2024-25 College Hoops Discussion

[jasontoddwhitt]

Exhibition games beginning this week. The season is almost here.

Kentucky exceeded my expectations tonight against Kentucky Wesleyan. I’ve seen past teams struggle in these exhibitions. Tonight was just fun in our 123-52 victory.

[LowerWolf]

Happy opening night!

[cheesesteak]

I'm Watching the Kentucky and Bama games on ESPNU tonight (while probably flipping to Manningcast for MNF) and then Zags v Baylor.

I did have a question. The play-by-play guy working the Kentucky game said 7 programs return 0 production this season, Kentucky being one. Who are the other programs?

Based on some quick research via a couple articles and reddit threads, I have concluded it is these 7 programs:

Kentucky
Arkansas *not them*
Louisville
DePaul
Cal
Indiana State
North Texas

Can anyone confirm these? I'm at work and can't do the diehard research. ...but even if I was at work, I don't think I'd want to do the diehard research lol. I was thinking possibly FAU, but they seem to be returning 1 major reserver player at least.

edit:
broadcast just listed OK St and Vandy as 2 of the 5 most new players in power conferences. But didn't specify they are returning 0 production.

Later, studio broadcast said Arkansas returns 10% mins and 9% pts. So it's NOT Arkansas...which I should've realized, I remember Brazile staying. That's what I get for reading reddit threads.

[l3ulvl]

Surprised Purdue has a 7'4" guy

[l3ulvl]

Michigan looked good in the Dusty May debut


my takeaway: Danny Wolf will be a fan favorite

[cheesesteak]

Gonzaga looked great. Possibly the best team Few has had w/o a bonafide star (yet, at least). ...possibly the best roster he's had period. A great, balanced 8-man rotation that can put out various types of lineups. I was surprised Jun Seok Yeo only got garbage time. I figured he'd at least have had some decent mins since it was an early blow out.

Anyone have an Final Four picks? I personally don't like picking just 4 pre-season since the real bracket draw can throw it all into shambles (I think last time I picked just 4 in the pre-season, 3 of the teams were in the same bracket )

So a couple years ago, I learned to pick a main FF, then a backup 4, then a roaming +1 lol So I basically pick 9 teams. Here they are for this season (I promise this was before Monday night, I'm traditionally big on Gonzaga).

Main Final Four - Houston, Duke, Gonzaga, Texas Tech
backup 4 - Alabama, Baylor, Indiana, Texas
+1 - UNC

Book it and check back in 6 months!

Regarding some glaring absences, I'm not a fan of picking returning FF teams since it so rarely happens, so I limited myself to just 1 and went with Bama. I was tempted to have UConn be my +1 though.

And Kansas only goes to the FF every 4+ years with Self, and in even-numbered years, so 2026 or 2028 will be the next if the history keeps up. And I like sticking to history. So that is why I didn't pick them.

Regarding oddity picks, I kinda had fun and picked 2 Texas programs per FF group, since the FF is in San Antonio. It just felt right. And I like to have 1 dark horse team pick, since the FF will likely have a 7- or lower seed. I was really tempted with Kentucky, Michigan, WVU, or KSU. But stuck w/ the Texas teams.

[l3ulvl]

Kansas because of the coronation of 10th year senior Dickinson

Duke because Duke, UConn because UConn, Sparty because Sparty

that's my analysis lol

[Speedy]

I do not have confidence in RJ Davis. His shots are sometimes awful and he runs ISOs or hosts up 3s.

Carolina got back in the game thru others.