Football season is now behind us and it’s exactly 4 weeks before the BIGGEST Sunday of the year-Selection Sunday. With that being said, this will be a primer on what has happened so far and what is to come; especially for those who are just getting into college basketball with a little less than a month until the Big Dance. Here are some teams I am intrigued by.

Let’s start with some of the contenders for a trip to New Orleans for the Final Four this year.

1. Gonzaga- I’m not sure you can start anywhere else but with the Zags, who have one of the best constructed rosters in college basketball. Many will remember Drew Timme’s dominant performances throughout the last tournament, and he has returned with a vengeance after the heartbreaking championship loss to Baylor. Joining him was the #1 recruit in the nation, Chet Holmgren. Andrew Nembhard  -who played second fiddle to Jalen Suggs- has stepped in at PG and has played great as well. Gonzaga is more than ready for a return to the Final Four.
2. Auburn- Rumblings of Auburn being a legit top 20 squad this year were circulating in the preseason but no one expected what they’ve accomplished so far this season. Before last Tuesday’s loss to Arkansas, the fighting Bruce Pearls had ran off 19 straight wins with several against top 15 caliber teams such as Kentucky and Alabama. Potential #1 pick and true freshman, Jabari Smith, has been one of the best players in the nation and his supporting cast of UNC transfer Walker Kessler, Wendell Green and KD Johnson are tough to beat. 
3. Arizona- The biggest surprise of them all has to come from Tucson. The Wildcats, with new coach Tommy Lloyd stepping in, have been one of the best teams in the nation from the beginning. A load of very talented freshmen in Tubelis, Mathurin and Kriisa have been nearly unbeatable. Will their youth trip them up in March? Possibly, but so far they have hung tough and refused to fold against the less than inspiring competition in the Pac 12. A true sign of maturity for sure.
4. Kentucky- Finally a mix of talent and veteran presence here in Lexington for Coach Cal and the Wildcats. The additions of Kellen Grady, Sahvir Wheeler and Oscar Tshiebwe’s experience have done wonders for this team. And don’t forget the freshman star TyTy Washington, who has been a difference maker on both ends of the floor.
5.  Purdue- The most efficient offense in the nation per KenPom, resides in West Lafayette. The Matt Painter led Boilermakers have made waves all season with the flashy play of probable top 5 NBA pick Jaden Ivey. The pieces around him cannot be forgotten though. Trevion Williams, Zach Idey and Sasha Stefanovic have been stars in their own right as well. The one thing holding back the Boilers lies on their defensive play. Unless things change drastically over the next month +, it would be a statistical anomaly if they won the championship. Yes, their defense is that bad.

Pretenders

1. Houston- I hate to disrespect Kelvin Sampson and the Cougars right off the bat but this team, despite their high ranking, would need something crazy to happen to come away with the title. The Cougars lost two of their best players in the first few months of the season and they have certainly had other guys step up and make them competitive. 
2. Texas- New coach Chris Beard and the Longhorns came into the season as a dark horse contender for the title. While they have improved over the past month, notching a massive W over Kansas last week, they are not who we thought they were. Inconsistencies, injuries and the meshing of multiple transfers has proved fatal too often. Could they still put it all together? Possibly, but seems unlikely at this juncture.
3. Alabama- The Crimson Tide were one of the biggest preseason darlings, garnering plenty of love from those around the sport. Alabama has faced the toughest schedule in the nation and has failed to provide the goods far too often. While losses to Kentucky and Auburn in back to back games is understandable, losses to Iona, Davidson and SEC worst Mizzou are not. With plenty to play for over this next month going into Selection Sunday, we should see some good performances- but there are still warning signs with their shooting and defense that they cannot be trusted long term. 

