The time has come! We are less than 24 hours from the start of the 2018-19 college basketball season. I know I say it every year, but I am fired up for this season. There are intriguing players scattered across the country, mid-majors ready to make their mark on the season, and a number of blue bloods primed for another postseason run. Last year's tournament was filled with upsets, especially in that South Region. A No. 9 vs. a No. 11 for a spot to the Final Four on the line?! Have we ever seen that happen?! Some young coaches got their chance to show what they got; Porter Moser, Eric Musselman, Dan Hurley, and Chris Beard, to name a few. Some older coaches got a second chance to make some noise; Leonard Hamilton and Kelvin Sampson. Proven winners, like John Beilein and Jim Boeheim took their team's deeper than many thought. But in the end, it was Jay Wright's Villanova Wildcats, piloted by Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges, that remained on top, winning their second title in three years.
With last season now in the past, it's time to turn our attentions to the present. We have in front of us a fresh season, filled with both old and new names. The winning formula is undeniably a combination of both old and new. Villanova has created a culture to go along with the likes of Duke, Kentucky, and North Carolina. Who's turn is it now? Here are my top 25 teams going into our first set of games on Tuesday night.
Kansas steps in as my number one team to begin the year, and rightfully so. While last year ended in a disappointing Final Four loss to the eventual champion Villanova Wildcats, the Jayhawks, led by graduated guards Devonte' Graham and Svi Mykhailiuk won their 14th straight Big 12 title. Coming off their deepest postseason run since the 2011-12 season, Bill Self will look towards two transfers from Memphis to command his team this season. Dedric Lawson, who averaged 19.2 ppg and 9.9 rpg two season again at Memphis, and his twin brother K.J. Lawson, 12.3 ppg and 8.1 rpg, are the best kept secrets in basketball. Self also brings in two five-star recruits in Quentin Grimes and Devon Dotson. The only remaining senior on the squad, guard Lagerald Vick, should complete the starting five in what is sure to be one of Kansas' best seasons in the program's history.
I always underestimate what Mark Few can go out west with Gonzaga. Despite playing in the West Coast Conference, Few always has the Bulldogs ready to compete. Just two years ago, the Zags went to the championship game, falling to North Carolina with what many thought to be the most talented group Few has had in the school's relatively short Division 1 existence. However, I would argue that this year's squad is even better. Josh Perkins is back again for his final year of college ball. He is the heart of this team, playing with a gritty, in your face style. Zach Norvell Jr., the smooth shooting lefty out of Chicago who kept getting better as the season progressed, will be a scary compliment. His potential is sky high. Speaking of potential, the player that will make this thing go for Gonzaga is second year big man Rui Hachimura. He averaged 11.6 ppg and 4.7 rpg in just 20.7 mpg last season. If he puts it all together, he could lead Gonzaga to another Final Four and hear his name called in the lottery next June.
Ahh, we finally get to the team that will get the most talk this season. Regardless of if they are winning or losing, there won't be a team followed as closely as this year's Duke Blue Devils. Coach Mike Krzyzewski has flipped the script and become the best freshman recruiting coach in college basketball. He landed not only the number one recruit in the nation, but also the number two and number three overall recruits. Enter R.J. Barrett, a sleek 6' 7" forward from Ontario, Zion Williamson, the 6' 7", 285 lbs physical specimen, and Cam Reddish, a 6' 8" versatile guard. Between these three, Coach K has perhaps his most talented collection of freshmen ever. Add in point guard Tre Jones, the #2 overall ranked freshman point guard, and forward Joey Baker, a four-star recruit out of Fayetteville, and Duke is right at the top of the college basketball world once again. I will be particularly interested to see what Zion can do when facing stiffer competition in the ACC. He is a freak of an athlete, but I have questions about his jumper and his moves on the block.
The Volunteers had an abrupt end to their best season in nearly a decade. Loyola-Chicago's guard Clayton Custer sank a jumper that touched just about every area of the rim, sinking Tennessee's title hopes. The Vols are back this year, though, with the exact same starting five that Rick Barnes rolled out last season. Forward Grant Williams, co-winning SEC Player of the Year honors last seasons and an early candidate for National Player of the Year, returns after a 15.2 ppg and 6.0 rpg year. The physical big is joined by senior forward Admiral Schofield. Hailing from Zion, IL, Admiral took his game to the next level last season and, to me, was really the key to Tennessee's surge. His three point shot is one of many areas that he excelled in. The two Jordan's, Bowden and Bone, make up the back court. The SEC is a much tougher conference now, but Tennessee should be right at the top.
