College basketball is finally -- finally! finally! -- back. And this season, all roads lead to Texas, where March Madness will culminate with the 2016 Final Four in Houston next spring.
Official games tip off this Friday. Next Monday brings ESPN's annual early-season 24-hour marathon. A host of heavyweight early match-ups and mini-tournaments will separate men from boys over the next several weeks, before conference place begins with the new year. Then all bets are off.
[seealso url = "http://sale-online.click/2015/04/08/quinn-cook-duke/"]
No one can predict what will happen between now and the April 4 title game in Houston. But it helps to know the lay of the land as things get started. So -- without further ado -- here's a look at our college basketball top 25 heading into the 2015-2016 season.
1. North Carolina
The Tar Heels are simply stacked. Senior point guard Marcus Paige will miss the season's first few weeks with a broken hand, but he's arguably the nation's top point guard when healthy.
An experience-heavy rotation will also feature big men Brice Johnson and Kennedy Meeks, with Justin Jackson and Theo Pinson on the wings. Coach Roy Williams has plenty to work with here as the Tar Heels prepare to battle it out with rival Duke for both Atlantic Coast Conference and national supremacy.
2. Kentucky
You're not going to believe this, but John Calipari has reloaded his roster with a small army of hotshot freshmen who will probably be playing in the NBA next year. Canadian shooting guard Jamal Murray and Haitian forward Skal Labissiere headline the latest class in Lexington.
But it's 5-foot-9 sophomore point guard Tyler Ulis who might be the Wildcats' biggest star, and who will have to steer this ship to Houston.
3. Duke
Mike Krzyzewski's Blue Devils won it all last year and are a major threat to repeat, especially since they may have America's most exciting freshman: Brandon Ingram, who boasts a dangerous perimeter game and a 6-foot-9 frame. (He can also jump really high, as shown in the Vine above.)
Duke with new road unis @UniWatch pic.twitter.com/B9xawLJDDv— Andrew Hammond (@ahammsportsgeek) October 5, 2015
Fellow freshmen Derryck Thornton and Luke Kennard add even more firepower, while guard Grayson Allen leads a solid group of returning players.
4. Maryland
Not so long ago, Mark Turgeon's seat was getting hot. Now the Terps are in national title contention and receiving some hype as best in the land.
Sophomore Melo Trimble returns as one of the country's top guards, while freshman post Diamond Stone is a future lottery pick. They lead a roster that will also look to returnee Jake Layman and Duke transfer Rasheed Sulaimon for production.
5. Virginia
Hot on the heels of Duke and North Carolina in the ACC is Tony Bennett's experienced Virginia squad. London Perrantes and Malcolm Brogdon, a potential All-American, comprise one of the toughest backcourts you'll find.
The back of the new #Nike @UVAMensHoops jerseys feature a full aero graphic #5Pillars #UniSwag #GoHoos #Wahoowa pic.twitter.com/GLlZptOjPD— Matthew Althoff (@UVAEquipment) October 15, 2015
Finding a way to replace Justin Anderson -- whether by committee or one player stepping up -- is highly important.
6. Gonzaga
Kyle Wiltjer, Domantas Sabonis and Przemek Karnowski are big men with All-American potential. Problem is, you can't play all three at the same time. Or can you? Either way, Zags coach Mark Few is juggling a problem any coach in the nation would kill to have.
New unis for Gonzaga hoops. pic.twitter.com/rV90V3f7hB— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) November 4, 2015
Kevin Pangos was an institution at point guard for four years before graduating. He'll be missed, and the Zags will need to find backcourt complements for their embarrassment of big-man riches.
7. Kansas
Will McDonald's All-American Cheick Diallo be declared eligible by the NCAA? The answer to that question will go a long way toward determining the Jayhawks' fortunes.
Kansas one of several Adidas schools with retro-styled alternates this season (h/t @conradburry). pic.twitter.com/ScYPgVHeSJ— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) November 4, 2015
Perry Ellis, Wayne Selden and Frank Mason are the core of a team that will be successful with or without Diallo -- but adding the talented freshman boosts Kansas to another level.
8. Wichita State
It feels like Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker have been around forever. Now the senior guards are back for one last run under coach Gregg Marshall. Connor Frankamp, a transfer from Kansas, will add even more backcourt firepower after becoming eligible mid-year.
9. Oklahoma
Athletic, kinetic shooting guard Buddy Hield is among the most exciting -- and just plain best -- players in America. Lon Kruger, among the nation's most savvy coaches, will have to make up for departed interior beast TaShawn Thomas. But the Sooners' other three starters return to support Hield, a potential All-American.
10. Michigan State
Do you really want to count out a Tom Izzo team? Senior Denzel Valentine is ready for national stardom after three years of flying under the radar.
Confirmed: This is @MSU_Basketball's new uniform. Green piping gone on collar and thicker green accents on shorts. pic.twitter.com/NTRUTzSzar— Brent Yarina (@BTNBrentYarina) September 23, 2015
Eron Harris will also be a major contributor after transferring from West Virginia, where he averaged 17 points per game as a sophomore. Don't be surprised to see the Spartans look just OK early, then round into frightening form as March approaches.
