It’s College Basketball Season: Get Ready for an Exciting Year!
It’s been a long offseason, but it’s always music to our ears when college basketball is officially back. With the new season set to begin on Monday, Nov. 4, I’m here to provide you with seven college basketball storylines that will get your blood pumping for the hardwood over the gridiron. And trust me, they’re especially juicy this year.
Changing of the Guard
Years ago, if you told me California would be playing in the ACC, Arizona would be in the Big 12, and UCLA would be in the Big Ten in 2024, I would’ve said you were crazy. Football (and money) has always ruled collegiate sports, but television deals, NIL money, conference realignment, and the transfer portal have dramatically altered the college basketball landscape.
The Pac-12 is dead (for now), and many teams will be racking up serious miles on their private charters. Just look at all these changes heading into the new campaign: Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah have joined the Big 12; California, Stanford, and SMU have joined the ACC; Oklahoma and Texas have joined the SEC; Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington have joined the Big Ten; Oregon State and Washington have joined the WCC (for now). Chicago State is no longer an independent and now resides in the NEC, while Kennesaw State joined the CUSA, Merrimack and Sacred Heart joined the MAAC, and Stephen F. Austin and UTRGV joined the Southland. D-I has two new members as Mercyhurst gets added to the NEC and West Georgia is an ASUN addition.
That’s 20 schools that are moving conferences—yes, 20! This upheaval not only breaks up long-standing rivalries but also results in differing league schedules, massive time zone jumps, and new opponents to scout. Will this be a good thing for the future of college basketball and the NCAA Tournament? At this point, that remains unknown, creating a massive storyline to start the season.
Cooper Flagg: Must-See TV
March is the best month in sports, and the NCAA Tournament is the best betting event, but college basketball has been sorely lacking a true, attention-grabbing star player over the last couple of seasons. No offense to Zach Edey, but there hasn’t been a player that casual fans needed to tune in to watch in November, December, and January when football has the nation’s attention.
But that all changes in 2024-25. For the first time since Zion Williamson, there’s a star freshman who will draw serious national eyes: Cooper Flagg. This five-star, one-and-done talent will play for Jon Scheyer at Duke, aiming to lead the Blue Devils to their first national title since 2015. Flagg is widely projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and is expected to be an All-American and Player of the Year candidate this season.
Flagg has already grown his stock immensely before even stepping foot on the floor at Cameron Indoor. He worked out with the USA Select team in Vegas this summer, and Duke assistant Chris Carrawell noted that there were moments where he was the best player on the floor—no small feat considering the roster included future Hall of Famers.
SEC Rivalry
Mark your calendars for February 1, a date circled on every college hoops junkie’s calendar: that’s when John Calipari returns to Rupp Arena as the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks. After 15 seasons in Lexington that featured four Final Fours and a national title, Calipari’s move to the SEC creates a juicy rivalry for years to come.
The Kentucky fan base had soured on Cal (the Wildcats have won one NCAA Tournament game since 2019), so it’s not like the head coach bailed on the program out of nowhere. However, this matchup is one of the most intriguing dates of the new season.
If projections for both teams hold true, this will be more than just a storyline. Calipari’s squad brings back junior forward Trevon Brazile while adding experienced transfers like Johnell Davis (FAU) and Jonas Aidoo (Tennessee). He also brought D.J. Wagner, Adou Thiero, and Zvonimir Ivisic over from Kentucky, along with talented freshmen like Boogie Fland and Karter Knox.
Meanwhile, Mark Pope takes over at Kentucky. A team captain on the Wildcats’ 1996 national title team, Pope had a successful coaching career at BYU. His team is filled with talented newcomers like Jaxson Robinson (BYU), Lamont Butler (San Diego State), and Kerr Kriisa (West Virginia), among other key transfers.
UConn Three-Peat?
It’s saying something that it took us this long to touch on the back-to-back national champion UConn Huskies. Dan Hurley rejected a six-year, $70 million offer from the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason, opting to return to Storrs in search of becoming the first head coach to guide a school to three straight national titles since John Wooden did so with UCLA in the early 1970s.
The Big East is loaded again this year, with Marquette and Creighton in the top 25, and Xavier, St. John’s, Providence, Butler, and Villanova all having true NCAA Tournament hopes. The Huskies lost four of their top five scorers, including Donovan Clingan and Tristen Newton, but as long as Hurley is at the helm, the Huskies have a chance.
The roster isn’t devoid of talent, either. Alex Karaban is ready for a leading role, while newcomers Aidan Mahaney (Saint Mary’s) and Liam McNeeley (freshman) are expected to make significant contributions in the backcourt.
Former Teammates Take Over Sport
Returning players will always be more important than newcomers, and that’s good news for North Carolina and Arizona, as they have two of the best players in the sport back. The Tar Heels have questions in the frontcourt after Armando Bacot’s departure, but RJ Davis is one of the best scorers and shot creators in the nation. The 2024 ACC Player of the Year helped guide the Heels to the National Championship game in 2022 and could do so again in 2025.
Out west, Davis’ former teammate—Caleb Love—is gearing up for another starring role with the Wildcats. Like Davis, the fifth-year talent can score and create shots with the best of them and was also a member of that 2022 runner-up team. Love has faced criticism for previous fumbles on big stages and his inefficiencies, but he was the Pac-12 Player of the Year last season and has improved his defense.
Blue Bloods Back From the Dead
Eight national championships and 18 Final Fours. Indiana and Louisville are two of the most historic programs in college basketball history, but they haven’t lived up to their blue blood status in recent years. The Hoosiers haven’t reached the Sweet 16 since 2016 and the Final Four since 2002, while the Cardinals have won just 25 games total in the past three seasons.
Both programs have different expectations entering 2024-25, but the common theme is clear: college basketball is better when these teams are relevant. Indiana is a top-25 squad with talented newcomers like Oumar Ballo and experienced returning players like Malik Reneau and Mackenzie Mgbako. Mike Woodson is almost certainly on the hot seat, but the Hoosiers are expected to be an NCAA Tournament team—and perhaps more.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals are in Year 1 of the Pat Kelsey era and will be a factor in the ACC this season. Kelsey’s teams always play hard, and this roster boasts plenty of experience from players like Chucky Hepburn (Wisconsin), Koren Johnson (Washington), and Terrence Edwards Jr. (James Madison). It’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Cardinals can challenge for a bubble spot. Are these blue bloods both back? We’ll soon find out.
Don’t Miss December 14
The Champions Classic (Tuesday, Nov. 12) and Feast Week are the highlights of the non-conference slate, but December 14 isn’t far behind. Here are the marquee games on that Saturday:
- Gonzaga vs. UConn
- Creighton vs. Alabama
- Texas A&M vs. Purdue
- Tennessee vs. Illinois
- Louisville vs. Kentucky
- Auburn vs. Ohio State
- NC State vs. Kansas
- Memphis vs. Clemson
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! This loaded slate also includes Arizona vs. UCLA, Xavier vs. Cincinnati, Seton Hall vs. Rutgers, Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State, Wisconsin vs. Butler, Marquette vs. Dayton, and Georgetown vs. Syracuse. That’s an absolutely loaded day of basketball that can’t be missed, regardless of your football needs.
As the season approaches, excitement is building, and these storylines promise to make 2024-25 one of the most thrilling seasons in recent memory.