After last season's frustrating loss to Texas A&M in the Round of 32, Roy Williams returns three of five starters. The Heels will certainly miss the veteran leadership of Joel Berry II and Theo Pinson. However, the continual blossoming of Luke Maye makes this team a threat to compete for an ACC title and push to play in the final weekend of the season. Add in Cameron Johnson, who is too good of a shooter to not have another poor shooting year like he had last year, and the do-it-all guard Kenny Williams, and North Carolina has a solid core of returning talent. The impact of 6' 6" freshman forward Nassir Little could push this team into even higher territory. Little, who was voted the MVP of the McDonald's All-American Game, is UNC's first top five lottery talent since Harrison Barnes. A lot of this season will come down to matchups, but I have liked what I've seen out of Little that has me believing North Carolina will be better this year than last.
For once, Kentucky has some legitimate competition in the SEC. This won't be any cake walk, but Coach Calipari has done his part in ensuring that the Cats will be a force in college hoops. Kevin Knox and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are both gone to the NBA, but Cal has a pair of freshman bigs from last year returning this year in P.J. Washington and Nick Richards. Washington and Richards will be joined by Stanford grad transfer Reid Travis. Travis, a versatile 6' 8" forward, led the Cardinal last season, averaging 19.5 ppg and 8.7 rpg. His play will be magnified this season as those on the East Coast get a chance to watch him play more. Of course, John Calipari went out and recruited four five-star players. Leading the way is Keldon Johnson, a scoring threat off the wing, and 6' 10" E.J. Montgomery. After losing a good chunk of playing time to Gilgeous-Alexander last season, sophomore guard Quade Green returns as well. There are gaps in this Kentucky line-up, with a lot of talent up front. If the guard play steps up and Johnson becomes a legit threat from outside, Kentucky will make a deep run.
Boom! The Wolf Pack make their mark in the top 10! If it weren't for Loyola-Chicago's wild tournament run last season, it might have been Nevada making a Final Four appearance. The Martin twins are back again, bypassing the NBA to return for one final crack at a national championship. And you may think I'm crazy for saying that, but this Wolf Pack squad has everything needed to win a championship this year. Caleb Martin, #10, who has NBA first round potential, averaged 18.9 ppg and 5.4 rpg, while his brother, Cody, #11, averaged 14.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg, and a very quiet 1.5 bpg. Jordan Caroline, son of former NFL star Simeon Rice, is back after going for 17.7 ppg and 8.6 rpg last year. Four-star recruit Jordan Brown provides height up front, and Lindsey Drew likely rounds out the five. Throw in a plethora of mid-major transfers, and Eric Musselman will have a number of choices to go with this season. It's going to be an incredible year for Nevada.
What a 36 months it's been for Villanova. Over that course of time, Jay Wright has coached the Wildcats to two National Title's. This year, 'Nova should take a slight step back due to the loss of National Player of the Year Jalen Brunson, NBA lottery pick Mikal Bridges, and fellow first round picks Donte DiVincenzo and Omari Spellman. Wright does return Seniors Eric Paschall, who took big steps last year in his game, as well as guard Phil Booth. He also was able to secure five-star recruit Jahvon Quinerly, who may run this team from the point guard spot. Albany guard Joe Cremo transferred for his final year of college hoops. Cremo averaged 17.8 ppg last season at Albany and should slide into Wright's starting five. While the team may not have the immediate noticeable talent from previous seasons, don't count out the Cats. Jay Wright has built a winning pedigree that is not going away anytime soon.
Maybe I'm crazy to have Syracuse in my top 10, but I cannot deny the recent tournament success that the Orange have had. They upset TCU and Michigan State in last season's tournament to make it to the Sweet Sixteen where they nearly knocked of Duke. Jim Boeheim returns all five of his starters from last year, with guard Tyus Battle leading the way. Battle, who averaged 19.2 ppg last season, is one of the most prolific scorers in the nation. He is joined by backcourt companion Frank Howard, who improved immensely from his sophomore campaign and became a legitimate scoring option. Up front, Oshae Brissett, who may be the most important player to this team, is back after putting up 14.9 ppg anc 8.8 rpg last year. Syracuse has to play in the toughest conference in college basketball, but with an experience bunch that has gone deep into the postseason in year's past, the Orange are legitimate threat to play deep into the second weekend come March.