11. Iowa State
The Steve Prohm era begins in Ames after Fred Hoiberg bolted to coach the Chicago Bulls following last season. Prohm inherits a talented group, though, led by senior Georges Niang. How much help he gets from returnees Abdel Nader and Matt Thomas, along with transfers Hallice Cooke and Deonte Burton, will be the story of the Cyclones' season.
12. Villanova
As always, coach Jay Wright is rich in the backcourt. Freshman point guard Jalen Brunson looks ready to run the show from day one. Returnees Daniel Ochefu, Ryan Arcidiacono and Josh Hart give Brunson passing options.
But the unavoidable question is this: Can Villanova avoid yet another premature March Madness exit?
13. Arizona
The Wildcats lost a lot of players after last season (including T. J. McConnell, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Brandon Ashley and Stanley Johnson). But -- in typical Sean Miller fashion -- they added a lot of people, too, with a top-5 recruiting class headed to Tucson. Ray Smith's torn ACL hurts bad, but Arizona can overcome that if Parker Jackson-Cartwright or Gabe York take command of McConnell's vacated point guard role.
14. Cal
After a jackpot spring on the recruiting trail, Cuonzo Martin welcomes high school All-Americans Jaylen Brown and Ivan Rabb to Berkeley. Combine those two with returning perimeter forces Tyrone Wallace, Jabari Bird and Jordan Mathews, and the Golden Bears have what could be one of the nation's most entertaining lineups. The keys will be how well old and new gel, as well as how much depth Martin can find on his bench.
15. Indiana
Yogi Ferrell is back for what feels like his 15th season running point in Bloomington. He has talented co-stars in James Blackmon Jr. and Troy Williams, while freshman big Thomas Bryant is a top-25 recruit with potential to make major contributions early.
16. Utah
Delon Wright's departure for the NBA leaves a massive hole in the Utah roster, but coach Larry Krystkowiak still has plenty to work with. Jakob Poeltl is an elite college center who will probably join Wright in the NBA next year. Jordan Loveridge is an offensive threat, but finding someone to run the team as Wright did last year will be the big challenge.
17. Wisconsin
Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker are gone to the NBA for good, but don't be surprised to see former role players Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig step up big-time.
Wisconsin one of several Adidas schools with retro-styled alternates this season (h/t @conradburry). pic.twitter.com/vo4cDrZrxk— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) November 4, 2015
This is technically a rebuilding year in Madison, but Bo Ryan is such a master coach it's tough to see the Badgers falling all that far from last season's national title game appearance.
18. LSU
Enjoy Australian forward Ben Simmons now, because after one year, the Australian sensation is all but guaranteed to bolt to the NBA Draft -- where he's a favorite to be the top overall pick next June. Watch the highlight reel above and you'll see why.
He's a 6-foot-10 power forward with guard skills, and will likely be looked upon to do a bit of everything for the Tigers. Fellow freshmen Antonio Blakeney and Brandon Sampson add firepower, while junior returnee Tim Quarterman is another potential first-round draft pick.
19. UConn
Omar Calhoun, Daniel Hamilton and Rodney Purvis will be a three-headed attack for coach Kevin Ollie. Add Jalen Adams, a top-25 recruit who once did this, and this is a team that could be scary-good if everything comes together just right.
20. Vanderbilt
Kevin Stallings' Commodores are a trendy sleeper pick this season. Virtually everyone returns for a team that probably won't challenge Kentucky in the SEC, but could definitely make some noise of its own come March.
21. Notre Dame
Point guard Demetrius Jackson is a bad man, as evidenced in the Vine above. NBA draft picks Jerian Grant and Pat Connaughton will be missed, but Jackson should be able to hold down the fort until this year's Irish find their own identity.
22. Purdue
No one in the country other than Gonzaga can go as big as Purdue, which adds McDonald's All-American Caleb Swanigan's massive frame to a roster that already has two effective seven-footers.
23. West Virginia
West Virginia got a tough reality check to end last season after some big talk. Did they learn from that? Junior forward Devin Williams is the man for a team that will look to push the tempo and run, run, run.
24. Oregon
Dana Altman's Oregon program seems to always be two steps from utter chaos. Then, every off-season, he cobbles together a crew of freshman, junior college players and graduate transfers. And it always seems to work -- the Ducks have reached the NCAA Tournament's round-of-32 in three consecutive seasons.
Can they do it again, or perhaps go deeper? Freshman guard Tyler Dorsey, senior forward Elgin Cook and graduate transfer Dylan Ennis will lead the charge.
25. Michigan
Our seniors @SpikeAlbrecht and @CarisLeVert. Hard to believe it's been four years. #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/E3G24OjJ1x— Michigan Basketball (@umichbball) September 10, 2015
Spike Albrecht, forever the dude who hit on Kate Upton, and Caris LeVert return for their senior seasons in Ann Arbor. Zak Irvin and Derrick Walton round out a talented backcourt that should have the Wolverines back in the Big Dance after sitting last March out.