The 2024-25 College Basketball season begins Monday, with 18 Top 25 schools having their initial games.
Conference Overviews
ACC – Just two ACC teams in the opening AP Top 25, with Duke at #7, and UNC at #9. In Durham, it’s Year 3 of the Jon Scheyer era. Freshman Cooper Flagg is arriving with super-human expectations. In Chapel Hill, the Tar Heels look like they have lots of strong guards and wings; and limited answers inside. Wake Forest’s Hunter Sallis is billed as a 1st team All-America candidate by CBS Sports Matt Norlander. Clemson is projected 4th in the Conference, and has two players on the All-ACC Preseason 2nd team. You can find the ACC Preseason Poll and Teams here.
Big East – There are three Big East teams – UConn #3, Creighton #15, and Marquette #18 in the opening AP Top 25. I’m sure the Huskies have plenty of talent, but there is just one starter back. Is the preseason ranking based more on their back-to-back titles, or more about real projection for this roster? Creighton looks like they’ll have balanced scoring, while Marquette has a lot of program continuity. Norlander has St. John’s as his #11 best team in the country. In the Big East Preseason Poll, Xavier placed 3rd ahead of Marquette, and St. John’s with 5th.
Big 12 – With 5 teams (#1 Kansas, #4 Houston, #5 Iowa State, #8 Baylor, #10 Arizona) in the AP Top 10 residing in the Big 12, the Big 12 has an argument for being the premier conference in the land. Cincinnati is #20 Nationally, but projected to finish 6th in their league. In a down year for the Jayhawks, Kansas was still a Top 20 team last year. This year Bill Self has reloaded, and has a deep, talented roster which everyone has in their Top 5. Kelvin Sampson has built a juggernaut at Houston. The Cougars went 32-5, 15-3 last year in their first season in the Big 12. This is now Year 1 for Arizona in their new league. Baylor was 4th overall in the Big 12 Preseason Poll, with two players on the Big 12 Preseason 2nd team.
Big Ten – Only four teams (Purdue #14, Indiana #17, UCLA #22, and Rutgers #25) in the AP Top 25. The Boilermakers have been a top 5 seed or better in 8 straight NCAA Tournaments. They’ve got an experienced backcourt in Braden Smith, and Fletcher Lowyer. A lot of people expect Trey Kaufman-Renn to be a breakout start. Purdue enters the year as the Big Ten favorite. Three portal adds in the projected starting 5 for Indiana. Each of the projected Hoosiers starters averaged at-least 11.5 ppg last year. Four transfers in UCLA’s projected starting 5. Year 1 for the Bruins in the Big Ten. If Cooper Flagg wasn’t getting every headline about incoming Freshman Nationally, the Scarlet Knights Freshman duo of Airious Bailey, and Dylan Harper might be getting more hype. I’ve seen multiple sites calling Illinois a conference darkhorse. Here is the Big Ten Preseason Poll.
SEC – While the Big 12 has five teams in the AP Top 10, the SEC has nine teams in the AP Top 25 (Alabama #2, Auburn #11, Tennessee #12, Texas A&M #13, Arkansas #16, Texas #19, Florida #21, Kentucky #23, Ole Miss #24). The Volunteers have 3 transfers in their projected starting 5. The Aggies have 7 of their Top 8 scores back, and added to projected starters in the portal. Senior Guard Wade Taylor averaged 19 ppg last year. Mark Pope begins his first season as Head Coach of Kentucky. He won a National Championship with Kentucky as a player in ’96. The past 5 years he’s been the Head Coach at BYU, where he finished 2nd overall in the West Coast Conference in his first two seasons, and 5th overall in the WCC each of the last three years. The starting 5 are all transfers, with 4 of the 5 scoring in double-figures at their previous stops. Pope has the Kentucky job, because John Calipari moved on to Arkansas, where he quickly assembled a talented roster via the portal. Here is the SEC Preseason Poll.
CBS Sports Top 100 & 1 Best Teams
Andy Katz’s Picks To Win Each Conference
Jay Bilas’ Preseason All-American Teams
Local Schools
Coppin State – Projected to finish 8th (last) in the MEAC. Ryan Archey named 2nd team Preaseason All-MEAC.
Loyola – Projected to finish 10th (last) in the Patriot League.
Morgan State – Projected to finish 4th in the MEAC. Wynston Tabbs, and Will Thomas both named 1st team Preaseason All-MEAC. Kameron Hobbs named 3rd team.
Mount St. Mary’s – Projected to finish 11th (out of 13) in the MAAC.
Navy – Projected to finish 8th in the Patriot League. Austin Benigni named 1st team Preseason All-Patriot League.
UMBC – Projected to finish 5th (out of 9) in the American East. Marcus Banks named 1st team Preseason All-American East.
Towson – Projected to win the Coastal Athletic Conference. Tyler Tejada named 1st team Preseason All-CAA. Christian May named 2nd team. Dylan Williamson named Honorable Mention.
Maryland – Projected to finish 10th in the Big Ten. Our thoughts on the Terps here.
Who Cuts Down The Nets?
Games Of Note This Week
Mississippi State at #5 Iowa State – Mississippi State’s Josh Hubbard was voted 2nd team Preseason SEC.
#19 Texas at Ohio State – The Buckeyes are projected to finish 8th in the Big Ten, which means they’re looked as a potential bubble team. Chance to get immediate help to their resume.
#8 Baylor at #6 Gonzaga – Rematch of the 2021 National Championship game. Gonzaga has another strong out-of-conference schedule, with Baylor currently looking like their primary challenge.
#9 North Carolina at #1 Kansas – Rematch of the 2022 National Championship game. UNC’s guards and wings should compete well. They are said to be limited inside. How do they handle Hunter Dickinson?
#12 Tennessee at Louisville – Is Louisville improved enough to compete here?
#8 Baylor at #16 Arkansas – The Bears aren’t exactly easing into their schedule. Credit to them for going out and starting their season with two difficult road games.
#11 Auburn at #4 Houston – An SEC powerhouse at a Big 12 powerhouse.
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