Virginia went 31-2 last season, capping off one of the best single season records with an ACC Tournament Championship. Things looked up, until the night of March 16th, when the entire world witnessed history. The #1 seeded Virginia Cavaliers were stunned by the #16 UMBC Retrievers. A 20 point thumping turned an exciting season into a nightmare quickly. Coach Tony Bennett will look to flip the page this year, with junior guards Kyle Guy and Ty Jerome leading the charge. Guy averaged 14.1 ppg last season and has shown to be a consistent shooter from deep, while Jerome went for 10.6 ppg. A number of NBA scouts like the game of 6' 7" guard De'Andre Hunter, who could quickly step up and lead this team in scoring this season after averaging 9.2 ppg in 19.9 mpg as a freshman. While this is nice and all, Virginia cannot excuse their notoriously poor postseason play. Hunter's rising star may be the best thing for this team, as it would give the Cavaliers a go-to scorer, something they drastically lacked last season.
Kansas State was solid most of last season in a cluttered Big 12 pack, but when it came tournament time, Bruce Weber had his squad playing inspired basketball. They moved past Kentucky in the Sweet Sixteen to face Loyola-Chicago in the Elite Eight, a game I'm sure they wish they had back. Similar to Syracuse, K-State returns all five starters from last season, including Senior forward Dean Wade. Wade averaged 16.2 ppg and 6.2 rpg last year, but missed nearly all of the tournament due to a foot injury. Despite his absence, the Wildcats were still able to make the run they did. Barry Brown Jr., 15.9 ppg, may be the best guard in the Big 12. Add in the hard-nosed Xavier Sneed, 11.1 ppg and 5.4 rpg, Kamou Stokes, and Cartier Diarra, this team will once again make serious noise in March.
Checking in at #12 is another Big 12 team. TCU had an impressive season going until they drew Syracuse in the Round of 64, bowing out before even hitting the first weekend of the tournament. Some may expect them to have a down year this season. After all, the departures of leading scorers Vladimir Brodziansky and Kenrich Williams certainly hurt, but the Horned Frogs get back one of their most electric players in Jaylen Fisher. The junior guard missed 16 games last season after hurting his knee. He returns along with junior Desmond Bane, who flashed signs of scoring excellence last season, as well as sophomore Kouat Noi (10.1 ppg). Next year should be a huge year with both Fisher and Bane being seniors, but I have a feeling the process will start a bit early and TCU will put together a solid year in 2018-19, yielding a date in the second weekend of the tournament.
Oregon was right on the bubble last year heading into Selection Sunday. Unfortunately they ended up on the wrong side of the cut and had to settle for a trip to the NIT, but things should change drastically this year. Dana Altman has brought in one of his best recruiting classes ever, led by the 7' 2" Bol Bol, son of the late, great Manute Bol. Bol has the same lanky arms that his dad had, but possesses incredibly polished dribbling for someone over seven feet and can stroke it from downtown. It's almost as if he's a Create-A-Player from 2K but in real life. He joins third year guard Payton Pritchard, who took an impressive step last year when he averaged 14.5 ppg and 4.8 apg. The versatile five-star recruit Louis King comes out from west from New Jersey. Between these three, Oregon should dominate the Pac-12 this season, a Pac-12 that will be down this season with the decline of Arizona and UCLA.
No, that's not a typo. Mississippi State is going to be good this year. Sneaky good. They started off the year 13-1 before hitting conference play and faltering. Now, knowing what the SEC holds, I have a feeling the Bulldogs will be ready for what's ahead. They didn't lose a starter, returning their top six scorers. The nation knows a lot about the Martin boys out in Nevada and (will soon) know about the Lawson boys in Kansas. But many don't know that Mississippi State has their very own set of brothers. While they aren't twins, Quinndary and Nick Weatherspoon led the charge last year and will do it once again this year. Quinndary, a senior guard, averaged 14.4 ppg last year, down 2 points from his previous campaign, but I expect him to average close to 18 this year and I expect the Bulldogs to push for an SEC title.
