; Seattle)
4.Memphis vs. Purdue (Nov. 20; Baha Mar Championship)
5.VCU @ NC State (Nov. 17)
Best Conference Games
1.Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary’s (Jan. 31, Feb. 28)
2.San Diego State vs. Utah State (Jan. 31, Feb. 25)
3.Saint Louis vs. VCU (Jan. 7, Feb. 20)
4.Memphis vs. South Florida (Feb. 19, March 5)
5.Dayton vs. VCU (Feb. 6, March 6)
Awards (Picking the best from every team above)
MVP: Graham Ike, Forward, Gonzaga (Redshirt Senior)
2024-2025 Stats: 17.3 points and 7.3 rebounds
Defensive Player of the Year: Magoon Gwath, Forward, San Diego State (Sophomore)
2024-2025 Stats: 8.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.2 blocks
Newcomer of the Year: Keonte Jones, Forward, Dayton (Graduate)
2024-2025 Stats: 13.1 points, 9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.8 steals, 1.3 blocks
Coach of the Year: Brian Dutcher, San Diego State
Conference Tournament Champions: Memphis (American), VCU (Atlantic-10), San Diego State (Mountain West), Gonzaga (West Coast)
National Preview:
Best Non-Conference Games
1.Florida @ Duke (Dec. 2; ACC/SEC Challenge)
2.Arkansas vs. Duke (Nov. 27; Chicago)
3.Kentucky vs. St. John’s (Dec. 20; Atlanta; CBS Sports Classic)
4.Kentucky @ Louisville (Nov. 11)
5.Houston vs. Tennessee (Nov. 25; Players Era Men’s Championship)
Best Conference Games
1.UConn vs. St. John’s (Feb. 6, Feb. 25)
2.Florida vs. Kentucky (Feb. 14, March 7)
3.Houston vs. Texas Tech (Jan. 4, Jan. 25)
4.Duke vs. Louisville (Jan. 6/7, Jan. 26)
5.Kentucky @ Arkansas (Jan. 31)
My Top 32 Overall Teams:
1.Purdue
2.Houston
3.St. John’s
4.Florida
5.Duke
6.UConn
7.Texas Tech
8.Michigan
9.Kentucky
10.Louisville
11.BYU
12.Arkansas
13.UCLA
14.Iowa State
15.Tennessee
16.Arizona
17.Alabama
18.Illinois
19.Oregon
20.Creighton
21.Auburn
22.NC State
23.Wisconsin
24.Gonzaga
25.Virginia
26.Michigan State
27.North Carolina
28.Kansas
29.Iowa
30.Vanderbilt
31.San Diego State
32.Ole Miss
Bracketology:
Midwest (Chicago)
1.Purdue
2.UConn
3.Kentucky
4.Iowa State
5.Alabama
6.Wisconsin
7.North Carolina
8.Vanderbilt
West (San Jose)
1.Florida
2.Texas Tech
3.Arkansas
4.UCLA
5.Creighton
6.Gonzaga
7.Michigan State
8.San Diego State
South (Houston)
1.Houston
2.Michigan
3.Louisville
4.Tennessee
5.Oregon
6.Auburn
7.Virginia
8.Iowa
East (Washington DC)
1.St. John’s
2.Duke
3.BYU
4.Arizona
5.Illinois
6.NC State
7.Kansas
8.Ole Miss
National Player of the Year: Braden Smith, Guard, Purdue (Senior)
National Champion: Houston Cougars