Bracket Busters- Some dark horse candidates who could ruin everyone’s bracket come next month 

1. Murray State- Now situating themselves in the top 25, they won’t be nearly the surprise they could have been- but for good reason. The Racers have manhandled nearly every one they faced this season and only lost by 13 on the road to Auburn, who is tough as nails in their home arena. According to BracketMatrix, Murray State is currently a 10 seed, and it would not be a surprise if they were favored in that opening tournament game versus a lower numbered seed.
2. North Texas- This should come as no surprise to anyone who has followed the tournament over the past few years. Grant McCasland and the Mean Green are rolling again and will be a tough out for whoever has to face them in the opening round. 
3. Vermont- Another former bracket buster can be found  in the Catamounts. Vermont is once again running through the American East with relative ease. Preseason American East POY Ryan Davis can keep this team in most any game with his scoring and Ben Shungu is an elite defender who can stick on any team’s best player. Watch out.
4. Wyoming- Maybe the most popular non-Power 6 team in the land is located in Laramie, Wyoming. Jeff Linder and the Cowboys have been an absolute joy to follow over the course of the season. Potential MWC POY Hunter Maldonado and Graham Ike come to play every night on the offensive end and the home crowd is electric every game. As of now, they sit in as an 8 seed. That would be a nightmare scenario for whatever 1 seed drew them in a potential round of 32 matchup.

   It has been quite a while since I’ve sat down and written a piece, but I have decided to come out of the woodwork with some new projects. Anyone that has read any of my past college football articles and supported me, I appreciate you. Going forward, I am going to begin focusing on college basketball and specifically, the NBA draft and New York Basketball scene. Shortly, I’ll be creating a new website that caters more to what I am doing.  My plan is to stay committed to pumping out weekly stories and to build a following that perhaps one day can be turned into a career. With no further ado, let’s get started.

         In this first piece, I want to run through my Top 10 in college basketball for next year. Obviously, a lot can shift in the next few weeks with the NBA Draft Early Entrant Withdrawal Deadline coming up on June 10^th. I will release a 2019 NBA Draft Primer as well as an interview with 4 star recruit Andre Curbelo out of Long Island Lutheran coming up in the next week.

2019-2020 College Basketball Top 10

1. Michigan State

         Is there anyone else that can be put at #1? With everyone returning this team will be the prohibitive favorite going into next season. Cassius Winston is the best point guard in college basketball and arguably the best returning player. That is on top of Josh Langford returning from his injury and other key players returning such as Aaron Henry and Xavier Tillman. Xavier Tillman feels like one of those big guys at Michigan State that continually improves year by year and turns into a real star. Draymond Green and Denzel Valentine come to mind when I think of his progression going forward. Another guy to look out for that you might not know about is Rocket Watts. This incoming freshman guard from Ohio will be a nice piece off the bench. His point guard skills need to be refined but he will not need to be leaned on for that in his first year. Watts is a dynamic scorer and could fill in at the 2 in a moment’s notice next to Cassius Winston.

2. Michigan

          The Wolverines are one of those teams that could easily slip out of the Top 10 pending some important NBA decisions. Jordan Poole and Ignas Brazdeikis are weighing their options but if they come back, this team is a serious contender to cut down the nets. Along with those guys, Zavier Simpson, Jon Teske and Isaiah Livers will be returning. If not for Cassius Winston, Zavier Simpson would be the consensus best point guard in the Big Ten. One incoming freshman to remember is Jalen Wilson, the 46^th best player in the country according to the 247 composite. He could be the answer for them on the wing at times. This team needs to improve offensively but the defensive culture has been set by Coach John Beilein and that will carry them throughout the regular season and on into March.

3. Kentucky

          Kentucky is #3 and with the addition of Kerry Blackshear Jr. from Virginia Tech as a graduate transfer I may well bump them to #1. This team potentially returns EJ Montgomery, Ashton Hagans, Immanuel Quickley and Nick Richards. And if you add in Kerry Blackshear, Nick Sestina along with the #3 recruiting class in the nation? Wow. This is a team that will be bigger than most teams they play and will have plenty of experience at the college level to boot. Incoming Freshman Kahlil Whitney could help them out on the wing as they don’t have a clear cut small forward. Tyrese Maxey is another gem of a player that will immediately help them out at the guard spots.

4. Duke

          The past few days have been kind to the Blue Devils on the recruiting trail. Matthew Hurt and Cassius Stanley joining the fold will certainly help Duke going forward. Vernon Carey is a virtual lock for the 2020 NBA 1st round, as well. Did I forget to mention Tre Jones is returning for his sophomore season at point guard? Jones is one of the steadying players of this past year’s team, is already a solid point guard, and he will only improve will a full offseason under Coach K’s wing. If Tre Jones can make opponents fear his jump shot that will open up the floor for everyone else. Marques Bolden, Javin DeLaurier and Alex O’Connell will also be big returning pieces for them.