I really don't understand why Florida isn't getting more love and attention in the preseason polls. Look, I get that they lost Egor Koulechov in addition to Chris Chiozza. You simply can't replace a Chris Chiozza. But they still have their leading scorer from last season, senior guard Jalen Hudson (15.5 ppg), as well as KeVaughn Allen and shot blocker Kevarrius Hayes, who averaged 2.0 bpg last year. Allen's production dropped last year, never really getting into rhythm in what was supposed to be a breakthrough year. I think he puts it together in his fourth year though. With Chiozza gone, Allen will have every opportunity to conduct the Gators. In a crowded SEC, Florida could quickly slip towards the bottom, but I see them maintaining during conference play and striking once they reach the tournament in March.
I'm a huge fan of the culture that Jay Wright has developed in Villanova, but I also love what Buzz Williams has brought to Virginia Tech. From having military veterans come to a practice and go over the importance of the National Anthem with his players to grabbing the microphone during a home game against Duke last season and addressing the student section to quit cussing, the man has built a culture that is going to last for a very long time. He also happens to be a pretty good coach who has recruited a pretty good team. The Hokies return all but one starter from last year, with Justin Robinson (14.0 ppg and 5.6 apg), Kerry Blackshear Jr. (12.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg), and potential lottery pick Nickeil Alexander-Walker (10.7 ppg) leading the way. Chris Clarke, who was primed to take over a starting spot entering his senior year, was suspended indefinitely last week with no reason being given. Even without Clarke, for as long as that may be, Virginia Tech is one of the most well-rounded teams in the country.
Michigan State remains the team to beat in the Big Ten during the regular season and has an experienced roster that could move the Spartans up into the group of elite teams quickly this season. Having gotten bounced early in the NCAA tournament the past three seasons, Tom Izzo has to be tired of it and hungry to make another deep run. That's where Cassius Winston comes in. The junior guard got even better last season, averaging 12.6 ppg and 6.9 apg while shooting a blistering 50.7% from the field and 49.7% from three. He is accompanied by fellow junior Josh Langford and senior guard Matt McQuaid. Up front, the big boy Nick Ward returns, fresh off a 12.4 ppg and 7.1 rpg sophomore year. This team will be super scary next year, but for the time being, Sparty should compete for another Big Ten title and, if they get through their non-conference schedule fairly clean, could end up in the top 5 by the end of the year.
While a lot of the talk during the tournament went to Loyola-Chicago, Nevada, and Kansas State, Florida State was doing their own damage in the West Bracket, knocking off #8 Missouri, #1 Xavier, and #5 Gonzaga before dropping to Michigan. Their athleticism is what carried them so far. If you tuned in to watch them play last season, you know just how much fun they are to watch. They're long, bouncy, and gritty. Seniors Terrance Mann (12.6 ppg) and Phil Cofer (12.8 ppg) return along with the 7' 4" Christ Koumadje. The Seminoles may not replicate the success they had last year, but the athleticism of this team will carry them through conference play in the ACC and riding high into the NCAA tournament.
Carsen Edwards is perhaps the best scorer in the country and a should be considered by all as a favorite for National Player of the Year honors. Last year, he averaged 18.5 ppg as a sophomore. Now in his third year, the collegiate game has slowed down for him, and he is starting to take smarter shots. Look for him to push 20 points a game. Besides Edwards, this starting five will see some new faces. Nojel Eastern will be the new point guard, taking the place of P.J. Thompson, while the 7' 3" big from the Netherlands Matt Haarms will try to pick up for some of Isaac Haas's production. Haarms did play some big minutes last postseason when Haas was out with an elbow injury, and he accrued 2.1 bpg over the course of the year. A big load of the scoring, however, will fall on the shoulders of grad transfer Evan Boudreaux. Coming from Dartmouth and, before that, Lake Forest, IL, Boudreaux averaged 17.5 ppg and 9.5 rpg just two seasons ago. He and Edwards could be dynamite together and this Boilermakers squad could shoot up the polls fast.
I'm not as high on Auburn as some others are, but I don't believe last season's Sweet Sixteen run was any fluke. Bruce Pearl has established his style in Alabama, and the Tigers could once again compete for an SEC title should things work out in their favor during conference play. It's tough to see Mustapha Heron go to Saint John's after scoring 16.4 ppg last season, but Bryce Brown is now the bonafide go-to-guy in this offense. Brown averaged 15.9 ppg last year, and he'll get help from junior guard Jared Harper (13.2 ppg, 5.4 apg) and junior forward Anfernee McLemore, who had a freak injury last year and missed the latter part of the year including tournament play. Auburn was right there last year from putting it together. It will be difficult to do now without Heron, especially in a challenging SEC.
Michigan had arguably the easiest path to a title game ever, but wins are wins and I can't deny that. As much as I'd like to go back to that game against Houston and say their run should've ended there, it didn't. Jordan Poole happened. It's the beauty of the game, and John Beilein continues to find ways to get the most out of his guys. This year, Moritz Wagner Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman, and Duncan Robinson are all graduated. That leaves Charles Matthews, a junior in his second year with the Wolverines after transferring from Kentucky, and Jordan Poole as the leaders of the group. Matthews has shown takeover potential, averaging 13.0 ppg and 5.5 rpg last season, second in both categories to only Wagner. He's got next, and I believe he's in for a big, big year.
In just his second year as head coach at Indiana University, Archie Miller was able to land the #5 ranked recruit in Romeo Langford. Langford was born a scorer, averaging 35.5 ppg and 9.9 rpg at New Albany High School. He joins an Indiana squad that showed glimpses last year. Senior Juwan Morgan is back after averaging 16.5 ppg and 7.4 rpg. Both he and Langford possess the skill set that can get them to the next level. One guy to keep an eye on is sophomore forward Justin Smith. He's a Lake County kid, going to Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, IL, and playing alongside Jalen Brunson there. Smith made the most of the time that he was given last year, averaging 6.5 ppg in just 14.9 mpg. He will undoubtedly be involved more this season.
If there is one team that will challenge Villanova for the Big East title this year, it will be the Marquette Golden Eagles. Led by junior guard Markus Howard, who averaged a whopping 20.4 ppg last year, the Golden Eagles can score with the best of them. They averaged 81.3 ppg last year as a team. With Andrew Rowsey gone (he averaged even more than Howard at 20.5 ppg), junior forward Sam Houser will need to pick up the scoring load. Once his scoring gets there, the team will need to clamp down on defense. They gave up nearly 79 points a game last year to opposing team. Granted, the Big East is not nearly as strong this year as it has been over the past couple of years, so Marquette's green light is now.
Despite losing Jevon Carter and Daxter Miles, this team is still extremely deep and has guys ready to step up. I may have West Virginia too low, especially when considering the "Huggy Bear" Bob Huggins is patrolling the sidelines. The scoring will be picked up by senior guard Esa Ahmad (10.3 ppg in, who should get even more playing time this year, and junior Lamont West (9.4 ppg) and junior James Bolden (8.7 ppg). West is the most intriguing of the bunch, possessing an array of moves off the wing. He could put together a strong year and get drafted in the first round come June. But the biggest driving force for this Moutaineers team is the big boy in the middle, Sagabe Konate. The 6' 8" big from Mali averaged 3.2 bpg, which was good for third in the nation last year behind Marshall's Adjin Penava and the legendary Mo Bamba out of Texas. On top of Konate's dominating presence inside, he holds him own offensively, generating 10.8 ppg last season. I'll miss watching Jevon Carter lead "Press Virginia," but this team is still in great shape and will push for a Big 12 title.
I was high on Maryland last season and they let me, and others, down big time, missing out on the NCAA tournament. Kevin Huerter is off to the Atlanta Hawks now, but junior guard Anthony Cowan Jr. is back and is one of the most exciting guards to watch in college hoops. He averaged 15.8 ppg, 5.1 apg, and 4.4 rpg last year. Head Coach Mark Turgeon added five-star recruit and top-10 talent Jalen Smith to the squad. Smith, a 6' 10" forward from the DMV, runs the floor really well and possesses some excellent footwork on the block. He'll team up with sophomore forward Bruno Fernando (10.3 ppg and 6.5 rpg) to form the front court. With what I believe to be an open Big Ten race this year, Maryland could rise up and snag that top spot.
And that's a wrap! There are my top 25 teams heading into Tuesday night's action. There are some schools I may have left out or one's that I put in that you may have thought differently about. Sound off in the comments or tweet me @Evan_On_Earth96. I want to hear what you have to say as we all get ready for what should be another awesome year of college hoops!
Check back later this week. I will be releasing another blog on teams that didn't make my top 25 (essentially another top 25 list) as well as a Mid-Major focused article. While we aren't quite to March yet, this time of year is a close second and I can't wait to see how things shake out over the next five months.