5. Villanova

          I hate for my bias to come out but I always fall in love with Villanova teams and Jay Wright is the reason. Next year’s team should be an improvement from last year’s despite losing Eric Paschall and Phil Booth. Jermaine Samuels had flashes of great play down the stretch for the Wildcats and Collin Gillespie is going to be a key cog for them next year. My biggest question for them is who will step up and be a leader? Phil Booth took on that role last year and one of the aforementioned need to be that guy. 5 star Freshman recruits Bryan Antoine and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl will be huge additions for Villanova as well. Robinson-Earl should help Villanova a lot down low as there has been inconsistent play there recently.

6. Gonzaga

       As long as Killian Tillie and Zach Norvell Jr. return I believe they will stay at this spot and teams could move above and below them. Filip Petrusev and Corey Kispert will need to step into starting roles and prove they can be contributors along with a highly touted recruiting class. 4 Star Drew Timme, a 6-10 center out of Richardson, Texas, will be expected to carry the load at the 5 and he should be up to the task. 4 star Anton Watson will also be a key cog for the Zags. Known for his versatile play and high basketball IQ, he should fit right in.

7. Louisville

          This is another team that relies a lot on who decides to return. If Jordan Nwora and Steven Enoch decide to withdraw from the draft, this team could and should be a top 5 team next year. Chris Mack did wonders in his first year at the helm for the Cardinals and is now bringing in his own guys. St Joe’s grad transfer Lamarr Kimble will be a welcome addition as he should bring experience to the point guard position. Dwayne Sutton, Ryan McMahon and Malik Williams will be important for Louisville, being that they have experience and talent at various positions. Incoming Freshman Samuell Williamson will certainly be important as well. His ascension to a 5 star prospect should not be forgotten and he could be the kind of player who plays himself into the 1^st round of the 2020 draft with a strong freshman campaign.

        8. Kansas

          Kansas is a team that I think many will forget coming into the season despite a ranking in the top 15. As long as Devon Dotson and Quentin Grimes withdraw their names from the draft, this team should be a consensus top 10 team. Those two are not even the most important returning piece- which is Udoka Azubuike. Before Azubuike went down midseason, I truly believed this team had a chance to make a major splash in March. Along with his return, Marcus Garrett and Ochai Agbaji should be key if they can continue to develop. Don’t get it twisted, a Dedric Lawson type player is not walking through that door but a dynamic graduate transfer for Kansas could prove to be massive for the Jayhawks. Arkansas Little-Rock’s Rayjon Tucker is visiting soon and he’s the kind of player that could really change the trajectory of this team. Tucker is a dynamic scorer that could really help a team that struggled at times on the offensive end.

9. Seton Hall

          Is this too high of a ranking for the Pirates? I do not think it is at this juncture. If Myles Powell returns for Seton Hall you are returning the man who could well be the best player in the Big East. I know, I know, there is some guy at Marquette named Markus Howard but I really like Myles Powell. He’s that dynamic of a player. Surprisingly, the Pirates struggled quite a bit on the offensive end throughout this past season, ranking 87^th according to KenPom. That is an area Seton Hall must improve on to live up to this spot in the rankings. The return of Myles Cale, Quincy McKnight and Sandro Mamukelashvili is big for them as well. To put a bow on this ranking, I see a lot of potential for the Pirates. Kevin Willard is still only 44 and is finally coming into his own as a coach and this team has a lot more experience than most will next year. Experience wins in March and this team has the ingredients to finally have success there.

10. Oregon

           To wrap up these rankings, the Oregon Ducks come in at #10. Again, this ranking depends a lot on whether Payton Pritchard and Kenny Wooten decide to come back into the fold. The loss of Louis King makes me considerably more unsure of Oregon. Payton Pritchard’s experience at point guard is the most important part of why the Ducks are in this spot. Pritchard was one of the best players in the PAC-12 last year and is the best point guard in the league. The biggest addition to next year’s squad has to be JUCO shooting guard Chris Duarte. Duarte was named Junior College player of the year and will fill up the stat sheet. Despite his 6’6 frame, he averaged 7 rebounds a game and can fill it up from deep, shooting 40% from behind the arc. The other key incoming player is 4 star signee CJ Walker out of Florida. Known for his energy and athleticism, he should fit right into the Oregon mold.

Thanks again for checking out my 1^st piece as I return to writing. Look out for the NBA Draft primer coming out in the next week.